Breaking 100........

[steveh]

As a relative beginner (started playing in July), my goal for this year is to break 100. Despite feeling like I'm making progress with my ball striking and consistency, this doesn't seem to be making much impact on my scores, mainly due to the odd horrendous hole and poor short game. My best score so far is 117 but that's being fairly loose with the rules about lost balls etc.

I'm aiming to break 100 by July which will be a year since I started but this made me wonder whether I'm being ambitious enough and I'd be interested to know how long it has taken other players to get to this point. I should mention that I've been averaging a round a week and this is likely to continue this year.

 

[Sultana]

Like you I started playing golf in the summer and realised one of the drawbacks for a beginner is inconsistency. Enjoiy your golf and try to be patient, your scores will improve!

 

[DavidO]

I think the secret is practice, play and pro lessons.

At least thats my plan, once our summer course re-opens in March time, my aim is to get under 100 quickly (only played it once)!!!

Best of luck!

 

[G1BB0]

its a hard road!!!

shot 85 yesterday, my best ever, followed up by a 111 today

have been playing with a handicap since May, 28 initially and still off 28, average around 95 but still throw in the 100+ rounds

course management is the key and try not to 'go for it' whether that be off the tee or in the crap, just play the percentage shot every time. Once you have got a consistant swing then you can push a bit more for better scores

keep the trebles and quads off the card and the scores will tumble

 

[DappaDonDave]

I started in April and I cracked 100 once towards the end of August. My goal like yours is to crack 100 again and consistently.

I found keeping calm and not getting wound up when you hit a bad shot, that's just one shot, you take that to your next and you'll be 8 shots down the line and only 100 yes further on lol

 

[steveh]

Congratulations on the 85, maybe I can aim for that next year! It's the inconsistency that really winds me up - I know I can hit good shots but then follow up with something that goes 15 yards if I'm lucky! Like you say though, it's the practice and play that will start to have an impact, would love to have the ability toapproach every shot with the confidence that it will at least get off the ground in vaguely the right direction!

I need to regularly be shooting below 115 before I can even put any cards in for my handicap though so hopefully I'll get there by Spring!

 

[G1BB0]

Steve (from another Steve), don;t try too hard, just enjoy it. I have taken driver out of the bag because it really was costing me. Stick to your best clubs, a 6 on a par 5 is ok, if it means 3 irons, a pitch and 2 putts its better than driver, duff out of the crap, another duff trying to make it up then ending up with a 8 or 9

I dont practice what I preach but after getting a 6 on a 600 yd par 5 after duffing my 2nd it does work

 

[steveh]

That's a good point, my latest tactic has been to give each hole a new "par" for me to aim at so the par 3s are now a mix of 4s and 5s, the par 4s are now 5s and 6s and the par 5s are now all 8s. I find the psychological barrier of being 3 shots into a par 4 and still not on the green makes me lose a bit of focus but at least if I'm giving myself a couple of extra shots then I've still got something to aim at.

My par 71 course is now "par 101" - only played it once with the new system and it hasn't worked yet lol

 

[backwoodsman]

Given that playing to 100 is playing 28 over on a par 72, it's not a "soft" or "easy" target. There's plenty of us who've spent many a year getting to our current handicaps of somewhere between 20 -25.

Some folk are lucky and have the natural ability to get below that very quickly - plenty others have to work at it a bit harder. Stick with it and you find you get there. I'd guess your current scores contain 2/3/4 real horror holes. You'll probably find these drop to 1 perhaps 2 per round reasonably quickly - and then reduce in magnitude (ie it will be treble or quad bogey that you regard a total horror rather than a double figure)

 

[Region3]

I know you've not been playing long so there will be work to do on your full swing long term, but if your only immediate target is to break 100 then practice your chipping and putting.

Honestly, it's the quickest - and easiest - way to knock shots off your score.

 

[G1BB0]

yup, any hacker can be around the green on a par 4 in 3, taking 1,2 or 3 to get down is better than 4 or 5

they are the area that wrecks a lot of cards on a regular basis (especially mine)

Also putting, lose the 3 putts and make solid 2's = 18 less shots potentially,

a decent short game puts you in range for a 1 or 2 putt

sounds easy on here, putting it into your game is a total different ball game as male nature is to smash it as near as possible, off 28, par 4 ahead, 1st thought is make a gross birdie or par = winner

 

[DappaDonDave]

That's a good point, my latest tactic has been to give each hole a new "par" for me to aim at so the par 3s are now a mix of 4s and 5s, the par 4s are now 5s and 6s and the par 5s are now all 8s. I find the psychological barrier of being 3 shots into a par 4 and still not on the green makes me lose a bit of focus but at least if I'm giving myself a couple of extra shots then I've still got something to aim at.

My par 71 course is now "par 101" - only played it once with the new system and it hasn't worked yet lol

That my friend is called, stableford...Helps me keep the brother in law in check when we play off 28 and I get 36 nd he gets 12...

 

[Richie13]

i know how you feel i started playing in august, only ever shot under 100 once, just keep at it, take lessons which is what i will be doing ready for the summer season, and will looking forward to not playing off 28!!

 

[full_throttle]

the secret to getting my handicap cut by 7 shots in 2 months was to start playing with a low handicap golfer. Watch how they play and listen, listen more and take note, working for me.
last 3 stableford comps have returned 43,43 and 45, 1st,5th and 1st.

 

[G1BB0]

but Rob (full_throttle) is a bandit of the highest order so an exception to the rule

nah he does speak the truth, I play regular with a mate off 9 and watching him makes it look easy. He gives me loads of encouragement and praise when I hit a good un

 

[Gazboy]

I had two games in November 2009 then from Feb 2010 started playing all the time. Despite a huge amount of practice at the range and par3, lesson's and effort I have only managed a pb of 112 in December. My score card looks like a telephone number and on Sunday on my way to another 115 I contemplated sticking the whole damn lot on ebay and admitting defeat on this exercise of futility.

Playing on the par 3 later and a lesson tomorow, maybe Sunday will be my day...

 

[G1BB0]

thats the best way to approach it Gaz... its a bloody infuriating sport/hobby, one day it will just click (I hope), until then I keep playing knowing that day could be today, tomorrow or the day after that

 

[Justman]

Great thread this as you are in exactly the same position as myself. I really feel like I've improved on the range in the last month. I played an interview round this week with the vice captain of the club I'm looking to join and I was absolutely terrible. Fortunately it was more about etiquette. The vice captain said I had a great looking swing and my short game was very good to say I only started in August.

Numerous other people I've played with have said I have a good swing and I feel I'm getting closer & closer. But my scores have not been improving as yet. So annoying!

 

[trevor]

People used to say that to me all the time about your short game must be good to lower your scores and whilst I do agree with this you still have to get to the green before you can chip and putt. If your first off the tee is out of bounds and your second is in the lake your short game isn't very important.

 

[Stub]

Started playing last May and joined a club in August. Had lessons with a good pro and have spent regular sessions on the range and short game practice area as well as playing usually two rounds a week.

At first I was 110+ but gradually got down to 100+ and recently have broken 100 three times with a PB of 97 and PB for 9 holes of 46 albeit off winter tees with shortened holes etc. The key for me has been regular practice of both long and short game coupled with good tuition and advice. The second most important aspect has been to learn not to be discouraged by a duff shot or a disaster hole - just put them behind you and get on. On one round on our back 9 I shot 26 for 6 consecutive holes (par 22) but took 23 for the other 3 holes!! Just have to take the good 6 and build on that and forget the disaster 3.

My target when we start playing qualifying rounds again is to try and get my handicap below 28 and then take stock of where I might get to with more rounds off the whites.

As a final comment I would say it has helped me to think of golf as a simple game that does not need overly complicating. My aim is a simple repeatable swing that stands up whatever.

That's the aim - doesn't always work in practice.