Are you a Better Golfer than a Year Ago?

[Antneye]

I feel I am better fundamentally, but I voted about the same.  I do think I will make significant improvement this year.  I feel like I am extremely close to making a huge leap forward.  It just has not translated in my scoring so far.

[Iain]

I have been more consistent over the last five years and maintaining scratch handicap has keep me interested. Only playing once a week and practicing rarely I am surprised with my consistency. I play many different golf courses and don't like to stick to the same one as a true handicap is determined I think by playing other golf courses to test your level. Thanks for the post.

[Sierra Magica]

On 4/26/2017 at 0:51 AM, Antneye said:

I feel I am better fundamentally, but I voted about the same.  I do think I will make significant improvement this year.  I feel like I am extremely close to making a huge leap forward.  It just has not translated in my scoring so far.

Right now I am working on swing plane. I have built a plane board and swing on it everyday it has helped me a lot. The shaft must be in contact with the board all the time. specially takeaway, through impact and follow-through. Try to understand how the body react when I keep the shaft in contact with the board. It has given me new perspective about old swing and new. I recommend to everyone who have too much focus on the ball or try to kill it every time.  

[p1n9183]

Yes, 2 strokes better in scoring average over the last year.

 

[span3636]

I can say that my handicap has dropped 2 strokes this last year. I have gone from a 4 to a 2 and I am looking to do the same this year. I will do this through sharpening my short game. This has always been the key for me and I only want to make it better.

[Aus10]

Unfortunately I still have the same handicap index as I did 2-3 years ago and that would be why I joined the site. Hope I can help you guys as much as you'll help me!

[Sierra Magica]

8 hours ago, Aus10 said:

Unfortunately I still have the same handicap index as I did 2-3 years ago and that would be why I joined the site. Hope I can help you guys as much as you'll help me!

Have you defined the main problem? I mean the bad shot which more often you hit. 

What is the part of you game?

[Aus10]

14 hours ago, Sierra Magica said:

Have you defined the main problem? I mean the bad shot which more often you hit. 

What is the part of you game?

Yeah I think the main problem with my irons and driver is just becoming more consistent. With irons the problem isn't hitting it straight its that my divots are so inconsistent.

I also really need to start practicing my short game/putting more because I hardly every chip and putt if it isn't on the course.

[Sierra Magica]

On 6/5/2017 at 10:39 PM, Aus10 said:

Yeah I think the main problem with my irons and driver is just becoming more consistent. With irons the problem isn't hitting it straight its that my divots are so inconsistent.

I also really need to start practicing my short game/putting more because I hardly every chip and putt if it isn't on the course.

It is true chipping and putting should be 80% of your practice sections. But we amateur don't really care. Wrong for our part. we need to weak up. Chipping don't require much body participation which is more easy to accomplish results in really short period of time. In putting department what has helped me a lot was define my stroke. I mean, How I control the distance by speed of the stroke or by length of the swing.

I am more speed of the stroke. I only use slow lengthy putts on ultra fast green.    

[onthehunt526]

39 minutes ago, Sierra Magica said:

It is true chipping and putting should be 80% of your practice sections. But we amateur don't really care. Wrong for our part. we need to weak up. Chipping don't require much body participation which is more easy to accomplish results in really short period of time. In putting department what has helped me a lot was define my stroke. I mean, How I control the distance by speed of the stroke or by length of the swing.

I am more speed of the stroke. I only use slow lengthy putts on ultra fast green.    

Wrong. 80% of your practice sessions? Unless chipping and/or putting is a glaring weakness, Only 35% should be spent on chipping and putting, more specifically it's short game motion. 65% of your practice should be spent on full swing motion, because drives and approaches have the highest Separation Value. 

Remember GIR are "king".

[Sierra Magica]

54 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

Wrong. 80% of your practice sessions? Unless chipping and/or putting is a glaring weakness, Only 35% should be spent on chipping and putting, more specifically it's short game motion. 65% of your practice should be spent on full swing motion, because drives and approaches have the highest Separation Value. 

Remember GIR are "king".

Ok, That is what you think and its is right for you.

maybe because my GIR is good. My obsession is to hole as many chips I can.

Chipping from different distances use different club include 3 wood which I love it.

Suppose you have a golf swing that is enough to defense yourself on the course. but you age or fitness level don't let you reach long par 4 or you have a bad day and your GIR is low.

What do you think will save the day?     

That is what I work more and It has helped me tremendously. Is the reason I share here. to give ideas a different way to see the game.

Nobody is wrong or right that is the beauty of this game.  

[boogielicious]

4 hours ago, Sierra Magica said:

It is true chipping and putting should be 80% of your practice sections. But we amateur don't really care. Wrong for our part. we need to weak up. Chipping don't require much body participation which is more easy to accomplish results in really short period of time. In putting department what has helped me a lot was define my stroke. I mean, How I control the distance by speed of the stroke or by length of the swing.

I am more speed of the stroke. I only use slow lengthy putts on ultra fast green.    

 

[onthehunt526]

To answer the question, yes I'm better than I was a year ago. I'd like to get up to a consistent 8 GIR (average) a round. But it's getting there. My goal is to get to a 4.4 Index or lower in the next two years. So I can try to qualify for the Mid-Am.

[onthehunt526]

On 6/10/2017 at 2:58 AM, Sierra Magica said:

It is true chipping and putting should be 80% of your practice sections. But we amateur don't really care. Wrong for our part. we need to weak up. Chipping don't require much body participation which is more easy to accomplish results in really short period of time. In putting department what has helped me a lot was define my stroke. I mean, How I control the distance by speed of the stroke or by length of the swing.

I am more speed of the stroke. I only use slow lengthy putts on ultra fast green.    

I did forget the caveat. If your a 110s shooter, improving your short game is the fastest way to shoot in the 90s, chipping and putting. 

Wanna know the fastest way from the 90s to the 80s to the 70s? Hit more GIR. Which is why the ratios are what they are 65/20/15. If you figure a 90s shooter averages less than 1 GIR per round. A tour pro averages 12. And of his 6 misses, 5 are nGIR. That's why pros shoot 72 and most of us struggle. 

I'm trying to improve my GIR, with a little work on short game motion. 

[iacas]

On 6/10/2017 at 4:57 AM, Sierra Magica said:

Nobody is wrong or right that is the beauty of this game.  

No, generally speaking, you can be "wrong" about things like that. It's "wrong" to recommend to most people that they spend 80% of their time working on their chipping and putting.

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I'm better than I was a year ago… but marginally. It's tough to come by improvement at my level and availability.

[dennyjones]

I'm playing better than I was last year at this time.  I have far fewer doubles and fell like I'm striking the ball better.    I'm 1 putting more greens and my 3 putts have decreased. 

[Double Par]

I have posted worse scores so far this year than last, but I believe my swings have improved. So if "better" golfer is defined by score, then no. My contact is better and more consistent than last year. 

I am not holding myself to low scores this year  as long as I progress my golf Swing and next year I would like to see my scores start to lower. 

[Golf Grouch]

I answered "Yes" to Question #1 but it seems that every time I boast about being a better golfer in my 20+ years of playing this crazy game, the Golf Gods strike me down and my swing falls apart!  Does this happen to anyone else?