Getting your handicap lower?

[pokerjoke]

Im really interested in what you have done or what your in the process
of doing to give yourself the best chance of getting your handicap lower this year.
Im more interested in what you might be doing that's different to others,or if theres a particular area you have been working on.

Has your handicap plateaued or are you struggling to knock that 1 shot off to get a new cat.
This is where im at,currently off 6.1 so not far to go for cat1.
Ive been working very hard on my game from 100 yards in really hammering home the yardages for each wedge.
Loads of chipping around the greens and most of all something ive never really worked on,the putting.
Qualifiers have only just started so early days but I can guarantee
with the practice I have put in its a matter of when.
Another thing I have done a little work on is mapping our greens I know
it sounds a little over the top but I know it will benefit me on my home
course.

Its all yours

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Playing regulary and enjoying myself

Not worked on any area

 

[virtuocity]

I've kind of plateaued at 13 after hurting my back last summer. Prior to this, my irons were really good, which helped me to a PB of 78 in a medal.

Only recently started hitting my irons a bit better and finally cured a silly slice (driver).

I need to groove this in now, and hopefully I don't "lose it" as I have never, in my 4 years of golf, been able to commit my practice time to improving my short game, which I believe to be the key to getting under 10. I live in hope.

 

[MendieGK]

Im really interested in what you have done or what your in the process
of doing to give yourself the best chance of getting your handicap lower this year.
Im more interested in what you might be doing that's different to others,or if theres a particular area you have been working on.

Has your handicap plateaued or are you struggling to knock that 1 shot off to get a new cat.
This is where im at,currently off 6.1 so not far to go for cat1.
Ive been working very hard on my game from 100 yards in really hammering home the yardages for each wedge.
Loads of chipping around the greens and most of all something ive never really worked on,the putting.
Qualifiers have only just started so early days but I can guarantee
with the practice I have put in its a matter of when.
Another thing I have done a little work on is mapping our greens I know
it sounds a little over the top but I know it will benefit me on my home
course.

Its all yours

Im determind to get down to 2.xx something this year and i am confident i will do it.

I've spent the winter working hard on a few swing changes and have hit balls at least 3x a week.

I went to an Aimpoint Express course, and its transformed my green reading, which will help massively given that i hit in excess of 11 greens in reg a round.

I think the key thing i need to do, is get out of my own way. play each shot as it comes.

 

[pokerjoke]

Playing regulary and enjoying myself

Not worked on any area

Another reason you will be giving another tenner to HFH
Nice to see you off the "have you played today" thread,looks like the purple
patch is over.

 

[IanG]

Really obvious, but after playing a few holes on my own the other night and taking loads of time to really concentrate on lining myself up it is clear I need to get more consistent at aiming !

That oft recommended pre-shot routine of picking a spot in front of the ball on the target line and then squaring club to that and the putting your feet etc in place really works. I need to hone it so it is a bit faster and more automatic than it is right now.

 

[pokerjoke]

Im determind to get down to 2.xx something this year and i am confident i will do it.

I've spent the winter working hard on a few swing changes and have hit balls at least 3x a week.

I went to an Aimpoint Express course, and its transformed my green reading, which will help massively given that i hit in excess of 11 greens in reg a round.

I think the key thing i need to do, is get out of my own way. play each shot as it comes.

Are you 3 something or 4 something.
Do you think Aimpoint express is the key to getting to 2.xx

 

[jamielaing]

For me it is just identifying my wasted shots and trying to limit them. My thought process is still not there.

For example- last night in the medal I was +1 through 4. Pulled my drive on the 5th into the think rough (and short) leaving myself 210 yards uphill. I have no chance of making the green yet I pull out my 4 iron and try to muscle it out as far as I can instead of a softer 8 iron to get back on the fairway in a good position. This led to a slice and a double bogey.

Then, trying to get it back, I hit a good tee shot with just too much draw and I had a tree in my way. I tried to play a huge draw around it when a bump and run would have me on the green from 130 yards. I put it out of bounds and ended up with a treble.

In two holes I went from +1 to +6 which killed my card.

For me it is going for things that is killing my rounds. Combining this with my poor putting I have a little bit of technique and a little bit of course management to work on. Over the winter I worked on chipping and feel I have this to a comfortable position. Work to be done though....

 

[pokerjoke]

I've kind of plateaued at 13 after hurting my back last summer. Prior to this, my irons were really good, which helped me to a PB of 78 in a medal.

Only recently started hitting my irons a bit better and finally cured a silly slice (driver).

I need to groove this in now, and hopefully I don't "lose it" as I have never, in my 4 years of golf, been able to commit my practice time to improving my short game, which I believe to be the key to getting under 10. I live in hope.

Half an hour twice a week on the short game mate will help no end and get you
to single figures.

 

[pokerjoke]

Really obvious, but after playing a few holes on my own the other night and taking loads of time to really concentrate on lining myself up it is clear I need to get more consistent at aiming !

That oft recommended pre-shot routine of picking a spot in front of the ball on the target line and then squaring club to that and the putting your feet etc in place really works. I need to hone it so it is a bit faster and more automatic than it is right now.

Your right mate nothing worse than hitting the right distance but having a big
dispersion.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Another reason you will be giving another tenner to HFH
Nice to see you off the "have you played today" thread,looks like the purple
patch is over.

Not at all - was getting bored posting in there

Had a level gross round yesterday

Played Ashridge 1 over

Played Dukes 1 over off the whites

Still doing well at the moment

Lowest Stableford score in April was 32 twice - but I was playing off plus 1 in both those

 

[MendieGK]

Are you 3 something or 4 something.
Do you think Aimpoint express is the key to getting to 2.xx

yeah i am 4.0.

No i do not think Aimpoint is key to me getting down that amount, but i believe it will help me. There are 3 elements to a succesful putt - read, pace, starting it on the right line. Aimpoint is only helping me on the read. i still need to hit it on that line at the correct pace.

However, being confident i have the right line is freeing my stroke and giving me confidence.

we shall see.

One thing i would say for yourself is that, the step between 6 and staying off 5 is bloody tough. for years i would be 5.something and then go back to 6.

Only in the last 18mnths do i feel i've broken that.

 

[pokerjoke]

For me it is just identifying my wasted shots and trying to limit them. My thought process is still not there.

For example- last night in the medal I was +1 through 4. Pulled my drive on the 5th into the think rough (and short) leaving myself 210 yards uphill. I have no chance of making the green yet I pull out my 4 iron and try to muscle it out as far as I can instead of a softer 8 iron to get back on the fairway in a good position. This led to a slice and a double bogey.

Then, trying to get it back, I hit a good tee shot with just too much draw and I had a tree in my way. I tried to play a huge draw around it when a bump and run would have me on the green from 130 yards. I put it out of bounds and ended up with a treble.

In two holes I went from +1 to +6 which killed my card.

For me it is going for things that is killing my rounds. Combining this with my poor putting I have a little bit of technique and a little bit of course management to work on. Over the winter I worked on chipping and feel I have this to a comfortable position. Work to be done though....

Sounds like your trying to pull off the impossible instead of the obvious.
The question to ask yourself is have I ever made this shot before and whats the
percentage of success.
Course management is key.
Can I ask what your handicap is and why you felt your card was over so soon in the round.

 

[pokerjoke]

yeah i am 4.0.

No i do not think Aimpoint is key to me getting down that amount, but i believe it will help me. There are 3 elements to a succesful putt - read, pace, starting it on the right line. Aimpoint is only helping me on the read. i still need to hit it on that line at the correct pace.

However, being confident i have the right line is freeing my stroke and giving me confidence.

we shall see.

One thing i would say for yourself is that, the step between 6 and staying off 5 is bloody tough. for years i would be 5.something and then go back to 6.

Only in the last 18mnths do i feel i've broken that.

That's interesting.
What do you feel made you finally feel you were a 4 handicapper not a 5 or 6
after all those months

 

[pokerjoke]

Not at all - was getting bored posting in there

Had a level gross round yesterday

Played Ashridge 1 over

Played Dukes 1 over off the whites

Still doing well at the moment

Lowest Stableford score in April was 32 twice - but I was playing off plus 1 in both those

Yes it was getting boring for us as well.
Time to get a card in your hand and get to 4

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Yes it was getting boring for us as well.
Time to get a card in your hand and get to 4

Couple of qualifiers coming up I think so hopefully will chip away at the HC

 

[garyinderry]

I have a put a three wood in the bag that I can actually hit. It will be my go to shot off the tee.

In previous years 19 hybrid has been my longest club after driver. I've tested other clubs but they never lasted.

R11 3 wood has been a revelation. Safe cut that finds the fairway.

I'd say that will be the guts of a shot or two on its own.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

After playing some nice golf at the start of the year I was really looking forward to the spring. I had practised nicely, had done a load of exercising with the TPI physio affiliated to the club, and couldn't wait for the opening medal.

Then I got bronchitis. I was out of the game for four weeks.

Then it started raining, and it hasn't stopped.

I've played once since the 21st of March.

It's miserable. At this rate, I'll be lucky to get three qualifiers in, never mind getting a damned cut.

 

[MendieGK]

That's interesting.
What do you feel made you finally feel you were a 4 handicapper not a 5 or 6
after all those months

I'll be honest, there arent many scratch handicappers that hit the ball better than me and certainly not further. BUT they dont make doubles (i would often have one a round), that is something that is massively helping. I've also got my short game to a reasonable standard (still not good enough to compete with the top boys).

My bad shots just arent as bad anymore. I've also massively improved my course management, i know longer try and overpower courses.

As an example, i came 2nd in an event at my club last August where the club is set to 7700yds (someone of +1 beat me by 1 shot). I hit driver twice. I just accepted i couldnt reach the par 5's etc.

two years previous, i shot 93

 

[Dan2501]

I was shooting 100 to 95 over winter and at the end of last year. I've had a series of lessons, and worked very hard on all aspects of my game. Short game needed a lot of work, and my irons are now much more consistent. That is contributing to better scoring, and I've had rounds of 91, 87, 90 and 86 in recent weeks. So have probably shaved 10 or 12 shots off my scores this year already.