Trying to Break 100
After coming off back to back 102 scores with the front nine being a disaster both times, I went out fathers day evening with my wife just tagging along to get out of the house. There was a threat of rain so we had the course to ourselves but because it was late in the evening I only planned to play the front nine.
I started out par,bogey,bogey and finished with a birdie on the par ninth for a 44. No mulligans and I only adjusted my lie one time when the ball came to rest in what was once a divot and the ball was lodged against the front edge completely below grade.
Played the next day but walked in mid day heat and still scored a reasonable 46. Wednesday another walking nine and a 47. Played Friday in a SMGA outing, the format was - count 2 balls each hole. A) player must show on all par 5, B or C on par 4 and D on all par 3. Start out fine, bogey, bogey on the first 2 par 4's. then my par 3 comes up and I double bogey. Sorry guys.
show for #4, 5, & 6 and now comes my 2nd par 3. I skyball my tee shot and land it 30 yards short and my team mates are giving me the stink eye. I half swing my 54 and two hop it into the hole for birdie net eagle. Ended the nine with a score of 55. How can that be after playing it so well the past three times?
Played the back nine with a gross score of 44 net 32. Have no idea what to expect the next time I play.
I started out par,bogey,bogey and finished with a birdie on the par ninth for a 44. No mulligans and I only adjusted my lie one time when the ball came to rest in what was once a divot and the ball was lodged against the front edge completely below grade.
Played the next day but walked in mid day heat and still scored a reasonable 46. Wednesday another walking nine and a 47. Played Friday in a SMGA outing, the format was - count 2 balls each hole. A) player must show on all par 5, B or C on par 4 and D on all par 3. Start out fine, bogey, bogey on the first 2 par 4's. then my par 3 comes up and I double bogey. Sorry guys.
show for #4, 5, & 6 and now comes my 2nd par 3. I skyball my tee shot and land it 30 yards short and my team mates are giving me the stink eye. I half swing my 54 and two hop it into the hole for birdie net eagle. Ended the nine with a score of 55. How can that be after playing it so well the past three times?Played the back nine with a gross score of 44 net 32. Have no idea what to expect the next time I play.
YES!!! Well done!
-------------------------------------
I tallied up my saved rounds for the months of April-June this morning to get a recent picture and I'm averaging 100.27 per round.
This is progress for me. It was around 104/105 in February (when I last tallied) if I recall correctly.
Last edited:
r80rew
Well-known member
103 today but some really good sub 100 golf. 
Shot a terrible 104 yesterday. Pared the first hole and thought I was on my way. Great drive, 7 iron to center of green, two putt. Then it fell apart. I ended up changing my swing mid round just so I could hit something. Very frustrating how my game changes as I play.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2018
- Messages
- 3,979
- Reaction score
- 4,645
- Location
- Southern Ohio/Eastern Kentucky
- Handicap
- 18
Playing tomorrow at a local course that’s not overly long but has some severe elevation changes and is pretty tough. I have no idea what to expect. I’ve played a fade forever and out of the blue I’m starting to hit it left. On the plus side I am making solid contact. I just gotta figure out where it’s going. Luckily for me the first hole is a 540yd par 5 straight up a hill to a blind landing area 
Should have easily broken 100 today, even though I had a rough round. 2 nines 
on par five holes did me in. Though I did have five pars, which is rare. Carded 101.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
on par five holes did me in. Though I did have five pars, which is rare. Carded 101.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That is some good improvement in a couple months. Well done.
ntanygd760
Well-known member
Played with Grins and Hamfist and his +1. None of us played all that well but had fun.
ntanygd760
Well-known member
The greens were odd. They run off on all sides most of them anyways. Tricky to hit with even a wedge at times.
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Yeah, I brought the stench today. On the plus side, I’m also a terrible scorekeeper. “I missed three holes.” “What’d you guys get on 13,14,and 15?” “Eh, screw it.”
Haha it's hilarious when this happens with a round no one cares about.
"What'd you get on that hole?"
"Uhhhh, I don't know, 6 sound good?"
"Sixes for everyone!"
bobellis75
Well-known member
Haven’t had a chance to play since Thursday. Did go for a quick range session yesterday. Was a little off for the first third of the session and then found the swing and had some nice hits. Worked the 5 hybrid a bit and had some good luck there. A few duds then got rolling.
Went to the putting green and was rolling long putts just working on green reading etc. Had a lot of good long rolls. Gotta get that short game on point.
Hoping this week and into holiday weekend to play a couple times ...
Mostly just trying to keep these one lengths dialed in a bit and get a little more familiar with the distances I’m getting. Still trying not to overdo it after going nuts hitting since picking up the cobras. Kinda dealing with a jammed up finger as well on left hand. So trying to keep that in check. Doesn’t seem to hinder the swing but want to keep it that way.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Went to the putting green and was rolling long putts just working on green reading etc. Had a lot of good long rolls. Gotta get that short game on point.
Hoping this week and into holiday weekend to play a couple times ...
Mostly just trying to keep these one lengths dialed in a bit and get a little more familiar with the distances I’m getting. Still trying not to overdo it after going nuts hitting since picking up the cobras. Kinda dealing with a jammed up finger as well on left hand. So trying to keep that in check. Doesn’t seem to hinder the swing but want to keep it that way.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Had fun playing with Ben (ntanygd760) & Brian (Hamfist) - love teeing it up with them! And those greens were tough. Some looked huge but basically had false fronts, backs, and sides. I think I've had tee shots on par 3's shorter than my first putt on #11. I ended up with 38 putts (ugghh!) including two 3-putts and 1 four-putt (rolled it completely off the green on the first try - nice!). I couldn't judge the speed well, either. They were just a touch slow (or maybe I was gun-shy after 4-putting?) I left 5 or 6 putts tracking dead to the center of the cup and stopping a few inches short.
Shot a 48/55 for a 103, and felt OK with that for a few reasons:
1) And I ran 5k of sprint intervals before we golfed (I was planning on riding & wanted to get a workout in - cuz I figured I'd feel too tired afterwards). When I got to the course, they were putting 2 to a cart & I wanted to maintain more distance between me & my playing partners. So I ended up walking 18 (with my clicgear pushcart) 18 - and this was a hilly course. Might be part of why the back 9 score was higher.
2) SIX PENALTY shots! This was a very tight course that I hadn't played before, and I lost a few strokes to not knowing the layout (and some to being a no-talent hack).
3) I did hit 9 of 14 fairways with my driver. I can't pound it like Ben, but I'm actually hitting it farther than ever - mainly because my technique has gotten a lot better over the past 2 years. I did hit a few crap drives, but I should break 90 easy with this driver swing - it's pretty straight & getting more reliable.
4) Four pars - and chances at 3 more pars where I just missed a putt. The biggest improvement this year so far for me has been hitting the green with non-wedge irons. I have a ways to go to make this more consistent, but I'm starting to get the hang of compressing the ball with my iron shots. The temporary downside to this is: now I have 2 distances with each iron. My "flushed it" distance and my "not quite, semi-scoop" distance. There were a couple of holes where I planned for my regular distance & then hit the flush shot over the green. Can't get angry about a shot that goes right at the target and hit really well.
5) My pitches & chips are getting better. Got a few close on those difficult greens.
I think if I played my regular course with the swings I made yesterday, I would've shot mid-80's. SO - I feel like my technique is improving, but the score doesn't reflect that yet.
The only bad thing is not being able to hang out with Hammy & ntanygd760 after the round.
Played 53/48: 101 today, +8 against my playing handicap. Not satisfied, but not dissappointed either. Again, without few blowout holes, I would have broken 100 easily and be in low 90s. It was very hot weather and I was quite tired also, propably stamina very low and I couldn't concetrate properly. There is something not right in my swing ATM, I really need to concetrate on lowering tempo and shortening the backswing to hit irons/hybrid properly. When I manage to do that, it's pure bliss. But I have hard time swinging effortlessly, I have developed the urge to murder the ball that I thought I put behind me last season.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2018
- Messages
- 3,979
- Reaction score
- 4,645
- Location
- Southern Ohio/Eastern Kentucky
- Handicap
- 18
Shot 92 this morning on a pretty tough track. Not long but fairly tight with extreme elevation changes. Driver was long but erratic. But I was in play for the most part. Irons were solid and my short game was horrible. What really killed me was a few penalties and at least 6 par putts that stopped inches short. 
One day it’ll all come together. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway
One day it’ll all come together. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway
Played 9 this morning at my home course, then another 18 at the same course where my game took a crap last week. I didn't keep score on the 9, but it was likely mid 50's. I carded another craptacular 113 on the 18 hole round this afternoon.
It was a bit disheartening to shoot those scores and I gotta say, it's almost no fun playing at this level. Tried to stay positive but I can only do that for so long when hitting ball after ball out of bounds or punching out from trees. The few good shots are no longer enough to keep me coming back.
I was really hoping last week was the anomaly but it appears the high 90's golf I had been enjoying so much of late was an overachievement.
Anyway, think I'll play solo rounds at my home course for a while, maybe even the rest of the year. I can at least walk the course and get some exercise out of the deal. I have to "re-calibrate" my expectations. What sucks is that I ordered more clubs this week - kind of dumb considering the change in play.
It was a bit disheartening to shoot those scores and I gotta say, it's almost no fun playing at this level. Tried to stay positive but I can only do that for so long when hitting ball after ball out of bounds or punching out from trees. The few good shots are no longer enough to keep me coming back.
I was really hoping last week was the anomaly but it appears the high 90's golf I had been enjoying so much of late was an overachievement.
Anyway, think I'll play solo rounds at my home course for a while, maybe even the rest of the year. I can at least walk the course and get some exercise out of the deal. I have to "re-calibrate" my expectations. What sucks is that I ordered more clubs this week - kind of dumb considering the change in play.
dthrog00
Well-known member
Just gotta flush it... I haven't read up on the new handicap system, but the old only only took the 10 best out of the last 20 rounds. This would be one of the 10 that wouldn't count.
You were playing better before so you definitely have it in you. Just have to find it...
Dave
dthrog00
Well-known member
Shot 92 this morning on a pretty tough track. Not long but fairly tight with extreme elevation changes. Driver was long but erratic. But I was in play for the most part. Irons were solid and my short game was horrible. What really killed me was a few penalties and at least 6 par putts that stopped inches short.
Nice round!
Dave
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2018
- Messages
- 3,979
- Reaction score
- 4,645
- Location
- Southern Ohio/Eastern Kentucky
- Handicap
- 18
Thanks! I’ll take it with the way I’ve hit the ball this year. Trying not to dwell on the handful of putts I left short and the 5 chip shots I duffed
charley48
Well-known member
You have a point. The side of me that just wants to have fun could go out there and not keep score. But the competitive side of me tends to overrule that side. I played men's fastpitch softball for over 30 years. Most of that was as a pitcher. I'm a very competitive person and I spent a lot of time over the years perfecting my pitches. I was able to compete with guys half my age well into my 50's because of the competitive desire.
So now I'm a golfer. And that competitive side won't let me take the game less serious. I have every intention of working at the game and making myself better. I keep score because I want to know my progress. And boy, is it ever frustrating. If I can just figure out how the mimic the range swing I think I can get there. Its frustrating because on the course everything in my swing feels different. No matter how much I try to remember what I do at the range. I know its probably more between the ears than anything.
dthrog00
Well-known member
If you're new to golf, it may be worth your time/money to take a few lessons and get the fundamentals worked out.
Dave
Luchnia
You will never conquer golf.
Kept it at 100 Saturday and 100 Sunday, Friday was best day with a 46 on 9. Handicap creeping up right now. Normally play better so not sure what is up.
Saturday was a new to me course full of doglegs with rolling hills so had to work a lot of strategy on a course I had no clue where I was hitting the dang ball, so a 100 there was fine by me for a first time there.
As I was progressing through the game yesterday I was hitting well, putting well, and fairly decent drives, and when I added up my score I was thinking 90s, but wound up 100. As always happy to play and enjoy the good shots when they come.
Saturday was a new to me course full of doglegs with rolling hills so had to work a lot of strategy on a course I had no clue where I was hitting the dang ball, so a 100 there was fine by me for a first time there.
As I was progressing through the game yesterday I was hitting well, putting well, and fairly decent drives, and when I added up my score I was thinking 90s, but wound up 100. As always happy to play and enjoy the good shots when they come.
Luchnia
You will never conquer golf.
I think mimicking the range swing is a problem for most golfers, just like mimicking a simulator swing. It simply lacks the "real" world out on the course. After all who is keeping score on the range and even then a mishit is a mishit and if you took that to the course it would cause you problems. I have tried to do it, yet now I focus more on course play for myself.
Keep at it and you will get there. It can be a tough game, but keep it fun. Stay on the course and play and compete against yourself (others too) as much as you can and get all the course practice in that you can. I am more competitive with myself and somewhat with others on the league, yet I balance the fun with it. I have learned to laugh at my mistakes and mishits and quickly move on from them even though they frustrate me.
My expectations at a roughly 17/18 cap is not to smoke a 5 capper, but I do enjoy playing with them and seeing how they work the game. Plus I have to realize I went from around a 23/25 cap to an 18 cap in around 6 months which is good for me. My goal now is to get down to 15/16 and maintain that range in the next few months.