2 to Scratch?

Robobum said:
I think this should be your focus. 2 birdies a round ain't enough.

There's 2 things that never last - dogs that chase cars and golfers that putt for pars!

Look at why your birdie numbers are so low - is it poor putting or proximity to hole etc etc.

Need more birdies, it's too much of a strain on your score to be up and downing for pars all the time
Click to expand...

Yip, I'm too cagey putting for birdies, too happy to take 2 putt pars. I am improving though.
 
MendieGK said:
Hit it further. Closer you are to the hole the closer your proximity to the hole will be
Click to expand...

That actually puts more emphasis on having a great short game.

Mental game and short game is where you'll pick up your shots and get you on your quest to become a scratch golfer.

Go for it.
 
Jacko_G said:
That actually puts more emphasis on having a great short game.

Mental game and short game is where you'll pick up your shots and get you on your quest to become a scratch golfer.

Go for it.
Click to expand...

Thats absolute trash.
Hit it further, means you'll hit more GIR, means you'll need your short game less.

Its the same as the 'laying up to a distance' rubbish. the closer you are to the hole the closer you will hit it - its a proven fact
 
Having closely observed a few players who both did, and should have but didn't, make this move the single biggest difference was mindset - as Bob alludes.

How you approach a less than perfect shot being the biggest element.
The huge focus on staying in the now, best exemplified by creating a barrier to the past, is reinterpreted in so much teaching for just this reason.
Two other specifics -
Fear; you need to be able to play every shot without fear. The simplest way is to simply not care about the negative consequence (which of course goes back to the point above). The other extreme is to develop guaranteed solutions to particular situations through practice and understanding eg never going right of a particular line etc The problem with this is that nothing is absolutely guaranteed, and the more it is the greater the collapse when it fails! You have already mentioned that you feel your putting is on the defensive side; on the one hand this suggests that you have elements of fear relating to a possible 3 putt - but your recognition suggests that you already see that you may be missing putts because of it. You only have to sink 2 putts every round that you would otherwise have missed to move from 2 to 1 even with a 3 putt getting added! This is why you will see some of the world's best putters having the occasional 3 putt.
Focus; the only focus has to be the final score on the board. Any consideration of how before the score is posted will be a barrier to performance. The 3 handicapper will turn round after having gone through the back of a par 5 with his second with a comment to playing partners to the effect that he just went through with driver/SW - the + player will quietly note what happened for the future and concentrate on what faces him next. It will be a playing partner who raises the matter in the bar afterwards "did you go through that par 5 with a SW?" because his only issue is that he went through, not what club he took.

Finally enjoy it for what it is. Whilst you will need to work hard at it, and there will be pain (it can be tough stuck on the putting green forcing yourself to make 10 x 6ft when it's getting cold and dark!), but you need to enjoy the taking part as much as the winning (apart from anything else it reduces the pressure you put on yourself when winning becomes everything).
 
AmandaJR said:
No advice Karen - just words of encouragement! You go for it girl - I admire your determination and commitment. I've got to 5 and lost a bit of both as no real desire to get lower as such rather than just keep trying to improve.

I have no doubt you can do it as you clearly have the game and mindset :thup:
Click to expand...

Thanks amanda. I was very keen to get to 4 but after that I wasn't sure I could go much lower and stopped thinking about handicap. Just tried to improve, as you say. Seems rude not to try and push on to scratch now though.... :)
 
Lots of great stuff, folks thanks!

Duncan - absolutely right. Attitude to these things is something I was terrible at but another thing I have improved. Still work to do though...
 
duncan mackie said:
...
Fear; you need to be able to play every shot without fear. The simplest way is to simply not care about the negative consequence (which of course goes back to the point above). The other extreme is to develop guaranteed solutions to particular situations through practice and understanding eg never going right of a particular line etc The problem with this is that nothing is absolutely guaranteed, and the more it is the greater the collapse when it fails! You have already mentioned that you feel your putting is on the defensive side; on the one hand this suggests that you have elements of fear relating to a possible 3 putt - but your recognition suggests that you already see that you may be missing putts because of it. You only have to sink 2 putts every round that you would otherwise have missed to move from 2 to 1 even with a 3 putt getting added! This is why you will see some of the world's best putters having the occasional 3 putt.
...
Click to expand...

I recently read an interesting piece about Tiger Wood's putting. It suggested that, based on stats kept by Steve Williams, had Tiger eliminated 3 putts he would have won X many more tournaments. But how many would he have not won, bearing in mind he must have the best win % in modern golfing history, had he not been so aggressive on the greens?

I too am a negative putter, my first thought tends to be about 3 putting, and i intend to try to put this right.
Just have to figure out how!?!
 
Played a putting game at a recent coaching session. 18 hole putting green and played each hole in turn. Any putt finishing short, even an inch, gets taken back a putter length. Any putt more than a putter length past the hole gets moved a further putter length away.

Really encourages you to go for those first putts but without being overly aggressive!
 
FairwayDodger said:
Played a putting game at a recent coaching session. 18 hole putting green and played each hole in turn. Any putt finishing short, even an inch, gets taken back a putter length. Any putt more than a putter length past the hole gets moved a further putter length away.

Really encourages you to go for those first putts but without being overly aggressive!
Click to expand...

I'll try that, thanks.
 
If I learned anything watching the ladies on the LPGA it’s that a good foundation is key... add the right amount of lippy, eye liner etc and a short’ish skort/sleveless top and you’re playing like a pro! :D :D




Sorry I’m not skilled anywhere near enough to offer a suggestion on this topic but wanted to wish you well :swing:
 
Hope you have an understanding partner!:whistle:
Have seen a couple of relationships go down the crapper when the self absorbed golfer goes on a quest for the holy grail- scratch.:mmm:
Good luck.:thup:
 
golfcitydweller said:
hole 2 more putts a round ..simple as that ...quite interesting reading some of the advice from others that have no clue what cat1 golf is never mind scratch golf .
Click to expand...

Mmmm pretty sure butch Harmans career was fairly two bob. Good job he didn't try an offer his services as a coach
.......
 
I broke par 10 times this year with a low lifetime round of 65 -5.Secret for me is playing a set of tees that allows me to enjoy the game but yet challenge me.Im allowed to play the senior's with my age group.Unfortunately,I'm to short to play the back tees.Moved up to the middle tees a few years back and really started scoring well.If I played the senior's im positive I would be at or under every round in the world.

Stay away from online instruction..focus more on ball flight vs swing look.Stay away from online videos and online lessons and hearsay on open public forums.We all swing our own swings.This is why I'm possibly one of the most solid players in my area.And possibly the best player on any golf forum.I believe in me and my own swing.Only person that can beat me is me not you
 
My advice for what it's worth...

Accept bad shots everyone hits them...but better players don't follow one poor shot with another.
Play smart golf....misses on the right side, avoiding fairway bunkers etc. Bogeys won't kill you.
Par/buffer is just as important as a cut....if you start poorly stick in.

Most important,don't let your hcp goals spoil your enjoyment of playing.
 
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