Limiting factors ?

User 105

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What do you guys see as the limiting factors to a golfer improving ?

I've been stuck at around 11-12 handicap for about 4 years now. Despite regular lessons, spending a lot of time practicing and playing 2-3 times a week (in the summer at least) I don't seem to actually be improving. If anything I feel I'm getting slightly worse. :angry:

I've tried changing coaches a few times in an effort to shake things up but I'm starting to get to the conclusion that this might be as good as I'll ever get :mmm:

I know I can shoot 5-6 shots under my hcp when everything clicks but most of the time I miss the buffer and then the once a year low one brings me back down again to between 11-12.

My pattern seems to be play good golf for a few holes, then out of nowhere I'm all over the place for no apparent reason, then again for no reason I'll be fine again. But by then I'll have wrecked my card.

This weekend was the perfect example. I shot 32 points but with 4 blobs in close proximity mid round. But when I say blobs they we're 8's and 9's, so we're not talking about 1 bad shot doing the damage it will be a really bad drive, couple of duffed irons, duffed wedge and a 3-putt.

Then out of nowhere I'm fine again.

Thoughts ?
 

Lord Tyrion

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There are many limiting factors but some come down to a natural ceiling that your talent will take you to. No insult intended there, I am a much higher h/c than you so my ceiling is lower than yours :D. That is the same in all sports, golf is no different.

Don't underestimate as well how bloomin hard golf is with little margin for error. You are asking a lot to get everything right time after time.

Maybe a different coach will give you a magic tip and that will make the difference, maybe you are as good as you can be. As long as you don't let it eat you up and you enjoy your golf then maybe it doesn't actually matter. The scoring in golf can actually be quite self destructive as you are measuring yourself every time you go out in a way that is never done in most sports, ie football, rugby, tennis etc. That puts extra pressure on a player and affects the enjoyment.
 

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Thanks. No insult taken. I'm starting to think I've probably hit that ceiling and I'm not going to break through it without a considerable amount of extra time\effort that I don't really have to dedicate to this game.

One of the issues my coach has identified as a contributing factor is my lack of flexibility due to too much weight training over the years. My back, chest and shoulders are really tight. Despite doing lots of stretches over the past years to loosen things off it's only improved marginally. I can't get a full 90 deg turn or get my hands in the right position at the top of the backswing without dragging my body right out of position, which then makes it really hard to get back to impact consistently. I almost have to use a half swing to keep everything together.
 

OnTour

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Fitness, focus and planning ?

Bad drive, few duffs sounds like concentration is slipping then your losing the focus or getting anxiety ?

Personally planning how I play every hole every time has improved all three last month or so.
 
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Limiting Factors -

For me it will always be someone’s natural ability will dictate your ceiling- and then many won’t reach that ceiling due to things like not being play enough or practise etc. But a lot of people imo will get to a certain level and no matter how many lessons or practise sessions just won’t get better because they have reached their natural ability level
 

User 105

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Limiting Factors -

For me it will always be someone’s natural ability will dictate your ceiling- and then many won’t reach that ceiling due to things like not being play enough or practise etc. But a lot of people imo will get to a certain level and no matter how many lessons or practise sessions just won’t get better because they have reached their natural ability level

I with you on that. And I think the closer you get to that ceiling the more effort you have to put in to improve, or even maintain that level.

It kind of feels that's where I am at the moment.
 

Patster1969

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Also, it may well be that as soon as you stop beating yourself up over the non-movement and start to enjoy it for what it is (or the reason that you started playing), you may find you will improve just by removing the pressure you are putting yourself under.
 

User 105

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Fitness, focus and planning ?

Bad drive, few duffs sounds like concentration is slipping then your losing the focus or getting anxiety ?

I don't think it's anxiety I don't really get nervous, stressed or overthink things. I'm pretty relaxed when I play regardless of the outcome.

My immediate thought some time back was it's concentration related as well, so I do make sure I focus on every shot. I have a strict PSR that I stick to every time.

It's probably not planning either. I'm pretty meticulous about how I'm going to play each hole, then adjust if I have to.

It's probably not course management either. If I get in trouble I'll always make sure I get myself back in play. I don't go for 1 in 100 shots, I tend to go for the shot i feel most comfortable hitting, even if it won't get me to the green in 2 etc.
 

Orikoru

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Limiting factors for me would be time and money. I work Monday to Friday and play football on the weekends so one round a weekend is all I can crowbar in. Can sometimes get down the range on a Thursday night as well. Even in summer when football season is done though I can't really afford to play twice a week. I've improved this year certainly but handicap has only gone down 1, as I've only had time to play in about 11 competitions I think.
 

Jacko_G

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You need to get comfortable playing below your handicap and be able to draw on previous experiences when playing well.
 
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What when wrong for the first bad hole this weekend?
 
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Some of it will be level based on playing/practise and how much natural ability you have.

It maybe you are dropping concentration on certain(whether intentionally or under pressure) as ontour mentions. Have played with many people with much better swings than mine, who are playing around 10 to 18, but a swing alone doesn't shoot low scores, as they waste shots or lose it slightly mentally. If you are getting duffs then concentration/tempo/release/movement is the reason, you have changed things. A duff or a bad top are almost like a wasted shot, as it is so short, must always progress the ball.

Two matters I think you can never underestimate when playing, if you are looking at reducing your handicap are:-

1) The strength of belief that your next shot is going to a target and focusing on the target and that it is going to be the best shot ever and using that to be positive in your outlook etc, as this will help with how low can you shoot and how confident you are even on good/bad days.
2) Quickly spotting your stock shot for that particular round (for instance sometimes I am straight as an arrow, other times with a slice and other days straight pulls or pushes, spot it early and you can use that shot, rather than trying to change it or letting it get to you)

To me its the low rounds that dictate your handicap and not your bad round scores, so you only need 2-3 low rounds out of say 15, to drop your handicap by a fair way.

Best of luck and if you find the key, you will be a rich man:cheers:
 
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louise_a

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My handicap has fluctuated between1 and 11 for the last 2 or 4 seasons and I despair of getting lower. For me its the destructive shot that comes out of nowhere that seems to kill me, mostly with a wood but sometimes with an iron too, the ball just shoots 45 degrees to the right and usually ends up in the trees or a ditch.

I have no idea why it happens and doubt that lessons would stop it as I think I am doing the same thing as when I hit a good one with the same club.
 

the_coach

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OP - have found through coaching & playing with bunch of mid or higher index players overtime - a whole bunch of the lack of improvement & being 'stuck' at whatever 'level' (taking aside 'natural ability' thing for the time being)

no question a big factor is in the mental approach to playing 18 holes when to focus & what to focus on & how best to achieve that along with the clarity of shot intentions prior to shot execution

it's been around the difficulty folks have in being able to 'objectively' critique/analyze why stuff breaks down during play along with that just getting any analysis of 'why' just wrong as golf is real counterintuitive & folks think that they are doing 'this or these particular things' when the root/roots of the real issues lie elsewhere

& a whole bunch is really about course management & particular shot selection & club selection & making realistic choices giving both the general playing standard folks are at but also how folks 'feel' on 'the' actual day of play
& lack of prep before a round or again 'wrong' focus of any prep that is done

another big part is decision making after an 'error' happens

other real major stuff is I see more folks who just practice 'wrong' than with a practice regime that's tuned to bringing real improvements through the type of practice being done - so the small amount of time folks have for practice is not being best utilized

also folks not taking any lessons at all - folks taking lessons but not approaching them in a ways that's real constructive

most elite players/coaches & certainly PGA Pro's can & do improve an index players round by playing along with them & talking through course management decisions before their shots
 

User 105

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What when wrong for the first bad hole this weekend?

Nothing major really. 170 yard par 3 into the wind. Pin was on the right. Water in front and too the right so aimed middle of the green and just hit a bit of a push\slice that the wind got hold of and found the water on the right. Dropped one this side of the water and duffed the 40 yard pitch shot back in the drink again.

Wasn't actually that bothered at the time. Was a tough hole into the wind with a lot of water around the green and I don't get any shots.
 

shortgame

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Many good reasons already mentioned

Not eveveryone will agree but talent is a major factor. We tend to find our level and plateau and it takes a lot of effort to get past that (some obvious examples on here)

Not everyone is able to reach the same level, despite what the 10,000 hours practice advicates may say
 

User 105

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Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I'm sure there is something 'mental' going on when I have these mid round spells. The problem is it just comes out of nowhere. I honestly don't feel any different so can't identify any trigger. It just happens.

When it does happen I do just let it go. Nothing I can do about it now, right ! I do try and take each shot as it comes. I don't stand over the next shot annoyed about the last or thinking I need to do something good here to recover the hole.

There maybe something to playing with better players. I've pretty much played exclusively with my m8, who is off 24, for the past 3 years. I've now joined a second club so have been playing with a lot more players, so that might help.

All great suggestions and has given me something to think about.
 

shortgame

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My pattern seems to be play good golf for a few holes, then out of nowhere I'm all over the place for no apparent reason, then again for no reason I'll be fine again. But by then I'll have wrecked my card.
Thoughts ?

Does it seem to be the same bad holes on the same course (I found I was switching off mid round on simpler holes)

Does it happen both in comps and bounce games? (Subconciously we can tend to find ways of scoring within our comfort zones)
 
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Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I'm sure there is something 'mental' going on when I have these mid round spells. The problem is it just comes out of nowhere. I honestly don't feel any different so can't identify any trigger. It just happens.

When it does happen I do just let it go. Nothing I can do about it now, right ! I do try and take each shot as it comes. I don't stand over the next shot annoyed about the last or thinking I need to do something good here to recover the hole.

There maybe something to playing with better players. I've pretty much played exclusively with my m8, who is off 24, for the past 3 years. I've now joined a second club so have been playing with a lot more players, so that might help.

All great suggestions and has given me something to think about.
Your post is exactly were I am, got down to 11.0 from 13 this season, went back to 11.6, then another cut to 11 and now back to 12.1, I questioned what happened on your first bad hole because, again, that’s what has happening to me, I’ve tried the “oh I’ve forgotten about it” or “don’t mess up again” etc and as we come to the end of the season I believe I’ve put too much pressure and expectation on myself, I find in competitions once I’ve had a bad hole I “chase” a score to get myself back to buffer and more often than not it’s led to more bad holes.

Obviously in any sport we have different natural abilities, but I don’t believe we have a natural level as we can always try and improve, I certainly don’t believe in simply accepting it.

We don’t have qualifiers now until next April so I see the next 5 months as a challenge to get a bit more consistent and get a bit more mentally prepared for next summer.

Good luck mate and hopefully you’ll get to single figures next summer.
 

the_coach

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Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I'm sure there is something 'mental' going on when I have these mid round spells. The problem is it just comes out of nowhere. I honestly don't feel any different so can't identify any trigger. It just happens.

When it does happen I do just let it go. Nothing I can do about it now, right ! I do try and take each shot as it comes. I don't stand over the next shot annoyed about the last or thinking I need to do something good here to recover the hole.

There maybe something to playing with better players. I've pretty much played exclusively with my m8, who is off 24, for the past 3 years. I've now joined a second club so have been playing with a lot more players, so that might help.

All great suggestions and has given me something to think about.

for sure being able to play with different folks who have already reached the level you looking to get to or even further along the index ladder is good ways to go

just looking at that shot that caused issues in the recent game
things I would advise folks to consider would be

where in the round did it happen

had you made a reasonable assessment of just how strong the wind was - 1/2/3 club wind etc
exactly how did you tee the ball up - in relation to that tee-box where did you tee the ball from

how wide is the green - how deep is the green - extent of the trouble long - what's happening trouble wise the non penal & non shortside of the green (left)

what had been the overall shot flight pattern being experienced prior to - what type of slight curvatures were there - how good was the shot distance control

under normal playing conditions do you really know to 5 yards how far you carry each club through the bag

how does this stuff maybes relate to the outcome of that particular shot

trouble front & right of - wind was against - but the aim was dead center green
slightly come off/back off any shot the likely 'mistakes' will be too high flight so loss of penetrating traj - short - shot tend to stall drift rightfield so short & right

likely the real margin for error target wise would be the extreme left edge of green - plus again real margin for error maybes definitely take more than enough club

these are all just rhetorical questions & about just different ways to look at/approach course management & shot selection & club selection - so next time hopefully ball stays dry

guessing too the issue with the stubby pitch recovery had a deal to do with set-up & maybes club selection perhaps assessment of ground conditions those kinda things
 
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