Top 10 tips for a high handicapper to reduce their handicap

stockdam · 24-04-2013 1:51pm

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

1) Show up earlier.

2) Don't aim straight down the fairway or at the middle of the green.
The vast majority of all players, especially high guys, do not hit a straight ball. It's even pretty futile to try, for most of us. If your Sunday best goes straight, your average shot drifts right, and your bad shot is a slice, aiming at the middle of the fairway gives you 50% of the fairway as a margin for error.
Aim up the left! The odd straight ball is fine, left edge or barely in the rough. Slight cut is perfect, slice is still ok on right side or rough. Only hook, pull or huge slice are any kind of trouble.Get used to using the shape you naturally hit the ball - forget about trying for the perfect straight shot. Work with what you have!

Number 1 is very important so that you don't take 5 holes before finding your game.

I sometimes fall foul of number 2. I can hit the ball in both shapes (fade and draw) but because I do not play nearly often enough I tend to do either when I don't mean to. I play better when I setup for a deliberate fade (I can control a fade better) and aim down the left. I now have all of the fairway to use.

Good tip.

alxmorgan · 24-04-2013 3:43pm

PRAF wrote: »

Can't access youtube in work. Anyone care to explain what its about?

Basically you land the ball on the green as soon as you can and get it rolling.
So say to land it 3 feet on is 1 part carry. Say it needs to roll out 3 times as far to get to hole.

12 - 3 = 9...so hit a 9 iron

12 - 1 = SW
12 - 2 = PW
12 - 3 = 9
12 - 4 = 8
12 - 5 = 7
12 - 6 = 6
12 - 7 = 5

PAULWATSON · 25-04-2013 9:34am

play for a bogey on every hole.

You'll save about 5 shots a round by not attempting miracle efforts, and also par more than you'd think.

Deise Vu · 25-04-2013 11:21am

On behalf of the truly awful golfers I think there are some very good points being made but us scrubbers need it brought down even more. I was told something recently that apparently every golfer in the world knew except me. I always had difficulty lining up drives if the teebox wasn't pointing directly where I was aiming and on long / medium irons. There is nothing more demoralising to get a sweet connection and see your ball head off towards a hazard you thought was 20 yards to the right of where you were aiming and have your playing partners tell you that's exactly where you were aiming when you do the Rory McIlroy shoulder slump.

Anyway, someone finally put me out of my agony and told me to line up with something that is immediately in front of my ball such as a divot, or a daisy. Rabbit shyte will do, anything you can use to make a straight line from your ball to the target. Now its like being on a driving range all the time. I am more comfortable over the ball not constantly glancing up at the flag and adjusting my feet until I get it wrong.

Happy days! I am all over the flag (well more often than I used to...... ).

loadwire · 25-04-2013 11:24am

Deise Vu wrote: »

when you do the Rory McIlroy shoulder slump.

lol, one of my favourite moves that one - probably the one time I come close to looking like Rory on the course.

PARlance · 25-04-2013 1:16pm

Great post re the alignment there Deise Vu, I'm currently in the process of learning how to aim it in the right direction too...

I don't know how many times this conversation has happened!

Mate: Great strike there
Me: But it's 30 yards right
Mate: That's where you were aiming

As per your post, focusing on something close by as an aid has helped greatly...
Starting to get there, but I'm still baffled by my lack of ability to aim it in the right direction naturally. :mad:

hades · 25-04-2013 1:35pm

Yup, alignment can be a big issue.

Was playing with a buddy in Clonmel, i think the 10th runs next to the main road on your right had side. On the walk over to the hole he was talking about how he got a present of some Penta's. He didn't know how much they were worth, as he'd usually play with whatever was in his bag. So he tee's up, fires one off and its straight out over the road.

Not having a clue how that could happen from a good strike, i stood behind him for the provisional. Told him to stop before takeaway as he was pointed out towards the road. We had a little debate back and fourth, with him explaining that he wasn't alighted incorrectly. Voila, ball over the road again.

Rinse and repeat one more time, with an even longer debate, and ball number 3 goes sailing.

He walked the hole, getting pissed off about the fact that he just put €15 worth of new balls OOB. He listened to me next time when he set up to the ball.

benny79 · 31-10-2013 6:03pm

Great thread here's my Problem.

Playing golf about 4 years no club mustly different clubs each week shooting low 90's regularly starter set of clubs and a good driver. bought a set of game improver irons mx100 was hitting them beautifully GIR 9/10 gave it up for a year! started back 2 years ago and joined a club for first time

started off 18 and now am up to 20! I have got loads of lessons and took a while to find a good PRO which I now have! everyone tells me I have a lovely swing natural Draw!

My last lesson 2 months ago my pro could nt find fault and cant understand how I still off 20! he reckons it must be in my head(which I think he's right) and my course maintence I have 0 conference and been like this a good while!

My game is so inconsidenent could hit a great drive 250+ and fluff my second shot or vice versa or be on the geen in 2 a bottle my 10ft putt and take 3! or fluff a small chip.

I am at my withs end and really would like to get back to the way I was before I stopped for that year when I was oozing with conference!!

Am now thinking of going to foregolf or the likes and gettin propertly fitted for a good set of clubs! as when I stared out I had a TM driver R7 which I hit unbelievable well then it stopped started slicing it went to pro he said my swing has improved and need a stiff shaft never have got as good a driver since R11 now

any advise lads?

Daithio12 · 31-10-2013 6:52pm

benny79 wrote: »

Great thread here's my Problem.

Playing golf about 4 years no club mustly different clubs each week shooting low 90's regularly starter set of clubs and a good driver. bought a set of game improver irons mx100 was hitting them beautifully GIR 9/10 gave it up for a year! started back 2 years ago and joined a club for first time

started off 18 and now am up to 20! I have got loads of lessons and took a while to find a good PRO which I now have! everyone tells me I have a lovely swing natural Draw!

My last lesson 2 months ago my pro could nt find fault and cant understand how I still off 20! he reckons it must be in my head(which I think he's right) and my course maintence I have 0 conference and been like this a good while!

My game is so inconsidenent could hit a great drive 250+ and fluff my second shot or vice versa or be on the geen in 2 a bottle my 10ft putt and take 3! or fluff a small chip.

I am at my withs end and really would like to get back to the way I was before I stopped for that year when I was oozing with conference!!

Am now thinking of going to foregolf or the likes and gettin propertly fitted for a good set of clubs! as when I stared out I had a TM driver R7 which I hit unbelievable well then it stopped started slicing it went to pro he said my swing has improved and need a stiff shaft never have got as good a driver since R11 now

any advise lads?

First off it's not unusal for people to lose form and for that to go on for an extended period of time, in some cases you may never regain that form ever.
It's all well and good having the latest kit and Pro at your disposal, but if you don't use them correctly, then it can be pointless.
How often do you practice and what do your sessions involve?.

m r c · 31-10-2013 9:40pm

I'm not to be trusted here for 2 reasons.
1. It's the internet
2. I'm a high h/capper

But I could have written your post a couple of months ago. Esp the inconsistency bit.

The two things that have improved me and will take 10 shots off my h/c are my left wrist at impact and having my weight more left at impact.

I had a tendency to sway a touch to my right side on the backswing and not always get back in time which gave me a tendency to chunk it. When my timing was on this didn't happen, mostly in practice rounds. But when in competition or trying too hard the poor technique shone through.

The other thing I've changed is my left wrist at impact is now straight or a touch bowed out. When cupped, this position seems to play hell with my accuracy and trajectory, with me I can miss anywhere when it's cupped at impact.

GreeBo · 31-10-2013 9:58pm

m r c wrote: »

I'm not to be trusted here for 2 reasons.
1. It's the internet
2. I'm a high h/capper

But I could have written your post a couple of months ago. Esp the inconsistency bit.

The two things that have improved me and will take 10 shots off my h/c are my left wrist at impact and having my weight more left at impact.

I had a tendency to sway a touch to my right side on the backswing and not always get back in time which gave me a tendency to chunk it. When my timing was on this didn't happen, mostly in practice rounds. But when in competition or trying too hard the poor technique shone through.

The other thing I've changed is my left wrist at impact is now straight or a touch bowed out. When cupped, this position seems to play hell with my accuracy and trajectory, with me I can miss anywhere when it's cupped at impact.

I really dont think that a high handicapper needs to be worrying about technical stuff like their wrist at impact.
I have never once even thought about my wrist at impact.
he is getting lessons and hitting the ball well and the Pro didnt make any swing changes.

At this point its course management and concentration.
dont put yourself in trouble needlessly and things like dont shortside yourself, dont leave awkward layup distances, dont leave difficult downhill/sidehill putts.

When you can hit the ball ok the rest is just managing it, not trying to make your good shots better.

John Divney · 01-11-2013 1:08am

Depends, if someone just wants to be able to hit the ball without any actual information, grand.

But if they want to be a good ball striker?. High handicappers aren't really lepers, some come down to single digits in a few years with the right information. The difference between what they know when they started, about their swing, is the difference

I think they should be given it to be honest, if they want to get consistent, they should know more than what position their wrists are in, how they release the club, and how to get your hands forward of the ball at impact, or they will never improve to be a consistent ball striker.

Every pro should tell people the ideal impact position. Then tell them there are a few ways to release the club into that position, and to find the best way for them. Wrists are key to the release, and there are very different ways to use them.

Why would someone go to a pro to have them tell them nothing about the swing, bar some truisms they could have got anywhere on youtube for free.

benny79 · 01-11-2013 10:15am

I play at least once a week, during the summer twice and would go the range 2/3 a week + gym

My main problem is I would have at least 4 scrathes a round or more. I would obviously get par's and that etc I just think my conference is so low that I have no faith in any of my shots. I have struggled off the tee a lot lately would hit 10 great drives then all of a sudden 1 wild 1 out of know where, same with 3W
hence why Im thinking of getting customed fitted for a good set! (although expenive but should last you years)

Seriously even strangers I have played with say I have a great swing, been told with 1 r 2 lessons I would be off single figures in no time by lots of low HC players.
but too no joy Id be happy just to be going down in right Direction!

I think my conference been so low (like this 2 yrs now!)
Thinking about it to much
And trying to hard is killing me!

I have another lesson tomorrow and I know after 5 min's with pro Ill be hitting the ball sweet as a nut just cant bring it to the course for a full round!!!

PARlance · 01-11-2013 10:45am

benny79 wrote: »

I play at least once a week, during the summer twice and would go the range 2/3 a week + gym

My main problem is I would have at least 4 scrathes a round or more. I would obviously get par's and that etc I just think my conference is so low that I have no faith in any of my shots. I have struggled off the tee a lot lately would hit 10 great drives then all of a sudden 1 wild 1 out of know where, same with 3W
hence why Im thinking of getting customed fitted for a good set! (although expenive but should last you years)

Seriously even strangers I have played with say I have a great swing, been told with 1 r 2 lessons I would be off single figures in no time by lots of low HC players.
but too no joy Id be happy just to be going down in right Direction!

I think my conference been so low (like this 2 yrs now!)
Thinking about it to much
And trying to hard is killing me!

I have another lesson tomorrow and I know after 5 min's with pro Ill be hitting the ball sweet as a nut just cant bring it to the course for a full round!!!

Forget the custom fit, cancel the lesson, put money towards a shrink

I was in a very similar position at the start of the year.
How are you scoring of late? Ie What is your average points or ND?

Say its 26 points.
Forget about hitting 36 in your next round. Completely forget about buffers, cuts etc. Start to think in numbers.
Start off with a goal of 2 rounds of 28 points with 3 scratches.
In a month or so, aim for 30 points with 2 scratches.
A few weeks after it's buffer zone and 1 scratch.

This may take 2 or 3 months, and you may not hit one buffer on route, but if you are reaching these achievable goals (which you can) your confidence will increase with each stage.

Without this, a 28 or 29 in a month would be a failure, with this, it's a success and that success will help you mentally and act as a spring board.

You could even just forget about the points and have scratches as you goal. 3-2-1 over 10 or so rounds then bingo. You'll be in the buffer with 1 scratch.

I'd say you might be similar to me. I look good on the range but bringing it to the course is another story.
I get into a groove on the range, everything seems easy. The range affords us plenty of bad shots and way more time to get warmed up.
Do you have a pre shot routine?
I didn't and still don't have one engrained into habit on the course.
Previously I would walk up and hit it without practice swings (ala the range). Not a good idea, and working on that at present.

benny79 · 01-11-2013 12:08pm

@PARLANCE yea scores around 24-28 the odd 30 espeacially after a lesson! but hitting 28 your HC is going to go up! but I understand with what you our saying set my targets lower

I just think maybe a custom fit can only be a good thing and get me more consistent. I have never hit a driver as well as my first one TM R7. I know at the time I was only playing a while and over time my swing improved and needed to change but when I had that baby I had so much conference with driving till my swing got quicker! which is a big part I find in my game.

P.s Whats a buffer? heard a few people talking about the buffer zone.

alxmorgan · 01-11-2013 1:09pm

benny79 wrote: »

@PARLANCE yea scores around 24-28 the odd 30 espeacially after a lesson! but hitting 28 your HC is going to go up! but I understand with what you our saying set my targets lower

I just think maybe a custom fit can only be a good thing and get me more consistent. I have never hit a driver as well as my first one TM R7. I know at the time I was only playing a while and over time my swing improved and needed to change but when I had that baby I had so much conference with driving till my swing got quicker! which is a big part I find in my game.

P.s Whats a buffer? heard a few people talking about the buffer zone.

My two cents.....

1. Ignore people who tell you your swing is nice. The only thing that matters is where the ball goes. And I've had it said to me plenty of times and you know what ? they were talking pure sh*t...I saw myself on video....not pretty
Jim Furyk hardly nice to look at but 10m dollars and a 59...I'll take that

2. Custom fitting may help you but it may not as well. A lot of money for a maybe. Lots of people can play good golf with basic clubs.

3. You need to get your head right. Listen to Karl Morris or buy a Bob Rotella book. You sound like someone who hits it well for 3 holes and then starts thinking "this is going too well...I'm gonna fcuk it up soon"....self fulfilling. You gotta learn what you can from each shot and then leave it where it belongs...in the past

4. Go play golf for the sheer enjoyment of playing for a while. Ignore your score. Just play like you did when you first started...when it just felt great to hit that small white thing into the distance. We let scores and thoughts of improvement get in the way of staying in the moment

Best of luck with it

Keano · 01-11-2013 1:38pm

Benny you say your are pretty decent off the tee, which is a bonus because I'm shocking but only in the last month have I actually started playing decent enough golf...after 2 years!

Custom fit will do nothing for you, they may have the placebo affect for a few rounds but after that it may be back to the drawing board and a lot of cash wasted.

Describe every shot on a hole you recently scratched?

PARlance · 01-11-2013 2:39pm

benny79 wrote: »

@PARLANCE yea scores around 24-28 the odd 30 espeacially after a lesson! but hitting 28 your HC is going to go up! but I understand with what you our saying set my targets lower

I just think maybe a custom fit can only be a good thing and get me more consistent. I have never hit a driver as well as my first one TM R7. I know at the time I was only playing a while and over time my swing improved and needed to change but when I had that baby I had so much conference with driving till my swing got quicker! which is a big part I find in my game.

P.s Whats a buffer? heard a few people talking about the buffer zone.

Buffer zone is where you neither get cut or a 0.1 back. If CSS is 36, your buffer zone would be scoring 33-36 points inclusive.

Alx has given very solid advice.
Enjoy the game but realise you need to change something.... And a custom fit isn't going to be the key IMO... If you're averaging 26 points off 20 then in reality you're playing to a handicap closer to 24.

A change is needed, get the head sorted and you'll drop start seeing improvements.

You've had 2 years of seeing your HC rise. It's well worth giving the achievable goals process a go, it'll only take a few months to see if it's any use.
A few months in golf is nothing.

I was given an initial HC of 17 this year, was averaging 25 points or playing to ~22HC at the start.
Slowly but surely I seen improvement when I aimed to play to 21,20,19...
My HC had drifted to 18 by the time I could play to 18, then I got a cut down to 17.

It's worth a try, the hardest part for me was admitting I really playing to about 22.

m r c · 01-11-2013 3:13pm

When you can hit the ball ok the rest is just managing it, not trying to make your good shots better.[/quote]

And without decent technique he will always be inconsistent. No good golfer I've seen has had a cupped left wrist at impact it's too wild of a technique no one wants to flip between single digit ability and 36 plus h/c sometimes mid round. That's not improving your good shot it's steadying the game in general.

Freddy Couples is maybe the only exception he does kinda flip at it a little at impact.

m r c · 01-11-2013 3:19pm

And I've just had a look at his left wrist at impact and it is pretty straight tbh.

benny79 · 01-11-2013 3:26pm

@ALX nail on head comes to mind

time to dig out my Karl morris cd's

@keano When I first started I was great off the tee now Im not and my biggest weakness but as far as scorin had 22 pts on front nine a couple of weeks ago my score was called out to me by playing partner as I never ask/count it, said to myself dont fcuk it up I usually play better on back 9, fell apart 5 pts r something!! my bad holes, scratches come mainly from a bad tee shot I hit 4/5 great drives in a row then next 1 be OB out of the blue and bam shoulders drop fall apart! or hit a bomb of a drive straight down the middle and fluff a easy wedge!!

@Parlance I have literally tried everything found a good pro after a good while searching and a lot of wasted money!! played more golf then ever this year put in the work tried playing % shots etc plus when I get lesson I hit the ball beautifully after 5 min's and maybe a week r 2

Thanks for all the advise lads! Really apprecate it.

I know its mainly in my head and cause I have no conference at the moment..

I'm playing golf about 6 yrs love the game and really want to play well espeacially since I joined a club this been my second year. Back in the day the more I played the better I got! lately its having opposite effect and Im falling out of love of the game..which is killing me.

RoadRunner · 01-11-2013 7:14pm

My advice would be to be very careful with driving ranges! It's a great resource if used right but it can be a breeding ground for bad habits.

Visualise the range with knee deep rough on either side of where you're aiming.

Go to the range to work on specific goals such as a weak clubs or specific shots. Make sure that you can repeat what you are doing. Lay into a few drives if you have to. But work on repeatable safe shots you can pull off when you need them on the course. Sending a ball 250+ over the barrier at the end may look cool and lets be honest it IS pretty cool, but if it takes you 5 attempts (in rapid succession) to be able to do that then it can't be used on the course and you are not taking any learning back with you (except maybe false confidence that you can hit 250 whenever you want)

I generally have a coffee/tea/cold drink with me to make sure I take a breaks every few shots. At no point on any golf course do you ever hit 20 full power shots back to back in the space of 2 minutes.

Try not get into pissing contests. If you do then change club.

I try change my club selection quite abruptly Eg pw -> driver -> 4i I dislike going directly from driver->3w->3i->4i->5i->6i and up as that will never happen on the course. If I'm working mostly on my driver. I'll also take turns using wedges and high irons for odd shots during it to clean the slate and then go back to the driver fresh. If you pull out the driver and hit 50 drives in succession and you think by the end all is good and that you'll be able to carry that back to the course. Remember that it took you 50 drives of tinkering and small adjustment to get there. It's quite a big assumption to think that you'll be able to pull that out of the bag again on the course without the 49 prior warmup hits.

It may sound counter intuitive but the odd time I like to take out the driver and try utterly lay into one or two cold and to see what happens. It's never good but it's good learning -start trying that shyte out on the course and expecting it you work and you will suffer.

Don't worry too much how far the ball goes, range balls are generally not the same as game balls and don't fly the same but also if you catch your pw fat on the matt and the ball still goes okay, realise that the same shot off dirt would mean you probably duff it and send the divot as far as the ball.

spacecoyote · 01-11-2013 7:34pm

Yeah, agree with the above.

You need to be more productive with your range time. Hitting 100 balls in an hour isn't really going to be helpful practice in general.

Youd be better off with 40-50 balls & following your normal pre shot routine with each ball to make it feel like on the course.

A thing j play once in a while is to play my course in my head on the range, and pick my shots based on the results of the previous shot. This can be very helpful for improving your visualisation skills. So if on your first you normally hit drive then hit a drive. If you push it right & would normally leave you 200 yrds in from heavy rough, then the next ball will be an 8 iron trying to move it 120 yards & back in play. If you hit that shot then youre left with an 80 yrd shot it. Pick a target on the range & hit your 80 yrd wedge shot at that.

It can break up your time on the range & make you start thinking about how you play your course more effectively

I'd say skip custom fit for now. If you've a swing flaw you'll just be fitting a club to a flawed swing. Get swing sorted first, then maybe think about clubs

PARlance · 01-11-2013 8:07pm

Thanks for that tip Space, will try to play the course the next time I'm at the range, might be able to get myself a cut

I take it you don't finish out the holes?

spacecoyote · 01-11-2013 8:28pm

PARlance wrote: »

Thanks for that tip Space, will try to play the course the next time I'm at the range, might be able to get myself a cut
I take it you don't finish out the holes?

Well I always hole my approach shots so no need to get the putter out

take everything · 01-11-2013 8:50pm

Last instructor I had stressed the importance of coming to terms with th. fact that only a small percentage of shots will be hit perfectly (as you understand "perfect").
And no matter what level you're at, that this still holds.
I found this useful mentally.
I stopped looking for perfection in every shot.
Wondering what other's opinion on this are.

FixdePitchmark · 01-11-2013 9:07pm

Great post RoadRunner.

I fell into all the traps you mentioned. Just banging drivers.
Crazy. Ended up with injuries and all from.

When you think about hitting say 20 drivers in a row versus what the body does on a course. It is crazy stuff.

dan_ep82 · 01-11-2013 9:09pm

take everything wrote: »

Last instructor I had stressed the importance of coming to terms with th. fact that only a small percentage of shots will be hit perfectly (as you understand "perfect").
And no matter what level you're at, that this still holds.
I found this useful mentally.
I stopped looking for perfection in every shot.
Wondering what other's opinion on this are.

It makes me feel better?

Seriously though I strive to hit my better shots more often rather than perfect all the time. Not even sure what a perfect shot of mine looks like lol

Uncle Ben · 01-11-2013 9:23pm

Here is a simple little drill, just two minutes long that might help some high handicappers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHCGNT-hPw

GreeBo · 01-11-2013 9:54pm

take everything wrote: »

Last instructor I had stressed the importance of coming to terms with th. fact that only a small percentage of shots will be hit perfectly (as you understand "perfect").
And no matter what level you're at, that this still holds.
I found this useful mentally.
I stopped looking for perfection in every shot.
Wondering what other's opinion on this are.

Most of my pars and birdies come from a couple of average shots and a good putt or perhaps 1 better than average shot.

You dont need to hit the ball perfectly to play good golf.

Top 10 tips for a high handicapper to reduce their handicap

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