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

[krupa]

I haven't been keeping score too much.  I mostly get out to enjoy the evening and whack a ball around.  Played 9 last night, had trouble getting off the tee, but shot a 52 nonetheless.  A few three putts, a lost ball, and a water ball kept me out of the 40s.  However, I was hitting my irons nicely and got stuck behind a really slow single (have no idea what he was doing between shots) that gave me the chance to take some pictures.

 

[Warren Zevon]

I really wish I wasn't keeping score this year.  I've been consistent in shooting around the 105-108 mark, but my short game is masking a lot of ball striking errors.  

Tee shots are killing me so far.  It's too bad there wasn't a prize for having the biggest banana slice, because I would be world champion.  

Edited July 20, 2017 by Warren Zevon

[krupa]

51 minutes ago, Warren Zevon said:

Tee shots are killing me so far.  It's too bad there wasn't a prize for having the biggest banana slice, because I would be world champion.

I went from slices to pulls and duck-hooks.  

Last week, I hit a port-a-john that was in some trees about 50 feet in front and to the left of the tee markers.  I laughed really hard, told the guy I had joined that I may be done for the day, and proceeded to hit a second, perfect tee-shot with a nice little fade (that I wasn't trying for.)  I ended up parring the hole, if you ignore the failed first ball and played the rest of the round like I kind of knew what I was doing.

[Shindig]

3 hours ago, Warren Zevon said:

Tee shots are killing me so far.  It's too bad there wasn't a prize for having the biggest banana slice, because I would be world champion.  

Have you considered a "My Swing" thread, particularly for a few driver shots?  If that's what's holding you back, it seems like something I bet we (especially the better players/instructors) could look at for you.

I assume you've already read this thread, but just in case:

 

[Warren Zevon]

1 hour ago, Shindig said:

Have you considered a "My Swing" thread, particularly for a few driver shots?  If that's what's holding you back, it seems like something I bet we (especially the better players/instructors) could look at for you.

I assume you've already read this thread, but just in case:

 

  Thanks for the link, Shindig.  I'll check that one out.  

   Last year I was playing better golf than now. I created a My Swing thread, and have been working on some of the (many) issues I have.  It's a process, I realize, and fixing things takes a lot of time and practice.  

   I bit the bullet and called one of my old instructors up.  She's good, and helped me a fair bit when I started out.  Hopefully she can help me get back in track.  

[Warren Zevon]

Well, it took nearly four months of golf, but I finally cracked 100 today by two strokes.   We had to start on the back nine, and I had two or three OOB tee shots that cost me.  The front was much better, where I shot a 46.  Kind of pissed, tho.  On hole number two I hit my tee shot left into the bushes ( as a slicer I never complain when they go left), and lost another ball on my approach shot to card a round worst nine.   Aside from one double, everything else on the front was pars or bogies.  And aside from those four bad tee shots, I was actually hitting the fairway today, which was a nice change.  On my tee shots I shortened my backswing, let my hips move forward before the club started to come down and tried to swing smoothly. I had five or six dead straight drives.  I'm playing again in the morning so hopefully I can keep repeating that swing.  

[krupa]

5 hours ago, Warren Zevon said:

Well, it took nearly four months of golf, but I finally cracked 100 today by two strokes.   We had to start on the back nine, and I had two or three OOB tee shots that cost me.  The front was much better, where I shot a 46.  Kind of pissed, tho.  On hole number two I hit my tee shot left into the bushes ( as a slicer I never complain when they go left), and lost another ball on my approach shot to card a round worst nine.   Aside from one double, everything else on the front was pars or bogies.  And aside from those four bad tee shots, I was actually hitting the fairway today, which was a nice change.  On my tee shots I shortened my backswing, let my hips move forward before the club started to come down and tried to swing smoothly. I had five or six dead straight drives.  I'm playing again in the morning so hopefully I can keep repeating that swing.  

Congrats!  Sounds like you recovered really well from that bad hole.

[Shenanigunz]

I think tonight is the last night of my league. First week I shot a 64, low round of the year was a 50 (missed that 49 on the edge of the cup on the last hole) I struggle around the greens, and it seems if my irons are on point, my driving sucks, and when I'm driving good I can't put together my irons. I have a good feeling about tonight though, time to shoot under 50. 

[Dan Vesma]

Ive broken 100 at most of my local courses, but Ross-on-Wye eludes me. It’s a tough course, and if I’m honest, I find its scale and condition intimidating. Any advice for getting past this. I had 101 there three sessions ago, but i was back nearer 110 this week.

[Brad W]

On 8/23/2017 at 0:05 AM, Warren Zevon said:

Well, it took nearly four months of golf, but I finally cracked 100 today by two strokes.   We had to start on the back nine, and I had two or three OOB tee shots that cost me.  The front was much better, where I shot a 46.  Kind of pissed, tho.  On hole number two I hit my tee shot left into the bushes ( as a slicer I never complain when they go left), and lost another ball on my approach shot to card a round worst nine.   Aside from one double, everything else on the front was pars or bogies.  And aside from those four bad tee shots, I was actually hitting the fairway today, which was a nice change.  On my tee shots I shortened my backswing, let my hips move forward before the club started to come down and tried to swing smoothly. I had five or six dead straight drives.  I'm playing again in the morning so hopefully I can keep repeating that swing.  

congrats

[Scott in NC]

Hi everyone.  I'm pretty new to the game, and never seriously got into golfing until this summer.  Long story short, I had owned a set of garage sale clubs for over a decade that I'd occasionally putter around with on the local par 3 course, but playing was usually more of an afterthought on those rare occasions when the weather was nice and I didn't have other competing obligations or else anything better to do.  Well that changed when my teenage son decided to join his school's golf team.  The two of us are now out on the driving range or course every chance we get.  I finally decided to spring for lessons, and my only complaint about them is why in the world I didn't start them a long time ago! :) I'm now learning everything that was wrong with my swing, and I'm hoping that that will translate to better scores on the course soon. 

Right now I'm mainly just playing on 9 hole, par 36 courses.  My best score to date is (don't laugh, but if you do, I can take it) 61, but that was a phenomenal day when I actually birdied on a par 5, and my typical score is around 65.  (Truth be known, it's really 65+, as I'll typically pick up if I reach double par, and I'll usually reach double par on around 3 of 9 holes.)

I've read through this entire thread, and reading about everyone's progress has really encouraged me.  I'm planning to keep working at it, and hopefully I'll be able to post a similar record of improvement!  :)

[MarvChamp]

1 hour ago, Scott in NC said:

The two of us are now out on the driving range or course every chance we get.  I finally decided to spring for lessons, and my only complaint about them is why in the world I didn't start them a long time ago! :) I'm now learning everything that was wrong with my swing, and I'm hoping that that will translate to better scores on the course soon. 

Welcome Scott! I am an old golfer who returned to the game in earnest last year. I have broken 100, even 90 (an 88 and an 89), but the 100's keep creeping in. One thing I focus on...I stopped thinking "something is wrong". In fact, I have a swing that is genuine for me and my body, and I just need to get out of the way. So, while the physical mechanics of the swing are very, very important, my good instructor will never say "That's soooo wrong", but "Try this" or "I'd like to see this", and show me. Avoid the tension of negative self-talk and other such thinking. Best regards, -Marv

[Scott in NC]

Good advice, Marv--thanks!  And just for clarification, when I said "what was wrong with my swing," I realize that we all have our individual swing patterns, and what's right for one of us may not be right for another.  But my issue was that I really didn't have any consistent pattern, and my instructor is helping me to refine that.  So far the lessons have definitely been worth it.  I'm confident that one day I'll be able to break 100, but I'm going to take it step by step.  Right now I'll be thrilled the first time that I break 120!

[Brad W]

The season is pretty much wrapping up here in the Northwest.  Having starting golfing just last year, this is my first full season.  I flirted with breaking 100 a couple times (102 and 103), but it still eludes me.  At 52, I'm expecting things to come a little more slowly than they might have when I was 32.

I'm enjoying the game and feel like I've progressed enormously this past few months.  I'm capable of hitting the ball quite well with irons and woods.  My distance seems a little short, particularly with the longer irons, but I don't think it is distance keeping me from breaking 100.  Like most, my putting needs improvement as well as the rest of my short game.  

I've done a lot of self analysis and reflection and I believe my biggest obstacle at this point is my brain.  Clearing out the noise, staying focused, etc.

It was a good season and I'm looking forward to getting things going again next year (I'm sure I'll sneak in a round here and there when it isn't raining or too cold)

 

 

[JonMA1]

8 hours ago, Brad W said:

I'm enjoying the game and feel like I've progressed enormously this past few months. 

Good to hear, Brad. It's such an addictive game. If you can keep it fun, that's half the battle. Sounds like you have a short season as we do here in Northern Michigan.

---

After a few years of slow progress, I'm back on this thread after a slight regression. Oh well. It's golf.

[amishboy51]

Just found this forum; there’s a lot of good stuff here for us high handicappers. Thanks for sharing.

[amishboy51]

On 7/4/2017 at 7:40 PM, MarvChamp said:

Do you guys/gals recall Golf Digest's series called "Breaking 100/80/90"? I picked up the book they published a few years ago. Lots of great "little" tips. One for breaking 100 is to leave the driver home, hit an iron of the tee and for second shots down to or within the 100 yard marker...Whatever distance that will get you safely home.  The idea is to stay in the fairway, get on par 4's in 3 and par 5's in 4; then two-putt.

Yeah, i kinda remember it. I also remember a book, “The Duffer’s Guide to Bogey Golf,” which says, among other things, not to hit driver every hole, swing easy, go for the middle of the green, etc. Mostly, avoid penalty strokes. Maybe I need to pick it up again.

[JonMA1]

43 minutes ago, amishboy51 said:

Just found this forum; there’s a lot of good stuff here for us high handicappers. Thanks for sharing.

Welcome. I hope you're not in this thread for too long, unless it's to come back to give advice after you've improved. A lot of the more-skilled members will occasionally do that and it's always appreciated.