How are you going to get better?

[Started2k3]

This is the second attempt, with a more specific question and poll.

What one aspect can or will YOU do to improve YOUR game/handicap this year?

You can only choose one:
Driver (more distance)
Driver (tighter dispersion)
Approach (irons, hybrids, woods - tighter dispersion)
Approach (irons, hybrids, woods - more consistent distances)
Pitches (tighter dispersion)
Pitches (more consistent distances)
Chips, up&down, sand saves
Putting (distance control)
Putting (green reading)
All clubs more distance
All clubs more consistent distances


Excluded:
All clubs tighter dispersion
Course Management
Buying new equipment (sorry Ho's)
Mental side

Thanks,
Charles

[Started2k3]

I think this is a much harder question that my earlier poll.

If you can't answer, feel free to explain why.

[jonf]

I need to stop sucking at putting. Basically, if I can eliminate three putts, I can shave about 5 strokes off my game, which would put me consistently in the 80s. Since the key to not three putting is distance control, that's what I'm going to work on this year. My new putter is heavier in the head, and feels a lot more stable when i swing it, so I think that will help, just in the consistency of my stroke. Other than that, I just have to practise. I'll have to try sneaking on to the lawn bowling pitch near my house.

[Started2k3]

I need to stop sucking at putting. Basically, if I can eliminate three putts, I can shave about 5 strokes off my game, which would put me consistently in the 80s. Since the key to not three putting is distance control, that's what I'm going to work on this year. My new putter is heavier in the head, and feels a lot more stable when i swing it, so I think that will help, just in the consistency of my stroke. Other than that, I just have to practise. I'll have to try sneaking on to the lawn bowling pitch near my house.

If you have any carpeting, then you can practice your distance control. I cut out a paper circle and putt to it. That way even if I make it, it will still tell me if I went too far. If you can you can tape it down (masking tape) and also mark off 3' 6' 9' 12' etc from the hole distances and also a 20" mark behind the "cup" (beyond this you have gone too far).

Great winter practice. Helped me this past year tremendously.

[jonf]

good idea....i don't have much carpeting, but i do have about a 6 footer in the hallway (which is in some ways the crucial distance for me. I really need to get more consistent from 6 feet in.

[Started2k3]

good idea....i don't have much carpeting, but i do have about a 6 footer in the hallway (which is in some ways the crucial distance for me. I really need to get more consistent from 6 feet in.

You may have already thought of this, but since you are in a hallway, then you can use the walls to help you. Putt close to the wall to make sure that you are keeping it straight (if your floor doesn't have huge bulges). Or putt cross corner so that you no longer have the walls to use as a guide for your stance to be square to the hole (you have to make sure that you are square to the ball-hole line, not to the wall line).

[byerxa]

Go to Home Depot or Rona (or your favourite home repair money pit) and buy a length of carpet they use in office building entrances in the winter. It is typically rubber backed, has a reasonable putting surface, and can easily be rolled up and put away. I have about a 15' length and it really does help to practice the putting in the winter time.

[Pinshark]

Putting is the only thing I work on in the winter. Mostly because I find it the most fun. I think this is because you can make 10 -20 putts whenever you like. I even putt in my house in the summer.

[kerisb]

Since I generally golf with males, they usually have me on the distance shots, so I figure if I can concentrate on the short game and pitch and put better than them, then I will atleast have a shot, starting to realize how important the short game is!! If I can get it onto the green where I want it then the putting should be easier. As far as the sand saves, they don't intimidate me much so not as worried about them!!

[rhh7]

Driver, tighter dispersion: by starting each hole in the middle of the fairway, each successive shot will be easier.

This year I am playing a GolfWorks Logic Lady head, 12 degrees loft, 206grams weight, True Temper Dynamic steel shaft, 43" overall length, between A & R flex.

I am going to swing within myself, maintain balance at all costs.

[Sakuraba]

I couldn't vote green reading and distance control, so I took the more important of the two: distance control in putting. I'm so tired of turning 10 feet for birdie into 2 and a half feet for par to 8 inches for bogie.

[Big Johnny69]

I couldn't vote green reading and distance control, so I took the more important of the two: distance control in putting. I'm so tired of turning 10 feet for birdie into 2 and a half feet for par to 8 inches for bogie.

Sheesh, that's enough to drive a man to drink......

Ooops, too late. Was this photo taken after one of the above mentioned incidents?

[Sakuraba]

Before AND after!

[hoolio]

Was this photo taken after one of the above mentioned incidents?

Before AND after!

I think this chicken and egg dispute won't be resolved for a while. A leads to B, and B leads to A. The only thing that matters is that there is lots of B, where B = Beer.

And just so I can stay on topic here, My plan to get better is to consume more Beer. I don't care if the plan works or even backfires, playing well is always the secondary objective to getting out of the office and drinking.

[MusicMan]

My plan to get better is to consume more Beer.

worked for every great musician of the last 100 hears and John Daly has proven it can be done in golf too... so why not... ill join you in that statment

[jonf]

worked for every great musician of the last 100 hears

They've been using a lot more than beer

[Golftime]

This poll is interesting and hits on a very important question. How will you decide how to spend your valuable and limited time? It seems like the answer depends entirely on a couple of variables. The first is the state of your game. Are you a beginner who simply needs to gain overall consisitency or have you played for many years and now need to find a couple of simple keys to keep things on the rails during a round? The second factor is an honest and accurate appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses. Some people may claim that the two variables are one and the same but the first represents the absolute truth and the second is the player's view of reality. This may be tough to do by yourself without an organized approach. One way is keep records over a few rounds of where strokes are lost. Even this is not a simple process. For example the number of putts per round is an important measurement but it cannot be looked at in isolation. Are three putts caused by poor putting or the fact that we leave ourselves long and difficult putts? So you may be able to improve your putting by taking one more club on approaches and getting it to the hole leaving shorter putts. Try to isolate the root cause of the extra strokes.
I recently read a neat approach to quantifying the cost of mistakes. It was referred to as the second serve method. Tennis players try to hit a hard accurate first serve. If it works then that is great. If it doesn't then they just try to get the second serve in play and go from there. When you are playing a casual round try a second shot whenever you make a mistake such as short siding yourself. Play the first ball and record the score. Also record the second score from the ball where you corrected the mistake. Of course you can only do this when it is not busy so that no one else is affected. Use your imagination to make this work. For example you may not actually hit the second corrective shot but you could place it where it should have been and then play out from there. This exercise may help determine the true cost of a mistake. When we know for sure where the strokes are going then we can decide the most effective way to improve.