Curls
Journeyman Pro
Well done old stock. Of course you owe it all to the forum but you should take a modicum of praise for yourself also. Maybe 5%. Enjoy it. ?
Goal to drop to single figures
- Thread starter jwlewes
- Start date
Kennysarmy
Newbie
Well done @jwlewes
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
That's a great drop, well done.
As you seem to like targets, us "been round the block a bit" lot would likely still think of a playing handicap of 9 and below as being "single figures"
Acknowledge that view will likely change soon as we adjust, but if you aren't there yet on your home course, then there's your next target.
As you seem to like targets, us "been round the block a bit" lot would likely still think of a playing handicap of 9 and below as being "single figures"
Acknowledge that view will likely change soon as we adjust, but if you aren't there yet on your home course, then there's your next target.
r0wly86
Head Pro
most single figure golfers are not amazing players. You don't need to be a short game wizard or hit a bomb to be off single figures.
Really the only word is consistency. If you can keep the ball in play and avoid any major issues you will probably get down to sub 10 quite quickly.
only real bit of advice is work on course management, what club off the tee is going to get you in play, if your driver or 3 wood gives you a risk of losing a ball or giving you a very difficult 2nd shot, don't use it. If you have you to hit a 7 iron if that's going to guarantee a fairway shot (obviously extreme but I hope you know what I mean), don't pin seek, aim for the centre of the green, much easier to get 2 putts from 50 feet than getting up and down from a bunker because you chased a pin a pulled it every so slightly.
Know your own game, definitely know your own distances, and have a banker shot around the green, something that will always give you a decent result
Really the only word is consistency. If you can keep the ball in play and avoid any major issues you will probably get down to sub 10 quite quickly.
only real bit of advice is work on course management, what club off the tee is going to get you in play, if your driver or 3 wood gives you a risk of losing a ball or giving you a very difficult 2nd shot, don't use it. If you have you to hit a 7 iron if that's going to guarantee a fairway shot (obviously extreme but I hope you know what I mean), don't pin seek, aim for the centre of the green, much easier to get 2 putts from 50 feet than getting up and down from a bunker because you chased a pin a pulled it every so slightly.
Know your own game, definitely know your own distances, and have a banker shot around the green, something that will always give you a decent result
sunshine
Well-known member
You must be really slim. I couldn't fit into a golf bag, even a tour bag.
Good luck with your golf journey - well done getting to single figures!
Ethan
Money List Winner
Good scores are about avoiding bad scores and not compounding mistakes. If you hit a bad shot, don't try to make it for it on the next one if the make up shot isn't one you are reasonably confident of pulling off. The only important shot is the next one, so always play one within your capabilities. You see this kill scores often. A middle handicapper duffs a drive short off the tee, then pulls out a 3 wood to try to get on the green from 240 yards, and just hits it into worse trouble. Hitting an 8 iron for the second shot would probably have put them in position for a bogey, but they end up with a double or triple instead.
IanM
Journeyman Pro
- Joined
- May 18, 2009
- Messages
- 13,406
- Location
- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
Was always told "don't make a six (or seven) by trying to make a four!" Sometimes take the five, and run to the next hole!
Good to see the work paying off.... and better the weather to follow should help
Good to see the work paying off.... and better the weather to follow should help
jwlewes
Member
Have set myself a few goals throughout this season - Playing handicap of 9 being one of them!
Thought i'd acheived it after a competition round on Sunday knowing it'd cut my Handicap Index - Unfortunately, cut to 8.2, 8.1 needed to play off 9!!
Hopefully see another drop in the coming weeks, plenty of practice and testing a couple of different balls to try and help my short game continue to improve!
Foxholer
Blackballed
Well done on the cut.
I believe messing around with balls is not the way to go - unless you are currently using a mixture/rock. Just find one you get on with and stick with that. ProV1 Lake Balls from a reliable supplier are as good as any imo.
Short game is the key at your level. I use(d) a version of the Clock-Face system that Bobmac posted - Dave Pelz's approach. I found his 7 o'clock too difficult, so increased it to 8 o'clock fairly successfully. Much simpler practicing just 3 swings and they still covered most distances. And Putting is the other area to concentrate on - especially Distance as that's the best way to avoid 3-Putts. Plenty of practice drills available online or from books (e.g. Bob Rotella ones).
And Practice, practice, practice - as much as you can.
jwlewes
Member
Have always used a Callaway Supersoft, never deviated from it but it just doesn't give the sort of greenside control of a more premium ball - hence the change!
Yes, practice is next on the agenda - however with work from home at the moment, i'm sneaking off early for a full round, rather than an hour or so practice after work - Both good but obviously the full round is far less focused on practicing different things
Foxholer
Blackballed
Greenside control is probably more down to you than the ball! (Quality of) Contact is what gives you control. And that ball should be reasonable/predictable around greens! To me, it's the operator not the tools that's the problem 95% of the time! Worth trying (Lakeball) ProVs to see whether a premium ball improves control significantly - I suspect probably not!
Worth at least alternating (better to be 2/3 to 1) a decent amount of focused practice as opposed to a full round imoi! I had an 'advantage' of being able to practice for 40mis a day, play 2-3 holes and still get to work before 9:00 - by a peculiarity of the traffic even when commuting on the M25 to Croydon!
davidy233
Tour Rookie
Some excellent advice earlier in this thread for most golfers not just those with immediate aspirations to get to single figures - I went out for a hit tonight, played seven holes and saved a shot each on a couple of holes purely by not taking on hero shots after wayward drives solely based on the fact I'd read this thread earlier. Ta folks.
evemccc
Well-known member
Good effort coming from 9 to 4 in a year. Where / how did you practice - was it on course (dropping lots of balls at quiet times), garden, chipping green?
Did you focus on getting good around the green with one club at first, or did you always practice with several clubs for different shots?
jwlewes
Member
+5, 76 this morning will mean I finally get down to single figures playing handicap!
A lot more to learn and improve on, but the game is finally getting there, regular playing partners have recently been calling my golf "dull" and thinking about it, that's exactly what you want to be, steady, not deviate far from a comfortable, repeatable shape and swing, and not blow up with mistakes!
Now, onto the next goal!
A lot more to learn and improve on, but the game is finally getting there, regular playing partners have recently been calling my golf "dull" and thinking about it, that's exactly what you want to be, steady, not deviate far from a comfortable, repeatable shape and swing, and not blow up with mistakes!
Now, onto the next goal!
Curls
Journeyman Pro
Amazing well done!
What you need to practice next is moaning about giving a dozen shots to a WHS bandit who shoots lower gross than you and says he just had a good day.
it’s the next phase. Trust me ?
What you need to practice next is moaning about giving a dozen shots to a WHS bandit who shoots lower gross than you and says he just had a good day.
it’s the next phase. Trust me ?
gopher99
Active member
You actually practice, fair play to you. The only practice I get these days is a swing on the first tee and away I go, but its good to see you achieving your goal. And as for being “dull”, didn’t really hurt nick faldos game, he hit 18 pars to win his first major in 87 in the last round.
D
Deleted member 25172
Guest
Chipping green mainly playing the shots from above the hole, short pin, across long pin, from below etc etc... I'm a little bit more versatile now and look at how the lie is before choosing what club to play, but I'd still say that my 52 degree is what I'd go for usually when it's around the fringe and just a bit further out.
Caviat, I've not played particularly well since coming back from lockdown, with the short game letting me down. I also bascially haven't practiced it, so, go figure...
