How am I doing..?

[sid77]

I took the game up in April. The main course I play on has a 1500 yard 9 holes (7 par 3's and 2 par 4's - total par 29). There is also an full regulation 18 hole Par 70. I also sometimes play another 9 holes course, slightly longer - 2589 yards Par 35.

I've played most my golf on the short 9 holer, my best is 42. My worst is 52 (when I first started). I've played 5 rounds on the 18, my best is 108 and my worst is 115.

I've had about 10 lessons so far with the local pro and this has paid dividends, its really helped me understand what I need to do.

So considering I've only been playing since April and before that I've never even picked up a club. My best on the 18 is 108? How do you think I'm doing? Personally I think +38 is respectible, I'm averaging a double bogey on every hole.

Myself and my girlfriend go to Florida this Saturday, we are taking our clubs with us and intend to play lots of golf !! Can't wait.

[King Cobra II]

It sounds like you're doing okay for yourself, how often do you play per week? I've always played golf about twice per year for the last four years, this was also my first real year. I'm at the point now where anything over a 92-94 was a shitty day. Anyways good luck, keep up with the lessons and have f un with it, you'll improve in no time

[drewmart]

You're doing fine. It sounds as though you are keen on the game but don't play too often. I took up the game in December last year and now I play off of 20. However I'm at school and in the summer holidays I played golf 6-7 times a week.

[lamebums]

I took the game up in April. The main course I play on has a 1500 yard 9 holes (7 par 3's and 2 par 4's - total par 29). There is also an full regulation 18 hole Par 70. I also sometimes play another 9 holes course, slightly longer - 2589 yards Par 35.

Yeah, you're doing pretty good for your first year. I myself took up the game seriously starting this March, but I'd been hitting the ball around for years before that. Just keep at it and your handicap will drop in no time.

[sid77]

It sounds like you're doing okay for yourself, how often do you play per week? I've always played golf about twice per year for the last four years, this was also my first real year. I'm at the point now where anything over a 92-94 was a shitty day. Anyways good luck, keep up with the lessons and have f un with it, you'll improve in no time

Well I work all week so don't get the time then. I've play once a week, sometimes twice (at the weekends) but its mostly once a week. I would love to play more often but don't get the chance unfortunately.

I'm off tomorrow so I'm doing 18 in the morning. By analysing my scorecard if I don't 3 putt too often and turn a few 7's in 5's I should break 100. I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow.

[King Cobra II]

Well I work all week so don't get the time then. I've play once a week, sometimes twice (at the weekends) but its mostly once a week. I would love to play more often but don't get the chance unfortunately.

Thats a great attitude to take man, and as you said the key to start seeing the scores going down is to save shots around the greens. Eliminate a few of those 7's or 8's and you'll be there soon, good luck, keep us posted!

[sid77]

Well I shot 108 (equalling my best so far), I holed 43 putts. I 3 putted three times. Rest were 2 putts and one 1 putt. But for a few silly shots, lack of concentration and some dodgy chipping and putting I could have broke 100.

First hole I shot 9 (par 4) but that was because I had first tee jitters and a group behind me watching. I've still haven't conquered that fear ! I'm sure once I become more comfortable with my swing then it will go away. Once I got into the round, especially from the 8th things started to improve. During my last lesson my instructor said my swing was coming in too steep and thats why I was hitting fat shots. He got me swinging the club on a shallower plane. So I was connecting with the ball better and getting it up in the air more often. I was hitting the Driver good today and my 2nd/3rd shots into the green were good as well. My short game let me down but hey, I haven't practised that much yet. I'm too busy trying to get the ball to the green in the first place !! Once I'm happy with my long game I'll hit the range and drill chipping and putting.

When I'm on the course I always add one shot onto the par of each hole. I play par 3's as par 4's, par 4's as par 5's & par 5's as par 6's. I know I'm not going to sink a birdie (unless I get really lucky). I have a below 50% chance of a par normally but a +65% chance of a bogey. I figure if I bogey every hole then I would shoot an 88. I would be over the moon to shoot 88. By increasing the par of each hole it helps me play more conservatively which in turns helps me achieve better scores.

I'm off to Florida tomorrow for lots of golf so I'll not be back for 2 weeks. I'll let you know how I get on. My goal is to break 100 whilst I'm away !!

[supercow]

Its quite possible to break 90 with a swing that is short but straight. I think you'll make the biggest gains by practising the short game more though. Even chipping around in the backyard helps with developing feel of how far to hit the ball on the course.

[soup]

Its quite possible to break 90 with a swing that is short but straight. I think you'll make the biggest gains by practising the short game more though. Even chipping around in the backyard helps with developing feel of how far to hit the ball on the course.

Absolutely. Anyone can hack it up to the green in a couple of shots and as long as you can get up and down (one chip, one putt) 50% of the time - you'll be in the 90s before you know it.

A guy at work just picked up the game and he's in the 120 - 130 range right now - but 1/2 his shots are from within 20 yards of the hole. All it takes is a couple of hours on the practice green figuring out how far your chips go to really take some strokes off your score.