In need of feedback from experienced players!

[justgotback]

I recently turned 17, and the last time I played golf I was six. Today I went golfing with my grandpaw and I shot a 96 on a pretty difficult 18 hole course. I was just wanting to know if that was good for not playimg in so long.

[Dannotator]

First off, you've probably have never played a full 18 holes before (at six the attention span and pushy golfers in the group behind more or less rules this out).

Answer these questions:

1.did you make solid contact a few times ? (the best golfers on tour will tell you then make great contact only a handfull of times each round)

2. Where were most of your strokes? Probably short game... a part of the game that requires great feel, and improvement only comes with practice.  If you practice your short game, you'll see an incredible difference in your next round.

3. Did you beat your grandpa?  Half kidding with this question.  The point is competition is good, it keeps you motivated to improve.

Personally, I think you did fine.  Keep it up, and your scores will go down.

[MacDutch]

Originally Posted by justgotback

I recently turned 17, and the last time I played golf I was six. Today I went golfing with my grandpaw and I shot a 96 on a pretty difficult 18 hole course. I was just wanting to know if that was good for not playimg in so long.

If you played by the rules it was outstanding. If you took Mulligans, dropped where you had to take the penalty stroke and distance, used your footwedge out of the sandtrap it was..........

still pretty good

[indyvai]

Breaking 100 is a good thing always...

[dave s]

Yes, breaking 100 is a good thing.  Another good thing about a 96 is an ability to go back and review each hole in your mind and with the card to understand where a good chunk of strokes took place.  For example, were you getting around the green in regulation (drive plus 2nd shot on a par-4) and taking 4-5 or more shots to hole out? If so, short game practice/learning is a good follow up step.

If on the other hand, you hacked your way to the green (4 or more shots) then chipped close and 2 putted, range practice (and probably some swing lessons!) are in order.

Once you get the swing/contact thing in order and a decent short game, managing yourself around the course, (reducing unforced errors like OB tee balls, hazards that cost strokes, etc.) is the final area to address.

Keep takin' Gramps out.  There's probably nothing that makes him happier than a round of golf with his grandson.

dave

[justgotback]

Yes I made very good contact a few times off my drives and a few off my irons. Although I did top the ball at least 10 times and it just barley rolled anywhere. And yes, most of my strokes came from the short game. I have a problem with getting it out of the bunker and chipping. My putting is decent sometimes. But i had a hole or two where I didn't do to well. I didn't beat him but i think I did good against his score, he shot an 89. But thanks for the reply!

[justgotback]

If you played by the rules it was outstanding. If you took Mulligans, dropped where you had to take the penalty stroke and distance, used your footwedge out of the sandtrap it was.......... still pretty good:-)

Yes, I played by the rules. If i did something that was a penalty my grandpaw told me, but didn't add it to my score.

[justgotback]

Yes, breaking 100 is a good thing.  Another good thing about a 96 is an ability to go back and review each hole in your mind and with the card to understand where a good chunk of strokes took place.  For example, were you getting around the green in regulation (drive plus 2nd shot on a par-4) and taking 4-5 or more shots to hole out? If so, short game practice/learning is a good follow up step. If on the other hand, you hacked your way to the green (4 or more shots) then chipped close and 2 putted, range practice (and probably some swing lessons!) are in order. Once you get the swing/contact thing in order and a decent short game, managing yourself around the course, (reducing unforced errors like OB tee balls, hazards that cost strokes, etc.) is the final area to address. Keep takin' Gramps out.  There's probably nothing that makes him happier than a round of golf with his grandson. dave

I did pretty good at gettng the ball on the green in regulation or getting it pretty close. I just had a problem getting under the ball to make good contact. So a lot of my strokes came from me just miss hitting it and it rolling about 10 feet. And out of the whole course I only lost one ball, I didn't give it enough power to hit it over the pond. My short game isn't great like I said to Dannotator, I have a hard time chipping and putting.

[justgotback]

And I will keep going golfing with him. It was fun for the both of us. We had a great time together!