We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Handicap

TitleistDC

TitleistDC

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
Location
VA
Handicap
12.5
What's the most strokes anyone on here has dropped in a season? I played and practiced a lot this past season and shaved about 3.5 strokes off my index. Really would like to get below a 10 next season, currently at a 13.8. I'm a great ball striker, weakness is 50 yards and in. Really going to focus on that and putting this season. Just interested to hear how others have progressed.
 
Great topic, looking forward to responses. 3.5 to 13.8 sounds pretty good to me, improvement must be harder to attain at lower handicap I'd imagine.

I got my first handicap this year at 24 but went up to 24.5.

I'm putting this down to competition nerves and bad decisions more than anything and certainly improved my game towards the end of the year but not necessarily scoring.
Got 5 pars in a round the other week so I think I have the potential to drop and target for next season is a drop of 6.5 to 18.
Go big or go home right...? :D
 
I dropped 7 strokes when I was 14. I went from 15 down to an 8 and that's by far the biggest drop I ever had.
 
Sounds like its coming along. Looking forward to following your progress. As you get lower, it is harder to shave strokes off for numerous reasons. However we watched quite a few people shave a handful or more strokes heading into the Morgan Cup this past year. THP events have a certain way of motivation for many.
 
I went from 18.2 to 15.2 this season..
 
This past year I went from a 12 to a 9 and the year before that I went from a 20 to a 12. I have seen guys drop quite rapidly when they put the time and effort in, but it's tough for a weekend warrior to make a huge move IMO.
 
ArmyGolf said:
This past year I went from a 12 to a 9 and the year before that I went from a 20 to a 12. I have seen guys drop quite rapidly when they put the time and effort in, but it's tough for a weekend warrior to make a huge move IMO.
Click to expand...
Nice.. I will give u a big Hell Yea TOO!!!! He'll Yea!!!
 
I started the year as a 13 but I don't know if I count it because, after my 5 year hiatus, I was starting my hcp from scratch. More accurately, I'd use my old hcp, which was a 7, to compare my current one which is a 4. I only have 13 rounds on record for this season so I'm a little more proud of my drop considering it happened with not much golf after a long layoff

Hell yeah's are given

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2
 
Started the year at 10.2 and down to a 5.1 after the last revision.
 
Went from 28 to 23.2 this year.
 
How often does your handicap get updated? After every comp, every month etc...

Over here its after every competition.
 
Damoegan said:
How often does your handicap get updated? After every comp, every month etc...

Over here its after every competition.
Click to expand...

Every two weeks I think? Maybe the 1st and the 15th of each month? That's for GHIN I believe. Mine isn't official, so I update mine after every round.
 
Do you's have a "buffer zone"? i.e. one shot over your handicap and there's no adjustment made to your index?
 
JB said:
THP events have a certain way of motivation for many.
Click to expand...

Yep. My motivation to lower my HDCP was to prepare for the Bridgestone in Vegas.
 
I did go from 25 to 17 this year, all with a few lessons and a lot of reading, plus I played a lot more golf than in the past.

basically eliminated the duffs and better course management
 
I went from 24 to 11 in about 2 seasons after taking lessons. I probably dropped 8 strokes in my first 6 months of lessons.
 
MPlefty said:
I did go from 25 to 17 this year, all with a few lessons and a lot of reading, plus I played a lot more golf than in the past.

basically eliminated the duffs and better course management
Click to expand...

So there's some hope for me!!
 
TitleistDC said:
What's the most strokes anyone on here has dropped in a season? I played and practiced a lot this past season and shaved about 3.5 strokes off my index. Really would like to get below a 10 next season, currently at a 13.8. I'm a great ball striker, weakness is 50 yards and in. Really going to focus on that and putting this season. Just interested to hear how others have progressed.
Click to expand...

Hey TDC!

I think the best way to drop handicap is to focus less on your overall score and focus more on statistics.... You're bad 50 yards in? Get to the range and work on pitch shots, wedge shots, bunker shots, and putting! When you improve those statistics overall, I can just about guarantee your index will come down with it.

Last year I focused heavily on improving my putting, bunker game, and greenside wedge game, and managed to drop my handicap from a 4.0 at the beginning of last season to a +0.5 to finish. Sub 10, i think it's all about the scoring clubs, and 50 yards in is huge.

Secondly, if you're weak there, don't hit to there!!! Work on pulling less club off the tee so your approach is a full wedge. I did that and found my putting distance was improved dramatically.
 
Canadan said:
Hey TDC!

I think the best way to drop handicap is to focus less on your overall score and focus more on statistics.... You're bad 50 yards in? Get to the range and work on pitch shots, wedge shots, bunker shots, and putting! When you improve those statistics overall, I can just about guarantee your index will come down with it.

Last year I focused heavily on improving my putting, bunker game, and greenside wedge game, and managed to drop my handicap from a 4.0 at the beginning of last season to a +0.5 to finish. Sub 10, i think it's all about the scoring clubs, and 50 yards in is huge.

Secondly, if you're weak there, don't hit to there!!! Work on pulling less club off the tee so your approach is a full wedge. I did that and found my putting distance was improved dramatically.
Click to expand...

Agree. This season I started tracking fir,gir and putts and it made a huge difference for my game. Knowledge is power.

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 4
 
Handicap

Canadan said:
Hey TDC!

I think the best way to drop handicap is to focus less on your overall score and focus more on statistics.... You're bad 50 yards in? Get to the range and work on pitch shots, wedge shots, bunker shots, and putting! When you improve those statistics overall, I can just about guarantee your index will come down with it.

Last year I focused heavily on improving my putting, bunker game, and greenside wedge game, and managed to drop my handicap from a 4.0 at the beginning of last season to a +0.5 to finish. Sub 10, i think it's all about the scoring clubs, and 50 yards in is huge.

Secondly, if you're weak there, don't hit to there!!! Work on pulling less club off the tee so your approach is a full wedge. I did that and found my putting distance was improved dramatically.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I plan on doing that this year a lot. I've only been playing avidly for less than two years now. The past year I really focused on ball striking as I play golf a lot with clients and at work events and wanted to at least hang with better players.

I probably hit 8 FIR...but my short game (need to get closer to the hole on my pitching and chipping) and my putting (putts per round are probably 40ish) are my weaknesses. I think if I really focus on reducing the three putts, I'd be golden. The number of putts and my short game are probably correlated...if I could chip and get closer to the hole from off the greens, the putts per round should really drop.

Anyways, glad to see that others on here have been able to drop their indexes precipitously.
 
Last edited:
Canadan said:
...Sub 10, i think it's all about the scoring clubs, and 50 yards in is huge.

Secondly, if you're weak there, don't hit to there!!! Work on pulling less club off the tee so your approach is a full wedge. I did that and found my putting distance was improved dramatically.
Click to expand...

This definitely hits home. Knocking out big blow-up scores, for me, is usually dependent on a decent game off the tee. But, to go "low", need to make big improvements in the short game, and manage away from weaknesses, if possible.
 
TitleistDC said:
Thanks. I plan on doing that this year a lot. I've only been playing avidly for less than two years now. The past year I really focused on ball striking as I play golf a lot with clients and at work events and wanted to at least hang with better players.
Click to expand...

13.8 is a very nice start for two years in the game dude, you should be proud of that number. With that in mind, I think game refinement is paramount to continued improvement. Producing good habits instead of accommodating bad habits is pretty key.

I probably hit 8 FIR...but my short game (need to get closer to the hole on my pitching and chipping) and my putting (putts per round are probably 40ish) are my weaknesses. I think if I really focus on reducing the three putts, I'd be golden. The number of putts and my short game are probably correlated...if I could chip and get closer to the hole from off the greens, the putts per round should really drop.
Click to expand...

Putting is enormous. I can't begin to put a number on it, but think about it. Two putts per hole equates to a 36 putt round. If you can bring it down to let's say 32 or so, that will drop you into the single digits. People have SO many strokes on the green and rarely spend time on their game.

Consider a putting lesson. If you want a recommendation, I'd encourage SPi from SeeMore, which is what took my putting game to places I never would have expected. Simple consistency and confidence.

Anyways, glad to see that others on here have been able to drop their indexes precipitously.
Click to expand...

Golf gives back when you put in the time dude! I believe that in a big way.
 
MPlefty said:
I did go from 25 to 17 this year, all with a few lessons and a lot of reading, plus I played a lot more golf than in the past.

basically eliminated the duffs and better course management
Click to expand...

I went from a 22.5 to a 17.3 this year. I played a lot more golf than I had ever before, and I managed courses a lot better. My best rounds were those where I didn't hit a driver the whole round.
 
Ive gone from 13.3 at the start of the year when I got my official handicap, and now on Wednesday in the next adjustments I will go down to 10.6. Not a big drop but I reakon the lower you get the harder it seams to be to drop it lots.
 
lopsta5 said:
Ive gone from 13.3 at the start of the year when I got my official handicap, and now on Wednesday in the next adjustments I will go down to 10.6. Not a big drop but I reakon the lower you get the harder it seams to be to drop it lots.
Click to expand...

That's a real solid drop, as u start to get down that low it gets tougher and tougher to move in big chunks. Be proud of that accomplishment in 1 year
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top