Help please

[THE_POWER_1978]

Hi Everyone

I am a very keen golfer currently playing off 10.8. I only started playing competitive golf this year and after three rounds of 82,84 and 86 was given a handicap of 11. I feel that i am now hitting the ball a lot better, driving it straighter and further, hitting my irons well and the short game also feels as though it has improved a lot. The problem is that even though i feel as though i have improved greatly my scoring hasnt. It still usually takes me about 80-85 blows to get round. I am starting to think it is maybe my course management i.e bad decisions that is letting me down. I play with some people in my weekly competitions who are off single figures and i hit the ball aswell if not better than them but they still out score me. Has anyone else had a similar problems?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It might ne course management but I'm prepare to bet its more likely they chip and putt better than you and get up and down from bunkers more than you. Add in the 6 footers these single figure guys all make with ease and its clear that I'd have a look at the short game first. If you are confident you are matching them shot for shot in this area then have a look at how you play the holes, particularly the par 3's (do you go for flags and end up short siding yourself making up and down hard) and the long par 4's (are you trying to hit the green when a lay up and a chip and putt - 5 nett 4 would still be good enough)

 

[THE_POWER_1978]

I do try and par if not birdie every hole because i know i can do it. I do think this does sometimes cause me problems especially on the par 3's. Do you think it would be better to play the holes where i get a shot as gross bogeys and get a net par? I do tend to average around 12 pars a round but there are a few double bogeys or even trebles when i do have a bad hole.

 

[EaseNgrace]

Im the same as you, I get plenty of pars, when I do so it's usually a straightforward affair with some great ball striking and solid putting. But yes I always have a few doubles and triples on the card, usually down to poor course management. Everytime I hit a bad drive and it costs me I get to the green and say "I could have got here with two 5 irons" for example.
It's a frustrating game.

 

[Imurg]

Do you think it would be better to play the holes where i get a shot as gross bogeys and get a net par? I do tend to average around 12 pars a round but there are a few double bogeys or even trebles when i do have a bad hole.

Up to a point yes - play shot holes as gross bogey holes and hopefully you'll par the odd one to get "under"

A lot depends on what constitutes your bad holes. Is it a poor drive followed by an impossible escape shot or approaches that go off line followed by poor chipping?
I'd guess its the short game that needs working on but analyse it yourself. If its the same thing most times then that's a good place to start.

 

[SammmeBee]

The more you play the more you will learn how to play - a bit like learning to drive a car, you learn to pass the test then you learn to drive....

If you're going to miss the green, miss it in the right place and try to reduce how many to take to get down in round the greens by one everytime, that will lead to better scores....

 

[RGDave]

Sounds familiar to me. I try to make 8-10 pars a round (maybe a birdie or two) and keep bad holes down to bogey, although I've had a few doubles recently.
On the bogey holes, it's fairly irrelevant if I've played reasonable shots or quite poor ones, something has gone wrong and cost me any chance of par. I could play all the bogey holes with a cracking drive, a pretty good 2nd shot and not get up and down. The thing about golf though is that as everything improves generally some bogeys will become pars. Some GIRs will become birdies.

Stick with it. Think your way round the course, if the most likely outcome after a less-than-ideal drive or tee shot is going to be a bogey, don't blow up trying to force a par.

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

What i do is try and give myself a reasonable par putt on every hole. You'll see your scores coming down quite rapidly.

 

[bobmac]

I am wondering if you are making the same mistake as nearly all of us.
Just imagine this...
You've hit a poor tee shot into the rough, but you find it and its not lying great.
180 yards to the green with 170 carry over water.
How often do you go for the "Hero shot"
Lots of golfers try and make up for a poor drive by a brilliant 2nd shot. Why not just get the ball back on the fairway, ideally further than a normal drive goes and settle for bogey, net par?
Poor decision cause the doubles and triples not poor golf shots.

 

[Smiffy]

I am wondering if you are making the same mistake as nearly all of us.
Just imagine this...
You've hit a poor tee shot into the rough, but you find it and its not lying great.
180 yards to the green with 170 carry over water.
How often do you go for the "Hero shot"
Lots of golfers try and make up for a poor drive by a brilliant 2nd shot. Why not just get the ball back on the fairway, ideally further than a normal drive goes and settle for bogey, net par?
Poor decision cause the doubles and triples not poor golf shots.

Absolutely bang on Bob.
Remember the 18th at Beau Desert????

 

[bobmac]

I am wondering if you are making the same mistake as nearly all of us.

Absolutely bang on Bob.
Remember the 18th at Beau Desert????

That was completely different.
It was an easy shot with no risk at all.
1 over par, 18th hole, par 5 down hill down wind, 220 to go. Had to hit it 30 yds right to left under the branches and over the gorse and greenside bunker.
Simples.
Shame it caught the very very very last leaf on the last branch on the last tree, either wise it would have been stiff. Tap in eagle. Made a good 7 in the end

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its quite simple. You are given a handicap and x number of shots to play with. You get in troube - use the shot on the hole and play safe on the green for your next and hope to hole the putt.

OK agreed not always so easy in the execution but the theory is sound. No point going for the 1 in 10 shot and racking up and 8 or 9 and then spending the rest of the round frustrated at your decision. Its about getting it round in as few as possible. No-one will care if you lay up at a long par 4 if you walk off with a net 4 and two points. Smart golf is the quickest way to a lower handicap

 

[Smiffy]

That was completely different.
It was an easy shot with no risk at all.
1 over par, 18th hole, par 5 down hill down wind, 220 to go. Had to hit it 30 yds right to left under the branches and over the gorse and greenside bunker.
Simples.
Shame it caught the very very very last leaf on the last branch on the last tree, either wise it would have been stiff. Tap in eagle. Made a good 7 in the end

Gutted for you Bob. It did look good when it left the club though....
One day, over a toasted teacake and a mug of Horlicks, I'll run through how my 7 was fashioned on that hole...
All I will say is that a large divot was in the mix somewhere...

 

[THE_POWER_1978]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I do think i some times try and force a par if i hit a bad tee shot when a lay up may be best. Hopefully that will turn a double or treble into a bogey and save me a few shots. Playing tomorrow so i'll let you know.

Cheers

 

[brendy]

A few tips ive read recently have helped in heapfuls.
Take enough club to hit the back of the green, when taking aim, use the topd of the trees or whatever behind the green as your target. Thirdly, middle of the green is perfect, forget flags, its easier putting down hill to a flag than chipping up out of rough.

One of my own for putts also, if you find you are leaving putts a foot short every time, put the ball slightly forward in your stance and address the ball 3-4 inches behind the ball, this will help you get the ball rolling and it will eek out an extra couple of rolls to the hole, Ive yet to see the hole come to the ball.