Bogey Golfers Only (Index 16-22) / Breaking 90 Topic

[rkim291968]

1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

You're posting lower scores which is great, congrats.  

What do you think is the main reason you're losing 2 - 5 strokes from the bunkers (mental or technique)?  Are you certain the bunkers are costing you 2-5 strokes and that pin placement is just making easy up and downs more difficult?  I thought I heard them mention during the Honda when Sergio was in the bunker today on 17 or 18 that only 4 out of 17 pros made an up and down from it. 

Keep playing you'll get there.  

Yes, my bunker play is costing me 2 - 5 strokes.   My home course has a lot of green side bunkers.  E.g, all par 3 holes are practically surrounded by them so there is no way to avoid them.  I hit into bunkers 3 - 5 times per round and don't get out of them on the 1st try about 50% of the times.  Even the ones I get out, the ball ends up in nasty places.  They result in doubles, triples, and quads.   

The problem is mental mostly.  I have no problem getting the balls out at range practice, 33 or 34 out of 35 balls in my shagbag.   That ratio comes downs to 1 out of 2 in field.   I need sports psychologist.  

The good news is that OBs caused by ball striking is nearly gone.   That is the main reason why my HI moved lower to 16 range.   

[divot dave]

I resisted the urge to play this weekend and instead made 2 trips out to the driving range... did a lot of work emphasizing my weaknesses... apparently somewhere along the line I lost sight of my steady head, and I STILL cannot seem to get key # 3 - inline impact - man, what a pain in the ass that one is. I end up hitting mostly fat or thin shots in my futile attempts to hit ball first - THEN ground.  Anywhoo... worked a lot on that stuff, experimented with different drills. The overall quality of my ball striking did seem to improve over the course of the weekend, but nowhere near satisfactory.  

I'll put up some video of my swings from this weekend tomorrow sometime. 

[9wood]

20 hours ago, rkim291968 said:

Yes, my bunker play is costing me 2 - 5 strokes.   My home course has a lot of green side bunkers.  E.g, all par 3 holes are practically surrounded by them so there is no way to avoid them.  I hit into bunkers 3 - 5 times per round and don't get out of them on the 1st try about 50% of the times.  Even the ones I get out, the ball ends up in nasty places.  They result in doubles, triples, and quads.   

 

Want to lower your score? Try a different course without excess hazards. 

Edited February 29, 2016 by 9wood

[Lihu]

20 hours ago, rkim291968 said:

Yes, my bunker play is costing me 2 - 5 strokes.   My home course has a lot of green side bunkers.  E.g, all par 3 holes are practically surrounded by them so there is no way to avoid them.  I hit into bunkers 3 - 5 times per round and don't get out of them on the 1st try about 50% of the times.  Even the ones I get out, the ball ends up in nasty places.  They result in doubles, triples, and quads.   

The problem is mental mostly.  I have no problem getting the balls out at range practice, 33 or 34 out of 35 balls in my shagbag.   That ratio comes downs to 1 out of 2 in field.   I need sports psychologist.  

The good news is that OBs caused by ball striking is nearly gone.   That is the main reason why my HI moved lower to 16 range.   

Which tees were you playing from?

If you play shorter tees, the chances of being in a bunker is generally smaller.

 

6 minutes ago, 9wood said:

Want to lower your score? Try a different course without excess hazards. 

True, no one can argue with this. . .

[808hacker]

Started off with a 9 on a par five due to non warmup. Not worried.

Finished with 45 for 9 holes. Would have been 44 if not for the bad break on last hole. Hit driver perfect, yet the slope carried to to 1 foot from a tree so had to punch out and a missed putt ruined par.

[KiwiGolfer]

I started playing under a year ago (I'm 41 now) and I have slowly got better. I can consistently hit straight drives as long as I don't want to crush the ball, as soon as I do that I slice it.

I still skull the odd iron shot, less and less now, but it still happens.

The one thing I am really good at is bunker play! I know, odd right? 

My next step is to get some lessons, I want to focus on consistency and hitting the ball on the centre of the face.

[rkim291968]

7 hours ago, 9wood said:

Want to lower your score? Try a different course without excess hazards. 

My thinking exactly!   

 

7 hours ago, Lihu said:

Which tees were you playing from?

If you play shorter tees, the chances of being in a bunker is generally smaller.

Club tournament fee.   I will have to play 4 strokes better from the shorter tee to equal the score playing from the tournament tee.  

1 hour ago, KiwiGolfer said:

The one thing I am really good at is bunker play! I know, odd right? 

Don't lose it.   It's a gift.   

If you are going to take lessons, make sure that the instructor offers video analysis.   

[Lihu]

44 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

Club tournament fee.   I will have to play 4 strokes better from the shorter tee to equal the score playing from the tournament tee.

Given the number of OB and traps strokes you report that you are losing, I'm estimating a 6 stoke better score from those shorter tees.

[rkim291968]

6 hours ago, Lihu said:

Given the number of OB and traps strokes you report that you are losing, I'm estimating a 6 stoke better score from those shorter tees.

Indeed, my handicap scores are better from shorter tee.  If I only play from shorter tee or courses with fewer traps, I can probably shed the bogey golfer label.  

[Lihu]

21 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

Indeed, my handicap scores are better from shorter tee.  If I only play from shorter tee or courses with fewer traps, I can probably shed the bogey golfer label.  

Yeah, IIRC the last time you played those shorter tees you shot an 80!

I would stick with them until you break 80 and are more comfortable before moving back to the tournament tees again. Actually, why is your club having the 16+ handicaps playing tees that are far back to find so much trouble? IIRC, your average driving distance is 230-235 yards and you really shouldn't have any trouble shooting from 6000 yard tees with lots of hazards around and 6400 yards for an easier course?

[divot dave]

10 hours ago, KiwiGolfer said:

I started playing under a year ago (I'm 41 now) and I have slowly got better. I can consistently hit straight drives as long as I don't want to crush the ball, as soon as I do that I slice it.

I still skull the odd iron shot, less and less now, but it still happens.

The one thing I am really good at is bunker play! I know, odd right? 

My next step is to get some lessons, I want to focus on consistency and hitting the ball on the centre of the face.

hey, welcome to the forum... have a good look around, lot of groundbreaking research and insight here... search the 5 simple keys, great discussion there. Be sure to set up a my swing thread as well (if you can). 

[rkim291968]

2 hours ago, Lihu said:

 Actually, why is your club having the 16+ handicaps playing tees that are far back to find so much trouble? 

I can only guess that it's b/c they don't have too many members to have split flights.  But I don't mind it.  Regardless of which tee I play, as long as I am getting better and enjoy playing, it's all good.  

[KiwiGolfer]

3 hours ago, divot dave said:

hey, welcome to the forum... have a good look around, lot of groundbreaking research and insight here... search the 5 simple keys, great discussion there. Be sure to set up a my swing thread as well (if you can). 

Thanks mate. I have seen the 5 simple keys mentioned quite a bit, haven't read them yet. 

I am playing with one of my mates this weekend, I'll get him to take a few videos and I'll start the thread. Thanks for the advice 

At my club, everybody plays from the championship tees (blue) on the weekends. I haven't been able to break 100 from the blues, shot a 102 on Saturday. 

My best from the white tees is 94. So yeah about an 8 shot difference. 

[divot dave]

7 minutes ago, KiwiGolfer said:

Thanks mate. I have seen the 5 simple keys mentioned quite a bit, haven't read them yet. 

I am playing with one of my mates this weekend, I'll get him to take a few videos and I'll start the thread. Thanks for the advice 

At my club, everybody plays from the championship tees (blue) on the weekends. I haven't been able to break 100 from the blues, shot a 102 on Saturday. 

My best from the white tees is 94. So yeah about an 8 shot difference. 

any time. Looking forward to seeing your progress. 

[rkim291968]

88 in the latest round gave me a temporary unofficial HI of 15.7.    That's the good news.  The bad news is that the best score (by far) in the HI system comes off next.   And it will be raining in N. CA for the next 10 days.  Playing through rain, wind, and muddy condition is not conducive to getting a good score.   But no fear.   If I can't keep my HI under 16 through all kinds of condition, I might as well give up trying to get out of playing bogey golf.  

[paininthenuts]

On 11/1/2013 at 2:00 PM, rkim291968 said:

I think there are many of us here who have started golf late in life, and struggling to break away from playing bogey golf and join the golf elite.   I am starting a thread for bogey golfers to share their ideas and experience.   Tell us what you are going through, working on, any sob stories you like to share, ....

I live in the UK and retired last year at the age of 57. Shortly before my 58th birthday (6 months ago) I took up golf. I played a bit in my early twenties, and whilst I knew this wouldn't help my golf now, it gave me some idea of what to expect. I was wrong, playing golf in your twenties is so much easier than starting when your 57. I know longer have any flexibility, and both my shoulders and elbows are suffering as a result of constant hacking. I realise that I will never be able to hit a ball as far as the average golfer, but I feel I can make up for this by hitting straight balls, and hopefully becoming good around the green. I am still making to many duff shots, that's to say I still top to many balls, and carry out to much fairway gardening. 

I have had lessons from two golf pro's, who by and large disagree on most points. If there is one thing I have learned, and I want to share this with every mature golfer, "if it works for you, just do it". This may mean that you will never become a scratch golfer, but you aren't anyway. I was given a handicap of 28 a few months ago, where in reality I was playing nearer 36 over par. On most days I am now playing around my official handicap, and I probably need it dropped to about 26 now.  What's important is that I keep things in perspective. If I can ever get my handicap down to eighteen, I would not just be happy, I would be surprised, so I have set this as my ultimate target. I have replaced all my original  kit, with either new kit, or quality used kit. I know good clubs don't make good golfers, but they do help.

The main things are that I get exercise, have some fresh air, but most importantly enjoy the company of the people I play with, 

[Lihu]

3 hours ago, paininthenuts said:

I live in the UK and retired last year at the age of 57. Shortly before my 58th birthday (6 months ago) I took up golf. I played a bit in my early twenties, and whilst I knew this wouldn't help my golf now, it gave me some idea of what to expect. I was wrong, playing golf in your twenties is so much easier than starting when your 57. I know longer have any flexibility, and both my shoulders and elbows are suffering as a result of constant hacking. I realise that I will never be able to hit a ball as far as the average golfer, but I feel I can make up for this by hitting straight balls, and hopefully becoming good around the green. I am still making to many duff shots, that's to say I still top to many balls, and carry out to much fairway gardening. 

I have had lessons from two golf pro's, who by and large disagree on most points. If there is one thing I have learned, and I want to share this with every mature golfer, "if it works for you, just do it". This may mean that you will never become a scratch golfer, but you aren't anyway. I was given a handicap of 28 a few months ago, where in reality I was playing nearer 36 over par. On most days I am now playing around my official handicap, and I probably need it dropped to about 26 now.  What's important is that I keep things in perspective. If I can ever get my handicap down to eighteen, I would not just be happy, I would be surprised, so I have set this as my ultimate target. I have replaced all my original  kit, with either new kit, or quality used kit. I know good clubs don't make good golfers, but they do help.

The main things are that I get exercise, have some fresh air, but most importantly enjoy the company of the people I play with, 

Don't give up on getting better swing mechanics just yet. . .

[newtogolf]

9 hours ago, rkim291968 said:

88 in the latest round gave me a temporary unofficial HI of 15.7.    That's the good news.  The bad news is that the best score (by far) in the HI system comes off next.   And it will be raining in N. CA for the next 10 days.  Playing through rain, wind, and muddy condition is not conducive to getting a good score.   But no fear.   If I can't keep my HI under 16 through all kinds of condition, I might as well give up trying to get out of playing bogey golf.  

No need to give up, you're making steady progress.  You seem to be stressed out about your HI rather than just playing good golf and enjoying it.  It's sort of the same theory as a watched pot never boils.  If you keep putting good rounds together as you have been the handicap will drop.  You just retired, with the extra time you have to dedicate to golf you'll eventually get into single digits.  

I'd be happy with a 16 HI, it's all relative and we all want to improve.