We've launched the new forums! Read more here

An Honest assessment....Why are we the handicap we are?

GolfTravelDude

GolfTravelDude

Team Hackers Alumni
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Jun 23, 2019
Messages
11,119
Reaction score
8,610
Location
Virginia
Handicap
9.4
The data input available to us creates opportunities to improve every piece of our game. So why isn't the average handicap lower? I have always driven well and putted well and been solid with getting the ball in the hole. I have mostly been a hack hitting the ball off the turf. So a single cap driver, low single putter, creative scorer and an 18 on entries...Ugh....What does your analysis say about you?
 
Self analysis:

Putting. I'm not bad, but I'm not good. Easy 5-7 strokes hiding in there per round.
Distance. I hit it a reasonable distance, but closer is easier.
 
Extreme lack of consistency and mental headcase, that should sum it up :ROFLMAO:
 
millsan1 said:
Self analysis:

Putting. I'm not bad, but I'm not good. Easy 5-7 strokes hiding in there per round.
Distance. I hit it a reasonable distance, but closer is easier.
Click to expand...
I'm that guy that at 170 I'm probably finishing the shot closer than from 150. Hybrid vs 6/7 iron...
 
My view, in order of importance:

Course management - if I played more higher percentage shots, I'd have better scores.

My swing is too inconsistent, especially longer clubs. If I could produce the same ball flight 75% of the time, my scores would drop.

I don't play enough. Nine holes total since May 1.
 
My issues are off the tee. If my first shot of each hole is solid, I'm mid 80s with the mindset and confidence to go lower. My normal round, I'm like a rainbird sprinkler with a clogged nozzle and looking at my normal mid 90s...
 
All depends on the day really. Driver could be really good and irons cold but make up for it with chips and putts.
When I broke par earlier this year everything was firing good but that is rare for me to have happen.
I just take what my game gives me that day.
 
Well, I could tell you the symptoms, but not the "Why". The symptoms are inconsistency, lack of distance, the usual high-capper stuff.
I'm starting to get to the point where I'm thinking my body and brain are the issues.
 
Mental stuff is a big one for me. But just inconsistency and lack of practice time (I'm making up for the practice time now...easy for me to head straight to the range from work at home).
Currently working on a lot (some new clubs and swing changes are helping...but it's been a process).
 
my analysis says I am as good as I will be with the amount of practice I don't put in. I rarely practice or go hit golf balls because I find it extremely boring. I spend more time on my short game and putting.
 
It's easy for me. I don't practice enough. Short game and putting practice by itself would probably help me drop a few strokes.
 
Driver - Ok don't hit enough fairways for someone of my length.
Irons - Ok mid irons good short irons
Wedges - Fantastic strength of game
Putter - terrible birdie putter, great par putter, if I could hole birdie putts at same frequency as par putts would put up more low numbers
Intangibles never out of hole will figure out a way to make par from the worst spots
Weaknesses tend to lose focus couple of times a round, that cost a stroke or two,
 
According to the Grint, it’s tee shots. I think they’re right 😭

Everything else is in range for me.
 
If someone in the know analysed my game, they would lable me lazy for not putting enough time into the game to reach my full potential. Except for the lazy part, they would be 100% correct.

Several times over the years I was told that if I put more time into my golf game, I'd be pretty good at it. That I already had a good swing to build on.

For me it was not about being lazy. When I first took up the game, there was so much other, more important, stuff going on, golf was just a pleasant past time. It was not something I took serious.

I am pretty sure a high percentage of golfers only reach a small part of their golf potential because they don't have 40-60+ hours a week to apply to their game.
 
120 yards and in is my problem I believe. Putting mainly is where I can save or hurt my score. Its getting better but currently costing me shots.
 
I don’t practice or play very often.

I go for more low percentage shots or aggressive lines than I should because why not.
 
I have the ability but the consistency is not there. I broke my personal best twice in the last month but they sandwiched 2 awful rounds. 75 (with 2 drivers), 93, 95, 74 (w/o taking lost ball on a ball that should have been found in middle of fairway). The 2 PB rounds had "issues" with them and are not in handicap but they are legitimate rounds.

Driving - Much improved in the last 6 months. Hitting more fairways and have added distance. My lazy swings are big ol slices but this is rare now.
Approach - Issue #1 - In good rounds I hit greens. In bad rounds I miss a lot of greens. I have a hook with my irons that I am working on. I have 2* upright irons so in the new set I got them lengthen 1/2 inch. I saw on a TXG video that if you have upright irons it effectively shortens the club so I am testing this out. Last 2 times I got fit I tried at standard lie angle and even flat and that made things worse. That is all of the club blaming I will do.
Short game - Issue #2 - Around the green I have a ton of shots at my disposal. I am not afraid to try anything. The pitches are what get me. I can hit a hop and stop from 50 yds but it can also go 70 yds. I can't control the shot as much as needed. Again on good days I am shooting low and on bad days it is a mess.
Putting - Issue #3 - I have worked a lot on getting this down. I have much better tempo and speed over the last 6 months but line is my issue. Best rounds are 29-30 putts so not anywhere near a strength of my game.
Course management - The tees I play (6000-6500) I tend not to need my 3W or hybrid very much off the deck. I am weak on those clubs because I don't use them a lot. Off the tee most courses I play a driver doesn't get me in trouble so I use it a lot. I may start to play even shorter tees to force me taking 3w and hybrid off the tee to get used to it. When I do club down it is usually to 4 or 5 iron. If I have a good round going I play conservative from trouble. If I have a sucky round going I am hero shot all the way for the practice.
Fitness - I have no problem walking 18 in the AZ heat but it does take a toll towards the end of the round. Quick rounds are great but slow rounds I do get stiff the last 3 holes. I have to get my fitness up again to really play my best.
Anger - stupid mistakes really get me. Bad bounces on perfect shots puts me in anger mode. This is one thing that has gotten better but could still use work. I don't throw clubs but I do get tense which shortens muscles which causes bad things.
 
I don't practice enough
I make poor decisions
I attempt shots beyond my skill level
I am inconsistently streaky
I don't have many strengths
I don't play to my strengths
I can mentally check out
Many more...
 
Simple. Consistency in the swing and putting. I hit the ball long enough, my wedge game is the best its been, and i've never hit my irons better.....when I put a good swing on the club that is. Need to remove the really bad swing that seems to happen once or twice a round and causes some blow up holes. Also need to be able to stop burning lips and actually make some putts. While I have eliminated most 3 putts, I can't seem to get more 1 putts as I would like.
 
data doesnt make anyone better. You dont magically become better just because some data tells you what to work on.

Consistency (or lack of). The ability not just to know how to hit our clubs and take each shot but to be able to do it well enough,..enough times in a row before failing poorly at it.

That is the most thing which separates us. That is the main reason most par5's are among the higher rated handicap holes on most golf courses even though the holes may be far from the hardest holes. Higher cappers simply need the most help vs the scratch player when it comes to making 3 decent shots in a row. Its just something that is simply failed at more than successful at. An ability to go longer without failing poorly. Ability to make many more decent shots (in every part of the game) more often vs less often.

many try and try and try and make/put in the efforts and time and money and still struggle with too low a percentage of decent shots. While others are able to have a much higher percentage of decent shots vs bad ones. Comes down to how many one can string together and or how often one can go in between failing poorly at their shots.

there is no teacher for this imo. Some of us are always going to struggle with the consistency even if we can hit them all great or good enough. But just cant do it for a high enough percentage of the time for a long enough amount of time playing. And as a result one person can be a 6 and another a 14 and another a 20, etc... And it may even be the more consistent player/s are not always the ones who put as much into it. fir whatever reason some folks simply able to repeat more successfully than others.
 
Playing time. 5 years ago I had a membership. Golfed 80+ times in 6 months. Got down to a 6.7. I barely get out once a week now and my 12 hcp is still going the wrong way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top