I wanna know where most HIGH HANDICAPPERS are missing it

[OHIOgolf]

I just got done talking a colleague who was asking this exact question, of course he answered his own question by saying he is horrible around the green leaving himself with long putts. So I figured I would throw this topic out there. 

 

For me its off the tee consistency, being that I am a 22ish handicap most of my trouble is found after my tee shot. I end up in the woods, lake, rough you name it. So I am left with a choice of using a shorter Iron which leaves me with a longer second. Finding myself losing more balls than strokes, however finding out where my weaknesses are have allowed me to love the game more; for me it takes me back to when I was an "athlete" in school either taking snaps from center or ground balls from coach working on the little things. I ended up shortening my driver which allows me to make more solid impact as well as specifically trying to find my landing spot prior to the shot (mental game).

 

So High Handicappers where have to found your weaknesses and what are you doing to overcome those challenges

 

[DPattGolf]

The greatest improvement is almost always found on or around the green 

[PING Apologist #9]

Same as you really, though my driving consistency is improving too with my shortened driver, so I got other "misses" for ya...

 

My biggest downfall overall is sheer accuracy on longer approach shots, say from 200 in to about 75 or so. My pitching and chipping has really gained positive momentum but I am let down more often than not when I'm further out. I'll generally have the "correct" club for the job and then simply hit it left or right pin-high but 20-40-yds off center...

[TBT]

Driving inconsistency is almost always part of a high handicappers problem, but the year I went from a 21 index to an 11 in 4-5 months, I did 90 % of my work on 150 yards and in.

 

I studied my game and I decided that even if my tee shots went in the rough or the woods that I would still get my next shot inside 150 yards (that's assuming there is no penalty involved). With that in mind I decided I needed to work on getting up and down from 150 yards and in on a more consistent basis.

 

I picked 150 because at the time that was a comfortable 8 iron for me and I should hit the green a high percentage of the time with 8 or less in my hands.

 

I worked 3-4 nights a week hitting balls into greens....I would go to my home course late evening and play 9 holes but I would play 5-6 balls on each hole once I got inside 150 and I played them all the way out.

 

What I found as my confidence with my short game grew is that when I hit the errant tee shot into the rough or trees, I quit trying to hit the "hero shot" which almost always compounded my troubles...instead I started to look at how I could get to 100 yard because I knew if I got there the WORSE I was making was a bogey.

 

And for a 21 capper...bogey golf was an improvement....then suddenly I found myself making par in several of those cases so instead of shooting 90, I am now shooting 86 and then 84.

 

I also spent a lot of time working on chipping and pitching...I already considered myself to be a pretty good putter, so I didn't focus on that as much.

 

So, yes....you can improve as a high handicap player by focusing on driving....but the biggest jump will come when you concentrate on your short game.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Course/game management is the biggest issue. Amateurs love to hit driver on every par 4 and par 5 instead of playing a club that keeps them in play. As a resukt they lose strikes due to lost balls, but able to advance the ball down the hole because of being in the trees or other obstacle. Then combine that with what's usually a mediocre short game and the ability to keep the hole from getting out of hand.

 

It may be ego or just lack of course management knowledge but most high hdcp golfers could shoot low 90s or even break it if they played every hole especially par 4 and 5s as par 5 and 6. Strive to make no worse than bogey on every hole and scores will come down.

 

While all aspects of the game are important imo if amateurs focused on making 3 strikes or less with short iron thru wedges in their haves they would reduce their score

[bullldog]

The greatest improvement is almost always found on or around the green

This and not hitting greens in reg.

 

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[Mr_Theoo]

For me it's penalty strokes/lost balls. Second is short game. I can hit it close no problem. But doing it on the first try is the issue. When i played Sunday I had much better short game shots than last season which means I'm improving and can continue to improve.

 

At the moment the driver is also a trouble club for me. Mainly because I can't seem to get a feel for my epic. Hoping the shaft change I'm making will help it.

[excourse]

Bogey golfer here, no real handicap. Most of my problem is length, I just don't hit it very far due to physical issues and loft.

My solution is to play shorter courses.

 

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[Big money]

Great thread.I would say the responses would be unlimited here.Personally, I would say most higher handicappers I play with never seem to have issues putting.Infact, that might be one of their strong points.Most have issues with the full swing and lose the most shots in that area.A heavy mixture of consistency-length and bad course management.Its hard to even play bogey golf when your deep in the woods off of every tee

[russtopherb]

For this 21 hdcp, it's penalties off the tee. I play a lot of executive courses with my son so I'm relatively comfortable from 150 and in. Off the tee with driver though can be a crapshoot. Lost balls, having to punch out from trees, etc all leave you with poorer shots into greens.

 

I just looked at my last 5 rounds last season and I had 8 penalties off of the tee. 57% fairways hit. That's not going to cut it.

 

 

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[Charli]

So I went from 20 to start now a 10. My biggest issue was and still is off the tee. Good day off the tee I usually win my match because I'm very confident with my irons/short game. Bad day off the tee well I'm going to be punching out all day. Which then leads to confidence issues with the driver. Best bet don't be afraid to put the driver down. Save your round early build up your confidence through 3/4 holes with a hybrid or 3w then maybe try it again

[Kor.A.Door]

The greatest improvement is almost always found on or around the green

I'm sure the Rev will chime here, but statistically this is incorrect. Most improvement will be found off of the tee. You rarely if ever take a penalty stroke from around the green. Most high handicappers (maybe not all, but most) have to many penalty strokes that cost them during the round. If you take 3 decent shots to every green and then 2 put you will shoot 90, that's about a 15 Hcp. So I would say use something from the tee that puts you in a playable second shot, then hit a decent second shot that leaves you a playable third shot. Keep the ball in play and your Hcp will drop.

[revkev]

You will get tons of opinions, many with a grain of truth.

 

The numbers say it's driving, distance first, penalty avoidance next.

 

Three putt avoidance comes in a fairly distant second but may be the easiest to finish x so there are strokes to be gained there.

 

Of course there are two important caveats. First, everyone is a little different so know your stats. Second, golfers on the internet are extremely reluctant to acknowledge how far they actually hit the ball.

 

Good luck lowering your handicap

 

 

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[MDGolfHacker]

Between the ears. Seriously...I have the tee game, I have the iron game, I have the wedge game around the green and I've had days where I can putt lights out (rare but it's there). What I don't have is the mental where with all to put it all together and to do so consistently. I attribute that to BFS, Brain F*rt Syndrome. Happens when the brain starts to overthink or even just think about the swing. Next thing you know, your shanking, topping, worm burning, chunking and every other *ing thing that can go wrong. Need to take the brian out of the equation and this game would be so much easier

 

MDGolfHacker

[ole gray]

Between the ears. Seriously...I have the tee game, I have the iron game, I have the wedge game around the green and I've had days where I can putt lights out (rare but it's there). What I don't have is the mental where with all to putt it all together and to do so consistently. I attribute that to BFS, Brain F*rt Syndrome. Happens when the brain starts to overthink or even just think about the swing. Next thing you know, your shanking, topping, worm burning, chunking and every other *ing thing that can go wrong. Need to take the brian out of the equation and this game would be so much easier

 

MDGolfHacker

You're a genius

 

 

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[Chadlius88]

Strokes lost for me are almost always putting. I can get on the green in 1 over regulation on most holes. It's the 3 and 4 putts that kill it for me.

[808nation]

My handicap has to be my second shot into par 4's and third shot in to par 5's. My iron play hasn't been the most consistent. But, first I need to get fit properly for my irons and adjust them to my swing. After my equipment is set, I can then feel more confident in my swing knowing a decent swing will get me to the hole....harder done then said.

 

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[PING Apologist #9]

Between the ears.  Seriously...I have the tee game, I have the iron game, I have the wedge game around the green and I've had days where I can putt lights out (rare but it's there).  What I don't have is the mental where with all to putt it all together and to do so consistently.  I attribute that to BFS, Brain F*rt Syndrome.  Happens when the brain starts to overthink or even just think about the swing.  Next thing you know, your shanking, topping, worm burning, chunking and every other *ing thing that can go wrong.  Need to take the brian out of the equation and this game would be so much easier

 

MDGolfHacker

There is definitely something to this of course and very well stated BTW...

 

2-rounds ago, I had a just terrible outing, I mean BAD. During that round I just wanted to get it over with, so I sped up a bit and stopped taking practice swings. Next thing you know, things started to improve a bit.

 

Last 2-rounds I've consciously dropped the practice gig from my routine on almost all shots, but especially off of the tee where I dropped them all together and...Whamo! Less-thinking and more playing = a better round overall.

[MDGolfHacker]

There is definitely something to this of course and very well stated BTW...

 

2-rounds ago, I had a just terrible outing, I mean BAD. During that round I just wanted to get it over with, so I sped up a bit and stopped taking practice swings. Next thing you know, things started to improve a bit.

 

Last 2-rounds I've consciously dropped the practice gig from my routine on almost all shots, but especially off of the tee where I dropped them all together and...Whamo! Less-thinking and more playing = a better round overall.

Yup.. When I start thinking about the swing, it all starts going south and I just don't have it in me to fix it on the fly yet.

 

MDGolfHacker

[tony@CIC]

For me in order:

1. it's the occasional iron shot that I hit fat and doesn't go the intended distance so now I've got an extra stroke on that hole

2. It's a blowup hole. One in particular is a 145 yd par 3 over water into prevailing winds. That happened today 2 in the water for a snowman.

3. Misreading a break on the green.

 

 

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[Mr_Theoo]

There is definitely something to this of course and very well stated BTW...

 

2-rounds ago, I had a just terrible outing, I mean BAD. During that round I just wanted to get it over with, so I sped up a bit and stopped taking practice swings. Next thing you know, things started to improve a bit.

 

Last 2-rounds I've consciously dropped the practice gig from my routine on almost all shots, but especially off of the tee where I dropped them all together and...Whamo! Less-thinking and more playing = a better round overall.

I don't take any practice swings. Mainly because I'll be swinging enough during the round lol but to also not over think like you said. I just go play and react to what happens after the shot. If it was bad I'll ask myself why and make a mental note. That way before the next shot I can kinda I know what I need to do to be successful

[Gg Owen]

Anyone over a 5 handicap should focus on lessons.There is no quick fixes to getting better

[SeeMore Putts]

Great thread so far. For me it's lost balls and hero shots. Lost balls from not having a set miss off the tee (I've been working on that, my first round this season is this weekend so we'll see if it works) and hero shots. In the moment I justify it by saying "It's more fun this way", but at the end of the day it's more fun shooting lower.

 

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[HeathS16]

I was very similar to you last year. Off the tee and in trouble. I worked on the driver almost constantly until I had a good idea of where my ball would go. This year I am focusing on GIR in order to score better. I want to be making more birdies and not having to scramble as much to save par.

 

 

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[tommc23]

My driver sucks and my 3 wood only gets me into the fairway but still leaves me longer approach shots. That's my issue if I could drive it better I'd be able to hit shorter shots into the green

 

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[GeekingGolf]

I would say most high handicappers probably don't realize how important lessons are. Actually most lessons are really cheap considering. Also I would say play the most forward tees and play from the fairway doesn't matter which club gets you there dang hit a 7 iron off the tee. There was an old guy when I was growing up he took a 7 iron a wedge and a putter and he shot good scores. 7 iron 7 iron wedge two putt boom bogey golf on a lot of par 4s.

 

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[josmi15]

My driver is my only club I can't hit with any confidence. I hit 3Wood off tee but that's 200 -215 for me. So I'm depending on nailing a mid Iron into the green

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

Anyone over a 5 handicap should focus on lessons.There is no quick fixes to getting better

I agree on the lessons. However lessons without extensive practice after is a waste of money. I know someone that takes regular lessons and then just goes an plays - and doesn't get better.

 

 

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[Kor.A.Door]

Anyone over a 5 handicap should focus on lessons.There is no quick fixes to getting better

I disagree, I am at 5.7 right now, i fluctuate between 4 - 6 and I've never taken a lesson in my life, I know my swing and what I want the ball to do, so that's what I focus on. You are correct though, there are no quick fixes, but there things that high handicappers can work on that don't involve lessons. Such as focusing on a club off the tee that puts you in play, spending time on the putting green and focus on the speed of the greens to help in 3 putt avoidance. Chipping, learn to chip, use different clubs for different situations, most courses allow for bump and run, find a club that you can do that with and use it. We all miss greens, figuring out where to miss can save strokes as well. Is it better to miss short or long or better left or right. Figure out where the trouble is on he course and play your shots away from it when possible. You can do all this without a lesson. If you want to have a better more consistent full swing (will also help lower scores) take a lesson. There are many ways for high handicappers to lower there score. Most of them involve time, whether it be lessons or just focused practicing.

[Kor.A.Door]

My driver is my only club I can't hit with any confidence. I hit 3Wood off tee but that's 200 -215 for me. So I'm depending on nailing a mid Iron into the green

 

 

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I don't know what your HCP is, but if nailing a mid/long iron into the green is where you are having trouble, then use a 2 short irons instead. What good is Driver, long iron, penalty drop, 4 th to the green. When you can do Driver, short iron, short iron to the green, that saves you 1 shot already. If you are taking penalty strokes on 5 holes this saves you 5 strokes, takes a 95 to a 90, 92 to 87 consistently. This is the approach I would say if your index is 18 or higher. Practice the long irons on the range until you are more comfortable hitting them, then take it to the course, and try to save another 4-5 strokes