How to become more consistent?

CalamariFritti

As we all know this game is about consistency. We can all hit a few good shots or string a few good holes together even. It's the doing it for 18 holes that gets us.

My game feels like I could make quite a leap in terms of handicap if only... well I'm not sure whats missing. It feels like its coming to a head if you know what I mean.
The other week I played 9 holes in level, next day in 1 over. Then I had 34 points on Sunday. To clarify I'm between 12 and 13 for the last 6 months.
I can string long spells of pars together, odd birdie thrown in, then a hole or two or three get away from me. Then I pull myself together and go back to the former. Then I scratch one out of nowhere.
Now I'm not saying I'm at the brink of playing par. Bogey is a fair enough score on our tougher holes still. But I have longer spells of nearly there. The game must be good enough in principle. People playing with me are saying you're playing/striking it well Calamari. A few months ago I was 3 under after 5 on a Sunday, finished with 39.
How do get rid of the f***-ups. Is it decision making? Course management? If I could turn the f***-ups into bogeys even that would be good enough for single figures I reckon.

dan_ep82

I feel where your coming from.
I usually start out pretty well but somewhere along the line I just forget how to hit the ball. Everything feels the same but instead of a good strike I hit it 90° right for 3 or 4 holes straight off the hosel.

Last year I was playing well for a few months scoring between 9-15 over. This year I join a club again and bam, back to 33points of 21

I'm starting lessons and I hope to get a consistent set up and strike then a few playing lessons so he can see where I'm going wrong.

Montgolfier

I hear yeah lads, I'm not low man (12hcp) but I dropped 4 shots last year and I'm playing consistently to my hcp.
This might sound a bit mad but what you eat and drink before and during a round can affect your concentration. Before a big comp I like a fry up the fats help you concentrate so I'm told, I drink water every odd hole.
Decision making is another story a lot of lads can't take their medicine. If you duff a shot tell yourself your playing for a bogey and reacess the hole plan. Don't pull out the 3 wood from the rough as you'll probably duffing that and getting more frustrated.
I play one hole at a time and try to play it as good as I can, I stopped counting score if I play a hole well I'm happy. It's just me against the course like vpar which I love each to their own.

ShivasIrons

Having 30 points every time you play is consistent.

Consistency is overrated, you don't want consistency, you want to get better.

Would you prefer to shoot 80 one day and 70 the next or 75 everyday?

CalamariFritti

I guess 70 one day and 80 the next. Nobody shoots the same score every day. Even the pros shoot 67 one day and 74 the next.

@Montgolfier I have left the mad stuff behind me long ago. I know about not trying the impossible. A hole can get away from me especially when I have no shot on it. Maybe its thinking about whether I have a shot on a hole or not.

fred funk }{

Pratice/play more.

Hoof Hearted2

CalamariFritti wrote: »

As we all know this game is about consistency. We can all hit a few good shots or string a few good holes together even. It's the doing it for 18 holes that gets us.

My game feels like I could make quite a leap in terms of handicap if only... well I'm not sure whats missing. It feels like its coming to a head if you know what I mean.
The other week I played 9 holes in level, next day in 1 over. Then I had 34 points on Sunday. To clarify I'm between 12 and 13 for the last 6 months.
I can string long spells of pars together, odd birdie thrown in, then a hole or two or three get away from me. Then I pull myself together and go back to the former. Then I scratch one out of nowhere.
Now I'm not saying I'm at the brink of playing par. Bogey is a fair enough score on our tougher holes still. But I have longer spells of nearly there. The game must be good enough in principle. People playing with me are saying you're playing/striking it well Calamari. A few months ago I was 3 under after 5 on a Sunday, finished with 39.
How do get rid of the f***-ups. Is it decision making? Course management? If I could turn the f***-ups into bogeys even that would be good enough for single figures I reckon.

Do what 99% of golfers do, have an almost good round, feck the clubs into the boot of the car, go into clubhouse and have a feed of drink swearing you're going to practice and do things differently this time, then by Tuesday your hangover/disappointment has waned and by Thursday you're texting the lads to arrange a game for the weekend and looking forward to it with fresh optimism after watching the "these guys are good" on de telly and all this without having looked at or picked up a club during the week, then rinse and repeat and ah shure one day twill all come together.

CalamariFritti

I intend to do that. Are you saying just keep playing and practicing a good bit and it will come? It worked for me so far I suppose.

CalamariFritti

Hoof Hearted2 wrote: »

Do what 99% of golfers do, have an almost good round, feck the clubs into the boot of the car, go into clubhouse and have a feed of drink swearing you're going to practice and do things differently this time, then by Tuesday your hangover/disappointment has waned and by Thursday you're texting the lads to arrange a game for the weekend and looking forward to it with fresh optimism after watching the "these guys are good" on the telly and all this without having looked at or picked up a club during the week, then rinse and repeat and ah shure one day twill all come together.

So you're also saying practice and play.

mjsc1970

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Pratice/play more.

This ^^

spacecoyote

I think it's definitely a misconception amongst amateurs. It's not about getting more consistent, it's about getting better. So your good rounds are lower & your bad rounds are less bad.

Look at Furyk last year. In the tournament where he shot 58, didn't he shoot something like 74 in one of the 4 rounds. The pros aren't consistent so to speak, they're just much better than us mortals.

thegolfer

mjsc1970 wrote: »

This ^^

Would not agree with this.

Sounds strange but you first have to learn how to practice and then play.

Practice must be quality. Pointless lashing balls all day without a plan only reinforces bad golf.

I went to Karl Morris a few times the last number of years, and found him very good. Provided the basis for my practice and also my game.

25 balls on the range of pure quality is more effective than endless practice.

From that my confidence grew on the course.

I also learned how to focus and unfocus on the course, mainly trying to keep focus for 4 hours is impossible. One shot at a time, and played my game in groups of three holes at a time in a round. Thus 6 groups of 3 holes is easier to play than 2 sets of 9.

Started recording my scores in a note book too, not on the phone. Recorded everything good, not a single bad point. Writing reinforces the quality, recording reinforces the good golf and also promotes confidence.

Handicap is +1, was +2 for a while, but found the above very beneficial.

If you want to be a golfer talk like a golfer, speak nothing of your bad golf, go birdie hunting, not bogie avoiding.

It's all about your mindset.

CalamariFritti

I like that.

In fact thats why I stopped going to the range. I was only bashing balls and what i was doing wrong got ingrained. Got stuck at beginner level for years. Got different advice and swing 2 years ago and now I rather play 9 holes on my own with 2 balls. At least every shot is a proper shot at a target now. Dropped 3 shots each year since. Still scratching holes though.

Edit: Also the focus thing. I find especially when I'm going great I start thinking about scores and if I par the next 3 as I usually do bla di bla. Definitely not staying in the moment and typically starting to protect a score I don't even have yet.

Senna

thegolfer wrote: »

Would not agree with this.

At that level, your idea of consistency isn't maybe what most here are trying to achieve. I'd love to get to + something, but it won't happen unless I get lessons and I have no interest in them.
Playing more than once a week and concentrating a bit more on course management will get more consistency for most average players.