How good is good enough for your game?

[iacas]

3 hours ago, 9wood said:

After reading some of the comments to this thread, I can't help but get the impression that the reason some of you want to improve your game is so you can compete against other golfers with the hopes of beating them. If that is incorrect then please correct me. Nevertheless, if that's what your goal is then all the more power to you. Yet that goal differs from my own goal. When I play golf, the only person I compete against is myself.

You can do both… compete against yourself AND against others.

[Dave2512]

On December 22, 2015 at 10:52 AM, 9wood said:

1. How good is good enough when it comes to your game of golf?

2. At what point would you become satisfied with your game?

3. How much time would you be willing to devote to the game of golf to get your game to a level that would satisfy you?

 

1. Most of the better golfers I know get more self-deprecating as they improve. 

2. See answer 1. 

3. More than time I need quality instruction. I am 3-4 strokes a round away from pretty decent golf. 

[Aflighter]

12 hours ago, 9wood said:

After reading some of the comments to this thread, I can't help but get the impression that the reason some of you want to improve your game is so you can compete against other golfers with the hopes of beating them. If that is incorrect then please correct me. Nevertheless, if that's what your goal is then all the more power to you. Yet that goal differs from my own goal. When I play golf, the only person I compete against is myself. I could care less what other golfers are scoring, or whether or not my score is lower than theirs. Sure, I have scored lower than other golfers, but that has never given me a sense of accomplishment. My real sense of accomplishment comes from seeing little improvements in my game. Improvements like, accuracy on my drive, being able to get my ball closer to the pin on my pitch shots from 100 yards or so, and being able to hole more chip shots than in the past. Giving my self more chances than before for birdie attempts, etc., etc. Little improvements through trial and error give me a personal sense of accomplishment that I hopefully will be able to carry into my next round of golf.

Well i order to win trophys you have to beat others and thats where I get satisfaction from.When you can look at your trophy collection you can take pride in them.Ive shot even par twice before but unfortunately it was not in  tourny so as nice as it felt  didnt get anything for it.Guess its like a fg kicker hitting one from 70yards but in practice not a game.

 

[Righty to Lefty]

1. Scratch that way I would know that I am capable of shooting around par on any course that I play.

2. Knowing that I will be in the mix for every club championship and that my game would be competitive on an amateur tour.

3. As much as it takes...I took 6 months off from work last year and spent 8-10 hours at the course on most days.  I went from a 13 to a 5.2 handicap, won the club championship in my flight, and really learned just how much work it took to just be a low single digit handicap...I loved every minute of it.

[Marty2019]

I can't really see a level that will satisfy me, because the thing I love about golf is the complexity of it, the constant self-analysis, the myriad of ways to improve at it.   Right now I'm shooting about 85 from the member tees.   If I can break 80 just once in my life, that will be great, but will I be satisfied?   No way.   That would ruin the whole thing.  

 

 

[boogielicious]

15 hours ago, 9wood said:

After reading some of the comments to this thread, I can't help but get the impression that the reason some of you want to improve your game is so you can compete against other golfers with the hopes of beating them. If that is incorrect then please correct me. Nevertheless, if that's what your goal is then all the more power to you. Yet that goal differs from my own goal. When I play golf, the only person I compete against is myself. I could care less what other golfers are scoring, or whether or not my score is lower than theirs. Sure, I have scored lower than other golfers, but that has never given me a sense of accomplishment. My real sense of accomplishment comes from seeing little improvements in my game. Improvements like, accuracy on my drive, being able to get my ball closer to the pin on my pitch shots from 100 yards or so, and being able to hole more chip shots than in the past. Giving my self more chances than before for birdie attempts, etc., etc. Little improvements through trial and error give me a personal sense of accomplishment that I hopefully will be able to carry into my next round of golf.

This is exactly how I am. I am competitive against myself. I always want to improve. I evaluate every round by examining what I need to work on.

[9wood]

11 hours ago, Aflighter said:

Well i order to win trophys you have to beat others and thats where I get satisfaction from.When you can look at your trophy collection you can take pride in them.

 

I personally find that sad. But to each their own. I have beat other golfers, but never got a trophy for it, nor would I ever desire a trophy for doing so, no matter what skill level of play. I have won trophies in baseball and bowling and honestly they have never given me the least bit of satisfaction. I never displayed them but instead tossed them in the trash can. But that's just me.

[David in FL]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

You can do both… compete against yourself AND against others.

QFT....

[Aflighter]

3 hours ago, 9wood said:

I personally find that sad. But to each their own. I have beat other golfers, but never got a trophy for it, nor would I ever desire a trophy for doing so, no matter what skill level of play. I have won trophies in baseball and bowling and honestly they have never given me the least bit of satisfaction. I never displayed them but instead tossed them in the trash can. But that's just me.

Geez you find it sad to be proud of your trophys you won in competition? I guess those football players shouldnt even try to win the lombardi trophy then huh.Unlike money a trophy lasts.

[9wood]

17 hours ago, Aflighter said:

Geez you find it sad to be proud of your trophys you won in competition? I guess those football players shouldnt even try to win the lombardi trophy then huh.Unlike money a trophy lasts.

 

17 hours ago, Aflighter said:

Geez you find it sad to be proud of your trophys you won in competition? I guess those football players shouldnt even try to win the lombardi trophy then huh.Unlike money a trophy lasts.

Any trophies I have won never brought me an ounce of satisfaction, and I personally found them to be useless. But hey, that's just me. If you like them then that's the difference between you and I. Whatever floats your boat.

[tasker]

My outlook on golf has changed as I age.  I joined a private club two seasons ago and have gone from a 15.5 index down to a 10.5 index.  My course has taught me how to play better golf.  My main goal in golf is to enjoy myself and the camaraderie of my playing partners, which more frequently now includes my kids

I have taken more instruction as well, now having access to a competent coach.  This has improved my technique, but I am not really seeing statistical proof of that improvement showing up yet - just tends to give me confidence and (maybe) eliminates a few blow-ups that might have happened before.  The real change for me is an improved short game, mostly putting.  I hit about 6-8 Greens in reg and have gone from 36-38 down to 30-32 putts per round.  That has been the biggest statistical difference in my game over the past two years.

so 

1) as long as I am having fun and as long as I think I am playing to my realistic best on a given day, that for me is good enough

2) as I gradually improve, I would like to get into high single digit index in next 2 years and if I can continue to devote sufficient practice time to the longer game, I would like to get to mid-single digit index.  

3) this year I plan to spend more time at the course on the practice facilities (2-3 sessions per week aside from warm up and playing).  But I do find I need a balance - when I practice too much, I can get frustrated with a lack of progress beyond short-term luck.  So last year I divvied my number of course events - half for practicing, half for playing.  I plan to continue that in the coming years.  For me, once I am retired, being able to play on a more frequent basis (from a game ability and health point of view) is my longer goal.

[PJCdude]

I am the type of athlete who was a workhorse and always devoted himself as much as possible to improvement. It worked for wrestling, MMA and Rugby. The thing with golf, is now I have a 19 month old and another child coming in April. I am blessed to have an amazing family but in terms of golf, it definitely will affect my answers here:

1. How good is good enough when it comes to your game of golf?

I dropped from 29 to 23.8 this year and am proud of that. This next year, my goal will be to maintain that handicap and moving forward I want to at least get below a 20. 

2. At what point would you become satisfied with your game?

A quote I learned from my HS wrestling coach after a big win: " Content, but never satisfied."

That being said, I think it's realistic for me to be a sub-bogey golfer and I'll be somewhat satisfied when I break 90 (have shot 91 twice) .

3. How much time would you be willing to devote to the game of golf to get your game to a level that would satisfy you?

I devote as much time as possible that doesn't strain any important relationships. As much as I love golf, I am a husband and father first.

[dbuck]

1. I don't think for any semi-serious golfer there is ever a good enough. I have been a bogey or a little better golfer for most of my life, and no matter if I shot 90 or 80, there were always a few shots I felt I left out there.

2. Realistically for my age and ability, somewhere around a 10. I will be 58 soon. The course I play most often is 70.4/123 around 6400. I am not very long, but keep it in play most of the time and can reach (at least in distance) all the par fours provided a reasonable(for me) tee shot. I feel my main problem is consistency, probably from lack of practice/play. If my tee/fairway game is going good, my chipping and putting are off or vice versa. I have had 9's where I par the first 5 and double 3 of the last 4, or double 3 of the first 4 then shoot 1 -2 over the last 5. I have made par or birdie on every hole on my course at one time or another. I hit enough good shots that par is at least possible on every hole. I do have the occasional blow up hole. Although most of my tee shots are playable, bad ones can be really bad.  If I could hit on most cylinders most of the time, I think 10ish is reasonable.

3. I am lucky if I can average playing once a week from April-October. I get to the range for an hour maybe 1-2 time per month, and putt 45 minutes maybe 3 times per month during the season.

[14ledo81]

On 12/22/2015 at 11:52 AM, 9wood said:

1. How good is good enough when it comes to your game of golf?

2. At what point would you become satisfied with your game?

3. How much time would you be willing to devote to the game of golf to get your game to a level that would satisfy you?

 

 

1) Like others have said, a little better.

2)  Not really a handicap level for me.  I just want to hit the ball solidly most of the time.

3)  Not sure.