Thelonious_Funk

Section 5.1 e - "(vii) When a player ignores one or more Rules of Golf and fails to post an adjusted hole score as required under Section 4-1 and 4-2, or fails to record the appropriate penalty for a breach of rule. For example, if a player anchored the club while making a stroke during a round and did not record a penalty for doing so (See Rule 14-1b), the score would not have been played under the Rules of Golf and therefore would not be acceptable for handicap purposes." Can't post a score if don't play by the rules. Breakfast balls, mulligans, 5 foot gimmes, improved lies, listening to music, having laughs and fun (?). A list of rules i broke when I played my "practice" round two weekends ago.

Swing from Saturday 10/19. I think I've ended the season with a better swing than I started. Realized halfway through the season that my clubface was closed through the entire swing. I started to focus on rotation and saw dividends immediately. Shot a career best +1 73 (71.9/124) and finished the season with 3 scores in the 70's. I've never hit the ball straighter in my life and feel confident with every club in the bag. Went from struggling to hit a 3 wood off the deck to it being one of the biggest reasons for my improvement. Been hitting really nice long irons lately, too. I'm really happy! I know my swing is far from perfect, but I'll take it for now and will continue to work for improvement.

Just to be clear I never said/would say my handicap is 100% accurate. I stand by my handicap and know I am an honest golfer. I get your point - but what about practice rounds? I'm saying this is a practice round. What are the rules around "practice rounds" and posting to handicap? For me the key is declaring before I tee off whether this is a practice round or not. If I say no matter what happens this is a practice round then I'm within my rights to not post it and doing nothing wrong. I would be doing something wrong if I declared that I was posting, had a bad start and then told myself it was a practice round. Makes sense to me. Awesome 69!

After 10/1 revision my handicap is 6.1 and stand by the integrity of my scores and thus my handicap. I play by the rules, play by the ball down at all times, putt everything out, and record all scores under ESC guidelines unless I specifically designate a round practice before the first tee. If I had to critique myself: Rules: I would say I do a B++ job following the rules - stroke and distance OB, understand hazard rules and relief, unplayable, don't ground club in bunkers, never improve lie, no mulligans or breakfast balls, measure drops with clubs when necessary and proper drop, etc. Putt everything out: A - I putt everything out within reason. Playing as a foursome on a crowded public course on Saturday and I hit my putt to with 6 inches - I'm picking it up. When a guest at a club I try to be polite and pick up if my host insists. My club buddy knows I like to putt everything out so he doesn't try and give me 3 foot gimmes, but if it's a foot-ish and he gives it to me I usually pick it up. Recording all scores: A - I've played 30ish times from April to May and recorded all scores except for 5 (1st round of the season 25% of the greens were under repair and holes were cut in fairways, 2nd round of the season was a mud fest in a heavy fog on a course I've never played before, 3rd round was another mud fest 4 of the holes were closed. One round in July - just drove in to Hilton Head from Pennsylvania - within 10 minutes of pulling to the rental my wife said if you want to play golf go - so I rushed to some random course and played a practice round hitting multiple balls on each hole in anticipation of the 5 rounds I was scheduled to play that week. Then a random "fun" round in August - I played 18 in the morning and was scheduled to play 18 more with a friend in afternoon. Honestly just said to myself I don't feel like worrying about what I shoot this round just go have fun - ended up working perfectly as we had to jump around holes to avoid a mens league. Playing the ball down: A+ - I never improve my lie. Curious for other's thoughts on my adjusted handicap season. - I've declared to myself my handicap posting season is my birthday April 20 to my daughter's birthday September 29. During that time frame the weather is nice, the courses are in decent shape and I'm in regular season mode - playing golf consistently, practicing in my basement and getting to the range. My brother invited me to play this weekend. Haven't played in a couple weeks, haven't been to the range in a month, haven't practiced drills at home a lot recently. Not sure if I want to make an exception and call this a handicap round and committing to post good or bad or calling it a fun round and committing not to post good or bad.

Like the rules! Played with a nice guy yesterday at a public course. He was a very solid player, probably sub-5 handicap. He was the best golfer I've been randomly paired with paired with in 15 years. I also saw him fluff a lie in the fairway and he whacked every putt 5+ feet beyond the hole and gave himself the par putt (he wouldn't mark and would just walk up to the ball and whack it in - he was pretty good at it, but he missed a couple - it's also easier when you've told yourself it was par regardless of whether your careless whack goes in or not). Was telling me (unsolicited) about the 71 he shot yesterday ("left a bunch of strokes out there") and how he was "even" on today's round (no chance in hell). I didn't ask but I knew the answer if had asked, he definitely would've said he was a "scratch" handicap. He also didn't like that I was played better than he did.... Played with my buddy from college a while ago, really good golfer. We had a couple bucks on the round - on the 10th hole he hits his tee shot into the feskue, can't find it, drops a ball in the feskue, ends up hitting a miraculous 5 wood 200+ yards onto the green, two putts for a par and tries to tell me he shot a 5 and won the hole. I told him (in more colorful language) that no he did not. Rules are good. Play it as it lies, stroke and distance OB, and putt out.

Swing from 4/28 range session. I think I've made a small improvement in posture and set up. I've been working on it. The season got off to a good start. Shot an 81 first time out, second time out didn't keep score (never played the course, it was really wet so was LCP'ing everything, and the first 5 holes there was a thick fog with visibility <100 yards) hit the ball pretty well though. Third time out shot a 78 at my home course - Really proud of this round because 1) I was able to rollover my swing from the end of last season when I was playing the best golf of my life to 2019. Proved to myself last season wasn't a fluke and that I have some sort of knowledge of my swing (imperfect as it is). 2) I struggled for 10 years to break 80 at this course, finally broke through in August 2018. Pretty exciting to break 80 the first time playing the course this season especially considering I triple'd the first hole - something in the past which would have totally derailed me. Was very happy that I was able to take a deep breath and move on. As happy as I was with the 78, I know I need to improve my swing to continue to improve. I think something "clicked" over the past week and was really happy it translated to a very solid range sess on Sunday. Excited to keep working on it and trying to improve. Thanks for the feedback.

Why the hostility? I posted a couple swing videos on a blog. "Those two statements in bold contradict each other. You said you dont get much time to get to the range/course, but then you said you want to improve and work diligently at improving." How is that contradictory? I work on making changes - it's difficult to implement those changes when I'm lucky to get to the range once a week. Yes, I want to make changes and Yes, I work diligently at improving. I have a net in my basement - I can't make full swings, but I can make 1/2 swings. Despite the limitations, you can get a decent form of practice in and I credit the work I've done in my basement with taking a leap from a 9 handicap to 5.7 last summer. Things I've worked on in the past week - slow half swings, One arm swings with my left and right arms, swings with one eye closed, posture, grip, etc.. Work can also be accomplished by reading books, articles. I keep a journal where I track my practice and work on putting my swing thoughts into words and phrases. I've got a putting mat and can practice putting. I've got a chipping net and a small backyard where I can work on pitches. I stretch and make practice swings with no clubs. In other words, with a little imagination, I've found ways to work diligently at improving despite not living within 20 minutes of a golf course and only having time to go to the driving once a week. "You can practice proper posture and club position in front of a mirror in your house for a couple minutes a day." Yes you can. What i struggle with is that one small change to posture or set up creates a chain reaction in my swing - a more upright posture affects the takeaway, swing plane, swing thoughts I've worked hard to understand - and all of sudden that one change has resulted in a completely different swing. It's one thing to work on it and get it to a place where I feel more comfortable with half swings in my basement or even on the mat at the range. Then you get to the golf course and hit a couple shanks the first couple holes... I'm honest with myself - it's a delicate balance of changing certain things and sticking with old habits so that I can give myself a chance to improve but also make the most of the 15 times I get to play golf a year. Thank you for the article suggestion. I'll read it. Cheers.

I've committed to change in the past and am open to suggestions, insight, advice. In 2011, I was playing the best golf of my life. One night I shot a 1 under from the tips through 11 holes, something I'd never done before. After the round I was happy but at the same time I knew my swing was bad and my game was inconsistent. I had a takeaway that went way out side and I'd have to have everything clicking to get the club back on the path to hit a good shot, if i didn't my misses were all over the place. I worked to change it and was a much worse golfer from 2012 to 2014. 2015 I broke 80 again for the first time and last season was the best golf I've ever played. Whatever my swing is in the videos above, it's a lot better than it was in 2011. I watch swings on youtube, read magazines and articles on the web, and browse message boards looking for ways to improve. I'm not looking for the "secret" to the perfect swing, but more looking the article or tip where the author makes me think about a concept in a way that I've never thought about before. Maybe a post from a user in this thread with a set up will be the "aha" moment that makes me think about it in a completely different way. Or provides a drill that becomes a staple of my practice. I want to improve and work diligently at it. I also don't think I have the energy for a major swing overhaul again. If I wasn't a new Dad, lived close to a golf course, etc I might be up for it. But I play 15 times a summer and try and get to the range once a week. I have to balance improvement with working with my natural swing. Thanks for reading. I understand if someone may not want to invest their time into offering insight on my swing because I seem like a person who is set in their ways. But I would appreciate any insight offered and read it with an open mind. Cheers.

As the great Arnold Palmer said "swing your swing". I take it as a compliment. I like having a swing that is mine and unique. I'm open to suggestions for change. I know at address my posture is poor and the club shaft needs to be more upright. I work on changing it, but it's difficult when I'm lucky to get to the range 3/play 2 times a month during the summer. Also think my position at impact is pretty good.

First range sess of the season. It got off to a shaky start, but after taking a break and hitting a few pitches in the short game area something clicked. I am right eye dominant and my natural tendency is for my right side to take over the swing. Realized I need to work to approaching/aiming with my left eye in order to engage my left side and neutralize my right side. This shot was pulled a bit, but I'll take this swing to start the season. Overall, had a good first range sess. Looking forward to another range sess or two and then playing. Will be working on left arm only swings and swinging with my right eye closed to build up my left eye coordination in the net in the basement. Hope everyone's season is off to a good start!

I've been Playing Golf for: 18 years My current handicap index or average score is: 5.7 My typical ball flight is: Draw The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Pull hook This was my best strike of the day - a pure 3 to 5 yard baby draw. After years of hovering around a 9 handicap I took a big step forward. I realized I was controlling the swing with my right arm leading to pull hooks and an inability to fade the ball. I began practicing left arm only half swings with a sand wedge religiously and within a couple weeks I was striking the ball the best I ever have. My handicap dropped to a 5.3 at one point and I shot a career low 75 (par 72 - 71.0 rating) I have one swing thought - "Left" - I basically try and hit back hand tennis shots with the left side of my body. I feel great about my swing. I know the toe of the club is in the air and my posture at address is not good - I've worked on it and it feels horrible any other way. I'll continue to work on my set up at address, but not too worried about it. I've never taken a lesson in my life and like my homemade swing warts and all. Thanks for your feedback! Videos: