How do you measure success?

[haplesshacker]

With talk of targets for this year, using lob wedges for chipping onto the green, 10 putts in 9 holes, 300 yard average drives. I wondered how folks actually measure their succes on the course. I don't just mean 'I shot 34 points with 4 blobs' type thing. But more generally. If that makes any sense.

eg. for some it might be just getting out of a greenside bunker in one, and landing it anywhere on the green. For others it might be not going oob on a particular tee shot. Or not thining a wedge shot or chip. You get the idea.

Or to put it another way what puts a smile on your face whilst your playing!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Or to put it another way what puts a smile on your face whilst your playing!

Any shot that finishes roughly where it was intended, with the strike that was intended and the shape that was intended.

Or one of my playing partners farting.

 

[golfstick]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

 

[haplesshacker]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

In part.

Though what if you have reached your skill level / ability plateau. What's going to keep your interest in the game? After-all. We don't all have the ability, time or money to keep getting our handicaps down.

 

[USER1999]

I like to hit 3 shots a round (not normally drives or putts, but could be if they require imagination) that are perfect.

By this, I mean absolutely middled, right club, right flight, and as intended.

I'm not talking the slightly thinned fade that ends close when what you were trying was a high draw. It has to be that sweet strike, where you hardly feel a thing.

 

[golfstick]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

In part.

Though what if you have reached your skill level / ability plateau. What's going to keep your interest in the game? After-all. We don't all have the ability, time or money to keep getting our handicaps down.

i disagree, IMO you will never reach a point where u cnt get better, the game is too fickle. You will always improve to some point. If you feel you cnt improve then hopefully its the enjoyment of the game. If not, why play?

 

[brendy]

I suppose a few red minus numbers on the handicap page over the year. Finishing lower than I started each season is the main driver for me.... not shanking too many rocks too!

 

[patricks148]

Shooting my handicap or better in a comp.

 

[Robobum]

I'd measure it by my scores. That's the aim of the game so that is what the measure has to be.

If success is being able to hit 300yd drives or a softly drawn 2iron then stand on the range till your heart's content. You can be the most "successful" range rat in history.

 

[brendy]

I'd measure it by my scores. That's the aim of the game so that is what the measure has to be.

If success is being able to hit 300yd drives or a softly drawn 2iron then stand on the range till your heart's content. You can be the most "successful" range rat in history.

Exactly, its a little like darts, you can throw all the treble twenties you want, if you cant finish out, it all means nothing. We are always judged on results through life, someone might have been a great guy but couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo, well, that's how he will be remembered.

 

[haplesshacker]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

In part.

Though what if you have reached your skill level / ability plateau. What's going to keep your interest in the game? After-all. We don't all have the ability, time or money to keep getting our handicaps down.

i disagree, IMO you will never reach a point where u cnt get better, the game is too fickle. You will always improve to some point. If you feel you cnt improve then hopefully its the enjoyment of the game. If not, why play?

I'll surprise you and agree to a point. We all have the capability to improve. If we are prepared to spend time, effort and money to get our handicap down. But we all have plateaus, regardless of how they're created. There are plenty of golfers out there who really don't have much interest in improving, but still walk off the course with their own little successes.



If anyone mentions the bloody flea in the glass with the beer mat on top.

 

[golfstick]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

In part.

Though what if you have reached your skill level / ability plateau. What's going to keep your interest in the game? After-all. We don't all have the ability, time or money to keep getting our handicaps down.

i disagree, IMO you will never reach a point where u cnt get better, the game is too fickle. You will always improve to some point. If you feel you cnt improve then hopefully its the enjoyment of the game. If not, why play?

I'll surprise you and agree to a point. We all have the capability to improve. If we are prepared to spend time, effort and money to get our handicap down. But we all have plateaus, regardless of how they're created. There are plenty of golfers out there who really don't have much interest in improving, but still walk off the course with their own little successes.



If anyone mentions the bloody flea in the glass with the beer mat on top.

My dad was similar to this, he never played comps, just with me (health reasons). He got a lot of pleasure out of watching me get better as he was my coach. HOWEVER, I still would find him practicing on the sly, and trying to improve his ball striking. He plateaued mainly due to his health but i honestly dont think he ever gave up trying to break through.

Even though u mite think it, i believe everyone strives to get better no matter how much time/effort they put in.

And as I am reminded by my girlfriend all the time, she hates the game, I dont know why she insists coming to the range with me sometimes, but a success to her is hitting 1 gud shot that gets in the air and carries past the 50yard marker.

As you say, everyone has a strange success

Although in past events, maybe i shud change it and say her success is carrying it over 300yards consistantly

 

[USER1999]

Whilst I agree to an extend on the handicap reduction stuff, often for me, my FW hit is 0, gir is 0, my ball striking is poor (mainly thin toe pokes), and I knob it round 6 over par (last medal, and not unusual for me). Believe me, after a while, there is little satisfaction in this.

I can feel I am improving, by hitting some proper shots. They won't necessarily make any difference to my handicap. I can hit a green from 170, and two putt for a 4 just as easily as I can get up and down for the same 4. It remains a 4.

And I can hit shots at the range sweet as. It's doing it in the comps that counts.

 

[Oddsocks]

success would be measures by handicap reduction?

this and consitency, im now messuring

greens hit per round,
fairways hit
putts
up/down saves
nett/gross difference
Balls lost,
Points
Blobs. ( in know people hate this but id rather 2 1 pointers that a 2 point and a blob)

 

[stevek1969]

For me it will be the things i've worked at the range and the practise strip seeing come of will be a my measure of success.
For Homer it will be getting round without losing to many balls

 

[SatchFan]

No complete mis-hits. Played nine holes yesterday and hit the ball really well except for one shot which I managed to top 15 yards (in the middle of the fairway on a good lie). Drives me mad. Success would be to say goodbye to this shot waster.

 

[19th]

I'm an 80% golfer!

If I can come off the course knowing that I have hit 80% of shots TO MY ABILITY and no, that is not drawing one irons, driving 300 yards etc. My driving is up in the 90%+ but my putting is down at 70%ish .. so a good round for me is putting well, winning the pound from my two playing partners and enjoying a cheeky little glass of Merlot in the clubhouse, as the insults are dished out!

 

[bobmac]

How many yards I am passed the red tees

 

[JustOne]

What is this 'success' word that you're talking about???

 

[Adrena1in]

Balls lost

When I was playing quite often that tended to be the one thought I would come away with...how many balls I'd lost. Sometimes it was none, and I'd consider that good, even if I'd shot a crappy 40-over par. (Perhaps I never took the game seriouly enough!)