My Handicap is going the wrong way

[dbuck]

The 7/1 revision it went from 16.4-16.8. I am not effective with my short game.  This week I played 9 holes and shot a 44 with a penalty stroke and 21 PUTTS!   Three 3 putt bogies!A couple of the putts really count as chips but still! Its not like the putts are terrible-they are stopping a half turn short or finishing behind the hole(broke a hairs width past the hole) or just missing on the edge, but I am just not getting it done. Just a routine 15 putts would have given me a 38 with the penalty!

[Gerald]

Well .... as said before I really like the stuff you are playing with, but the mix of designs isn't helping you to score better. Most of the clubs you play with can be bought for about $100 for a complete set of 9 irons, invest a little on new grips and make sure you have the right flexes for your swing.

I am not saying that you need 14 clubs to play a lower index, but if you would have consistent feel trough your set, it might kick out the gamble of playing such a mixed set. Also most of these older irons are about 1 inch shorter than current standard, combined with the traditional lofts, you just loose something and maybe not....

Short game is something that you can practice a lot, but just don't go practicing your short game once a week/month for several hours, better is to practice ships/pitches a few times 15-30 minutes per week, if you cannot practice this at a nearby course, a public park might also be a good thought.

Putting is practice also, which you can do in the house or at the office, etc...... and besides that if you are on the green and 15+ yds from the hole, it is so easy to 3-putt ..... so make sure you get yourself to within 10 yds or better ........ don't try anything heroic, just putt to within a 2-3 ft circle around the hole and make the tap in.

Also play some percentage play ...... what I mean to say is, if you are 30 orso yds out ....... and there is a choice for a high soft landing pitch super shot, spinning back to the hole OR a low ball humping and bumping along the fairway, appron and rolling to the pin ....... play the safest shot.

But for most I believe your mixed up bag isn't helping you much...... carying let's say a 5-PW of the same design, feel, flex, swingweight, etc might get you more consistent closer to the hole.

[baseballfrk8998]

I feel you on the putting woes.. That's where I get into the most trouble lately. I haven't been able to judge the speed of a putt for the last 2 weeks.. It doesn't help that I've played on 3 different courses with vastly different greens either but man.. Putting is killing us both!

[dbuck]

Hey, just saw these replies.

Thanks for the sympathy, encouragement, and advice!