Your handicap turning point?

[Carpfather1]

Just curious what was other people's big factor getting they're handicap down from 20 to low teens to single figures ?what really helped ?was it short game practice?better driving ?or just time on the course?........ect

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Went from 14-10 thanks to a swing change and a good teacher. Have stagnated mainly due to short game issues (probably more in my head) but have addressed these and health problems allowing will be looking to get some cuts and kick on.

I found working on holing out those 1-3 footers very useful and helped so I'd say putting and short game is the best starting point

 

[Robobum]

Simply keep the ball moving forward.

The fat/ duff/ top/ chunk that goes 2yards is really all that holds you back from that little drop

 

[chrisd]

For me it was ignoring the people who advocate the "practice your short game" all the time. If I couldn't get off the tee and then near the green in a fewer number of shots then I personally found that a reasonable short game didn't save a bad score.

I worked hard on my driving and iron play and when that improved to a decent level I then switched to improving my short game.

 

[virtuocity]

Simply keep the ball moving forward.

The fat/ duff/ top/ chunk that goes 2yards is really all that holds you back from that little drop

Couldn't agree more.

You need to get your tee shot away safely. Then it's about hitting the ball, then ground, then putting the ball into the hole.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

When I left the RAF - played more and got down to 5 from 9 in a matter of 3 months

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I got down to low single figures when I was aged about 13. Not unusual these days but quite rare in the early 1960's.

I caddied a lot for good players, Scottish Champions/Curtis Cup/County players plus locals/visitors.
I also watched and learned at Opens/Pro Tournaments/County matches etc.
Watching, in a live experience, how good players go about their business was a large part of my development as a player.
How they coped with a strong wind, rain, game control when under pressure. Keeping a score going when playing poorly and staying in contention. Watching for a weakness in an opponent.

I did not play a great deal of golf until a couple of years later when I improved quite quickly

 

[upsidedown]

Coaching from Welsh girls coach and playing more putting into practice what I'd been taught 😊

 

[Kellfire]

I went from 23 to 14 very quickly and it was one thing - I played a lot over a short period of time. My course management improved immensely. I got to 14 by hitting pars and bogeys by thinking my way around and knowing when to attack and when to play safe. Once I got to 14 I had to be more aggressive to make better scores and I think I struggled with that for a long time.

This season I want to go back to playing bogey golf and pushing on from there - I've rarely played to handicap in two seasons!

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Course management - being able to use the tools I'd developed to get round a course in different circumstances (the concept very well described in Doon's post #7). I'd learnt to hit the ball ok and was hovering around 9 and went down to 5 quite quick after that.

The next phase was learning to manage myself and my expectations (given the resources I have) which has got me to where I am now. Still think there's more to come and I'm learning all the time.

 

[Nashy]

The big thing high handicappers need to learn is course management, if you hit it into trouble just take you punishment and play the safest shot to get you back into play. There's plenty of shots for you to use so don't worry about looking at a double or triple doesn't ruin a card when you have shots to use.

Inside 100yards and putting is where everyone can get better no matter the handicap. Over the last few years I have worked very hard on improving my putting to become more consistent. I really used to struggle but I actually love be the challenge of putting more than any other part of my game now. I now need the same focus on my short game if I am going to improve further.

When I left the RAF - played more and got down to 5 from 9 in a matter of 3 months

Mine went the other way, I found actually working for a living meant I only got to hit balls once a week when I played. I was playing 3-4 times a week when I was in and practicing at least one other day.

 

[freddielong]

Confidence knowing you can do something.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Simply keep the ball moving forward.

The fat/ duff/ top/ chunk that goes 2yards is really all that holds you back from that little drop

Agreed, keep saying that to my son who is a high handicapper.

After this weeks round of golf, his little chips and putting was not good, he shot I think his handicap 23 over(driver/irons were good). I asked him if I have chipped and putted for him, how many shots I would have saved by not doffing etc, he reckoned 6-7 shots easy. For a high handicapper he doesn't have to many 3 off the tee.

For him to progress to single figures, then he would need summer to arrive for extra run off the tee(he hits it about 200 carry, with quite a high ball flight) and hit his irons more consistent. So basically he needs to improve everything!!!

To play to high single figures, you do not need to play perfect golf, but you do need to not waste shots, like 3 off the tee or silly duff shots(anywhere on the course).

To play to low single figures, you need to be play pretty good, hitting half the greens in regulations, putt consistently etc. Big difference between someone of say 8 and someone off 1, more so that 24 to 17 IMHO

For me, it is the long game that is costing me a lot of shots at the moment.

 

[garyinderry]

Someone showed me the hands ahead chipping method. After that it was Phil's secrets of the short game.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk4MzYwMTI4.html

 

[sportsbob]

I'm hoping that the 'turning point' has just arrived - rarely using the driver off the tee has improved my scoring so that I am now playing to handicap. If I just stopped thinning chips or doffing them, then I would be shooting decent scores and handicap will drop. Danger is working on the short game too much now might cause the long game to suffer - those golfing gods!

 

[patricks148]

I wouldn't say it was a turning point as such..

Started playing for the first time back in 2006 got a handicap of 24 and withing 3 months got down to 12.

just played... ( a lot mind) and chipped around the garden on a daily basis

TBH this drop was the easiest, the couple of shots to get down to Cat1 was far harder.

 

[mikeb4]

Just curious what was other people's big factor getting they're handicap down from 20 to low teens to single figures ?what really helped ?was it short game practice?better driving ?or just time on the course?........ect

Mine was going from 20.2 - 7.5 in 4 years key elements were enjoying playing and learning about golf, getting the right clubs is so important, i enjoyed practising (and still do) all aspects of my game, it is easier to practice my short game as i can practice my wedge play near my home and have a putting matt in the house which has helped my putting so much.

imo it is important to practice the right things and have confidence in your clubs, if you have a club in your bag you never use or dont like it - remove it.
Easier said than done but dont be to hard on yourself analyse your round when complete and think of shots you could have played better/differently.

I have learnt a lot from the more experienced golfers at my club, they have helped with my bunker play etc, also having a set routine before every shot helps and using a ball you are comfortable with

 

[Region3]

I was lucky in that I was a half decent ball striker, but the big hc improvements for me came with better chipping, putting and course management.

 

[Curls]

The mistake is to ask yourself “how to I get 3 shots better to get into single figures?” It doesn’t work like that. From my experience (and I’m sure there are exceptions) handicaps plateau, rise and then drop sharply. Particularly when you are getting 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 for a cut and only 0.1 for a mare. If you play 10 rounds and have one great one that could even out the 9 bad quite easily. Anyway you get to a new number/level and then plateau, rise and again drop sharply until that drop doesn’t happen. For me it took ages to realise that when I lost shots on holes SI 10, 11 and 12 that I didn’t have to play them differently, just get on with it. I’m sure at Cat 1 level the drops and rises start becoming less pronounced. What triggers the drop? Improvement. Suddenly being capable of playing and closing out a great round. For me that came through lessons.

First lessons I got when off 17 (my first h/c) in 2012 were with a really good bloke but he either didn’t speak my language. I got to 13 and stayed between 11 and 13, I’d still be there but for lessons with the assistant pro at ours who promptly left, but before he did he renewed my faith in coaching. I dropped to all time low of 8.6 that season after 3 lessons. Queue my plateau and rise. I’m ready to make a sharp drop next season, I’m rusty so will take a while but I can be patient knowing it will happen – because I’ve improved. Lessons with Bobmac over the winter have me hitting the ball better than ever.

A big aspect is that willingness to learn, practice well and often, and realise that you lose all consistency but it’s for the greater good long term so you have to keep at it. I played Woodall Spa last week and before I went out I told myself that my success would be measured by how many times I successfully went through my routine and executed the shot with the correct swing thoughts/sequence. I knew I’d hit some bad ones, and man I hit some awful ones, much of the front 9 was a slog. But they were poor shots because something wasn’t right in the process. If you’re paying top dollar for a top course you want to enjoy it, so it would have been much easier to slip back into old, comfortable habits. I shot the lights out back 9, and was far more successful in my quest to stick with the new swing there than on the front. It’s a process, accept it and the reward will be that you will actually improve as a golfer, if you give up you'll just be where you were.

And if you actually improve, the handicap will follow. Good luck in your quest!

 

[jusme]

There is no golden answer. There may be for each individual, but it will differ. For me it's identify your weaknesses and improve them. I score well when I reduce or take no penalties. I do this by driving well. leaving the driver in the bag on certain holes. Not taking on miracle shots. Punching out from trees.

Improved short game (make more than my fair percentage of up and downs) will always be important.

No aspect of your game can be poor in my opinion. Average maybe, but not poor.