First full season back

[wull]

In typical fashion I decided to take the game back up after being away for a few years, on and off like a hookers underwear.

Stopped in 1999, started again and played 2011/2012 and then again in 2018 for one season. I did start again at the tail end of the 2021 season as I get my membership with my job and got a handicap of 5.0, I then never played again until the second half of the 2022 season and had put in something like 19 scores and after going up and down a little bit I finished the season back where I started……5.0!

I decided for this season I was going to take it more serious, I started playing 4 weeks before the season started and played once per week, I played more when it was the club champs etc. I managed to get down to 2.4 quite quickly this year but then I hit a rough patch, the handicap crept up to 3.0 then the last two rounds of the year seen it go down to 2.2 then back up to 2.8, the joys of having a good score disappear wreaking havoc on the handicap.

The plan next year is to try and play twice per week, once during the week concentrating on practising the short game etc. The goal will next season will be 1.5 with the end goal being scratch or better, to get as low as I possibly can, it’s a tough game, I find it difficult to keep it going for a full 18, so many times with 6 to go I’m sitting pretty then disaster, if I can cut that out I’ll be laughing.

I‘m loving golf again, playing it and watching it.

 

[Albo]

Welcome back to the game. You must be a fair player to give up for years on end and come back with a 5.0 handicap!
Sounds to me with some work and concentration you’ll get to scratch! I hope you do and you keep us posted here!
Re the last 6 holes, could be fatigue, mental or physical, what I would say is have an energy drink/ energy bar maybe at the turn or on 10, should kick in and give you that boost for the last few holes maybe?! Also worth remembering the score is over 18 holes, so a single bad shot or blow up hole doesn’t ruin a round, put that behind you as quickly as it came

 

[Teebs]

Same for me, back playing properly for the first time in around 9 years. Handicap has settled at 4.9 which I'm happy with.

Had some putting issues which the pro sorted out fairly quickly and I'm booking in for a winter lesson package to try and improve other areas. Really enjoying being part of a club again, meeting new people (I'm an introvert at heart so this helps me) and playing in the weekly comps.

Spent a small fortune and replaced all my stuff but still looking at new stuff all the time.

 

[LizAig]

If you’re tiring for the last holes you need to take something to eat well before that. Some people take something to eat after every 3 or 4 holes so no energy drops. I usually take at least one banana and cereal bar to eat and always take a small carton of chocolate milk to have after 9 or 10 holes. Water is important for concentration - I am to drink some before every tee shot but it’s usually every other

 

[wull]

If you’re tiring for the last holes you need to take something to eat well before that. Some people take something to eat after every 3 or 4 holes so no energy drops. I usually take at least one banana and cereal bar to eat and always take a small carton of chocolate milk to have after 9 or 10 holes. Water is important for concentration - I am to drink some before every tee shot but it’s usually every other

This was something I looked at, my fitness isn’t the best either so I started making more of a conscious effort to eat and drink, I’m terrible for not doing either during the round so I’ll try more with this next season.

 

[wull]

Welcome back to the game. You must be a fair player to give up for years on end and come back with a 5.0 handicap!
Sounds to me with some work and concentration you’ll get to scratch! I hope you do and you keep us posted here!
Re the last 6 holes, could be fatigue, mental or physical, what I would say is have an energy drink/ energy bar maybe at the turn or on 10, should kick in and give you that boost for the last few holes maybe?! Also worth remembering the score is over 18 holes, so a single bad shot or blow up hole doesn’t ruin a round, put that behind you as quickly as it came

That’s spot on, I’ve found some of my good rounds have came from when I’ve been able to forget a bad hole then make up a few shots further down the line. Prime example was the gents open, I lost a ball off the tee on 5 and ended up making a treble with a 3 putt then followed it up with a bogey on 6 to go +4, it didn’t bother me because I knew I had two par 5’s coming up and went birdie eagle to be back at +1.

The rounds where I let that get to me are the ones where it spirals from there and doesn’t get any better, I’m terrible for dwelling over past shots and silly mistakes, if I can keep that at bay I should improve.

My other issue is not making the putts from 10ft in, I’ll give myself quite a few chances early in the round and miss them all, then make a silly bogey and then be annoyed with myself as I’m then on the back foot.

 

[Albo]

That’s spot on, I’ve found some of my good rounds have came from when I’ve been able to forget a bad hole then make up a few shots further down the line. Prime example was the gents open, I lost a ball off the tee on 5 and ended up making a treble with a 3 putt then followed it up with a bogey on 6 to go +4, it didn’t bother me because I knew I had two par 5’s coming up and went birdie eagle to be back at +1.

The rounds where I let that get to me are the ones where it spirals from there and doesn’t get any better, I’m terrible for dwelling over past shots and silly mistakes, if I can keep that at bay I should improve.

My other issue is not making the putts from 10ft in, I’ll give myself quite a few chances early in the round and miss them all, then make a silly bogey and then be annoyed with myself as I’m then on the back foot.

The make percentage on the PGA tour from 10ft is ~40%, these are the best players on the planet, don’t beat yourself up for missing 10ft putts