How long were you stuck at a high handicap?

By 'high handicap' I mean like 20 and over. I have been playing pretty much every week for the last few months, and have dropped from a 28 to 26. Although i am still shooting very inconsistantly for example, hitting 92 one round then 110 then next. Its terrible.

I thought that playing the courses was the most efficient and best way to improve my game, but now im thinking maybe i need lessons, or spend more time on the range as opposed to hacking round a course lol

I do love the game and enjoy it, even if i score high. I just want to be half decent at it at the same time, and it doesnt feel like im improving. Any thoughts?

One word.

Lessons

Darren,

I think you summed it up well with "i am still shooting very inconsistantly for example, hitting 92 one round then 110 then next". That is the norm for a higher handicapper and improving consistency is how to get your handicap down. My advice is: -

1. Lesson
2. Practice
3. Play

In that order. Then return to 1. and start again. If it makes you feel better, it took me about four years to get below 20 handicap

it took me one year to get lower than 20. but i had a lot of lessons (weekly basis) then again, im 13...

Lessons and practice. I have a lesson once a month and I practice at least twice a week on what we did in the lesson. I also make sure i practice my short game at least as much as long game. I have come down from 36 to 25 in just over a year and I really want to get down to 20 by end of season. Not as fast as Liam but I am over 40 and a girl!!!

there's a difference, Judy; i started off 24. your progress is brilliant as you started off 36!

unfortunately i can only afford one or the other, a round at my course costs about �18 on a weekend. And from what i have seen lessons are about each. So weighing up what you have all said i think i need to retire from golf lol

Na, i think 1 lesson every 2 weeks and 2 rounds a month could be the way forward. thanks for all the advice guys n girls :-)

Another option might be group lessons Darren. They aren't for everyone and you don't get the 1 to 1 focus, but as long as you go with a similar standard group they could be an option

There's a range near my work that does a lunchtime roll-up that costs �5 for an hour including range balls. One of the pros spends the hour with the group (normally no more than 6 players) and gives them individual things to work on. A cheap and effective way to learn if there is someone near you doing the same

Darren, have you tried world of golf, they do group bookings for free (we almost, cost of the range balls for a �5), as Chris says you don't get the full 1 on 1 but you do get some valuable tips and a point in the right direction, its remembering it all when you next visit the driving range or the courses thats the bugger !!

Hi Darren. Last summer i was a lot like you, i was playing almost every other day and whilst i managed to get to shooting low 90's I would sometimes hack my way to 110 or even higher.

From March-May this year i had 8 lessons, one a week, and only played 2-3 times a month max, and practiced hard.

It's at this stage I should mention my scores have yet to be as low as my very best of 2011, BUT i feel so much more in control of my swing and my game. And very soon I think it will all come together and I will be consistently lower than ever.

So basically....get some lessons. Play a little less. But most of all, enjoy!

I would recommend a lesson then just practise what you have been told/shown for the next 5/6 weeks, don't fall back into old habits then when you next have a lesson you can try something new.

I was lucky enough to get coaching from an ex cat1 player which has seen my handicap drop from 28 to 21

I wouldn't say lessons are a must. This year i started of at 18 and now im down to 12 (club handicap) and i havent had any lessons. I seem to get alot of tips from watching others. I watch alot of golf on telly and just watch other golfers swings down the range and just try new things that ive seen others do. Then you just need to spend time practicing. Make sure you spend the same amount of time on your long, and short game and putting. You can lose alot of shots from rubbish putting or those little delicate chips from around the green.

Im sure that if you keep with it you'll eventually see the difference in your game and your handicap will start to drop.

Hows your putting? I bet you could save more strokes there and you probably dont need a putting lesson......just time to practice by yourself.

How do you judge success or failure from your rounds of golf? What is your target when you set out to play? I had a lesson years ago where he told me to think about my handicap and play the course accordingly. If I got 2 shots on a hole, make sure my ball was in play from the drive and that led to more chances of shooting par or bogey at worst. Also, look at any trouble and work out how to avoid it, so hitting a club less on par 3 holes to take the bunkers out of play. This was also backed up by being told to practise my chipping as that enabled me to get closer to the flag

I've been playing golf for close on 10 years now,always as a club golfer.

1st handicap was 24 and it took me 3 years to get down to 19,another 6 1/2 years to get down to 11.

For me it was lessons that have helped and playing lots of golf,never really had time to practise and never really enjoyed hitting balls at the range.

Try to keep the ball in play even if it means keeping the driver in the bag sometimes.

Concentrate on your game rather than everyone elses.

Set yourself goals to reach each season but dont be too over optimistic.

Enjoy your golf.