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

[RFKFREAK]

I actually agree with the shooting for 5s thing. I started doing that when I was shooting low 90s and it helped me break 90 because I mind tricked myself into being more positive about my results. A bogey on a par 4 was exactly what I needed to do. Par 5s were survival and I looked at par 3s the way tour pros view par 5s. If I made par or birdie, they were like eagles for my score.

That said, if you're using the 5s method for breaking 90, remember you need to shoot one under. I forgot that and thought I had a two putt for 89 my first time. I casually lagged it up and it went in, but I actually needed it, so I'm glad it did fall or I'd have never forgiven myself. But yeah, it's easier on the mind as a bogey golfer to think of how much over or under bogey you are for the day than it is to think you're 10 over par after the front 9. That's despiriting.

Yeah, I've heard of different method's of breaking down the course into a sets of 3 or 5 before.

I don't think I mentally have an issue, I think it's more that I'm just not a very good golfer with an atrocious short game to the point that I was ignorant as to a good way to calculate where my landing spot should be when I chip a ball.  Almost always, I'd chip the ball and two putt for bogey, double bogey, or more.

I'm hoping to practice this and play more this year.  That, in addition to the fact that I've been concentrating on getting in better shape this offseason I trust will lead to better scores with a goal to consistently shoot 95 by the summer at the local municipal course (Par 71, CR: 67.5/SR: 120).

[drifterdon]

I will give that a try tomorrow. My league starts tomorrow and this seems like a good way to keep positive.

[indykappa]

Even before I begin, I already realize that this is going to sound like a commercial... So I just completed a 3-day golf school at the Dana Rader Golf School in charlotte. It was all day Friday, all day Saturday, and half a day on Sunday. It was an amazing experience, and they don't spend a ton of time trying to completely overhaul your swing. Instead, their philosophy is to take your swing and focus on one or two adjustments. I will admit that it seemed kinda corny at first, but results are results. It was probably 80% on course and 20% classroom, but part of that was likely due to the unseasonably cold temps we had this weekend (35deg at 8am!) We got to golf at the end of each day and I shot a legit 45 on the front 9. What made it even crazier was that I should've shot about 5 strokes better but I blew several 10 foot putts. I don't expect to make those, but the fact that I almost hit em (as a result of my improved green reading) made me very happy. Until I play a full 18 and score under 100, it's not official. But man oh man, I cannot stress the importance of some quality golf instruction I will still mix in a ridiculously fat shot from time to time, but the frequency has greatly diminished. The greatest improvement has been in my approach to practice. I now have a practice plan. Never again will I order the jumbo bucket of balls and hammer away at the driver and long irons. If I get an hour to practice, 15min goes to putting, 15min goes to pitching/chipping, 10min in the sand, and 20min on irons/hybrids/woods My outlook has changed! Can't wait to get out and play again!

[Ferguson]

I learned this from a woman I dated for a while. She was a psychologist. Her advice was this: leave any unnecessary burdens in the car before walking to the first tee. By this she meant to play golf with no expectations of remarkable performance, e.g., don’t fill your head with outstanding shot rehearsals, grandiose visions of eagling a par 5, or magically making multiple birdies. She said that learning a game as difficult as golf should be more a focus on the input fundamentals – consistency of set up, grip pressure and alignment rather than a focus on the output results. Her reasoning made sense because a good output is the result of a good input, not the opposite. If you can't tell, I'm a believer that this game is played mostly on the 5" golf course between your ears.

[808hacker]

Oh and LSW  = GIR. That is.... unless you cannot putt like me! :-) Good Luck guys!

[Ferguson]

Oh and LSW  = GIR. That is.... unless you cannot putt like me! :-) Good Luck guys!

Let me guess – do you typically leave your first putts short, and or left of the hole?

[808hacker]

No, it's weird. I can somewhat reliably 2 putt from most distances (so I make bogey or par). My swing path or club/head is no good. So when I pick out a line, I hit the putt and it usually misses in some manner. I wish it was consistent. When I do have birdie chances (on a par 3 or par 5), I usually miss them. I also have a bad habit of pitching to about 4 or 5 feet which I then miss...

[Ferguson]

No, it's weird. I can somewhat reliably 2 putt from most distances (so I make bogey or par). My swing path or club/head is no good. So when I pick out a line, I hit the putt and it usually misses in some manner. I wish it was consistent. When I do have birdie chances (on a par 3 or par 5), I usually miss them. I also have a bad habit of pitching to about 4 or 5 feet which I then miss...

I like to keep my putter low to the ground as I go thru the putt, keeping the putter head moving. It prevents adding loft and gets the putt rolling end over end. Tip: Practice 8-12 footers with your eyes closed and head still. Eyes shut and don’t look up. Hit five putts and see where they end up. Make adjustments to the line and hit five more. Try to pick a speed that goes by the hole. On first putts where I’m trying to get it close, I like to envision the hole as a 2-foot diameter salad bowl. Remember, 1 foot long is the same as 1 foot short is the same as 1 foot right as 1 foot left

[Lihu]

Oh and LSW  = GIR. That is.... unless you cannot putt like me! :-) Good Luck guys!

I do putt like you or even possibly worse. . .It must from losing focus or something like that?

[808hacker]

Sorry to hear that Lihu! There's nothing like hitting to a par 3 and get it close (4 or 5 feet) from 175 yards. Then walk up, take your time and miss the putt!!!!!

I've even missed putts where they are begging me to pick up. I always insist on trying the putt, only to miss. The good news is that I par a lot of par 3s.

The only thing that is changed now, is that I don't get upset when I miss it. Just move on. Because I made a par, I can afford a double along the way!!!! hahahaha

[Lihu]

Sorry to hear that Lihu! There's nothing like hitting to a par 3 and get it close (4 or 5 feet) from 175 yards. Then walk up, take your time and miss the putt!!!!!

I've even missed putts where they are begging me to pick up. I always insist on trying the putt, only to miss. The good news is that I par a lot of par 3s.

The only thing that is changed now, is that I don't get upset when I miss it. Just move on. Because I made a par, I can afford a double along the way!!!! hahahaha

The alternative is to make spectacular putts in the beginning of the round and having your partners call a "gimme" when you get to 4 feet.

I don't hit to within 4 feet all that often, though.

Seriously, though. I used to putt a lot better, and now my putting is getting worse and worse. Not sure if it might really be a loss of focus or not? Going to have to evaluate this more carefully. I just got 22 putts on 9 holes, and felt like my putting was reasonable. I'm going to bring a level with me tomorrow morning, to check my Aimpoint angles.

[Gipper]

I shot a 104 at my new home course. I can see my self in the 90's here soon. I know where I left shots out there and it was the first time I had played the course so there are already some strategic ideas I am going to be able to use the next round. I did keep focused on my shoot for 5's but this course is doable for this approach. I also am going to get a mat and work on sweeping the mat a handful of times a week just to get that motion down. But my big goal for this next week is getting my wife to record my swing so I can get it posted on here.

[RFKFREAK]

30+ MPH winds can't be very good for a golf game but it's certainly accounts for very little in the way of reasoning for this mess:

Score: 124

CR/SR: 69.9/128

Putts/GIR: 2.5

GIR: 2/18

Putts: 37

FIR: 4/14

Penalty Strokes: 10

I was hooking and pull hooking for most of the day.  9 of those penalty strokes occurred with a club that wasn't the driver and I believe only 4 were from tee shots.

Towards the end of my round I finally corrected my driver and it began doing good things for me.

I did have two bright spots.  I drained an 18 footer for bogey on 7 after my I mishit my tee shot with my 3W (and it went 56 yards) and draining a 40 footer for bogey when I put my drive OB on 17.

http://www.gamegolf.com/player/RFKFREAK/round/245962

My plan this week is to try and hit the range, get an Evolvr lesson in, and play 9 after work at least once.

[Millennium]

I played my first round of golf ever mid-summer last year and ended up shooting a 110 which I thought was actually really good for never getting lessons. The next 2 times out I couldn't even post a scorecard. Easily was shooting over 150-175 and just flat out quit after having to pick up my ball every single hole. My dad immediately took me to get lessons the next day. After around 5-6 individual lessons I played my 4th and last round of golf for the year and shot a 55-46 for a 101. Couldn't believe how well the lessons improved my game. Going out for the first round of the season in a couple of weeks and am excited to try and break the century mark hopefully early in the year. Good luck to everyone this year on breaking your score goals.

[Gipper]

I played my first round of golf ever mid-summer last year and ended up shooting a 110 which I thought was actually really good for never getting lessons. The next 2 times out I couldn't even post a scorecard. Easily was shooting over 150-175 and just flat out quit after having to pick up my ball every single hole. My dad immediately took me to get lessons the next day. After around 5-6 individual lessons I played my 4th and last round of golf for the year and shot a 55-46 for a 101. Couldn't believe how well the lessons improved my game. Going out for the first round of the season in a couple of weeks and am excited to try and break the century mark hopefully early in the year. Good luck to everyone this year on breaking your score goals.

Good luck Millennium! Keep us updated.

[JonMA1]

[pecos24]

Played my first 9 of the year and shot a 53.  In all honesty probably not a bad first score of the year for me, it's usually higher.

I just had a lesson on Friday and I am still working the kinks out, I seem to be pulling my irons and pushing my driver.

Hope to have some of this straightened out by the weekend, meeting some buddies in Vegas for a few rounds ...

[rrives]

Well have not posted here lately, nothing to really talk about except I was getting worse instead of better.  This morning shot my best 9 holes - 47.  Knew it was going to be a good morning when I hit a good PW from 37 yards out to a elevated green (could only see the top of the flag stick).  Walked upto the green with my putter and could not believe the ball did not stay on the green and had rolled down the other side.  Walked across the green and did not see my ball.  I thought to myself no way, checked in the hole and there was my ball!!  Birdie to start out with.  Of course it went downhill after that but still not a bad round for me.

Check it out on GameGolf  http://www.gamegolf.com/player/randyrives/round/251559