What has worked for you?

L.O.F.T

To get from 12, where I am, to single figures what you would do or what you have done that has been a success. I do apologise for only specifically asking those here that are in single figures but what has proven to be effective for you and may be for a golfer like me struggling to get 2-3 more shots off my handicap. I set this goal last year and went up .4?

1stuey1

well id guess... see what is the weakest part off your game.. mine was putting so i bought a correct size putter, got a lesson, now i putt quite well, in what was 3-4 putts is no 1-2. i figured my driving was a little off so i tried improving that! i could be wrong but im sure there is some part off your game needs improving work on that, but practise more and more linking all off this together. id notice one day id be terrible at chipping. keep at it tho try play one or more times a week to improve it and you will see changes. if i dont play for more than a week i need refreshing

stockdam

I don't think there's one easy answer.

How often do you play........some people play once a month and play to 12 whereas others play 3 times a week.

How's your driving and short game. Some people are very short off the tee and can barely reach most par 4s in two but have a reasonable short game. Others waste lots of shots from poor tee shots.

Where are you loosing shots.......poor tee shots, missing lots of greens, poor chipping/putting?

It's usually a combination and in that case your swing may need to be improved to cut out the errant shots.

Most people will tell you that you need to improve your short game but often you need to improve all parts of your game including your decision making.

Many people take up golf late in life and they often struggle to improve. Somebody with a great swing developed when they were young will find it easier to get back down to single figures if they have had a layoff than a person who has taken golf up in their 30s.

ShriekingSheet

My club has lots of good golfers off 10-12 handicaps that all have a similar goal to yourself. You say you set yourself a goal (which is a good thing) of getting to 9? But have you put much thought into how you're going to do that? What's your plan of action? What changes will you make to achieve this goal?

There's a few great ones I always advise (I get asked this all the time) that can be done by anyone, with negligible impact on your priorities outside of golf, which of course come first. What I mean is while advising you to take weekly lessons and practice for 2 hours a day is likely to get you to single figures, it may not be very realistic advice if you have a wife and twelve kids.

1) Get to the golf course a little bit earlier.
You might already arrive in plenty of time but if you're like some people I know you might spend the bulk of this time chatting to the pro, having a coffee and watching skysports news in the bar. Think about this time and how you use it. Golf is a social game so I'm not saying you need to be abrupt with people but in reality, most club banter happens after the round anyway. But before every round, your aim is to get warmed up and get yourself in the frame of mind to play well. Usuall this means being relaxed so screeching into the carpark 2 mins before your tee-time will not do Always hit practice putts. Don't do it while chatting. Even just spend 3 mins hitting 10 putts as if they were on the last green for 40 points. Chip a few balls too if you can. If your club has somewhere to hit balls, do so. Even 10 or 15 wedge shots to get you turning.
To do this takes discipline. It doesn't have to be for every round but for any round you want to do well in, you should get a routine that you like and stick to it.

2) Get lessons
If you're already doing so, look at how you're getting them. Is it sporadically? With different pros? Only when you're hitting it badly? Ideally, early in the season you should do a number of lessons booked in advance over a set period - maybe 4 lessons over 8 weeks. Work on the points of each lesson before you return for the next one. If you don't have time, push the next lesson back. After this, you may want to go back to the pro for a check-up mid season but you may not - up to you.
Get a short game lesson. Even one hour on chipping and putting.

3) Read Golf is Not A Game of Perfect
If you haven't already. Even if you have, go back through it, pick out 3 tangible points, things that you can do and focus on doing them. It might be incorporating a pre-shot routine, working on your trust or acceptance - whatever it is, don't just read the whole book - pick three points and work on them specifically.

4) Find 30 mins
Most good golfers find that small little patch of time, whether it's after work, before work, before dark in the summer - whenever you can - to get to the course and chip a few balls. The driving range is ok but not as effective as working on short chips and pitches from grass onto a real green. Only going to the golf course when you have a game it play will make it harder for you to improve. Even once every 2 weeks in the summer, get out of the office at 4, chip and putt for 45 mins and you'll be home for dinner at 6. Or if you're an early riser, do it at 7.30 and be in the office for 9.

As you can see, reading a book, getting to the course a bit earlier and finding an hour here and there for a lesson or practice will hopefully not hurt your bank balance or get you divorced but it may just be what you need to play off a lower h'cap.

Whatever advice you take, decide what changes to your golf you need to make and see making those changes as your goals. Simply saying to yourself, "my goal is to play off 9" is useless unless you consider how you're going to get there. Worse still, this kind of goal could mean your putting more expectation on yourself which is not helpful. Forget about the scores you need to shoot and handicap decimals. Focus on the changes you decide are right for you. Making these changes is your goal. Review your progress throughout the season - even if it's just when you're stuck in traffic. Have chipped and putted before all my competitive rounds? Have I put into practice what the pro told me or am I just doing it my old way because it's more comfortable? Be honest with yourself.

All this keeps you nicely focused on the process of getting better. If you put together a good process and execute it well, you'll get your reward. If you focus on the reward you want without much thought of what you need to do to get it, you'll have less chance of getting it IMO.


PS: if you do put a little bit of time into chipping and putting, and find yourself getting bored, pack the clubs into the car and head home. Enthusiasm and enjoyment are vital. If doing this makes you fall out of love with golf then it's a fruitless pursuit. Save the practice time for a day when you're more in the mood and come back then.

Blunder

Practice short game putting. Think '..Game of Perfect' alludes to the fact that a bad drive and bad approach can still be a par with a good short game. 2 Great shots to the green can be ruined by poor chips and putts.

I spend most of my time at the Practice green. If I havent played in a while I will hit some balls a few days before I intend playing to get a feel for my swing again. If I have any spare time and am near a putting green I will work on chipping and putting. I feel far more confident (most of the Time!) over chips and makeable putts than I had done before and I lost 2-3 shots over the summer almost making it down to 9. On 2 occassions this summer I had 25putts which included 8 putts on the back 9 in one of the rounds. I think My average putting for the year was in around 30 per round.

So Short game practice has worked for me! Good Luck

L.O.F.T

Great stuff lads, and food for thought, it’s always nice to get different perspectives on a subject. For me its greens in regulation and getting in from 100-150. All my errors come from poor ball striking and accuracy. Its odd in a way that when you put a question out there such as mine you know there are no magic answers and there is no substitute for practice however it was more of a what has worked for you question which ye explained perfectly. Im looking forward to the year ahead especially the return of the decent weather. Thanks again.

(By the way good luck in the match play lads)

Paulusmaximus

course management. Don't take double bogeys, take your punishment when in trouble, practise short game and keep your tee shots in play as much as possible, not be thinking of hitting the "big" one all the time.

stockdam

I would tend to agree with Paulusmaximus..........keep the first shot in play. However that is easier said than done but if you know your own limitations then it makes it easier.

Once you can keep the ball in play then the most important thing is to learn how to scramble. Hitting greens in regulation is very hard to do but getting up and down when you miss is very important. Also look for the best side of the green......if missing left is going to leave a very hard recovery shot then aim for the right side of the green.

Watch a good player when they are struggling........they will miss many greens but they will chip to within 5 feet and make the putt.

Can you hole straight putts? Sounds easy but many people can't......so practice your putting until you can hole lots of straight 8 foot putts and you rarely miss from under 4 feet.

So keep the ball in play even if that means hitting lots of 5 woods from the tee. Then get the ball onto the green or a place that leaves a simple chip. Practice your chipping and putting. Always pick a target and play within yourself........don't just blast away.

WHIP IT!

stockdam wrote: »

Can you hole straight putts? Sounds easy but many people can't......so practice your putting until you can hole lots of straight 8 foot putts and you rarely miss from under 4 feet.

Great point - I let myself big time with straight putts in the 6-12foot range. I actually find the straight ones the hardest. P*sses me off in a big way. I find I'm always looking for a break that isn't there. Stoopid really!

rowleyg

Have you tried something called Performance Profiling. It is used a lot in Sports Psychology where you draw out something similiar to a dartboard. In each column you outline the main aspects of your game and then rate yourself from 1 - 10. The rating must be honest. You then have a friend / pro assess your ratings in order to establish if they are correct.

Eg

Putting 7 / 10
Short Game 4 / 10
Driving 3 / 10
Concentration 2 / 10
Etc

Once you have assessed yourself, you then assess where you need to be to drop 2 - 3 shots and that will outline the areas of your game you need to improve on and train on in order to improve your overall performance. Do a goolge search on "Performance Profiling for golf". It really is amazing stuff!

Dublin Spur

L.O.F.T wrote: »

To get from 12, where I am, to single figures what you would do or what you have done that has been a success. I do apologise for only specifically asking those here that are in single figures but what has proven to be effective for you and may be for a golfer like me struggling to get 2-3 more shots off my handicap. I set this goal last year and went up .4?

I started 2008 at 12 and ended the year at 9.
I would put my improvment down to 4 things mainly.

1. The right clubs - After 3 years persisting with excellent (but very unforgiving) blade irons, I admitted defeat and got irons that better suit my game. Got a set of Ping G-10s and I have never looked back. The game became easier instantly and my scores and confidence improved immidiately.

2. Putter - My putting went to the dogs, I shopped around and found an excellent putter that made the whole vital area of putting easier and more straight-forward.

3. Frequency - Played more often than ever before. 2/3 times a week in the summer and at least once a week in the winter.

4. Concentration. I discovered that most of my mistakes were due to making the wrong decision rather that making a poor swing/shot. Slowing down a bit and taking my time over every shot helped me no end.

I'm aiming to be 7(ish) by the end of the year.

Hope this helps

neckedit

Don't mean to state the obvious, put its all down to PRACTICE, Creating the right muscle memory, creating feel, creating a knowledge of your own game! And this you get from practice. Short game practice is vital! I can't stress that enough! A little often, is better than burst of hours on end hitting balls on the range, and to make it count , Competitve practice with a buddy, is in my humble opinion, is the best way. ten minutes before you tee of or after the round, A wee putting or chipping comp, keeps you focused while practice, An old fella who kinda taught me how to play, always said "BE HONEST with yourself, and talk nicely to yourself" as you play, this means hit the shot you know you can hit! and not the one you saw Tiger hit last week! oh yeah the main one as with everything......ENJOY IT!:p

neckedit

rowleyg wrote: »

I agree about the concentration, muscle memory etc. The mental game is in my opinion the most important factor in golf. Visualisation, positive re-enforcement are major factors.

is anyone going to the mental game seminar in Dublin in February?

Be very interested in it, Where and when man?:p

WillyWonka

rowleyg wrote: »

I agree about the concentration, muscle memory etc. The mental game is in my opinion the most important factor in golf. Visualisation, positive re-enforcement are major factors.

is anyone going to the mental game seminar in Dublin in February?

Where/when is this rowleyg?

ShriekingSheet

neckedit wrote: »

Be very interested in it, Where and when man?:p

WillyWonka wrote: »

Where/when is this rowleyg?

There's a thread on it posted last week I think. It's in Blanchardstown as far as I remember. €70 per head for the night.

gerp

L.O.F.T wrote: »

Great stuff lads, and food for thought, it’s always nice to get different perspectives on a subject. For me its greens in regulation and getting in from 100-150. All my errors come from poor ball striking and accuracy. Its odd in a way that when you put a question out there such as mine you know there are no magic answers and there is no substitute for practice however it was more of a what has worked for you question which ye explained perfectly. Im looking forward to the year ahead especially the return of the decent weather. Thanks again.

(By the way good luck in the match play lads)

Alot of great advice for you L.O.F.T but do remember people are great at talking about doing things.

Putting them into action is what really matters!

JCDUB

OK Loft, I lost 5 shots from 14 to 9 in a year, and 2 the following year to get me to 7.
Have been off 7 now for a few years.

My own personal way of doing this was very simple, 3 words:

Dr Bob Rotella

and following on from his books, 3 more words:

Routine, Routine, Routine

That's it, all I can say is it's worked for me.

Best of luck.

Pen1987

Learn to stop caring about the last shot.

Learn to stop caring about the next shot.

That is all.


Seriously.

ehutchroi

practice

Just about the only thing you cant buy

dvemail

Try to get good at your short game where you will then and have good confidence in your chipping and putting.
This should then take pressure off you irons because you will know that if this shot doesnt work out well your wedge can make up for it.
It can all be a bit of a chain reaction as your driving might improve from there also

Sliderman

LOFT

the best way for you to get better is to fully and I mean fully read The Little Red book of golf.

On:pac:ce understood you will be a match for anybody in your golf club.

This book should be mandatory for all golfers as it is the secret to great golf. I have read and viewed thousands of golf books/dvds and this is the only one that has worked for me over and over again.

The key points in the book include The Magic Move, Swinging the bucket image, stroking putts from short range, Taking dead aim:D

ShriekingSheet

Sliderman wrote: »

Once understood you will be a match for anybody in your golf club.

Anybody?

Sliderman wrote: »

The key points in the book include The Magic Move,

This "magic move" isn't shoot your opponent in the leg on the first tee by any chance is it...?


Seriously though I've never heard of it. Gimme a link.

PhilipMarlowe

linky

kingshankly

For beginers and high handicapers it's impossible to emphasize enough how important it is to slow your swing down and swing easy

stockdam

Sliderman wrote: »

LOFT

the best way for you to get better is to fully and I mean fully read The Little Red book of golf.

I read it a long time ago and although it was enjoyable I wouldn't claim that it would improve anybody's golf......it is full of snippets and it won't solve a poor swing. From memory the only thing I took from it was to always have a target (including drives). I would recommend reading it but I wouldn't suggest that it is the secret.

golf_caddy

Here's a few tips you might want to consider.
1. Take the driver out of the bag.
2. In the winter take no more than 5 clubs onto the course.
3. Never ask your playing partners what club they hit at a hole.

L.O.F.T

Quick update and a thanks to those who offered advise. From 12 im now at 10.2. Playing more regular, spend more time on the putting green and have worked very hard at GIR. Its been very worth while to see the practise paying off, from hard work and no secrets! Thanks again for the advise

BUACHAILL

Thats great to hear fair play amazing what some goals and focus can achieve.

I am in a similar position as yourself...dropped from 17 - 9 last year
I have now hit a wall and dont know what I am doing, I practice very hard at all aspects of my game and am never happy where I am at although I do enjoy it. My target dare I say it this year is to drop to 6. I feel its more than achievable but just have stopped scoring. Cant put my finger on it. I have read.....re-read Bob Rotella. I think I slightly over think things and can be hard on myself but that said I never give up on a round

Im at a loss ...help appreciated

Dylan69

This is brilliant stuff. I will agree with the concentration and muscle memory is vital.

The mental game is in my opinion the most important factor in my current game. Visualising the shot and being postive in your own swing and game

I was currently 21 last Feb/March and now i'm a 17. I have improved immensly over the last few months and that down to 5 things.

1- Stay in your comfort zone
2- Praticing the short game once/twice a week (don't tell the wife) :mad:.
3- Swing smooth and swing easy and let the clubs do the rest.
4- Beliving in myself and limiting my game to the best of my ability
5- Think about myself more and not my playing partners (i know it sound selfish but time/concentration is lost when chatting away)

L.O.F.T

BUACHAILL wrote: »

Thats great to hear fair play amazing what some goals and focus can achieve.

I am in a similar position as yourself...dropped from 17 - 9 last year
I have now hit a wall and dont know what I am doing, I practice very hard at all aspects of my game and am never happy where I am at although I do enjoy it. My target dare I say it this year is to drop to 6. I feel its more than achievable but just have stopped scoring. Cant put my finger on it. I have read.....re-read Bob Rotella. I think I slightly over think things and can be hard on myself but that said I never give up on a round

Im at a loss ...help appreciated

That is something which has helped me, ive stopped over thinking, I get a picture of what shot I want to hit and I hit it without second guessing myself. When the above shot is not what I visualised I dont beat myself up, I pick the bag up and focous on the next shot not the one ive just hit. Good luck to you BUACHAILL.