Low handicappers...

kid2

Money List Winner
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
5,173
Location
Ireland
Visit site
I had the real pleasure of playing with a 24yr old 2 handicapper yesterday and for me it was the best thing that could have come my way over the past months....Without him knowing it he had answered heaps of questions i had hopping round in my head without him uttering a word...

After topping my opening shot 25 yards and scratching our first i really began to settle and play some really tasty golf...
It was very interesting to see how he managed his card...
Never lost his cool when he bogied and just said we'll get that one back later...Class!..

His game was rubbing off big time on me i was striking irons pure and straight..My chipping was good putting was good even my driving was above average for me And when i hit a few pear shaped ones he reassured me to not dwell on the shot and just let rip and relax with the provisional....I was attacking greens that previously i was cagey about going for....My game and mind seemed to be free from the fear of what outcome was to transpire if i didnt catch one right..

I didnt care if i missed a green or not.

I hope that i get to play again with the lad and im sure i will...
He was full of compliments for me and one in particular that hit home was when he asked me did i ever had a lesson to which i replied well Yes and No...Thanks Bob ;)

He said that my posture was very good, that i had a very solid game and that i hit the ball far better than my handicap would suggest...He told me that there was easily a single figure handicapper in me and that a lesson or 2 would really take me up a level...
 
Playing with a low handicapper can sometimes be the best lesson you can have.
Just by watching and observing.


Thats mainly what happened PJ....I know the lad from when i first joined the club 2 yrs ago and always heard people talking of how good he was. But but yesterday was a very valuable lesson for me.

I swung the club nice and easy and didn't try to knock it into space...The result was i found the middle of the club more often and found extra distance with a straighter flight.
I was even surprising myself.
 
I have to agree!

After playing of 15 for a while I knew I had a good score in me. I played with 2 professionals, at the turn I was 8 over and was expecting a mediocre round again.

On the back nine I set myself a target if trying to keep up with the big boys, including 250-300 yard drives (obviously with roll for me!) and going for every green. I bogeyed the 10th then to my surprise I finished level on the last 8 hole all pars!

It proved that I did have it in me, I just needed a confidence boost that I could keep up with the big boys and with a bit of risk taking it can pay off!

I was also surprised how calm they all were, but it clicked that they don't worry about bogeys because they come across birdies a lot more often than we do!
 
I played with a 16 year old 2 handicapper in the May medal and tbh it just made me angry! I was walking around the golf course wondering why I'd wasted my youth....
 
I think playing with lower guys always helps.

I played every week for two years with a mate who was off 23, and i was stuck around 13-14. He gave up and started playing with a couple of guys that were single figs. Pleyed with them though the winter and came straight down at the start of the season and got down to 8 the same year.#

Mind you i play every week at Nairn with cat 1 players and i've been up 0.1 every time :(
 
I play regularly with a m8 of mine who's a 2 handicapper and it just depresses me.

I'm not a short hitter by any means but his game is based on pure power. He hits the ball an absolute country mile, which means most holes are driver and a wedge.

The only time I ever see him use his mid irons are on 200 yard par 3's

tbh, on and around the greens there's not much difference between the two of us. His real advantage is that he's usually approaching the greens with 3 clubs less than I am which gives him much better control and accuracy.

At times I have to slow my swing down when I'm playing with him as I tend to try to hit the ball harder and harder and loose any control I do have. :(
 
Playing with a low handicapper can sometimes be the best lesson you can have.
Just by watching and observing.
I swung the club nice and easy and didn't try to knock it into space...The result was i found the middle of the club more often and found extra distance with a straighter flight.

if more people did that they would see and feel instant results.............however..........wheres the fun in that, I want to be on both toes smacking a career best drive each time......but usually end up with less distance(never learn)
anyone going to the Opens this fortnight just watch the rhythme and effortless swings on the practice fairway
 
Its the 'child like' way of learning. Children learn by copying.

Some years ago i played regularly with 4 guys who where considerably better than myself.
The competition to keep up with them,going for shots they go for, and mimicking their moves.

I think i may be proof it works.!

Im 1 good round away from being off 4....and as for the 4 guys..2 are on tour, 1 was, last time i heard, a club pro and the other still knocks it round in about 2over.
 
Its the 'child like' way of learning. Children learn by copying.

I think i may be proof it works.

You might be, then again, maybe not.

There is very not a great chance i.m.o. of learning all the necessary skills to be good at something by watching. Every little helps, of course.

In Matthew Syed's book, he discusses these theories in a round about way. I'll see if I can find a quote or two.

I like playing with good players, I can't say I've learned a great deal, except they can swing a club, and I can't. :o
 
Its the 'child like' way of learning. Children learn by copying.

I think i may be proof it works.

You might be, then again, maybe not.

There is very not a great chance i.m.o. of learning all the necessary skills to be good at something by watching. Every little helps, of course.

In Matthew Syed's book, he discusses these theories in a round about way. I'll see if I can find a quote or two.

I like playing with good players, I can't say I've learned a great deal, except they can swing a club, and I can't. :o


There were times where i was trying to play the safe option...Something that i was doing recently with Some results but whenever he got close to me he was telling me to have a go..Relax and go for the target....More often than not it worked....
 
I experienced this myself just last week when playing in a Pro-Am. I was really worried about playing like a tit but something happened and I hit the ball better than I ever have, especially off the tee. On the second day I was in the company of 2 Pros and a very, very good guy off 5. They were all extremely encouraging which massively helped. But like you say, I found myself attacking more than normal and the results were often good. Obviously there was no card in hand as such for me but it's made me realise how far a little bit of confidence can go and it showed me what I am capable of. Just wish I could play with them all the time!!! ;)
 
Top