Golf Your latest Round?

[iDon]

Welcome to the all things golf.

USER​	HANDICAP​	MEMBER COURSE​	BEST ROUND​
Bicco​	6.2​	Royal Hobart​	76​
TennisPlayerAndy​	6.4​	Heidelberg​	73​
Tiimmbo​	8.3​	Royal Fremantle​	78​
tigland​	5.7​	13th Beach​	73/44pts​
buttsauce​	9.3​	Leongatha South​	76​
toxic​	10.8​	Howlong​	71​
Planet14​	11.4​	Bacchus Marsh Golf Club​	80​
Livonski​	11.5​	Kingston Heath​	79​
ScrappyCoCo​	12.5*​	-​	75​
ITCHY EYEBALLS​	12.8​	The Dunes​	80​
Pklz​	14​	Romesy GC​	77/48pts​
iDon​	11.6​	Social Golf Australia​	80/44 pts​
Lebbo73​	12.3​	City GC Toowomba​	77​
Sippa​	16.9​	-​	85/43 pts​
Shane Sheridan​	18.5​	Perth Golf Network​	87​
daicos4ever​	23.7​	Lang Lang GC​
juss​	26.8​	-​	91/40 pts​
members section​	33​	-​	-​
BobbyMorri​	33​	Claremont​	97​
Elixuh​	-​	Pacific, Brisbane​	​
peternorth​	15​	NGC, PKCGC​	80​
Nelso​	-​	-​	78​
sideswipe​	-​	Sorrento​	Cups WR​
royboy2​	25.3​	Cohuna GC​
QuietB​	Huntingdale-Cranbourne GC​
Daics1​	18​	Golden Beach GC​

 

[Back Six]

24 points today.

Got a serious case of the chipping and putting yips at the moment. I’ve never been great with chipping or those short approach shots but my putting is normally pretty reasonable, just lost all touch the last few rounds.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Pklz]

 

[ManOfClay]

Pencil in 140 tomorrow

you ****ing campaigner

edit: at least improved my Stableford score on the last round I submitted to the handicapper (yesterday’s wasn’t submitted). 24 points this time v 19 last time. Just a couple more disaster holes

 

[peternorth]

you ******* campaigner

edit: at least improved my Stableford score on the last round I submitted to the handicapper (yesterday’s wasn’t submitted). 24 points this time v 19 last time. Just a couple more disaster holes

Exceptions must be curbed for your lifelong journey is but in its infancy. The handicap committee shall bestow upon you that of what it will. From there your learning begins.

 

[ManOfClay]

Exceptions must be curbed for your lifelong journey is but in its infancy. The handicap committee shall bestow upon you that of what it will. From there your learning begins.

I’m sure that would sound smart if I was intelligent enough to understand

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

Don't worry too much..Petes been locked up in his home for too long and the ten missed rounds over the last 2 weeks are taking a toll.

 

[ManOfClay]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

 

[hawkman]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

Started playing in the mid teens started off probably around 120-130. Within a couple of years I was regularly around the 100 mark. About 4 or 5 years later i could get down to about 90 as long as i was playing often. For about 12 years i couldn't get below 87. Now i have started playing more regularly in the last 12 months, i have finally got down to having rounds in the mid 80s

Main thing i find is to play well i need to be playing often

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

Started when I was 11 or 12. Playing school holidays and every now and again on weekends. Got serious when I was about 23...got my first handicap which was about 24. A year later I was at 11 but could not get any further as I had never had a lesson and used to slice like crazy with big faults. Moved to Melb and got offered a free lesson and that was the start of practice/lessons and rounds to see if I could do better. I would have been 7 or 8 at my best, without an official HC though, stopped as I had back problems and my kids cricket took over as he tried to make it in that sport. Started up again a year and half ago...giving it one more serious push before the body is completely wrecked. Playing off about 14 at a guess.

 

[peternorth]

I’m sure that would sound smart if I was intelligent enough to understand

just play and play. handicap will help you once you get it. Youll manage and score better

 

[peternorth]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

mid to early 20s. at the suggestion of my employer. went around local tracks every week. fist tee shot was a 5 iron that went sideways. it was gold.

after retiring from winter sport, got serious and got a handicap after joining the national gc. played there a bit with the old man pre membership who was a memmber, baptism of fire! Started with a hc of around 35/6 i reckon. Then chip chip chipped away. Things clicked, won comps with a cushy handicap in the 20s, qualified for the mercedes national golf event in QLD. Enjoyed life. Got down to GA of 14 at my peak. Now a member of national and PK, not easy to get lower than GA 16 now.

got lessons throughout my formative golf years, practiced, played comps. Enjoyed golf.

 

[toxic]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

Started at age 16

 

[Lebbo73]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

I was 26 when I took up golf. Started off a handicap of 24. 21 years later and I play off 16. I was off a handicap of 10 in 2005 and near that at different points over the last 5 years. Just slid out the last 9 months.

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Started when I was 10 and playing Saturday morning junior comp when there was a lot of kids playing. Obviously started off high 30’s but got it down reasonably well and was off 12 when I was 15-16 but cricket and footy took over.
From there I played socially just here and there and playing cricket for so long didn’t do a lot for my golf swing playing sporadically.
I’m 49 now and got back into playing properly after I stopped playing cricket about 7 years ago started back at 17 but it did get out to 20 but back into 9 at the lowest. It was sitting at 13-14 which feels about right. Covid got it out to 16.5 it I was just coming good again so who knows what next!

 

[ManOfClay]

mid to early 20s. at the suggestion of my employer. went around local tracks every week. fist tee shot was a 5 iron that went sideways. it was gold.

after retiring from winter sport, got serious and got a handicap after joining the national gc. played there a bit with the old man pre membership who was a memmber, baptism of fire!

got lessons throughout my formative golf years, practiced, played comps. Enjoyed golf.

My first swing of a club properly was a driving range last year. First hit cracked my shin, second sliced straight into the divider. Was using my feet almost like a cricket shot on the front foot.

I’m fairly close to retiring from winter sport now too too. And physically I was barely up to football anyway. Will train and be available to play next season covid-willing but think golf will be my go now.

By the time comps are back hopefully I’ll be going well enough to not be embarrassing, nick a few trophies with a high handicap then progress from there.

 

[ManOfClay]

What motivated a lot of the young starters here to get into it so early?

I couldnt think of a worse sport except for tennis when I was young and all I wanted to do was kick the footy or play cricket with my mates. Hell, I still thought that way at 28.

Given it is such an individualised sport I’d have thought it would be a tough sell for anyone in their teens, let alone pre teens

 

[Bicco]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

Started about 12. I was always ok, 16 handicap at 16 yrs. Although Greg Chalmers was a member of the same course and a couple of years older and off plus 2. That was a bit off putting. Would have hovered around the 12 mark for a few years in my 30's. Really focused say the last 3 years and now am about 6/7 handicap. A lot of this is course management and understanding that I'm not going to hit 72 awesome shots. I'll make mistakes. Also never throwing in the towel. I've doubled 14 and 15 and then come home with 3 pars. That's satisfying. Not dropping your bundle.

What motivated a lot of the young starters here to get into it so early?

I loved it straight away. Also I was always happy in my own company so golf didn't bother me from a social perspective. But a big point was that I could do it on my own, I didn't need to rely on anyone else to play. I've always been a mad practicer so I enjoyed that part of the game. Lastly its relatively cheap. At about 15 I asked for a golf membership for a combined Christmas/birthday. That meant school holidays etc. I could go when I wanted and practice/play.

 

[peternorth]

What motivated a lot of the young starters here to get into it so early?

I couldnt think of a worse sport except for tennis when I was young and all I wanted to do was kick the footy or play cricket with my mates. Hell, I still thought that way at 28.

Given it is such an individualised sport I’d have thought it would be a tough sell for anyone in their teens, let alone pre teens

Good question.

1. "business" "networking". Seemed like the thing for people to do whilst working in corporate/sales etc.

Wait, you said young. oh well.

 

[juss]

Can I ask the regulars here how old they were when they started and how long did it take to get to where they are now.

I can probably share your journey as we are at a similar time. I played my first round last year in November 2019, at 28 years of age. This was after having spent a couple of months at the driving range here and there, and after maybe 2 lessons. Started off with a handicap of 30, it probably has drifted a bit now. Goal was to be down to 20 hc by end of 2020, this was before COVID, not going to happen now.

I've never played a full 18 holes, but my scores from 9 holes have ranged between 47(best ever)-71(worst ever), but if I extrapolate my average it's about low 50s-mid 50s so I would probably shoot 105-110 over 18.

Funnily enough, and frustratingly, improvement is NOT linear. I played my worst ever golf the week before this recent lockdown. My best scores and best form came in February this year, where I was shooting around 50 and my personal best over a handful of rounds.

What I've learnt is that improvement is up and down, and when you improve in one area, another area of your game might drop off. You will think you've found the answer one day, and then the next day you'll try and implement it and end up with 100 more questions.

There are 3 pieces of advice I will give you from my experience, I could give you a hundred more, but these are the most relevant from my experience as a new player trying to improve.

1. The course is for playing golf, not playing golf swing.
I can't tell you how many times I've set up behind the ball and had a hundred swing thoughts in my head, and tried to fix my swing or short game shot to shot, hole to hole. The practice range is the time to test things out and tweak the game, the golf course is time to put the ball in the hole. You will have a lot more fun and success if you play golf on the course, and practice elsewhere.

2. The right mental application is more important than any physical attributes/limitations/mechanics you might have.
Inside out, outside in, slice, hook, over the top, weight shift, one-piece takeaway, get low, compress the irons, too much swaying, early extension, not enough turn, weak grip, strong grip, not enough rotation, not enough pivot, etc. etc. You will be told 100 different swing flaws as you develop, and most of these will be true. But you can't fix all of them, and if you try to, you will be way too bogged down. I have seen 60 year old short, chubby, skinny Asian dudes hit the ball a mile longer than me with extremely flawed technical swings. It doesn't matter. Clear the mind and swing with confidence, committing to your own swing and making small improvements over time is far more important than trying to look and swing like Adam Scott with a technically perfect and probably unattainable swing.

3. Focus on the short game. Less than 120 metres to the hole is really all that matters for better scores (at our level).
Test this out for yourself. Take an 8 iron or 9 iron and just meander your way down the fairway with 100-120 metre shots, even if they are duffed along the ground. You'll probably still get to about 100-120 metres out of the hole on your 4th shot on a 450m par 5. Where you will make pars, save pars, get bogeys instead of triples is in using your wedges and putters. You will probably use these clubs maybe 50-60% of your round, sometimes more. If you get good with these your scores will drop far quicker than improving your technique to get 10-20m more from the driver.

Of course enjoying yourself and having fun trumps all these, something I lost a bit recently but have reassessed my priorities during lockdown.

 

[ManOfClay]

1. The course is for playing golf, not playing golf swing.
I can't tell you how many times I've set up behind the ball and had a hundred swing thoughts in my head, and tried to fix my swing or short game shot to shot, hole to hole. The practice range is the time to test things out and tweak the game, the golf course is time to put the ball in the hole. You will have a lot more fun and success if you play golf on the course, and practice elsewhere.

this one hits well. I found yesterday I got a lot better results just trying to get the ball close to the hole. So instead of getting out a 9 or pitching wedge when I felt in range to lob the ball on the green I’d just go for a 5 or 6 and punch it towards the hole instead.


It might have not looked technically good but it worked better than ****ing up two chip shots

 

[juss]

this one hits well. I found yesterday I got a lot better results just trying to get the ball close to the hole. So instead of getting out a 9 or pitching wedge when I felt in range to lob the ball on the green I’d just go for a 5 or 6 and punch it towards the hole instead.


It might have not looked technically good but it worked better than ******* up two chip shots

100%
I have two coaches (another poor decision I don't recommend), 1 of them doesn't give a shit about being technically perfect, if it works for you to get the ball in the hole then do it. Another one won't even let me see ball flight and has me hit into a net, he is 100% on the outcome is irrelevant and I need to get the swing right.

Play golf on the course, practice on the range/chipping area if you ever want to work on those lob shots one day.

 

[hawkman]

3. Focus on the short game. Less than 120 metres to the hole is really all that matters for better scores (at our level).
Test this out for yourself. Take an 8 iron or 9 iron and just meander your way down the fairway with 100-120 metre shots, even if they are duffed along the ground. You'll probably still get to about 100-120 metres out of the hole on your 4th shot on a 450m par 5. Where you will make pars, save pars, get bogeys instead of triples is in using your wedges and putters. You will probably use these clubs maybe 50-60% of your round, sometimes more. If you get good with these your scores will drop far quicker than improving your technique to get 10-20m more from the driver.

Not sure about that. For beginners, i know it was for myself, most 7 8 or 9s would generally come from bad tee shots. Fix the tee shot and immediately you can start looking at 5s or 6s

Short game is where the you can get the 5s or 6s down to 4s or 5s

 

[peternorth]

Not sure about that. For beginners, i know it was for myself, most 7 8 or 9s would generally come from bad tee shots. Fix the tee shot and immediately you can start looking at 5s or 6s

Short game is where the you can get the 5s or 6s down to 4s or 5s

I think you and juss are espousing the same thing. In golf you gotta get off the tee. Like in tennis, if you cant serve you cant play.

Keep the ball in play off the tee. If that means using an iron, do it. Or are you talking about the driver?

 

[matt_897]

What motivated a lot of the young starters here to get into it so early?

I couldnt think of a worse sport except for tennis when I was young and all I wanted to do was kick the footy or play cricket with my mates. Hell, I still thought that way at 28.

Given it is such an individualised sport I’d have thought it would be a tough sell for anyone in their teens, let alone pre teens

For me, they were the two sports (golf and tennis) is what I played as a kind but I've always enjoyed the individual aspect a lot more. But even then tennis still had the team aspect as a youngster... Even then golf is still a sport that can easily be played with amtes.

I got my first lesson as a 8 year old at a local course because I always had an interest in the sport. My dad was a golf nut who passed away when I was a 3 year old so mum gave me all his old books and got me a plastic golf set as sort of a reminder of him. Loved playing mini golf around the house, around the backyard etc... would even watch it on tv as a little kid(Greg Norman's 96 Masters is my first golf memory on tv). Always felt like it was a genetic thing that I loved golf but yeah it does tend to be a sport not too many youngsters play.

As I got in my teens I went to play tennis a lot more as not only I enjoyed the sport as well but generally I had mates I would play with. I always played golf occasionally until the last few years where a tennis mate and I decided to join a course to play golf more regularly and now with barely been able to touch a racket in 6 months (courts being closed) and a lock down style diet, golf will probably be my main sport of choice (i'm 31 now.) when it comes to playing on a Saturday.

Getting lessons as a kid is so crucial for a sport like golf too (and tennis actually) because it at least allows you to get the fundamentals of the swing. That at least helps me to having a half decent looking swing, now the ball goes everywhere, touch is always over th place, have had to deal putting yips etc. but at least the fundamentals are there and when you do make a good swing/putt, it's a great feeling.

 

[hawkman]

I think you and juss are espousing the same thing. In golf you gotta get off the tee. Like in tennis, if you cant serve you cant play.

Keep the ball in play off the tee. If that means using an iron, do it. Or are you talking about the driver?

I'm not a fan of that idea especially when you are just starting. For a beginner i would look to try to feel comfortable with at least 3 clubs, a wood and a mid and short iron. If i was starting out again i would lose interest hitting irons the entire time.

I can sort understand that strategy for those that have been playing awhile as they know their game