Attaining a single digit handicap

[Javs]

Read these articles this morning and found them interesting. I agree with many of the points, but also believe there is more that could have been offered.

https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/ive-been-a-single-figure-golfer-for-30-years-these-are-the-seven-keys-to-getting-and-keeping-a-low-handicap?utm_term=CFEB69DA-8695-406A-822D-71925C4B6E39&lrh=afabd56f8788996dec1eed39e53e29756a4fe34c1aff9fa4fdfa9f254cbb042a&utm_campaign=075440B8-601C-4440-A9B1-8A7444061AA8&utm_medium=email&utm_content=8207736F-800A-4EEB-8DF0-EC8DC4B227AD&utm_source=SmartBrief

https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/the-steps-that-helped-me-go-from-beginner-to-single-figures-in-a-year?utm_term=CFEB69DA-8695-406A-822D-71925C4B6E39&lrh=afabd56f8788996dec1eed39e53e29756a4fe34c1aff9fa4fdfa9f254cbb042a&utm_campaign=075440B8-601C-4440-A9B1-8A7444061AA8&utm_medium=email&utm_content=8207736F-800A-4EEB-8DF0-EC8DC4B227AD&utm_source=SmartBrief

Edited April 17 by Javs

[Shifty]

I agree with everything in the article.

Biggest one for me was to get rid of the 120 yard slice, lol.  Which is covered under lessons.  Whenever someone asks me for a tip, I say go for lessons.

Wish I started my lessons 20 years earlier, could've stopped a lot of pain and despair lol

[Preeway]

I agree that both articles bring up some very good points but I don't know how transferable it is to the ordinary person who isn't playing virtually every day. I think there is much more to be made about the value of lessons, followed by practice, followed by lessons again, with more practice. Seems like a lot of people don't really get how hard it is to refine the specific skills that lead to a round in the 70s. Specifically, putting and chipping. You don't need to drive it more than 250 yards to play scratch golf. It helps, but distance isn't as much of a limiting factor as lack of short game and putting can be.

[Kyen10]

I agree with those articles as well. I’m a big believer that playing the correct tee box, never trying to pull off the hero shot (a.k.a. play the conservative shot), and spending more time practicing your putting routine than you do hitting balls on the range with your driver are the best ways to put the lowest score on the card each time you tee it up. It’s hard to practice boring, and play boring golf but that is what will usually produce the best score. Lessons and getting fit to the right clubs are a must everyone should do this if you intend to play your best golf.  And lastly, avoid spending your time listening or viewing every instructional tip from every golf instructor on YouTube or television or anywhere else. You should minimize how many things you’re working on at one time and keep it as simple as possible. Simple Golf is successful Golf. 

[GolfSpy AFG]

57 minutes ago, Preeway said:

I agree that both articles bring up some very good points but I don't know how transferable it is to the ordinary person who isn't playing virtually every day. I think there is much more to be made about the value of lessons, followed by practice, followed by lessons again, with more practice. Seems like a lot of people don't really get how hard it is to refine the specific skills that lead to a round in the 70s. Specifically, putting and chipping. You don't need to drive it more than 250 yards to play scratch golf. It helps, but distance isn't as much of a limiting factor as lack of short game and putting can be.

True, but distance is a huge enabler to lower scores.  The closer you are on approach, and with increased speed in general, you can put shorter clubs in your hand.  Proximity to hole in turn goes up, meaning more makeable putts. 
Not disagreeing with you, you can absolutely play to a scratch driving it 250, but it’s easier to do it driving it 270.  It’s why I feel speed training is almost a must-do if your really want to lower your score to the fullest extent possible.

[harrisondeshazo]

1 hour ago, Preeway said:

I agree that both articles bring up some very good points but I don't know how transferable it is to the ordinary person who isn't playing virtually every day. I think there is much more to be made about the value of lessons, followed by practice, followed by lessons again, with more practice. Seems like a lot of people don't really get how hard it is to refine the specific skills that lead to a round in the 70s. Specifically, putting and chipping. You don't need to drive it more than 250 yards to play scratch golf. It helps, but distance isn't as much of a limiting factor as lack of short game and putting can be.

Agree with this completely. From someone who is trying to get his handicap down through this summer, I find that trouble off the tee is my biggest hinderance. A huge help for me has been using a score keeping app so that I can actually identify where I am losing (or gaining) strokes. Beyond that, it is just getting comfortable with the idea that 250, or even 200 off the tee into the fairway, will ALWAYS be better than 300 but sliced off the face of the earth. 

What I have noticed at the 15-20 handicap range, is that for me to have a great day, it is far less about doing one thing super super well. Rather, it is doing all things decent. For example, if my driver is terrible, but my short game is dialed that day, I will still usually play terrible. But, if instead I just find fairways, and have a decent day around the greens, I can usually have a very good day (for me) out there. I like what this article has to offer, and think that getting lessons is probably the most valuable advice. 

 

I think the biggest thing for higher handicappers is to just keep the ball in play. The hardest thing to come back from is lost balls and taking drops. I am not hyper fixated on sticking every green inside of 150 yards, because for me the current issue is GETTING inside of 150 yards. That said, I think how long people are hitting the golf ball these days is hard for new golfers to grasp. Can I put everything into a ball hit it a good bit over 300? Yes. Does that work even 50% of the time? Absolutely not. Thus, I have had to come to grips with the fact that hitting it shorter, for now, is okay. I have the physical ability to be a long hitter, but not the skill yet to tap into that. Just have to grasp reality and realize that comes with time. 

[GolfSpy SAM]

12 minutes ago, GolfSpy AFG said:

True, but distance is a huge enabler to lower scores.  The closer you are on approach, and with increased speed in general, you can put shorter clubs in your hand.  Proximity to hole in turn goes up, meaning more makeable putts. 
Not disagreeing with you, you can absolutely play to a scratch driving it 250, but it’s easier to do it driving it 270.  It’s why I feel speed training is almost a must-do if your really want to lower your score to the fullest extent possible.

Having played with guys who I outdrive by 40-50 yards (driving it 270-ish), but who beat me by 10 strokes, I can attest that distance isn't everything, lol.  While I personally wouldn't want to give up 30 yards, for most of the courses I play, hitting the middle of the fairway 240-250 out is going to lead to WAY better scores than hitting it 275 in the rough behind a tree.  I'm clearly in the "lesson" camp on this one, lol, as I tend to lose SO many strokes off the tee - one of the reasons I've had to work so hard at my chipping/putting over the past few years, as my driver woes seem to plague me week to week.  On the bright side, I've gotten shockingly good at punching out with a 5-iron/5-wood. That's a skill I wish I didn't have to have, though.

[Chubbs1991]

Achieving a single-digit handicap in golf begins with mastering the crucial aspect of the game: the short game. For me, the journey started from the green, where I devoted countless hours honing my chipping and putting skills. Progress came not from mere repetition, but from developing a repertoire of shots around the green – from the reliable bump and run to the delicate high soft and low spinner. Yet, perhaps the most significant breakthrough came from an unwavering commitment to putting. Eliminating those dreaded three-putts became a mission, refining both technique and mental fortitude. However, it wasn't solely about the short game; it also entailed playing the course smarter. While the allure of smashing the driver may be tempting, strategic decisions off the tee proved paramount. It's not just about hitting the ball; it's about playing with foresight and precision. In essence, achieving a single-digit handicap is a holistic journey, one that demands dedication, versatility, and a strategic mindset – a journey where every stroke saved, whether from a deft chip or a savvy course management decision, inches closer to that coveted goal.

[Preeway]

31 minutes ago, GolfSpy AFG said:

True, but distance is a huge enabler to lower scores.  The closer you are on approach, and with increased speed in general, you can put shorter clubs in your hand.  Proximity to hole in turn goes up, meaning more makeable putts. 
Not disagreeing with you, you can absolutely play to a scratch driving it 250, but it’s easier to do it driving it 270.  It’s why I feel speed training is almost a must-do if your really want to lower your score to the fullest extent possible.

Absolutely. Distance off the tee is a huge advantage. But it doesn’t preclude one from shooting low scores. I think it’s more accurate to say you can maximize your scoring potential the further you hit the ball. 

[JuniorXVIII]

Guys I am miles off of singles (unfortunately) but I’m glad to read that you’re all relatively consistent in feedback on what singles look like! 
 

Thanks for the advice.. I will be hitting up the range and more lessons to try and knock 6 off the handicap this year 

 

All the best and play well 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Preeway said:

I agree that both articles bring up some very good points but I don't know how transferable it is to the ordinary person who isn't playing virtually every day. I think there is much more to be made about the value of lessons, followed by practice, followed by lessons again, with more practice. Seems like a lot of people don't really get how hard it is to refine the specific skills that lead to a round in the 70s. Specifically, putting and chipping. You don't need to drive it more than 250 yards to play scratch golf. It helps, but distance isn't as much of a limiting factor as lack of short game and putting can be.

Distance can be a huge limiting factor. Just look at strokes gained stats.

Also disagree with the playing every day or practicing. I got to sub 10 with playing at most 3 rounds a month and 2-3 hours practice a week while also playing baseball 2 times a week. As mentioned in the articles, having clubs that match the swing, minimizing the mistakes (better course management along with better swing) and working on short game.

two friends I played with are self taught, never played a sport that required a bat or racket and got to sub 10. 
 

The shorter one hits it or the worse their shots are off the tee puts more pressure on the short game. The 4th guy in our group hit a banana ball off the the struggled to hit the green on most par 4s and all par 5s were 3 shot holes on courses that were 6000-6300 yards. He had to work hard at short game to make up for that in order to say between an 8–12 handicap. He would be on the higher end of the range when he struggled around the green

[RickyBobby_PR]

51 minutes ago, GolfSpy AFG said:

True, but distance is a huge enabler to lower scores.  The closer you are on approach, and with increased speed in general, you can put shorter clubs in your hand.  Proximity to hole in turn goes up, meaning more makeable putts. 
Not disagreeing with you, you can absolutely play to a scratch driving it 250, but it’s easier to do it driving it 270.  It’s why I feel speed training is almost a must-do if your really want to lower your score to the fullest extent possible.

Speed training can be a detriment to those with bad swings and those who fix their swing will gain speed through that alone. Speed training with a bad swing ends up causing more problems than it helps because it creates bad movement patterns on top of already bad movement patterns. Good to great coaches have touched on this and one of the members here was told by their coach to stop speed training because his swing regressed

[Shifty]

with lessons just on my iron swing last year, a side effect was my driver carried 30 yards further with no speed or driver training.

[Javs]

2 hours ago, Preeway said:

I agree that both articles bring up some very good points but I don't know how transferable it is to the ordinary person who isn't playing virtually every day. I think there is much more to be made about the value of lessons, followed by practice, followed by lessons again, with more practice. Seems like a lot of people don't really get how hard it is to refine the specific skills that lead to a round in the 70s. Specifically, putting and chipping. You don't need to drive it more than 250 yards to play scratch golf. It helps, but distance isn't as much of a limiting factor as lack of short game and putting can be.

I fully agree with you. Two ways to score: hit a lot of greens or have a stellar short game. Since everyone will miss greens having the short game skills is most important.

[Sharp.shell]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

Having played with guys who I outdrive by 40-50 yards (driving it 270-ish), but who beat me by 10 strokes, I can attest that distance isn't everything, lol.  While I personally wouldn't want to give up 30 yards, for most of the courses I play, hitting the middle of the fairway 240-250 out is going to lead to WAY better scores than hitting it 275 in the rough behind a tree.  I'm clearly in the "lesson" camp on this one, lol, as I tend to lose SO many strokes off the tee - one of the reasons I've had to work so hard at my chipping/putting over the past few years, as my driver woes seem to plague me week to week.  On the bright side, I've gotten shockingly good at punching out with a 5-iron/5-wood. That's a skill I wish I didn't have to have, though.

I hear you, I am averaging 330 to 340 yards with my Taylormade Sim 2 Max, but my short game, 130 yards and in I fall apart until the green, and ist doing me head in. No matter how much I try and concentrate, practice get tips from blokes I play with I still s*** the bed.

 

[Erin B]

@Javs Great articles. I couldn’t agree more with them. Fittings, lessons, and practice are a must. I also like the pressure playing, and  playing with better players. Course management, winning battles, recovery of bad shots all are good strategies. Thanks for the post. Good reads!

[Javs]

2 minutes ago, Erin B said:

@Javs Great articles. I couldn’t agree more with them. Fittings, lessons, and practice are a must. I also like the pressure playing, and  playing with better players. Course management, winning battles, recovery of bad shots all are good strategies. Thanks for the post. Good reads!

Glad you enjoyed them and hope many find them helpful. It shows being a single digit is attainable with time and hard work. 

[Javs]

8 minutes ago, Sharp.shell said:

I hear you, I am averaging 330 to 340 yards with my Taylormade Sim 2 Max, but my short game, 130 yards and in I fall apart until the green, and ist doing me head in. No matter how much I try and concentrate, practice get tips from blokes I play with I still s*** the bed.

 

Do you practice your short game with a specific purpose? I ask because if you are doing the same mistakes over and over again in practice then you are only making those bad habits permanent. Take a short game lesson or read some articles/watch YouTube on technique. Then rehearse those new techniques. It will take time, but well worth the effort to get over the bad mistakes and mental block you have around the greens currently. Just my two cents.

[Bedge]

Both articles are pretty spot on.  As most said, short game (anything wedge and in until holed out) is critical.  You could say that about the long game too.  You need to give yourself the opportunity to put that short game to work for a chance at par or bogie.  You're not going to know what areas of your game to work on unless you keep the basic stats - FIR/GIR/Putts/Up-Downs (includes bunkers)/Penalties.  That can be an eye opener.

I hear "go take lessons" a lot and have even said that to people myself.  I've taken a handful of lessons over the last 20-30 years but all have been very mechanical and about hitting positions in the swing.  As Chubs1991 said, golf needs a holistic approach.  It hasn't been until this last year with my current coach that I've started to have some clarity and commitment in my game.  From understanding the process to improve and practice plan to the on course strategy to the mental preparation.  I've finally accepted I don't care what my swing looks like and that I cannot hit P1 thru P1000 to look like Adam Scott.  IMO, having control of your game and lowering your handicap comes down to having the skills to control your path and clubface all the way down to the wedge and putter, no matter what your swing looks like.  Then using those skills with a clear and committed mental approach to give yourself the best chance with every shot.  Then at the end, add 'em up and see where you stand.  You can have an end goal in mind but too many people start with the result first.  I need to birdie this hole or shoot 75 today (I've been very guilty of all of the above).  But I'm learning the old cliche is the best advice...stick to the process and the results will eventually take care of themselves.

[Javs]

4 minutes ago, Bedge said:

Both articles are pretty spot on.  As most said, short game (anything wedge and in until holed out) is critical.  You could say that about the long game too.  You need to give yourself the opportunity to put that short game to work for a chance at par or bogie.  You're not going to know what areas of your game to work on unless you keep the basic stats - FIR/GIR/Putts/Up-Downs (includes bunkers)/Penalties.  That can be an eye opener.

I hear "go take lessons" a lot and have even said that to people myself.  I've taken a handful of lessons over the last 20-30 years but all have been very mechanical and about hitting positions in the swing.  As Chubs1991 said, golf needs a holistic approach.  It hasn't been until this last year with my current coach that I've started to have some clarity and commitment in my game.  From understanding the process to improve and practice plan to the on course strategy to the mental preparation.  I've finally accepted I don't care what my swing looks like and that I cannot hit P1 thru P1000 to look like Adam Scott.  IMO, having control of your game and lowering your handicap comes down to having the skills to control your path and clubface all the way down to the wedge and putter, no matter what your swing looks like.  Then using those skills with a clear and committed mental approach to give yourself the best chance with every shot.  Then at the end, add 'em up and see where you stand.  You can have an end goal in mind but too many people start with the result first.  I need to birdie this hole or shoot 75 today (I've been very guilty of all of the above).  But I'm learning the old cliche is the best advice...stick to the process and the results will eventually take care of themselves.

You raise some valid points. Just getting lessons won’t be the cure. One research the instructor. The one size fits most doesn’t work. The instructor/teacher should help you get the most out of your game and ability. Too often I have seen guys get lessons and become worse. Why? Because they were trying to use a new swing that didn’t fit or they were stuck between old swing and new swing. There are some basics that need to be applied. Grip, alignment and ball position. However, there are even variations to each of those depending on body type, ability and eye hand coordination. What really matters is a swing that is repeatable and reliable under pressure. You can have an ugly swing, but if you can repeat it and consistently put the ball where you are looking it works. You can have the most beautiful looking driving range swing, but if it falls apart under pressure on the first tee then it’s no good. I am scratch and have played a lot of competitive golf. I have only had a few lessons in my life. However, I was always very athletic with good eye hand coordination. My swing is not one that would be taught. The main thing is I can repeat it and it works for me. I learned my swing in the dirt as a kid experimenting. I grew up caddying and watched and learned. Took what I liked to the range and figured it out. That said, everyone is different. Often people hit a wall or get stuck. Then lessons (no just tips or bandaids) make sense. Again it will only work if student and instructor communicate and work well together. Then comes hours of practice on what was learned. My thoughts and what worked for me. 

[Preeway]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Distance can be a huge limiting factor. Just look at strokes gained stats.

I've been a low single digit handicapper most all of my adult life and was always an average 260ish off the tee kind of player. Lack of distance can be overcome with sharpness in other areas. I know what the strokes gained stats say. More distance may lead to better scoring. "May" is the key word though.

[Preeway]

1 hour ago, Javs said:

I fully agree with you. Two ways to score: hit a lot of greens or have a stellar short game. Since everyone will miss greens having the short game skills is most important.

Greater distance off the tee does make it easier to hit greens. But keeping the ball in play is absolutely essential no matter how long you hit it. Can get those GIRs if your punching out of the trees all day long.

[Javs]

3 minutes ago, Preeway said:

Greater distance off the tee does make it easier to hit greens. But keeping the ball in play is absolutely essential no matter how long you hit it. Can get those GIRs if your punching out of the trees all day long.

Agree fully and I am lucky enough to be pretty long and straight for 62, ha ha. Plus, I can work it both ways at will. So, that helps me hit a lot of greens. 

[buckpillar]

The articles are interesting, distance is a good thing, but if you really want to gain and or save your strokes and and round, got to hone your short game, practice from 50 yards and in from ruff fairways sand short side etc, but the putting is essential, you can always hit the ball far, but if you can’t get up and down or make a good putt for birdie, your progression to lower scores and handicap will take longer.

Basically, I practice my short game every chance I get, I would say for me it’s 55% short game{including putting} 45% rest of the game.

sometimes the short game is 100% of my practice, normally I go to Nemacolin Woodlands and use their practice area most of the time, for free, and they are world class. Former home of the 84 Lumber Classic.

Edited April 17 by buckpillar

[Sharp.shell]

58 minutes ago, Javs said:

Do you practice your short game with a specific purpose? I ask because if you are doing the same mistakes over and over again in practice then you are only making those bad habits permanent. Take a short game lesson or read some articles/watch YouTube on technique. Then rehearse those new techniques. It will take time, but well worth the effort to get over the bad mistakes and mental block you have around the greens currently. Just my two cents.

I am You Tubing Dan GRIEVE atm and watching a lesson that he gave Rick SHIELS and it looks like the same issues I have with my short game around the greens.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Shifty said:

with lessons just on my iron swing last year, a side effect was my driver carried 30 yards further with no speed or driver training.

Not surprised. The sequence of the movements of the swing don’t change much from an iron to a driver. The plane changes due to length of club and distance from the ball. Things like aoa will take care of themselves with a good swing 

[Javs]

6 minutes ago, Sharp.shell said:

I am You Tubing Dan GRIEVE atm and watching a lesson that he gave Rick SHIELS and it looks like the same issues I have with my short game around the greens.

I hope it helps!

[Erin B]

1 hour ago, Javs said:

Glad you enjoyed them and hope many find them helpful. It shows being a single digit is attainable with time and hard work. 

Especially if you’ve had several back surgeries and are just lucky to be able to walk and play golf.  It’s taken a ton of hard work just to get back to where I’m at now. Not to mention when I got back into competitive golf last year it was a disaster. I’m slowly getting back to not being so stressed and making stupid decisions while competing. It’s such a different game compared to leisure golf. Pressure produces diamonds though.

[RickyBobby_PR]

43 minutes ago, Preeway said:

I've been a low single digit handicapper most all of my adult life and was always an average 260ish off the tee kind of player. Lack of distance can be overcome with sharpness in other areas. I know what the strokes gained stats say. More distance may lead to better scoring. "May" is the key word though.

Let’s talk the 260 number. That is 10 yards past what is used to define a scratch golfer. 
 

Yes we know lack of distance can be overcome and strokes gained tells us on a shorter course the shorter hitter has the advantage. We also know that those who excel in their approach game and around the green despite being shorter play better and that distance isn’t everything. If it was then cam champ and 5-10 other golfers would be where shorter hitters like Scheffler , Morikawa, Harmon and hovland are. Major winners and/or ranked high in owgr.

The amateur who can’t hit it as far has to work even harder to make up for being short. Not only on approach shots (most important strokes gained stat) and around the green (also pretty high ranking strokes gained stat)

There’s no guarantee in anything golf related that makes scoring easier. If so then the cam champs of the world wouldn’t be ranked 278th in the world.

Strokes gained says closer regardless of rough or fairway is better than further back in the rough. It tells us closer to the hole means better proximity to the hole which leads to increased make percentage on putts.

distance makes the game easier 

[Javs]

2 hours ago, Preeway said:

I've been a low single digit handicapper most all of my adult life and was always an average 260ish off the tee kind of player. Lack of distance can be overcome with sharpness in other areas. I know what the strokes gained stats say. More distance may lead to better scoring. "May" is the key word though.

260 is not a short hitter.