Setting Goals for 2016

[craigstardis1976]

Hi People!

This is a self indulgent post so feel free to read no further if it is not of interest!

Today I learned I was laid off from my job. Obviously golf has to take an immediate backseat as I need to find work and fast. I am confident I will do but as I have this little enforced break from the links it gives me a chance to take stock of my current game and work out a plan for 2016.

My current USGA Handicap is 13.9 from 14 rounds played. I hit 44% of fairways, 22% of GIR and my sand saves are 27.8% I average 32 putts per round but 2.1 putts per GIR. I score par or better 37% of the time, bogey 46% of the time and double or worse 17% of the time.

I would like to get down to a 9 handicap by the end of the year. Although I need to practice driving, I think my biggest weaknesses are I do not hit enough GIR, (though it is getting better now I have added a 3,4,5 Hybrid), improving my sand play and putting.

So I am thinking about range work with a 6 or 7 iron just concentrating on very basic swing fundamentals and obviously practice bunker shots and putting as my focus. But what is the way to practice those most effectively?

From a mental standpoint I think I have to try and avoid double bogies plus at all costs and really think about what I can do on each hole that at worst will secure a bogey. I have become quite adept at hitting a low driver off the deck and this year may just put a driver, 3,4,5H, 6,7,8,9,PW,AW and 56 degree wedge in the bag as well as a putter. Only twelve clubs...

Your thoughts, advice and ideas are most welcome.

Thanks.

 

[guest100718]

Rory does all his range work with a 6i... so it must be a good idea.

 

[Crawley1981]

Personally rather than concentrating on GIR i would focus on getting up & down more times than you don't when you do miss the green if your aiming for single figures.

 

[patricks148]

Personally rather than concentrating on GIR i would focus on getting up & down more times than you don't when you do miss the green if your aiming for single figures.

This,

no matter what your handicap, you are still going to miss greens during a round, getting up and down from this situation is the thing, so when you do you don't throw away shots.

 

[Junior]

Sorry to hear about the job situation, I hope you find something shortly !


To me your stats say your heading in the right direction and a 9 handicap is certainly within reach. I dropped from 15 to 9 pretty quick before levelling off, I've then bounced around 7/8 for a couple of seasons.


Just my opinion, and its not rocket science, but the two things for you to work on for me are ball striking which will help your GIR, and however much time you spend on this, spend double on the amount practise from 100yards and in. being more consistent in these areas will enable you to also make a couple of birdies a round from the short par 4's, third shots into par 5's etc and this is what helps drop the scores quickly.

 

[Stuey01]

Personally rather than concentrating on GIR i would focus on getting up & down more times than you don't when you do miss the green if your aiming for single figures.

He is only hitting 4 gir per round on average, that's a lot of pressure on the short game to get to a single figure handicap.
Obviously he shouldn't be overlooking short game, but I'd say he has to improve his GIR as well.

 

[Curls]

Sorry about the job news, hope something better is on the horizon.

I know you won't have cash to splash but I did note your "only 12 clubs" comment. Two additional clubs won't get you to single figures. Niether will improving bunker play. Putting would help and you have lots of time to practice, though it sounds to me like it won't get you there either. If you take the money you were going to spend on those and spend them on lessons, with the amount of time you have to dedicate to the changes on the range you would see an actual improvement in your game.

So my advice would be that, a couple of lessons, a few weeks apart and see if you improve your long game. The guys are right, 4 GIR is low, 32 putts sounds good but not when you're missing that many greens. So while you may feel improving sand play will help (and it will), it's not going to knock 4 or 5 off your handicap. The only way to do that is get a bit better at everything. You have the time, don't waste it engraining a suspect swing.