How do you plan to improve?

[woosey]

Hey guys,

Sort of related to my other topic (best 'pro' swing) how are you planning to get your handicap down? I take regular lessons and being an IT geek try to get tech into my practice to help me (currently using MTRx and looking at a 3bays etc type device). I'm trying to work on my hip rotation on the downswing which is *horrific* at the moment.

Plenty of golfers i play with try to improve by just hitting balls and no lessons etc, whilst i'm sure it works if you have the natural talents, i dare say in most cases it doesn't.

So what's your plan to get your handicap down...

 

[G1BB0]

practice, practice & more practice

a day with JustOne very soon

then practice, practice, practice


rinse and repeat

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

I plan on taking lessons once I'm at my new club in April. Then it's just a case of practice as often as I can, a combination of range for distance and time up the field for short game practice

 

[Oddsocks]

Constructive focused practice on specific areas, chipping, putting, bunkers and so on.

 

[Birchy]

Play golf as many days as possible. Lessons now and then when i hit a wall and cant go much further.

Too many people faff about at the range grinding imo. Theres no substitute for going out and playing golf with real people. I could hit 50 out of 50 perfect chips/pitches at a range but its a different kettle when your playing on the course.

 

[garyinderry]

having some real driving problems this last while.

spend ages on youtube last night and think ive got my head around swingplane. i was always taking the driver behind me too early in an attempt to hit from the inside. the butt of the club wasnt pointing at the ball but pointing about 20 yards infront of me.

long story short. i went to the range at formby hall today and made a conscious effort to get the butt of the club pointing at the ball or even inside. i hit around 50 drives and most were very pleasing indeed. felt great hitting the ball stright with the driver for possibly the first time in my life.

i cannot wait to try it again! 1st time in a long time ive left the range happy.

so to answer the OP - concentrate on the driving then work on hybrids. short game is fine. i need dry weather to continue the work ive been doing on bunker shots.

 

[kid2]

Got to 14 without lessons but i was sick of playing like a singles handicapper one week and hacker the following weeek......I needed a fairly consistent swing......Im now 5 months into changes and its nearly there......Suffice to say the first 10 weeks were hell....Very demoralizing and i was close to breaking point but i was too stubborn to give in.....

I like the technical side of it and the reason i miss a certain way and know why....But when im out on the course its no swing thoughts at all....Just look for nice rhythm.....
Iv spent 2 night a week at the driving range these past few months working on the drills and i spent countless hours in front of the TV swinging a 7 iron to get into the positions im supposed to.....
Still progressing away but a much better swing than when i started...Well at least the shots arent lying to me anyway.:lol:

 

[pokerjoke]

Ive done my winter practice.
For me now its a matter of playing twice a week.
I also have been on you-tube,i have specifically been looking at putting drills.
Feel i have got some great tips.

 

[JustOne]

Chipping.

If you chip them dead you save practically 1 shot every time.

 

[lyden]

Play golf as many days as possible. Lessons now and then when i hit a wall and cant go much further.

Too many people faff about at the range grinding imo. Theres no substitute for going out and playing golf with real people. I could hit 50 out of 50 perfect chips/pitches at a range but its a different kettle when your playing on the course.

Have to disagree with you there, how many sports do you get better at by playing them? No substitute for structured practice.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Short game and putting. I've done the work on my swing over the winter and it's about trusting it and getting out and playing. I just need to work on the short game and putting. If I only make 3-4 up and downs that could be the difference between buffer and a cut

 

[MadAdey]

2 plans for this year:

1) Sort out my putting
2) Start playing the correct shot. Not the super risky one trying to always make birdie that ends up in a double. But also not the ultra safe one trying not to make double that it ends up leading to a single.

Well got a new putter and that has sorted out the first bit. It is just now a case of starting to choose the correct shot to be playing. After playing on Saturday in the medal I hit the wrong shot 3 times and it cost me 4 shots. So that is the next thing to sort out.

 

[G1BB0]

its only the wrong shot when it doesnt work Adey! How many potential wrong shots did you play that did work?

swings and roundabouts fella

 

[Birchy]

Have to disagree with you there, how many sports do you get better at by playing them? No substitute for structured practice.

All of them.

 

[MadAdey]

its only the wrong shot when it doesnt work Adey! How many potential wrong shots did you play that did work?

swings and roundabouts fella

It is the wrong shot when there is more chance of it going wrong than right. I did not play any other shots that were risky, that is how I managed to get a 0.6 cut in high winds and rain.

 

[G1BB0]

will let you off then

 

[MadAdey]

All of them.

With you there Birchy. You always here about footballers needing match practice. But you do still need a balance between the 2. You need to practice to get a good technique. But need to play to actually learn how to put htat technique into practice.

 

[Wayman]

regular practice and lessons improve my short game and putting and get down to hopefully 3 or 4

 

[stevelev]

Keep up with the practise, get into as many Qualifying comps as I can manage. Minimum of 1 lesson per month, range twice a week, play once a week, practise at home when possible.

Must be paying off. Shot 83 yesterday, 87 last weekend, 85 last Thursday. Just need to keep it that low and get lower. Driving is a big let down, make a par then re-visit the last fairway. And not fussy on hooks or slice either ruin me.

I think one of the most important things to have is the right coach otherwise learning is hard and tedious.

 

[Birchy]

With you there Birchy. You always here about footballers needing match practice. But you do still need a balance between the 2. You need to practice to get a good technique. But need to play to actually learn how to put htat technique into practice.

I agree totally with the balance between the two. I just think that people trying to get better spend too much time practicing hitting balls rather than going out and hitting proper shots that mean something. In sport you need to put yourself out of your comfort zone and under pressure to improve imo.