Diary of a bogey golfer with his 1st custom fit clubs

[dfreuter415]

( Congrats on your 1st 18 hole round this season.  What a score after the long break! )

Reduced short game practice = losing feel for those shots.   With a little bit of practice, bunker game is back on line but I need to continue working on 40 - 60 yard wedge shots.

Thanks. I was a little more than surprised that my first round of 2015 went so well. I've only had one score lower at that course in the last 15 years.

I agree with your short game assessment. When you lose feel around the green, it make for a long day. Again, take a look at Dave Pelz. He specifically tackles those 40-60 yard shots. His approach to the short game has proven to save strokes. I know it has helped me.

[rkim291968]

4/5/15

I had two driver fittings before buying a new driver (Taylormade Jetspeed).   I have a borderline swing speed for "stiff" shaft but decided to go with it.  That was a good decision.  I feel it has reduced the number of drives slicing away from fairway and into rough.   What used to be 55% FIR is now at 70%. That's a sudden and drastic improvement.   With regular golf specific workout, even with stiff shaft, my solid drive shot average distance has increased to 235+ yards.   Par 5 scores have improved accordingly.

Carded 88 & 94 this weekend and they will lower my HI to 18.1 in the next GHIN report.  I have two more soft scores to beat.  If I get two good rounds in before 4/15, my HI can even dip into 17s.

I think three fourth of my recent HI improvement is due to the new swing & golf work out.   The rest can be attributed to the new fitted clubs.  It was a low hanging fruit, a one time benefit.

[dfreuter415]

4/5/15

Carded 88 & 94 this weekend and they will lower my HI to 18.1 in the next GHIN report.  I have two more soft scores to beat.  If I get two good rounds in before 4/15, my HI can even dip into 17s.

I think three fourth of my recent HI improvement is due to the new swing & golf work out.   The rest can be attributed to the new fitted clubs.  It was a low hanging fruit, a one time benefit.

Well done.

Do you have a goal or prediction where your handicap will be at the end of the summer?

[rkim291968]

Do you have a goal or prediction where your handicap will be at the end of the summer?

My 2015 stated goal is to reach 16 HI in 2015.   It is doable.  When my course dries out in summer, those 16 inch tall vegetation for rough will all but disappear.  What ends up as lost ball in the vegetation now can be easily found and be hittable in summer.   In today's round, I lost 4 balls in those vegetation which resulted in 3 triples and one quad, +13 for those 4 holes.   I was 9 over the rest of 14 holes and really felt good about today's round.    Even if I don't improve from now until summer, I think my score will get better and be good enough for reaching 16 HI before the end of summer.

Do you have a goal or are you just enjoying?

PS: my course handicap will fall below 20 which means my maximum reported score on a hole will be 7.   This will also help with my HI.

[Lihu]

My 2015 stated goal is to reach 16 HI in 2015.   It is doable.  When my course dries out in summer, those 16 inch tall vegetation for rough will all but disappear.  What ends up as lost ball in the vegetation now can be easily found and be hittable in summer.   In today's round, I lost 4 balls in those vegetation which resulted in 3 triples and one quad, +13 for those 4 holes.   I was 9 over the rest of 14 holes and really felt good about today's round.    Even if I don't improve from now until summer, I think my score will get better and be good enough for reaching 16 HI before the end of summer. Do you have a goal or are you just enjoying?   PS: my course handicap will fall below 20 which means my maximum reported score on a hole will be 7.   This will also help with my HI.

Triples are really bad, don't get used to thinking that ESC will help you. . .

[Dave2512]

ESC shouldn't come up much in a typical round, it's used because it's the exception.

[rkim291968]

ESC shouldn't come up much in a typical round, it's used because it's the exception.

Lihu & you are right.   It should not factor in too much.   I was thinking about the days I scored "quads" often not so long ago .

[Dave2512]

As you trend down you'll find it happens less and less. For example a couple weeks ago I had my first ESC hole of 2015. It happened because I got stuck in some trees on an unfamiliar course and it took two shots to get out of that mess. Most of it was bad luck. A couple feet either way and I would have had a clear punch out. Likewise a couple rounds ago I hit a really unusual drive OB on a hole I most always play well. Even with the stroke and distance I still made a natural double.

[Lihu]

As you trend down you'll find it happens less and less. For example a couple weeks ago I had my first ESC hole of 2015. It happened because I got stuck in some trees on an unfamiliar course and it took two shots to get out of that mess. Most of it was bad luck. A couple feet either way and I would have had a clear punch out. Likewise a couple rounds ago I hit a really unusual drive OB on a hole I most always play well. Even with the stroke and distance I still made a natural double.

This is the case for me too. It doesn't happen that often.

[Dave2512]

Didn't happen much when I played bogey golf either. My ball striking was so poor it was usually three or four short shots to the green and a two or three putt for a bogey or double. Seems like I get into more trouble now.

[rkim291968]

Dave, on my last round, I had 3 triples and a quad on 4 holes (13 over), and 9 over the other 14 holes.  You must have been pretty accurate when you were a bogey golfer or the course you played didn't have much OB areas?   Even a good golfer will get an occasional  big number holes at my home course due to all the OB areas.   The course meanders through many vineyards, all of which are OB.   For example, hole #1 has OB on the right and left.  Hole #2 has OB on the right, deep vegetation on the left.  Hole number 3 has OB on the right, OB on the left, deep vegetation in front and back, green side bunkers on all sides.   And the #3 hole is handicap 18, LOL.

BTW, the biggest improvement on my game is on par 5s by far, not so much on par 3 & 4s.   I think it's the added distance and accuracy.   Drive, and 3w later, I am hitting wedge or short iron (mid iron if I screwed up 1st two shots).

[dfreuter415]

Do you have a goal or are you just enjoying?

PS: my course handicap will fall below 20 which means my maximum reported score on a hole will be 7.   This will also help with my HI.

I know that it has to be gratifying to realize that in such a short period of time, your handicap index has come down under a 20 handicap. That is exciting, but I think that better days are ahead. Good luck on reaching your goal of 16.

My short-term goal is to try and keep a single digit handicap index throughout the 2015 season. When I was 25 (40 years ago), I took golf lessons at the Golf Digest school at the Playboy Club at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. (In 1968, Hugh Hefner built his first Playboy resort in Lake Geneva. The club closed in 1981 and was converted into the Americana Resort, and later to the present Grand Geneva Resort.) The Golf Digest school was a wonderful experience, and by my best account, I have maintained a single-digit handicap since then. After I attended the school, for 20 years I played mostly public courses, and computed my own handicap. Then, when I finally had enough money to join a semi-private club about 20 years ago, I used the GHIN handicap service that they provide through the USGA. My HI has been as low as 6.8 and as high as 10.2.

My long-term goal is to set the record for being the oldest player to make a hole-in-one, thus breaking Gus Andreone's record of age 103. (http://www.pga.com/news/golf-buzz/gus-andreone-oldest-record-hole-in-one-103-years-old). The next 39 years should be a lot of fun!

I love this game.

[No Mulligans]

I haven't been using an ESC much lately... Only one stroke in my last 10 rounds.

[Buck Nutz]

rkim, first, nicely done the past few months. It shows what the right mindset can do! My question is how has your overall approach to the game changed? What I mean is, since December you have documented workouts, lessons, range time, and the most fun PLAYING a lot on the course. Is this different from years past or have you always put in this much time and added new clubs? I hate winters in Ohio. I have spent countless hours in the basement in front of mirrors, countless putts on my mat and chipping foam balls. I have gotten out twice and even though I can probably attribute some to rust I see no real changes. I think the solution is to move to a better climate!

[rkim291968]

rkim, first, nicely done the past few months. It shows what the right mindset can do! My question is how has your overall approach to the game changed? What I mean is, since December you have documented workouts, lessons, range time, and the most fun PLAYING a lot on the course. Is this different from years past or have you always put in this much time and added new clubs?

I hate winters in Ohio. I have spent countless hours in the basement in front of mirrors, countless putts on my mat and chipping foam balls. I have gotten out twice and even though I can probably attribute some to rust I see no real changes. I think the solution is to move to a better climate!

I've always practiced or played a round almost every day.  That didn't change.   The main change in my approach was that I now have a solid direction in my swing approach.   By getting my swing analyzed by instructor/video, taking swing lessons, and focusing on drills given by my instructor, I have a roadmap to success.   I brought more structure to my swing practice rather than going to range and trying to self teach myself.

Of course, new fitted clubs and golf workout added distance I've lost in the last two years and then added some more.   Coupled with my relatively good short game that was always there, I got back to where I used to be 2 - 3 years ago and am at the cusp of playing my best ever golf.

[rkim291968]

4/12/15  Now what?  What do I do for encore?

With today's round, my next GHIN HI will be 17.7.  That's 5.6 better than my HI two months ago.  HI has been dropping like a rock in those two months.  To be honest, I didn't expect such a sudden drop.  Now, I am very  apprehensive of the whole situation.   I felt all the low hanging fruits in improving my golf were picked and digested.   There are no more soft scores to beat in the 20 rounds in GHIN system.   The big question is if this improvement is going to continue, stop, or even retrieve.   What do I do for encore?   I'd better come up with something before my HI starts to go back up.

[Lihu]

4/12/15  Now what?  What do I do for encore?

With today's round, my next GHIN HI will be 17.7.  That's 5.6 better than my HI two months ago.  HI has been dropping like a rock in those two months.  To be honest, I didn't expect such a sudden drop.  Now, I am very  apprehensive of the whole situation.   I felt all the low hanging fruits in improving my golf were picked and digested.   There are no more soft scores to beat in the 20 rounds in GHIN system.   The big question is if this improvement is going to continue, stop, or even retrieve.   What do I do for encore?   I'd better come up with something before my HI starts to go back up.

Get used to it, and you'll continue to improve. . .

[dfreuter415]

4/12/15  Now what?  What do I do for encore?

With today's round, my next GHIN HI will be 17.7.  That's 5.6 better than my HI two months ago.  HI has been dropping like a rock in those two months.  To be honest, I didn't expect such a sudden drop.  Now, I am very  apprehensive of the whole situation.   I felt all the low hanging fruits in improving my golf were picked and digested.   There are no more soft scores to beat in the 20 rounds in GHIN system.   The big question is if this improvement is going to continue, stop, or even retrieve.   What do I do for encore?   I'd better come up with something before my HI starts to go back up.

So, your played on Masters Sunday? Now I know two people who are setting golf records. Congratulations on your success.

As for your big question above, I think back to a friend who gave me some valuable insight when it comes to improvement in almost any area. He said that once you begin devoting more concentrated time on your endeavor, you should begin to see immediate improvement from your past results. Then, the increments of improvement, however, will become smaller and smaller until there is a general leveling off of your performance. Then the question becomes one of maintenance to keep your performance at a level that you find acceptable. That is where I am now. Just trying to maintain and keep my HI under 10.

As for the encore, I would say look inwardly while you are playing your round of golf and ask yourself, "How much more am I enjoying the game of golf, now that I have invested the time and energy for self-improvement?" If you answered the question with a smile, or say to yourself, "WOW. Who was the person that just made that fantastic shot?", that should be encore enough without worrying about what your score might be that day.

I love this game.