Dedication, and Golf

[Patch]

Just rambling here, so cut me some slack. 

All golfers in some way, or another, dedicate personal time to their respective game. Most in different ways than others. With that dedication, comes a little history too. The 6 times a year player, dedicates a very small amount of time, while the PGA pro dedicates 40-60+++ hours a week to their own game. 

Me, I dedicate about 30 hours a month to practice, and another 20 hours to actual playing. I practice, not so much to get better, but to maintain what I have, for as long as possible. I play to see if I am maintaining what I have. In both practice, and play, I get an enormous amount of pleasure out of hitting that little ball. 

With our dedication, comes personal golf history, relative to the talent level of that particular golfer. Some get hole in ones, while others will break 140 for the first time. History made, can be anything, to any golfer. It's a common bond with all golfers. We all make some kind of history when we play. I once eagled a par 4 from 210 yards out. You can bet that shot looms big in my personal golf history. It's right there with that 3' foot putt I missed that would have given me a 1 under 71.. 

No matter what our level of play is, we all share the same ups, and downs. It's just that type of game. 

 

[saevel25]

It's pretty much natural ability that caps a golfers ceiling, and where their average scoring will be if they play golf a good amount of time. Maybe hit the range a few times a month, not really practicing on anything but making good contact and feeling out face to path consistency. 

For majority of people, they need to practice to maintain a low handicap (sub 5.0). By practice I mean work on weaknesses, try to improve ball striking, etc.. 

[Effington]

56 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

It's pretty much natural ability that caps a golfers ceiling, and where their average scoring will be if they play golf a good amount of time. Maybe hit the range a few times a month, not really practicing on anything but making good contact and feeling out face to path consistency. 

For majority of people, they need to practice to maintain a low handicap (sub 5.0). By practice I mean work on weaknesses, try to improve ball striking, etc.. 

Sorry to pick on a detail that probably wasn't the intent of your post, but where I come from, just hitting in the 80's once in a while is what makes you "good".  Someone who is regularly in the 70's would be "the best player I ever played with".  The bartender at the last course I was on said only 10% of golfers can even hit in the 90's, and that was on a short and very "easy" course.

[saevel25]

2 minutes ago, Effington said:

Sorry to pick on a detail that probably wasn't the intent of your post, but where I come from, just hitting in the 80's once in a while is what makes you "good".  Someone who is regularly in the 70's would be "the best player I ever played with".  The bartender at the last course I was on said only 10% of golfers can even hit in the 90's, and that was on a short and very "easy" course.

There are a handful of golfers in every golf league I played in that can shoot in the mid to low 80's constantly. These leagues probably have 32-40 golfers who play. Probably 1 in 10 can shoot in the 80's. Most shoot in the 90's to 100's. 

Different perspective I guess. 

I think more people, if they play from the right tee box, can shoot mid 80's. Keep the ball with in the trees off the tee, get the ball near the green in two, have a serviceable short game. They should be shooting 12-14 over par. That to me doesn't sound unreasonable. 

[iacas]

8 minutes ago, Effington said:

The bartender at the last course I was on said only 10% of golfers can even hit in the 90's, and that was on a short and very "easy" course.

That seems awfully low…

[Vinsk]

Golf just seems to be one of those sports where natural talent really comes into play. My whole life I was certainly what the norm would classify as an ‘athlete.’ Even today I still have a rather athletic frame and can still play soccer very well and throw some hard punches. But I appear to have zero natural talent for golf. I mean it’s not like watching most pros’ swings creates a sense of wonder and amazement like a gymnast doing a floor exercise routine, or a figure skater. And you see guys like Araphibarnrat, Stadler, Beef..etc playing this game to its highest level and you wonder why the hell can’t I do that? Obviously not everyone can make a turn like DJ, Rory but it certainly isn’t a pristine physique enabling Beef to make a swing that puts him on the PGA Tour. Amazing sport. It’s like gambling. Whether you win or lose you can’t help but go back for more.

[saevel25]

1 minute ago, Vinsk said:

Golf just seems to be one of those sports where natural talent really comes into play. 

This is true in any sport.

[billchao]

50 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Different perspective I guess. 

Perspective matters. Size of the pond you're in, etc.

People I play with consider me good, and I'm probably one of the better players out of the players that I end up playing with on a semi-regular basis. I don't consider myself good because I know a lot of people that are much better than me.

[308 Ragin Cajun]

In m y experience, playing  with guys  that are better than you on a regular basis can help you to get better..

[Shindig]

On 7/21/2018 at 1:26 PM, Effington said:

Sorry to pick on a detail that probably wasn't the intent of your post, but where I come from, just hitting in the 80's once in a while is what makes you "good".  Someone who is regularly in the 70's would be "the best player I ever played with".  The bartender at the last course I was on said only 10% of golfers can even hit in the 90's, and that was on a short and very "easy" course.

Wow, we're in different clubs.  At my club, you need something like an 11.5 to be in B-flight for most tournaments, something like a 6 for A-flight.

40 minutes ago, 308 Ragin Cajun said:

In m y experience, playing  with guys  that are better than you on a regular basis can help you to get better..

I don't even know about regular basis;  even a round or two can help.  I've played with +mvmac and +golfingdad a few times and I think I picked up some improvement just in those 2-3 rounds.  Hopefully I didn't drag them down in the process. 

[JonMA1]

So many good posts in this thread so far.

This year has brought about the biggest changes so far in the 7 years of playing. I suspect there will be more to come before the year is done.

I've learned how to really enjoy the game recently, but it's come at a cost. And no matter how much enjoyment is experienced in the moment, the really crappy level of frustration that comes with being so bad relative to the dedication is always lurking. 

This game can have so strong of an effect that I can be in a great mood for the rest of the day simply because I was able to go out and play golf for a few hours. Yet, a couple of poor practices can put me in such a low state of mind that those who know me might ask "what's on your mind?", or "is everything ok?". The last thing I'd let anyone outside this forum know is that a stupid game can put me in that place. Pathetic.

To your point @Patch, there have been a lot of milestones, memories and experiences. Some pretty damned good, others somewhat embarrassing. This game has, in part, caused me to become more introverted than ever (which is saying a lot), but I've yet to lose that fire that keeps me going back out for more.

[SPJr]

19 hours ago, 308 Ragin Cajun said:

In m y experience, playing  with guys  that are better than you on a regular basis can help you to get better..

I 100% agree with this. 

However, I was a little intimidated to play with "really good" golfers when I first started. You kinda get over that (to a degree) as time passes.

[Patch]

On 7/21/2018 at 1:35 PM, iacas said:

That seems awfully low…

I have seen these percentages before from the National Golf Foundation..

79 or less 5%;  80-89 21%; 90-99 24%;100-109 29%; 110-119 10%; 120+ 11%

I wouldn't vouch for the accuracy, since there is no way of telling who played strictly by the rules, and who didn't. "In the ball park" might work well. Not even sure if it's just men, or both men, and women. 

Edited July 28, 2018 by Patch

[Buckeyebowman]

Great thread! I think dedication can be harder to come by these days, because it costs more!

Back in my day, late teens/early 20's, I was working at the steel mill and still living at home. I paid rent (a pittance), and bought groceries for the house so my Mom & Dad didn't have to, and still had plenty of money left over to go to the range 5-6 days a week, and play 9 or 18 holes 3 or 4 days a week. I lived and breathed golf!

And I got pretty good! But, I don't know that the path I followed is available today. Everything was so cheap back then, even considering inflation. I'd throw 3 bucks worth of gas in the tank and cruise all week! I could play 9 at some really nice courses for $3.50! If I remember correctly a large bucket of balls was a dollar!

It was a nice time to be alive and a golfer!

[RFKFREAK]

I find the level of how good someone is debate similar to the driving distance one.  Per Game Golf, my best drives are usually around 280-300 with roll and I've had people that are stunned by my being able to hit it that far.  However, I play primarily on municipal courses which attracts people probably from a lower skill level who tend not to hit it as far.  Meanwhile, I'm sure many of you lower HC golfers can pump it out that far more regularly that I do (as a comparison, although I don't carry an official HC, Game Golf calculates my handicap at 28.5).

Edited July 30, 2018 by RFKFREAK

[Buckeyebowman]

RFK, I just got an official GHIN handicap index of 13.4 and don't get anywhere near that distance on my drives! However, I'm 65 and play the senior tees. On some course they give you a significant advantage, and on other courses they don't! These days, if I can pop one out there about 230, that's a real boomer!

If you can get that kind of distance consistently off the tee, and keep it in play, that tells me other aspects of your game need attention.

[RFKFREAK]

1 hour ago, Buckeyebowman said:

If you can get that kind of distance consistently off the tee, and keep it in play, that tells me other aspects of your game need attention.

Not to get too OT but I usually have a few penalty strokes a round (both off the tee and with a 2nd or 3rd shot), typically only hit between 3-4 GIR a round, and average 2 putts a round which I take to mean my chipping, pitching, and putting are pretty bad(and doesn't include when I putt when I'm off the green).

Edited July 31, 2018 by RFKFREAK

[Shindig]

9 minutes ago, RFKFREAK said:

Not to get too OT but I usually have a few penalty strokes a round (both off the tee and with a 2nd or 3rd shot), typically only hit between 3-4 GIR a round, and average 2 putts a round which I take to mean my chipping, pitching, and putting are pretty bad.

If you average 2 putts per round, your chipping and pitching must be really good.  Also I don't know how you can average fewer putts than you have GIRs.  Lastly, with that many penalty strokes, what's up with your shot zones?