Well as per my other topic I am just getting back into golf now and want to have a running journal to chart my progress.

Over the last couple of weeks I have managed to get in a few official rounds and a couple of practice rounds (9hole and 18). Shot an official 91, a non official 92 and a couple of high 90s on full rounds and a 44 and 47 over 9.

During the time playing a few of the guys I have played with have said that with a little work I should be able to get under 15 quite quickly.

As such I am setting myself a goal of 12 by the end of 2013. My weakness is definitely putting and bunkers. Thankfully I can hit the ball well enough to avoid bunkers and would be lucky to go in the pot once or twice a round. So with some clean striking and a little luck I can avoid that negative of my game. Putting though I have trouble with, partially I think my eyes dont help as I have quite bad vision and find it hard to pick up the breaks. Again with time and practice at my home course I should learn the breaks reasonably well. I also suffer with pace on putts though. I get to cautious on the close ones and often to aggressive on mid to long range. Today I shot a 98 and due to my putting I left at least 5 shots out there.

I plan to do some practice drills for putting and some standard drills at the range for improving consitency with ball striking.

I am hoping to get out tomorrow for a quick 9 holes early in the morning and will report back with stats.

Kev, don’t set a specific handicap goal, for what you are doing is focussing on your result rather on your process – which is the where your learning comes from.

Instead of setting a specific handicap goal, set an aspiration for better processes, like in your putting, or routine, or attitude, or anything… improved processes lead to improved execution, which in turn leads to improved results and a lower handicap.

It is playing the game and improving your skills that should be the immediate reward. looking at the handicap and having fun with stats is alright, but they are just reflections of the primary activity…. and illustrate where the practice would be directed.

With putting I treat it as a two putt unless I’m within a putter length. Stick your putter in the cup and place ten tees at the end of the handle to form a circle. This is your 100% practice area. This is where you should get annoyed if you miss(although it will happen)
Then putt from different distances to the 3 foot circle/cup. Doesn’t matter if there low, high, left or right as long as they’re in.
You can also move onto chipping, pitching etc to same spot.

Kev, don’t set a specific handicap goal, for what you are doing is focussing on your result rather on your process – which is the where your learning comes from.

Instead of setting a specific handicap goal, set an aspiration for better processes, like in your putting, or routine, or attitude, or anything… improved processes lead to improved execution, which in turn leads to improved results and a lower handicap.

It is playing the game and improving your skills that should be the immediate reward. looking at the handicap and having fun with stats is alright, but they are just reflections of the primary activity…. and illustrate where the practice would be directed.

It is important to avoid being too mechanical…
I putt like a 2-stroke motor.

Mekat, I understand where you arew coming from. But part of the reward from working on the process will be the lower scores. And that is something reqal and measurable. There will be days where I play well and score bad and vice versa and I will tkae these as they come but my focus is on getting my HC low enough to where I would be comfortable teeing up against anyone.

Friday I got out and played 7 holes (slow group that wouldnt let me through so I skipped ahead). Hit some blistering drives but unfortunately the heat was getting to me and I stopped caring. Putting was ordinary again.

Saturday went to the range and after lossening up I was striking the ball very well and played 18 holes in my head. Focussed on keeping a controlled back swing with a nice transition into my downswing. Ensured I didnt rush the shot and either turn over on the ball or anything like that. Striking some nice drives too (although the rubber tees were higher than I am used to) was still hitting the back fence on the full (approx 210m away) and most were within the posts that I had deisgnated as “fairway”.

Too hot to go out this afternoone after work but plan on going down tomorrow for a 9 holer after work followed by some bunker and green practice.

Ok decided to go down for a round after work today and played reasonably well. Again putting let me down big time. Had chipped to within about a metre and a half countless times and on some occasions proceeded to 3 putt from there. Good news was on the back 9 with my overall game I started to groove my swing again.

I cant remember my stats on the front but on the back 9 I hit 5 of 7 fairways and 4 of 9 Greens in reg. A couple of missed greens were by a mere foot or so.

Went around in 89. Very easily could have been 85 or less with better putting.

Kev, good to see that you’ve got your goal clearly in your mind and have identified the areas of the game that are holding you back.

One of the key things I learnt last year (that has really helped my scoring) is that …... “There is no break on a two foot putt”.

In the past on sloping greens, I was looking for the break on short putts, and at times imagining it, and “giving the hole away” when I didn’t need to.

Since picking up the tip of “no break on a two foot putt”, I’ve been playing for the centre of the cup, even on some pretty steep slopes, and just playing them firmly.

Hit it firmly and confidently, and they do indeed drop in the hole.

That then gives me confidence on the first putt, knowing that if I just get it close, I’ll definitely sink the next one.

What I’ve found is that even for three and four footers, my confidence is much higher as a result, and I just allow for a touch more break than the two footer ….... and still hit them confidently and firmly.

Just remember that a short putt struck firmly will break less, so play for less or no break and hit them confidently …. and you will sink more of those pesky short putts.

Hope this helps …......