Becoming a scratch or better player.

CB, couple of questions about your short game practice. When you work on chipping, do you practice bump and runs, flop shots etc. or is it just one type of shot that you want to get comfortable with? And for putting do you pick a spot a couple of feet away from the hole and practice from their until you're comfortable and then move back another couple of feet and do the same or do you pick putts that you're uncomfortable with and just work on those (ie. downhill left to right break)?
 
CB, couple of questions about your short game practice. When you work on chipping, do you practice bump and runs, flop shots etc. or is it just one type of shot that you want to get comfortable with? And for putting do you pick a spot a couple of feet away from the hole and practice from their until you're comfortable and then move back another couple of feet and do the same or do you pick putts that you're uncomfortable with and just work on those (ie. downhill left to right break)?
I work on everything, and play games with it to keep it interesting. Actually, my pitching and chipping has been really good the past couple of rounds, really good actually.


Today I went to the range because my full swing has been iffy. I've been letting the club get inside and its been leading to inconsistency. I was really working on keeping the club face outside my hands, and getting the club face back square and while it was frustrating for a while, at the end of the range session I was back to where I was with it a few weeks ago. I need to spend a lot more time on the range then I have been lately to really groove the swing but I've been busy lately.

Tomorrow I might be able to squeeze a round in but at the very least I will be getting to the range to continue working on my full swing and some short game. My wife is working all weekend so this is the perfect opportunity for me to get a sitter for the kid and spend some time playing some golf.
 
Good update CB the practicing more is paying off for me. My last 2 rounds I'm +1 for both and that's because of a plugged lost ball on the one hole. I'm a little off track this week. Played 2 rounds and I have a scramble tomorrow but I'll use that as more practice and get back on track this weekend. Keep up the good work and updates!
 
Good update CB the practicing more is paying off for me. My last 2 rounds I'm +1 for both and that's because of a plugged lost ball on the one hole. I'm a little off track this week. Played 2 rounds and I have a scramble tomorrow but I'll use that as more practice and get back on track this weekend. Keep up the good work and updates!
Thanks man, you too, I'm following your thread closely. Those are some great rounds, and with the work you are putting in you will be even lower in no time.

My last 9 I was -2 through 6 holes and then let it all fall apart and ended up shooting +2 for the 9 holes. For me it all comes down to putting.
 
Thanks man, you too, I'm following your thread closely. Those are some great rounds, and with the work you are putting in you will be even lower in no time.

My last 9 I was -2 through 6 holes and then let it all fall apart and ended up shooting +2 for the 9 holes. For me it all comes down to putting.

I hear you on the putting. Biggest improvement I've had. I just need to make sure I keep up practicing and get back to that after today's scramble.
 
I hear you on the putting. Biggest improvement I've had. I just need to make sure I keep up practicing and get back to that after today's scramble.
I think the hardest thing to do is to practice putting its just not near as much fun as anything else, but its the thing that will make the biggest difference to our scores. I've really made a consistent effort to keep working on it, but sometimes you just want to hit some balls or go play and there you are on the putting green.
 
I think the hardest thing to do is to practice putting its just not near as much fun as anything else, but its the thing that will make the biggest difference to our scores. I've really made a consistent effort to keep working on it, but sometimes you just want to hit some balls or go play and there you are on the putting green.

i know the SeeMore testing is helping me there. been practicing way more than i ever had before.
 
i know the SeeMore testing is helping me there. been practicing way more than i ever had before.
I can see why, I got my Seemore today and its not coming out of the bag for a long time.
 
I think the hardest thing to do is to practice putting its just not near as much fun as anything else, but its the thing that will make the biggest difference to our scores. I've really made a consistent effort to keep working on it, but sometimes you just want to hit some balls or go play and there you are on the putting green.

I know putting is not as much fun as beating balks or hitting chips but it needed, as you know. I try to set a time limit so u ding get board. I try to work on different distances with 3 balls 10 reps. So maybe 90 putts in a session. Or a drill to make 10 in a row from a certain distance but only in an allotted amount of time. If I don't succeed in 20 minutes I move on. I think the most ill spend is 30-45 minutes, tops.
Keep it going buddy, you're doing well.
 
Agreed you handsome cheese filled fella. When you stick 3 shots inside of 5 feet and 2 within 10 feet and don't make a single birdie its your putting.

There're putts and then there are putts. Where were you in relation to the slope? Uphill/downhill? 3 or 9 o clock? Makes a huge difference as to how difficult a putt is.
 
I think the hardest thing to do is to practice putting its just not near as much fun as anything else, but its the thing that will make the biggest difference to our scores. I've really made a consistent effort to keep working on it, but sometimes you just want to hit some balls or go play and there you are on the putting green.

It's a really tough thing for sure CB, I struggle with it too. Listening to music really helps if you can focus while listening, and just remembering that you'll be rewarded on your scorecard for one, and secondly your course experience will be better as a result also helps to keep me motivated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
As far as I've read, if you can string a few putts together, you can easily become scratch or better, keep it going man and you will get there, I'll be following along the way.
 
I know putting is not as much fun as beating balks or hitting chips but it needed, as you know. I try to set a time limit so u ding get board. I try to work on different distances with 3 balls 10 reps. So maybe 90 putts in a session. Or a drill to make 10 in a row from a certain distance but only in an allotted amount of time. If I don't succeed in 20 minutes I move on. I think the most ill spend is 30-45 minutes, tops.
Keep it going buddy, you're doing well.


i have been doing this with my chipping a lot. more so than my putting. but i put 20 minutes limits on my chipping i do 20 minutes with all 3 of my wedges and 20 with my hybo chipping. and have to drain so many and i can move on or when my timer goes off i switch wedges. helps move things along just another game to play with yourself to not get so bored. might be good to do timer for my putting games also. try to make it more competitive and add some mental pressure as well.
 
Its been a few days since I've updated this thread and a lot has been going on with my golf game. I've been playing less than usual lately, and working on my game more and this has led to better scores and overall confidence in my game.

The first change is I'm now gaming a SeeMore putter and working completely on the SPI method of putting. This has already paid off with one round with 31 putts which was good for me, but I can see that it will be a lot better in the future. I've also been spending more and more time on my short game, and I'm now proud to say I can put a ball closer from 60-20 yards than I can from 120-100. I have actually been leaving myself pitches into greens because I feel like I can put the ball close. I still have a lot more work to do, but I'm happy with where my short game is going.

My full swing is still good, but for a couple of rounds I was having some inconsistencies in my swing, and after I played a round with an assistant pro at my course, it was clear that I was just swaying off the ball a little. Once I was staying steady over the ball everything went back to normal. He was also helping me with my mental approach to the game as we were playing and talking to me about club selection of the tee and why I was doing what I was doing. This was really fun as it was almost like having a caddy out there and most of it made a ton of sense to me.

I'm not sure when I will be playing again, but I'm really happy with where my game is right now. Currently I'm sitting at a 9.0 but I feel like there are some really low rounds coming this week as everything starts to come together.
 
It'll start peeling off soon CB. Glad to see you committed to the SeeMore way. 31 putts is good!
Playing with another set of eyes is always key. Keep it up bro, I'm enjoying your progress
 
Wow, I have found this thread both fascinating and inspiring. I have only been playing golf less than a year but have fell in love with it! I consider myself fairly athletic as I played another sport at a low professional level but golf is probably the most frustrating thing I have ever done. I'm not playing to shoot in the 80s or 90s like my friends, I want to be the BEST.....that is how my mentality has always been (why I feel like I can relate to CoolBreeze). I have no problem putting in the time and work to get good at it and already practice more than anyone that I know but my problem is that being new to the sport, I don't really know HOW to practice, if that makes sense. So when you guys talk about how you practice and the routines that you do it really helps me (and others I'm sure) so I would love it if you could keep talking about that so I can give myself a better game plan when I go to the range or putting green. Another problem that I am going to have as I have finally started to make some strides (I am still HORRRRIBBLLLE) I live in New York and winter will be upon us soon so I won't be able to actually play for a while or even go to the putting green/sandtrap but only go to the range (when it's not ridiculously cold out). So also any tips on how us North East cold weather folks can stay sharp through the winter would also be appreciated. I'm new to this forum but glad I found it!
 
Wow, I have found this thread both fascinating and inspiring. I have only been playing golf less than a year but have fell in love with it! I consider myself fairly athletic as I played another sport at a low professional level but golf is probably the most frustrating thing I have ever done. I'm not playing to shoot in the 80s or 90s like my friends, I want to be the BEST.....that is how my mentality has always been (why I feel like I can relate to CoolBreeze). I have no problem putting in the time and work to get good at it and already practice more than anyone that I know but my problem is that being new to the sport, I don't really know HOW to practice, if that makes sense. So when you guys talk about how you practice and the routines that you do it really helps me (and others I'm sure) so I would love it if you could keep talking about that so I can give myself a better game plan when I go to the range or putting green. Another problem that I am going to have as I have finally started to make some strides (I am still HORRRRIBBLLLE) I live in New York and winter will be upon us soon so I won't be able to actually play for a while or even go to the putting green/sandtrap but only go to the range (when it's not ridiculously cold out). So also any tips on how us North East cold weather folks can stay sharp through the winter would also be appreciated. I'm new to this forum but glad I found it!
Thanks for the kind words Cowboy and I totally understand how you feel. Golf is a frustrating game that is also very humbling at times, its one of the things I love about it.

Thanks for following along and I would be happy to answer any questions you have about how to practice and what to practice.
 
What is a typical practice session like for you....on the range? putting? at home? Any drills you would recommend? How many hours per week should be spent practicing?
 
This is the thread I've looked for. I'm on a very similar journey, I had it down to 4.6 and hovered there for a couple years. I tried everything I could think of to get to scratch or better. So after much deliberation with mostly myself (ego and wallet too). I have started down the lesson trail. The ego was crushed, and I ate my share of humble pie it's starting to go pretty well. The handicap has risen but it's for the good. I currently practice on average 3 nights a week 2 to 3 hours, and play only twice a month. 50 percent is short game 125yds and in. 25 percent is putting. 25 percent is fullswing. Lessons are scheduled after 1000 successful completions of what ever it is I'm trying to correct or change. So that's about every 10 days. I'm glad to find so many others that have the similar goals as I do.
 
What is a typical practice session like for you....on the range? putting? at home? Any drills you would recommend? How many hours per week should be spent practicing?

Well a typical practice session for me is different every time depending on what I'm working on. Most of my sessions are about 1-2 hours and I like to divide up what I'm working on. If I'm working on my short game then it will be just that, my short game. I will only take my wedges and my putter down to the range and will work on everything from full shots with my wedges, to pitches, chips, bunker shots, flop shots everything, and with every wedge. Then I starting doing putting drills and might play a game of getting one ball up and down to every flag on the practice green.

On the days I'm working on my full swing I will spend most of the time with my long and mid irons working on whatever it is that I need to work on. I don't just stand there firing off balls, but take my time and try and go through my full shot routine with every ball. I will then move on to driver, and woods, and then I will play my course in my head, meaning I will play the course on the range and hit each shot based on the shot I hit before it, and then give myself a two putt on every green.

I'm still not a great practicer, but I'm getting better and am learning every time I go to the range.

This is the thread I've looked for. I'm on a very similar journey, I had it down to 4.6 and hovered there for a couple years. I tried everything I could think of to get to scratch or better. So after much deliberation with mostly myself (ego and wallet too). I have started down the lesson trail. The ego was crushed, and I ate my share of humble pie it's starting to go pretty well. The handicap has risen but it's for the good. I currently practice on average 3 nights a week 2 to 3 hours, and play only twice a month. 50 percent is short game 125yds and in. 25 percent is putting. 25 percent is fullswing. Lessons are scheduled after 1000 successful completions of what ever it is I'm trying to correct or change. So that's about every 10 days. I'm glad to find so many others that have the similar goals as I do.
Glad to have you on board, sounds like you are making great progress and you are much more disiplined than I am right now. I am playing more right now as its the playing season, but this winter I will be working on my game much more than I will be playing. Really looking forward to following you as you get there and its clear with the work you are putting in that you will.
 
Would it be easier to get to scratch on the same course? (Doesn't matter on the difficultly) Or changing up courses all of the time?
 
Would it be easier to get to scratch on the same course? (Doesn't matter on the difficultly) Or changing up courses all of the time?
I have no idea to be honest, but my guess would be playing one course all the time, but if your course is really tough then I think your game can travel pretty well.
 
I have no idea to be honest, but my guess would be playing one course all the time, but if your course is really tough then I think your game can travel pretty well.

I don't really have one course that I play every week. I really would like to join one, but seem to just bounce to the best deal right now. I can tell which courses I have played before and which are new. I hope that I my game will travel well due to playing so many different places. I just don't seem my handicap dropping quickly, due to the higher scores from new courses. I definitely want to get it lower, but I am not sure of the best route.
 
I don't really have one course that I play every week. I really would like to join one, but seem to just bounce to the best deal right now. I can tell which courses I have played before and which are new. I hope that I my game will travel well due to playing so many different places. I just don't seem my handicap dropping quickly, due to the higher scores from new courses. I definitely want to get it lower, but I am not sure of the best route.
Well, other people would no better than I, but when it comes down to it its fairways and greens and short game. Your scores will be higher at a course you've never played before, but I think you can get to scratch just playing one course.
 
Well, other people would no better than I, but when it comes down to it its fairways and greens and short game. Your scores will be higher at a course you've never played before, but I think you can get to scratch just playing one course.

hhhmmm, I think I understand. I just want to be able to hang out in the 70s all the time. I can't wait till that is my regular number.
 
Back
Top