One Year Ago I Shot 82

I had been playing for six months at the time. Since then, I've practiced, practiced, played and played, had a lesson, made a hole in one, two eagles, driven the ball 300 yards twice, and still my scores haven't improved. WTF?!

I feel like I'm a better golfer now, my putting is better and my short game is better, but still my scores haven't gotten better and I haven't broken 80. I bought new clubs (good ones) hoping it would happen, but no.

So frustrating! I still love golf just as much, but I'm starting to wonder why I can't beat that score from a year ago. Thoughts?

PS. The clubs I bought are Miz 850 forged. I've played them for six months now, and I think they're great, but part of me wants to get a new set, the 900 hot metals. Yet, I know it's me, not the clubs. My brother in law has crappy clubs, never practices and breaks 80 routinely.

Philo1 said:

I had been playing for six months at the time. Since then, I've practiced, practiced, played and played, had a lesson, made a hole in one, two eagles, driven the ball 300 yards twice, and still my scores haven't improved. WTF?!

I feel like I'm a better golfer now, my putting is better and my short game is better, but still my scores haven't gotten better and I haven't broken 80. I bought new clubs (good ones) hoping it would happen, but no.

So frustrating! I still love golf just as much, but I'm starting to wonder why I can't beat that score from a year ago. Thoughts?

PS. The clubs I bought are Miz 850 forged. I've played them for six months now, and I think they're great, but part of me wants to get a new set, the 900 hot metals. Yet, I know it's me, not the clubs. My brother in law has crappy clubs, never practices and breaks 80 routinely.

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If your putting and, or, short game is good I can only assume that wild tee shots are preventing you from breaking 80.
Try leaving the driver at home and playing your par 4 and par 5 tee shots with fairway metals or hybrids.This strategy can help most players shoot lower scores, even some Tour players.

First you need to find the weakness

How many

Fairways in regulation
Greens in regulation
Putts per green

Once you know where your losing strokes then you can work on improving that.

ADVICE FROM A HACK, I post more 84-87, than I do 80-82 - 15:1 ratio

If you are independently wealthy and have 40-60 hours per week to practice - you will quickly learn how to consistently break 80

I play a "good" game - some great tee shots, some great approach shots, some great pitch/chip shots, some great putts --- add em up, it's averaging 85 for all the rounds I post

What is missing from my game that sounds so much like your game, T I M E! I may hit balls on the range before a round, but it's not for target - its for this body to get loose!

The more I play, the "easier" it is to shoot under 85 --- less penal misses. The goal for those of us with jobs who love golf, but didn't play a million rounds as a kid - should be to learn how to MISS. I'm 100% focused on having fun and learning how to MISS.

Inside my head, what does the "perfect" shot look like for this shot, then where is a GREAT place to miss so I can get up and down, then how do I avoid the dreaded DOUBLE or worse! it's working for me ... take MORE club if you think you have to swing harder ... swinging harder amplifies MISSES

I'd rather post 90 with 18 bogeys vs posting 80 with 6 bogeys and a DOUBLE

Learn the "ABSOLUTE HATRED OF A DOUBLE BOGEY"! The "better" golfers locally, don't make double bogeys --- if you get in trouble off the tee or on your approach, GET OUT OF TROUBLE FIRST! Punch it out to a spot where you can reach the green!

I ditched the 3 iron for a 21* hybrid - I'm searching for a 24* hybrid to replace my 4 iron ... WHY? Less work to get the ball closer to the hole!!!

Are you thinking DUDE, you are off your rocker, you don't know squat about my game, I don't. BUT, I hate - hate is a strong word, and I really HATE making a double from the middle of a fairway after a great drive! What caused it? See above, what I learned over the years --- WHERE TO MISS.

I tend to leave uphill putts short, it's right place to miss, hit it too hard, I will have 3-4ft downhill putt coming back.
If it's carry over water less than 200, I go for it --- if it's over 200, I lay up.
I aim right or left of penal bunkers or hazards or out of bounds
I also avoid the downhill chip/pitch - aim to the low side of a hole

CENTER OF THE GREEN is your friend, tucked pins are the enemy!

Thanks guys. Those are good responses. I have noticed a thing where there's always one part of my game that a bit off. Like , if driver is awesome, putting struggles, that sort of thing. On the days I score in low 80's it like everything comes together. That, and I don't have OOB penalties.

Philo1 said:

Thanks guys. Those are good responses. I have noticed a thing where there's always one part of my game that a bit off. Like , if driver is awesome, putting struggles, that sort of thing. On the days I score in low 80's it like everything comes together. That, and I don't have OOB penalties.

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This happens to tour pros too. But their bad days and misses are still way better than our great days. Don't beat yourself up too much. Shooting low 80's is great for the amount of time you have been playing. That's a very solid score for those of us not able to live on the range or course.

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It sounds like you're actually doing well, especially for the amount of time you've played.
My first thought was something may be off with course management. You can have all parts of your game clicking, but not make the right decisions during play and cost yourself strokes. It's something to pay close attention to and that you can learn over time.
Golf is also just such a risk-reward kind of sport. The better you get at figuring out what works best for you there, the better your scores will consistently be. I know for me, some days I have more confidence and may make some more aggressive shots than usual in a certain area. On the other side, when a certain part of my game isn't clicking, it's important to minimize shots lost due to that part of the game.. Play more conservative in that area.
From my experience, if you take a guy who has a great understanding of the mental part of the game and pit him against someone who physically is great, but is poor on the mental side of things I'll take the first guy every time.
I have been that guy quite a few times and been able to hang with or beat some guys who are beyond me physically but don't manage their game well. If I let myself get caught up into trying to pull off what they do, my game suffers... To me, it's just so much about learning what works best for YOU.
Hopefully something here will help a little. Keep up the good work!

Crazy good rounds like your 82 come out of nowhere. I had my best year golfing ever last year by far. But my two best rounds ever came a few years prior mostly by stroke of luck I would guess. All the stars have to align on that day when you shoot a special score!

I would have to agree with what everyone has said. I've broke 80 once, but more often then not I'm somewhere between 81-84. Learning, accepting, and controlling your misses is huge. I used to let the wild slice get to me, then I'd try to hit the ball through some really small gap and pull a miracle shot. Punching out, saving a bogey is the smart play. 230 out on a par 5, water short. I used to try to get my 3W over the water, risk it. Now I lay up and end up with way more birdies than i had when I'd be going for eagle. Ever since I started playing 'safer' golf, my scores have dropped. Finally got myself into single digits for my handicap, that's been my goal for years.

dustklose said:

I would have to agree with what everyone has said. I've broke 80 once, but more often then not I'm somewhere between 81-84. Learning, accepting, and controlling your misses is huge. I used to let the wild slice get to me, then I'd try to hit the ball through some really small gap and pull a miracle shot. Punching out, saving a bogey is the smart play. 230 out on a par 5, water short. I used to try to get my 3W over the water, risk it. Now I lay up and end up with way more birdies than i had when I'd be going for eagle. Ever since I started playing 'safer' golf, my scores have dropped. Finally got myself into single digits for my handicap, that's been my goal for years.

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Only breaking 80 once with a 9.8 index shows amazing consistency and bad luck! I break 80 about 5-6 times a year with a 13 index.

Philo1 said:

I had been playing for six months at the time. Since then, I've practiced, practiced, played and played, had a lesson, made a hole in one, two eagles, driven the ball 300 yards twice, and still my scores haven't improved. WTF?!

I feel like I'm a better golfer now, my putting is better and my short game is better, but still my scores haven't gotten better and I haven't broken 80. I bought new clubs (good ones) hoping it would happen, but no.

So frustrating! I still love golf just as much, but I'm starting to wonder why I can't beat that score from a year ago. Thoughts?

PS. The clubs I bought are Miz 850 forged. I've played them for six months now, and I think they're great, but part of me wants to get a new set, the 900 hot metals. Yet, I know it's me, not the clubs. My brother in law has crappy clubs, never practices and breaks 80 routinely.

Click to expand...

Philo1 said:

Thanks guys. Those are good responses. I have noticed a thing where there's always one part of my game that a bit off. Like , if driver is awesome, putting struggles, that sort of thing. On the days I score in low 80's it like everything comes together. That, and I don't have OOB penalties.

Click to expand...

Welcome to golf. Not everyone can get consistently good at this game. some people are simply fortunate that what they've learned and practice has worked better for them. And yes I too wonder why/how as for those playres who dont practice, play a couple times a month and shoot 82's like nobody's business. I been playing for decades (well not always) but still with lessons, practice, good managing decisions, and just about every piece of advice there is out there. Some of us simply struggle to play more consistent golf than others. It is what it is, you kjnow what to do, how to go about it, understand a lot, make good efforts and still you don't to be where many others are. What can ya do? all you can do is make the best conscious good effort you can and go and play.

dustklose said:

230 out on a par 5, water short. I used to try to get my 3W over the water, risk it. Now I lay up and end up with way more birdies than i had when I'd be going for eagle. Ever since I started playing 'safer' golf, my scores have dropped. Finally got myself into single digits for my handicap, that's been my goal for years.

Click to expand...

Good advice from you and all the other guys here. On the 230 out, no....that's too far to carry in my mind. I wouldn't even go for it if it weren't a practice round where I wasn't keeping score.

I'm not even sure I'd be confident carrying 230 off the tee. Oh sure, I can do it, and have done it.....but how many times out of ten?

I bet I'd be in the water as many times as I made it past.