Dropped 20+ strokes in 1 trip to the range. Amazing change.

[Jihad]

So I finally broke down 2 months ago and bought some clubs. I got tired of my friends going golfing and not being able to hang out with them for 6 hours, and turning down superior officers because I don't play. It was incredibly frustrating, still is really, and of course I rarely wen to the range and just always played 18. The most frustrating thing about the whole thing is that I'm generally very athletic, and I've always excelled at everything I've done in the world of sports, and now its like WTF I can't even hit the [censored] ball in the [censored] air. I sucked pretty bad obviously, hitting somewhere around 125-130. When I first got going, my goal was to hit below 100 by the end of the summer. On Wednesday I played at an easy and very straight military course, banged out a 118 and was honestly rethinking my goal.

Thursday I went to the range with my buddy who has been playing a long time, and hit 120 balls. He told me three VERY simple things that I could do to improve.

1. Speed up my backswing to an appropriate tempo.
2. Keep my backswing in the correct plane (I was bringing the club head back straight in the air).
3. Get my grip by letting the club gently rest in my hands (I was turning my top hand way in, causing the clubhead to strike the ball at a solid 20 degree angle to the left)

At the range it was honestly ridiculous. I was a completely different person, and I was finally able to look at least halfway competent. By the end of the day my irons were straight(ish) and actually pretty long, and my driver was somewhat respectable. Off the short tee my distance basically starts at 150 for the 9 iron, 180 for a 7, which my buddy says is very high. For some reason though, that doesn't translate well into the middle irons.

Anyways, Friday I went to a little bit trickier military course here in San Diego called Admiral Baker (South), was consistenly hitting 270 off the tee, and my irons were behaving. I ended the day with a 98, which blew my freaking mind. Needless to say I was pleased, but it could have just been flukey. Today, however, was no fluke. I played at River Walk, which was waaaaaay trickier (and consequently a lot more fun) than I'm used to, and despite flubbing a couple holes, I hit a 96. I've played with 2 of the guys in my foursome previously, and both were consistently saying stuff like "who the [censored] are you?" which was kinda fun to hear. I also was an absolute monster off the tee, driving around 280 every time. I hit my first ever 300+ drive on a par 5, 310 actually, and then took a 3 iron on the green in 2. That was fun.

Yeah, that was longer than I thought it would be, and it was basically just a brag. I'm very happy with my game for being in my second month of golfing, just wanted to share a bit. Since I am at a point that I"m very rarely flying, I'll probably be playing about 3 rounds a week. 80's by the end of summer? That would be nice.

-Jihad

[dizong]

if you are telling the truth, then i applaud your success. just remember, be honest with yourself. make sure your 96 is legit. That is, count your penalty shots, no foot wedges, no mulligans etc. There are too many people say that they shoot in the 80s, and then I see them on the course, [censored] with their balls to get a better lie and taking 4 ft. "gimme" putts.

also, "drive for show, putt for dough". the short game is where i lose it. don't forget chipping, pitching, putting, bunker shots, etc. it's frustrating, but it's fun as hell.

[Raul Wong]

Golf is an awesome game. I have a very different story to tell however. I played golf yesterday and threw up three times on the front nine because I got too wasted the night before and my uncle made me walk the course! I did however drive a 310 yard par-4. Missed the 10 footer for eagle because the greens sucked but still made bird, easily one of the top 50ish shots of my life and I used to play golf everyday during the summer for like...a long time. I used to work at El Toro golf course in Irvine btw...I think it used to be a military base or something? I dunno but it was a decent course to play for free on everday after work.

Now its time to work on your short game, then you will really shoot some numbers...Good Luck!

[neuroman]

Congratulations. Golf can be a lot of fun as long as you can shoot below 100, and not nearly as much fun when you're hitting the 110s or 120s.

[absoludicrous]

I think the mechanics of golf are a lot like the mechanics of poker, at least in a logical sense. This may seem confusing. If a person can think and assess in a logical, analytical fashion, he/she can teach themselves how to hit a golf ball consistent. Just like he/she can teach themselves how to play winning poker consistently. Very weird, I know.

Just like poker, you need to look very closely at your golf, game. I don't know why, but I think the two are related. At least in the mechanics part.

FWIW, In about 2 seasons of serious golf, I lowered my handicap from 30 to 12. And yes, I can hit it 315 down the middle almost every time.

[Jihad]

Yeah, short game is on my list of things to do obviously. Do you guys have any hints? From what I can tell, ridiculous amounts of repititive shots is where its at. Should I be focusing on one thing rather than another?

[absoludicrous]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, short game is on my list of things to do obviously. Do you guys have any hints? From what I can tell, ridiculous amounts of repititive shots is where its at. Should I be focusing on one thing rather than another?

[/ QUOTE ]

When you're working around the green I feel it's very important to get under the ball, get some grass, more spin. The last thing you want is to hit the ball thin and have it sail 50 yds over the green. Get a 56 degree wedge, rust the hell out of it (soak it in water for a night, then let it sit out) this will allow the ball to "bite" a lot more. Work on placement too. Just a ton of repetition. Light hands as well, supple grip.

As far as putting goes, make sure you ALWAYS get down on a knee or whatever you prefer, and line up your puts. Look for the break. Identify shifts and how the green is shaped. Imagine a perfect line from the ball to the hole including break, and try to hit that line exactly. Try to eliminate leg movement when putting, your shoulders and arms need to be one swinging pendulum, keep your wrists locked. Practice Practice Practice.

[Jaskohouston]

First off, congrats. Marginal success in golf really can happen pretty quick, as it is a game of feel and timing, and if you get that dowm, you're going to at least be "ok", and that in and of itself can lead to a lot of good times and challenges.

However, be warned. The best thing I ever did in golf was to break 100, which I did several, several years ago. The worst thing I ever did in golf was to break 90.

You go from shooting mid 90s to mid 80s, and suddenly golf becomes something you think you are pretty good at, and then when you go out and regress (which will happen at times), or you have a bad game, or a bad shot, you start to get pissed at yourself, and that feeling of "wow, I shot 98 today" is gone and you hate yourself for shooting 89.

Golf is a crazy, crazy game. I find myself usually going in spurts, how into it I am. Real into it six months, out of it for three, etc. I have never broken 80, and I went out three times in a row and shot 82-82-81 (the last one was with a double bogey on 18). I was distraught.

A disclaimer, I'm also competitive, ludicrously so to a point at times - I have definitely settled down on the course, but I used to be a loud curser and get really pissed at myself. If you're more mellow and let things slide off your back, I wouldn't worry as much.

As for hints...my view is this. There is a reason that two mediocre to OK golfers with similar skills, swings, experience, etc. can have sometimes 8-10 strokes difference in their scores. That difference is course management. That means realizing how and when to play different kinds of shots, how to get out of trouble, when to take the easy shot instead of the hard one. Use your irons off the tee with a tight fairway. If you hit it in the woods, don't aim for a 3 foot gap in the trees to knock a miracle shot on the green. When you have long putts, do your best to think about 2 putting, as opposed to draining a 40 footer. Aim for the fat, open parts of greens rather than always focusing on the pin.

You'll learn several of these as you go, and more, ones that work specifically for your game. But this (which goes right along with short game prowess) is the difference between 103 and 95, 96 and 91, or 89 and 86, etc.

[squeek12]

JaskoHouston,

I am the same way. Before I got pretty serious about golf, I used to shoot in the mid 90s with the occasional luckboxing my way to break 90. Now, I suppose my average score is around 85, and I break 80 semi-regularly. I would guess that I'm only happy with my round if I shoot 84 or lower. The last two times I've been out I've shot 77 and 78. And even after these rounds, all I can think about is how I missed four 4 footers and 3-put bogeyed 3 holes.

Although my frustration never carries over after a round, I've found that I'm more frustrated while playing the better I get. Still, it's more rewarding when you do have a great round and it's in the 70s and not 90s.

[NhlNut]

I played in high school, (yes I went to a high school with a golf team) and never broke 45. (over 9 holes)

In college I played sparingly, until one summer when I was in summer school with no job. That summer I played 9 holes 4 times a week. One day eveything went right, and I shot par. 2 days later, I played the same 9 and shot 12 over.
I haven't played much golf since.