Getting Handicap down.....or not !

[Macster]

I posted on another thread about my relatively succesful 2008, in getting down from 12 to 11, and hopefully a couple more this year perhaps.

I play with others who have been 12/13 or whatever and havent changed for years, and a close friend who has moved from 28 to 27 in the last 12yrs, despite lesson after lesson, and probably playing more than me.

So, I was very impressed when talking to a new member at our club, who started playing 4years ago, and is already down to 5 !!!

I know he puts the hours in on the practice green, but even so, impressive eh ?

I thought so anyway

 

[USER1999]

I guess if you are blessed with natural talent, then why not.

Some of us just don't have it.

 

[forefortheday]

My brother has never had a lesson in his life and shoots high 70's low 80's all the time

I have one a month and have only just broken 100!

4 years to get to single figures is some going though!

 

[TonyN]

Yes that is very good. How old is the guy Chris? I am hoping to get down to single figures within 5 years. Having started playing just over a year ago I am shooting about 15HC so not doing to bad. Just gotta knock a good 6 shots off consistently.

 

[Macster]

Tony; He's about 30 I think. Certainly puts the practice in, and he has had some lessons in the past, seems driven to get down, so given a bit a talent, it seems possible.
If you're playing to 15ish, you're well on the way

 

[TonyN]

Makes you wonder about these very good late starters doesn't it.

If the guy had picked the game up as a juniour, would he be playing at a higher level? Or is there only so far they can go.

I said in another post, I wonder how many potential Major winners have never even played the game!

 

[haplesshacker]

I said in another post, I wonder how many potential Major winners have never even played the game!

Good point. It does make you wonder if any of us could have been incredibly succesful at something,but have never had the opportunity to try it. We'll never know.

 

[USER1999]

Yeah, I could've been a p**n star.

 

[Twire]

I'm hoping to knock a few shots off my H'cap this year. I've been playing for the best part of 20 years now, been a club member for about 13 years, and apart from the odd lesson and going to the range maybe 10 times a year and no practice I'm not doing to bad. Most of my golf has been, turn up on the first tee (mostly competion) and the first ball I hit, is the first one hit all week.

The misses has just taken up the game, and with her on board I'm hoping for a lot more practice this year, and you know what practice makes..

 

[jeffc]

Having started in August (after 20 year absence) and am no spring chicken at 45. I have been given my handicap at 25 and am targeting to get below 20 in 2009.

 

[Herbie]

What is in a persons plan to get their h/c down?

Is it simply practice/play and lessons?

Are you willing to change clubs/style/method?


Are you willing to stick with your clubs for a few years?

Are you willing to underhit a ball rather than hit it as far as a club will allow?


Today I played but before I did I watched two seniors doing some chipping before going out, the other two doing nothing.
The ones chipping looked like single figure players, beautiful strokes and accurate. When they all went off the tee I noticed they all had extremely long drivers for their statures and all four of them overhit and completely cocked up their shots, but it was the comments they came up with that made me laugh, it was like listening to golf experts with their technical jargon for how they messed up. Actually two messed up because they over swung ,lost balance and nearly fell over, the other two did a massive back swing that neither could control due to no practice beforehand and mis hit the ball.

To listen to them talk made me realise that they will not improve very much. If they had hit like they chipped they would probably have hit their drives 100yds further than they did and more accurately, but would they dream of doing that? That is just one example of why golfers have difficulty improving their scores. If you are not willing to try anything outside the traditional lesson/play to lower your score dont expect any more than that method has to offer your natural ability which varies with every golfer.
Some people can pick up clubs and appear a naturally gifted player, most cannot.

 

[Imurg]

it only took me 4 years to get to single figures. No lessons at all but loads of playing. 7-8 times a week, every week. Worked for me. had a 5 year break and now off 11 but I'm hoping to get back to 8 or 9 by the end of the year.

 

[andiritchie]

I took the game up again when i was 22 3 years ago and iam just into single figures although i did play for 7 years as a junior to a decent standard.

I dream of a Cat 1 handicap and with a bit of hard work and stopping taking shots on i not capable of doing i hoping to do it this year maybe next it might not happen

I look back to this time last year and think i was terrible compared to now and will probally think the same next year

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As an ex assistant playing off very low figures, I can vouch from my experience that it is something that takes work and dedication to maintain. I was lucky that the putting green was right outside the pros shot so I was on there for hours every day just rolling putts so that side of the game was always good. I would open the shop and work until the pro came in around 9.00 and have until around 1.30-2.00 to myself to either play or work on my game. When you are there 7 days a week and getting pro advice the minute something goes wrong really helps.

However playing in opens, pro-ams and assistance events it was clear very early that despite being a big (ish) fish in my own pool I was not as good as the majority trying to move through the ranks. When my parents couldn't put me through the PGA exams I gave up golf to got a proper job. When I tried to get back into it in my late 20's there was no desire to practice and I was playing once a week to about 10-12 and would come off really frustrated at shooting to my handicap and knowing why shots had gone awry.

When I came back this time I hadn't picked up a club in about ten years and had to rush to get my handicap cards in and played in atrocious weather to end up on 20. Acutely embarrasing. It was evident to those who played with me that I am a lower handicapper and in 2006 I did monopolise top three spots in competitions from May to August to get cut to 13.

Last year was strange because I put more effort in too practicing but without the aid of my coach who moved away in January 2007. I tried some lessons with my club pro and would see benefits in the short term but never anything that lasted. I think in the end I got bogged down in too much practice, not always the right methods or focussing on specific parts, and put too much pressure on myself in competitions.

I'm back with my coach and I've already won a stableford to get cut back to 14 and we have a much more structured practice timetable for the coming months to make sure every par of the game is addressed and I'm maintaining a good technique throughout. I have set a target of 14 down to 10 and think it is reasonable. I know the game and know what I can do but it is about execution now and more of a mind set challenge than worrying about swing mechanics

 

[ColinR]

I've been playing for two years and have an official h'cap of 17, however the guys I play with for roll ups have cut me to 12

This year my target is to get down to an official 12. For me it will be about keeping myself completely together during medal play and not over stretching myself.

So what changes have I made in my game ?

Firstly the driver only comes out on 6 holes of the course. Length is not everything ( oh er Mrs ) on the course I play, but being straight is. So instead of driver - 9Iron, I'm happy to go with 5wood-7iron for example.

Then, when I would have taken a 5wood from the tee on a tight hole, I'm going with a 4Iron. Losing distance, but gaining control.

Then it is my short game...practice and more practice is the order of the day. I want to be able to use multiple clubs around the green depending on lie, uphill/downhill etc etc, and play them all with extreme confidence.

You know what they say....( Well Einstein in fact )

"Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is a sign of insanity"

 

[Smiffy]

Firstly the driver only comes out on 6 holes of the course. Length is not everything ( oh er Mrs ) on the course I play, but being straight is. So instead of driver - 9Iron, I'm happy to go with 5wood-7iron for example.

Then, when I would have taken a 5wood from the tee on a tight hole, I'm going with a 4Iron. Losing distance, but gaining control.

Remind me that if I ever play you for dosh to pick a 7,500 yarder

 

[vig]

I would like to get down to single figures in the next tweleve months but to do so I need to book a series of short game lessons and dedicate some serious time to the short game as my GIR's are as good if not better than they were when I played off 8.
My putting stinks on occasions and I need to throttle back on my aggresive style.

I played with an senior on new years day and he asked if I always "went" for everything. The truth is i do!
I aim to think the shot out a bit more this year.

I also got some useful pressies for Xmas that will assist my quest

 

[Imurg]

Although I would love to keep dropping my handicap I am very conscious that eventually I will reach my "peak" - the point at which, age,health,flexibility,ability etc will not let me get any better. I may already have been there! I'm not saying that you shouldn't strive to be as good as you can be but be aware that there is a limit.

 

[vig]

I just want to get as low as i can before i qualify for the seniors as it will only go up from there.

 

[viscount17]

vig, do you mean I'm wasting my time and I will never get down? I only got my initial h/c last Jan and I started as a senior. Admittedly up 0.5 over the year but it only takes one to get rid of that.