Is My Improvement Proceeding at a Reasonable Rate?

[duff the magic dragon]

Ok i started playing regularly about 3 years ago...with my average score being someplace in the 120's. Nowdays, when and if im able to play 2 to 3 times a week i've got that shaved to consistantly play upper 80's to low 90's...with my best so far being 83. My local poorly kept 9 hole course has no driving range, nor is there one close enough to make it feasable to use for a guy who works 60 hours a week and has 2 small children at home. So the question is...is my improvement proceeding at a reasonsble pace?

[RandallT]

My thought is: does it matter? 

You do the best you can with what you’ve got. Enjoy the game and enjoy the learning process. You can even learn how to learn better as you go(which I think many miss out on). 

If I were to say, “gee, I’d have guessed you would be in 70s by now,” would you now set about learning golf differently?

Or if I said you were fine, would you stop trying to figure out if you are learning effectively?

I think you should constantly strive to improve in a smarter way, regardless of others’ opinions.

And yes, by the way, your progress has been pretty solid! 

[MarvChamp]

1 hour ago, RandallT said:

And yes, by the way, your progress has been pretty solid! 

I came back to golf after some years away and thought I would quickly be in the mid-80's again. Ego! Getting down on yourself is just the reverse side of that. What I have discovered when I got down on myself, is that way too many people think there is something wrong when the truth is that they (like you) are better than they think they are. Be happy and play golf as joyfully as you can, -Marv

[WUTiger]

Duff,

You may be able do get in some swing drills if you get limited distance practice balls. Some are golfish wiffle balls, while others are softer, round plastic. They go half to 1/3 distance of normal balls.

Here's an interesting page from How They Play How They Play sports blog about different short balls available.

One advantage for me: for some reason I don't try to kill the ball when stroking these lighter orbs. Helps with my tempo.

[RandallT]

Oh, and welcome to TST! Lots of resources here for you to continue improving.

[David in FL]

Welcome to the site!  

And yeah, you're doing just fine.  

[Lihu]

3 hours ago, duff the magic dragon said:

Ok i started playing regularly about 3 years ago...with my average score being someplace in the 120's. Nowdays, when and if im able to play 2 to 3 times a week i've got that shaved to consistantly play upper 80's to low 90's...with my best so far being 83. My local poorly kept 9 hole course has no driving range, nor is there one close enough to make it feasable to use for a guy who works 60 hours a week and has 2 small children at home. So the question is...is my improvement proceeding at a reasonsble pace?

Yes, those are really good scores at a very nice pace. Keep on practicing. I'd have to guess that you have some ability to hit the ball pretty far. It's good you learned early on.

For many of us this is the result of practicing twice as long or even longer.

Don't be surprised if you plateau a bit at this point, and don't take that as a sign of discouragement. It'll happen at some level of proficiency where you'd need to start learning all those finer skills which are a time sink, but as your kids get older you might be able to make golf a family activity and be able to spend more time on the course.

[dennyjones]

Welcome to TST.

Without a practice area, there are things you can do to help.   Find  a large mirror and practice your swing, find a metal yard stick and putt the length of it.    Get somebody to record your swing with a cell phone and review it in slow motion.

Read the "How to" section and if you are inclined, post a swing video.    It's free and you'll get plenty of great feedback.

[uitar9]

On 12/2/2017 at 5:39 AM, duff the magic dragon said:

Ok i started playing regularly about 3 years ago...with my average score being someplace in the 120's. Nowdays, when and if im able to play 2 to 3 times a week i've got that shaved to consistantly play upper 80's to low 90's...with my best so far being 83. My local poorly kept 9 hole course has no driving range, nor is there one close enough to make it feasable to use for a guy who works 60 hours a week and has 2 small children at home. So the question is...is my improvement proceeding at a reasonsble pace?

Hey man, welcome. I started 6 years ago and have a similar progression. I'm basically a bogey golfer

This year, after playing with a number of folks I have played with the past three years, realized that I was holding my own and felt comfortable.

Do I want to shoot lower-yup-but I'm finally stopped obsessing over it.

I don't play tournaments, I play golf for enjoyment and enjoy meeting the folks I meet. I'm thinking more about the hole I'm playing, how I think I should play it, recognizing my shot making abilities.

GIR+1 is my par, par is my birdie. 

[GangGreen]

I started playing again around 3 or so years ago as well and you and I seem to be tracking the same as far as scoring.  Good day for me is mid-to-low 80's, but more often then not I'm in the upper 80s to low 90s, can just as easily throw a high 90s round in there when I'm off (although those days seem to be getting fewer and farther between). 

Finally bit the bullet and joined a golf club this past fall.  Tougher course then I'm used to playing and expecting to play more often so should do some good things for my game.

Good luck!!!

[The Hook Meister]

You shaved 30 stokes off your score in 3 years, that's simply awesome. You are doing well.