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Do I have a reasonable chance of REALLY improving?

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edhalsim

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Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
 
Personally… I would go at it with the attitude that the enjoyment of playing would be the top priority. Can you possibly get better… sure! But, if it doesn’t come easy, or… if improvement does not come at all… I would still strive to find a way to enjoy the effort put forth. It’s such a fun game… and there are so many ways to take satisfaction from it. Here’s hoping that you find that.
 
Go back to just enjoying the fact that your playing golf and after 62 years of not getting a tour card, chances are it won’t happen so don’t take things so seriously lol

When I’m 62, if it doesn’t give me joy then chances are I’m not doing it
 
I have the same problem, only difference is I'm 80. Chances of improving are none existent for me. You should be able to get better with lessons from a good teacher.
 
Two of the weaknesses you listed (short game and mental game) don't require massive skill or physical strength to improve, so there's plenty of potential there. If your issue was that you currently hit driver 190 yards and wanted to get to 300 yards I'd say your chances are pretty much zero, but getting up and down more often can be a real stroke saver - especially for those of us (myself included) who don't hit a lot of greens.
 
Another example confirming that thinking about playing a golf s so much more enjoyable than actually playing golf.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
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My situation is very similar to yours. I’m a few years older than you and started playing again after a long layoff 3 years ago. One of the reasons I quit playing several years ago was because I couldn’t play enough to keep playing at the level I was accustomed to. I’ve improved quite a bit since my restart and could keep getting better IF I played and practiced more. Like you, I’m only playing once or twice a week. But I know unless I put in more time, it’s very unlikely I’m going to keep getting better.
 
razaar said:
Another example confirming that thinking about playing a golf s so much more enjoyable than actually playing golf.
Click to expand...
That's definitely not true for me. I enjoy playing golf more than just about anything else, and I'd much rather be out there playing right now instead of sitting here posting about it.

I can't honestly say I don't give a s**t about my scores at all, but I don't let them define whether it was a good or bad day on the course. I can have just as much fun shooting a 98 as I can shooting a 78.

I don't play golf for a living - never have and never will. My pay is the same whether I shoot 65 or 165, so why get upset about it? The only harm done is to my ego, and I don't have much of one when it comes to my golf game. Nobody else knows or cares what I shot, and I don't walk around with my most recent scorecard illuminated in flashing lights over my head.
 
At 64 I have been watching my game decline for quite a while. The best advice (other than practice LOL) I can offer you is make sure your equipment fits you swing AND your game. I started carrying 5 "wedges" up to 64* loft. For the first time ever I added hybrids to the bag. They are just easier to launch. Dumped the 3 wood, carry a 17.5* "5" wood in one bag. 16.5* "4" wood in another. I carry a 7 and/or 9 wood depending upon conditions. Keep only the clubs you can hit reliably no matter how bad the aches and pains are that day.
 
You didn't mention any yardages, but are you getting a lot of long approaches? If so, moving up should be a consideration.
 
BigMac said:
That's definitely not true for me. I enjoy playing golf more than just about anything else, and I'd much rather be out there playing right now instead of sitting here posting about it.

I can't honestly say I don't give a s**t about my scores at all, but I don't let them define whether it was a good or bad day on the course. I can have just as much fun shooting a 98 as I can shooting a 78.

I don't play golf for a living - never have and never will. My pay is the same whether I shoot 65 or 165, so why get upset about it? The only harm done is to my ego, and I don't have much of one when it comes to my golf game. Nobody else knows or cares what I shot, and I don't walk around with my most recent scorecard illuminated in flashing lights over my head.
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It is something that golfers aren't aware of. I wasn't aware of it until I read it in a novel. It is so true for most golfers.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Very similar in age, quality of the game, and the fact that improving is still a goal. I've just never been able to shoot in the low 80's much mid 70's.

I can't tell you how to do it, or if it will ever happen, but I'm still holding out for slight improvement every year. I can get pretty fired up after a lot of bad shots, but I'm never sorry I went out and I'm easily as passionate about the game as I was the first few years I played.

Besides working towards slight improvement as I age, I'd like to think expectations are kept at a reasonable level. I will never be a very good golfer and don't believe that would have ever been in the stars - regardless of what age I started or how many lessons were taken. Some folks have what it takes, others do not.

I continue to work towards improvement because regardless of all the negatives, there's the joy that comes from hitting good shots, learning something new, and on rare occasions, moving the needle even if it's only slightly.

Good luck, @edhalsim.
 
@JonMA1 what a great post. Not sure it could be said any better. At soon to be 56 and only playing for 2-1/2 years, I often contemplate the "how good can I/will I get" thought. So far so good but consistency is a ruthless adversary.
 
Just finished three short New England seasons of golf. I've been retired for a year and get better each year!
As a stroke survivor I'm an expert on learning stuff as I had to learn to walk and talk again.
At this point I doubt I could get any better playing and practicing just once a week.
That doesn't seem like enough repetition to learn better ways of playing.

Perhaps you can install a putting mat where you can practice a couple times a week?
I have a putting mat in front of the TV that I use more often than I watch television.

Another idea may be to play a challenging pitch and putt twice a week to see if you can work on course management and the mental side of the game.
 
As well as short game being an easier way to save a few strokes, set up, for me, is another. Too close/ too far from the ball, ball too far back/forward in the stance, teed too high/too low.

Its amazing what a little talcum powder on a club face can tell you. and no need to change that hinky swing.
 
If you've got great impact position, that's half of golf's battle. I think your short game is very improvable from there, even with limited practice time. Once you're making solid contact, it's just a matter of taking enough reps to develop some touch.

As to where you could ultimately end up, raw distance is the biggest predictor of a golfer's scoring potential. There's a couple studies on this, and the distance to handicap correlation on all of them is around .90, which is freakish for a sport with so many different skills going on.

So I'd say that clubhead speed is a gauge of how low your scoring could go, and since you already have a nice full swing, short game practice is your best way of getting there.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I will say you can improve. the mental side will be all you and finding a way to realize we are weekend warriors at best and mistakes happen. As soon as you can handle the mistakes and keep perspective, your enjoyment goes up and my guess is by playing looser scores will go down.

from the actual golf swing/performance, go get your lies checked on your irons and make sure you swing hasn't changed and need to have your irons adjusted. A simple lie adjustment can help path while you clean up mechanics.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites.
Click to expand...
I wonder if you're still playing the same shafts as you did "back then?" It might be time to consider a change?

edhalsim said:
My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left.
Click to expand...
That suggests a club path that's in-to-out, relative to the target line, with the club face square to the target line--thus closed with relation to the swing path.

edhalsim said:
Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.
Click to expand...
From all I've read: Practice, the way most amateur golfers do it, rarely does. Curing swing faults and improving swing consistency requires swing training, which is not the same as hitting practice.

edhalsim said:
My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.
Click to expand...
Don't I know that story :)

edhalsim said:
Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
My situation is similar to your's only in that I'm older (older than you). Otherwise completely different. I started playing at sixty-nine, had moderate success (FSVO "success"), it all went to hell at the end of that season, and I've been in swing training ever since. (I'm a slow learner ;))

Maybe a pro instructor can identify why you're swinging in-to-out and that can be fairly easily trained-out? Otherwise: The low-hanging fruit is your short game. Statistically: The greatest gains come from an improved long game, but the quickest, easiest gains come from an improved short game. You're suggesting you don't have a lot of time to spend on improvement, so I guess short game it is.

As for the mental game: I'm the last person that should be offering advice in that respect.

razaar said:
Another example confirming that thinking about playing a golf s so much more enjoyable than actually playing golf.
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With what I have invested in golf gear, training aids, and swing training I sure hope that isn't true
lol.gif


Then again: As I told my wife when she asked me if I was actually ever going to play again: "I'm having fun doing what I'm doing, so does it really matter?" ;)

ETA: Last, but not least: Consider getting into a gym and doing strength training. Over age 40 we begin to lose 3-5% of muscle mass per year. Less muscle mass = less strength = less power = less distance and control.
 
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My swing practice involves experimenting with different ways of swinging.
Instead of hovering the driver behind the ball on a tee, I'm trying a simpler setup of just placing the club head on the ground behind the ball.
But, it takes a lot of time to figure out whether that really helps or not.

I'll also try different clubs for the same lie. Then I'll change the lie and repeat the process.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
As @1860VS said, make sure your equipment fits your present situation, not how you were 10 years ago.

62 seems a bit young to give up on improving. Stay flexible and in shape. Maybe take a few lessons. Keep practicing and playing. I like to think I remain a competent player at age 71. I completely turned over my equipment 2 years ago. I play frequently (100+ rounds a year) and practice.

Maybe consider occasionally moving up a tee (or two) and see what it is like to not have as much pressure on you to hit the same distances as you once did. You don't need to permanently move up, just give your psyche a boost now and again.
 
edhalsim said:
Hi,
I'm 62, but in really good health. I used to shoot in the mid 70s-mid 80s from the blue tees. Now I shoot in the low 80s to low 90s from the whites. My driver is my best club, but I've lost count of the number of doubles I've had from the middle of the fairway. I only hit a handful of greens during the round and when I miss, my up&in percentage is pretty dismal, around 20-30% and often it takes me four shots, either due to a bad chip or a three putt.

My full swing isn't perfect, but I've had multiple coaches and they tell me they've seen scratch players with worse swings. My big miss is a shot that starts off straight, then hooks left. I can at most play once/week and practice once/week, at which time I hit balls and work on chipping and putting. Practice doesn't seem to make me any better or more consistent.

My mental game is also weak as I get mad or sad when I can't perform well. After playing a poor round it feels like I've been kicked in the nuts.

Is there anyone here who's been in a similar situation and was able to improve significantly? What did it take? I'd really like to enjoy playing again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I'm 71 and at one time had a pretty good, single digit game. Then I took 8-9 years off from the game. When I seriously started back in 2019, i had lost about 20% of my previous swing speed.. I had also put on several extra pounds of body weight which changed my previous swing.
Still I could play in the low 80s, even carding an occasional
78/79.

At that time, I thought I could get better with lots of quality practice, and play. Thought I could cruise back to single digits.

Then covid hit. I caught it in December 2019. Just didn't know I had it. Thought it was just a bad chest cold. My Wife also caught it, and wound up in ICU .

Since then, and two more bouts of covid, and sepsis, my health has deteriorated enough that I'm just happy to keep playing.golf.

Now, I know full well that if I had stayed healthy, and with proper practice routines, 2-3 times a week. I could've achieved a single digit cap again. I understood what I needed to do. That said, these day I practice and play a lot just to slow down the deterioration of my game.

I think anyone who is healthy, and has the time to devote to playing better golf can do so. It will take lots of quality practice time in all facets of the game. Finding a qualified instructor can help speed up the journey back to single digits.

The main thing to better golf is the individual needs the mental toughness to want to get better. The individual needs to put in the time, and effort. The individual needs to dedicate themselves almost totally to a better game.
 
I’m a year behind you not necessarily in the best health. I have a neuromuscular disease that affects me having a consistent swing. I am still trying to improve. My goals are bit smaller than they were when I was younger and healthier. Maybe find something small to fix that might shave a couple of strokes. Missing greens is also a problem for me so I improved my chipping and putting. Just doing that I was able to score in the mid 80s and ended last year with a 13.7 handicap. I also get properly fit which helps also. The miss you talk about I have. An instructor I know said it was because my weight shift was inconsistent . My legs don’t always work well. Could be the same for you. I learned a while ago not to mad or sad about my golf game. Now after a bad shot it’s “well that sucked the next might be better “. I’ve gotten pretty good at if I don’t get on in regulation I get on with the next shot and one or two putt. I rarely have a double more than once a round anymore. My attitude is I’m happy to be out there and I’ll do the best I can to get better or at least no worse.
 
edhalsim said:
was able to improve significantly?
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I'll be 69 in a few weeks. I would reiterate developing a very good short game. It's a real stroke saver and you don't need to be young or athletic to develop one. I also moved up to the senior tees, which has also helped.

As far as the mental side, I feel grateful every time I tee it up. And, I will have good rounds and I will have bad rounds, but I don't let the latter discourage me. I just accept what golf gives me on any given day and move on.
 
No matter how good you get, you’ll meet your old self on the other side.
 
Hawk said:
You didn't mention any yardages, but are you getting a lot of long approaches? If so, moving up should be a consideration.
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I should have mentioned those. I'm playing from the whites already. Driver 250y, 5i-190y, 8i 150y, SW-100y
 
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