Are you getting better?

[flopster]

Sounds like you've done a good gob of elinating those pesky pars.

I would gladly take 18 of them any day, it's just that I feel anytime you make 3 or more birdies in a round it ought to be a pretty good score in the end but 2 or 3 blowups are preventing it. Yes I'm generally not a very conservative player but I found birdies are not the result of a risk working out more so just putting together a couple good shots, I think short game practice is very due since I don't really remember the last up and down to save par or even sand save for that matter, and I really need to stop to reevaluate some of my decisions especially when I get in some trouble, I need to remember I can make up a shot here or there but turning a probable bogey or small chance par into a double or worse has got to stop I'm not that good to make up that many shots.

[Gary L]

I would gladly take 18 of them any day, it's just that I feel anytime you make 3 or more birdies in a round it ought to be a pretty good score in the end but 2 or 3 blowups are preventing it. Yes I'm generally not a very conservative player but I found birdies are not the result of a risk working out more so just putting together a couple good shots, I think short game practice is very due since I don't really remember the last up and down to save par or even sand save for that matter, and I really need to stop to reevaluate some of my decisions especially when I get in some trouble, I need to remember I can make up a shot here or there but turning a probable bogey or small chance par into a double or worse has got to stop I'm not that good to make up that many shots.

The one-hole blowup can lead to even more lost strokes if you start playing angry or think you need to get them back with risky play.  I've had whole rounds fall apart because of one bad hole that I couldn't shake off.

[mailman]

Interestingly I played recently with a chap I played with back in March last year in my first ever medal competition and he couldn't believe the difference between then and now. He thought my ball striking was like day and night...and he isn't the kind of guy to give compliments freely either. The last three rounds I've played have been 89, 91 and today's 92 (which is damn good considering my first three holes were 7, 7, 6 on par fours and I also lost 3 balls!!!!). Today's round was especially pleasing as it was my first ever singles competition win too! Yay me! :) The other pleasing aspect us that in the last three rounds I've had only 2 three putts. In the past I'd have probably 3 or 4 three putts on average per round! Regards Mailman

[Get in the hole]

Had my best year at golf. Won two medals and a foursomes trophy, but my handicap has only reduced from 27.1 to 24.6. This I find very frustrating. I think the main issue is my club only plays individual comps once a month. The rest of the time it is pairs or team comps. This weekend I played a pairs better balll comp and came on the card 12 times with 6 pars and 6 bogeys but didn't get cut. With so few chances to get a good handicap reducing score in I feel under loads of pressure to play well. Anyway my improvements have come from changing to a baseball style grip with my driver. It has removed my slice.

[MS256]

No!!! Feel like I am but my scores say otherwise. I am getting luckier. :-) This is the first year that I ever actually made money (after expenses) playing golf. Like an older guy I used to play with at the country club used to say "It's not how good you are. It's how good your team is."

[rebelrob]

I had my best ever round recently on my first round with my new set of clubs. The set I used previously was a bit of a mix n match and I did ok with them considering, but with more regular practice I have noticed a massive improvement over a year ago.

I'm almost at the stage where I think I can justify buying a set of pro v1 balls for the extra bit of improvement.

[Gerald Fritz]

I've improved quite a bit. I still struggle with consistency, but so far this year I've been able to manage a few birdies, and more pars. (Broke 100 for the first time this year, and now I hover in the low 100s most of the time). I've eliminated a lot of the big numbers. I was struggling a little with putting and my short game earlier in the year, but have improved to the point where I rarely have a 3-putt. Still struggle off the tee a bit with the driver, but have almost eliminated my slice, and if I miss the fairway its either because I hit the ball fat or would just miss left or right. Learned how to hit a draw and a cut shot now.

One of the big improvements for me though is just how I manage my game. On tight fairways, I'm more inclined to use a long iron or hybrid to try to keep myself out of trouble.

Just need to become a little more consistent. Going to have to have another lesson here sometime soon.

[davechen]

They just posted the final handicaps of the season in my golf league.  I was the most improved player .  I improved 5.44 strokes on my 9 hole handicap.  It's a bit of a pain, since now I'm giving strokes to folks that previously were giving them to me.

[inthehole]

They just posted the final handicaps of the season in my golf league.  I was the most improved player .

nice job - that's an accomplishment !

[davechen]

nice job - that's an accomplishment !

Thank you! I am far too pleased with myself.

[Lihu]

They just posted the final handicaps of the season in my golf league.  I was the most improved player .  I improved 5.44 strokes on my 9 hole handicap.  It's a bit of a pain, since now I'm giving strokes to folks that previously were giving them to me.

Thank you! I am far too pleased with myself.

         

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

[flopster]

The one-hole blowup can lead to even more lost strokes if you start playing angry or think you need to get them back with risky play.  I've had whole rounds fall apart because of one bad hole that I couldn't shake off.

I know and some times no matter how hard I try shaking it off it will just fester in my mind until I have another bad hole or shot and sometimes the temper can overcome me, well last time out I tried playing a bit more under control and it resulted in 0 birdies 9 pars 8 bogies and 1 double, I think I missed at least 3 very makeable putts that would have put me below 80. I definitely feel ball striking is heading in the right direction though and a break through could be coming soon.

[shortstop20]

I lowered my handicap from 11 to 7.7 and shot a personal best 75, along with two 76s. If my putting was better I think I could have cut my handicap in half this year.

[onkey]

While my handicap isn't at a record low, I would still have to say that I am playing better.  I took a couple of lessons to eliminate my lifelong flipping problem and my ball striking has been phenomenally better.  I broke 80 for the first time in my life and I have been far more consistent with my scoring, but I just don't think I am getting enough time on the range/course to really put things together.  I had a hot streak that ended after continual rain turned the course into a swamp for a month--I cannot stand to play when the ground is squishy.  Hopefully I can play enough through the winter to keep things steady and continue to improve next year.

[McFarlane]

Hi everyone I just thought I would post a little something on here as I'm new, after almost 17 years away from the game where I played as a youth I have picked up a set of clubs again, I have to say as a youth I hated the game I just wanted to look for balls in the trees and rough and was very poor. I'm now 33 and have just picked up my first membership and have been blown away by how quick I have adapted my game and scores. I'll give you guys and girls an example 5 months ago my score card read 135 for 18 on par 68, last 3 rounds 90,92,89 same course. Also my driving has been huge I'm averaging 285 yards a round this may sound average to the guys in warmer climates but I stay in a not so sunny Scotland.

[Harp stein]

Much better, I seem to have "locked in" bogey golf this season which is an accomplishment considering my first 3 times out this year were 47/55/54. After that 2nd 50+ I got fed up and with the kids older now felt comfortable investing some time in my golf game for the first time in maybe 15 yrs.

• Took 2 lessons at GG
• Started hitting the range almost once per week during lunch hour
• Bought a used Nike Covert 2.0 (had been using an offset Burner from ~2001)
• Had my irons re-gripped (original grips from 20 yrs ago, all cracked and falling apart)
• Bought a used 5W, 56 degree wedge and 60 degree wedge on EBay
• Bought a mat and setup driveway reflectors at 10/20/30/40 in my yard and hit ~500 balls a couple nights a week

Could never hit a driver, always sliced it horribly so kind of gave up on it for years. But with lessons and practice I'm regularly hitting the Covert 240-250 with a little fade on it. Now, in the course of fixing the driver I broke my iron swing so scores haven't dropped as much as I would like. Around the green I'm MUCH better, putting comes and goes. I'm debating whether I need a shorter putter or whether I should try a blade putter. I read greens fairly well (although would love to take an AimPoint Express course but can't find one locally) but struggle with distance control, and not consistent enough on direction to make the 4-6 footers that good golfers seem to make more than they miss.

Last 3 rounds were 46/44/43 at the same course and I dropped a 39 and 40 earlier in the season before I lost my iron swing. Full 18-hole rounds this year have been 94/89/87/94/92, so feel confident enough to go out and play without thinking I'll embarrass myself.

Goal for next year is to get to low 80s, maybe even break 80. Need to find my iron swing and get more consistent with my putting for that to happen. Getting another 20-30 yds with the driver would also help. There's a place by me that keeps talking about buying a TrackMan and letting people rent it, which I think would let me improve my swing better than just bashing balls at the range. Also could do the Shot Zones from LSW with it. But so far no TrackMan so we'll see...

Kind of pinning my hopes on the TrackMan thing, which doesn't seem likely to happen this year. I just find it hard to learn anything on the range beyond hitting the ball straight. It's hard to tell distance with much accuracy, it's hard to get a sense of where shots are landing, what my tendencies are, what went wrong when I slice and pull a shot, etc... Maybe a false hope, but seems like the TrackMan would make all of that obvious and then I'd just need to get the right swing feel down to replicate the shot I want.

[JonMA1]

Not much.

Started out the season making great contact with an iron swing I'd worked on all winter. Started making improvements with keys #4 and #5 and hitting a lot more greens. When I started working on some of my weaker points - woods, driver and putting, my iron play started to suffer and has since been hot and cold.

I'm not used to failing so badly as I have while trying to improve at this great game. Been at it for 3 years and have spent countless hours with slow, methodical practice working on specific areas that I think might get me over the hump. I make substantial improvements in one area only to regress in another. I go to the course with a single, simple swing thought in mind and at some point realize I've completely abandoned it.

Failure to get my weight forward while keeping my head steady is killing me. When I'm able to do those 2 things, the club strikes the ball correctly, I hit my distances, my swing path is good and the game is easier. My club face control could be better but that's of less concern than the first 2 keys right now. When everything is working, I hit greens almost as though I know what I'm doing. One of the guys who works at the course asked me the other day if I usually shoot around par. He's seen me hit a few long irons shots onto the green and thinks that's how I usually play. I had to laugh at that one.

The bottom line is that I love this game - for better or worse. I just have to remember how lucky I am to have the opportunity to play it. Soon it'll be back to winter ball (indoor practice and the simulator once a week).