Whats next?

[dunns7]

I am in the process of trying to convince myself to try to take my game as far as possible. I am 29 and played 3-4 rounds per year for the last 10 years. But last year I got in a league and got my handicap going and played much more (approx 4 rds per wk). I stared out shooting in the 90's last spring and by fall I was shooting close to par.

I am now obsessed and want to pursue this. I can devote much more of my time this year with a supporting wife and occupation. My question is how far can I take this? I have always hated to lose and when I focus I can really get things done.

[right handed phil mickelson]

I am in the process of trying to convince myself to try to take my game as far as possible. I am 29 and played 3-4 rounds per year for the last 10 years. But last year I got in a league and got my handicap going and played much more (approx 4 rds per wk). I stared out shooting in the 90's last spring and by fall I was shooting close to par.

You sound like me. Last year I couldn't break 100 on the summer junior tours. Not even 3 months later I was shooting mid-high 70's. In my first high school match (As a sophomore because I had a bad knee my freshman year) I shot a -1 35. Right now I'm playing exactly to a 3 handicap. The next goal is scratch for me. I'm going for scratch my junior year, and shooting under par my senior year to be able to play in college.

Enough about me because I'm boring . For you it's pretty much the same thing. Getting to scratch is gonna take some more time that it took to get yourself down to where you are now. It's going to take a lot more precise practicing on certain aspects of your game to be able to get down to scratch. It's not just working on irons, or the driver or your 'short game'. It's working on distance control with your irons, or knock-down shots, or being able to control the height of your shots etc... . If you focus on the specific parts of your game that need work, then you will see your scores continue to drop. Pretty soon you should be able to compete on some mini-tours if that interests you. Good luck! ~RHPM

[OCdude12]

I've wondered kind of the same thing recently. I had gotten down to about a 1 before college 7 years ago but never pursued it further after that, but now in the working world have found my love for the game really come around and kind of wish I had kept going with it then. I was about an 8 at this time last year and struggled during the winter months to keep my swing in shape but have made an effort this year to keep playing on the weekends so I can finally start playing serious amateur events again.

I hit the ball a pretty good distance with my driver now, probably 265-270 when I'm swinging well, but thats because I usually swing really hard every time. I think I developed this because I was a lot smaller when I was younger forcing me to swing harder to keep up with people, and now have kept doing it. I look at pro players and see how easy their swings are, yet they generate very high club head speeds to still hit it a mile. So back to the point about whats next, do I just need to get my lazy ass into the gym and start lifting weights to make it easier? I feel that if I start lifting weights its just going to make the entire game that much easier, not having to swing as hard, more club control and hopefully more body control all while increasing my distance.

I wish I was in the same boat as you, being able to play 4 rounds a week, that is going to help out the game a TON. But also like the guy above said, just practice, practice, practice. I got out to really just practice a couple weekends ago for the first time in too long and it felt great, you start to feel the misses and get into a groove. If only it was possilbe to hit balls or chip every day. From experience, have people out there noticed an improvement in their game after starting a workout routine targeted for golf?

[shaank0]

This year i am also taking it up seriously. I have a membership for this year and im eager to start playing. I swing the club and chip balls and putt to keep in practice.

I would love to see how far i could go with the game. Its all i think about these days. I even have my 17 month old son with a club in his hands ha-ha.

Ive known 2 professional athletes in my life so far. 1 of them who gave it up due to poor pay in the US ( soccer) but it made me think that if I put in the man hours he did i could of honestly been there with him. So it kind of makes this dream seem a little more obtainable... kind of... I think we can all agree Golf is like no other sport. It is the hardest out of all of them i believe.

My only concern is time. full time dad and student with another child due in June. By then I will be applying to the nursing program at my college which seems unlikely that i will be getting in the first time around since i know 2 people who have been denied due to being full so if that happens my situation really doesn't change from now seeing i will probably take more classes until i get accepted to the program.

I am lucky to have great mom and mother-in-laws that will watch my child for me during the day maybe a couple times a week to sneak out and play with my father or father in law.

So if i don't get accepted and i can realistically shoot in the low 80's high 70's by winter of next year then i might just give it a real shot of getting on a plan to do some tournaments and such.