2015, Your Golf Year in Review

[BuckeyeNut]

Please share your review of 2015! 

Did you reach your improvement goals?  Did you play as many rounds as hoped/planned?  Did you meet or fall short of other expectations???????

 

Lets hear it..... lets say YOU!  Lets hear the details................

 

 

 

[bkuehn1952]

5 hours ago, BuckeyeNut said:

Please share your review of 2015! 

I generally think a poster asking this sort of question should start it off with their response.  It helps to know what the expectations are as to length and detail.

Did you reach your improvement goals?  There are already "2015 Goals Set & Goals Accomplished" threads so let's skip this one.

 Did you play as many rounds as hoped/planned?  Yes.  I typically play 100+ rounds (18 hole equivalent).  This year, because of family issues I did not play as often through August.  A warm autumn and mild early winter allowed me to play a lot down the stretch and I managed 111.5 rounds.

Did you meet or fall short of other expectations?  Fail.  I play in a series of senior "net" events.  One goal is to win one so as to qualify for the year end "Tournament of Champions."  I played well in the events but never broke through with a win.  My results in the two City championships were meh.

Anything stand out statistically?  Not really.  I keep stats on a number of areas and all were pretty steady from prior years.  My GIR % did uptick a little (roughly 41% to 45%).  Handicap index floated between 9.0 and 7.0.  

Any bucket list courses, golf trips, special occurrences?  Yes & no.  No travel or golf trips in 2015 and while I played 30 different courses, 3 new to me, none were "bucket list" type venues.  No aces, albatrosses, etc... I did manage to shoot even par 72 (1.6 diff.) late in the season.  I manage that about once every 3-4 years.

[iacas]

For the discussion of goals, look here:

 

This thread is good for the discussion of golf as a whole not related to your goals.

[x3nt0n]

I only started playing golf mid season 2015 (August, I think). A co-worker got invited along to a game and got the bug, so we started going to our nearest 9 hole pitch and putt. I was hooked as well. I made some improvement and somehow ruined my swing trying to learn how to hit driver. I was only hitting irons and the putter for months, then we started playing some longer 9 holes. For some reason, not only could I not hit driver, I couldn't hit my irons for a while after trying. Practice yielded little improvement, but I still enjoyed trying. We'd always hit in the 60s at the 9 holes and 120s when we occasionally ventured onto an 18. I'd hit a few good shots per round, and that was enough to keep me interested and motivated.

I've identified my fault and am now working on it. I can hit all my clubs straight and consistently. My swing speed has dropped off, as I'm still working on this very new swing, so my driver rarely gets above 150, but it's always straight and true. I'd sooner have this as a base to work from than the occasional big hit all over the place and not knowing why. It's going to take most of the tops that only go 20 yards out and the occasional 200+ that by some miracle finds the fairway, I'm better off over the course of 9 or 18 holes.

I'm playing tomorrow, and I can't wait to try my more consistent swing on the course.

I'm really looking forward to 2016 and will be taking some sensible aims into it.

I simply want to have the desire to practice, for practice to improve me, and to enjoy the improvement. I don't know or mind how this translates in terms of scoring and handicap, I'm just aiming to have fun.

[rkim291968]

In 2015, my HI fluctuated between 22 & 16, and ended the year with 19.  

From 2014 to 2015, I had ...

• 1.43 point improvement in average differential score
• 0.21 stroke improvement in total putts per round (from 33.19 to 32.98)
• 0.16 improvement on GIR per round (from 2.25 to 2.41)
• 0.48 improvement on Par per round (from 3.32 to 3.7)
• 2% improvement on FIR (56% to 58%)

A small improvement despite the fact that I took lessons for the 1st time, and upgraded to a completely fitted golf clubs.

[DrvFrShow]

I got too caught up in the technical aspect of the game and forgot the reason I was playing it. I dropped off the HC treadmill for a month and just played fun practice rounds in August just getting out in the sun and hitting the ball around the course, not worrying about score. I was having problems hitting the ball on grass especially out of tough lies so I'd move the ball to an easier lie and hit. I wasn't keeping score so it didn't matter. Once i got my confidence back I started playing from more difficult lies. The course became a driving range with grass. 

I also learned to let go. This was a big one. Hitting out of a tough lie doesn't mean the end of the world. I end up in the trees a lot, so at the end of the season I started getting good at playing out of the trees. I also learned that in October not to play anything longer than a 4 iron off the tee - you have to keep it in the fairway or else you'll never find it. I also learned not to watch anyone else's ball because they don't watch yours.

[Grumpter]

Did you reach your improvement goals? The only place I hoped to improve was in my enjoyment of playing the game. I mostly succeeded there and was even able to enjoy a couple of rounds that were my worst of the year.

Did you play as many rounds as hoped/planned? Much more than I would have thought. I ended up joining 2 leagues after planning on joining just 1. That added about 10 rounds (20 x 9-holes) to my total and playing at a local course before work probably added close to another 20 rounds. The weather cooperated adding another 12'ish round that I didn't expect to get in. For 2016 I don't know how many rounds I will play before work since you can no longer post rounds played as a single for handicap purposes.

Did you meet or fall short of other expectations? I had no other expectations for 2016. Just by playing and enjoying the game I was able to lower my handicap to an all-time low of 6.5. That lasted only a short 6 week period but it was a blast.

[dbuck]

I had fun playing golf in 2015. I didn't keep stats as much this year so it is hard to document, but I seemed to have fewer 3-putts and my tee game was generally better.

I should note that I play mostly vintage golf meaning wood heads and mostly forged blades. Obviously the normal style of game improvement is not my path, but I do try to get better with the vintage gear. I have been around a bogey golfer for most of my life, and I am able to maintain that even with the vintage gear.

With the gear, I picked up a set of Hogan Apex PC irons and several persimmon clubs over the season.

I did not play as much as I would have liked, mostly due to work.

[Davie81]

Coming down 2 strokes to 13, clearing over 300 yards with my driver 2 weeks in a row but I still duffed the chips and putts. This season is all about the short game and getting a consistent swing.

[Dave325]

On January 9, 2016 at 8:38 AM, iacas said:

For the discussion of goals, look here:

 

This thread is good for the discussion of golf as a whole not related to your goals.

I truthfully can't respond in the other thread about 2015 goals recap, mainly because I had none...  and was playing very sporadically here and there. At the beginning of the summer, I was one step from giving up the game altogether until a friend called me off the ledge. I said if I'm going to keep playing, then I am going to get serious about it... And did. Bought a new set of clubs, got a membership at a course and stated to work on my game. Finally.... I found Evolvr and TST.... Learning so much from all of you fine people. Thank you all. So... It's been a good year and looking forward to this one.

[Fairway_CY]

For me... I was able to meet only 1 of the 3 goals I set.  That just means that I have more to look forward to in 2016!  

I got to play more than I typically do.  Unfortunately, I'm not one who is able to get out and play 100+ times a year, even living in an area where I can play almost year-round.  But... I always consider it a success if I get out 25 times or more in a year.  In 2015, I got out to a course 32 times.  I actually believe that this is the most rounds I've played in a single season, ever (and I've been playing since 1994).  

I would have to say I both met and failed expectations.  I play with the Golfweek Amateur Tour in Charlotte.  At the beginning of the year... I really wanted to win one of the tournaments I was going to enter.  I didn't win one, but I kept myself competitive.  I finished the year in the 10th spot for points in the C Flight.  This allowed me to enter the National Championship in Hilton Head.  The C Flight had 167 entrants for the 3 day tournament.  I had hoped to place in the Top 20... but my goal was to finish in the Top 50.  I finished in a tie for 33rd.  So... I felt that it was a successful 'run' in that tournament.  

Statistically... I'm agonizingly detailed.  Because I don't get to play often... I enjoy being able to see what part(s) of my game is/are holding me back the most.  I've learned that penalties off the tee are killing my scores.  If I can even cut them in half, I'd cut 3-5 strokes per round off my score.  So... that's a key focus heading into 2016.

As for bucket list trips or courses... I finally managed a multi-day trip to Hilton Head, which is something I've wanted to do for years.  It was a great experience highlighted by beautiful weather.  The golf was great... but it was twice as great for me because my son followed along at the course for each round.  Afterwards, we met up with my wife and daughters and spent time doing some nice family activities (searching the beach for starfish and sand dollars... a dolphin watching cruise... etc).  It really turned in to a nice family getaway and I'm hoping for a return trip in October of 2016!

CY

[stealthhwk]

2015 was one of the most interesting years for me in golf. Finally cured my hook after two years of struggling. Ball striking has probably improved 65%. Putting has also improved tremendously. Sadly, better putting and less hooking has ONLY brought me from 100/105 to 92/96. The swing improved vastly, the scores did NOT. Its a little disheartening. The results have led to my 2016 goals. Shoot under 100 every round, and added driver and 3 wood back to the bag with the goal of playing more aggressive golf. All in all, a good year tho. I cured my hook one week prior to my Im quitting golf deadline, so for that Im greatful or I really would have given it up this time.