Hello,
I started playing golf at the very beginning of April and I have taken four lessons so far over the past month or so. I try to play a few times a week and I try to go to the range at least every other day. With all of this being said, I am trying to get a better understanding of what is a scoring goal for me to achieve by the end of the summer. I have yet to break 100 and my current best score is a 107 with a 49 being my best score for nine holes. I was hoping I would see more consitancy and better scores over time but I am getting a little frustrated. Please give me a better idea of what my expectations should be and please feel free to tell me about your own stories of when you started and how long it took you to hit in the 90s consistantly. Sorry for the length and thanks in advance...

Eric

I've been playing for 30 years and might have gotten into the 90's a handful of times. I've never played competitively and a low score was rarely a goal with me. I liked to be able to hit a few good/great shots and for me that was success. I've stuck pins on par 3's, nailed 310yd drives, chipped in from off the green and made those 45ft putts. Success!

Lately I'm really working to groove my swing and bring my score down into the 80's and then into the 70's. One thing I've heard lately was to, "have fun, enjoy the ride". Getting to the point where you are playing your best golf is a journey with many brief layovers, but you're never really "there". Thanks for giving me a chance to write this down one time, maybe it will stick with me a little better this weekend when I play!

Golf is a difficult game for a beginner. A 49 for nine holes and a best of 107 after six weeks is very, very good. Getting in the 90's regularly will be the result of playing more rounds. You'll begin to learn what to do and when to do it. When to take a risk, when to play safe. Work on your short game and trouble shots. You'll break 100 in no time!


Something like 10% of all golfers can break 90. You are doing very well.

No its 10% of golfers ever break 80, once. Keep up the hard work and work on the short stuff because you'll find yourself leaning on your wedges and putter more and more. So it helps to have a kick A#$ short game.

I guess I have three pieces of advice:

1. Play to your strengths.

2. Work on your course management.

3. Take more club than you think.

Make your goal to have fun and meet new people. But work on chipping and putting cause thats where the lower scores come from.

Keep playing!!

I would suggest like the previous poster that you keep your goals realistic....

You have made great strides already, and it is a personal challenge for you...Don't let it affect your love for the game....Enjoy yourself out there, keep practicing, and you will get better.

I would recommend working on your shortgame (esp. putting) and your driving. Keep it in play off the tee (no penalty strokes) and learn to be a good putter...your scores will drop accordingly....

Dan

everybody progresses at different speeds, depending on natural talent, commintment, and how "not stupid" you are. personally, it took me about 4 months to break 100. Now I've been playing for about 7 months, and I just broke 90 this past week (89). but I've been very commited to improving, and got lucky with a bit of natural talent.

with consistent ball striking and a solid short game (get rid of the chunks and blades) you won't have any trouble getting into the 90's.

my biggest tip would be to drill your short game shots untill they are automatic. don't get to serious when your practicing your short game, just drill it over and over and over again untill its natural. it will be a while before you can hit greens consistently (I can't either), so you'll need to get those chips and pitches close. I spend atleast as much time on the chipping green as I do on the range.

I'll first start by saying you are going about this the right way. Continue with your lessons and try to get the range at least twice after each lesson before taking it to the course. This will help you apply what you have learned and feel confident in your swing. Second, try to leave your lessons on the range... do not think about your swing thoughts on the course, that is what the range is for. My last bit of advise is to play smart. Find your favorite clubs and play to those distances. Many golfer both high and low do not have a game plan for a hole prior to playing. For example, if your best club in the bag is a PW and you are playing a 400 yard par 4 assuming you hit your driver 190, you are now 210 out instead of pulling a 5w that you will probably hit sideways out putting you in a bad position hit your PW twice and give yourself the best opportunity to score. It golf course management that will help you achieve your goals much quicker than the physical aspect of the game.

Commit more time to chipping and putting, less time with full swing. By the end of the season you should realistically score under 100 on a consistent basis.

Keep up the good work...scores come when you play more and more. Spend time on the putts and the short game.

Good Luck to you.

It sounds to me like you are off to a very good start! I've played for years (though quite a casual player) and am STILL very happy to break 100.

Anyways, just have fun with it-- don't let little setbacks, like if one part of your game goes out the window for no apparent reason, get to you. Just keep at it and enjoy being out, meeting new people, setting new goals, and don't hesitate to celebrate your accomplishments a little; focus on the positive.

All good advice...my thoughts.......................stay positive it is going to be frustrating....we would all be on tour if it wasn't........ a journey of hard and wonderful times.......you are doing the right thing by taking lessons(PGA) not dad..........I am a caddie who has seen it all...First and foremost MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIP. don't try to play any irons except game improvement irons...you want forgiveness when you are starting......you probably should not hit a driver....maybe not a wood at all your most trusted longer club off the tee........aim for the middle of fairways and greens forget about the pin hit the middle in time you can worry about pins...(par 4)(if you hit 3 shots to get to the green and could 2 putt) A bogey on every par four not bad. Basic idea don't do to much. Power will come with time and learning the swing. Work on good putting take a lesson on that and work hard on putting it will be the difference in scores now and until you die. Don't listen to anyone when you are playing this game if the don't have a PGA card or can shoot in the 70's on a regular basis........not to say mentally someone may give good advice about how to relax or something ....proper course ed.........that is fine just don't let a person trying to understand the game themselves tell you what you are doing they will probably say something that will make things worse. I wish you all the luck and good bounces.

Like a few people have said. Work on your short game more.

30% to 40% range time, and the other 60% to 70% on your short game. most of the stroke you make during a round; are going to be around the green..

"Drive for Show, Putt For Dough" !!

One of my goals during a round is to eliminate the double bogeys. I dont focus on the par score for a hole, IE - On a par 4, im 200 yards out with a bad angle to the hole, instead of trying the miracle approach shot, I will lay up to 100 and hit a solid SW into the green. I may sink the putt for a par, but worst case senerio is that I two putt for a bogey. A few bogeys in a round will not kill your score, but the doubles and triples will. As said above, its all about course management.