Realistic Progression

[nowtfancy]

Looking for some motivation - or at least preventing despondency!
Been playing for about a year, and although there is evidence of progression (no more 'air' shots, only averaging 1 hole a round in double figures now!) I have yet to get round a course in less than triple figures, and I keep reading about people who've 'been playing for a year and now playing off 20'.
So I would be interested in how long & how frequently people have played before getting to a reasonable standard?
Just trying to keep my targets reasonable!

 

[TonyN]

Stick with it and get some lessons.

I have been playing about 2 years now and I can still throw in the odd 90+ round. Mainly low 80's for me but not always.

I have shot a number sub 80 rounds too but not consistently enough.

 

[Macster]

This is a hard one, and totally depends on the person's ability, application, and desire to get down.

You need to work hard to groove a swing, take some lessons to get off to a good start perhaps, and then you need to put some hours in to practice it.

Even with that, I have a close friend who has been playing nearly as long as I have, over 15yrs, and in Saturday's medal, he still shot a 102, and is still off 27 !!

You need some natural ability as well as a steely resolve to get better.

 

[RGDave]

Nowt wrong with your progress......seem fine to me.

After a year I was still making the odd 10+ and failing to get past the ladies tee now and again.

In fact, I failed to get past the ladies tee twice on Saturday....blooming topped shots out of nowhere.

Go and have a lesson or two and practice hard.....

No two players progress the same speed. I managed 116 the first game out in the April of my second year. By the end of that year I'd broken 85.....

 

[KeefG]

So I would be interested in how long & how frequently people have played before getting to a reasonable standard?
Just trying to keep my targets reasonable!

It took me almost 18 months to break 100! Once I did though I did it very frequently.

When I eventually broke 100 i was only playing maybe 2-3 times per month and maybe 1 or 2 trips to the range inbetween.

Stick at it fella!

 

[ericsonnycon]

I've been playing for about 8 months,borrowed some clubs and shot over 120 on my first outing(works society)..but loved it and got hooked! decided to get some lessons which helped tremendously. The pro told me keep of the course and practise what he taught me,grip,alignment etc. it worked a treat. I now shoot in the 90's regularly which I know isn't great but it's progress. I currently play the local municipals, hopefully when I become more consistent I will think about joining a club! I think targets have to be realistic or you may end up on a downward spiral!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think a couple of lessons just to get the basics set would be money well spent and then its down to you. If you have the time to practice then do so as long as you are practicing with a purpose and not just ingraining poor technique.

If you don't have time or maybe the inclination to hit loads of balls at a range, at least try every so often to work on chipping and putting as it will help save a few shots. Otherwise go out and enjoy the game and if you relax and stop worrying about trying to break certain targets it'll come naturally and you'll come tumbling down anyway.

 

[CVG]

It's great that you are still looking for motivation, you really must have the bug. I know a few who gave up after a year, because they felt just like you! I agree with all the posts so far, keep going, get some lessons if you can afford them, but maybe try working on course management, are you loosing shots by trying to hard? Which is your favourite club? A mid iron perhaps, well you could hit it four times on a par four then sink a put or two agianst trying to hit a driver or wood off the tee? Think where you don't want to be and use clubs that take the trouble out of range. After a few rounds you will gain confidence in what you can achieve.

But lessons are a key element, a decent pro will help you get a working swing, and thats the way forward.

It took me at least a year to get below a 100, but as already mentioned once you have done it you will start to drop quickly.

Stick at it, this may be the most frustrating game ever invented but it can also be the most rewarding!

Good luck.

 

[minty18]

Keep at it! It took me nearly two years to break a ton, then out of nowhere i had a 94. I've been shooting around 90 since but slowly getting sub 90's now, still have the very occasional 100+.

My advice would be to practise your short game, anything from 100yds in, chipping and putting.

This is pretty much all I practise now after reading Bob Rotellas book and have managed an 83 and plenty of other sub 90's since. Just like Rotella explains you dont need to be long or 100% accurate off the tee to shoot low. He basically says to practise your short game as much as possible and you'll get out what u put in.

I've spent a couple of hours each wednesday for the past few weeks practising bump and runs, chipping over a bunker, chipping off a downslope etc etc untill i feel comfortable with the shot. Then when i'm faced with the shot in a round i'm confident i can make it.

Not putting it entirely down to the book because it could be coincidence but its definitely given me a different out look on the game.

 

[viscount17]

So I would be interested in how long & how frequently people have played before getting to a reasonable standard?

Started playing Jan 2007. I broke a 100 in the first 9 months, then regularly scored over a 100. Got my first h/cap in Jan 2008, and have just got the first cut (of many I hope!).

In that time I've seen people start and progress much more quickly than me ( ). It's not through lack of effort, some people just have more ability or we would all be on the tour instead of the 0.04% of golfers who make it.

At the same time I play with a friend who has been playing close on 30 years, he's currently off 19 (down from 20.5) and has never been lower than 18.

Don't create a time pressure for yourself, there are enough others without that.

 

[janmolby]

I'm in a similar boat to yourself, I played once a month for the last 2 years or so but this year I've joined my first club, got my first official handicap & have been playing 3 - 4 times a week. I've also read those posts with people saying they've dropped 5 - 10 strokes in the first year & I'm sitting here after 5 months & my handicap has actually gone up

Some of it has to do with natural ability, some of it to do with the amount of practice you put in, some of it's to do with playing the game smartly & some of it has to do with the course you're playing. I'd guess a 20 handicap on an easyish course isn't necessarily better than a 25 handicap on a hard course.

 

[TWM]

It depends on natural ability and previous sporting activity. People who have played other ball games to a decent standard will usually improve more quickly than those who have never hit any sort of ball before.
However, sensible practice and persistence will help you to improve. Good luck with it.

 

[justhitthething]

What a dreadful world we live in. Targets for everything, key performance indic ators, putting stats, budgets, SMART targets. I cant figure out whether Im at work or at leisure anymore.

The magnificent thing about golf is that everyone is equal and everyone has the same opportunity to compete regardless of ability. At what other sport can someone in the top 5% ability range get beaten by someone in the bottom 5%.
This is why we have the handicap system. I couldnt care less what my handicap is as long as it is a fair reflection of my capabilities measured against my fellow competitors.

My advice is forget targets, forget your personal development plan, forget SMART measurements. Leave those in the corporate world. Concentrate on enjoying your golf, concetrate on one shot at a time and the improvement will come. With that your handicap will look after itself.

 

[viscount17]

The magnificent thing about golf is that everyone is equal and everyone has the same opportunity to compete regardless of ability. At what other sport can someone in the top 5% ability range get beaten by someone in the bottom 5%.
This is why we have the handicap system. I couldnt care less what my handicap is as long as it is a fair reflection of my capabilities measured against my fellow competitors.

oh dear.

I've just completed my review of a book for GM in which the author proves that neither the CONGU system nor the USGA system create a level playing field. Nor were they intended to do so.
According to his analysis, under almost all circumstances, the low handicapper has the advantage. Only where there is a large field does this swing the other way.
Logical when you think about it. Take a typical par 4, the low handicapper can expect a range of scores from 2 to 6, with the norm very close to, but possibly less than, 4. On the same hole a high handicapper can expect to score from 2 to 9, with the norm between 5 and 6.

all the more satisfying to beat them!