Tell me why I'm a 12 handicap

[Leftygolfer]

I know why I am not a lower handicap.

1. Short putting. I don't make all my 3-4 footers. I miss usually 2-3 putts inside of five feet per round.

2. 3 putting. I 3 putt at least 3 times a round usually.

3. The terrible shot. I almost miss the ball once a round or so. I don't know why but I have a terrible swing and it usually cost me at least 2 shots. You just can't hit horrible shots. Bad is fine, you can recover, but terrible, a bogey is a great score and very difficult.

If I change those three things above, that is at least 7-8 shots a round. That turns my 85 into a 77.

I would put my good shots up against anybody that isn't a + handicap and I know they are just as good. I hit two shots in my last round from 50 yards inside of 5 feet. Missed one, made one. Hit a 100 yard shot to 4 feet, missed the putt high. Hit from 125 to 10 feet, miss the putt. Good players convert there opportunites and I do not. I drive the ball great, except those 1 or 2 that I make doubles on. I go after a flag and hit in the water.

The difference is the mistakes are not as penal. Every 5 mishits alot of shots, but they are ok and par is an option. For me, bogey is not a given on a terrible swing.

Great thread.

[opie]

3. The terrible shot. I almost miss the ball once a round or so. I don't know why but I have a terrible swing and it usually cost me at least 2 shots. You just can't hit horrible shots. Bad is fine, you can recover, but terrible, a bogey is a great score and very difficult.

This is my BIG one. I'm ok with misses, every does, but the "where did that come from" shot is a HUGE thorn in my side. I went OB twice on Sunday with a freaking 6-iron (different holes). Oh, I hit it solid and it goes a long way but when you come over the top and then hook it it's GONE. Funny thing is I might hit that shot once in a week on the range but I go to the course and I can count on 3 or 4 of them and it's always at the worst possible time.

[patz0r]

This is a great thread, so much good insight on how to bring it to the next level. I always feel like I score much worse than my potential but this thread has helped me think about the reasoning much more clearly.

[Brakkus]

Execution was my first thought when I saw this thread,and second mistake management.The 2 things that hold me back.Execution of shots well that will improve as I technically get better at a repeatable swing.

Mistakes,club selection,course management,OB shots these can all be improved and are all related to one another.More and more I'm realising not too have a strategy in general,but to be more specific for where each shot lands and adjust accordingly.

Lots of good comments here.Very helpful

[wannabe]

Awesome thread. To the low hcp folks who chimed in, you've been watching me, haven't you? :)

I've definitely taken to playing much more within myself and choosing shots more conservatively, always expecting to take three shots to get on the green for par 5's (e.g. the 250 yard example earlier in the thread). I used to hit driver off the deck - ridiculous now that I look back at it. Now I look for trouble on every hole and lay up or aim to avoid it.

I have always aimed for the middle of greens, but I think the advice to think about club selection based on the back of the green is great advice for me that I plan on using on my next round.

Bunker play kills me -- gotta find a place to practice my bunker shots.

Putting speed - ensuring I'm trying to get distances past the hole - something I know but need to practice more.

[Bump-n-MI]

I know my swing mechanics and understand what I did wrong when I put a bad swing on the ball...thus making it easier to correct. There are many high cappers that know nothing about their mechanics. I often get asked, "what am I doing wrong?".

[goblue107501]

Most of these have been mentioned but here are my thoughts:

1. Short game control. Being able to get out of bunkers and on the green (on the first try). Chipping to inside 10 feet most of the time when you miss a green. Eliminate 3 putts. If you have a long putt, just try and get it with 3-4 feet. Too often I see people get around the green in two shots, but they just can't get it in the hole. If you hit a GIR, you should be thinking par is the worst score you want. If you can hit 5 greens, that should be (at least) 5 pars.

2. Game management. If there is trouble on the par 4's and it is a short hole, tee off with an iron or hybrid. The key is just to keep the ball in play. I have a par 4 that I play that is anywhere from 285 to 330 with trouble all around and everytime I want to go for the green. Usually I hit a 6-iron to get the proper angle and hit a wedge on the green. Easy birdie or par. One friend I have always goes for it, hits in one of the ten bunkers or in the rough with an impossible shot and makes bogey or double. Play par 5's as short par 4's and only concern yourself with positioning for the 3rd shot. Whatever you do off the tee doesn't matter if you know you can't reach the green in 2. Keep the ball in play, hit a good lay up to a safe distance and try and score from there.

3. Know your distances you hit each club. And also how to adjust each club to different distances. If 155 is too long for an 8-iron, choke down and hit the 7. Distance control is a vastly overlooked aspect of golf. Inside of 200 yards I can be within 5-7 yards from any yardage with at least 2 different clubs. You will never find yourself in trouble if you can hit a ball pin high to the fat part of the green. It is when you try and bust the 8 instead of hitting the easy 7 that you find yourself in the front bunker.

4. Short game. I know I mentioned it earlier, but the easiest way to lower scores is to change 3 putts for bogey to 2 putts for par, and 2 putts for bogey to 1 putt for par.

[wannabe]

I know my swing mechanics and understand what I did wrong when I put a bad swing on the ball...thus making it easier to correct. There are many high cappers that know nothing about their mechanics. I often get asked, "what am I doing wrong?".

After just having my swing completely re-constructed with six lessons and weeks of range time, I'm sure the answer ringing in your head is something like "where do you want me to begin?" or "It'd be easier to tell you what you're doing right."

[wannabe]

Most of these have been mentioned but here are my thoughts:

Great advice. I like #2 and have learned to do this a lot. Along with better scoring, it also makes for a much more relaxing round.

[CarlSpackler]

I have had some good play lately and I think I can boil it down to one thing, mental game. I have made some minor tweaks to my mechanics, but after reading some books on the mental game (Play to Play Great and Zen Golf) I am now approaching all shots believing that I can get it close with the swing I have. If I don't, or really botch it, I let it go and focus on next shot instead of beating my self up and trying to figure out what went wrong. When I was well on the way to shooting the lowest I ever have for 9 last week, I was starting to feel antsy and wanting it real bad. In the past, this is where the wheels would fall off and I would make a mess of the last hole or two. Using some techniques in Zen Golf, I was able to clear those thoughts from my head and finish with two pars. I now know the meaning of the old phase that golf is all about six inches, the distance between your ears (or something like that).

[CG031]

3 things immediately come to mind......

And I did all three of those today in my tournament. Probably why I felt like I struck the ball very well, still only hit 3 GIR's, and shot 91.

[mileydog]

it boils down to the "Mental game". A 12 handicapper is a good golfer. They have good ball striking. Decent short game and decent putting. They just make mistakes too often. I used to be a 12 handicap and now I play to about 6. I agree with the short game comments very much. Gotta be able to get up and down for par. Can't make doubles of course.

But I found that as I played with better players...I was able to glean alot of valuable info of them. Most 12 handicap players know course management but don't utilize that knowledge. They know its smart to lay up but just don't do it. They know "driver" isn't a smart choice but they go ahead and hit the big dog anyways. Admit we all do it. But as I played with better players, I was able to see results that were better then mine and finally accepted that it is in fact better to play smart. Seeing is believing.

[TMO]

Double bogeys. Doubles come from really bad swings - which may or may not be an aberation - or really bad decisions. People over a 10 handicap often have at least one of each per round. That's my thoughts.

[CG031]

Double bogeys. Doubles come from really bad swings - which may or may not be an aberation - or really bad decisions. People over a 10 handicap often have at least one of each per round. That's my thoughts.

Or you could be like me, and decide to make two triples today in my tournament - lol...

[DavidFehertysBike]

Double bogeys. Doubles come from really bad swings - which may or may not be an aberation - or really bad decisions. People over a 10 handicap often have at least one of each per round. That's my thoughts.

I had three doubles last time i played. They can strike anyone at anytime.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Or you could be like me, and decide to make two triples today in my tournament - lol...

ouch....

[TMO]

I had three doubles last time i played. They can strike anyone at anytime.

What did you shoot with those doubles though? I am not saying that they can't strike anyone at anytime but they strike high handicappers a heck of a lot more.

[TMO]

Or you could be like me, and decide to make two triples today in my tournament - lol...

Ya... ummmmm.... triples are pretty bad too. Don't do that next time.