Despite the high number of rounds of golf I play my handicap doesn't appear to be coming down as fast as I would like!

The problem for me know is what do I do about it?

Should I drop a round a week and use the time to practice more, or should I take more lessons?

There are three things I've noticed from my stats over the last month.

The first one is that my Fairways In Regulation is well below what it should be for somebody with my handicap.

Secondly, I seem to miss greens with alarming regularity!

And the final one I noticed was that when chipping I don't seem to get the ball to the hole.  I chipped 21 balls at Burnham-on-Crouch GC last Sunday and only three of them were past the hole.  This was from about twenty feet!

So what should I do?

Russ

Russ,

Stapleford is a short course with a lower SSS than par so you are always going to be at a slight disadvantage trying to lower your handicap as you'll have to shoot 3 below your handicap to get any cut (if sss vs par is still 2).

Whilst playing why not try scoring your card stableford off scratch (rather than with your handicap allowance) with a target of 30 pts or more. It will take your mind off your current handicap and help you focus on playing the course the best you can.

Russ if you improved your Fairways Hit in Regulation I'd bet you'd also see an increase in your Green Hit Percentage. The two sort of go together. If your hacking away in the rough chances are you won't hit too many greens.

As for your short game this is an area that to me is a pain at present. My matchplay partner has given me some advice recently that I shouldn't be focused on holing chips, but instead be content to get them close. Trying to hole chips makes me a little aggressive and often I hit the ball too far fast the pin. My partner also suggested I change the club I use to chip with and instead focus more on my 52 degree wedge for short chips or use my 9 iron for longer chips. Basically I'm ordered to leave the SW and the LW in the bag unless I have a bunker or pond or something like that to go over. A ball on the ground you have more control over then one your throwing into the air. It eliminates the bad bounces and kicks, the differences in greens (One chip checks dead another releases).

Shortgame improvement according to the Dave Pelz short game bible I'm reading now is the key to posting better scores. Most people in their short games struggle to get distance right. There not far out line wise, but are always tending to be short or long.

Are you building it up for the Algarve Russ???

Thanks guys.

Chris, I'll try what you say as I do keep a check on how I'm doing whilst playing as I like to know what I've got to do for a good score.  So mabye doing what you have said will take my mind off it.

Christopher, I've always said that if I could hit the fairway on a regular basis that my handicap would come down.  I'm off 12 at the moment but my FIR stats say I'm playing to a 19 handicap, but my GIR is at a 12 handicap.

I do use different clubs for chipping.  When I had a lesson I was taught to let the ball run like a putt, so my advice was get in on the green with my first bounce of the ball and then let it run like a putt.  Changing the club for the amount of roll I need.

Wayne, would I do a thing like that?  I'm certain that by the time we get to Portugal I'll have my handicap down to 13!!!

Russ

Russ

Where do you get these stats of I'm playing to a 19 on FIR and a 12 on GIR. Is there a rule of thumb for various GIR and FIR stats?

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

David, it's some software that I use to keep my scores/stats.

I'm not sure where they get the level of handicap from!

Russ

Which software is that Russ?

Hi Russ,

My suggestion would be to put more work into your short game. You are always going to miss greens, I on average hit 13 greens a round so have to make up and down 5 times yet I still manage to shoot under par.

If your fairways missed means you cannot reach the green then thats something to look into, but if you can still reach with your approach then hopefully you will never be more than 20 yards from the green.

Spend a little time on learning new shots or practice the areas that you are weak at, the chances are if you have a better short game it will take the pressure off the long game and you hit more greens anyway.

Good luck

Steve

Short game and putting is where the bread and butter of this game is - I realise that now!