freddielong
Tour Winner
Keep your play and your practice separate.
Maintaining a single figure handicap advice
- Thread starter Crawley1981
- Start date
MadAdey
Money List Winner
Not read every reply but sorry if I'm repeating what has already been said. Go with what Patrick said, be a better putter.
Since I sorted my short game out my average round has dropped by 3-5 shots. People I play with compliment me on how good I am at saving a score. It is all down to my putting, I feel that I can hole everything within 6-8 foot of the hole. Because of that it takes some of the pressure from my pitch and chip shots, as I'm not trying to get it dead because I'm frightened of not being close enough to make the putt.
Do I hit every fairway.....No
Do I hit every green....No
Do I 3 putt.....very rarely
Do I get up and down.....most of the time.
Since I sorted my short game out my average round has dropped by 3-5 shots. People I play with compliment me on how good I am at saving a score. It is all down to my putting, I feel that I can hole everything within 6-8 foot of the hole. Because of that it takes some of the pressure from my pitch and chip shots, as I'm not trying to get it dead because I'm frightened of not being close enough to make the putt.
Do I hit every fairway.....No
Do I hit every green....No
Do I 3 putt.....very rarely
Do I get up and down.....most of the time.
bobmac
Major Champion
MadAdey
Money List Winner
You used to
Until some white haired Santa Claus looking old Scotsman handed me two plastic sticks with a bit of rubber attaching them together :thup:
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
I do enjoy a game with my mates but there needs to be a competitive side for me to really enjoy it. If there is no competition I don't play as I would want and become lackadaisical. Doesn't need to be a medal or money on it to be competitive.
Retread61
Assistant Pro
If there is a range near you, then use it once a week but dont get too anal unless your having lessons and practising a technique.
Should that not be possible then spend as much time as feasible working on chipping and putting, there is a reason why that is the number one tip tour professionals give amateurs.
Finally, my absolute best advice for mechanics if you are able to swing a club at home is, get an impact bag. You wont need to hit balls and it helps every part of your game.
Should that not be possible then spend as much time as feasible working on chipping and putting, there is a reason why that is the number one tip tour professionals give amateurs.
Finally, my absolute best advice for mechanics if you are able to swing a club at home is, get an impact bag. You wont need to hit balls and it helps every part of your game.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Compete against the course then ?
What would you do differently if your mates said lets just go have a game and a chat and a wander - nothing on it but good banter and company ?
Curls
Journeyman Pro
Same.
Oh no - now there are two people who don't think the exact same way as others! What will become of us?
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
I would play and enjoy the company and hopefully hit some good shots. If the chat and banter continues I wouldn't be able to play well as I would be drawn into it too much so generally I wouldn't enjoy my golf. I would enjoy the company and the chat but not the golf.
Playing with the same guys in a competition or in a competitive way I would enjoy my golf a lot more.
I enjoy playing every week with my mates, I enjoy their company and chat. That isn't why I play golf though, I could get the same from them in the pub. I play golf to compete and to push myself as far as I can in the game.
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
Playing sport to try and win? How rude!
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
D
Deleted member 17920
Guest
Do the exact opposite of what I have done as I have gone from 7 to 10 this year
But good news is I still took £10 off odvan this weekend
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
So are you unable to focus on each shot because people chat inbetween ?
Do you partake in banter when it's a medal - or are you in stoney silence focusing on each shot ?
I'm struggling to see how people relaxing and chatting effects you hitting the shot unless they chat when you play but that's different
In matchplay against someone you have never played with how do you act ?
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
In a medal/ matchplay competition I talk and interact. But we are all there for the purpose of playing golf to put in the best score we can. It is not about a day out with friends and the golf comes second. I find it much easier to play my best golf when it is competitive. This includes when playing with friends when there is a competitive side to it.
This is just how my mind is and how my mind works. If I am with my friends and it becomes about having a laugh and playing golf then my golf suffers. Ultimately I play the game to be the best I can at the game. That is the whole point of me playing golf. I still enjoy myself when having bounce games with my friends but the golf isn't as good generally.
Do you think when Rory plays golf with his mates and having a laugh he would keep shooting 65s? Or do you think his standard would slip a bit? It's the same for me. If I stop focusing on the game and start joking around just swinging a club in between I don't play my best. I still enjoy it, but not for the reason I play the game.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Actually yes Rory had his best round at Holywood playing with his mates - that's because he can focus on each shot regardless of the situation
When it comes to your shot it's about being able to focus on that one single shot regardless of what happens in between
You can have friendly games but still play well because you still have the same focus on each shot
Just because you have a friendly game with mates and enjoy the banter doesn't mean you can't focus on every shot - same as being in a medal and chatting away. What is the difference ?
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
As I said it is how my mind works. When was Rory's best ever round at Holywood? Was it while he was a pro? Why do so many pros hate pro ams stating they can't focus?
I really don't see why this is such a major thing to understand. The competition makes me focus.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Tbf there can be a very different atmosphere when playing in a comp.
Sure there is still chat and banter but players tend to focus that much more when a comp is on the line.
There is an increased level of respect during comps.
I tend to play better, maybe less wild on comp days. Possibly happier to keep the ball in play where as I will hit driver as hard as possible at times playing with pals.
Sure there is still chat and banter but players tend to focus that much more when a comp is on the line.
There is an increased level of respect during comps.
I tend to play better, maybe less wild on comp days. Possibly happier to keep the ball in play where as I will hit driver as hard as possible at times playing with pals.
mikeb4
Head Pro
To stay single figures you have to practice during the week, you cannot just play in a medal from a sat to sat with nothing in between, when you get to single figures it is tough, but all it takes if like me you play in all sat medals is one good round,My hcap was creeping up and then i went from 8.2 - 7.0 with just one good round.
Practice is key but enjoy it and challenge yourself particularly when putting i.e. how many putts in a row.
To me this time of year (I still play twice a week) is my pre season i am preparing for next season already, in terms of my equipment used, clothes/shoes i feel comfortable in, and knowing what things to work on, even the xmas requests are around next seasons golf ie. a new Galvin Green jacket and motocaddy lithium battery and the usual gloves/balls/tees on my Amazon wish list. Preparation and practising the right things and most importantly enjoying is the key things.
Curls
Journeyman Pro
jamielaing
Q-School Graduate
Wow! The ultimate competition - I'm in!
This sounds interesting. I have a feeling that geography could be an issue, where are you based?
