How does one readjust ones sights?

[Alex1975]

Hi all,

A little advice please.

I have become a rather better golfer than I ever expected to be. I am no Tiger Woods, I am knocking it round about 10 over (Official handicap 12) but for perhaps 20 rounds it has been pretty much exactly the same, freaky consistency really. If I have a bad driving day I will clear up well and if I have a good GIR day I will putt poorly,the result is always the same score, 81,82,83. 15 games ago I would go home buzzing like a bee, I now never go home happy.... well I am happy, just not buzzing. As a result I am now not starting a game of golf with the same excitement as in the past... "will this be the day I do something crazy good" if you like.

I am aware of the human tendency of self fulfilling prophecy but the heart of the matter seems to be that I am not excited about impressing myself as that ship sailed some months back.

It is worth saying that I have no interest in handicap so that is not a driving force, I like to play good golf as it feels good, simple as that...


Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Alex

 

[chrisd]

Hi all,

A little advice please.

I have become a rather better golfer than I ever expected to be. I am no Tiger Woods, I am knocking it round about 10 over (Official handicap 12) but for perhaps 20 rounds it has been pretty much exactly the same, freaky consistency really. If I have a bad driving day I will clear up well and if I have a good GIR day I will putt poorly,the result is always the same score, 81,82,83. 15 games ago I would go home buzzing like a bee, I now never go home happy.... well I am happy, just not buzzing. As a result I am now not starting a game of golf with the same excitement as in the past... "will this be the day I do something crazy good" if you like.

I am aware of the human tendency of self fulfilling prophecy but the heart of the matter seems to be that I am not excited about impressing myself as that ship sailed some months back.

It is worth saying that I have no interest in handicap so that is not a driving force, I like to play good golf as it feels good, simple as that...


Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Alex

I think that I was there last season too and decided that re adjusting my goals was the answer. If you've stopped getting the buzz because you've plateaued out then firstly you should enjoy where you're at, the reason that it's almost boring is simply because you've got better, so, looking to new targets (handicap or not) is the way forward.

Decide what you would feel like hitting better shots than you do now, scoring better and,dare I say, off a lower handicap and put the work In that has got you where you are now.

Well done though

 

[fundy]

Tee it up in a few comps, put yourself under a bit of pressure rather than playing with the same people in bounce games. Enter some of the knockout comps, challenge yourself in different environments, guarantee you'll see some variety in your scores then (says the guy who has just shot 12 worse than he did at the weekend lol)

BTW greens are firming up a lot, several of them already on the too firm side, golf course only going to get harder to score the next few months

 

[Alex1975]

Tee it up in a few comps, put yourself under a bit of pressure rather than playing with the same people in bounce games. Enter some of the knockout comps, challenge yourself in different environments, guarantee you'll see some variety in your scores then (says the guy who has just shot 12 worse than he did at the weekend lol)

BTW greens are firming up a lot, several of them already on the too firm side, golf course only going to get harder to score the next few months

Ye ye it was tough holding greens this evening! There was plenty of grass on them but the ground under it was hard.

On the wider point I think my attitude just sux a bit at the mo.... Feel uninspired.

 

[the_coach]

Hi all,

A little advice please.

I have become a rather better golfer than I ever expected to be. I am no Tiger Woods, I am knocking it round about 10 over (Official handicap 12) but for perhaps 20 rounds it has been pretty much exactly the same, freaky consistency really. If I have a bad driving day I will clear up well and if I have a good GIR day I will putt poorly,the result is always the same score, 81,82,83. 15 games ago I would go home buzzing like a bee, I now never go home happy.... well I am happy, just not buzzing. As a result I am now not starting a game of golf with the same excitement as in the past... "will this be the day I do something crazy good" if you like.

I am aware of the human tendency of self fulfilling prophecy but the heart of the matter seems to be that I am not excited about impressing myself as that ship sailed some months back.

It is worth saying that I have no interest in handicap so that is not a driving force, I like to play good golf as it feels good, simple as that...


Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Alex

Simplistic answer, but true, would be aim to score 75 gross.

To do that you would have to be very smart with your course management.

One way to do this is to map out your home course & then instead of starting to look at course management forwards tee to green. You do it back to front, plan from green to tee each hole.

Do your paper plan of how to play your next round, looking at it this other way around. Even better if you find out where the pins are.

Then plan what side and where on the 1st green you'd be able to put aggressively, not defensively, where do you need to be on the green to get an uphill straight-ish putt.

So then where in the fairway would give you the best line in to get to that best position on the green, & then which side of the Tee do you need to T up to give yourself the best opportunity to get to the best position for the shot in.

Make a paper plan from position on the green backwards for each hole.

Doing this you should be better able to identify which holes you can be more aggressive on looking for under par to which a par & move on would be the safest goal to have.

Which par 3's can you attack to get the best uphill, level, straight-ish putt, to which par 3's you need to just look at the fat part of the green regardless 2 putt & get out with a par.

Also looking at par 3's this way should give you a much better idea where to Tee it up.

To get off the plateau you're stuck on, you need to be much more precise in your targets as you play each hole.

You might then find you need to get back to the practice ground &/or lesson Tee to get you swing technique up a ways to a level to be able to execute all of the above.

 

[G_Mulligan]

I was discussing this with a fellow psychologist a few weeks ago. Is it better to be ultra consistent or say shoot 15 over a couple of times and then go in with a 7 over. Still averaging the same handicap wise but the 7-15 will probably have more fun.

Not an easy thing to achieve though at least not willingly. Perhaps you could take a few more risks than you do, fire at a few more flags instead of playing for the centre, give the putts and chips and run at the hole, give it a rip instead of laying up. Whatever it is maybe get out of your comfort zone and mix your steady play up with a bit of your inner seve.

 

[Alex1975]

The Coach: Thank you very much for taking the time out to write all that, it sounds like a very interesting way to move forwards. I shall kinda need 4 plans of attach as my home course is defended by strong winds most days. While they can be predictable they can also be random.

G_Mulligan: Thanks also but I am not looking to play worse golf, I am not going to rip at it, that's now how to play... lets call it, reasonable golf. I am not a lay up kind of guy though, if a par 5 is make-able in two I will always have a go at it.

From a psychological point of view, its actually ridiculous that I am complaining or at least having a little moan about a purple patch. I would not want to play any worse but in reality this is golf. I think the deal hear is this has been a very long time coming. I practice every night and now its here to some extent I may just be a little warn out mentally.

 

[fundy]

Want a bit of inspiring come out and have a game with Shack in a comp, played with him sunday and yesterday, inspiration if needed lol. At the last yesterday from the very backs he hit driver wedge to about 12 ft and lipped it out for eagle, fun to watch and sunday i was living with him for 15 holes

Generally think you should look for a bit more variety, maybe play a few smartcard courses, play some comps, some matchplay games, challenge yourself differently.

Last year you got set a tough handicap and made it your goal to be able to play to it and I think in your eyes that represented being a "proper" golfer of sorts. Maybe its time to raise the bar and set a new tough target. Single figures? Break 80 round a course thats not AVGC? Win a comp?

 

[Alex1975]

Want a bit of inspiring come out and have a game with Shack in a comp, played with him sunday and yesterday, inspiration if needed lol. At the last yesterday from the very backs he hit driver wedge to about 12 ft and lipped it out for eagle, fun to watch and sunday i was living with him for 15 holes

Generally think you should look for a bit more variety, maybe play a few smartcard courses, play some comps, some matchplay games, challenge yourself differently.

Last year you got set a tough handicap and made it your goal to be able to play to it and I think in your eyes that represented being a "proper" golfer of sorts. Maybe its time to raise the bar and set a new tough target. Single figures? Break 80 round a course thats not AVGC? Win a comp?

I really enjoyed playing with him a couple of times earlier this year, wonderful golfer. I find all the juniors at our place so nice and balanced as people. For sure what you say about being a proper golfer is true, I can look at myself in the mirror now. I totally agree with what you say about broadening my horizons but... and this is going to sound a little shabby: I love my job, I am loved by my boss and that makes me work my butt off, I then come home and am addicted to spending time with my little girl, she is my everything... Whatever time is left in my life is about a fairly unorganized game of golf if and when I can get to the course. In short I need to get my beep together and be a bit more organized. To round out, some of this will be about personal frustration and not golf at all. If I get the ass with life I do not find golf the way to relax, if I am relaxed I find golf relaxing..... A divorce might be the answer to more inspired golf!!! ( I am kidding about that.... kinda)

PS your every bit the golfer that young man is..... he believes it, he made a few comments to me to that end.

 

[rossymcg]

Simplistic answer, but true, would be aim to score 75 gross.

To do that you would have to be very smart with your course management.

One way to do this is to map out your home course & then instead of starting to look at course management forwards tee to green. You do it back to front, plan from green to tee each hole.

Do your paper plan of how to play your next round, looking at it this other way around. Even better if you find out where the pins are.

Then plan what side and where on the 1st green you'd be able to put aggressively, not defensively, where do you need to be on the green to get an uphill straight-ish putt.

So then where in the fairway would give you the best line in to get to that best position on the green, & then which side of the Tee do you need to T up to give yourself the best opportunity to get to the best position for the shot in.

Make a paper plan from position on the green backwards for each hole.

Doing this you should be better able to identify which holes you can be more aggressive on looking for under par to which a par & move on would be the safest goal to have.

Which par 3's can you attack to get the best uphill, level, straight-ish putt, to which par 3's you need to just look at the fat part of the green regardless 2 putt & get out with a par.

Also looking at par 3's this way should give you a much better idea where to Tee it up.

To get off the plateau you're stuck on, you need to be much more precise in your targets as you play each hole.

You might then find you need to get back to the practice ground &/or lesson Tee to get you swing technique up a ways to a level to be able to execute all of the above.

The guys is a 12 handicap, to be honest I doubt in his mind would be "where to leave the ball when hitting in to the green or what side of the fairway to drive the ball, he wouldn't be consistent enough for these thoughts to be entering his mind,
Your a double figure handicap because that's the level of skills you've developed,
To score lower(which would mean hitting the ball and putting better) you need to practice properly(not just bashing balls) and you'll improve,

 

[G_Mulligan]

The Coach: Thank you very much for taking the time out to write all that, it sounds like a very interesting way to move forwards. I shall kinda need 4 plans of attach as my home course is defended by strong winds most days. While they can be predictable they can also be random.

G_Mulligan: Thanks also but I am not looking to play worse golf, I am not going to rip at it, that's now how to play... lets call it, reasonable golf. I am not a lay up kind of guy though, if a par 5 is make-able in two I will always have a go at it.

From a psychological point of view, its actually ridiculous that I am complaining or at least having a little moan about a purple patch. I would not want to play any worse but in reality this is golf. I think the deal hear is this has been a very long time coming. I practice every night and now its here to some extent I may just be a little warn out mentally.

of course I would not expect you to want to play worse golf but being willing to risk the odd high round for the chance of going much lower is worth thinking about if you want to break through to the single figure numbers. Just a thought. Good luck to you