72 replies to this topic

[The Butler]

After having a 4 year lay off due to various reasons I have picked up the clubs again and thought I might keep a thread going of my progress with my goal of getting back to singles. At the lowest I was 6.5 and I think when I stopped I was sitting around 7.4-7.5ish.

 

When I rejoined at Sandy Creek Golf Club in South Australia (late Dec 2018) the pro suggested that I start again with my handicap which I had no issues with as I had not even swung a club in that 4 year break and my score have reflected that.

 

The first of the 3 rounds for my handicap was on 30/12/18 and I shot 106, 50 out and 56 in, so not the greatest comeback haha

5x Par

2x Bogeys

4x Doubles

7x Triples or worse 

2xFIR

4xGIR

3x3Putts with 35 putts in total.

 

Next round was on 1/1/19 where I shot 100 having 50 out and 50 in. 

1x Birdie

4x Par

4x Bogeys

5x Doubles

4x Triples or worse 

1xFIR

3xGIR

2x3Putts with 33 putts in total.

 

Next round was on 3/1/19 where I shot 90 having 46 out and 44 in.

1x Birdie

5x Par inc 4 on the trot

7x Bogeys

3x Doubles

2x Triples or worse 

3xFIR

6xGIR

5x3Putts with 34 putts in total. (3 putted both 17 and 18 having hitting the fairway and playing decent shots in)

 

3 cards were in and now I had my handicap which was 22.9

 

First round with handicap was the MM on 5/1/19 off the blue tee (132 Slope Rating) so the Daily HC can in at 27. Had 96 of the stick for a nett 69, 50 out and 46 in.

1x Birdie

4x Par inc 4 on the trot

6x Bogeys

4x Doubles

3x Triples or worse 

2xFIR

3xGIR

1x3Putts with 31 putts in total.

 

Handicap dropped to 22.3

 

Next round was on 10/1/19 in the mid week comp (Stableford) of the white tees (128 Slope Rating) with a Daily HC of 25. Had 45 points with 20 out and 25 in making it a round of 88 (44/44)

2x Birdie (Back to Back)

4x Par

6x Bogeys

6x Doubles 

4xFIR

6xGIR

1x3Putts with 30 putts in total.

 

Handicap dropped to 21.3

 

Next round was on 12/1/19 in the Saturday comp (Stableford) of the white tees (128 Slope Rating) with a Daily HC of 24. Had 37 points with 17 out and 20 in making it a round of 95 (47/48)

3x Par

11x Bogeys

4x Triple or worse

3x Scrubs 

2xFIR

3xGIR

4x3Putts with 34 putts in total. (Scrubs I count as 3 putts)

 

Handicap dropped to 20.8

 

Overall I am happy with the current trend in my scoring. I know it will take time and that I need to be patient. I have a long way to go to get back to singles but I'm confident that I will get my game back and be there before the year is out. I have set myself a another little goal and that is to be competitive at the SA Indigenous Golf Championship. I won this event in 2012 and would like to have another crack. I hope that some people on here find some interest in this journey and if anyone has any tips about getting back into it after long breaks id love to hear them. 

 

Happy hacking ISG

[Weetbix]

Welcome aboard the blog train Butler

Look forward to reading about your journey

[Tochakka]

When I restarted playing golf in 2010 I had not played for 15 years but was a absolute hacker then and off about 27, but when I restarted I was off 36 and played like it but had lessons and practiced a lot and in 12 months I cut my handicap in half to 18 and in another 12 months got it down to 12.
Maybe get a couple of lessons and see what they suggest you do.

[The Butler]

When I restarted playing golf in 2010 I had not played for 15 years but was a absolute hacker then and off about 27, but when I restarted I was off 36 and played like it but had lessons and practiced a lot and in 12 months I cut my handicap in half to 18 and in another 12 months got it down to 12.
Maybe get a couple of lessons and see what they suggest you do.

 

Once I have some spare $$$$ floating around I intend on getting a lesson or two along with a distance assessment so I know what I'm hitting each club. 

Edited by The Butler, 18 January 2019 - 02:51 PM.

[Turfers Paradise]

Welcome aboard the blog bus Butler
Look forward to reading about your journey

You’ll get him next time Weeti

[CaNadiAn MiCk]

Most importantly a must to ask The Butler.  DID YOU REALLY DO IT?

[The Butler]

Most importantly a must to ask The Butler. DID YOU REALLY DO IT?

If I had a $1 for every time I've heard this I wouldn't have need to win the $107m in last night powerball 😂😂

Edited by The Butler, 18 January 2019 - 03:27 PM.

[CaNadiAn MiCk]

If I had a $1 for every time I've heard this I wouldn't have need to win the $107m in last night powerball

So you did  I knew it!

[Francie]

I suspect that anyone who has been down to single figures, and only 4 years ago, that it will be a quick reduction in your handicap, as you have the skills. I think just playing and practicing more will suffice initially. Lessons eventually may help to get really low. Depends on the individual

[The Butler]

I suspect that anyone who has been down to single figures, and only 4 years ago, that it will be a quick reduction in your handicap, as you have the skills. I think just playing and practicing more will suffice initially. Lessons eventually may help to get really low. Depends on the individual

Have never been a huge one for practice but it won't hurt initially i think and i agree, I'm hopeful the muscle memory returns and I'm able to drop the HC at a steady rate

Edited by The Butler, 18 January 2019 - 03:53 PM.

[Commish]

You have dropped 2 shots in 3 rounds.  That would suggest you are starting to do things of old.  Being the complete hacker that I am, I can only suggest you practice what you identify is faulty with your current game.  As you do that, other things will kick into place.  I would think around the 13 mark or less by mid year.

[Weetbix]

You have dropped 2 shots in 3 rounds.  That would suggest you are starting to do things of old.  Being the complete hacker that I am, I can only suggest you practice what you identify is faulty with your current game.  As you do that, other things will kick into place.  I would think around the 13 mark or less by mid year.

Hey! No putting my 4BBB Champion partner down!

[Halfer5]

I can only comment on my experience but I have had 2 breaks from golf for various reasons.

The first was a hard stop where I didn't play for 8 years, handicap when I quit was 3.4. When I decided I wanted to play again I went to the driving range for about 3 months to groove my swing while I was joining a club. Played some practice rounds then got an initial handicap of 12 & worked that down to 6.4.

The second was a drastic reduction for 15 years where I played at most 6 social rounds a year, some years I only played once, with no practice. When I decided I wanted to play again I followed a similar process as before but didn't join a club. When i played socially I would shoot between 10 & 20 over and was massively inconsistent.

I wasn't very happy with that and I wanted to join a club so for the first 6 months of last year I started to take lessons & practice while going through the club joining process. My initial handicap in August was 6.5 and I'm now off of 3.9. I have a modest goal for this year of beating my pb.

So based on my experiences I'd recommend, given that you obviously have the skills having played to 7, that if you want to fast track your move back to single figures you take a lesson to ensure you haven't picked up any bad habits in your 4 year sabbatical, after that it's just practicing to ensure you have a groved swing and you should get there this year.

[Commish]

Hey! No putting my 4BBB Champion partner down!

 

Just as you have described your golfing ups and downs of late in your thread, I would describe mine as Qld one day, Vic the next, with a touch of NSW thrown in every now and then.  You only need to look at my GL to see where I'm coming from..   But we shall stand tall with a clear mind and purpose come October at 13th Beach.  

[The Butler]

Todays round wasn't that flash (Stableford) of the white tees (128 Slope Rating) with a Daily HC of 24 again. Starting on the 10th today I still managed 37 points with 16 out and 21 in making it a round of 95 (52/43).

 

6x Par

5x Bogeys

4x Doubles

1x Triple or worse

2x Scrubs 

1x FIR

4x GIR

4x 3Putts with 34 putts in total. (Scrubs I count as 3 putts)

 

Really only felt like I hit maybe 5 good solid shots all day. The greens are super slow atm which I'm not use to out there so have to get in the mindset that I have to smash them and well my swing is just all over the shot. That being said the first 4 comp round I have play better than what my HC is so I am taking that as good progress.

 

I can only comment on my experience but I have had 2 breaks from golf for various reasons.

The first was a hard stop where I didn't play for 8 years, handicap when I quit was 3.4. When I decided I wanted to play again I went to the driving range for about 3 months to groove my swing while I was joining a club. Played some practice rounds then got an initial handicap of 12 & worked that down to 6.4.

The second was a drastic reduction for 15 years where I played at most 6 social rounds a year, some years I only played once, with no practice. When I decided I wanted to play again I followed a similar process as before but didn't join a club. When i played socially I would shoot between 10 & 20 over and was massively inconsistent.

I wasn't very happy with that and I wanted to join a club so for the first 6 months of last year I started to take lessons & practice while going through the club joining process. My initial handicap in August was 6.5 and I'm now off of 3.9. I have a modest goal for this year of beating my pb.

So based on my experiences I'd recommend, given that you obviously have the skills having played to 7, that if you want to fast track your move back to single figures you take a lesson to ensure you haven't picked up any bad habits in your 4 year sabbatical, after that it's just practicing to ensure you have a groved swing and you should get there this year.

 

Well done on getting back down to a really low marker. Ive never been a huge one for practice but I feel I will need to make some time for it. A driving and putting lesson will be on the cards at some stage and plenty of chipping practice from around the greens is needed as that was once a strength that I have well and truely lost. 

Edited by The Butler, 19 January 2019 - 01:16 PM.