Are you a Better Golfer than a Year Ago?

[dkolo]

I'm a better golfer than a year ago statistically, but in many ways, I'd prefer to be where I was then, when I was putting in a lot more practice. My short game is less sharp, my drives go 20 yards shorter, and my putting is atrocious. However, I have largely gotten rid of the disastrous misses, calmed down my tendency to overhook my hybrids and irons, and have (knock on wood) gotten a reprieve from the shanks. So while I've lost a lot of yardage, through changes to my swing and being less fit, I'm keeping it in play more and hopefully creating a better foundation to build off of. But yeah, I need to get back to driving it 260+ consistently. I'd just had to neglect driver to stop the bleeding in the rest of my bag and get it back to being gameable. 

[p1n9183]

6 minutes ago, dkolo said:

I'm a better golfer than a year ago statistically, but in many ways, I'd prefer to be where I was then, when I was putting in a lot more practice. My short game is less sharp, my drives go 20 yards shorter, and my putting is atrocious. However, I have largely gotten rid of the disastrous misses, calmed down my tendency to overhook my hybrids and irons, and have (knock on wood) gotten a reprieve from the shanks. So while I've lost a lot of yardage, through changes to my swing and being less fit, I'm keeping it in play more and hopefully creating a better foundation to build off of. But yeah, I need to get back to driving it 260+ consistently. I'd just had to neglect driver to stop the bleeding in the rest of my bag and get it back to being gameable. 

Why you need to hit 260+ ? now you hit less but score better. I played 2 handicap first half of 2016 hitting just 250 total but accurate. Keep the ball in play it´s the N°1 objetive of the game. Hit it long it´s important, but without accuracy it´s imposible to avoid penalty hazards and score low.

"I have largely gotten rid of the disastrous misses, calmed down my tendency to overhook my hybrids and irons" this is a grate achivement for you, that´s why your statistics are better.

[dkolo]

Just now, p1n9183 said:

Why you need to hit 260+ ? now you hit less but score better. I played 2 handicap first half of 2016 hitting just 250 total but accurate. Keep the ball in play it´s the N°1 objetive of the game. Hit it long it´s important, but without accuracy it´s imposible to avoid penalty hazards and score low.

"I have largely gotten rid of the disastrous misses, calmed down my tendency to overhook my hybrids and irons" this is a grate achivement for you, that´s why your statistics are better.

I get that, but I was able to achieve that distance consistently, so I would like to try to get it back. My driving was better then than it is now. Now, I can't get any consistency with my driver while swinging it full, so I'm resorting to hitting fairway finders and keeping it in play. I want to work on my driver to get my consistency and distance back because I know it's there, I just need to unlock it through practice. I played winter tees recently and they were basically one tee box up. I shot my best round ever because I was playing shorter second shots on every hole. So I need to recreate that advantage year-round through improving my driver. 

[Lihu]

Golfing and practicing less, but better now than I've ever been. When I play and practice, I use feedback more effectively. Less, but getting more effective than in the past.

My short game is on and off, but my long game makes the experience really fun. This holds even when I double a hole from inside 30 yards or even on the green in regulation.

OTOH, I'm working on my swing and short game. I see potential for improvements this year. Just have to be more serious about my game and stop goofing around so much half the time.

[golfintheworld]

This year will be interesting. I realized in the last 2 years that I had lost a club of distance. I'm figuring it's because I'm approaching  60. Turns out I had shoulder issues :

1 complete tear in the rotator cuff

2  partial tears

torn bicep muscle

bone spur 

something else.

So I'm out now after surgery. My surgeon says that was a major reason for my swing change, So I will be curious come June when I can swing again what will happen.

Here's the problem; I had no pain to indicate that my shoulder was sooo messed up. It was only because my GP noticed me bending weirdly and suggested an MRI that I found out. So I am sharing this because we all have swing issues. Not all of them are because we need to change something in our swing. Given how Tiger has fallen apart and his game can't recover, it's my suggestion that if you think your swing could be indicative of a problem, start with a simple X-ray. It could save you a lot of money on clubs and balls you may not need.

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, golfintheworld said:

This year will be interesting. I realized in the last 2 years that I had lost a club of distance. I'm figuring it's because I'm approaching  60. Turns out I had shoulder issues :

1 complete tear in the rotator cuff

2  partial tears

torn bicep muscle

bone spur 

something else.

So I'm out now after surgery. My surgeon says that was a major reason for my swing change, So I will be curious come June when I can swing again what will happen.

Here's the problem; I had no pain to indicate that my shoulder was sooo messed up. It was only because my GP noticed me bending weirdly and suggested an MRI that I found out. So I am sharing this because we all have swing issues. Not all of them are because we need to change something in our swing. Given how Tiger has fallen apart and his game can't recover, it's my suggestion that if you think your swing could be indicative of a problem, start with a simple X-ray. It could save you a lot of money on clubs and balls you may not need.

I'm guessing your answer is "No, I'm not better than a year ago"?

Are all these injuries from playing golf? Your GP noticed that you were bending weirdly and yet you felt no pain? This is all very scary. . .

[golfintheworld]

Yea that is the scary part. I was probably feeling twinges but ignored them due to age. So I also found out that my right shoulder has 2 tears but isn't as bad. Could golf have contributed? Sure. It's not like I have a stretching coach at my beck and call--nor would I use him. But the injuries can happen as simply as catching yourself falling or hitting a root on the downswing. As mentally focused as Tiger was, he didn't feel his lead knee giving out until it was damaged. So this is why I am just suggesting to all of us that if something doesn't "feel right" in the swing, there could be a very physical reason why.

[nowon]

Honesty?  No and No.

 

Don't expect major deterioration in health or fitness but age and pain free joints and back do not go hand in hand.  More mid-80 rounds than low-80 rounds for me.  

[Sierra Magica]

4 hours ago, nowon said:

Honesty?  No and No.

 

Don't expect major deterioration in health or fitness but age and pain free joints and back do not go hand in hand.  More mid-80 rounds than low-80 rounds for me.  

I am sorry to hear that.

Sometime we look from improvement where the improvement will be insignificant or neither. 

What I found is chipping, pitching and putting are the more important and easy parts to  be better golfer.

The involvement of the body is significantly lower, easy to accomplish and the reward coming sooner.

Also when you take lesson you can feel that the instruction is applicable from day one to your own game.

I wish you luck!! 

[nowon]

@Sierra Magica Thank you.  As long as the back responds to Ibuprofen, it will be 'play on'.

[zero]

At the Portland Golf Show, just signed up for my first GolfTec analysis for $75. Good deal, we'll see if it gives me some useful data on my full swing. For short game, I need lessons...

[Buckeyebowman]

I would have to say yes. My first two rounds this year, put me right where I wound up last year after a full season of play and practice. And this with no roll and sketchy greens!

Edited February 25, 2017 by Buckeyebowman

[Billsy]

Yes

[Howling Coyote]

I feel that my ball striking is better than ever.  But has this lowered my score, no!!!  There are several issues here.  First (1) every now and then (1 in 20 hits), my ball will squirt right.  (2) I will start to chunk the ball toward the end of a round like I am getting tired.  This appears to be caused by drifting slightly toward the ball during the downswing.  (3) my putting is inconsistent.

But in terms of target line, I can be dead on target on many hits.  I love it when the ball follows my target line and flies high in the sky.  I do tend to hit it too high at times.

[Marty2019]

After my round yesterday, I would say yes, I am a much better golfer than I was a year ago. 

[SteveH]

After a year of very little golf, a relocation and new playing conditions my hcap index has taken a serious beating of approx 4 the wrong way. My long game is pretty decent (ball striking, driving, irons) but my seriously lacking short game has really hurt my game in wet spring conditions. Hopefully, with better weather and some diligent short game work I can get things back on track to my goal of getting below a 10 index. 

[SteveH]

The other problem I seem to have developed is distance loss. I took some lessons and the pro wanted to work on an over the top move I had. We got it fixed after a couple of lessons and a lot of practice. I mentioned that I was losing distance with the changes but he said it would come back...it hasn't. One of the things he changed was a forward shaft lean I had at impact and he had me keep the club shaft a lot more vertical. I think I may have to go to a different pro and see if I can get some help. I realize I was playing at 2000' altitude and now I'm playing at sea level but I'm certainly not happy at having to hit 2 extra clubs on my shots. 

Edited April 10, 2017 by SteveH
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[nabzi]

This time last year I was playing weekly and having monthly golf lessons.. Unfortunately, once I got married.. I got lazy and as a result played just 3 times since August 2016 until March 2017.

I've got back into playing now and hopefully I can lower my handicap by 2 strokes by 2018.