Getting Handicap down.....or not !

I think I read in one of Bob Rotellas books (or it may have been a comment on here) that most pros spend 70% of their practice time on the putting green and short game area and only the remaining 30% on the longer swing. I think there has to be a lesson there somewhere
 
Homer is onto this, it really takes a lot of time, effort , practice and trial and error with new or rusty skills. I like Colin Rs idea too,trying different stuff with a different frame of mind.
 
I think what is motivating me is just to get into Single figures as an achievement, which it undoubtably is.
I regularly play well within my 11 H/C socially, and its just converting that to Medal play, which, due to white tee's etc, is always a bit harder before the mental gremlins kick in too.

My course management is pretty good, and as someone else mentioned, I too only use my Driver on perhaps 7 Holes, and 5 wood or long irons on the other Par 4's.
We also have 5 Par 3's, which altho may make the course sound easy, it isnt.

Lots more short game work I think may well just get me down, and perhaps a Custom Fitted 909 Driver to keep me straighter and longer maybe ;)
 
"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."

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

If you ever get to be a "senior" you will find that your game changes. No longer are you trying to bomb it 300 yds off the tee and then trying to find it. You settle for 150/200/225 yds on to the fairway, approach either on or near the green, chip/pitch and one or two putts. OK it can be boring golf but "seniors" sure are difficult to beat at matchplay.

I put "seniors" in " " as age is partly a frame of mind.

As I'm sure you realise by my partial defense of most "senior" golfers, I am one of them. I joined my present club about 6 years ago with a h/cap of 14. After 3 1/2 years had a good couple of rounds and played off 12.4 (for 1 week). Crept up to 15.4 earlier this year. By sheer determination and hard practice (really wanted to beat a particularly obnoxious chap in the Vets summer matchplay knockout) I got cut twice by 1.2 down to 13.

Moral is that you can do it if you really want to. Life doesn't end with becoming a senior. Youjust take more time.....

I'm almost tempted to challenge that young upstart Homer to a little side wager as to who can reduce their h/cap most this year ...... but I wouldn't want to take his money (or risk what little I have)



:eek: :eek:
 
Homer, it wasn't an actual challenge but I was only picking up from one of your earlier posts...

" 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"

Whereas I have to uphold the honour of the "seniors" who are old, decrepit, slow, rude old fa*tz, who wll never improve their h/cap 'cos they are over 60......

We'll sort out the details of the challenge later by pm if you want .... :) :)

BTW I would never get involved in a challenge with any of our juniors - they are awesome and h/caps sometimes drop by 1, 2 or 3 shots in the course of a couple of weeks. We have size 8 girls (I'm only guessing you understand :o) who hit the ball further and straighter than most players I know, a John Daly lookalike who can't be more than 14 or 15 and creams the ball a mile....
 
Sounds like you are one of the "juniors" im talking about. 15.9 now and single figures in a couple of months :eek:

If more forumers are interested in having a bit of a challenge, how about a forum wide one over the course of the year where the winner is the one with the greatest "score" i.e. handicap reduction x age (e.g. start 18.4, finish 12.8 = 5.6 x 32 years old = score of 179.2).

Anyone interested, or got a better idea for scoring? I'll happily keep the starting details.

I'll be 64 by the end of the year and current h/cap is 13.0.
 
Nice idea but seriously bias to the higher handicapper!! :(

A 28'er could quite reasonably come down 3 or 4 shots or more - and for a 45 year old equates to a score of 135+. :D

I'm off 11. So to drop 2 shots would be pretty reasonable over the year. At 45 my score would only be 90! :( :(

Like I said for a bit of fun it would be ok but don't expect anyone lower than 15 to win. ;) ;) ;)
 
JC, at your age you are going to need to drop a whole load to compete with lefties advanced years (and skill level, he's a crafty so and so). Good luck.

I'm out. I have played off 12 for 20 years, starting and finishing this year on 11.7. If I can't even knock off 0.1, I would need to be a million years old just to score zero.
 
Last year I began on 28 and finished on 28, but this is going to be a very hard to repeat as I will have to finish on 8. But its worth a try :D
 
Good luck to JC, but you will find that the lower your h/c becomes the harder it will be to take strokes off it!
 
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.
Click to expand...

No, I didn't mean that. I just believe that as I reach the twilight of my career, I can't see the H/Cap tumbling from where I am. :rolleyes:
 
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