Breaking Bad Club - A Thread for Golfers Trying to Break 100

[krupa]

One thing I highly recommend is to piss on the tougher courses. If you have a bunch of options (and I know some don't), play the easy ones.

I lived on my area's shortest par-3 course for my first year.

Is there a typo in there?

[mcanadiens]

Is there a typo in there?

Nope. That's the word I intended to use. I was trying to be colorful.

[krupa]

[QUOTE name="krupa" url="/t/74913/breaking-bad-club-a-thread-for-golfers-trying-to-break-100/738#post_1152795"]   Is there a typo in there? [/QUOTE] Nope. That's the word I intended to use. I was trying to be colorful.

Mission accomplished!

[Judah Ben-Hur]

Went out today with 3 other guys from work and played 18.  I went to the range the night before and did not hit good at all.  It was like I forgot where to stand and really had the feeling that I was not going to make contact on most swings.  Not a good feeling at all.  I only had about 30 balls left and changed things up and hit about 10 good 9 irons in a row then the skies opened up so I packed up in a hurry.  Going into today's round was very nerve racking.  I also have not played the back nine on this course in quite some time.  I always seem to be walking the front nine.  I hit some really great shots (for me) on the front and came out with an 11 over including an 8 on the par 5 ninth.   The best was putting it in the hole from 17 yards out with my lob wedge to save par.  This hole is usually a 8 or 9 on my scorecard if I'm lucky.  Stopped in the clubhouse for a break and I could feel myself stiffening up.  I knew that was not going to make things easy going.  Made some off course excursions and really stupid decisions getting back to were I needed to be.  The swing had less body turn and some slices starting to show up.  Things pile up in a hurry and the numbers really climb.  I was wandering off course and did the back nine 19 over.  Ouch!

I need to drive the ball farther to get these longer clubs out of my hands on the approaches.   I'm not asking for much but 20 or 30 yards would do wonders. I'm feeling real confidant with either the sand wedge or lob wedge around the greens.  Knock on wood but I have not had the skull shots that used to raise hell with my scorecard.  I am trusting the bounce of the club more and not doing the dreaded deceleration that flops them a yard to two.  I'm swinging through and not stopping either.  I like hitting the 7, 8, and 9 irons and really feel like the distances are pretty damn close with the PW and A wedges.  The miss from time to time seems to be a little to the right.  Not much but it is another wasted shot flopping one on the green with the other wedges.  The 5 and 6 irons is a crap shoot so I need that extra yardage to get those sticks away from me.

101..... Close but no cigar!

[PeteK]

I seem to be getting rapidly worse.  My last few rounds I think I've sliced just about every drive, very rarely hitting the fairway and I keep having trouble staying out of the rough once I'm already in it.  My 9 hole scores have been in the low 60's.

On the plus side, my shots within 100 yards seem to be improving and my putting is getting better.  I think if I can figure out my driver problems, I could lose quite a few strokes.

[pecos24]

101..... Close but no cigar!

Sounds like things are getting better.. 47 on the front, great job!

I seem to be getting rapidly worse.  My last few rounds I think I've sliced just about every drive, very rarely hitting the fairway and I keep having trouble staying out of the rough once I'm already in it.  My 9 hole scores have been in the low 60's.

On the plus side, my shots within 100 yards seem to be improving and my putting is getting better.  I think if I can figure out my driver problems, I could lose quite a few strokes.

Been there done that!

I had a lesson Tuesday to work on my driver.  I have been hitting it fairly straight recently but my distance has been pretty bad.  Probably averaging around 210-215.  So my instructor got me on the right track, I guesstimated that I was averaging around 235 on the range, not counting the ones I duffed a 100 or so yards.

Anyhow, I had league yesterday and I got out early enough to play 9 before league started with the intent to test out my driver.  It was a disaster..  The first three holes I had terrible contact, put 1 in a pond and two others in a ditch.  Fourth hole I made good contact but a bad slice put it out of bounds.  I only hit two playable drives, with mild slices on both.  One was about 240 and the other about 185.  Four water balls and one OB later I shot a 60.  Needless to say I left my driver in my bag for league, and teed off with my 3 wood and 5 wood. Shot a 54 for league, not really happy with that, but it was a lot better than a 60!

[Warren Zevon]

I played 18 at a fancy course today. I lost two balls, hit at least nine fairways and had the same number of GIRs. My only problem was putting. This course had much faster greens than what I'm used to. Shot a decent 53/54. Take out the seven or eight three putt holes (and the one I four putted on) and I'd be extremely happy with the round. I even managed to hit a slight draw on a few tee shots.

[PJCdude]

Played 9 today and shot a 49.

2/7 FIR (alot of my misses were barely in the first cut....driving was good)

2/9 GIR (a third approach baaaaarely on the fringe which led to a par...approaches were mostly good)

16 putts (missed a 4-8 foot putt on each of the last 3 holes ( double-bogey-double) but had some nice up downs in the earlier holes

1 penalty stroke (skulled a lob wedge that was meant to go over the sand but it went over the green and into the woods but still close enough for an unplayable drop)

3 pars (never done that in the span of 9)

2 bogies

3 doubles

1 QUINTUPLE BOGEY (8 on a par 3!...thanks lob wedge...see above)

I was pleased with the 49 but that 8 really shows that even a double bogey on that hole would have me at 46 which would be a personal best for nine for me. Golf really is a game of misses and today proved that old adage. Besides that one hole and a few thin shots that didn't turn out too bad, today was a good day.

[krupa]

When you guys play, when do you pick up? I've seen people say after 8 but my friend and I usually pick up after 10. Tonight I played a serious twilight round (started at 7:30) and had one bad hole where I picked up my ball n order to get the last holes in. I gave myself a 10. Otherwise it was a good round. Carded a 55.

[Judah Ben-Hur]

Sounds like things are getting better.. 47 on the front, great job!

I'm getting there.  I just need the body to stay loose.  I did not get out today because my back was feeling iffy and have been fighting a headache most of the day.  I don't think golf would have made it better.

I did get out a few days ago.  I did not have the Game Golf unit with me or write scores down.  I was just going out to walk and play a few before darkness.  I started out double, par, bogey, par, bogey, par, bogey and then packed it in.  That second hole par 3 had my tee shot landing in the next fairway (again and again, urrgh) and I was 100 yards out and behind trees.  I got it too about 6 feet and saved my skin.  The third hole par 4 had me hitting what I thought was a nine iron on my second shot but man she took off hot up the hill.  Why I grabbed the six is beyond me.  Crap like that should not happen.  lol  I did get out of the sand a couple of times and was close to the hole.  I did practice bunker play in the last few days when I did not feel up to taking full swings with the bigger sticks.  It must have paid off for the time being.  I let two younger guys that work at the club go ahead on number eight.  I was spent and could not get enough water in me.  I watched them tee off and then headed to the parking lot.

When you guys play, when do you pick up? I've seen people say after 8 but my friend and I usually pick up after 10. Tonight I played a serious twilight round (started at 7:30) and had one bad hole where I picked up my ball n order to get the last holes in. I gave myself a 10.

Otherwise it was a good round. Carded a 55.

I usually put down whatever I got.  In the early days it was sometimes very ugly.  That's counting whiffs and one footers.  lol If there were people behind me then I would pick up early or wave them through.  I think the club has something about my handicap range being an eight.  The few times I've played with guys at work, they go up to nine.  As long as I'm not holding up the show, I like to see what I'm capable of.... or not.

[DutchGolf]

Last weeks I was getting better and better and came really close to break 100. However yesterday evening everything went wrong on the 9 holes we were playing. Could not turn and my left elbow bent very far on every shot, I don't think I had one good hit. I also felt very tense. Afterwards I felt this game sucks and wanted to throw my bag into the pond. How do you guys deal with those day that nothing goes well? And how do you deal with the tension?

[uitar9]

Played 18 with the boss and clients yesterday

54 plus 48-difficult course for me

Felt pretty good overall

[pecos24]

When you guys play, when do you pick up? I've seen people say after 8 but my friend and I usually pick up after 10. Tonight I played a serious twilight round (started at 7:30) and had one bad hole where I picked up my ball n order to get the last holes in. I gave myself a 10.

Otherwise it was a good round. Carded a 55.

When I am playing a non competitive round I'll usually pick up when I hit my Equitable Stroke Control(ESC) limit which right now is generally a 9.  ESC is based on your course handicap...

http://www.usga.org/HandicapFAQ/handicap_answer.asp?FAQidx=9

[krupa]

When I am playing a non competitive round I'll usually pick up when I hit my Equitable Stroke Control(ESC) limit which right now is generally a 9.  ESC is based on your course handicap...

http://www.usga.org/HandicapFAQ/handicap_answer.asp?FAQidx=9

Thanks. I just looked at my GolfLogix stats and if it's anywhere near accurate I'm about a 36 handicap so by the USGA chart my ESC would also be 9.

[pecos24]

Thanks. I just looked at my GolfLogix stats and if it's anywhere near accurate I'm about a 36 handicap so by the USGA chart my ESC would also be 9.

I am guessing the number you are looking at on GolfLogix is your handicap index .  You need to apply that course to course( and if you play different tees) to get your course handicap . If you play a harder course your ESC could be a 10, if it is an easier course it may be an 8.

Course Handicap explanation: http://www.usga.org/HandicapFAQ/handicap_answer.asp?FAQidx=4

USGA main handicapping page: http://www.usga.org/Handicapping.html

If you look down at the bottom of the main page there is a handicap calculator, enter your course slope and your handicap index and this will give you your course handicap.

I am probably getting too lengthy in me explanation... But here is an example:

My handicap index is a 30.1.   If I play the white tees at my home course,  which is a slope of 121 my course handicap is a 32.  If I play the blues, slope of 133, my course handicap is a 35.

[krupa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krupa

Thanks. I just looked at my GolfLogix stats and if it's anywhere near accurate I'm about a 36 handicap so by the USGA chart my ESC would also be 9.

I am guessing the number you are looking at on GolfLogix is your handicap index.  You need to apply that course to course( and if you play different tees) to get your course handicap. If you play a harder course your ESC could be a 10, if it is an easier course it may be an 8.

Course Handicap explanation: http://www.usga.org/HandicapFAQ/handicap_answer.asp?FAQidx=4

USGA main handicapping page: http://www.usga.org/Handicapping.html

If you look down at the bottom of the main page there is a handicap calculator, enter your course slope and your handicap index and this will give you your course handicap.

I am probably getting too lengthy in me explanation...   But here is an example:

My handicap index is a 30.1.   If I play the white tees at my home course,  which is a slope of 121 my course handicap is a 32.  If I play the blues, slope of 133, my course handicap is a 35.

Thanks for the information.

I tried looking up the slope rating for my local course (the one I play at the most) and they're not in the USGA database (and it's not on the course website) so I guess I'll just use the handicap index GolfLogix gives me for now.

[cutchemist42]

New golfer myself, started a month. Have only played twice on 9 holes, shooting a 62 than a 56 the next time. Hope to try 18 holes soon!

[indykappa]

When you guys play, when do you pick up? I've seen people say after 8 but my friend and I usually pick up after 10. Tonight I played a serious twilight round (started at 7:30) and had one bad hole where I picked up my ball n order to get the last holes in. I gave myself a 10. Otherwise it was a good round. Carded a 55.

I was always told/taught that you pick it up on "double par". That's NOT double bogey! Double par keeps you moving. Now that I'm tracking my scores, I tend to play em out regardless Par 3...max score = 6 Par 4...max score = 8 Par 5...max score = 10