My journey to (Hopefully) CAT 1 - Can i do it?

[Crawley1981]

TBH it sounds like you are over thinking it.

played a medal myself on Sat, no idea how many putts i had or fairways in regulation etc.

enjoyed, it shot an OK score and was cut (came 2nd)

I wouldn't have much of an idea on any until afterwards or really look at them to be honest but for all rounds I do record fairway, GIR and putts and have done for a while. I keep track of all my rounds on golfshake and find the analyse round part useful.

 

[Kelems]

Here goes my first post a little story how my son got down to Cat 1 .....well having read the thread just to let you all know my son started hitting a golf ball back in July 2016 (the start of school holidays as he was only 15 ) he gave up football and said dad I want to play golf so I bought a second hand set of ping clubs and joined the local golf club where we live, I remember walking with him and his first ever 18 holes he shot 137 and with a lot of hard work in the range,lessons and with his coach he managed to get a down to Cat 1 golfer after his last comp which he shot 2 over par over he course he never played before and now plays of 5.4, he represents Glamorgan County and absolutely lover the sport, as I don't play myself he has put a lot of hard work into playing and with the club members that took him under their wings and with the county coaching he has had as parents we can't be more proud of him and can't thank everyone enough that helped him get to his current handycap and now his next goal is to get down and play of scratch or better.

 

[Crawley1981]

Here goes my first post a little story how my son got down to Cat 1 .....well having read the thread just to let you all know my son started hitting a golf ball back in July 2016 (the start of school holidays as he was only 15 ) he gave up football and said dad I want to play golf so I bought a second hand set of ping clubs and joined the local golf club where we live, I remember walking with him and his first ever 18 holes he shot 137 and with a lot of hard work in the range,lessons and with his coach he managed to get a down to Cat 1 golfer after his last comp which he shot 2 over par over he course he never played before and now plays of 5.4, he represents Glamorgan County and absolutely lover the sport, as I don't play myself he has put a lot of hard work into playing and with the club members that took him under their wings and with the county coaching he has had as parents we can't be more proud of him and can't thank everyone enough that helped him get to his current handycap and now his next goal is to get down and play of scratch or better.

Is he still using the pings? Well done to your son. Wish I had the head for it at 15.

 

[Kelems]

hello having talked to a lot of golfers and took advice from the pro we bought a set of AP2 irons and the M1 driver with a tour shaft and with all the other new bits and bobs we have spent a lot but it's good to see him really enjoying golf as he really enjoys playing and he is up playing now, he was 16 at the end of Jan and is looking forward to the tournaments this season

 

[HomerJSimpson]

hello having talked to a lot of golfers and took advice from the pro we bought a set of AP2 irons and the M1 driver with a tour shaft and with all the other new bits and bobs we have spent a lot but it's good to see him really enjoying golf as he really enjoys playing and he is up playing now, he was 16 at the end of Jan and is looking forward to the tournaments this season

Hope he has a good season and can get lower still. The important thing is that he still enjoys it though

 

[ScienceBoy]

If your contact is inconsistent you're moving your head.
Keep your head still

I have a good strike at the moment, when I don't immediatly lift my head to see where it goes!

Nothing wrong with a bit of head movement if it happens as part of a good turn and drive. What is bad is wrenching it up to get full view of the ball flight.

 

[Region3]

I wouldn't have much of an idea on any until afterwards or really look at them to be honest but for all rounds I do record fairway, GIR and putts and have done for a while. I keep track of all my rounds on golfshake and find the analyse round part useful.

I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping track of stats, I'm just not sure how useful some of them are.

I used to record them, but don't any more. I do go over the round and count the basic stats in my head later at home though.

Unless a missed fairway at your course means an automatic dropped shot I wouldn't get too hung up on fairways hit. More important is whether or not you have a playable next shot. IMO obviously.

 

[jamielaing]

One thing about course management. Course management is not playing safe. Course management is finding the best way for you to score a par or better most of the time. There are some holes where aggression and going for it does that. There are times an iron off the tee is the answer. Work out what works for you. I would be looking at the double bogeys you are making. Are these on the same holes? Can they be put down to terrible luck or is there a pattern. There's a hole at my place, easy looking hole but I kept getting bogey or worse. Changed my strategy, now it's par 90% of the time.

Look at dedicating your practice. Don't hit iron after iron or driver after driver. Full shots look after themselves in my opinion. Work on half swings, drop a ball in a terrible position and find how to get your bogey out it however you have to.

Know your distances. Particularly half swings. Get every club PW and up and get your distances nailed down on 1/3, 2/3 and full swings. You'll have everything you need up to 100 yards.

Good luck. I found getting to 6 relatively easy. From here it's tough.

 

[Kelems]

Many thx will keep you posted how he goes

 

[Crawley1981]

One thing about course management. Course management is not playing safe. Course management is finding the best way for you to score a par or better most of the time. There are some holes where aggression and going for it does that. There are times an iron off the tee is the answer. Work out what works for you. I would be looking at the double bogeys you are making. Are these on the same holes? Can they be put down to terrible luck or is there a pattern. There's a hole at my place, easy looking hole but I kept getting bogey or worse. Changed my strategy, now it's par 90% of the time.

Look at dedicating your practice. Don't hit iron after iron or driver after driver. Full shots look after themselves in my opinion. Work on half swings, drop a ball in a terrible position and find how to get your bogey out it however you have to.

Know your distances. Particularly half swings. Get every club PW and up and get your distances nailed down on 1/3, 2/3 and full swings. You'll have everything you need up to 100 yards.

Good luck. I found getting to 6 relatively easy. From here it's tough.

Thanks for that. Really useful the half swing shots as like most spend the majority of my practice on full swings.

Also the easy par 3 i referred to i have doubled the last two rounds so maybe a change of approach needed.

 

[Rip-it]

I've gone from 9 to 6 this year with the goal of cat 1.
All I've changed is my warm up/practice and my focus on putts.
I only now practice gaming shots, half swings, low high, left right. And I just try to make a good putt not worrying if it goes in or not.
It'll all work out if you don't stress and just enjoy the golf course no matter what.
Have a laugh on the course.

 

[patricks148]

getting to cat 1 is not that hard in itself, its staying there that's harder. all of a sudden its only a 1 shot buffer, so you go up just as quick as you can go down.

 

[jamielaing]

Thanks for that. Really useful the half swing shots as like most spend the majority of my practice on full swings.

Also the easy par 3 i referred to i have doubled the last two rounds so maybe a change of approach needed.

I've always found that full swing tend to look after themselves so practicing them doesn't make much difference unless you are actively trying to ingrain something. Think about what makes you nervous, it's unlikely to be a full 7 iron. A 40 yard pitch however, when you don't know your distances, is nerve racking. If you know that a 1/3 swing will carry 35 and run out a few job done.

 

[jamielaing]

getting to cat 1 is not that hard in itself, its staying there that's harder. all of a sudden its only a 1 shot buffer, so you go up just as quick as you can go down.

Agree with this wholeheartedly. Especially if you are like me where you have a few average/poor rounds and 1 good one. You just don't get the big cuts anymore.

 

[TheDiablo]

I've played Woldingham many times. Always been in good nick, but there's next to no trouble anywhere and you've pretty much always got a shot into a green, very few trees blocking you from the wrong fairway etc. It doesnt play very long either and the rough isnt penal at all. I find it a very forgiving driving course - if I were you I'd be ripping it with driver and getting it down there as far as possible the get practicing your wedges.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

everyone plays golf different, but the courses we play (in comparison to the pros), the rough will not penalise you.

Do you think you will still be saying this once the rough is up at Burnham?

 

[MendieGK]

Do you think you will still be saying this once the rough is up at Burnham?

The rough really doesn't get up that high mate. Was there today and you'd have to miss most fairways by 60yds on most holes to get in trouble.

played with 3 hayling boys, they felt it was tight but that was in comparison to hayling.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

The rough really doesn't get up that high mate. Was there today and you'd have to miss most fairways by 60yds on most holes to get in trouble.

played with 3 hayling boys, they felt it was tight but that was in comparison to hayling.

I wouldn't know, I haven't missed a fairway since 2004

 

[Crawley1981]

Funnily enough not exactly going to plan but did manage my 1st handicap reduction when winning the medal this week with a 79. However was 1 over after 9 so showing definite signs of improvement/more consistency but quite often putting a triple on the card still.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

quite often putting a triple on the card still.

And that is where the best players and lowest handicappers at your club and in general differ from you. They find a way to minimise damage and stop these horror holes. Keep plugging away, and it'll come