How to get to next level?

[thumper07]

I know this is mostly a matter of opinion, but i have been stuck around a 10-12 handicapp the last 2 years. i am 21 and have been playing since i was 10 but i just started taking it seriously about 3 years ago. so all you low handicappers out there, what was the thing that changed the most in order for you guys to shoot low rounds.

thanks
-matt

[nyjets2806]

i started to think about golf alot and started reading all sorts of articles and things to help whatever was hurting me at the time and if i had a problem i would try hard to fix it for myself. after doing this i started to understand my own swing a great deal more and found it easier to correct problems if they came up. between a better swing understanding and just hitting tons of range balls everyday to try and pound the swing i wanted into memory so that i could do it consistently i started to slowly but surely see results and scores being lower.

[Dent]

Last year, i was struggling to get low 80's and then near the end of the year i started shooting a lowest of 79 and an average of about 83-84, now the beginning of this year i can hit low 80's no problem. I think its just growing for me. Im geting bigger and being able to hit further. My swing has been the same for a very long time and i think its just course knowledge for me. I just improved naturally without really realizing how i did it. I think since i got a new driver it gave me some better birdie oportunities.

[doublesuited77]

without looking at your scorecards its hard to say. But i would lean towards 2 things-- course management and short game.

Be willing to just chip out when you hit a bad drive and eliminate doubles, that's what usually kills you. in terms of short game, just keep practicing. you get to a point where you don't hit more greens so you need to get up and down more.

[Burg]

I know this is mostly a matter of opinion, but i have been stuck around a 10-12 handicapp the last 2 years. i am 21 and have been playing since i was 10 but i just started taking it seriously about 3 years ago. so all you low handicappers out there, what was the thing that changed the most in order for you guys to shoot low rounds.

Short game, short game, and short game. I have really focused on 100 yards and in and I can tell the difference in my scores. Being able to make birdies from 100-in and get up and down more often than not will drop your score really quickly.

[Ringer]

I know this is mostly a matter of opinion, but i have been stuck around a 10-12 handicapp the last 2 years. i am 21 and have been playing since i was 10 but i just started taking it seriously about 3 years ago. so all you low handicappers out there, what was the thing that changed the most in order for you guys to shoot low rounds.

Keep track of your statistics and where you need practice. Are you getting up and down? How long is your average first putt? How many greens are you hitting per round and with what irons? Are you playing the correct strategy on the course.

Try playing the white or red tee's. If you score about the same as you do from your normal tee's then I'd say there's some course management issues.

[Ben]

Like doublesuited said...

Play smarter (course management)
Get up and down
Have a positive goal to each shot (don't focus on a hazard)

[JtotheD]

"Inform yourself"
Get as informed as you can about the proper way to swing the clubs then record you own swing anaylize it, and compare it to a proper one.

"Practice Right"
Get to the range and practice, EFFICIENTLY. That means picking out certain targets, like you would have on the course. I like the calm days, with no wind when practicing irons, so I can really gauge how straight they are going, and really tune in my aim.

Practice certain yardages like 20-100 yards, in increments of 10-20 yards, with ALL your wedges, so you can get a feeling of the type of backswing needed at each increment (i.e. 40 yards = 1/2 SW and 30 yards = 1/4 PW) so you have options on the course for anything under 100.

"Play within yourself"
When on the course, if outside 170 and trouble lurks don't short side yourself, just start aiming for the center of the greens, forget even looking at the pin. Pick a spot right in front of your ball to aim at and concentrate on a nice smooth swing to get the straightest shot possible. When you can consistently hit em str8, start dialing in the pin, or even work on shaping your shot to what the hole requires.

"The game is a lot more fun from the middle."
Driving. Forget, bomb and gouge, the real way to lower your score is to hit more fairways, which will raise your confidence level. I used to see how far each drive could max out at (280-320...way too inconsistent), and I was a mid-80 player....not bad, but now I make a nice smooth turn, aim for the middle, nice draw, 260-280 yard average, in the of middle prolly 10-14 fairways, never more than 10 yards outside the fairway, and my scores have dropped dramatically.

"Practice putting properly"
Putting. Forget throwing down a few balls and putting a bunch in a row from the same spot....that won't help at all. Practice like you are out on the course, throw the balls in random locations, and line em up just like you would on the course.

Work on speed, speed, speed, and speed. Really engrain a proper consistent form of putting that you can easily repeat, one that you only need to modify the backswing of to accomodate putt length. When on the course first read the speed you need, THEN pick the line to get the ball next to the hole. 2-putts will become second nature, and hell even a few will start falling.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat the above every month to keep sharp.

Sorry for the ramble, but reminding myself of this every week, helps ME as well.

Hope this helps lower you scores....

[thumper07]

Thanks for all the help guys. i just got my only third lesson, last thursday, to help fix a major shank issue that got real complicated becuase i tried to fix it myself. i went from mid 80's to mid 90's in a weeks time shooting an 98,93,92 in a row. then on this past saturday i shot an 85 with the help i got at my lesson. he actually strengthened my grip and straightened my back out. i hit 8 fairway, and 4 GIR, 30 putts. i was real happy with how i played, 5 pars, 2 doubles, and a birdie. i just now got back from the range and had a real good session hit alot of my targets. thanks again for all the help guys.

-matt

[Leek]

Get great with your short game and putting. Practice time split 50% putting, 30% chipping and pitching, 10% sand, 10% full swing. You will be amazed how the increased confidence in your short game will make you long game much better.

[jmurdock]

Short game, short game, and short game. I have really focused on 100 yards and in and I can tell the difference in my scores. Being able to make birdies from 100-in and get up and down more often than not will drop your score really quickly.

I couldn't put it any better. Improving your short game will also help with consistency. You could be having a bad ball striking day, but if you can chip it close and knock it in... that's still par.

[lamebums]

I know this is mostly a matter of opinion, but i have been stuck around a 10-12 handicapp the last 2 years. i am 21 and have been playing since i was 10 but i just started taking it seriously about 3 years ago. so all you low handicappers out there, what was the thing that changed the most in order for you guys to shoot low rounds.

There's no end-all one answer for lowering your handicap. You're best off analyzing your game - keep track of fairways hit, greens hit, how badly you missed if you did, lost balls, low percentage shots, sand saves, up and downs, putts, and so on. Eventually when you get down to just shaving those last strokes off your game (~> 2 handicap) it all comes down to the short game, but any higher than that and it really depends on where you make your errors - identifying them, and working on them. If it is your short game - scrambling is bad and you take too many putts - hit the practice green. Sand play bad? Spend a few hours in the sand. Hit a lot of fairways but few greens? Work on iron play. Not many fairways? Driving accuracy. And so on.

For example, my problems are accuracy off the tee (I hit an average number of fairways but my misses are off in the next area code), lag putting (I have an amazing ability to three putt from anything more than 30 feet), as well as consistency with my swing. I probably have more spectacular duffs than anyone else in my handicap range - skulled shots, toppers, toe shots that only go 50 yards because I hit it that badly, chili-dippers, you name it. Also, a bit of Tin Cup and hitting low percentage shots costs me in the end. In the end though I can chip it close and probably save par, or bogey at worst. What I'm getting at, though, is you need to find out where your weak points are, and working on those.

[thumper07]

There's no end-all one answer for lowering your handicap. You're best off analyzing your game - keep track of fairways hit, greens hit, how badly you missed if you did, lost balls, low percentage shots, sand saves, up and downs, putts, and so on. Eventually when you get down to just shaving those last strokes off your game (~> 2 handicap) it all comes down to the short game, but any higher than that and it really depends on where you make your errors - identifying them, and working on them. If it is your short game - scrambling is bad and you take too many putts - hit the practice green. Sand play bad? Spend a few hours in the sand. Hit a lot of fairways but few greens? Work on iron play. Not many fairways? Driving accuracy. And so on.

i probally agree with you the most, i'll start keeping all my stats from now on when i go play and then practice the week area's til the next round come's up. if i see a pattern that doesn't go away that i can't fix then i go get a lesson. thanks for the help guys. -matt

[thumper07]

well guys i went out and shot an 82 today. i was so confident walking on to the first i blistered a nice one about 280 to start and as far as driver goes that was the story of the day. the fairways i missed weren't by much and i only hit one errant pull that we never found. only problem my short game wasn't there to shoot in the 70's, my irons were excellent, i parred all 4 par 3's. it was my wedges from about 60-110yds. for some reason i just had a problem with my depth perception. other than that my lag putting could have been alot better. but i'm happy and i'm knocking on the door. i am going to spend all week working on wedges at the baseball field near my house. it will come and i am confident. thanks for all the help guys.

-matt

[lamebums]

well guys i went out and shot an 82 today. i was so confident walking on to the first i blistered a nice one about 280 to start and as far as driver goes that was the story of the day. the fairways i missed weren't by much and i only hit one errant pull that we never found. only problem my short game wasn't there to shoot in the 70's, my irons were excellent, i parred all 4 par 3's. it was my wedges from about 60-110yds. for some reason i just had a problem with my depth perception. other than that my lag putting could have been alot better. but i'm happy and i'm knocking on the door. i am going to spend all week working on wedges at the baseball field near my house. it will come and i am confident. thanks for all the help guys.

If you're going to a baseball field, stand at home plate and try to make shots to the bases, and to the pitcher's mound. But, yeah, I'd guess pitching the ball is where you need work. (Alternatively, put buckets at 30 50 and 70 yards on the range and try to hit them). Lag putting, is unhappily, also one of my problems. If you find a solution let me know about it.

(What's the secret to parring par 3's? I am happy with bogey, because par 3's are an unqualified disaster for me.)

[thumper07]

well for the par 3's it was just my irons were really working yesterday, i hit 2/4 but the other 2 weren't bad and was able to get up & down to save par. they were the only two times i was able to save par. all my other par's came from GIR. as far as the lag putting, i need to find a practice green that is uncrowded so i can practice long lag putts, everytime i go to practice there are like 5 people on the green which makes it hard. but look at it this way, my poor lag putting has helped me get real good from 5-10ft.

-matt

[Ringer]

I would also mention that I think the higher level players are more in tune with their own swings. They KNOW when something is off and they know how to fix it. Most people need an instructor to tell them what's wrong.. those guys know their swings well enough to sense what's happening without video or coaching.

[thumper07]

and that just comes from playing and experience correct? is there anything i can do to kinda self monitor my swing other than the obvious, like checking divots?

-matt