A goal accomplished!
Rick DeMent
since I got a set of sticks in August of 96. Shortly after that I got fired
from my job and didn't have the money to play much (maybe once every other
month). Last spring, about May, I decided to get serious and take a few
lessons and try to really learn how to play this game.
Fact was, I just could not seem to break that golden 100 mark. I was
getting depressed. I was playing once a week and trying to get in three or
four super grande buckets at the local bone yard every week, but to no
avail. I had put together some good nine hole scores but was never able to
put it together. I would read on RSG about some of you who had 15 handicaps
after playing for less then a year (actually I took this with a grain of
salt but I was sure that some of you have shot some pretty low scores after
playing about a year)
Well Sunday was my day. Previous to that day my best score was 103. Sunday
I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92 on a 120/68
course (not too tough). I shot a birdie, 6 pars and 7 bogies clearly my
most consistent round ever. I was overjoyed not only to have broke 100, but
the fact that my wife didn't care that I was out golfing on Valentines day.
So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
10 stokes jumps?
The DeMented Golfer
"Forget about World Peace...Visualize using your turn signal."
Rick DeMent
ric...@Mindspring.com
"Time to pull a quick Hank Snow."
Richard Stern
: Fact was, I just could not seem to break that golden 100 mark. I was
: getting depressed. I was playing once a week and trying to get in three or
: four super grande buckets at the local bone yard every week, but to no
There's your first mistake. If you've only got time to practice 3-4 times
a week, don't waste it beating huge buckets. Hit the small bucket, and
spend the rest of your time chipping and putting. 30% hitting balls, 70%
working short game.
: avail. I had put together some good nine hole scores but was never able to
: put it together.
Read Bob Rottella's "Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect". If you can put
together the occasional decent nine hole score, Bob's book will shave at
least 2-3 strokes off your average 18 hole score.
: I would read on RSG about some of you who had 15 handicaps
: after playing for less then a year (actually I took this with a grain of
: salt but I was sure that some of you have shot some pretty low scores after
: playing about a year)
I don't doubt a 15 hcp in the first year, if you play and practice A LOT,
and work on the right things.
: Well Sunday was my day. Previous to that day my best score was 103. Sunday
: I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92 on a 120/68
: course (not too tough). I shot a birdie, 6 pars and 7 bogies clearly my
: most consistent round ever. I was overjoyed not only to have broke 100, but
: the fact that my wife didn't care that I was out golfing on Valentines day.
CONGRATS !! You're on your way!
I also got out on Valentine's Day (thanks honey!), and after a nice 37 on
the front, I crumbled with 2 triples on the back for an 83 (37-46, cute).
: So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
: break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
: Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
: 10 stokes jumps?
First year, no handicap. Took some lessons, broke 100 on my 4th 18 hole
round, and scored in the high 90's almost all season.
Second year, hcp 21 down to 15 at the end of the year.
Third year, 15 down to 11 at the end of the year. Shot 79 once.
Fourth year, 11 down to 9. Shot 77, and a few others 77-79.
Fifth year, stuck at 9. Again, 77-79 a few times.
Sixth year, last year, worked my butt off, still stuck at 9.
Overall, I've only shot in the 70's about 15 times, but some have been
in tournaments, which makes them feel a bit nicer.
That third year, 15 to 11 hcp, I read Rottella and worked on my short game
a lot. My swing was still horrible, weak slices and no distance. The
fourth year I worked with a new teacher who gave me some power and distance,
which got my down to the 9, but I neglected my short game practice, and
that prevented me from getting lower. Fifth year I didn't practice at all,
spent the summer mountain biking :-). Last year I again neglected my short
game, but I'm starting to feel some confidence in the swing. First two
rounds of this year, I've hit 12 and 8 GIR. Way too many putts and no
short game, but the ball striking offers some potential.
My take on the progress: Your long game sets your potential, but your
short game and mental focus gives the actual results. If you're shooting
anywhere around an honest 100, you can quickly get it down to 90 by
working on your short game. If you can get it on the green from inside
75 yards, and then 2 putt, you should rarely make worse than bogey. That
means you only have to make more pars than doubles, and you're in the 80's.
You can break 80 with a mediocre long game, as long as you can keep it in
play and have an excellent short game. 75 and below is gonna take fairly
strong play in all aspects, and doesn't offer much room for stupid mistakes.
I'd love to hear some of the 0-5 hcps give their take on this topic, and I'd
also like to hear their story of how long it took them to get good.
Especially those that took up the game as adults, since (oh yeah) I was
30 my first year (37th birthday this spring). And btw, my goal was always
to get to about a 5 hcp by summer 2000, so I'm going to have to work real
hard this summer and next spring :-). I still think I can do it!!
Richard Stern
rstern at col dot hp dot com
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller
My first few years of golf were in High School with my step-dad. Learned
alot but didn't take the game seriously. After the Army and entry into
college I began to take those mental breaks from the books as often as I
could. This is when I broke 100. It wasn't until 2 years later in College
that I took some lessons and have been in the 80's ever since. I have a
fairly straight long game and hit 8 -12 greens in regulation but as most of
the experienced golfers will tell you in here, dont worry too much about
your long game, work on your short game. Think about it, on the average
course you will have 3-4 par 5's, 2 or 3 par threes and numerous par 4's.
Most of the par fours you can reach in two shots even if you used your 3 or
5 wood to tee off with. Then it's up to the middle irons and
pitching/chipping, and putting.
If you want to break into the 80's consistently, take some lessons on your
long game and practice your short game with religion. Make a schedule of
what you want to accomplish and when. If you have the Golf Channel on your
satelite watch the Dave Peltz short game series.
Good Luck,
Seth
P.S. Heres a fun thing to do, leave your driver in the car and play a round
with just irons. This is a good during the week game for practice.
Steve Walker
<ric...@Mindspring.com> writes
>Fact was, I just could not seem to break that golden 100 mark. I was
>getting depressed. I was playing once a week and trying to get in three or
>four super grande buckets at the local bone yard every week, but to no
>after playing for less then a year (actually I took this with a grain of
>salt but I was sure that some of you have shot some pretty low scores after
>playing about a year)
>
>I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92 on a 120/68
>course (not too tough). I shot a birdie, 6 pars and 7 bogies clearly my
>most consistent round ever. I was overjoyed not only to have broke 100, but
>the fact that my wife didn't care that I was out golfing on Valentines day.
Way to go, Rick! But keep an eye on your wife! That 'didn't care on
Valentines day' thing sounds worrying. ;)
>So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
>break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
>Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
>10 stokes jumps?
I guess I'm one of the people you took with a grain of salt. To
clarify, I don't have an official handicap at all, as I'm not (yet) a
member of the club where I play, and at least here in the UK your
handicap only counts rounds in tournaments (which are only open to
members). But I think I play to around a 14, normally (which is born
out by the stats software I use).
To answer your question, I first broke 100 about 2 months after I
started playing, then my scores fluctuated between high 90s and low 100s
for almost a month (with a low of 94). At the end of July (started in
May) I broke 90 with a 'jump' to 86.
I then managed to score mostly in the high 80s/low 90s for 2 months or
so, before setting a new PB of 82. But in the 2 rounds after that, I
scored 92 and 102! Very depressing.
Scores then went back to around the mid 80s for another couple of months
(apart from the occasional blow-out), until I had another 'jump' down to
79 (twice in 3 rounds). But since then I haven't been able to play as
often as before (which was normally min. 3 times a week) because of bad
winter weather, and when I have been able to play, the scores have been
mid-upper 80s again. Hopefully, once the weather improves, I'll be able
to get them back down again.
The course I play on is a 6100yd par 71 course, but with a Standard
Scratch Score of 68, so not a very tough course, so I guess on a harder
course there'd be at least a few strokes added to each of the scores.
But I still feel please with my progress so far. Just wish I could find
more consistency with my short irons (am working on it).
Cheers,
--
Steve Walker
'He comes to realise that the game is not against the foe, but against
himself. His little self. That yammering fearful ever-resistant self
that freezes, chokes, tops, nobbles, shanks, skulls, duffs, flubbs.
This is the self we must defeat.'
The DeMented Golfer
with just irons. This is a good during the week game for practice.>
Truth be told I never hit the driver at all. Up until about two months ago
I never used a wood of any kind. Now I will us a 3 wood on very long wide
open holes and sometimes I'll use a 5 wood.
Your right though, the difference in this round was all in the short game.
I took only 33 putts as opposed to my usual 40. I also hit 9 fairways but
the real difference in this round was chipping. I was able to get it close
after missing the green. Close enough to one put for times
The DeMented Golfer
"Forget about World Peace...Visualize using your turn signal."
Rick DeMent
ric...@Mindspring.com
"Time to pull a quick Hank Snow."
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller wrote in message
<7admh8$n...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
The DeMented Golfer
No, I think that if you have a lot of time to practice then you can shoot
low scores. I would believe a 15 hcp (after a year) long before I believe
averaging 300 + yards off the tee. I just know how people score at my local
muny.
I often walk on and get put with groups and I hear guys tell me about there
bogey hcps. yet when we get out on the course they take "one mulligan a
side" or take a great dell of license with the rules in general. And I don't
really mind this at all until they start snickering at me for shooting a 103
or try to convince me into taking a mulligan or some other breach of the
rules.
hell if I scored like them I would have broken 90 on Sunday.
The DeMented Golfer
"Forget about World Peace...Visualize using your turn signal."
Rick DeMent
ric...@Mindspring.com
"Time to pull a quick Hank Snow."
Steve Walker wrote in message <0fgZReAGtpy2EwG$@skwalker.demon.co.uk>...
A Joe
out of town!). It was only 98 on a par 71 course. Never really hit the
ball well but putted relatively well (35) (for me at least).
I just started last July. I also agree that I've seen some people not count
all their strokes or dramatically improve the lies.
"R&B"
Rick DeMent wrote
>I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92
Congratulations, Rick! I knew you could do it!
>I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
>break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80.
Started playing regularly (like every week) fairly late in life (compared to
many) -- at age 30. It took about 2 years for me to break 100 with any
degree of consistency. I recall having as my goal in 1986, "86 in '86," so
I guess I'd broken the 90 barrier a time or two by about 3 to 4 years into
playing. (Okay, so I'm slow. Sue me.)
Somewhere about 8 years into playing, I broke 80 for the first time. Only a
few months later, like magic, I went out and shot 73.
Un-freaking-believable. Truth is, I didn't hit the ball all that much
better than I normally did, although I *did* hit two or three shots fairly
close and made a couple of birdies. But it was one of those glorious days
when my short game was golden, and I made every putt I looked at (or so it
seemed). That score stood as my career best for about 7 years until '97,
when I shot 70 (and scored back-to-back 73's in my next two rounds after
that). It's been two years, and I haven't really threatened to improve on
that score since. Got close a few times, and I've shot a couple more 73's
and even a 72, but I suspect breaking the 70 barrier may prove to be a bit
more daunting a challenge than the previous benchmarks.
>Also what turned it around for you?
>Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing?
A little of each. I'd always had trouble bouncing back from a good round
with another good round until just the past couple of years. Prior to that,
I'd built my swing around a patchwork of swing "fixes," and didn't really
understand the physics of the golf swing. It wasn't until fate brought me
to my swing instructor that I began to learn what I was *really* trying to
do. Once the understanding came, I was able to make surprisingly rapid
progress. Unfortunately, since I'm not exactly the most athletic person in
the world, it still comes and goes. But my really awful rounds are now alot
more infrequent.
> Was is gradual or in 5 to 10 stokes jumps?
S - L - O - W
Randy
Bill Schroeder
This has been my experience: I started golf in June, 1991, just a few weeks
short of my 44th birthday. It took me 4 months to break 100, 4 more months to
break 90. I thought, hey, this is easy! HAH!! Two years from then to break
80, and that was on an easy course (but not an executive course or chip and
putt, you cynics).
My present handicap index is 13.0. One of my goals last year was to get to 12
point something and I did get down that low in early October, but a few bad
rounds after that pushed me to 13.0 and that 77 I shot in early November
doesn't help because our "season" around here for handicap purposes is April 1
to October 31.
I broke 80 for the first time at my home course in an interesting way. I had
often had rounds like 38-43 or 42-39 for 81 so I knew I could break 80, but
just hadn't put two decent nines together. One day, I knew all I needed was a
bogey 5 on the last hole to do it. Good drive to center of fairway, 175 yards
out. Five iron that I just nailed and it was headed right at the flag, but was
too long and off the back by about 10 yards. Chili dipped the first chip and
didn't get to the green. Now I had to get up and down. Just the opposite
mistake on the second trip and went all the way across the green and off the
front. Then I chipped in!! So I got my 5 the hard way and my 79 with it.
One of the other posters who replied mentioned working on your short game and I
couldn't agree more. The past 2 days I've played 9 holed
> I had been in a real deep funk. I had been fooling around playing golf
> So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
> break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
> Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
> 10 stokes jumps?
>
Bill Schroeder
> Heres a fun thing to do, leave your driver in the car and play a round
> with just irons. This is a good during the week game for practice.
I agree. Several times last year I went out and played practice rounds
hitting nothing longer than a 5 iron. Know what? Not all that dramatic a
difference in my scores. What you lose in length, you gain in accuracy. And
it makes you more of a thinker, which in turn means I've learned not to
automatically take the driver out of the bag at the tee on every par 4 and par
5. Instead, I take into account where the trouble is, how I want to attack
the hole, where I can safely put a tee shot and still score. Also, I've
learned not to worry about outdriving the player(s) I'm playing with. If I do,
I do; if I don't, I know it makes little difference in the ultimate score.
Finally, the best part is doing that during a practice round and getting
paired up with guys who are obviously thinking kill, kill, kill with their
drivers and on every other shot and badly outscoring them!!!
Bill
Robert Hamilton
was interfering with my attempts at a professional education. I really can't
recall how long it took me to break 100 originally, as I started when I was a
kid. Previously, I could not hit a driver, and hit a "fade". The best I ever got
was high single digits handicap, and was mosttly around a 12. My USGA index is
currently 15.6.
Starting again about 2 years ago, I was determined to get the driver working,
and I occasionally do bang off 300+ yard drives, and can be pretty consistent
with the driver, depending on the phase of the moon, or some other
uncontrollable phenomenon. My short game is atrocious, my iron play is erratic,
but I do hit the odd great iron shot.
As for the mental side of golf, I have found that kow-towing to the ball doesn't
help much; but kow-towing to the club makes a big difference. Thus it is very
important to handle the club gently and with great respect. However, a ball that
goes out of bounds or in the water CAN STAY THERE!!!! I, at least, am not going
to look for it. Balls that do not go in the hole when they should are
immediately trashed. When the clubs are cooperative and the ball does as it's
told, I can do pretty well.
I started at a local muni, where I shot everything from an 82 to 107. I switched
to a local privately owned by open to the public course that is a better
challenge to my game, and it took me about 6 months to consistently break 100,
another year to consistently break 90. Currently I am flirting with breaking 80.
I have had 2 9's of 39 and one 9 of 38, but recent scores also include a 96 and
a 91 for 18. I had a nice 41/41 for an 82 a couple of weeks ago. My short game
is really killing me. I NEVER make a putt more than about 3 feet, and I stupidly
changed my chipping club from a low bounce 53 degree wedge to a 7 iron, and I
haven't made a decent chip shot since. I went back to the wedge but still am
stuggling. Live and learn!
I have been practicing my short game a lot recently; and it is improving, but
not enough to improve my scores...YET! I am a little excited about my golf game.
I could legitimately be shooting par this summer...currently my job keeps me off
the golf course....its all a matter of tempo and rhythm and CONFIDENCE!!! I
think I have the mechanics down fairly well.
Rob Hamilton.
Bill Schroeder
I agree with those who say work on your short game. Unfortunately, around here
most of the public courses will not let you practice chipping and I just don't
think practicing that in your back yard helps since you don't get an idea of
how the chip will run on a green when chipping to lawn-height grass. I joined
a private club which will open in three months and I'm looking forward to
practicing at the special chipping green they'll have in the practice area.
Here's an example of the difference the short game makes. On Monday of this
week I played a fairly tough local course from the white tees and they were up
from their normal positions, closer to the senior tees than usual, so not
nearly as difficult as on most days. I shot 41 with FOUR putts that lipped out
in 9 holes plus a horrible 4 to get down from the front fringe on the 9th hole
(first chip all the way across the green, second chip on but not close). On
Tuesday, I played the same 9 holes from the blue (back) tees and shot a 39,
despite having to take an unplayable lie penalty on one hole. The difference
was I putted much better, made 2 fairly long putts for birdie, had no 3 putts,
although I did miss an 8 foot birdie putt on another hole.
Congratulations to you, Rick, on accomplishing your goal and I believe if you
want to rapidly improve the scores you post, work on your short game.
Bill
Scott
>You can break 80 with a mediocre long game, as long as you can keep it in
>play and have an excellent short game. 75 and below is gonna take fairly
>strong play in all aspects, and doesn't offer much room for stupid mistakes.
>
>I'd love to hear some of the 0-5 hcps give their take on this topic, and I'd
>also like to hear their story of how long it took them to get good.
This is an interesting question Rich. Better scoring for me came in
large steps. I've always putted, chipped and pitched well. While
there were no revelations in my game regarding swing technique (I
still tinker constantly) - the two keys to making the next step (if
your short game is solid) is course management and wedge play.
If you want to improve your game without having a necessarily solid
short game, take the driver out of your hands on short par 4's and par
5's you can't reach in two that have trouble off the tee.
Practice your 120 yard to 60 yard pitch shots. Get real good with
your direction. The feel (distance) will come naturally with the
practice. Actually, hitting 70% of the balls with my wedge gives me
great control and tempo with all of my clubs.
How long did it take to break into the low single digits? Three years
for me. Playing at least 3 times a week. Don't force the scoring
issue though (i.e. don't fixate on score). There are times I play
very well, but nothing goes in. There are other times where I
scramble constantly and make everything I look at. Fixation on score
is about as productive as watching the scale when dieting. It serves
no real purpose is you make that your sole reference to
self-improvement.
Rich, this was such a good question, I'm going to spin it off as a
thread of its own.
Scott
Crispin Roche
Having followed a similar golfing career to you it took me several months
playing once a week to achieve the sub 100 round. I must have thought 'd
got golf cracked because it bit me back and some - my scores immediately
shot up to the 110 mark.
Your next goal has to be to break 100 every time:-)
Crispin Roche
Rick DeMent wrote in message <7ad7tr$p0v$1...@camel15.mindspring.com>...
>I had been in a real deep funk. I had been fooling around playing golf
>since I got a set of sticks in August of 96. Shortly after that I got
fired
>from my job and didn't have the money to play much (maybe once every other
>month). Last spring, about May, I decided to get serious and take a few
>lessons and try to really learn how to play this game.
>
>Fact was, I just could not seem to break that golden 100 mark. I was
>getting depressed. I was playing once a week and trying to get in three or
>four super grande buckets at the local bone yard every week, but to no
>avail. I had put together some good nine hole scores but was never able to
>put it together. I would read on RSG about some of you who had 15
handicaps
>after playing for less then a year (actually I took this with a grain of
>salt but I was sure that some of you have shot some pretty low scores after
>playing about a year)
>
>Well Sunday was my day. Previous to that day my best score was 103. Sunday
>I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92 on a 120/68
>course (not too tough). I shot a birdie, 6 pars and 7 bogies clearly my
>most consistent round ever. I was overjoyed not only to have broke 100,
but
>the fact that my wife didn't care that I was out golfing on Valentines day.
>
CKF
<ric...@Mindspring.com> wrote:
-----------------breaking 100 story snipped------------------
>So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
>break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
>Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
>10 stokes jumps?
For me, it was gradual, fast, gradual. What I mean is:
I started playing in June of 1995. Learned the basics of the game and
swing at a driving range and then a par three course. Played my first
regulation 18-hole course in August, shooting about 120. Stuck around
115 - 130 for the rest of 1995. Didn't touch the clubs from October
or so until March, and in 1996 I still couldn't break 100, my best a
105 in August. Did manage to break 50 on one nine-hole outing.
During these years, I really didn't care that much about the game,
played with my dad basically so he had someone new to play with and
once in awhile with some similiarly "talented" friends.
Then came the "breakthrough" In late February 97, squeezing in about
eight holes with some friends that planned to play a whole round, I
shot about a 40 (over eight holes). Hit the ball cleanly for the
first time, made some pars, played well. This singular outing made me
want to achieve success again, and I finally broke 100 in March of
1997. This was the beginning of my third year playing, so I put in
the time. I set my goal right then for the summer to play twice a
week and be breaking 90 by summers end,
It only took me three months to acheive my goal, busted ninety in
early June. Played in the high eighties/low 90s for about three
months and in August I was suddenly shooting low 80s scores. I came
very close several times to busting 80, but couldn't quite pull it
off. Until September 97, when I broke 80 on successive days.
Since then, my progress has been fairly slow. I'm a solid high 70s
shooter that ventures into the 80s often enough that it gets annoying,
and occasionally still plays bad enough to shoot a 90 something. I'd
say I break 80 close to half the time, which is progress as when I
first started breaking 80 it happened infrequently. I've done it 41
times now (have all the cards), but I've never really come near
shooting par, which is I guess the next goal. So you see why I said
gradual, fast, gradual. It took me two years to break 100, but only
six months from then to break 80. And I've progressed only very
moderately since then. My goal now is to eliminate entirely any
scores over 85 or so. I'd like to be able to say, "I played bad today
- shot an 83". As it is now, I expect to be 78 - 83 range. I'd love
to shoot par or break it, but that's a long term goal. Short term is
to eliminate the 90s.
Chris
CKF
wrote:
I know a guy like this. Par 4, par 5, driver. Every time. He busts
on me for hitting my 3 or 5 wood (or an iron even) and I rarely evebn
carry a driver. You know what? When the game's over, my score is
usually lower. He can beat me, but has only a few times.
Chris
Barry Smith
Here's what I mean:
You say you hit 8-12 greens in regulation. I will use 10 in my
example. If you hit 10 greens in regulation and you had a great short
game, you would be in the 70s, not the 80s! If you never 3 putt and if
you often chip close enough to one-putt here's your score -
10 greens in regulation = 10 pars (maybe a couple birdies!)
8 greens missed = 8 bogeys (maybe a couple pars)
On a par 70 course, your score would range from about 74 - 78!
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller wrote:
>
> Rick,
>
> My first few years of golf were in High School with my step-dad. Learned
> alot but didn't take the game seriously. After the Army and entry into
> college I began to take those mental breaks from the books as often as I
> could. This is when I broke 100. It wasn't until 2 years later in College
> that I took some lessons and have been in the 80's ever since. I have a
> fairly straight long game and hit 8 -12 greens in regulation but as most of
> the experienced golfers will tell you in here, dont worry too much about
> your long game, work on your short game. Think about it, on the average
> course you will have 3-4 par 5's, 2 or 3 par threes and numerous par 4's.
> Most of the par fours you can reach in two shots even if you used your 3 or
> 5 wood to tee off with. Then it's up to the middle irons and
> pitching/chipping, and putting.
>
> If you want to break into the 80's consistently, take some lessons on your
> long game and practice your short game with religion. Make a schedule of
> what you want to accomplish and when. If you have the Golf Channel on your
> satelite watch the Dave Peltz short game series.
>
> Good Luck,
> Seth
>
> P.S. Heres a fun thing to do, leave your driver in the car and play a round
> with just irons. This is a good during the week game for practice.
--
Barry Smith
內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻齯滌`偕中滌`偕爻,虜齯滌`偕爻,�
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James E White
round of Golf. Twas a par 72 course and I shot 92. What an easy game this
was.
Must have been 1 1/2 years before I broke 100 again.
18 years ago I broke 80, shooting a 76 at Ft. Huachucha Arizona. What a
blast that was.
Two years ago, here at my home course - Golf Hammock - in Sebring, Florida,
I shot 72 - even par.
Last year my goal was to shoot somewhere in the 60's. Hasn't happened yet
but have shot 71 and 70.
I'm 61 now and the game just gets more and more fun. I play 2 - 3 times a
week so that helps a lot.
Biggest break through was mentally concentrating on the next shot, not
thinking about what I screwed up on the last hole and most of all I quit
reliving each hole to determine what my score was in relation to par.
Next biggest break through was when my new irons arrived, I went immediately
to the course and left my woods at home. Shot 73. That provided me with a
lot of self confidence. You can't imagine how awful my iron play had been
up to that point. I'm still not a super iron player, but I'm a lot better
because of that one round.
Know the feeling you had - keep it going and don't worry about the score.
I remember the first time I ran the table when playing 9 ball at my local
billard parlor. That last shot was extremely difficult because mentally, I
made it extremely difficult.
I immediately decided to adopt the same attitude in pool as I adopted in
Golf. Now when I have run the table I have to be told about it because I'm
not aware of it. I try to concentrate on the next shot and where i want the
cue ball to be.
I have a lot further to go in my billiards game than in my Golf game, but
I'm working on it.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD SHOOTING
Rick DeMent wrote in message <7ad7tr$p0v$1...@camel15.mindspring.com>...
>I had been in a real deep funk. I had been fooling around playing golf
>since I got a set of sticks in August of 96. Shortly after that I got
fired
>from my job and didn't have the money to play much (maybe once every other
>month). Last spring, about May, I decided to get serious and take a few
>lessons and try to really learn how to play this game.
>
>Fact was, I just could not seem to break that golden 100 mark. I was
>getting depressed. I was playing once a week and trying to get in three or
>four super grande buckets at the local bone yard every week, but to no
>avail. I had put together some good nine hole scores but was never able to
>put it together. I would read on RSG about some of you who had 15
handicaps
>after playing for less then a year (actually I took this with a grain of
>salt but I was sure that some of you have shot some pretty low scores after
>playing about a year)
>
>Well Sunday was my day. Previous to that day my best score was 103. Sunday
>I not only broke 100 but I damn near broke 90. I shot a 92 on a 120/68
>course (not too tough). I shot a birdie, 6 pars and 7 bogies clearly my
>most consistent round ever. I was overjoyed not only to have broke 100,
but
>the fact that my wife didn't care that I was out golfing on Valentines day.
>
>So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all
to
>break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for
you?
>Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
>10 stokes jumps?
>
Colin Wilson
> So what about it? I would be interested to hear how long it took you all to
> break those scoring levels 100, 90, 80. Also what turned it around for you?
> Did you just "click" or was is a see saw thing? Was is gradual or in 5 to
> 10 stokes jumps?
If you followed my scoring trend over the three years I've been playing
club/competition golf, it would look a bit like the Dow Jones "in
reverse". There'd be spikes (some huge) in both directions, but the
general trend is downwards.
My initial scoring was around 95-100, but you have to bear in mind that
my home course is par 70, and if it was in the US it would probably not
have a high slope. My first handicap was 25, indicating that with an ACR
of 67, I was scoring around 92-95 per round.
I remember in my very first competition (the first time I had to
concentrate *really* hard, which was probably good for me) I scored a
+10 in a par event, or around 85. This was an amazing (for me) one-off,
but I took it as a sign of what I might really do.
Over a period of two years though, my average scores dropped to
mid-80's, then low-80's. My first sub-80 score (79) almost crept up on
me. I didn't realise I'd been going that well until finishing the last
hole.
This last month I've shot three 76's, which are my lowest scores to
date. On a "bad day" I can still shoot mid-80's. My best nine was two
weeks ago when I shot 34 (1 under with three birdies).
I correlate my improvement so far with four easy-to-identify things:
more experience, extended practice, lessons for swing improvement and
better equipment. Now I'm finding, while I'm still practicing the
basics, that to get any lower I have to concentrate more on "subtle"
things, like pre-shot routines, finesse, "feel", mind factors ... etc.
(Anyone identify these?)
My general experience has been that getting better at anything takes
time. Don't look at where you might be in six months, look at where you
might be in three years. For me, it's a long-term aim for a single
figure handicap, and a corresponding aim of mid-70s constantly.
Cheers
Colin Wilson
Trentham Golf Club
http://publishing.kyneton.net.au/trentham
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller
Thanks for the analysis! Only one problem, I still manage to pull of a
triple bogey or so and this trashes my score. It's almost as if I get tired
sometimes. I have vowed to walk every game, as I enjoy the exercise. My
putting is still horrible and needs alot of work. Of the few attributes in
my game is my middle iron play, chipping is not too bad, although I havn't
taken stats and really should put down some numbers I still really need some
work. I would have to admit that although I understand the physics of the
game I still need alot of work to understand my swing. I will be taking
some more lessons this spring and hope to break into the elusive 70's. I
have got to become more effective in my long game. I rarely take out the
driver and tend to lay up alot, potentially I need to be more agressive. I
am one of those guys who will take 3 clubs to a chip and ponder on how I am
going to shoot it. I will let everyone know when I do break into the
seventy's, Glory Days!
Seth
Shawn Bannon
cfai...@su.edu (CKF) wrote:
> I know a guy like this. Par 4, par 5, driver. Every time. He busts
> on me for hitting my 3 or 5 wood (or an iron even) and I rarely evebn
> carry a driver. You know what? When the game's over, my score is
> usually lower. He can beat me, but has only a few times.
>
> Chris
>
On Sunday, at the Buick tournament, someone hit a 2 iron off the tee. David
Feherty called it the Chicken Stick.
--Shawn Bannon
sb...@yahoo.com
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
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Jim Tims
[...
>>I'd love to hear some of the 0-5 hcps give their take on this topic, and I'd
>>also like to hear their story of how long it took them to get good.
[...
The advice to work on the short game sometimes omits that working on 30-60
yard wedge shots can dramatically improve the full swing. IMO, too much
time is spent practicing full shots.
>Practice your 120 yard to 60 yard pitch shots. Get real good with
>your direction. The feel (distance) will come naturally with the
>practice. Actually, hitting 70% of the balls with my wedge gives me
>great control and tempo with all of my clubs.
I'd like to repeat some old thoughts I've offered here many times. Take a
few balls (say 3 or 4) and chase them around with a wedge. Hit the first
shot with a relaxed half-ish swing, as if you were playing catch. Do the
same thing with the next two or three balls, without regard to doing
anything beyond exactly repeating the previous swings. The ball, when
struck cleanly, will go about the same distance every time. Don't be too
concerned about how far this is, just that the swings are the same. It is
very satisfying to have 3 or 4 balls within a few feet of each other!
Chase these balls around a small area for a while, moving back and forth or
in a circle. Make the swings as nice and relaxed and solid as you can,
without forcing or thinking too much about how far each shot goes. By
repeating the first swing, the next two or three balls should wind up
pretty close together, without even trying to sense how far you are going
to hit it. Pace off the distance of these shots after the fact. You will
find that your "real easy" swing goes X yards, your "firm lob" goes Y
yards, your "strong half wedge" goes Z yards, and so forth. In other
words, relate your various intensity swings to their distance, rather than
try to match some swing to 100 yards or any other arbitrary target. It is
far easier to discover how far an internal sensation of hard or soft will
take your shot, and far easier to repeat that kinesthetic sensation, than
it is to try and find a specific level of effort that will send the ball
some preordained distance. On the course, one can say, "I hit my little
shot 35 yards -- this is 40 yards, so it's my little shot with just a
fraction more." Not every one has natural quantums of swing effort that
fall nicely into the brackets found on yardage markers.
>How long did it take to break into the low single digits? Three years
>for me. Playing at least 3 times a week. Don't force the scoring
It took me seven years to get to about a 5 hcp, but I started when I was
eleven. It took me another 5 years to reach scratch, and I was scratch for
only one summer. In '66, I had to go into the service and my game never
reached that level again, since I haven't been able (or more accurately,
had the gumption) to work on my game enough since then. (I generally wind
up the season at about a 2 or 3 -- starting the season playing like a 30
hcp. ;^)
--
Jim Tims (jft...@borg.com)
"And if you're a miner, when you're too tired and old and sick and stupid
to do your job properly, you have to go, whereas just the opposite applies
with the judges." Beyond the Fringe
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller
I enjoyed your post so much that I rolled it over into my saved bin. Would
like to hear more of those favorite exercises or drills from everyone. Mine
is my chipping drill. I like to find different objects in my backyard and
pitch the ball over them. I usually do not worry about where the ball
lands, just that it made it over the object. I have even had a go at my
barn. Stuck a sand wedge, clean over it and it landed about 10' on the
other side. Wish I could recreate the "accident", havn't had the guts yet
to try and pitch one over the house, but I can say, its been a long time
since I have "chilly dipped" a pitch or chip.
Seth
Joe Cartpath
neighbors car - or your bosses car.
--
joeca...@hotmail.com
http://home.midsouth.rr.com/joecartpath
Seth & Dee Dee Fuller wrote in message
<7ao656$4...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
Harry Douthwaite
<joeca...@hotmail.com> writes
>If you want to really test your nerves, try pitching over your car - or your
>neighbors car - or your bosses car.
my house into the back garden - my young kids loved it trying to catch
them.
Then my wife returned - and it's never happened again!!
There's a moral in this somewhere!!