glk23

My hdcp is'nt far from yours and sub 80 round is one of my goals for the year. Shot an 81 a week and a half ago on the same course I shot a 90 the week before. For me, putting and course management is the key. I have really been focusing on taking enough club and not aiming at every pin on approach shots. I had been short siding myself a ton lately and this change has really helped out. I also think at my hdcp, some breaks need to go my way. For example, during the first hole of my 81 a horrible approach shot left me 57yds to the pin, but blocked by an overhanging oak tree. Aim thirty feet left of pin knowing even a good shot is going to leave me a tough 2 put bogey. Push the shot, it smacks one oak leave and comes to a complete stop six inches from the pin. I had 5-6 "breaks" like that during the round.

Have you thought about switching balls. I see you use the e5+, have you tried the e6+? I started playing again last year after about 10 yrs off and was slicing the ball regularly. First new ball I tried was the e6+ and it helped a lot. Once I changed my grip, the slice became more of a soft fade.

Started this year with the main golf of breaking 80. First shot 80 ten years ago when playing alot but just started again last spring. 81 last Friday was the closest I have been. More short game practice was the first thing I did towards this goal. Not only the quickest way to reduce scores, but it is free and easily done in an hour or so after work. It helped that I bought a new 60 wedge in the spring so practiced alot getting use to it before ditching it for a 58 Vokey which then needed more practice. Putting has been there and gone most of this year and seems to be coming back. Like everyone else avoiding 3 putts is always a goal. More consistent ball striking would probably be next on the list. Part of this is messing with my swing and the other part is mental. I seldom get into trouble when I make solid contact, usually straight, slight draw or at worst a push to the right. My improved short game makes these shots doable, it is the 8-10 fat/thin mishits that need to be elliminated. Better course management is probably the last goal, not that these were in any kind of order. I don't drive the ball a long way nor do I carry a 3W so I am not tempted to drive that short par 4 with trouble short or get on a par 5 in two. For my game it has been about the approach shot philosophy. Thus I am working on three things: take more club, stop aiming at every pin, miss to the long side. Really started working on these recently as other issues and injuries have limited play the last couple of months. The last course management issue that has been hampering me has been accurate distance. This has been killing me on 4-6 shots per round especially on unfamiliar courses. Solved this with a rangefinder a couple of weeks ago and it has already paid off a couple of strokes a round.

Had a few this week as I had a good round on Friday. Best would probably have to be on a par 5. Hit a good drive and then proceeded to try a nice layup with a 5 wood only to pull it left, hit a tree branch and drop in the rough. I get up to it to find I am 213 and now have to hit the 5 again. Pins in the middle, but up a ridge with sand short and right of the green. I aim at the sand hoping to be short of it and try and get up and down. I hit the 5 a little thin and it comes out low, hot and with a little draw. It lands where I wanted to end up rolls up the ridge and ends up 3ft. behind the hole. Only birdie of the day and could have been much worse. I had 5 shots like this that saved about as many strokes.

Jack but it's pretty close.

I work as a school counselor which makes it nice for golfing. During the school year I am often off by 3 and get plenty in during the summer.