Beginners Quest to Break 90!! (Consistently)

nemoisback66

Hi All,

I just wanted to share my story a bit like Fix's life at Sub 2.5 but only for the higher handicappers out there like me.

I started to play golf a little towards the end of last year (Aug 2015). My brother plays golf and asked me if I would go out an play a round with him, I said why not. At this point I had never even swung a club never mind try and hit a ball with one. So I borrowed a set of cubs and out we went.

My 1st round was a disaster as you can image but I really enjoyed it and a couple of rounds later I was hooked. So I decided to go buy myself a 2nd hand set of starter clubs. I was trying to get out as much as time would allow and having a young family definitely doesn't help matters. Anyway I was managing to get out around 2/3 times a month until the bad weather settled in around November. At this stage I was still just swinging the club with no thoughts of were the ball might end up. For me I was just trying to hit the ball and hope it went in the air (I'll look for it after).
I was really enjoying getting out for the few hours and the times I actually hit the ball well I said to myself there is a golfer in there somewhere. So a few months went by and I had time to think. Why not try and go out and actually learn to play golf and prove to myself that I can become a good golfer.

In January I decided to join a golf club and its been great so far. I have managed to get out a couple of times when the weather has allowed it and everybody has been very friendly and patient even with a complete beginner. I also managed to get my initial handicap (18) which is great I was expecting it to be higher. I was also recommended a coach by one of the guys I was playing with to get some lessons. I knew without the lessons and putting the effort in I am not going to break a 90 stroke round by the end of year. I set myself this target as it's just over my course par (69) + my handicap (18) which would add up to 87. I'm hoping that this is a reasonable target to hit and looking forward to seeing how I progress.

So I bit the bullet and booked myself in for a lesson. I had my 1st lesson on the 18th Feb and I came out smiling. I managed to hit some consistent shots not the 1 in every 5/10 shots like I was before. I was able to hit 5/6 shots in a row just by being giving a few setup tips and swing thoughts.
I have been to the range twice since and I happy with the improvements. The biggest help that I found was to take my time with my practice. Not go out and murder 50/100 balls in 20/30 mins. I just concentrated on the swing thoughts and setup drills that the coach has given me. I haven't got to the course yet but I am playing tomorrow and I'm hoping I can put this practice into use.

Hopefully my progress throughout the year can help some of the higher handicappers out there and they could use it to progress there own golf journeys. I hope to keep this up to date if anyone has any interest in following.

Thanks for reading.

alxmorgan

Welcome to the wonderful/terrible/spirit crushing/life affirming game of golf

Was in the same boat myself not too long ago. Was given 18 handicap and took me 2 years to play to it. Lost a couple of shots a year since then so stick with it as it is not always easy but is very rewarding.

If you have time to practice I would recommend getting Adam Youngs book The Practice Manual. Reading it changed the way I practice and should make sure you never waste another practice session again.

Best of luck with it and look forward to keeping up with it as you go

nemoisback66

alxmorgan wrote: »

Welcome to the wonderful/terrible/spirit crushing/life affirming game of golf

Was in the same boat myself not too long ago. Was given 18 handicap and took me 2 years to play to it. Lost a couple of shots a year since then so stick with it as it is not always easy but is very rewarding.

If you have time to practice I would recommend getting Adam Youngs book The Practice Manual. Reading it changed the way I practice and should make sure you never waste another practice session again.

Best of luck with it and look forward to keeping up with it as you go

Cheers alxmorgan. Love the welcome to the world of golf intro

It will be hard work but hopefully I will enjoy the learning experience during the year and at some point I will be able to play to my handicap. Will look into the book for some reading thanks for the tip. Will try to keep the thread updated as much as possible and maybe it might be helpful for even one person during the course of the year.

PARlance

Best of luck, I was that soldier about 5 years ago. You did the right thing by joining a club, I didn't for the first couple and I would change that if I could do it again.

I had a similar thread here at the time http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056283197/1/#post72483891

Keep at it, it's a great game but it requires lots of work.

nemoisback66

PARlance wrote: »

Best of luck, I was that soldier about 5 years ago. You did the right thing by joining a club, I didn't for the first couple and I would change that if I could do it again.

I had a similar thread here at the time http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056283197/1/#post72483891

Keep at it, it's a great game but it requires lots of work.

Thanks PARlance. Will have a look at your thread its good to know someone that has went through the same experience as I'm about to take on.

PARlance

nemoisback66 wrote: »

Thanks PARlance. Will have a look at your thread its good to know someone that has went through the same experience as I'm about to take on.

And in 5 years time you too can look back and cringe at your past self

alxmorgan

PARlance wrote: »

Best of luck, I was that soldier about 5 years ago. You did the right thing by joining a club, I didn't for the first couple and I would change that if I could do it again.

I had a similar thread here at the time http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056283197/1/#post72483891

Keep at it, it's a great game but it requires lots of work.

Went back and read the thread again there over a cuppa.
Brings me back.
The days of 60 yards slices and the earliest days of the boards society.
Enjoyed the trip down memory lane

FixdePitchmark

Best of luck.

I know there have been a good few threads like this - some were not finished - some were too long and some were a good laugh and successful.

I enjoyed doing the first one - but didn't know how hard it was going to be and almost - well, did drive me nuts. I just wasn't good enough or know enough about so many parts of the game. Just banging balls at a range is not how to get better at golf - it is a small part of it. but a trap too.

Whilst there are lads that are very cynical about them (Threads) - the overwhelming experience for me was brilliant. When I started - I loved golf - but I didn't know much about golf , I had never had a lesson , knew little or nothing about equipment, course management, the mental side, keeping a round going, dealing with winter golf, I wasn't even in a club, I had never even played golf with a single figure player :eek:

The best part of the experience for me , was the positivity from the majority of golfers on here and the people I met along the way - there was unbelievable good will , up to, and including offers for games from Kerry - to Sligo to Dublin.

So enjoy - it is the best game out there and so many people can help you.

I think the most important thing to know is - what is your weak part.

If I was to give one tip - work on your weakness and it isn't work, so enjoy.

There is help out there for every aspect of the game , but getting the balance right of eventually knowing that you have done enough changing - stick at what works for you.

Best of luck - If you want any help at all, post here and someone will help out or send you on the right road.

For all the cynicism and hurlers on............ - there is a great bunch of lads lurking around here - combined , they know everything, or seem to be perfect

nemoisback66

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

If I was to give one tip - work on your weakness and it isn't work, so enjoy.
Best of luck - If you want any help at all, post here and someone will help out or send you on the right road.

Thanks for the advice Fix. I never really looked at it like that. I think for me at the minute winter golf is particularly hard. Hopefully once the better weather comes around I will have learned the hard way during winter.

So far I am enjoying it and I think that's the main thing.

nemoisback66

Update: 01/03/16

So I played my first round on Saturday since starting this thread and it was only over 12 holes. The weather was good a little chilly but I was feeling optimistic of a good round.
1st and 2nd hole didn't go well. Both Par 4's and hit triple bogey on both. Missed both fairways to the left and struggled from then on to get the ball to the green on the 2nd and 3rd shot. I've found that it takes me a few holes to get relaxed and into the round.

Holes 3-5 I managed to double bogey and get a few points on the scorecard.
6th Hole Par 3 and I hit a nice 6 iron onto the green. Best strike so far. I am currently working on my consistency with iron strikes and struggling to get the ball in the air. Glad to see that there is a golfer in there somewhere. Anyway I had a 15 putt for birdie and got it within 2 feet and tapped in for par. Happy Days

I think this kick started the round. Over the remaining holes 7-12 I shoot +4. It came out of nowhere and every shot I hit was getting better. The round finished off with two pars both which I feel could have been birdies.

The round finished like this.
12 Holes (Par 45)
61 Strokes
25 Putts
Fairways 44%
GIR 35%

This is my best round to date and it will be interesting to see how I would score over the full 18. I feel that the 1st 3/4 holes are what could be killing the round for me. Has anyone any tips to start the round off better or experienced the same? My iron shots have came on great and the lesson has definitely helped from what I can see.

Overall I think shooting +16 over 12 holes for me is a great start and hopefully it will only get better as the year progresses and I get the 1st round of the year under 90!!

alxmorgan

Good shooting
On the starts....do you warm up ?
Range ideally but if not then some swings and a few minutes stretching may help.

Also one thing that may help is to ease yourself in in terms of what shots you take on. For example maybe avoid the driver for the first few holes as this is hardest club to hit for most in terms of margin for error.
Then once you are warmed up and feeling good after some decent hits with easier to manage clubs play your normal game.

I am lucky in my course that driver is not really needed till the 5th so gives me plenty of time to feel my way in.

Loire

nemoisback66 wrote: »

1st and 2nd hole didn't go well. Both Par 4's and hit triple bogey on both. Missed both fairways to the left and struggled from then on to get the ball to the green on the 2nd and 3rd shot.

Hi OP,

A good idea when you are in the rough off the tee is to make sure your second shot ends back up on the fairway, even if it is a club or two shorter than you think you could manage. This will put you "back in play".

The other bits of advice I would offer are:

Practice and get comfortable with your wedge play, specifically those 30 - 70 yard shots. Ideally, you want to aim for the middle of the green with these

Practice and get comfortable with "bump & run" chips around the green.

Practice and get comfortable with lagging longer putts.

Get one or two lessons on getting out of the sand

Practice short putts as much as you can at home on the carpet

HTH

spacecoyote

http://www.adamyounggolf.com/adjusted-targets/

This is some good practical advice & worth a read (for anyone really)

Best of luck with the blog & the golf. We all started in the same boat as yourself. Some of progressed a long way, others are still battling the get sub 90 scores.

I started as a 22 handicap & down to 12 now. One thing I always tried when getting down was to try always give myself a par putt on a hole. So on a par 3, be on in 2, par 4, in 3, par 5, in 4. That way I knew, if I made the putt, I'd have 3 points, but if I missed, I had a 2 putt to score 2 points (in stableford) which is a net par.

I'm not saying deliberately miss a green on a par 4 with your second shot if you're in the middle of the fairway & 100 yards out. If you're in that situation stick it into the middle of the green. It's more of advice of a minimum target you should have on a hole. So if you hook your drive into the trees on a par 4, rather than try an impossible shot between 2 branches, take your punishment & try get in a position that will let you get to the green in 3. Then you still have 2 putts for a bogey which for an 18 or higher handicap is worth at least a par

nemoisback66

Thanks for the advice everyone will definitely take it onboard some good practice and mental thoughts to help me out. Looking forward to progressing further and reaching my target to break 90!! Will keep you updated soon.