Shoot me straight fellas

6,182 Views | 64 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by watty
aggiefan2002
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I want to get better at golf. I'm a 110 guy who plays very little. I am committed to getting better, but I have to be honest about the time I have to dedicate. So here's what I got:

For the next 6 months I plan to:

-take 3-4 total lessons (spaced out)
-play at least 9 holes a week, 18 every other
-hit a 75 balls a week at range
-spend 30 mins a week on putting green

If I actually do this, what is reasonable improvement I can expect by end of 6 months? I am a mid-30's athletic male who played varsity sports at large high school. Can hit 'em long, issue is consistency.
AggieEyes
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AG
Buy this book and read it 10x times:

https://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hogans-Five-Lessons-Fundamentals/dp/0671612972

AggieEyes
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AG
Also I would focus much more on swing mechanics over distance and power.

That will help with your consistency. Stay at 75% power until you can get yourself consistent and accurate.
aggiefan2002
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Have hogans book and will read again.

Can I be in 90's if I do what I say above?
tandy miller
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AG
I've gone from 105-110 to mid 90's in about 8 months with no lessons, but that is with no play every other 3 weeks. I practice my chipping a lot and putt every day at the house... sometimes 2 balls, sometimes 100. Also, I have an old sand wedge on my patio that I will swing when I got take the dog out, etc. getting reps has helped accelerate the muscle memory in my swing.
DannyDuberstein
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AG
Tough question because people have auch a wide range of potential when it comes to golf. It does not translate well at all to a formula of ____ time dedicated will result on ____ score improvement. That said, I don't think an expectation of being a 90's shooter after that much time committed is unreasonable. The catch is whether you can really spend that time. Much easier said than done.
khaos288
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AG
I know people who play in the 70s with that much practice and people who shoot 100+.

I've got an indoor net set up in my garage. I built a swing I like and I have drilled it on solid. I was the same way with my distance. I can hit a 6 iron 195 if I really tag one with a full swing, but the consistent swing I built puts me at about 170 and much more often
ElCheAg
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AG
Buy a fishing pole. You'll thank me.
Aggie369
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AG
Where do u live?
Yesterday
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AG
I think you can lower your scores by roughly 10 strokes with that routine. Just remember to practice with a purpose. Don't go bang out 75 balls and leave not knowing what you just did. Good luck!
aggiefan2002
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Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm a super goal oriented person so mapping out what needs to get done, that I know I can do, really motivates. But I'm not sure working that damn much for 10 strokes is worth it for me. Which is exactly why I asked!
07fta07
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AG
You could lower your score 5 strokes or 15, no telling until you try. If you really want to get better, I don't see that routine as a lot of work. You're already concerned if the work is worth your time, so it doesn't appear you really want to improve, and that's ok.

I was in the 100's 7-8 years ago. I spent multiple days a week on the range and played 18 twice a week most weeks. I got down in the 90's fairly quickly and then have worked my way down to where I hover around a 4-6 hcp. It took a while and I still have to put in a lot of work to stay there, but I enjoy it. Some people don't have to work very hard or play very often and they stay sharp. I'm not one of those. Maybe you are.
GIF Reactor
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AG
The lessons should definitely help identify fundamental flaws like grip, posture, swing path, etc. I would also recommend keeping stats of your rounds to analyze where the additional strokes and big numbers are coming from. Things like fairways hit, quantity of putts per hole, sand save opportunities, etc.
Ragoo
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AG
Play a round, figure out everywhere you are losing strokes. Don't do those things. If you can make decent contact at all you should be able to play bogey golf, everyone should. It may require you hitting a 7-iron off of the tee though and most people would rather smash a driver OB and drop a ball incorrectly while playing to double or triple bogey.
Icecream_Ag
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S
aggiefan2002 said:

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm a super goal oriented person so mapping out what needs to get done, that I know I can do, really motivates. But I'm not sure working that damn much for 10 strokes is worth it for me. Which is exactly why I asked!
the thing to remember is that everything needs to be done in stages.

As someone said focus on where you lose the most shots. Typically that's the tee box for most high handicap players. So you should focus on hitting fairways first.

Then work towards the green. The old adage of drive for show putt for dough only works if you are on the green with a chance to score.
TennAg
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Have your first lesson be about chipping and putting. With you scoring range, you have at least 15-20 strokes of slack just around the greens. If you want to be efficient, this is where you start. Focus and strategize on two putting and ups and downs and you'll shed strokes faster than you'd believe.
Ragoo
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AG
Back to back posts gives the complete opposite advice.
Icecream_Ag
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S
Ragoo said:

Back to back posts gives the complete opposite advice.
Welcome to golf. Now F off!
Icecream_Ag
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S
Seriously though. The pro at our club wouldn't let me compete in the kid lessons putting competitions because I could beat him, didn't help because I hit two drives ob every hole.

Get the ball in the fairway and you'll shave strokes early.
tandy miller
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AG
Icecream_Ag said:

aggiefan2002 said:

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm a super goal oriented person so mapping out what needs to get done, that I know I can do, really motivates. But I'm not sure working that damn much for 10 strokes is worth it for me. Which is exactly why I asked!
the thing to remember is that everything needs to be done in stages.

As someone said focus on where you lose the most shots. Typically that's the tee box for most high handicap players. So you should focus on hitting fairways first.

Then work towards the green. The old adage of drive for show putt for dough only works if you are on the green with a chance to score.


This is the approach I took. It didn't do me much good to be able to 2 putt when my first putt was for double. If you can't keep the ball in play and out of trouble, it will be very hard to shoot good scores, no matter if you 1 putt every hole.... my iron play was ass though, while my green side was stronger.

Like people above said, it's all about where you're hemmoraging strokes. If you can drive the ball in the fairway and get around the green in reg, only to chili dip, blade a ball across the green, then 6 putt, you may want to take the opposite approach
DannyDuberstein
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AG
I'd stack those lessons a little closer together early on (weekly or every other week, with at least one practice session in between), then gradually space them out. You want to make sure your practice is reinforcing the right mechanics, so starting off with a little more guidance can help ensure you're dedicating all of this effort to working on the right things. But again, make sure you are practicing at least once in between.
Yesterday
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aggiefan2002 said:

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm a super goal oriented person so mapping out what needs to get done, that I know I can do, really motivates. But I'm not sure working that damn much for 10 strokes is worth it for me. Which is exactly why I asked!


Shooting you straight, the practice regiment you laid out isn't very much at all. Lessons will hardly scratch the surface with that amount of play. Being a 90's player isn't bad though. Good luck!
aggiefan2002
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Going from playing 25 rounds in my life to playing once a week + range + putting practice is a big leap for me from a time commitment standpoint. That's what I meant.

I am going to play a round this week at Traditions. I'll keep good numbers (FIR, GIR, putts, OB's), etc. and come back here to get some feedback on where to initially focus.

EKG1996
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AG
Traditions is a very difficult course so a 100 there is the equilavent of a lower score at most other courses.
aggiefan2002
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I'll keep that in mind when I shoot about 125. Lol
stick93
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AG
Your post made me think of my golf experience this week. I was out at my buddy's new place on Concan Country Club. So it's me(7.5) and 3 guys who hardly ever play for a couple of rounds of golf. I shot 81-78 and they each went through about that many golf balls. The funny part about it is that all 3 of them were longer hitters than me. We only played from just under 6200 yds and I could not convince them to hit something less than driver on the 4's and 5's so they stayed in trouble all day. Add in short game issues and it was two long days. But they wanted to play better and kept asking for my advice.

I won't pretend to be a golf instructor but there are things you can do to shave strokes quickly without changing your swing. I was dealing with a hooker and 2 slicers and it blew their mind when I told the slicers to move to the far right side of the box and aim at the left ob stakes about 250 yds away. Then I had them hitting half 6 irons from 150 if the front of the green wasn't guarded when they wanted to prove it was a 9 iron shot. And finally, I had them using a putting stroke with wedges around the greens just to take the chilly dips out of play.

Go get the lessons for sure. But don't get caught up with having the perfect swing(no such thing). Find a repeatable one that works for you and keep the ball in front of you. Oh, and get an Orange Whip type swing trainer. Tempo is everything and these are a cheap way to work on that in the back yard.

Ragoo
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AG
stick93 said:

Your post made me think of my golf experience this week. I was out at my buddy's new place on Concan Country Club. So it's me(7.5) and 3 guys who hardly ever play for a couple of rounds of golf. I shot 81-78 and they each went through about that many golf balls. The funny part about it is that all 3 of them were longer hitters than me. We only played from just under 6200 yds and I could not convince them to hit something less than driver on the 4's and 5's so they stayed in trouble all day. Add in short game issues and it was two long days. But they wanted to play better and kept asking for my advice.

I won't pretend to be a golf instructor but there are things you can do to shave strokes quickly without changing your swing. I was dealing with a hooker and 2 slicers and it blew their mind when I told the slicers to move to the far right side of the box and aim at the left ob stakes about 250 yds away. Then I had them hitting half 6 irons from 150 if the front of the green wasn't guarded when they wanted to prove it was a 9 iron shot. And finally, I had them using a putting stroke with wedges around the greens just to take the chilly dips out of play.

Go get the lessons for sure. But don't get caught up with having the perfect swing(no such thing). Find a repeatable one that works for you and keep the ball in front of you. Oh, and get an Orange Whip type swing trainer. Tempo is everything and these are a cheap way to work on that in the back yard.




Yep. How to score better.

1) stay off the golf course until you can hit square consistently
2) learn to be a manager of the course and not a grip it and rip it
3) hit the club you hit the best the most
watty
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AG
No reason you can't be shooting bogey golf by then.
aggiefan2002
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Thanks all. Had a nice practice session today. I'll be hitting a lot of my rescue hybrid (23*) and 7 iron on Tuesday and playing to stay out of trouble.
DannyDuberstein
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AG
Don't worry about scoring at this stage, at least not to the point that you're avoiding clubs. Spend this time learning to hit your entire bag, including driver. Focus on developing your entire game, even if some aspects are a bit more painful for now.
aggiefan2002
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My concern (especially at a course like traditions) is that I'll use those other clubs (especially the driver and 3,4,5 irons) so poorly that I'll put so many OB I'll spend the entire day looking for my ball and dropping. That just doesn't seem fun at all. I'm probably 3/10 fairway in regulation on driver but 6/10 with hybrid. And that hybrid goes 200-210 so not awful if followed with a solid 150-160 seven iron.
TennAg
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Seems like you're on the right track. But i urge you to track where you're leaking oil. From experience i can tell you a 100-110 guy take about 4 strokes to get it in once you're inside 20 yards.

With limited practice time, chipping and putting is your best investment i promise.

It looks like you're going with the "old man" approach which is very wise. Use the hell out of what you hit straight and you get to the green when you get there.
agsalaska
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AG
Remember practice doesn't always translate to improvement. It just reinforces whatever you are doing right or wrong.
jja79
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AG
Traditions is hard, even from the gold tees. Don't get frustrated.
Oknows
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AG
Same struggle here. I'm in education, so I play once a week typically and usually twice a week during the summer and breaks. I played in high school and a little in college. Took about a 12 year break and took it up again about 4 years ago. I've gone from being a 120s player to a 90s-110 player depending on the course. As I've progressed, I've had some interesting changes in my game. When I took it back up again, wedges were the strength of my game; couldn't hit a driver to save my life. Over time, things have completely changed. I hit fairways, typically hit my irons pretty well (fat miss once in a while), cannot hit my wedges inside 50 yards and am an absolutely terrible putter. I've wanted to get short game lessons for a while now, but just never find the time. Very frustrating game, but I enjoy the challenge and the comradery.
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