Lowering my Handicap | USHandicap Classic

DavyCrockett Professional Champion
Go to Last Reply 186 Views 21 Replies 1 Like
I have been working hard this year to get my handicap down, I started in January with a 13 now I have gotten it down to a 10. I would like to take it to an 8 by Christmas. My question to you, what would you work on to get it down to the 8? The range, short game, putting, or driver? Thanks for the help.
JayPet Legend
# 16 9/2/2013 7:24:27 PM
Good for you Davy; its just having a commitment to do it. My goal the past month and a half is to really challenge my game with shots I don't see from "typical" Blue tee boxes. I've been moving back to the tips an all the courses so that my game is really stretched and my long and mid irons come into play more. My handicap has gone up a stroke but it was the plan I anticipated to shoot super low scores before the years end. USGA says to "Tee it Forward" but you got to challenge the game to truly have a low handicap. I played some hard courses this summer and got my butt handed to me. Way to Go Davy for getting out and really applying yourself. Thanks, it's been a long row to hoe. My dad always said the best thing you can put on your garden to make it grow is your shadow. So I have taken that to the course. Play more golf is the key to better scores. But just going out and banging 100 balls at the range is okay, but I need to see my shadow on the course. Very nice work; keep it up. Just try to ignore the fact that COG and Vince tried to highjack your forum. :)
Vincedaddy Legend
# 17 9/2/2013 8:30:24 PM
Good for you Davy; its just having a commitment to do it. My goal the past month and a half is to really challenge my game with shots I don't see from "typical" Blue tee boxes. I've been moving back to the tips an all the courses so that my game is really stretched and my long and mid irons come into play more. My handicap has gone up a stroke but it was the plan I anticipated to shoot super low scores before the years end. USGA says to "Tee it Forward" but you got to challenge the game to truly have a low handicap. I played some hard courses this summer and got my butt handed to me. Way to Go Davy for getting out and really applying yourself. Thanks, it's been a long row to hoe. My dad always said the best thing you can put on your garden to make it grow is your shadow. So I have taken that to the course. Play more golf is the key to better scores. But just going out and banging 100 balls at the range is okay, but I need to see my shadow on the course. Very nice work; keep it up. Just try to ignore the fact that COG and Vince tried to highjack your forum. :) At least we didn't recommend slow motion drills and pivot points.
Nicholas Agnello Professional Champion
# 18 9/3/2013 10:00:50 AM
You and I are about the same skill level. I recently brook through a plateu and started shedding points on my index pretty quick. I think the key is looking at your game and targeting the areas that need improvement with a lot of specificity. One size fits all advice won't always be what's right for you, though as many have said short game and putting is usually a sore spot in most peoples games where you don't need Tiger-like strength or hand-eye coordination to save strokes. But, that being said, for me, I still need work on my short game but saw my scores drop dramatically when I finally narrowed my misses with my driver. I don't hit every fairway but I also don't have the what was once my usual one or two drives a round that hit me with a penalty and a drive or two more in jail. Those took the doubles off my card and that was all it took. Look at your game and analyze it realistically (stat tracking does help). Where are you really getting killed in ways that you shouldn't. Too often I think we look at our round and say, "damn that 200 yard par 3 really killed me, I doubled it by missing the green. I need to hit better long irons." When really we should be thinking about the blown ups and down that was a lot easier to fix than hitting a 3 iron on the screws. For me it's still my wedges inside 70 yards and putting. Not capitalizing when I can and asking too much of my irons to score a decent round. What's yours?
BUCKNUT Legend
# 19 9/3/2013 11:01:30 AM
Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day.
JayPet Legend
# 20 9/3/2013 11:12:06 AM
Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day. Buck, you make lowering the handicap so much easier by holing out all those shots you keep hitting!! :)
BUCKNUT Legend
# 21 9/3/2013 11:22:00 AM
Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day. Buck, you make lowering the handicap so much easier by holing out all those shots you keep hitting!! :) lol........I haven't holed out in a long time. Unless you count chipping in and bunker shots. Chipped in Sunday and Monday, both from about 20 yards off the green. 1 for bird and another to save par. Holed out a greenside sand bunker also Sunday for a bird.

DavyCrockett

Professional Champion

Go to Last Reply

186 Views 21 Replies 1 Like

I have been working hard this year to get my handicap down, I started in January with a 13 now I have gotten it down to a 10. I would like to take it to an 8 by Christmas. My question to you, what would you work on to get it down to the 8? The range, short game, putting, or driver?
Thanks for the help.

JayPet

Legend

# 16 9/2/2013 7:24:27 PM

Good for you Davy; its just having a commitment to do it. My goal the past month and a half is to really challenge my game with shots I don't see from "typical" Blue tee boxes. I've been moving back to the tips an all the courses so that my game is really stretched and my long and mid irons come into play more. My handicap has gone up a stroke but it was the plan I anticipated to shoot super low scores before the years end. USGA says to "Tee it Forward" but you got to challenge the game to truly have a low handicap. I played some hard courses this summer and got my butt handed to me. Way to Go Davy for getting out and really applying yourself.

Thanks, it's been a long row to hoe. My dad always said the best thing you can put on your garden to make it grow is your shadow. So I have taken that to the course. Play more golf is the key to better scores. But just going out and banging 100 balls at the range is okay, but I need to see my shadow on the course.

Very nice work; keep it up. Just try to ignore the fact that COG and Vince tried to highjack your forum. :)

Vincedaddy

Legend

# 17 9/2/2013 8:30:24 PM

Good for you Davy; its just having a commitment to do it. My goal the past month and a half is to really challenge my game with shots I don't see from "typical" Blue tee boxes. I've been moving back to the tips an all the courses so that my game is really stretched and my long and mid irons come into play more. My handicap has gone up a stroke but it was the plan I anticipated to shoot super low scores before the years end. USGA says to "Tee it Forward" but you got to challenge the game to truly have a low handicap. I played some hard courses this summer and got my butt handed to me. Way to Go Davy for getting out and really applying yourself.

Thanks, it's been a long row to hoe. My dad always said the best thing you can put on your garden to make it grow is your shadow. So I have taken that to the course. Play more golf is the key to better scores. But just going out and banging 100 balls at the range is okay, but I need to see my shadow on the course.

Very nice work; keep it up. Just try to ignore the fact that COG and Vince tried to highjack your forum. :)

At least we didn't recommend slow motion drills and pivot points.

Nicholas Agnello

Professional Champion

# 18 9/3/2013 10:00:50 AM

You and I are about the same skill level. I recently brook through a plateu and started shedding points on my index pretty quick. I think the key is looking at your game and targeting the areas that need improvement with a lot of specificity. One size fits all advice won't always be what's right for you, though as many have said short game and putting is usually a sore spot in most peoples games where you don't need Tiger-like strength or hand-eye coordination to save strokes. But, that being said, for me, I still need work on my short game but saw my scores drop dramatically when I finally narrowed my misses with my driver. I don't hit every fairway but I also don't have the what was once my usual one or two drives a round that hit me with a penalty and a drive or two more in jail. Those took the doubles off my card and that was all it took. Look at your game and analyze it realistically (stat tracking does help). Where are you really getting killed in ways that you shouldn't. Too often I think we look at our round and say, "damn that 200 yard par 3 really killed me, I doubled it by missing the green. I need to hit better long irons." When really we should be thinking about the blown ups and down that was a lot easier to fix than hitting a 3 iron on the screws. For me it's still my wedges inside 70 yards and putting. Not capitalizing when I can and asking too much of my irons to score a decent round. What's yours?

BUCKNUT

Legend

# 19 9/3/2013 11:01:30 AM

Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day.

JayPet

Legend

# 20 9/3/2013 11:12:06 AM

Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day.

Buck, you make lowering the handicap so much easier by holing out all those shots you keep hitting!! :)

BUCKNUT

Legend

# 21 9/3/2013 11:22:00 AM

Without a doubt short game. When mine is on I score low (for me), when it's not it's a ho hum day.

Buck, you make lowering the handicap so much easier by holing out all those shots you keep hitting!! :)

lol........I haven't holed out in a long time. Unless you count chipping in and bunker shots. Chipped in Sunday and Monday, both from about 20 yards off the green. 1 for bird and another to save par. Holed out a greenside sand bunker also Sunday for a bird.

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