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What is Holding You Back (In a Few Words)?


inthehole
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Glaring Weakness  

67 members have voted

  1. 1. What's Holding You Back the Most?

    • Driving
      13
    • Irons
      16
    • Short Game
      4
    • Putting
      5
    • Mental Game
      3
    • Lack of Time
      9
    • Other
      13
    • All of the Above (or Nothing)
      4


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39 minutes ago, AlDena said:

I would say it's my mental game. After a poor shot, whether it's a drive or a putt, I realize that I didn't prepare for the shot. 

There are undoubtedly times you hit a good shot and don't bother to self-reflect, but had you, you'd also realize you didn't prepare for those shots very much, too. 🙂

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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Putting.

Lag putting and putts between 6-15 ft are where I lose the most. Not for the lack of practice either.

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Jim Morgan

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9 hours ago, Patch said:

I chose "other" because distance was not on the list. Due to age, and previous injuries, my distance suffers. 

Other than that, I can still be competitive with the game I have.

I have to agree. But to have a really complete list of issues in the pool would require a dissertation! I'm now 66 and have lost a lot of distance. i watched the last telecast of the LPGA tournament where the ladies had no problem playing 440 yd par 4's. These days I'd have to play that hole like a par 5. 

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The lack of extremes.  I didn't grow up poor enough to have to claw and scrape for every morsel; nor was I handed everything on a silver platter.  I tell ya...it's been nearly tough.  The people better off, and worse off than me, do not understand what a struggle being ordinary can be.

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15 hours ago, iacas said:

There are undoubtedly times you hit a good shot and don't bother to self-reflect, but had you, you'd also realize you didn't prepare for those shots very much, too. 🙂

That is so true. It's probably 60-40 where I just step up and hit it. I like the term self-reflect. I was calling that the post-shot routine, but that's more accurate. 

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Lack of time is holding me back. This time of year I am lucky if I get out once a week. My game suffers in the winter every year then the days get warmer and longer and summer comes and I am able to get out 5-6 times a week and it comes back. 

Danny    In my :ping: Hoofer Tour golf bag on my :clicgear: 8.0 Cart

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19 hours ago, inthehole said:

I'm surprised I'm the ONLY one who responded to the poll who feels putting is their achilles heel.   Now I'm even more depressed about the sad state of my putting...

So far, long game (irons and driving) lead the polls, with "other" nudging out short game and putting combined.

When I was averaging 37 putts per round, I had to include playing difficult putting courses like San Dimas (which @tehuti is familiar and Course 2 at Brookside and Santa Anita, mainly) , plus I was including 2 to 3 off green putts per round. Now, I'm clearly better, and don't count those off green putts which could be 1/2" off the green and average 30 to 32 putts. This improvement in putting was basically using Aimpoint better, and have practiced a lot of putting (about 15 to 20 minutes every time I hit the range).

Not a lot of extra time. I'd say even practicing a couple putts every hole or every other hole on the course could amount to much better putting very quickly. I'm also looking to do this more often...

 

13 hours ago, Piz said:

The lack of extremes.  I didn't grow up poor enough to have to claw and scrape for every morsel; nor was I handed everything on a silver platter.  I tell ya...it's been nearly tough.  The people better off, and worse off than me, do not understand what a struggle being ordinary can be.

This sounds vaguely political... :-D

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135 to 170 yards in. I used to hit very hi, reasonably straight irons. Then I had a hip replaced. Now I hit low draws, sometimes. Very hard for me judge the distance the ball is going to travel. So now I usually under club in case I hit the hot draw.

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I mean...  holding me back from what?  Scratch?  because, everything and time is the answer.  

but, what areas of my game are not up to snuff with my overall game?   Approach and short game   if the game was all Driving and putting, I'd be a 5 handicap.   I can get off the tee just fine.  I can make all the putts, I'm supposed to make.  but, in-between there, I'm throwing away at least 3 strokes a round and really not gaining any.  

 

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I picked “other” because I couldn’t pick more than one option. There also isn’t a swing consistency option. I can do fine one hole, then totally blow up and start stubbing/flubbing shots on the next hole, sometimes my seing just falls apart. Might be swing thoughts or developing a good routine, anyway that will be my focus this year.

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if i could could get my putting strokes into the mid 20s per round id shoot under 80 almost every round out.  it comes down to i just dont practice putting like i should.  its boring compared to hitting fun/ challenging chips or working on shallowing my swing.  im in the 38-40 puts per round.  literally 15 strokes around given up on putting like $hit.  I keep track every round on my putts.  i think that will be my goal this year, getting my puts into the under 30 range.

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I would love to get 20 yards longer on my driver (who wouldn't), but it is reasonably accurate so I'm not complaining.

My putting is in the 34 - 38 per round, so it needs to improve, but it's not destroying my rounds (significant improvement from 4 to 10 feet is a priority for me).

I chip/pitch "meh" - again, much work to do, but I'm not ruining rounds with this. I get out of sand traps with 1 swing.

But my irons.... ugh. So wildly inconsistent. Pulls, pushes, fats, thins, shanks, hozel rockets, chunks, slices, etc.... I spend MOST of my time practicing these and they aren't improving as fast as I want them to. 

Hoping that we get a break in the rain Tue/Wed this week so I can get some work in. But I need to get my irons working for me.

Andy - Awful Golfer With Horrible Slice Hoping to find something resembling a correct golf swing in 2019 - Determined not to let my pursuit of better than awful get in the way of enjoying being out on a golf course

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1 hour ago, CaseyD said:

if i could could get my putting strokes into the mid 20s per round id shoot under 80 almost every round out.  it comes down to i just dont practice putting like i should.  its boring compared to hitting fun/ challenging chips or working on shallowing my swing.  im in the 38-40 puts per round.  literally 15 strokes around given up on putting like $hit.  I keep track every round on my putts.  i think that will be my goal this year, getting my puts into the under 30 range.

IMO, 31 to 35 putts per round is acceptable. If I look at all the rounds in which I broke 80 last year I averaged 32.5 putts per round, with a high of 35 and a low of 31. 

I don't believe you need to get under 30 putts to break 80.

1 hour ago, CaseyD said:

im in the 38-40 puts per round.  literally 15 strokes around given up on putting like $hit.  

I think more like 5 to 7. 

Again, I think averaging under 30 is unrealistic. 31 to 35 would be perfectly acceptable. 

1 hour ago, CaseyD said:

if i could could get my putting strokes into the mid 20s per round id shoot under 80 almost every round out.  

Mid 20's … what? That's crazy good putting. The best tour average is close to 28 every year. 

I think averaging in the mid-20's is an unrealistic goal. 

Having said that, if you can do it let us know. 

My bag is an ever-changing combination of clubs. 

A mix I am forever tinkering with. 

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Time. I only play once a month if I'm lucky. I get lots of practice in. Because I can get that in within an hour or so and my absence doesn't disturb home life too much. Playing 18 consumes the better part of a day during precious weekend/family time.

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3 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

IMO, 31 to 35 putts per round is acceptable. If I look at all the rounds in which I broke 80 last year I averaged 32.5 putts per round, with a high of 35 and a low of 31. 

Friday I played, I had 8 birdie putts within 20 feet. Before everyone chimes in, no I don’t expect to make every single one. But I should be good enough to hole out in 2 putts from 20 feet. And if I’m getting close enough to hole out in 2 chances are I’m gonna sneak one from there every now and then. And by the way how many birdies did I end up with of those 8?  0!!  Matter of fact I bogied all but 1.  😖

 

3 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I think averaging in the mid-20's is an unrealistic goal. 

Not gonna argue that. But I’d rather have a high mark and not reach it you know. Say I don’t reach the 28 mark but get to 30 this year. Perfect. I’m still miles ahead than say 40+ a round. 

Ill go hit 12 putts and be like ok so this is boring. 😂😂 and I really enjoy going to the course so I need to work on that. 

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9 minutes ago, CaseyD said:

Friday I played, I had 8 birdie putts within 20 feet. Before everyone chimes in, no I don’t expect to make every single one. But I should be good enough to hole out in 2 putts from 20 feet. 

Agreed. Averaging a 2 putt from 20 feet is a realistic goal. Sounds like you 3 putted (or worse) all but 1 of them. 

Just keep in mind to average in the mid-20's (25) for putts would mean you'd have to 1-putt 67% of the time, assuming you allow yourself one 3-putt per round. That's a lot of one putts. The pros don't normally do that. Just trying to help you keep it real. 

You may want to consider reading 2 books. (I know, I know...) Anyway, Lowest Score Wins gets a lot of pub on this forum. But there's a reason for that. Also, there's a book called Bulletproof Putting that really helped me. (I used to average like 40 putts per round.) I like it because the author talks about your putting being like a "bulletproof vest. If you do it right you may take some hits out there, but at least you won't get killed." 

Good luck to you. 

My bag is an ever-changing combination of clubs. 

A mix I am forever tinkering with. 

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