Advice on how to get my handicap down

[Craigeee]

Hey all, not been on here for a long time. I am having some serious issues getting below my 18 handicap. I used to play off of 13 but i just cant seem to shoot low anymore!!! Its so frustrating :angry::angry::angry:

Question is, how do i get my handicap down? Drills, practicing methods etc

In brief my game is solid. Gd putting and off the tee is reasonably consistent.

Any advice is much appreciated.....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Short game, including pitching from 80 yards and in, bunker play and of course chipping and putting. If your ball striking is solid and you aren't in too much trouble off the tee then its these areas that will save shots and make the difference between buffer zones and cuts. Plenty of drills out there. I use the drills here http://www.mygripzone.com/ to make practice competitive.

 

[kid2]

Hey all, not been on here for a long time. I am having some serious issues getting below my 18 handicap. I used to play off of 13 but i just cant seem to shoot low anymore!!! Its so frustrating :angry::angry::angry:

Question is, how do i get my handicap down? Drills, practicing methods etc

In brief my game is solid. Gd putting and off the tee is reasonably consistent.

Any advice is much appreciated.....

Their has to be a weakness somewhere.... You say putting is good and off the tee your consistent.... That leaves iron play wedge play and short game shots around the green....

Also course management ties into all of this.

 

[Craigeee]

I see what you are saying kid2! My wedge play could definitely do with sharpening up. bunkers and me have never seen eye to eye... Such pests i feel! My long iron shots and also green side bunker play is useless. ball control lets me down getting out of bunkers

 

[pbrown7582]

Have you had a refresher lesson after coming back, quite easy to pick up a basic fault causing you problems with your iron. Bunkers may need some work but unless you'd stuck in 1 every round can't see it losing you 5 shots every time?

 

[c1973]

Make sure you are in MPA, use RAF and visualize in 3D, don't go for to many Cs when an I or an M might be enough to avoid a W.








Sorry, I couldn't resist.

:rofl:

 

[the_coach]

You probably need to start off in a couple of ways. First off change the way you are thinking about it some. If you play with the goal always in your mind to get your handicap down you're probably continue to struggle a ways, especially with a comp card 'alive'.
Thinking of the end score & it's handicap consequences as you finish every hole is only going to get in your own way of being able to concentrate on the shot you are about to play. Cliche, but golf has to be one shot at a time, giving that your best, then 'letting go' of the outcome so you can focus on the next shot.

Probably if you haven't had one recently, a refresher few lessons with a Pro, to make sure all the basics of grip, aim, ball position, alignment & posture are in the right ball park to start with. Also that would highlight any technical issues you might need to concentrate on in practice to improve your swing.

Most Pro's, low ams spend the majority of their practice time on the game in from 100 yards in plus putting, this includes bunker shots, chipping & pitching from bad lies as well as good ones. This distance in is where you'll be losing the majority of your shots within a round.
Most Pro's low ams also focus heavily on 'target' practice with whatever club, rather than just 'dragging & hitting machine gun mode'! make notes, then next time you have something to 'beat' eg, say you hit 10 balls out of 20 within 15 feet at 85 yards. How many can you hit to 30 feet at 200 yards with whichever club that distance is for you. Next time you're at the range you have some goals to try to beat, which will also help you deal with the pressure of targets when you're out on the course in your next club comp.

Play imagined holes from your course/s you'd normally play on the range - T shot, shot to green, pitch or chip, not all in the same direction from the mat, pick a different direction for each as that's what happens out on the course. Play 9 holes from the 'mat' this way it will give you an idea of the number of shots it might take you out on the course if you really make it as 'real' as you can. But be exact if you say decided a 2nd shot was a 5i & you scrubbed it, then play your 3rd say with a 7i. the more realistic 'one ball target practice' you can make it, the more good it will do your overall game. You can't 'drag' another ball & have a 'do over' in real play.

To improve you need to have a proper exact benchmark of what you have been doing, (means taking rigorous stats on your golf game T to green), & then knowing exactly what are your weakest areas.

Most handicap golfers have an impression of what that may be, but when they take the time to exactly monitor stuff by taking proper stats for each shot they play, (doesn't have to take long, you can even quietly jot stuff down in your own shorthand while playing partners are up with their shots, or there are apps around you can use -where legal, or spend some $'s on something like "Game") the results most often surprises them.

Build up some stats of your overall game say start with the next ten rounds, by the end you'll have a proper idea of just where you are, what areas need looking at most, but you have to be rigorous about it or there's no point, depends how much you want to really improve.
First thing to do though is to stop thinking about your golf in relation to handicap consequences at all.

 

[RGDave]

Hey all, not been on here for a long time. I am having some serious issues getting below my 18 handicap. I used to play off of 13 but i just cant seem to shoot low anymore!!! Its so frustrating :angry::angry::angry:

Question is, how do i get my handicap down? Drills, practicing methods etc

In brief my game is solid. Gd putting and off the tee is reasonably consistent.

Any advice is much appreciated.....

There is nothing in my game which is better than an 18 hcp.

Therefore, it must be in my course management.

(and the fact I rarely get in trouble as I don't hit the ball very far....)

oh, I do get up and down reasonably too....miss all 18 greens and still hit the buffer.

 

[Khamelion]

Make sure you are in MPA, use RAF and visualize in 3D, don't go for to many Cs when an I or an M might be enough to avoid a W

Good advice :thup:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Make sure you are in MPA, use RAF and visualize in 3D, don't go for to many Cs when an I or an M might be enough to avoid a W.








Sorry, I couldn't resist.

:rofl:

The sounds like being on countdown

 

[Billythefish]

You probably need to start off in a couple of ways. First off change the way you are thinking about it some. If you play with the goal always in your mind to get your handicap down you're probably continue to struggle a ways, especially with a comp card 'alive'.
Thinking of the end score & it's handicap consequences as you finish every hole is only going to get in your own way of being able to concentrate on the shot you are about to play. Cliche, but golf has to be one shot at a time, giving that your best, then 'letting go' of the outcome so you can focus on the next shot.

Probably if you haven't had one recently, a refresher few lessons with a Pro, to make sure all the basics of grip, aim, ball position, alignment & posture are in the right ball park to start with. Also that would highlight any technical issues you might need to concentrate on in practice to improve your swing.

Most Pro's, low ams spend the majority of their practice time on the game in from 100 yards in plus putting, this includes bunker shots, chipping & pitching from bad lies as well as good ones. This distance in is where you'll be losing the majority of your shots within a round.
Most Pro's low ams also focus heavily on 'target' practice with whatever club, rather than just 'dragging & hitting machine gun mode'! make notes, then next time you have something to 'beat' eg, say you hit 10 balls out of 20 within 15 feet at 85 yards. How many can you hit to 30 feet at 200 yards with whichever club that distance is for you. Next time you're at the range you have some goals to try to beat, which will also help you deal with the pressure of targets when you're out on the course in your next club comp.

Play imagined holes from your course/s you'd normally play on the range - T shot, shot to green, pitch or chip, not all in the same direction from the mat, pick a different direction for each as that's what happens out on the course. Play 9 holes from the 'mat' this way it will give you an idea of the number of shots it might take you out on the course if you really make it as 'real' as you can. But be exact if you say decided a 2nd shot was a 5i & you scrubbed it, then play your 3rd say with a 7i. the more realistic 'one ball target practice' you can make it, the more good it will do your overall game. You can't 'drag' another ball & have a 'do over' in real play.

To improve you need to have a proper exact benchmark of what you have been doing, (means taking rigorous stats on your golf game T to green), & then knowing exactly what are your weakest areas.

Most handicap golfers have an impression of what that may be, but when they take the time to exactly monitor stuff by taking proper stats for each shot they play, (doesn't have to take long, you can even quietly jot stuff down in your own shorthand while playing partners are up with their shots, or there are apps around you can use -where legal, or spend some $'s on something like "Game") the results most often surprises them.

Build up some stats of your overall game say start with the next ten rounds, by the end you'll have a proper idea of just where you are, what areas need looking at most, but you have to be rigorous about it or there's no point, depends how much you want to really improve.
First thing to do though is to stop thinking about your golf in relation to handicap consequences at all.

Excellent advice, many thanks

 

[Craigeee]

Cheers lads, exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Hendo007]

Cheers lads, exactly what I was looking for!

Craig,

Deff one thing to look at is your course management. That was the big turning point for me in getting beyond 18 hcp. I stopped taking certain clubs that could put me in bother. Don't get me wrong, you still get in trouble even taking a sensible approach to a hole but in the long run you see the benefits.

Right now am stuck at the next bit, getting to single figures but as long as I keep at it and keep the course management going am sure I'll get there.

Good luck