Newbie saying hello and a bizarre dilemma!!

Good evening gents and I would just like to say it seems like a nice little positive minded community here!

I have been playing golf on and off for approximately 8 years now and had a break of about 4 years after the birth of my second child. During this 8 year period I found my game to be totally inconsistent and down right embarrasing at times. I recently decided to take the game seriously as I now have more time on my hands and took the plunge to join a respected club in the local area. (Fylde Coast area)

I bought a lovely set of G15 irons and some K15 drivers and fairway woods and set to lots of practice and a few lessons with my local Pro at a different course.

I recently joined the community and I would like some advice on standard of play if possible - like I say thge course I have joined is full of great people and some great golfers too which is where my issues start!

I don't currently have a handicap but I went round my local course for the first time in 3 years on Thursday and shot a 90 on the first outing and I played there this afternoon too and shot an 88.

In your opinion is that a good enough start for me to be joining club?

Thanks in advance and I apologise for the lack of  positive attitude on my first post - just dreading that first round at my new club and I don't want to make an idiot of myself!

Matt

Go for it - good shooting after all that time.

No problem Matthew. Sounds to me as if you back on the right track. Welcome back to this wonderful game and I'm sure you'll see your scores drop. PS . Nothing wrong with your scores.

I was surprised actually as I had always scored 100 plus. I am 33 now and probably don't rush as much as I used to so that might explain it.

The other interesting factor is I thought I played better on Thursday night due to me hitting par on three holes on the trot.

The card today just seemed a little more consistent but I felt I didn't play any better at all!!

Welcome to the site Matthew.  As to your dilema, well it isn't one really, unless your club is a 9 hole par 3 course!  If, as I suspect, it's a proper course then you're more than good enough to hold your own if you want to roll up to any of the Golfshake events.  Come and join in, get yourself in a local society and meet some of us, there's certainly one group up your way that could do with some help...

Thanks alot Anthony and WOW 4 handicapper in 6 months! Massive applause!!! - I feel totally different about my game compared to 3/4 years ago and I feel I have improved enourmously. I also think i can shoot a good 5 - 6 shots better easily with more on course practice over a very short time - I made a few silly mistakes over the two rounds by taking a club too little and trying to knock hell out of it. When I relaxed and took an 85% effort and a club more the shots were just effortless and very accurate.

May I also add - I am not wanting to play like a low single handicap player within weeks but I do feel if the course pressing and you play with better competition you game will naturally improve over time - does that make any sense?

I also have the facility to play 2/3 times a week religiously and I am taking Pro lessons at the same time and practicing on the range of course - is that enough to improve quickly?

I am a very competetiv individual but I am realistic with timescales also.

Thanks in advance - nice to be here too!!!

Hi Tim - if you could possibly pm me details of who I contact locally I would love to get together with some like minded individuals who genuinely love the game and fancy some light hearted banta too!!

Whereabouts are you mate?

Garstang near Preston. I also go up to Manchester a lot as we have an office there which I spend part of my week at but I have never played any of the courses round there - I am a new member up at Lancaster Golf Club which IMO is just breathtaking and I have also started playing round the local pay and play here which is a lovely course.

Only thing I will say is if you are going to jon a club make sure the course is good and a decent test. 

You don't want to be playing a ropey course week in, week out and wishing you were playing somewhere else.  Also, you don't want to be able to breeze around and card 37 points every time no matter how well you play.  As soon as you go elsewhere you won't know what's hit you

Thanks for taking the time to view and reply Chris, the course is Lancaster Golf Club and it is probably the most demanding course in the area. It's certainly not a breeze by any means - my aim when joining the club was to make committed progress towards single figure handicap and I feel that this course and practice facilities will help me to do it. My only issue is first tee nerves, no matter where I play I seem to freeze and and want to kill the drive off the first tee! Any drills you can recommend to calm my nerves?

Good to hear you've got a good course with decent practice facilities Matthew, and I hope they help you on your journey to single figures

As for first tee nerves, if you can find a cure for those let me know.  I'm terrible off the first tee at the moment and it's gone from nerves, through fear to acceptance I could be playing the second shot of the round from anywhere, including from my hand as I place another ball on the tee!

This works for me and a few others with first tee nerves, particularly if there's a possibility of danger if you make a hash of you first shot of the round. Try to get into your head a picture of a particular hole where the tee shot is a breeze (maybe there isn't one on your course, in which case ignore this advice). With that picture of a nice danger-free tee shot, play the shot you know you are capable of playing - down the middle.

My suggestion for curing first tee nerves is to become a captain in the annual North v South matchplay - if you can crack a drive off with 80 or so spectators watching you everything else just seems a bit tame... 

You could always get in touch with Ged at www.nwgolfsociety.webs.com, a good bunch of lads and frankly, after last weekend they need all the help they can get!

Anthony, getting down to a handicap of 4 is a remarkable achievement?  How many lessons have you had since starting playing?

Thanks for the warm welcome guys - think I am going to like it here!

In relation to your query Sanders, I have already paid my green fees for the year and I am looking forward to being involved with the club - I am just apprehensive about playing there (I have not even played it yet!)

I have never joined a club and always played on municipal courses so it's a new experience for me, hence the nerves off the first tee etc.

I almost feel myself holding back from booking a round which is ridiculous!

@ Tim - looks like i'll keep practicing and I would definitely be up for playing in the North versus South comp when it rears it's head.

Thanks again guys!

Well chaps - the latest is another 88 today and I feel I made several duff shots that I could have erradicated and a few silly putts!!

The upshot is Golfshake have awarded me a 19 handicap! This is the first handicap I have ever had and I didn't think it would be below 20 so I am totally made up!!

I now have the bit between my teeth and aim to do some constructive practice on the weak parts of my game to improve the handicap:-

Driving - imense when they go straight but I have a hell of a slice on the odd occasion spoiling my card.

Putting - inconsistent at times.

Long irons - sometimes slice slightly

All being well I would like to be below 15 by the end of the season!

Matthew, only played Lancaster once, all be it a few years ago, but loved it. My kind of course. As for your problem with the slice, it sounds similar to what I had about 6 months ago. Had a lesson to sort it out and the problem turned out to be my swing path. Coming out to in. If you imagine the target to be at 12 o'clock I was swinging the club from 5 o'clock through to 11 o'clock instead of 7 o'clock through to 1 o'clock and rotating my forearms. Took a while to get it ingrained as my new swing but I now have a straight driver or a soft draw instead of the distance robbing and inconsistent fade. Best thing I ever did was to get a lesson.

Hi Chris and thanks for the advice! Had to visit the range on the way home tonight and I employed the methods you stated - I cannot tell you how different my ball flight is now!!! It's like somebody else is hitting the ball!!!

As you say a slight draw and very occasionally my slice slips in for the odd shot, that's when i stop thinking about what I need to do to correct the slice.

Yes Lancaster is a tremendous course and I have booked a lesson with the course pro for tomorrow.

I will keep you updated on the outcome!!! I can see this knocking shots off my game with immediate effect!!