Am I Expecting To Much?

[allin]

Just got my final handicap update of the season. I improved exactly 2 strokes since the end of last season. I hoped for more. I have definitely put in the time and I am convinced my skills have improved more than than my handicap shows. I was way more consistent, almost all my rounds were in the middle 80s. My lowest rounds were not lower than last years. I think my decision making and short game were definitely improved, yet I just couldn't seem to put together any hot rounds, you know that round where you sink a couple of long puts, chip in once and nail an iron into a couple of holes for easy birdie. I seem to get one double bogey a round then a mix of pars and bogeys. Do I need to be more agressive or is there just a lag between improved skills and scores? Should I just be patient and it will just click at some point this next year, I did take some lessons and got good feedback. I am almost 52 and want to make single digits before I am to old. RANT RANT GRRRRRRRR.

[powerfade]

  allin said:

Just got my final handicap update of the season. I improved exactly 2 strokes since the end of last season. I hoped for more. I have definitely put in the time and I am convinced my skills have improved more than than my handicap shows. I was way more consistent, almost all my rounds were in the middle 80s. My lowest rounds were not lower than last years. I think my decision making and short game were definitely improved, yet I just couldn't seem to put together any hot rounds, you know that round where you sink a couple of long puts, chip in once and nail an iron into a couple of holes for easy birdie. I seem to get one double bogey a round then a mix of pars and bogeys. Do I need to be more agressive or is there just a lag between improved skills and scores? Should I just be patient and it will just click at some point this next year, I did take some lessons and got good feedback. I am almost 52 and want to make single digits before I am to old. RANT RANT GRRRRRRRR.

If you improved in the consistency category then that's something to be proud of and to build on.

You really didn't say what's keeping out of single digits. What's causing the bogeys? Chipping in and holing long putts are fun but they won't impact your index because they seldom happen. Hitting fairways and greens and avoiding 3 putts will. Getting up and down will too. Have you reviewed your equipment and ball choice (assuming it's still the high spin e5 shown in your sig)? Is your game suited to that ball? While it may be great around the greens and short iron approaches, it may be robbing you off the tee requiring longer irons on your approaches. Same question applies to the par 3 approaches. I'm just a few years younger than you and just broke through for the first time (and trying to stay in single digits). I am a long hitter and while it can be rewarding, it can also be a curse. I can't tell you how many rounds I've ruined by hitting tee shots into right or left hazards (I play a lot of target golf). Once you hit your 40's and 50's, if you're still improving, you're doing all right IMO. (this is funny...reading your post...I played the Bridgestone B-330 and B-330S for most of the year. I played the e5 prior. Just today, at lunch, I bought a box of e5's to give the high spin ball another try).

[c_mack9]

if you didnt play as many rounds last year, there is less high numbers to average in with the low ones. if you are playing better on a consistant basis, stick to that. i would rather have a string of pars than a string of 3s and 6s.

[Fried Egg]

Remember, your handicap is your best 10 of your last 20 scores. So as previously said, be happy with your improved consistency, although it may not be reflected in your handicap, and figure out where you are consistently losing a few strokes every round. Be honest with yourself. Also, sometimes when you are working on something, you focus on that more than you focus on scoring. A big part of scoring is mental and course management.

[golfchief]

con grats on the improvement. Your next goal should be in the putting, you didn't say putting was a problem but as you inprove you'll not try to make as many birdies but lag up to easy par putts. the birdies will com.
I see many good golfers trying for that 10 foot birdie and hit five foot pass and not be able to make the par putt.

[Fourputt]

  allin said:

Just got my final handicap update of the season. I improved exactly 2 strokes since the end of last season. I hoped for more. I have definitely put in the time and I am convinced my skills have improved more than than my handicap shows. I was way more consistent, almost all my rounds were in the middle 80s. My lowest rounds were not lower than last years. I think my decision making and short game were definitely improved, yet I just couldn't seem to put together any hot rounds, you know that round where you sink a couple of long puts, chip in once and nail an iron into a couple of holes for easy birdie. I seem to get one double bogey a round then a mix of pars and bogeys. Do I need to be more agressive or is there just a lag between improved skills and scores? Should I just be patient and it will just click at some point this next year, I did take some lessons and got good feedback. I am almost 52 and want to make single digits before I am to old. RANT RANT GRRRRRRRR.

I improved exactly 2 strokes and at 60 years old I'm fairly pleased with that. I went from 17 to 14.7 last year, and from 14.7 to 12.7 this year. That is consistent improvement, if not spectacular. I did hit a a bit of a wall this year, because I was down to 12.2, then a few scores in the mid to high 80's this last month popped it back up a half stroke. But overall I feel I'm a bit more in control of my swing, and my scoring tends to be more consistent because of that.

My game is also more portable than it had been for a while. I can go play other, sometimes unfamiliar courses and not have nearly the drop off that I had experienced for the previous 6 or 7 years. That tells me that I'm moving in the right direction, even if I don't ever get back to the 10 handicap that I had 15 years ago. So I think you're headed the right direction. Just keep monitoring your game and working on the weakest areas. You may be like me and hit a point beyond which you either can't or won't make the commitment to go beyond. There is a point where you have to balance your golf game against the rest of your life, and be satisfied with where that leaves you.

[NM Golf]

Once below about a 15 handicap you'll notice improvement slows substancially. That being said keep working, for one thing its fun to practice.

[$2 Nassau]

  NM Golf said:

Once below about a 15 handicap you'll notice improvement slows substancially. That being said keep working, for one thing its fun to practice.

I agree with that. Went from 15.8 to 14.1 so far this year. I feel like I am a lot better than I used to be, but my scores are just slightly better with the occasional terrible round here and there.

[cbe_golfer]

  $2 Nassau said:

I agree with that. Went from 15.8 to 14.1 so far this year. I feel like I am a lot better than I used to be, but my scores are just slightly better with the occasional terrible round here and there.

I got up to a 14.4 during the best phase of the year...suddenly not scoring well. But my distance on all irons has improved by at least 10 yards. Happy..the road ahead looks interesting too.

[allin]

Thanks for the responses. For those who wondered my greatest weakness is length. (87 mph with driver, 190-195 average carry / 210-215 total) I had a closed head injury, basically a stroke when I was 24. I had to change to right handed from left handed. I still have some limitations with my left side. I putt very well, chip above average, reasonably straight, can work the ball a little. Do have trouble with sidehill lies below my feet or severly downhill. For those who suggested a lower spin ball, I have tested and don't really hit them any further and since I depend on my short game. have settled on the E-5. I have joined a Gym doing Pilates, I hope to add 10 yards and improve my balance. Any good tips on maintainig rythym on the course, I tend to get mechanical might help. Pretty much a one plane swing I hit it farther two plane but have no idea where it is going.

[crazy_horst]

  $2 Nassau said:

I agree with that. Went from 15.8 to 14.1 so far this year. I feel like I am a lot better than I used to be, but my scores are just slightly better with the occasional terrible round here and there.

I'm in the same boat with all you homeys - I dropped probably a stroke and a half this year to 14.5. I feel like I'm much more

capable , but I'm still too inconsistent. I know I can hit most shots that I face now, the question is doing it. That being said, I've dropped over 10 strokes in 2 years, so I know that although I really wanted to see more of a drop this year, I'm going in the right direction.

[flash]

sounds to me that you are having some problems lowering you scores because you are too worried about the overall score.play a round with NO scorecard and No expectation of knocking pins down and short birdies,etc. enjoy it for what it is: a game

[$2 Nassau]

  mr3856a said:

I'm in the same boat with all you homeys - I dropped probably a stroke and a half this year to 14.5. I feel like I'm much more

Yup, looks like our game is in a similar place, actually almost in the exact place. I made some big drops the past couple years but then hit a wall. Earlier this year I was actually up to 17.0 and was completely lost. Pretty happy with my progress since then though.

Like you said, still way too inconsistent. And yes, it gets harder as your handicap drops, but then again you're getting better, so it's relative. But when I look back over my rounds, I can always pick out 2-3 shots that I basically just "gave away" each round (a chunked chip, a bad club choice causing me to go long/short, etc etc). So really, there's improvement that can be made almost instantly by thinking about those shots a little more carefully.

[sweet adeline]

keep up the good work. you'll be single digit at this pace in a couple years.