Almost got it

I generally play on a 9 hole course (play twice - different flags).

6 months ago I rarely broke 100, a 110 was always possible, and a 94 was my pb; today I 3-putted the 9th for for a 41 on the front 9.

Unfortunately playing so much better than normal got to to me and I had a back 9 46 for a 87 - still a best by 7 shots though.

Strange thing was that I only found 1 (non par) green in regulation but still came off with 27 putts - including 2 3-putts.

Best thing was that for once I actually felt like a golfer; so thanks to everyone on here for their encouragement and advice; my first target now is to do it again and my second to move towards the 80 mark.

EDITED: to say that "non par" should read "non Par 3", which makes more sense I hope.

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Congratulations!!! Great to hear, and a 7 shot best!

That's how I like to see it done - not edging out the PB, but tossing it out on it's ear! (sadly, I seem to only edge out).

Congrats!

nice one bdbl
just keep plodding away mate you are going in the right direction

Well done, great round......

We need a golfing mantra here......

How about "To Scratch and beyond....!!!!"

Cheers

Good job, I remember the round when I first started feeling like that - wasn't chasing the ball around but actually making shots. The 80 will come.

Well it might one day, but not just yet

Actually , tbh, I'm not too displeased; in the UK we have a saying "After the Lord Mayors show"* but whilst my last two rounds were both the wrong side of 90 they were still better than the old PB (94) - so the immediate retreat from the breakthrough wasn't too bad.

A question for those who have been down this road before.

What's your experience?, how long does it take a new level to become established so that you are pushing at it for the next improvement?


* comes the dustcart

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Hi Robin,

This is good news, sounds like you have put that duck hook to bed at last. Well, success builds on success as they say, I think the important thing here is that you can do it and you know you can. Don't let any small setback discourage you.

Ben Hogan said that the average Joe could break 80 by developing a sound repeatable swing, looks like you are getting there. Keep at it and good luck.

A bit like inflation in the UK economy I think that the duck hook is sleeping not dead, however at least now I know what causes it and when it reappears (once in last 4 rounds) I know what I need to do. Thank you for that.

I hope so, and I won't.

The last couple of rounds I never felt I was playing well, not only was I making silly decisions and mistakes but also the putter wasn't hot like it was the week before yet still I was only 4-6 shots outside that PB.

The stats for the average Joe probably prove him wrong, but I'll keep trying.

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Well, he did say "with a sound repeatable swing" I am sure that is coming along.

I always find if I can stick it on the fairway, my approaches are rarely bad enough to gimme worse than a bogey and often are par and birdie.
The worst chasing starts when you try to make up for a poor drive...."hey, I think I see a gap!"

HAHA.. Yes I can always see the gap (doesn't mean I find it).. Poor guy I was playing with today had 3 atempts to get back on fairway from a sliced drive.. He hit dead center of a tree everytime..

When I played today, I hooked 1st drive into trees, (luckily had a shot) made par.. Second drive, into trees again - didn't have a shot but I was on a Par 5 (wedged out), hit a good 3w up to the green.. The 3w wood gave me the confidence in my long game and I didn't have driving troubles after that.. I was lucky, I was able to get back in control by the 3rd..

A PRO friend of mine gave me some advice that I have always used.
If your handicap is higher than 12, aim directly at the tree, 90% of the time you will miss it.

Yeah, its always much easier to make up for a bad shot on the longer shots.
The more accurate you need to be the more penalising a bad shot is.

Gosh was it really the end of Jan that I did the original post.

Anyway I've been meaning to ask.

What is your experience of Personal Best Score v Average Score?

Until yesterday I'd come close but not close enough to that PB time and time again; its strange how expectations change, consecutive scores of 92, 93, 90, 91 would have had me delighted a year ago; now I'm disappointed because I know I can post lower - I also had a nightmare 100 but I'll ask Ian H about that in the pyschology forum.

So how long did it take everyone else - high caps or almost scratches - for their new PB to become more or less their norm? If it ever did

Yesterday was a bit of a breakthrough however, two 89s, not great by some some standards but back into the eighties at last AND more importantly with an awful 38 & 36 putts each round. For my PB (87) I posted:

I know that when I chip and pitch well I putt well so, ignoring the 27 putt round as exceptional I must have "left" 6 strokes out there yesterday which, in a perverse way is quite encouraging.

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Hi Robin,

I find these days I can only get near my best by adopting the right mental attitude and/or having a "Lucky round" You know when the ball always bounces in your favour or seems to be going nowhere but in the hole. Funny thing is they seem to happen together, a good head day brings a good luck day and visa versa.

I have been studying and working on my mental game recently and I am amazed at the results (much better than buying a new driver ) I try to keep the clutter and chit chat out of my head when playing.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!