Gaz,
I think the problematic issues with the golf industry is the wrong perceptions are getting put out there by golf magazines etc which have really damaged golf coaching.
There is more to being a golf coach than teaching mechanics it’s a small part of the equation. The biggest role is they are a mentor.

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist

http://www.golflink.com.au/...
2012 Rotary Ambrose Champions “All Star Team” Member.
LD Champion – Growling Bog ’11, A Grade WV ’12, Bendigo ’12.
Albatross – 3rd hole Par 5 Beaconhills 19-11-2012 3W-6 iron.

With all due respect, we often have that perception because it is our experience. So more coaches who take a broader world view the better our collective experiencs (and results)will be.
Cheers

Gaz,
I think the problematic issues with the golf industry is the wrong perceptions are getting put out there by golf magazines etc which have really damaged golf coaching.
There is more to being a golf coach than teaching mechanics it’s a small part of the equation. The biggest role is they are a mentor.

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist

http://www.golflink.com.au/...
2012 Rotary Ambrose Champions “All Star Team” Member.
LD Champion – Growling Bog ’11, A Grade WV ’12, Bendigo ’12.
Albatross – 3rd hole Par 5 Beaconhills 19-11-2012 3W-6 iron.

With all due respect, we often have that perception because it is our experience. So more coaches who take a broader world view the better our collective experiencs (and results)will be.
Cheers

In Gaz’s case considering he has never had a lesson it would be more the glossy magazines is where he developed his perceptions from.

It’s always easy to blame others for our failures. In golf it’s always the coaches fault. It’s never the golfers fault who fails to commit or be dedicated to do the training or practice asked of them to do to improve.

Every time I hear people bitch about a coach and blame him for their failures, I ask them a simple question. How many times a week do you practice or do you just play once a week? I play once a week. So it’s the coaches fault you never practice is it?.

Coaches are driven at times to give a quick fix because the golfer lacks desire or dedication to practice. They want the god in a bottle miracle cure. Sadly the coach is forced to give a quick fix.
The golfer has the audacity to blame the coach for their failures.

In my experience working with the best players in the world they all have different swings, different ideas on how to swing and how their swing works. They play the game different in their own unique ways to each other. Their coaches have different ideas and methods for their players etc.
What they all he players have in common is the desire, dedication to practice and train properly to keep on developing their skills.

How about a golfer taking accountability for not interviewing the golf coach and making sure this coach is going to meet their requirements and expectations to help them improve.
If I’m going to pay $120 dollars a lesson I’d be making sure the guy is worth the investment first. I thought it would be a logical thing to do. I guess when you thing about it though if people can’t be bothered to do this,it shows they aren’t truly serious about investing into the right person to improve.

My question to you GPJ (Gaz?) is how often are you playing with people close to your handicap or ability?

You have said that you watch other players to see what you may learn. I assume these people you take notice of are at (or below) your handicap. Having said that, how often do you play with much higher handicappers, and does that have an effect (like a slackening) on your etiquette or processes when you play?

In your club’s comps, can you choose who you play with?

My issue is financial when it comes to my lack of coaching. I simply cannot afford to see a coach, nor can I afford to play full rounds on other courses, though I know playing on other courses broadens your golfing experience and perhaps even ability.

Like you, I am largely un-coached and I am on a single digit (7). I am the lowest handicapper in the ladies club by 7 strokes, but almost never get to play with the lower end of my club’s A grade, as the comp’s field is drawn (ungraded) like a lottery.

I feel we both have similar issues, and they are of mental discipline. Mine is in dealing with a lack of immediate competition, and play pace, and yours seems to be about focusing on handicap.

I do not see the point in worrying about where your handicap may go, and what to do to get it there. If you can be in an environment where you can regularly play physically and mentally relaxed golf, that alone will benefit your handicap. physically relaxed golf is mechanically consistent, unforced play. mentally relaxed golf is smoothly paced and focussed play.

How low can you (or I) go? who knows, who cares… would you be lower in a different environment to that where you are now??

I think the bigger questions are, while a goal is is good to have, once achieved what is there? Should we change the word goal with the word aspiration.
What should one’s aspiration be?

My question to you GPJ (Gaz?) is how often are you playing with people close to your handicap or ability?

You have said that you watch other players to see what you may learn. I assume these people you take notice of are at (or below) your handicap. Having said that, how often do you play with much higher handicappers, and does that have an effect (like a slackening) on your etiquette or processes when you play?

In your club’s comps, can you choose who you play with?

My issue is financial when it comes to my lack of coaching. I simply cannot afford to see a coach, nor can I afford to play full rounds on other courses, though I know playing on other courses broadens your golfing experience and perhaps even ability.

Like you, I am largely un-coached and I am on a single digit (7). I am the lowest handicapper in the ladies club by 7 strokes, but almost never get to play with the lower end of my club’s A grade, as the comp’s field is drawn (ungraded) like a lottery.

I feel we both have similar issues, and they are of mental discipline. Mine is in dealing with a lack of immediate competition, and play pace, and yours seems to be about focusing on handicap.

I do not see the point in worrying about where your handicap may go, and what to do to get it there. If you can be in an environment where you can regularly play physically and mentally relaxed golf, that alone will benefit your handicap. physically relaxed golf is mechanically consistent, unforced play. mentally relaxed golf is smoothly paced and focussed play.

How low can you (or I) go? who knows, who cares… would you be lower in a different environment to that where you are now??

The speed at which men play golf is inversely proportional to that of the vehicle bearing their clubs

Hi Mekat … and yep, feel free to call me Gaz …........

In regard to playing with people of a lower handicap, sometimes I do, but more often than not I play with guys either around the same handicap as myself, or just a tad higher.

I think I can learn from those with a lower handicap and also those with a higher handicap, it just depends on the person, and their level of game on the day.

With this being a game of such varied skills, we all have various strengths and weaknesses in this game, from a scratch player to a 20+ handicapper. You could be close to being a scratch player yet still struggle with the putter, whereas you could have a 20 plus handicapper who once he finally gets to the greens, putts extremely well. (Two extreme examples I know, but you get the idea)

In my club comps, I’m not that fussed in who I play with, preferring them to be “laid back in nature” no matter what they’re handicap. (Been lucky at my home course, in that the Sunday crew I generally play with, fits this criteria perfectly)

As it stands, I don’t feel that playing with higher handicap players has a detrimental effect on my own performances (I defintiely don’t start slackening off on my own game).

I think that when I focus on my handicap, it’s definitely not when I’m actually playing the game.

When I’m playing, my sole intent is to get the ball in the hole in par or less ….... on whatever hole I’m on.

I rarely consider if I get a shot on a specific hole or not, as
I just want to play it in as many shots as the designer intended, and to try to sneak in the odd birdie here and there along the way.

I think though, that from an overview of my golf game … and how it’s tracking, we only have the handicap figure to go by, although at times it can certainly be misleading.

Back when I was off around 10 or 11, my tee to green work on my home course was like a mid single figure player …. yet my putting let me down a hell of a lot.

It’s in doing the analysis of my rounds though .. some corrective actions can be put in place, and obviously with work, some shots can be shaved off in my future rounds … which of course would benefit my handicap long term.

Because we do have handicaps, that’s how we generally measure ourselves in this game I guess, so while I do enjoy myself out there every time I tee it up .. I certainly want to improve in all areas of the game.

Whatever handicap I get down to though (presuming that I am going to go lower) .... it will just be the result of the work that I put into my game ….. and certainly not the focal point of the journey.

For me I guess in playing this game, hitting some great golf shots at times, has always been my reward, and not the desire for a low handicap figure. That may or may not be an outcome, and only time will tell I reckon.

In relation to the question of “how low can I go” I figured that with the wealth of knowledge / expertise on this site, that others may have a good idea of what is realistic or achieveable on your own, based on their experience in teaching etc.