Are you a Better Golfer than a Year Ago?

[Hoganman1]

Unfortunately the answer is no. Last September I was an 8 handicap and now I'm a 10. At 66 years of age I've lost a lot of distance both off the tee and with my approach shots. I'm currently on the injured list due to a minor surgery and won't be back for another month. I'm really hoping that I can get my short game back quickly and with some help from a lesson or two get back to single digits.

[drewbagel423]

Yes and I hope so.

For the first time since I started swinging a club almost 20 years ago my handicap is finally in single digits. My goal for this year was to break 80 and I did that a few weeks ago with a 78. Now my goal is to shoot par. Don't know if I'll ever get there though as I'm really limited by my driving distance (225-235 yards).

[07collian]

It's annoying. With Golf (and all sports I guess) it really does show require practice and time put into it. As I get older I get a better appreciation of the game yet less free time to play. I feel like I have stayed the same and my best bet at ever getting where I want to be is retiring young.

[ghalfaire]

Well I am a worse golfer today than a year ago.  But I had a hip replaced and at my age it just takes time to recover.  But I am working at it.

[Moppy]

You know, I had been doing much better at the range than ever, but still it was double par after double par, but then something just clicked. Suddenly I am getting pars without any "foot wedges" or lie fluffing or mulligans. I am playing a lot faster too, without hurrying any more than I ever did. It helps when your ball is usually in the fairway or the first cut of rough and you cover a decent distance toward the hole with each swing. I now have just a handful of things that I need to work on, instead of having no idea what went wrong when I had a bad swing. I am sure, when I introduce the next swing change, tried at the range and it works, that I will be able to break 90. I don't want to introduce it on the course though until the last swing change I made is well and truly burned in. Since it helped me so much. "Left elbow straight at address and through the swing, remind your self of steady head before beginning the swing."

Anyway, this site has helped me so much. Thanks.

[RussUK]

I believe i am mentally a better golfer than i was last year. Having an injury and having to start from scratch is "character building".  This year is all about having fun and mastering the new swing (everyday is a school day)

[Moppy]

1 hour ago, RussUK said:

I believe i am mentally a better golfer than i was last year. Having an injury and having to start from scratch is "character building".  This year is all about having fun and mastering the new swing (everyday is a school day)

If it makes you feel any better, I once read an article about a jazz saxophonist who had to have part of his lip removed due to mouth cancer. he had to relearn from scratch, but this time he understood the importance of good technique and couldn't carry over his bad habits, so he just learned new good ones.  He said that after a year, he was getting invited to play with people who never considered him before the operation.

[boomer15]

I am trying to get better. My 13 year old daughter it better than me, she though has a lot more time to practice than I do.

[Vinny Cap]

I am thinking I am lot better than last year.

Last year I was averaging around 94.  Always under 100 but never in the 80's.

This year I started out slow but have 6 rounds in the 80's with better driving, chipping and putting.  No dumb shots or hero shots.

[Sierra Magica]

This year I has drop 5 shot in my handicap. Just one thing it killing my game.

It is the lack of belief swinging on plane. Hands eyes coordination save me from embarrassing situation but if I could apply the outward part of the three-dimensional components of the downswing everything would be so relax and enjoyable. 

From P6 I never complete the down and out part properly and get a solid P7 like a solid golfer.  

Target line is a witch

 

 

[Fairway_CY]

On 6/15/2016 at 4:21 PM, Fairway_CY said:

I'd say that I'm about the same as I was a year ago in terms of ability, but I put a lot of that on changes I've been making in my swing.  Technically, I'm a marginally better golfer than I was at this time last season.  As for scoring, I'd say I'm about the same.

I hope to be 3-4 strokes better by this time next season... but that's going to require a lot of work on my game when this season ends and sticking with any changes that are made during the offseason instead of abandoning them because my scores are suffering.

CY

I posted the above reply on June 15th.  At that point, I had a 15.8 index.  Since then, I've made some pretty large strides in terms of consistency and my over all game.  

The revisions that followed:

• July 1st - 16.3
• July 15th - 16.0
• August 1st - 15.4
• August 15th - 15.0
• September 1st - 14.8
• September 15th - 14.3

After my last few rounds (40*, 39*, 95, 87, 81)... I'm trending towards a 12.8 index.  I don't know if I'll get to play this week at all, but if I do... the worst I will wind up with on the October 1st revision would be a 13.1 index.  

So... at this point, I'd say that, yes... I'm a better golfer than I was at this point last year.  I hope to be able to continue to build on what I've been doing.  I ordered Lowest Score Wins about 10 days ago... so, when that arrives, I'll be using that to help me as well.

CY

[woodzie264]

Last year I was a 14, next revision I should be a 10.9-11.

The 5 min challenge is real!

[LAGolfer40]

Yep, Better golfer than 6 months ago! Finally bit the bullet and did one lesson at a local golftec. All we worked on was my takeaway and face angle through backswing. Has completely changed the way I make contact with the ball. 

No longer have the club face pancaked open through backswing so I am making really pure contact and taking even divots in my follow through. Simple little changes is what shaves off strokes, not total swing over-hauls!

[Binh Nguyen]

I think yes, not that much though.

Nearly got my impact right in the January ( I took lessons around that time) but work, a baby born made my handicap goes 2 ups.

Everything settles a little bit recently and there my handicap goes down a little bit( around 17.3 now ). Plus my driving is 20 yards longer than last year because I could draw the ball better but my irons going south and my putting is still the problem. 

The summer is over here so I will certainly put more work on the basics now. My goal is have my handicap about 15 at the end of the year.

[AbsoluteTruths]

I am a tiny bit better than last year as seen on my GHIN chart.

The recent uptick is because of two factors. My inability to practice or play much due to my wife's illness and the major changes (for the better) that my coach is having me make.

My optimism for going forward is caused by knowing that the changes my coach is having me do will work for the better going forward and since hopefully my wife has turned the corner to healing and less treatments I will be able to play and practice more.

[kenstl]

I have been working on my game for the past few years and it is finally paying dividends   I have played 28-35 rounds a year the past few years but have really worked on my driver, chipping and putting with weekly practice   

3 years ago - i got fitted for a driver and learned how to hit it. I had played with a 3w for years and a mix of drivers, all either costing me distance or strokes due to OB shots.  In that year

2 years ago - I worked hard on my putting and we th through about 5 putters lol.  Prior to that I had used the same putter for 20 yrs!  I settled on an Seemore FGP putter got my stroke back and lowered my putts per round.  Between the driver and putter changes and practice, I dropped my handicap a few strokes.  

This year - I picked up new irons and I am hitting my irons straighter and with improved consistency.  This year I have dropped my HC another 3 strokes and it is trending down still.  I have shot in the 70's more this years than the last 4 years combined. 

I'm sure it is a combination of improvements but it seems that if my driver is really off on a day, it effects my scoring more than any other club in the bag.  Putting it another way, my poor shots with my irons or putter do not cost me as many strokes as a driver in heavy rough, hit short, or worse OB.  

[inthehole]

Fishing has crept back in to my weekends - haven't golfed as much as in years past (didn't break 80 once this year - did it twice last year when I was playing more).    Still have ~60 rounds (most 9 holes) under my belt ... can't complain too much - As a relatively new golfer I'm finding it frustrating - not executing the shots I expect to execute - it's a sport that takes alot of practice and commitment to even maintain a playing level, no less improve it.

[Sierra Magica]

In one week I have improved more than in 6 years. This week I have learned to control the path of the club and the path of the hands. This one is nearly more important. on the three-dimensional way.

At the back swing and the forward swing. In my interpretation is forward swing.

No many people explains that clearly.  If you educate you hands to follow the correct path. The body will follow. I use a club with a laser in both ends to make sure I swing on plane every time.

In one week I have cured thin, fat and the odious flick. The panic to skull pitch or shank.

Just with knowledge. Not with hours and  hours of practice something impossible to repeat under pressure.

More I learn more I enjoy. The difficulty is to choose the good source of information. Because there are a lot of rubbish out there.

This is a message to everybody. You don't despair things can click in just one day.