My journey to break 100 has just begun

[Gipper]

This week I hopefully started to lay the foundation to hit what seams like the impossible 99. I have loved golf since college but due to my fitness level and finances I have not been able to play consistently enough to improve my golf game. In the last year I have lost 160 pounds and I feel like I am ready to hit this game head on. I have only played 3-4 rounds a year but just joined a golf league at our church that is welcoming to beginners. I will be playing nine holes with them and will be getting another 9-18 holes in on the weekend. For equipment, I just bought a used set of the original(2008?) Titleist AP1 irons and Dick's sporting goods had the Taylormade RBZ bonded driver on sale for $100 so I picked one of those up. I will be taking the irons in to be fitted and most likely extended today. My biggest tool is joining this site to help with round management. This is embarrassing, but my approach has been to just take the longest club I have available from where the ball is. I have spent the last couple days on here reading about how you guys approach the course and I caught myself laughing at myself multiple times. I will try to have a video of my swing on here in the next week and I am guessing that will be entertainingly sad for most of you. Over the next couple of weeks I will keep my mouth shut on here for the most part but try to absorb as much as possible without bombarding the brain. Thanks all for letting me be part of this forum. Gipper

[inthehole]

First, congrats on losing the weight.      I would sell everything I own to lose half the weight you have.     Anyways ... two things to think about on your journey to break 100.

- Can't lose balls off the tee.     Swing easy.    Don't worry about yardage - if you hit it clean with a smooth, easy swing you'll probably be as long as you would when overswinging.

- keep your head centered - it's tough to do, but simplifies the golf swing.      Check out some of the video's on Stack & TIlt golf swing - helped me dramatically when I was starting a couple years ago ...

Again congrats - amazing losing that much weight - you have my total admiration.

[Gipper]

First, congrats on losing the weight.      I would sell everything I own to lose half the weight you have.     Anyways ... two things to think about on your journey to break 100. - Can't lose balls off the tee.     Swing easy.    Don't worry about yardage - if you hit it clean with a smooth, easy swing you'll probably be as long as you would when overswinging. - keep your head centered - it's tough to do, but simplifies the golf swing.      Check out some of the video's on Stack & TIlt golf swing - helped me dramatically when I was starting a couple years ago ... Again congrats - amazing losing that much weight - you have my total admiration.

Thanks in the hole. I find myself often trying to do the work of hitting it far instead of just letting the club do the work. I am not quite sure what you mean about keeping my head centered(which could help explain my struggles) so I will check out those videos.

[mailman]

Good for you mate, I'm looking forward to following your progress because it mirrors my journey too. All the best. Regards Mailman

[MacDutch]

Good luck! If you stick to the game and the Sandtrap, you will reach your goal.

[PA Golf Info]

Way to go on the weight lost.  I know that is the thing that is holding my game back as I am one big dude..  I need to drop 160 my self.  You should have a huge confidence boost from that.  I think that will carry over to your golf game and really bring things together for you.  I wish you the best of luck.

[PJCdude]

I'm in a similar boat dude, good luck. You'll find a lot of good advice here, the key is to be disciplined and it apply when out on the range/course (as I am gradually figuring out)

[Artimas]

I also am having trouble getting under 100 on a consistent basis. I have come to realize, that for me, it's all about the short game.  I've been working on that lately.

[Gipper]

Thx for all the feedback everyone. I get the new clubs back Tuesday and will hit a bucket that night. Then walking nine on Thursday. The stack and tilt is intriguing me. I have been hitting the ground behind the ball consistently and I hope to see if this may help.

[Gipper]

Just scheduled my first set of lessons starting on Monday. I think this will be huge in getting in the 90's. I am taking them at a driving range and that makes me a little nervous because I know nothing about the instructor but it is what I can afford.

[Gipper]

I just had my first lesson and I really like my instructor. He gave me some great things to work on before next Wednesday.

[Jakester23]

The best way you can get below 100 is to eliminate going OB, making sure you aren't going for the hero shot(meaning after you hit a bad shot don't compound it by trying something stupid, limit the number of 3 putts, and most importanty is working on your full swing as much as possible.  Theres a lot of people that think working on short game is more important but they are wrong.  If you can hit a tee shot in play and a approach on or around the green you won't have any problems.  Good luck

[Gipper]

The best way you can get below 100 is to eliminate going OB, making sure you aren't going for the hero shot(meaning after you hit a bad shot don't compound it by trying something stupid, limit the number of 3 putts, and most importanty is working on your full swing as much as possible.  Theres a lot of people that think working on short game is more important but they are wrong.  If you can hit a tee shot in play and a approach on or around the green you won't have any problems.  Good luck

Thx Jakester, that is one of my biggest goals of this season..... Don't just whack away but plan every shot conservatively. If I ever get decent at this game I can think about that. I may even start using irons more off the tee and shoot for an extra shot in there on some holes.

[Jakester23]

If you really struggle with your driver that's not a bad idea. The only problem with that is if you miss hit an iron off the tee the hole becomes very long.

[Teamanglerx]

As a golfer who struggles with getting to 99 I have found that consistent play is the key.  What is hurting me this year is I will have three great holes in row, have something bad happen, then watch the wheels fall off for six more holes.  I then repeat it on the back nine.  What kills me is that I have been in position to make birdie / par / bogey many times then I will botch something easy (three putt is my theme this year).  In 10 rounds this year I have two birdies already (had three all of last year) but the best I have done is a 108.

The key to all of this is getting the mind right.  The biggest breakthrough I have had in golf was after reading "Zen Golf" by Dr. Joe Parent.  It made me realize how important the mind game was.  After that I read "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella.  This book is a MUST.  By getting your mental game right you will be astonished at what you can accomplish on the golf course.

[dbrock504]

As a golfer who struggles with getting to 99 I have found that consistent play is the key.  What is hurting me this year is I will have three great holes in row, have something bad happen, then watch the wheels fall off for six more holes.  I then repeat it on the back nine.  What kills me is that I have been in position to make birdie / par / bogey many times then I will botch something easy (three putt is my theme this year).  In 10 rounds this year I have two birdies already (had three all of last year) but the best I have done is a 108.

The key to all of this is getting the mind right.  The biggest breakthrough I have had in golf was after reading "Zen Golf" by Dr. Joe Parent.  It made me realize how important the mind game was.  After that I read "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella.  This book is a MUST.  By getting your mental game right you will be astonished at what you can accomplish on the golf course.

Another one I recommend you read is Harvey Penick's Little Red Book. I dropped 5 strokes immediately after I read this book. It really changes the way you look at the game. One of the things Penick talks about is when to know to be aggressive. If you have a chance to score within 8 ft or so, go for it. However, if you are on the par 4 in 3 and you have an 11ft putt left, don't try to save par because most amateurs can't make that putt. I know I can't, and I am a mid-low 30's putter (under 2 putts per hole average). As @saevel25 mentioned in another post:

% PGA made putts by distance for 2013:

20-25 feet: 11.67%

15-20 feet: 17.83%

10-15 feet: 29.82%

5-10 feet: 54.7%

I recommend playing below the hole, thus guaranteeing a 2 putt. You won't miss a 2ft tap in. 1 putts are great, 2 putts are okay, 3 putts or more will ruin your scorecard. I usually 3 once per round. Sometimes, you just misread it or push one. That will happen. Do your absolute best to manage this by "lagging" more.

[imsys0042]

I have really been working on my course management. I plot out what the best tee shot is on every hole on my home course so that I have a comfortable distance. And this year I'm doing enough stats where I can map out many possibilities for second and third shots. Given where my tee shot lands, I can decide the best place to aim for my second shot and where my bail out is. Knowing your swing and choosing a club that avoids the most problems can help as well. There are a lot of people with imperfect games and inferior swings that will take your money because they out think you. So spend some time after each round and think about what you could have done better, and then try something different next time. Good examples are : 1- taking less club off the tee to leave yourself a comfortable approach shot 2 - if there is a par 3 or 4 that gives you a lot of trouble and you are hitting longer clubs that you aren't comfortable with, then take less and lay up to somewhere comfortable and then play from there. Making bogey is better than double. And as you get better those shots that give you grief will be practiced and you will get a lot better at them. Good luck! Also, feel free to drink a lot. The first time I broke 80 I was very tired and hung over and I didn't realize how well I wAs doing early in the morning. Then after being -1 after 9, I tripled. 10 and though I blew it. Didn't care the rest of the way until on the. 18th tee I realized I needed to par to shoot. 79. Weird day.

[Brakkus]

The best way you can get below 100 is to eliminate going OB, making sure you aren't going for the hero shot(meaning after you hit a bad shot don't compound it by trying something stupid, limit the number of 3 putts, and most importanty is working on your full swing as much as possible.  Theres a lot of people that think working on short game is more important but they are wrong.  If you can hit a tee shot in play and a approach on or around the green you won't have any problems.  Good luck

I would have to disagree with that. I think its true of someone who has some swing knowledge. A beginner needs confidence and starting with the short game is a good area. Get confident with pitching and chipping early on. If you have access to a sizeable grass area in your own home or playing field take some wedges and practice some basic techniques in between your range time with the full swing. You won't regret it. The thread on ratio of practice time is very helpful on here. As a beginner you are bound to have an obvious weakness more than likely it will be around the greens. Mine was chipping which I ignored for several years. That lead to 3 putting too. So honestly look at where you can divide your practice time. All the things mentioned like steady head,posture,centered pivot and such can all be worked on with short game in conjunction with the full swing. I wish I had a better balance at the start probably could have improved quicker. Also learn course strategy early. Learn to play golf. You can get sucked in playing golf swing very hard to resist. Playing a course is what counts and planning a hole according to ability. Congrats on your weight loss and best of luck with your golf