Lower Handicap

[provj]

Hi, I'm playing off 15 at the moment and would really like to get down to single figures this year. I haven't really got the time to put in loads of practice. I get 1 round a week and probably 1 hour at the driving range midweek. Any ideas to improve without too much time spent or anything I can do at home?

 

[brendy]

Not really, you will need to practice.
Spend any time you have got on chipping and putting and at least you might save a shot or two a round over time.

 

[CrapHacker]

Yup.

Improve your chipping and putting, and also take the ego out of your game.

Play the dull good shot every time, and never try the lower percentage, fun shot.

 

[RGDave]

Yup.

Improve your chipping and putting, and also take the ego out of your game.

Play the dull good shot every time, and never try the lower percentage, fun shot.

and get stuck on 12....like someone we know.

Having said that, it's only a matter of time now.

 

[Oddsocks]

Yup.

Improve your chipping and putting, and also take the ego out of your game.

Play the dull good shot every time, and never try the lower percentage, fun shot.

Bang on the money!

My recent good games have been down to 2 things:

1)- Common sense chipping leaving me close enough to hole the put (52* vokey helps here) when every i try to play the ego shots with a 60* im short or thin through the green

2)- taking more time reading my putts.

within reason on most par 4's of 400 yards any mid teens handicapper can smash a drive and a wedge to the green, but the up and downs is where the score card will drop. Im also noticing now that playing shorter clubs off the tee for position to leave me full clubs in is helping loads. and ive stopped flirting with fariway bunkers where possible as i cant play them. Theres simply no logics going driver, sand wedge, pitching wedge, chip + 2 puts when i can go 3w, 9iron, chip and 2 puts.

ive also now started to look on SI 1-10 as being 1 more for par which has stopped the pressure, if its a SI4 and a par 4, i play it as a sensible par 5 and then still bag my bogey for 2 points.

 

[freddielong]

Here try this magic potion, why waste your time working on your game.

People like you annoy the hell out of me, even if I could help I wouldn't, I hope your handicap goes up to 20

 

[Oddsocks]

PMSL, nice one freddie, thats half a cup of coffee all over my dam keyboard!

 

[freddielong]

Sorry but anyone who has read my posts will have seen it coming, I really dislike the "I want everthing for nothing brigade"

 

[Oddsocks]

was harsh though.

 

[bobmac]

To be fair, ProVj does say he spends an hour a week on the range and wants to practice at home which is more than some people.
If time is limited due to family and work, I understand your problem.
But, what Freddie says is true..if you want to get better...practice. There's no short cut I'm afraid

 

[freddielong]

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind just ask Simon Cowell

 

[brendy]

and get stuck on 12....like someone we know.

Having said that, it's only a matter of time now.

The demons, they wont stop making me think about everything, have I clipped my nails, will the hole in my left sock knock my balance off, Did I brush each tooth 44 times precisely before coming out this morning.

SWIIIIPE.

I dont know how that missed the fairway, I mean, minimum thoughts, good swing and some bling.... what happened? I think Ill mull it over for a fortnight and maybe blog my thoughts to the exactest detail.

 

[RGDave]

and get stuck on 12....like someone we know.

Having said that, it's only a matter of time now.

The demons, they wont stop making me think about everything, have I clipped my nails, will the hole in my left sock knock my balance off, Did I brush each tooth 44 times precisely before coming out this morning.

SWIIIIPE.

I dont know how that missed the fairway, I mean, minimum thoughts, good swing and some bling.... what happened? I think I'll mull it over for a fortnight and maybe blog my thoughts to the exactest detail.

Now I'm totally confused.

 

[provj]

I presume that torrent of abuse was aimed at me. obviously your lack of education has resulted in you misunderstanding my question? I was trying to ask if anyone had any tips that could be practised at home for example: putting practice, or chipping practice in the garden.
It's not easy to replicate true putting as nothing can compare to a real green. It was simply a question to which I would of liked some answers or pointers. I've only been playing golf since April 09 and would like to get down to single figures this year so any practice at home would be great as I'm busy at work.
Just out of curiosity Freddielong what do you play off?

 

[bobmac]

Provj, I suggest you film your swing, upload it to You-tube and post a link here so we can maybe help you to get down to single figures.

 

[Oddsocks]

prov, thats bloody good going but i do think from complete starter to single figures in 18months is slighly unrealistic. (not meant in an abusive way either)

id try and get a chipping mat (theres ads for this in the back of the GM mag) set up some bin lids around the garden and aim to chip to the bin lids. if you can say that from anywhere in your garden to can land chips within a bin lid you watch your h/c drop.

Unfortantely HID wanted to make the garden pretty so my chipping area got screwed in favour or paths and plant beds. shame as before the pat was there i had enough room to get a net installed between the 2 garden sheds. (dam you women)

 

[Fyldewhite]

You need to look at where you lose your shots. For example, if you are a "steady 15" and go round in mostly bogey's but very few pars and birdies then you probably need to improve your short game from 100 yards in and especially around the green. If you always seem to have 2 or 3 nightmares then tee shots (not necessarily with a driver) and course management is probably where the improvement lies. There's no substitute for practice but if time is limited then practicing the right things instead of aimlessly hitting balls on the range is key.

 

[freddielong]

I presume that torrent of abuse was aimed at me. obviously your lack of education has resulted in you misunderstanding my question? I was trying to ask if anyone had any tips that could be practised at home for example: putting practice, or chipping practice in the garden.
It's not easy to replicate true putting as nothing can compare to a real green. It was simply a question to which I would of liked some answers or pointers. I've only been playing golf since April 09 and would like to get down to single figures this year so any practice at home would be great as I'm busy at work.
Just out of curiosity Freddielong what do you play off?

Torrent of abuse was harsh one mildly offensive statement is hardly a torrent but I do apologise for that, I see and speak to a lot of people who just expect to get better or think buying a new set of clubs wll get there handicap down

Practice make time, its the only way or dont expect to get better, the only thing you could work on to any degree of success at home is your pre shot routine and shot visualisation, unless you have a huge garden that is.

My Handicap is not important but all I will say is lower than you and have been for a long long time

 

[USER1999]

To me, the only useful practice you can do at home is spend 10 minutes a night with a putting mat, banging in 4 footers. Longer than this is a waste of time, as it doesn't reflect a putting green for speed or contours, but it does give confidence on short ones. If you never miss a 4 footer, then you will undoubtedly pick up a couple of shots.

Boring though.

Other than that, there is not much you can do.

Most shots during the round are lost from stupid shots. Lost drives, shanked irons, fatted / thinned bunker shots. The only way to eliminate these is good technique and practice. Not things you can do at home.

 

[provj]

WOOHOO!! Thanks for the positive comments and input. I'm seriously not so deluded to think that I can improve without practice. I'm sure your all busy guys and appreciate that the four letter word WORK get's in the way of golf. My question was more to ask if anyone has any ideas for putting or chipping practice at home when I get half hour or so spare. Like the bin lid idea and uploading my swing. Great advice.
Freddielong I don't expect to get better I know it takes time and effort but at the moment I don't have the time to put in loads of practice. I really enjoy playing and would love to get down to single figures this year, so thought it would be good to ask for advice.