Trying to improve

As I stated in a previous posting, I came back to playing after an 11 year break. This meant, literally, starting as a beginner again, last September.

I joined my local golf club some 4 months ago. I was required to play with existing members in order to obtain a handicap, which was assessed at 24. A few rounds later this was cut to 22. I then played a very good round in an open competition when I returned a score of 13 over. As a result my handicap was further reduced to 18. Unfortunately, I have rarely been able to play to this. I'm now up to 19.

Excuse the preamble but, there is a reason for this. The bottom line is that I don't feel that I have progressed very much since I started playing again. Surprisingly, I can outdrive most of the single figure handicappers at the club, which only adds to my frustration.

If anyone has gone through this experience and, can make some suggestions as to how to advance, then please let me have your input. Right now, this inability to play near my handicap is driving (no pun intended) me up the wall.

Alan N

Alan,

I was having a similar problem on a short, narrow course in my town. My bread and butter club is a PW to 125 yards. I can hit that shot straight, and stop it dead all day long. On this particular course I would drive it past my "go to" distance.

I decided to put together a yardage book for the course. I found out where a PW would be to the greens. Some tee shots are as little as a 4i, some a 5 wood, but a PW - 8i is what I was looking for. The first few times without the book I played in 12 over trying to hit 300 - 320 yard par 4's in a 15 yard wide fairway. Not a very smart thing to do. I played the same course in 5 over the last go around. I did the same thing on a Champions tour course recently. I think I learned my lesson.

If you want to play your home course better, my suggestion is to:

1. Walk the course backwards, from green to tee and see how the shots are designed to be played. Look for the landing areas to set up an easy next shot. Look for bailout areas, where is a good place to miss and still get a resonably good next shot.

2. Put together a yardage book, for your home course. I am using a 100 yard tape measure on a new course. You can see the lines of play much better. I plan on playing a few events there next year and want to get an edge on the field. I have found a few driving lanes and few escapes that I never would have known about.

When your swinging resonably well, course management can cut more strokes than a well executed swing to a bad area on the course. I like to think play smarter not harder.

Hope this helps, don't give up!!!

GolfBald

__________________
The guy in the white hat!

Hi Golfbald,

Once again, I am grateful to you for constructive assistance.

I know my club course pretty well. There is a yardage card, which seems to be fairly accurate. The course is fairly open, but the greens are small and most of the trouble is at the back, apart from bunkers. The Par is 67. No par 5s.

Lack of consistency is the real killer for me. Too many high numbers on the card, at the moment. I think the expression "army golf" is an apt description of my game. Left/right/left/ right. It's not all bad news; I can par 2 or 3 holes in succession. But, then an 8 or 9 appears, shortly followed by another high score.

Incidentally, I bought a copy of the Mike Austin/Mike Dunaway video. I tried to implement the swing techniques but, I played even worse. I'm sure that the reason is because my swing is not constant. I will go back to it once I can get a fairly grooved swing.

Thanks again

Alan N

Alan,

I went from a swinger's swing to a hitter's swing and the hcp and swing was terrible. It took 6-8 month's of work. The end result is I can still play since it is a RH dominate swing. The swing mechanics are a little different and the forward press gave me the most trouble. Once I got that part it is just automatic. Striping them straight and long. It will come, just give it time.

To get back on track you might want to try working on a iron shot. PW, 9i or 8i make it your go to club. If nothing else is working you can build a round around that one club. Sometimes it will spur everything else to fall in place.

GolfBald

__________________
The guy in the white hat!

Hi Golfbald,

It's reassuring to find somebody else who has found the Mike Austin swing concept hard to implement. I thought that it was just me!!

Obviously, one of the problems I have is erratic ball flight and direction. Your suggestion of concentrating on one club should be of help.

However, it's the longer clubs that seem to have a mind of their own, particularly the driver. I pull-hook, or slice quite a lot of them. I know that this is caused by an out to in swingpath. I've tried various so-called "cures" but, still can't eradicate this. More practice needed. If you know of a reliable method to fix this, then I would be grateful to learn of it.

best regards

Alan N

Alan,

Working from the 7i is a good method. Establish your 7i, then work 1 club up and 1 down. Expand as the shots get better. But always start your practice session with your go to club or clubs. I start every practice session with a PW then 8i. Just to establish a base and warm up. Then I go do what I can to work on that day. When I'm out on the course, I try to get to 125, 137 or 150.

Hope this helps get your game back on track,

GolfBald