Tell me why I'm a 12 handicap

[laxbballgolf]

But I found that as I played with better players...I was able to glean alot of valuable info of them...Seeing is believing.

Agreed. I was lucky enough to be golfing buddies with an assistant golf pro and I played with him

a lot while I was learning the game (I started playing just after high school). I figured that since I had success with other sports, I could become decent at golf with a little effort. Looking back, I would've been really lost on my own. When you play with good players, you just pick up on little things they do to make the game seem so much easier. Aim for the fat part of the fairway, point away from the worst part of trouble, take an extra club if the wind seems questionable. Beyond that, I also just realized that you want to keep your swing itself pretty simple. There's no reason to swing out of your shoes to try to get 10 more yards, or to try to shape the ball perfectly around every dogleg. Just stick with your shot and get the ball in play, then stick with your shot and try to get it on (or at least near) a smart portion of the green. I also agree with what people said about keeping the short game simple. Just try to do a normal chip and hit it close. Making solid, crisp contact is the most important thing. With all that being said, I still think going for a great shot once in a while can be a good strategy. If you're feeling confident, and you need a flop to get it close, and your lie is alright, then go for it once in a while! Same goes for going for a par five in two over water, or slicing one aggressively around some trees to get out of trouble and near the green, or whatever, if you know a good swing will get you there and you're feeling good, then go for it! It's when you strike a good balance between conservative, smart play for the most part combined with a few calculated risks that you can really reach your potential. I realize my handicap says "about 8" and I don't know all that much. I have a long way to go myself, but these are my thoughts about some of the key things I have picked up on so far.

[DavidFehertysBike]

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.

Bad swings and bad decisons...

[flopdarock]

im where i am cuz distance is my enemy...
i am super short off the tee on most days...
i get my birdies and pars by scrambling my ass off...
ive got a mean short game due to the fact that girs arent ever a given...
ive gone a few rounds without a single gir and chipped an 1 putted my way to decent scores in the 80's...
if i could get off the tee passed 230 i know id be low single digits easily

[iacas]

Here's my list. I intentionally avoided reading any other responses so mine wouldn't be tainted and would be "off the top of my head."

• Not taking enough club and, consequently, trying to kill the ball.
• Not playing your typical shot shape. It seems like every bogey golfer is an eternal optimist: "On this drive, I won't fade the ball 20 yards like I've been doing for 35 years."
• Poor short game. Some can't get out of bunkers, some can't hit chips, some can't putt. To be a 12 one of these pieces may be good, but none are great. I feel like I could take over for most 12 handicappers inside of 80 yards and better their scores by five+ shots per round.
• Poor course management. Hitting more greens - not aiming at flags - should be critical until you're about a 6 handicap.

[Guest]

if you can average 1.5 putts in a round, youre in great shape.

[wedge player]

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

ding ding we have a winner

[CG031]

im where i am cuz distance is my enemy...

You hit it less than 230 all the time? Wow. I thought I was a short hitter. I mean my average tee shot is 240, if I really get a hold of one MAYBE 260 (with some wind or a good bounce and run) but you don't hit it over 230? I have to applaud you for being a 10 handicap. I know how much pressure it puts on our short games, believe me. I only hit 3 GIR today!!!

[laconic517]

id say horrific misses and wasted strokes/penalties.

Hitting balls into the woods and not chipping back out into the fairway.

Maybe topping a ball....flubbing chips....not hitting your line on your putts which causes you to yoink short ones.

mainly whenever I shoot in the 80's its because my misses were catastrophic and then I compound them by trying to make up for the error.

[CG031]

id say horrific misses and wasted strokes/penalties.

I don't know how many 10-12 handicappers top their shots. Maybe once in three rounds. But I mean, I haven't remembered the last time I did. I do, occassionally on the range when I hit 200 a day I'll do it maybe twice or so...

I also don't think us guys on the brink of single digits miss that bad, we just leave ourselves in bad spots.

[3BillsOnTheFly]

The best players I know have the most consistent alignment. Picking intermediate targets and learning to align yourself properly can make you a better player before you even swing the club.

Grip, alignment, and posture should go without saying but I feel like alignment is often neglected when talking about fundamentals.

[ryohazuki222]

im where i am cuz distance is my enemy...

You and me should play one time. I'm in the same boat. It's just something about the teebox that throws me off. Distance wasn't always an enemy..... but one day it just disappeared. And I'm just not mentally strong enough to deal with that much pressure on my shortgame a whole round.

I shot a 45 on the 9 I played today. It went something like this: Last two holes: 3 putts each from ~10 feet. That brings my total down to 43 if I didn't do that. 2nd hole: Tried to kill a hybrid when I knew better putting me in a tough lie. Missing the green as a result. Flubbing the distance of the first chip trying to play beyond myself. Leaving the second, easy, chip way too short to have a realistic one putt chance. Costs 1-2 strokes... likely just 1. That brings the score to 42. 3rd hole: Mishitting a tee shot on a long par 3 over a bunch of water. Being dumb and hitting another shot instead of using the drop area. Not paying attention to an uphill green, thus leaving the easy chip too short because of lack of run. Carded a 6. Costs 2-3 strokes. Brings my total down to 40. IMO, the biggest difference I see between myself and single cappers is off the teebox. And also consistency. Also, they just looked very relaxed. I'm not sure how I look to others, but the big issue I have is tensing up and consistently playing within my means. I have this stupid part of me that is never satisfied.

[powermatt99]

For myself, my index is a result of an inconsistent swing. Most of the shots I make are good. But once a hole or once every other hole I'll make a swing that is just stupid. Its like I forget everything I know about my swing, lose a stroke or two to the water, woods, OB, etc.

[Parker0065]

I would say that guy's that are +10 handicap or higher just don't have the consistancy in thier ball striking. This is usually due to a particular swing fault that holds them back. I've always thought there are two kinds of single digit handicap players, and that is those that have learned to play around thier swing faults and grooved thier bad swing into something consistant that they can rely on, the other are those players that are working on how to swing the club properly and are working thier way to be a scratch golfer. Usually these type players are working towards being "Tournament Golfers"!


What type do you want to be?

[pherg]

I'm kind of in a similar boat to you and the reason I'm about a 10 usually comes down to poor choices. You have to do what you know is right and if that means chipping out, you have to chip out. Rule 1: Do what you know you can do, not what you think you can do.

I've played with a lot of guys with low handicaps and these guys very rarely pull any heroics. Hit the fairway, hit the green. If they miss the fairway they just make sure they put the next one in the best possible place to minimize the damage. They take their medicine and usually salvage par, bogey at worst. I often forget to take my medicine. Quite regularly a 2nd shot in the rough which is like having a runny nose becomes a 3rd or 4th shot in the woods and suddenly my runny nose has become a plague of bogeys because I didn't take my medicine. Rule 2: Take your Medicine.

But the best bit of advice I can give you I actually learned while playing with guys off 30+. I noticed they'd always try to use the same clubs off the tee as I was, they'd take the same line I was hitting, all that sort of stuff and it dawned on me that you have to play your own game. So much of golf is macho BS - hit the driver when an iron will do, take the stupid shot over the trees, etc. But if we just do what is required (What is right) we'll score much better. That's what low handicap guys seem to do, they play their own game regardless of what their partners are doing. Seems to work for the guys I play with. I might have to give it a try. Rule 3: Play your own game.

[Marmitetoo]

Hey! What's wrong with being a 12 Handicap?
When I got to a 12 handicap I was happy that I now spent longer in the short stuff, made the occasional chip in, the freak 30' Putt, etc.
It's a far cry from being a beginner and having absolutely no idea why that last shot went 45 degrees off to the right and into the trees.
I don't get caught up too much in the whole handicap issue.
I'm not trying to play on the PGA, it will never be my paying profession. It's a fun sport and I love playing it...
Why spoil a good walk?

[$2 Nassau]

I don't know how many 10-12 handicappers top their shots. Maybe once in three rounds. But I mean, I haven't remembered the last time I did. I do, occassionally on the range when I hit 200 a day I'll do it maybe twice or so...

I agree. But I think my definition of a "bad miss" is probably different than a 5 handicap's definition. As far as topped balls and just flat out chunks, I rarely ever do it, although sometimes I wish I had compared to where my ball lands sometimes. At least the top or the chunk typically stays out of trouble because you didn't hit it far enough.

Hey! What's wrong with being a 12 Handicap?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a 12. I recently said to my bro-in-law that while I do not want to be a 12 for the rest of my life I would be able to enjoy golf for the rest of my life if I did remain a 12. Because I can hit the ball reasonably well, sink a putt or a chip here and there like you mention, and sometimes put together decent rounds, even shoot in the high 70's once in a while.

It wasn't too long ago that I could barely put a club on the ball and was wondering why people play this silly game. I'm not disappointed or anything, I just want to get better. I don't get too caught up with the handicap thing, but I do pay attention to it, I'd be lying if I saif I didn't. It's my measuring stick. Today's GHIN revision brought me from 12.5 to 11.9. That's something I like to see because it gives me confidence, even if it is just half a stroke, I feel like I'm trending in the right direction.

[Leftygolfer]

There is nothing wrong with a 12, agreed. 99% of golfers will never get to the level where breaking 80 is an option. For me, it just doesn't seem ok. I know I have the skills to be great. I can drive the ball well, I have the short game, I need some iron help, but I am hitting the sweet spot alot. I just need to work on being more focussed and mentally there. That is where the terrible shot/decision come from.

Another thing I noticed was how one poster was complaining about distance being the reason. 230 isn't that short off the tee. People lie about how far they hit it. Not saying it isn't harder to be a good 5 hitting it that distance, but if you do that everytime, pick your courses wisely, you could be there. I played with a 75 year old man that didn't hit it over 200. He was mean around the green and he killed me. He shot no more than a 75. He never missed one and I could tell he was a real player in his youth.

I rarely play with people who are so much longer than me. I fly it right at 250 and I can keep up with almost anyone. Yes, there are people who can fly it 40 yards past me but if I was sharp enough in other areas you can beat them. Corey Pavin.

I hope I am not fouling myself. I believe I can be a 5 and I am not happy shoting in the 80s. I enjoy the game of golf regardless of my score, but I enjoy it more when I am playing well. I do enjoy recovery shots, wedges, putting, and the short game so those are played more when I am off. My theory is if you can't enjoy playing bad pick another hobby. Very, very, very few players don't have bad days. Actually, all player have bad days.

I really love golf.

[sonicblue]

I bet you'll find it here ;)

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11697

That chart would say:

1) Your tee game is erratic. Maybe you don't often find hazards or such, but frequently leave yourself without real viable options to hit a green.

2) Approaches are OK, but your misses are poor.

3) Your short game is ok, you can hit 'all the shots' but you don't really get them close enough to your 'likely to make' putting range

4) Your 'likely to make' putting range is probably no more than 3 feet. As you said, you're working on 6 footers, so you realize that range needs to increase.

That may all seem obvious, so I'll try - instead - to translate into what things can get you lower than 12.

1) Find the fairway at all costs. Unless you are horrifically short off the tee, ANYTHING in the fairway is invaluable compared to alternatives. Bomb and gouge is not how you'll improve. I have come to hate the "hit the 3W" advice, I don't like to live in fear of my clubs, any of them. I think you can hit driver as long as your intent and expectations are well founded.

2) You can't expect to hit many greens, I don't think, so my advice would be to think in terms of the fattest part of the green AND the best miss given your shot shape tendency. If you fade the ball, and the fat part of the green is the left side over a bunker but short right is a flat chip, maybe think about just putting the ball short right. No obstacles, pin on the right with a big green, go at it. I think approach humility will get you a LONG way. Most bad drives can be recovered, you can hit something up near a green without too much trouble. MANY greenside hazards lurk (sand, rough, short-siding, etc...). THOSE are the ones to avoid.

3) Greenside: I assume you already avoid chunks/duffs for the most part, so what's your next biggest error? My guess, b/c most people do, is leave it short. They're not aggresive enough to be willing to drive that wedge through the rough or whatever, and get the ball up and get it spinning, get it to the hole. So my advice here would be to start thinking of these almost like putts. You don't putt TO the hole, you try to roll it - what - a foot past? A lot chips can be made, but they, too, have to be hit hard enough to get to, and even past, the hole.

4) Putting: this is, of course, a biggie. The only advice I'd offer here is the same I'd give anyone. 99.9% of putts are makeable. That is, there is some line and speed that will roll the ball into the hole. Why can't you do it? Another way to say it is, certainly you could imagine how to hit it too hard, or too soft, or miss it left, or miss it right. SO...narrow it down in your mind until you feel you've found the 'make' line and speed, and then TRUST it. If you get over the ball and DON'T believe you've got it, then you shouldn't be at the ball. Step back, readjust and figure it out. When you finally make the stroke, you have to believe, and though we all know that even the pros miss plenty of putts, and that you won't suddenly drain every 25-footer you see, you WILL make more 4, 6, 8 footers and you WILL leave your long putts much closer.