The Julia Plan: A 5 Handicap in 5 Years

[Crim]

So what do you guys think?

Yes you can. And what's the worst thing that could happen if you don't? You'll still be a badass golfer...and hey, maybe you'll get it on the 6th year.

But no....you'll get it in 5.

I know I quote this a lot, but it is one of my favorite golf quotes for getting better.

"You could be just one swing (or one round away) from figuring things out."

I'm not sure if that was the exact quote, but pretty close. Quote from Matt Kuchar. NOW GET OUT ON THAT COURSE :)

[WUTiger]

Since you played basketball in the past, you probably have - when things work well - a better sense of balance than the average person. That definitely helps in golf.

I am a guy who just turned 64, and I have some sense of what you're fighting through. I had heart surgery at in 2005, and two ensuing abdominal surgeries over the next four years. And, when I feared I was having delayed complications of my second abdominal, they told me, "Fear not!" Your right hip is now arthritic, and it aches.

With your lessons and practice, you will develop a swing that works for you, and maximizes both power and balance. (My scores rise when I start overswinging). You might find a university-level sports therapist who specializes in golfers. Such a person can help you maximize your motion, and make swing adjustments to minimize ailments.

... I'm going to the gym 4 days/week to lift. My cardio work is hitting balls, and swinging the orange whip until I see a podiatrist. ...

... Year 3 - Take it to the course. Practice. Take tune ups. Play in amateur tournaments. See what happens. ...

... At this time, my driver SS can get up to 94+ mph when I'm warmed up. I've hit the back fence at the range on the fly and that's at 240, but I don't have the confidence to swing that hard on the course. ...

On your workout - be careful about lifting too many days in a row without rest. Otherwise, you can start feeling tired from overwork. Hopefully your workout alternates a mix of: lower body | arms and chest | back | and abdominal. Also, you might consider doing some swimming for cardio. It's low stress on the body, but gives a great overall workout.

If you can hit the driver 240 sometimes, you're in good shape there. As your swing stabilizes, consider getting a dynamic fitting - this looks at all parts of your swing, and test the clubs to see which head + shaft combinations fit you best.

And, considering your passion for golf, you might consider taking one of the basic courses at the Maltby Clubmaking Academy, held at GolfWorks in Newark, OH. The basic clubfitting, assembly and repair course would show you all the ins and outs of how golf clubs are made, and what they can and can't do for the golfer. Besides settling your own curiosity, you might be able to help other seniors and females make good choices on buying golf equipment. http://www.golfworks.com/

(If you're an Advantage Club member at Golf Galaxy, sometimes GolfWorks will give you a tuition discount on the schools).

If you want to send me a PM on anything, I would welcome it. Welcome to TST!

[mvmac]

Julia, I'no sure that playing frequently helps, but it's not a requirement. In the last 12 months I've played 38 rounds. I played a similar amount over the course of the previous year, and in those two years I've almost chopped my index in half. I would stress the links Scott gave you as the primary reason I've improved. And the number 1 key to good practice is knowing WHAT to practice (the "specific" S) for which I have the Evolvr guys to thank as well.

I second this.

[dfreuter415]

I took up golf two years ago when I was 60. I have a goal - a 5 handicap in 5 years...  I'm going to the gym 4 days/week to lift. My cardio work is hitting balls, and swinging the orange whip until I see a podiatrist... This plan may sound insane, and I'm wondering if it's realistic myself. If I don't try it, I'll never know if I could have done it.

Year 1 - I sucked. I played golf. I went to the range. I hit balls. I took some lessons. I shot 116. But I had fun.

Year 2 - I got better.  As of 11/1/14, at the final revision it is 24.7.

Winter - Take lessons... Work on the drills assigned by the coach. Practice like a stupid monkey.... every day.

Year 3 - Take it to the course. Practice. Take tune ups. Play in amateur tournaments. See what happens.

I haven't planned out past year 3 since I need to see what happens. I expect winter after year 3 three to be similar, and hopefully improve. I know it will get more difficult to improve the lower the handicap goes. At this time, my driver SS can get up to 94+ mph when I'm warmed up. I've hit the back fence at the range on the fly and that's at 240, but I don't have the confidence to swing that hard on the course.

So what do you guys think? Is it a realistic plan? Or should I give it up?

Julia, you asked me what I thought, so here it is. First to your two questions, I refer you to quotes by Jimmy Valvano.

Is it a realistic plan? - "How do you go from where you are to where you wanna be? You have to have a dream, a goal. And you have to be willing to work for it." So from that point of view, yes, your plan is realistic.

Should I give it up? - "Don't give up, don't ever give up." This quote speaks for itself.

Just one final point that I would like to interject. Take notice and enjoy the journey that you have undertaken. Many times your destination is not as rewarding as the road you travel.

[3iron]

Julia:  before I can comment, I need to see what you look like in the fleece lined pants.

As for your golf, I know you can do it.

[DrvFrShow]

Today I was watching one of my coach's other students warm up for his lesson. The kid is in high school. When it was time for the lesson I got up from the bench to leave because I had the vantage point dead down the line, and the coach usually sits there.

"Are you sure?" he asked and gave me the sit back down look.

Okay coach, I'll watch. Turns out the kid had won the high school championship last year. He was really good. I might learn something. The kid hits 8 shots dead straight.

"I don't know. What should we do with him?"
"I'd let him keep hitting," I replied.
Then he leaked one.
"Uh oh!"

Now everything started spraying as he tried to fix it. The wheels started turning in the brain. You could hear them. Thin shot. Pulled shot. Another leak. Then a straight one. Then another leak. Stop!

Now for the fix.

Funny thing was that I saw him leak one before the lesson and fix it immediately without a problem. But as soon as the coach said "Uh oh," it became a big deal. Mental issue. Stress. The problem was that his swing plane had become too vertical, and he had to flatten it.

Interesting because with the changes I made to my swing, my swing plane became more vertical, and I occasionally have a leak now. And of course it is because I'm tall. I knew the drill he was going to do with him. When that happens I just drop my right foot back a little and it goes away. I battled a slice initially, and I turned it into a hook. I've been battling the hook for a year and a half.

From one musician to another ... that is an amazing performance - can't believe he played that entire 30 minute piece WITHOUT the sheet music ... it's gotta require memorizing thousands upon thousands of notes in succession.   World class piano players are amazing to me - freaks me out that the human mind is capable of that kind of memorization.    I'm very curious ...did you actually perform that entire 30 minute piece ??

Yes I did. I had a little different interpretation, but I did perform it. And I used sheet music, which BTW Schiff used when I saw him perform a different piece in Seattle.

[vangator]

I hope I can hit the ball 240 when I'm 62. I mean in one shot, not several. :-)

[iacas]

Today I was watching one of my coach's other students warm up for his lesson. The kid is in high school. When it was time for the lesson I got up from the bench to leave because I had the vantage point dead down the line, and the coach usually sits there.

"Are you sure?" he asked and gave me the sit back down look.

Okay coach, I'll watch. Turns out the kid had won the high school championship last year. He was really good. I might learn something. The kid hits 8 shots dead straight.

"I don't know. What should we do with him?"

"I'd let him keep hitting," I replied.

Then he leaked one.

"Uh oh!"

Now everything started spraying as he tried to fix it. The wheels started turning in the brain. You could hear them. Thin shot. Pulled shot. Another leak. Then a straight one. Then another leak. Stop!

Now for the fix.

Funny thing was that I saw him leak one before the lesson and fix it immediately without a problem. But as soon as the coach said "Uh oh," it became a big deal. Mental issue. Stress. The problem was that his swing plane had become too vertical, and he had to flatten it.

If you had to summarize whatever this is, what would the summary be?

[Mr22putt]

Year 1 - I sucked. I played golf. I went to the range. I hit balls. I took some lessons. I shot 116. But I had fun.

Year 2 - I got better. Joined a women's club. I embarrassed myself in my first round (you don't want to know). I took some lessons. I practiced a lot. I got a GHIN handicap. As of 11/1/14, at the final revision it is 24.7. I have to update. I won most improved player award, and placed 2nd in two club tournaments (one match, and one net score).

At this time, my driver SS can get up to 94+ mph when I'm warmed up. I've hit the back fence at the range on the fly and that's at 240, but I don't have the confidence to swing that hard on the course.

Julia

Best wishes on your plan to be a 5 cap in 3 years.

You must be a very strong woman to be able to carry a driver 240 yards....never mind a very strong 62 year old women with a 24.7 handicap where you average scores are in the high 90's.

I'd think Sally Little, 63 years old. a retired LPGA pro who won 15 times on tour would have a hard time carrying her driver 240 yards.

Carry yardage chart for 93 & 100 driver SS at 220 and 240 yards, respectively.

[Lihu]

Julia

Best wishes on your plan to be a 5 cap in 3 years.

You must be a very strong woman to be able to carry a driver 240 yards....never mind a very strong 62 year old women with a 24.7 handicap where you average scores are in the high 90's.

I'd think Sally Little, 63 years old. a retired LPGA pro who won 15 times on tour would have a hard time carrying her driver 240 yards.

Carry yardage chart for 93 & 100 driver SS at 220 and 240 yards, respectively.

I agree that her reported numbers are just a tad high. However, the way I look at it, 210 is what a female scratch player drives the ball. Even if the fence is only 200 yards away, which is kind of what I was thinking, she still drives far enough to get there.

"A female scratch golfer is a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses. A female scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level."

More than enough distance to get to 5HC (female, which is a big distinction) in my opinion.

[DrvFrShow]

Don't let my age fool you. I'm in very good shape aside from some bumps and bruises. I lift four days/wk.

BTW I'm familiar with that chart, and have a copy of it. I do have a driver SS over 90 mph. That was determined during driver fitting. But distance doesn't mean consistency does it? No, it does not. If it did I'd have reached my goal already. It is one of the reasons I get so frustrated when I play. I know what I'm capable of doing. I see flashes of it on the course. Two to three holes in a row  the ball goes beautifully in the fairway, I hit the green in regulation or am chipping up and down for par. Then I start thinking, and in an effort to keep my head steady, I go into a reverse pivot and duff my tee shot about 30 yds on a par 5; this is followed by an effort to make up the distance which of course is another duffed shot; followed by a 7 iron shot just to put the ball in the air.... or did I shank that one, too? Okay now I'll end up with a 9 on this hole. I'm tired of that crap.

I said I had contact issues. I'm addressing them now.

I also mentioned a shoulder issue. Something we discovered today was that the takeaway breakdown was a compensation I did to protect the shoulder. The breakdown leads to the flatter swing plane. There seems to be nothing I can do about it. I thought the takeaway was fixed, but it's not. We'll have to work with what we have because fixing the takeaway causes pain in the shoulder joint. So I'll see how creative the pro is. Can the pro help me become consistent with what I've got?

I should mention that with the practice I've done over the past three weeks, I'm hitting the ball better and more consistent. My mind can go on automatic and just bang on shot after shot, but I screw up when I think about them.

I looked up the issue with the shoulder. It's CHJ laxity. Insurance won't do anything until there's a ligament tear or I need a new shoulder joint.

[Lihu]

A correct swing will prevent serious injuries.

[DrvFrShow]

If I can't do a correct takeaway without pain what am I to do? Put my clubs on e-bay?

[Abu3baid]

There is a range of take aways in the swing, no need to sell clubs over it! What is the priority now that your coach has you working on, and what is the drill you are doing to get there?

[DrvFrShow]

Coach has me working on contact. Knockdown shots -> half swings -> full swings. Pitching wedge, 8 iron, and 7 iron. I'm hitting all three clubs much better. I'll get through 22 balls and may duff 3. Before I was duffing 7-8. Shots feel solid and I feel a thump when I hit them. Direction control isn't great, but we're not working on that yet. It is reasonable, and getting better. I use alignment sticks.

[Abu3baid]

Coach has me working on contact. Knockdown shots -> half swings -> full swings. Pitching wedge, 8 iron, and 7 iron. I'm hitting all three clubs much better. I'll get through 22 balls and may duff 3. Before I was duffing 7-8. Shots feel solid and I feel a thump when I hit them. Direction control isn't great, but we're not working on that yet. It is reasonable, and getting better. I use alignment sticks.

In my humble opinion working on contact is too general to bring about any real change.. is there something more specific the both of you have identified needs changing? For example, maybe your head is transferring back too much on the bs so you are working on a better pivot to keep it from moving more than an inch on the bs? The more specific the quicker you will see change and improvement.. If I hit 500 balls every day I will improve my contact because I will learn compensations eventually, but that doesn't mean my swing is improving. I hope that helps.

[Lihu]

If I can't do a correct takeaway without pain what am I to do? Put my clubs on e-bay?

No, fixing your swing so that it's not painful. Not trying to be cryptic, but you need to evaluate your range of motion and find out why what you consider the correct takeaway is causing pain. Don't force anything. In fact, make your swing much slower. A golf swing should be "relaxed". Abu is right that if you hit 500 balls a day the wrong way your body will compensate for it.

[Spitfisher]

Its been my experience with flightscope  launch monitor......Most men, a vast majority in their late 50s with a low to mid handicap  also 92-95 mile per hour swing speed don't even drive the ball 210 yards ( not carry , drive the ball)  let alone 240....just saying