Not exactly 28-scratch in a year but...

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

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Being a nomadic golfer and actually quite enjoying playing at my local par 3 I thought I should have some aims for this year.

So with 6 lessons sorted out and a bundle of discount tickets I am setting myself a goal.

Why post on here you ask? Well to just make it firm in my head I have something to challenge myself against. I also will give £20 to H4H if I don't manage it (as long as I am still employed as I have a new job and the last one only lasted 2 months as I will have to give up the challenge if I don't work)

The target is to shave 4 shots off my current best an shoot level par for 18 holes round my local par 3 before H4H.

I have already done level for 9, once even shooting a 26 but for a long time now (since 2012) my best around 18 has been a 58 (+4).


So one lesson in, where am I now?

Well just a lesson to reaffirm the basics a ensure a smooth takeaway on plane I managed to bogey the first two holes but knock in back to back birdies later to finish my 1st 9 +1.Sadly the second 9 I really lost the plot and started with three straight bogeys! I steadied the ship coming home with a birdie on the last to shoot +3, +4 for 18 holes.

I really hope after 5 more lessons I can bring that down to +0 or even -1!

So its not exactly 28-scratch in a year but I still think its a tough ask! I won't be pinning my seasons happyness on it, its more of a nice to have as long as I enjoy the summer before my first baby rocks up and hogs my time from August.
 
I wish you well

I'd suggest you scrap the lessons and:

  1. Buy new SOTA driver
  2. Get a black glove
  3. Get some branded iron headcovers
  4. Get fitted for pitch repair tool
  5. Use Srixon balls (yellow)
  6. Wear trainer type shoes
  7. Get your pets name embossed on your wedges
  8. Fit a jumbo grip to your putter
  9. Replace driver bought in point one with another new release


Good luck ;)


Edit if you can find it try the NGT aimpoint super express course (delivered in 30 minutes or your money back)
 
Slab said:
I wish you well

Good luck ;)
Click to expand...

hqdefault.jpg
 
Got a copy of the card? how long are these holes?


Its basically an examination of your iron striking and ability to get up and down.
 
Hole Yellow Yards Red Yards Par
1 94 82 3
2 106 75 3
3 117 82 3
4 121 73 3
5 126 109 3
6 86 79 3
7 117 101 3
8 98 96 3
9 142 103 3
Total 1007 800 27
 
It's a good challenge. I really enjoy nine holes on a decent condition par 3 course. It is a good test. All the talk of speedgolf, powerplay and so on seem to miss the fact that we already have a decent short version available.

Congratulations by the way, and hope the job works out too.
 
We have a 9 hole course that has one par 4 on it and i always thought it was a tough challenge, though i had never kept score around it.

I went up one Sunday afternoon, with my new irons intending to play a couple of balls.

Met up with 3 old boys who i know and are all in there 70's. one of the group was not coming and they asked me to join them, adding you may not be good enough to play with us. There handicaps were 18, 15 and 12. if that's the case we had better play off scratch. these boys could putt only won by 1 hole the par 4 which i birdied. they all had a level par round and the only reason they didn't have lower handicaps was purely on how far they hit the ball.

it was a bit of an eye opener
 
ScienceBoy said:
Hole Yellow Yards Red Yards Par
1 94 82 3
2 106 75 3
3 117 82 3
4 121 73 3
5 126 109 3
6 86 79 3
7 117 101 3
8 98 96 3
9 142 103 3
Total 1007 800 27
Click to expand...


Yeah I think you can do it. Real good test.

I used to play ur 9 hole track flat out when I got a couple of my mates into golf. There most days of the summer. Only thing is the crowds of people when the sun comes out. It is a real money spinner for the club.

Shot -1 a few times over 9 holes.

Just keep reminding yourself you are never out of it as a couple of birdies will bring your card around.

3 chances

Go close with the tee shot
Chip it close
Or hole the putt.

Good luck.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Good luck. I think you can do it. GO FOR IT
Click to expand...

Thanks Homer, the good thing is even if I don't make it H4H wins instead :)

The course is tough green wise, landing areas are tight as a good few are upturned saucers with dips around the sides. Plenty good shots ping off left and right making good chipping a must!

I have my 1st short game lesson on Sunday, if I can sort that out it should be on! Analysis of my last round shows that a missed short birdie putt and two poor chips (followed by a poor putt in one case) cost me 3 shots. BUT two long birdies and a couple of pars could easy have swing the round the other way if missed.

Generally if I smooth out the lumps and bumps a good round should come in 2-4 over, therefore 18 is 4-8 over for all but the worst rounds (you know, those days...). So I am not starting all that far from my target.
 
Time for an update!

About halfway through my lessons now, really enjoying them and becoming a better golfer in the process. Finally started hitting down on the ball resulting in cleaner strikes and better bad shots.

Out on the par 3 course progress has been made, my rounds are now levelling off at 2-4 over for 9 and I now shoot 5 or 6 over for 18 instead of 8+.

I put all that down to my improvements and not shooting one good and one bad 9.

Now my tee shots are better and chipping more consistent I have turned to putting. I was good but found out I could be better, now I hit solid putts far more often and I feel hugly confident over all putts.

In summary contact across the whole game has improved. Finding the middle of the face for pretty much all my 59 shots yesterday felt very good. The 5 shots I dropped to par were mostly due to distance or line judgement, I had 5 putts stop just short due to me over compensating for the better contact on slower than expected greens.

Heading out to the range this week then hopefully at least another 18 at the weekend. Not short of time yet but summer feels underway!

Next target is beating +4 gross for 18, should be well within reach as improvements bed in.
 
ScienceBoy said:
Time for an update!

About halfway through my lessons now, really enjoying them and becoming a better golfer in the process. Finally started hitting down on the ball resulting in cleaner strikes and better bad shots.

Out on the par 3 course progress has been made, my rounds are now levelling off at 2-4 over for 9 and I now shoot 5 or 6 over for 18 instead of 8+.

I put all that down to my improvements and not shooting one good and one bad 9.

Now my tee shots are better and chipping more consistent I have turned to putting. I was good but found out I could be better, now I hit solid putts far more often and I feel hugly confident over all putts.

In summary contact across the whole game has improved. Finding the middle of the face for pretty much all my 59 shots yesterday felt very good. The 5 shots I dropped to par were mostly due to distance or line judgement, I had 5 putts stop just short due to me over compensating for the better contact on slower than expected greens.

Heading out to the range this week then hopefully at least another 18 at the weekend. Not short of time yet but summer feels underway!

Next target is beating +4 gross for 18, should be well within reach as improvements bed in.
Click to expand...

Is this still on a small course. Remind me of the course length. It's good progress but I'd have an air of caution as a full sized course, especially off the whites will be a different kettle of fish. I can see you making a good fist of a full sized course as you've clearly developed a good technique but it's worth bearing playing well on a short case may not be as easy to replicate, in terms of scoring especially
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Is this still on a small course. Remind me of the course length. It's good progress but I'd have an air of caution as a full sized course, especially off the whites will be a different kettle of fish. I can see you making a good fist of a full sized course as you've clearly developed a good technique but it's worth bearing playing well on a short case may not be as easy to replicate, in terms of scoring especially
Click to expand...
Post 7 is the course length isn't it?
 
Lincoln Quaker said:
Post 7 is the course length isn't it?
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Kind of reiterates my point and while the OP is clearly making some big strides, there's a gulf between this and even a nine hole course. It's about making the next step and doing it on a bigger course where length will be an issue. I hope he can go out and start playing longer courses and take the hard work he's done with him. I'm sure he can
 
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