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

[Gipper]

I started playing golf last year at the age of 51 and play the game of golf for the enjoyment of the game, I don't keep score. It's about being outside and enjoying the experience. Went golfing yesterday, on a whim I kept score.  Played okay for me, when all was said and done added up the numbers = 104 for a par 72.  Now I'm on a mission! The score was with two 9's, one 8 and included 3 penalty strokes. I'm on vacation next week, time to have at it

Keep us updated on your progress!

[Gipper]

I am pretty pumped... Just hit a medium bucket and only had two mis hits the whole time..... Slowing down payed off

[RFKFREAK]

Played today and shot a 108 (54/54) on a 66.1/110 course. I'm in the process of making a swing change and have begun hitting the ball left because my club has a closed face at impact, so, I decided before playing to hit into my net to get a quick fix. I get to the course and started the round by miss-hitting my three wood on the first tee and rolling it 15 yards and instead of taking my 5 wood, I just walked over to the ball and since I still had the three wood in my hand I use it and sailed it 20 yards past the green and opened up the round with a 7 on a par four. Followed that up with back to back pars on a par 5 and par 4 and then soon after, the wheels came off. I started hitting the ball with a closed face resulting in penalty strokes galore. Finished the round with: 4 Pars 1 Bogey 8 Double Bogeys 5 More than Double Bogey 3 GIR 1 Scramble 6 Penalty Strokes with most coming after my tee shot. If I don't cure this penalty stroke binge I'm on soon, I'm going to be really upset with myself. I've also got it in my head that I can hit of the tee with an iron which has led to me dreading Par 3's. The sad part is, after I pared the second and third holes, I was confident I was going to shoot in the 90's. Blah.

[Gipper]

Played today and shot a 108 (54/54) on a 66.1/110 course. I'm in the process of making a swing change and have begun hitting the ball left because my club has a closed face at impact, so, I decided before playing to hit into my net to get a quick fix. I get to the course and started the round by miss-hitting my three wood on the first tee and rolling it 15 yards and instead of taking my 5 wood, I just walked over to the ball and since I still had the three wood in my hand I use it and sailed it 20 yards past the green and opened up the round with a 7 on a par four. Followed that up with back to back pars on a par 5 and par 4 and then soon after, the wheels came off. I started hitting the ball with a closed face resulting in penalty strokes galore. Finished the round with: 4 Pars 1 Bogey 8 Double Bogeys 5 More than Double Bogey 3 GIR 1 Scramble 6 Penalty Strokes with most coming after my tee shot. If I don't cure this penalty stroke binge I'm on soon, I'm going to be really upset with myself. I've also got it in my head that I can hit of the tee with an iron which has led to me dreading Par 3's. The sad part is, after I pared the second and third holes, I was confident I was going to shoot in the 90's. Blah.

Keep eliminating the penalty shots.... I am slowly lowering mine. I hate counting strokes where I did not get to swing. Also, how many high risk shots are you taking? It is amazing how punching out or laying up lowers ones score.

[RFKFREAK]

Keep eliminating the penalty shots.... I am slowly lowering mine. I hate counting strokes where I did not get to swing. Also, how many high risk shots are you taking? It is amazing how punching out or laying up lowers ones score.

Yah, only one of my penalty strokes came from my driver. Basically, until I fix and get used to my latest swing change, I'm pretty much going to hit a lot of balls left.

[straightslice]

After breaking 100 in 3 of last 6 rounds (96, 99, 99, 100, 100, 103) on mostly unfamiliar courses, I thought I had arrived. Lo and behold I go into a funk. 115, 110, 108. That sucked. After self evaluation, I realized that I haven't spent nearly enough time at the range. I was just playing and often with no warmup. Went back to the basics Saturday morning. Over 3 hour range session to replace my normal round. Almost 2 hours on the full swing (5-PW). Did not touch the driver or hybrids.30 minutes putting, 45+ mins chipping and pitching. Started off horribly with fat shots galore. Wanted to concentrate on solid contact and reduced flipping. Going for another hour to see if anything stuck. Btw. I bought a 6i blade to help focus on better contact and swing mechanics. It won't lie to me as much as my current set. Any one tried such an approach? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gipper]

After breaking 100 in 3 of last 6 rounds (96, 99, 99, 100, 100, 103) on mostly unfamiliar courses, I thought I had arrived. Lo and behold I go into a funk. 115, 110, 108. That sucked. After self evaluation, I realized that I haven't spent nearly enough time at the range. I was just playing and often with no warmup. Went back to the basics Saturday morning. Over 3 hour range session to replace my normal round. Almost 2 hours on the full swing (5-PW). Did not touch the driver or hybrids.30 minutes putting, 45+ mins chipping and pitching. Started off horribly with fat shots galore. Wanted to concentrate on solid contact and reduced flipping. Going for another hour to see if anything stuck. Btw. I bought a 6i blade to help focus on better contact and swing mechanics. It won't lie to me as much as my current set. Any one tried such an approach? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had not heard about the blade 6I approach. Is that because it is not a forgiving club?

[straightslice]

I had not heard about the blade 6I approach. Is that because it is not a forgiving club?

That's my assumption.  Smaller sweetspot and more punishing for mishits.  My game set is Callaway RAZR X HL w/ graphite shafts.  The blade is a Titleist MB that I got for about $15.

Just off the range.  I started with the blade just to see what happened.  I was surprised that I was actually able to get 4 of the first 5 in the air and reasonably towards my target.  I have a new and greater respect for the professionals and scratch guys who can play blades.  You have to be 100% on point with those things.  I finally know what people mean by "feel". It's crystal clear when you are off center, etc. I welcomed my "shovels".

Anyway, I struck the ball pretty well. One thing I learned from the blade is how a penetrating ball flight looks.  My flipping was killing distance.  Compressed the ball well. Let's see if I can take this to the course.

[Bridge]

Keep us updated on your progress!

Will do!

Have an 8am tee time at Montauk Downs tomorrow

[Moppy]

What I hate is  when accurate driving disappears halfway through  a round and then re-appears halfway through the next round. In my round Sunday I was hitting it right, right, right, so I aimed left and it went straight, of course, right into the weeds, I even hooked one onto the next fairway.  So I threw up my hands and just decided to aim just slightly right, and started hitting them on the fairway again. Not sure why aiming left made me hit straight, and even nice draws, maybe the resignation of not being able to deal with the slice made me tone down my swing a little. It was a long course for me, and I was swinging for the fences a lot because parring a four was impossible with my normal drive, and with my three wood in the bag on probation.  In retrospect, I should have played the gold tees, which matched the whites on my home course.  Any lady who was comfortable hitting from the reds on that course would want to play the golds on my course too.

[Gipper]

Will do! Have an 8am tee time at Montauk Downs tomorrow

How did the round go Bridge?

[Gipper]

What I hate is  when accurate driving disappears halfway through  a round and then re-appears halfway through the next round. In my round Sunday I was hitting it right, right, right, so I aimed left and it went straight, of course, right into the weeds, I even hooked one onto the next fairway.  So I threw up my hands and just decided to aim just slightly right, and started hitting them on the fairway again. Not sure why aiming left made me hit straight, and even nice draws, maybe the resignation of not being able to deal with the slice made me tone down my swing a little. It was a long course for me, and I was swinging for the fences a lot because parring a four was impossible with my normal drive, and with my three wood in the bag on probation.  In retrospect, I should have played the gold tees, which matched the whites on my home course.  Any lady who was comfortable hitting from the reds on that course would want to play the golds on my course too.

I agree Moppy... it is frustrating when a club comes and goes like that.

[Bridge]

How did the round go Bridge?

104....

4 penalty strokes on the front 9 =UHG!

Montauk Downs is a wonderful place

[briannn]

Shot 105 yesterday . Too many lost balls again

[late347]

I shot 107, at golf course 67.2 / 130, at yardage 5366

I played only with irons and wedges because this seems to be what is working for me, at the moment, with Mike Austin swing style.

Driver has a bit of a slice problem at the moment, sadly.

But even though I wasn't able to break 100, it was a pretty good score overall for stableford format, which I was playing.

I got 45 stableford points from that round, and it lowers my hcp quite a bit...

I made like:

-5 bogies

-2 pars

-4 doublebogies

-6 triplebogies

etc...

-no balls lost either! BUT a  few unplayable lies were taken as penalty.

[Moppy]

Shot 105 yesterday . Too many lost balls again

What brought me even close enough to 100 to join this thread was two consecutive lessons on driving, a week apart, and six buckets of balls. Hit on different days.  I still fall back into a slice now and then, but I understand why, usually I am overanxious and try to hit it too hard and lose posture, and I am getting much better at preventing it.

[scorpion12]

I played last Wednesday and scored a 61...it was only 9 holes after work.

Hole #  Par  My score

1 4 6

2 4 8

3 5 7

4 4 7

5 3 7

6 5 7

7 3 7

8 4 7

9 3 5

Not too good... I lost 1 ball into the water on #7 so there was a penalty stroke there. I'm trying to play by the rules and count all of my strokes but I'm having a good time anyway.

I blame part of it on the greens. They were aerated in late June and haven't recovered yet but it's most likely my putting because other players are making respectable scores.

I'll admit it. I suck at golf but there is the occasional good shot where I put whatever it is together and it just works... that's what keeps me coming back for more.

[Gipper]

I shot 107, at golf course 67.2 / 130, at yardage 5366 I played only with irons and wedges because this seems to be what is working for me, at the moment, with Mike Austin swing style. Driver has a bit of a slice problem at the moment, sadly. But even though I wasn't able to break 100, it was a pretty good score overall for stableford format, which I was playing. I got 45 stableford points from that round, and it lowers my hcp quite a bit... I made like: -5 bogies -2 pars -4 doublebogies -6 triplebogies etc... -no balls lost either! BUT a  few unplayable lies were taken as penalty.

Congrats on the no lost balls.