Your Golf Plateaus/History?

[sPinHigh]

The interesting "Click" thread initiated by Lbob made me think about my own plateauing in golf knowledge over the years. I can't say I have any definite memories for most of my plateaus or what made me step up to the next one but I figured if we all tried to think about our "Plateau History" / Hcp development others might be able to spot patterns, and learn from or comment on them. It need not be very detailed; just try to jot down what you remember... :)

So here are my Hcp Plateaus / Golf history:

Age: 7-10, Hcp: None, Average Rounds/year: 0,
Got a childs 5 Iron from grandpa and played with it around our house
Got pretty good at shooting at specific goals but don't remember much else

Age: 17-18, Hcp: 36-27, Avg R/y: 25,
Started playing golf for real
One or two lessons then got my official handicap
Played a lot on the course and rather quickly improved to below 30
Major cause of improvement probably that I started mainly two-putting, before that there could be both 3 and 4-putts
Problem was definetely consistency from the tee, spread drives and even irons all over the place and the rest sort of followed from that (ie problems lead to more problems...)
Stood at 27 for quite some time
Got myself a new set of clubs, previously used very cheap ones which actually added to my inconsistency

Age: 19-22, 27-21, Avg R/y: 30,
Started participating in a few tournaments
Improved a lot in the iron play from tees, much better at the par 3's
Started with more match play, helped a lot since there were more and shorter-term goals that were more in reach (win this hole, then the next) instead of the whole-round goal of stroke play, I'm an "eager" kind of personality so short-term goals and deadlines are more my cup of tea ;)
Made my first pars and birdies, that was a real confidence builder

Age: 22-26, Hcp: 21-15, Rounds/year: 10,
Played less and less for every year, mostly since student years were replaced by more and more work-like conditions ;)
Tried to reduce amount of "overswing" => better consistency
Better iron play from tee started to carry over to fairway shots
Also a bit longer in all irons
Started ditching the woods and driver, was way too inconsistent with them, only Irons from tees and fairways helped reduce number of "catastrophe holes" and thus improve scores

Age: 27-33, did not play!

Age: 33-34, Hcp: 20-14, Rounds/year: 20,
Moved and now lives in local golf mecca (6 clubs within 16 kilometers), and children now older, couldn't help but start playing again :)
Was reset to Hcp 20 by new club
Bought modern driver, much better consistency than 1990's Taylor Made driver, extra length and better consistency from tee lead to hcp improvement
Started focusing on "short game", much more up&downs; (chip+1putt or pitch+1putt)
Practice the "short game" for the first time in my life, much better putt length, really tries to not be "short and below" the hole
Consistently makes 5-9 pars per round and something like 0.2-0.3 birdies per round but still have a few catastrophe holes which increases score
Confidence builder: *Really* close to Hole-in-one at three occasions
Realised I have pretty long hands but standard grips => tendency to draw or hook easily, now 2 layers of tape on driver and woods which helps a lot

Plans for the future:
Planning to buy new set of irons which are better fit to my length (6'3") and hand size, hoping that can take me further
Planning to play more, children growing should give more time for golf! ;)
Golf travels to lengthen season (we have basically a 5-7 month season in Sweden => too little time for golf )

It feels like I'm on a plateau now again. At my best I seem to play at the level of a high single digit hcp (around 10-12 over par) but I can't keep it up for multiple rounds in a row. Any hints on what made you click and go further from around a 13-16 level plateau would be much appreciated... ;)

Sorry if this is too long / uninteresting.

[J.P.]

I heard this somewhere reputable that made some sense to me.

1. Your long game - driver, woods, irons determine your maximum score & so I extend this to an upper limit of handicap.

2. Your short game - chipping, pitching, putting, sand play determine your minimum score - or how low you can ultimatley go - so I'll extend this to the lower limit of your handicap.

If you have hit a plateau - I know it is boring to say - improving your short game will take you through it.

For me, this is what I am really focusing on right now. No longer am I settling for a "good" short game - it has to be excellent. My goal right now, with everything off the green, is to try to get it to three feet. Statistics show a very high conversion rate for 3 foot putts even for chumps like me. They also show around a 50% conversion rate for 6 footers. That's a shot lost every 2 holes that you miss a green.

At this handicap level you speak of, it is not yet necessary to make a bunch of birdies - although they are nice. We just must eliminate blow up holes and wasted strokes by not getting up and down.

Boy, my fingers are starting to hurt! I better go . . . .

[sPinHigh]

Thanks for the tip. I will focus even more on short game the next season. I started taking Dave Pelx Short game handicap test this year and will continue practicing and evaluating progress with that test.

[Lbob]

I noted earlier that I had had a "click" experience with my full shot game. I'm longer, straighter, and more consistent than ever. But interestingly my overall scores have only come down about 2 shots per 18. I think that the observation that the full shot game determines the maximum scores is dead on. For some reason my short game seems to have gone south on me, especially chipping and short wedges shots. I'm not giving myself too many chances for up-and-downs when I miss a green. That's important because I miss the green a bit more than half the time. So I'm going to re-focus my practice on chipping, wedges, and putting. Getting inside 10 feet, as Dave Pelz's data shows is critical to scoring. I'm aiming for 5 feet because my putting still needs work.

[Clubswinger21]

I can tell you that playing more is the best way to get better fast.

next id say get some equipment that will make you better.

start practicing your short game like jp said.

over a 4 year time period..

1st year:

i started playing when i was 19, using my dads clubs, they were decent spalding pro impact cavity backs and i did ok, probably shot in the low to high 90's most of the time.

from there i purchased a full set of topflite tour editions for $400. They definetly improved my accuracy. started playing more and broke 90 a bunch of times. started hitting solid shots all the sudden 250-60 yrd drives, for some reason i wasnt getting the translation distance wise with my irons, hitting an 8 iron 130 and a 6 iron 140? and my putting and short game was awful.

2year:

i sold my topflite's and bought an r7 quad ht with the money and got a set of name brand irons for my bday, made my 1st eagle, driver distance went up to 270, and all the sudden i could hit a 6 iron 175, this just made me want to play more golf. Started golfing alot more, maybe 50 rounds that year. broke 80 for the 1st time.

started practising my short game at a par 3 course which has a chipping green in its parking lot.. open to the public, maybe 2-3 hours a week, kept my equipment for awhile and shot 4 over par on a tight, 6000 yard course at par 69 later that year. changed my driver to a macgregor mactech and my long game struggled, bought a new putter and wedge and saved strokes with my short game and putting.

3rd year:

got rid of that piece of trash driver and started playing a 983k with aldila nv65 stiff (i love that driver).. long game improved. I played alot that summer probably 4 times a week.. with some short game practice and i shot even par 3 times on 3 different course's (all short par4 course's) to go along with a 6 handicap. but i was struggling with consistency in my irons. felt like i could get more out of my swing and went with the mizuno mx23's, loved em, 6 iron distance had increased to 185, those babies took my iron game to a new level.. but my driver distance had dropped to about 260 with the dated 983k.

4th year:

finally this past summer i bought a 905t because i liked the 983k so much, my driver distance increased a hell of alot. i hit more 300 yarders than i ever have in my life with the fairways rolling in the hot weather, I played in a best ball tournament with a buddy (12 handicap) and came in 4th at -6, shot 74 (+2) at a difficult par 72, 6500 yard course. Shot even 2 more times at short par 4 course's, a bunch of 4, 5, 6, 7 rounds. Recently went to the rac tp combo's for more workability, lossed maybe half a club in distance per club but thats ok. Shot an average +6 today (mind you the greens were punched) and made my 1st hole in one, which im pumped about. From here i'll probably go to a higher launch driver or shaft for more carry in the winter. I havent been playing much lately because im broke but i hope to be scratch in the next 5 years.

I have never had any form of instruction or lesson other than the golf channel and magazines although im thinking about it now.. I can tell you that playing more rather than mindlessly hacking ball after ball on the range has helped me learn to play shots, and equipment has been instrumental. I played hockey and baseball since i was young, and i believe that helped my hand eye, strength and swing aswell. To this day i have never officially shot under par on any course.

[sPinHigh]

Very interesting account Clubswinger21, thanks.

Espeically interesting to hear you say equipment has such a strong impact. I've been basically playing the same set of clubs for 15 years now (well, I had my 7-year break in between but anyway). When I tried a friends Big Bertha driver this year I realised how much has happened equipment-wise; got 30 more yards and better consistency with the same swing.

Got new driver and lob wedge this year and they have both helped me improve.

So for next season I'm getting a new set of Irons (Mizuno MX-25 most likely), will play more and will focus on the short-game. I hope that can take me to a single digit handicap.

Interesting that you have not taken any instruction at all. I tried it this year but found it counterproductive (I feel may instructors wants you to to the basics their way and are not open to personal variations); always been more of a self-tinkerer... ;) Do you think you can go to scratch and beyond without any instruction? I mean, even most pros gets help from time to time right?

[Clubswinger21]

Sure its possible, guys like john daly and stephen ames are self taught. Im not sure if they had swing coach's in university or now. im not an expert im just telling you whats worked for me. if what you're doing keeps working for you than i dont see why not. When you start running into periods where you arent getting any better, like from year 3 to year 4 for me then maybe its time to get a swing coach, i've progressed in areas of the game but it hasnt shown in my scores. I have a very strong grip and that gets me into trouble with my driver and thats an issue im thinking of seeing a swing coach on.

Equipment has helped me alot, thats what i keep telling all my friends but they dont want to fork out the extra cash. Those mx-25's will probably shave strokes off your game, i havent heard anything about them but the mx-23's were a game improvement iron, and they shaved at least 3-4 strokes off my handicap instantly. I see you're using x flex shafts so im assuming you bomb it and have that natural ability. Common sense says play more, and practise your short game if you really do want to get better at this great game.

[sPinHigh]

Equipment has helped me alot, thats what i keep telling all my friends but they dont want to fork out the extra cash. Those mx-25's will probably shave strokes off your game, i havent heard anything about them but the mx-23's were a game improvement iron, and they shaved at least 3-4 strokes off my handicap instantly. I see you're using x flex shafts so im assuming you bomb it and have that natural ability. Common sense says play more, and practise your short game if you really do want to get better at this great game.

It is actually a normal Aldila NV Stiff shaft in that FW but they have a strange way of marking them. I just got at very cheap at a sell out and it feels fairly "springy" so works pretty good. But thanks a lot for your comments; will definetely focus on the short game and get that new set of MX-25's. Sadly the golf season is coming to an end here in Sweden soon so progress will have to wait until next year...

[Lbob]

I would agree with many of the comments above especially those about equipment. Getting my first oversized driver, a Cleveland Launcher 460, knocked about 3-4 strokes off my score because I was getting the ball out around 200 (as opposed to the 180 with my 3 wood) and in the fairway. Getting my new Cobra M/F speed series (M shaft, F head) helped too. I get more distance and much more forgiveness on mishits.

But I think that lessons and practice made an equal if not greater contribution. At the very heart of improved scoring is a sound repeatable swing. I think that this year I've finally approached that, and I'll tell you it wasn't easy for me. I practice weekly and it's all pretty structured. I'm working on one particular aspect of my swing or on a particular club. I also took regular lessons for the first three years. This is mostly because I have no natural talent. I need to know the mechanics and what my bod is supposed to be doing. Otherwise I'm out of luck.

[jamesduncan]

wow interesting read.

i guess my own history growing up in canada would read like the following (with most of my improvements coming in tandem with my growth spurts, i was a pretty small kid..still am quite thin) btw i am self taught

5-8 years old
hitting balls with my dad with cut down clubs in my back yard. eventually i broke a neighbours window. it was funny, but my dad wasnt mad as it was a pretty good distance to the window (80 yards maybe?) so it more like a graduation lol

9-11 years old
hitting on a range, caddying for my dad and another gradution! to a real course

12 years old
begin regular competive golf. schedule begin to break 100 consistently. graduate from junior clubs to ladies clubs. establish handicap
play 5 holes with Moe Norman
caddy at Scarboro Golf & Country Club (re-designed by A.W. Tillinghast and host to the 1940, 1947, 1953 and 1963 Canadian Opens)

13 years old
play first provincial (state) bantam championships.

14-16
graduate to mens clubs, break 80 for the first time. continue to play full junior summer competive sched, play 2 provincial juvenille champs. medium growth spurts
first metal wood appear.
switch to 90 compression balata ball
swing for george Knudson. am accepted into his junior program at The National run by Ben Kern (did not end up attending)

17 years old - 4 handicap
switch to 100 compression balata ball
play provincial golf junior championships
shoot 72 (even par) in competion
play first national champiships (top 50 finish. won by mike weir)

18-35
do not play golf

36 - 5.6 handicap
return to golf
begin to play regularly again. establish first adult handicap
begin to re-learn game due to new equipment mostly in driver, hybrids and putters and balls

37 (this year)- 2.8 handicap
set scoring goals/season goals
establish off season workout practice routines
invest in new 905s. discover proper shafts. buy first hybrid. re invest in hiBore 2i.
buy titleist 690mb.
switch to low spin b300 ball.
work on course management and mental game (accounts for biggest score improvements)
play at bethpage black regulary
being to break 80 reguraly on black
play first competive round since 17 - USGA event (76-83 pub links qualifer)

this season i set and reached all of my self assigned goals. im very happy with my progress this season. I have no regrets for taking 19 years off. in fact golf has re-entered my life on my own terms and i am entirely thrilled to be playing again

goals for next season:

update irons/driver
qualify for either USGA/State/metropolitan event
try to qualify for local pro/open event
continue to refine mental game and work more on course management
continue to try and improve handicap

[Clubswinger21]

thats crazy you played in the same tournament as Mike Weir.. i find it odd how it seemed like things were looking pretty good for you and then you just quit, sounds like you could of gone pro if you kept it up.. but hey there is always the champions tour.

[Rafcin]

my resume will be short...
Age 34 - went to a driving range first time with a set of starter clubs (given to me by my friend). I managed to hit a post separating the stalls dead on, ball came back at me and bruised my ribs. Swore never to try that stupid game again.
Age 35 - started to go to a range regularily. "Played" few rounds, using mostly 5wood (the only club I could hit decent). Managed to keep my scores in low 100's.
Age 36 - bought first set of clubs (Top-Flight tour). Several times a week on a county course, playing after work into the darkness, every weekend as much as I could. Scores in low 90's.
Age 37 - wife bought me 10 lessons pack for my birthday. Completly re-done my swing, brought the scores into low 80's playing close to 100 rounds of golf.
Age 38 - joined semi-private club; dropped handicap to single digits, booked another 10 lessons package, kept improving to a consistent 5hcp. Shot my first round under par.
Age 39 - hit "the wall". Still around 3 - 5 hcp, no improvement though Got my first hole in one !!!
Age 40 - with 3.3 hcp pretty much through-out the season playing tons of golf... not much hopes to improve from here though...
that's where I'm at now