[mGUuZRyA]

When I started playing golf 8 years ago, I was really just hacking it around trying to get under 100. I didn't really care if I hit it in the rough, I wasn't good enough to hit the greens if I had it teed up. Actually, being in the rough helped me get the ball airborne if it wasn't too thick.

After a couple of years, I started to see the advantage of being in the short stuff because I could actually hit off a normal fairway lie and at least get it around the green.

Couple more years and it became imperative to hit the fairways because my iron accuracy was improving and I was at least leaving myself with decent position around the greens. I improved my short game and my scores came down.

Now, I feel closer than ever to better scores. I am a 10 handicap and I think I can get down to a 5 or 6 again. I was there once but it was really just a lucky string of scores for 6 weeks that knocked my handicap down. This time, it will be real and sustainable because I have a better game overall.

The realization that this has been progressive just struck me because my scores have gone up and down pretty drastically over 8 years. I finally saw that although the scores jump up and down from round to round, the trend line has been consistently downward.

This downward progression has been the result of more practice, smarter course management, better quality short game, and improved driving and iron play. An overall improvement in every facet of the game. I am not saying it has not been a frustrating ride, but it really has been a labor of love. I wish I had come to the game earlier in life. I have so much to make up.

[grosqueneen]

When I started playing golf 8 years ago, I was really just hacking it around trying to get under 100. I didn't really care if I hit it in the rough, I wasn't good enough to hit the greens if I had it teed up. Actually, being in the rough helped me get the ball airborne if it wasn't too thick.

After a couple of years, I started to see the advantage of being in the short stuff because I could actually hit off a normal fairway lie and at least get it around the green.

I think that is the turning point for every golfer.

Everyone who has seriously tried to learn this game has had to cross that threshold - to go from fearing a "tight lie" to actually preferring one.

We've all gone through that stage of actually hoping for a lie in light rough because it meant that we'd be able to get the ball airborne more easily, but we secretly knew that a fairway lie was better because it meant we could control the ball, but man, it was hard to hit one of those shots!

But once we overcame that fear of stubbing the club or "chili-dipping" it, we took a giant step forward and we began to look at the game from a whole different perspective and we began to see ourselves as possibly being able to actually score and actually play golf.

Good stuff, C-tech!


-JP

[drgshmcm]

Couldn't agree more, now I don't look forward to rough because my foot work will usually require a weird stance due to the nature of the rough around here.

In fact I not only prefer a tight lie but a tight lie with a straight, no shaping approach in my scoring irons. This way I don't need to figure in distances when pushing/pulling/knocking/flying etc. Just grip it and rip it with a smallish fade at the end. Now all I have to do is get to the point where I do that more..........

[Gaxiciverfere]

This is VERY encouraging for a 24 handicap like me! I am going through a frustrating stretch right now. My last round (104) a few days ago jacked me up. I was all over the place. I am trying to get there.....

[weluvjessicaalba]

This is VERY encouraging for a 24 handicap like me! I am going through a frustrating stretch right now. My last round (104) a few days ago jacked me up. I was all over the place. I am trying to get there.....

CG "If you can be frustrated with a 104" unbelievable, well I guess not, after thinking about it that's a normal score for me, my take is that golfing with a disability such as I have, any thing under 100 is great. Some of these characters on this site, not you, are whining about how bad their scores are when they are reg shooting in the high 70's and low 80's I'd love to have their "problems".

[MipRippoomamn]

CG "If you can be frustrated with a 104" unbelievable, well I guess not, after thinking about it that's a normal score for me, my take is that golfing with a disability such as I have, any thing under 100 is great. Some of these characters on this site, not you, are whining about how bad their scores are when they are reg shooting in the high 70's and low 80's I'd love to have their "problems".

It is all relative jc, they are just saying that compared to what they usually shoot that they might have had a bad round. It is like you seem to be around 100-110this year(which I think is great) and one round you blow up and shoot a 130 and say it is a bad round, while someone who usually shoots 130-135 says " What is this guy complaining about, I`d love to shoot 130" it is all relative. Keep up the good golf.

[weluvjessicaalba]

It is all relative jc, they are just saying that compared to what they usually shoot that they might have had a bad round. It is like you seem to be around 100-110this year(which I think is great) and one round you blow up and shoot a 130 and say it is a bad round, while someone who usually shoots 130-135 says " What is this guy complaining about, I`d love to shoot 130" it is all relative. Keep up the good golf.

I know farmergolf thanks for the clarification, I felt immediately bad after I posted this because that is the same thing I thought, "no offense CG" I jumped to the conclusion. And let me say further I actually have no room to whine myself even though my normal range is 100 to 110 I actually have been known to break 100 a few times 8 and counting this year, it's all good I love this forum and if I grumble no harm no foul just slap me from time to time LOL.

[mGUuZRyA]

jc, I guarantee you that Tiger shoots 58 at Islesworth and goes home thinking, "If I had just made those two putts, I could have shot 56!" I played with a guy who was preparing to play in a pro tournament's pro-am and he shot 73 off the back tees while I shot over 90 from the regular tees. He was angry at himself and told me that if he couldn't do better than that on an "easy" course, he was going to embarrass himself. I realized that you never win at golf, no matter what your best score, you still have something to strive for.

Sure makes it more interesting for us all.

[Avaindimik]

I play one is a 9 hole coarse which is pretty open and easy normally I shoot around 39 to 44 on this coarse. Then I go to my home coarse which is a 18 hole I shoot on average from 92 to 120.when I play the nine hole I think man I have this game figured out.Boy am I wrong.