How To Improve My Handicap in 21 Days...

[Jameson]

Imagine, because of a bet you should improve your handicap in 2 points (from 18,8 to 16,8) in just 21 days...Some points:

- What should you point your attention at the most?

- My putt is good, and my shortgame, overall too. I think improving this is the fastest way to improve my scores... However my biggest flaw is my driver, but I think I need more time to improve it...

- I think is not an impossible deal, but right I now I see it, a bit tough. My plan is to practise a lot, but I need to focus someway...

What would you focus at? How your training plan would look like?

- Do you think is possible?

Thanks in advance

[joekelly]

Wouldn't you need to play, and turn in score cards, many, many times in 21 days to drop that much? Maybe play every day.  And prepare yourself for up and down on the card since only child prodigies could hope to always shoot a lower score today than yesterday.

Most knowing instructors on this site will tell you that a successful long ball is where low scores are found. If your driver is weak, find a strong 3 wood.

[Jameson]

Thank you for your comments! I know is difficult, however I´m going to try it the best I can. There is a little chance I do it, so let me try. If I have a good day, I should be prepared to make more than 40 points in a tournament...

[No Mulligans]

It really depends on ones weakness. I'll use my weaknesses and this is what I'd do...

For me my wedges and putting are the strongest parts of my game.  As the clubs get longer, I get worse.  So...

I'd work on my priority pieces at the range early every morning.  My priority piece is getting my hands down quicker at the start of my downswing.  I'd also send a couple videos of my swing to my Evolvr instructor during that period and possible get new priority pieces from those lessons.

Then I'd have to play a full round every other day.

My top ten differentials that are in my handicap are: 24.9, 17.8, 19, 26.2, 22.6, 20.2, 24.9, 19.2, 19, 26.2.  I'd have to replace five of those with someting under 20 and I'd have some of my better rounds falling off the back end that I'd also have to replace.

That is a lot more than I'm doing now but still it would be a crap shoot.  Bottom line is I'd need to practice and play a lot more than I have been.  I wouldn't make the bet.

[dave s]

As someone else mentioned, it is going to be difficult to shave 2 strokes off your handicap in 3 weeks.  Here's what I'd be looking at:

1. Find a club you can put in play off the tee if in fact your driver isn't working and causing issues.  Your tee ball sets up every hole and in many ways, dictates what you CAN do the rest of the hole.

2. Stay away from the 'big numbers' at all cost.  Rather than playing any 'hero shot' that turns out badly, play for bogeys and even doubles and keep the 7s, 8s and bigger off EVERY score card.

Advice above is an example of limiting 'unforced errors' in your game.  You're in control of what happens most of the time.  Play shots that are within your game and play smart.

dave

[Jameson]

Thanks a lot for the comments! they are really useful.

I will try to avoid my driver getting off the tee the most I could. I will try to avoid high numbers, and don´t try impossible things.

I´ve been practising today different parts of my game, it was not bad. However, my long irons and driver is my flaw. Tomorrow will train again and play 9 holes.

I will make it.

[Ernest Jones]

Good luck!

[kpaulhus]

It won't be hard, you just have to shoot a crazy out of the ordinary low score. If you're an 18 handicap and you go out and shoot an 80, you could potentially lower your handicap a stroke in one round. It also depends on what rounds you knock out of your best 10 of the last 20 rounds when doing so.

[No Mulligans]

It won't be hard, you just have to shoot a crazy out of the ordinary low score. If you're an 18 handicap and you go out and shoot an 80, you could potentially lower your handicap a stroke in one round. It also depends on what rounds you knock out of your best 10 of the last 20 rounds when doing so.

Agree.  I was looking at my differentials and I have a 17.8 and a 17.2 in the last week that will replace two previous periods 26.2's when the HI is recalculated at the end of this month.  (26.2 - 17.8) + (26.2 - 17.2) = 17.4.  17.4 / 10  = 1.74.  My differential will lower 1.74 during this 15 day period.

That in spite of me having one of my worse rounds ever a week ago where I went crazy with the OB again and again and again and again and again (5 of them in the round).

[Lihu]

3 weeks from an 18.8 to a 16.8? Sounds hard, unless you're doing something bad that's simple to fix.

[tcnbtx]

I have a few suggestions - not really about practice time.

1. If you play at different courses, see if you play one course better than the others. For myself, I regularly play three different courses, but on one course I score several strokes better, even though the courses have almost same rating/slope.

2. With a 18 handicap, you might really gain a lot from a playing lesson with the local pro. He might be able to help you with strategy, alignment, and managing your regular misses. Again, I've done this several times, with immediate improvements in my scores on the course immediately after the lesson.

3. As someone mentioned, you need to eliminate doubles and higher. It also is helpful to realize that you are talking about shooting around 86, so you only need 4 pars as long as others are just one over par holes. Look at each hole and realistically determine your best approach. For example, on long holes where I can't get home in two, I will hit short of green and use my short game.  This might work better into your strengths.

4. You must play quite a lot to get enough scores in the three weeks.

Good luck to you on your quest.

[Jameson]

It won't be hard, you just have to shoot a crazy out of the ordinary low score. If you're an 18 handicap and you go out and shoot an 80, you could potentially lower your handicap a stroke in one round. It also depends on what rounds you knock out of your best 10 of the last 20 rounds when doing so.

Well...If I´m able to shoot an 80, I´,m going to drop a lot more than 2 points. . .

3 weeks from an 18.8 to a 16.8?

Sounds hard, unless you're doing something bad that's simple to fix.

I agree, sounds hard but... I´m looking at some of my previous rounds, and in some cases I made 5 o 6 pars. If I could make it happen again, and eliminate the doubles and more, I will get closer to my goal.

I have a few suggestions - not really about practice time.

1. If you play at different courses, see if you play one course better than the others. For myself, I regularly play three different courses, but on one course I score several strokes better, even though the courses have almost same rating/slope.

2. With a 18 handicap, you might really gain a lot from a playing lesson with the local pro. He might be able to help you with strategy, alignment, and managing your regular misses. Again, I've done this several times, with immediate improvements in my scores on the course immediately after the lesson.

3. As someone mentioned, you need to eliminate doubles and higher. It also is helpful to realize that you are talking about shooting around 86, so you only need 4 pars as long as others are just one over par holes. Look at each hole and realistically determine your best approach. For example, on long holes where I can't get home in two, I will hit short of green and use my short game.  This might work better into your strengths.

4. You must play quite a lot to get enough scores in the three weeks.

Good luck to you on your quest.

Thanks a lot for this. The strategy is going to reduce another bit amount of strokes. Improving my putt, also. Making no mistakes with my driver because I´m going to use it in many few ocassions, too. All together is gonna help a lot. I hope.

Tomorrow I will continue improving my putter, and trying to hit the driver at 190 yards, but straight. I also will play 9 holes and see the sensation. Will tell you how it goes everything.

[mvmac]

Imagine, because of a bet you should improve your handicap in 2 points (from 18,8 to 16,8) in just 21 days...Some points:

- What should you point your attention at the most?

- My putt is good, and my shortgame, overall too. I think improving this is the fastest way to improve my scores... However my biggest flaw is my driver, but I think I need more time to improve it...

- I think is not an impossible deal, but right I now I see it, a bit tough. My plan is to practise a lot, but I need to focus someway...

What would you focus at? How your training plan would look like?

Sounds like you need to focus on your driver. I'd go see Dan Schwabe at Presidio for a lesson.

[Jameson]

Sounds like you need to focus on your driver. I'd go see Dan Schwabe at Presidio for a lesson.

For sure. Right now, I´m far away from there...

[David in FL]

If the only goal is to lower your hcp, not necessarily actually improve, I'd start by moving back to the very tips.  For most people, unless there are forced carries and other issues that simply make it impossible for them to play from there, their scores will generally remain pretty consistent and they'll get the "benefit" of a higher course rating and slope.  Your overall index will very likely fall, maybe as much as a full point just by that move.

Beyond that, you'll need to improve your ball striking to hit more greens, or at least get close enough to those greens that you give your relatively good short game the opportunity to pick up another stroke or two.  To do that, you're likely to need some help from a really good instructor.  Let's face it.  You haven't done it yourself to this point.  It's not likely you're going to in the next 3 weeks.

2 strokes in 3 weeks is tough.  Good luck!

[Jameson]

I'd start by moving back to the very tips.  For most people, unless there are forced carries and other issues that simply make it impossible for them to play from there, their scores will generally remain pretty consistent and they'll get the "benefit" of a higher course rating and slope.  Your overall index will very likely fall, maybe as much as a full point just by that move.

Beyond that, you'll need to improve your ball striking to hit more greens, or at least get close enough to those greens that you give your relatively good short game the opportunity to pick up another stroke or two.

2 strokes in 3 weeks is tough though.  Good luck!

Really tough... However, not impossible!! will do everything is in my hand to achieve it! If I don´t reach there, for sure the effort will not be in vain.

[saevel25]

Imagine, because of a bet you should improve your handicap in 2 points (from 18,8 to 16,8) in just 21 days...Some points:

- What should you point your attention at the most?

- My putt is good, and my shortgame, overall too. I think improving this is the fastest way to improve my scores... However my biggest flaw is my driver, but I think I need more time to improve it...

Thanks in advance

You got it right here. If your biggest flaw is your driver, which has a high SV value, then you'd be remiss not to work on it.

Short game can only do so much. I would say if your short game and putting is already good and you are a 18-19 handicap then you must be suffering a lot with the long game.

The problem is you probably wont see a drop in 21 days. Changing the long game takes dedication. It means finding a competent instructor who can break down what you need to do into manageable steps so that you can improve.

How to practice,

How to hit the driver:

What you should be spending your practice time on:

You can create your own My Swing thread here: http://thesandtrap.com/f/4180/member-swings

I would check out this book though, http://lowestscorewins.com/buy

It has a ton of information on course strategy and also how to identify weaknesses in your game. The course strategy section could save you 2-4 strokes a round if you constantly find yourself in trouble around the course.

[Jameson]

You got it right here. If your biggest flaw is your driver, which has a high SV value, then you'd be remiss not to work on it.

Short game can only do so much. I would say if your short game and putting is already good and you are a 18-19 handicap then you must be suffering a lot with the long game.

The problem is you probably wont see a drop in 21 days. Changing the long game takes dedication. It means finding a competent instructor who can break down what you need to do into manageable steps so that you can improve.

How to practice,

How to hit the driver:

What you should be spending your practice time on:

You can create your own My Swing thread here: http://thesandtrap.com/f/4180/member-swings

I would check out this book though, http://lowestscorewins.com/buy

It has a ton of information on course strategy and also how to identify weaknesses in your game. The course strategy section could save you 2-4 strokes a round if you constantly find yourself in trouble around the course.

Thanks for your valuable comments!

Yes, I bought The lowest Score wins, will read it again. I´m readin also Five Lessons these days.

I will try to identify this afternoon how to deal with the course. And try to improve my long game, just in 20 days. Maybe little adjustments, just trying not to wreck my whole swing with deep changes.

And, yes you are totally right, I suffer a lot with my long game. I dream about hitting a long iron or hibryd on the fairway and making 180 yards! I hope some day I´ll be able to do it!

-Amazing Challenge anyway-

Thanks again.