Ways to reduce handicap?

Question

i am an average golfer with a 20 handicap and i am seriously trying to drop it to under 15.

any ideas

(i have an exagerated fade)

Answer 1

Join a local mens golf club.  Competition always brings out the best, or worst in people.  Also study and play by the rules every round, that includes when you're golfing by yourself, or 'just out for a good time' with your buddies.  Sometimes the rules can work in your favor.  Also, play often!  Golf is one of those games where, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

Answer 2

Practice...

But practice the right things.  Practice the short game, as this can save you the most strokes.  Also, I think the major source of excess strokes for the higher handicappers comes from penalty strokes.  Cut down on OB, unplayables, and Water penalties, and you will shoot lower.  A good way to cut down on these is to take a shorter club on more narrow holes, plan to miss to the opposite side of where the hazard is, and just make sure that you can try to keep the ball in play the entire time.  Remember this statement, and you will shoot lower guaranteed:  A bogey is much easier to make up than a double or triple bogey.  A birdie cancels a bogey, but it takes something big to cancel those larger numbers.  Keep it in play, and work on your short game.  It will make a difference.

Answer 3

The ONLY way to lower your handicap is to shoot lower scores.

Answer 4

like most other people said, its all about the short game, ever have a 3 putt after a chip? thats allot of waisted strokes. spend allot of time putting, even right before a round spend 20 min on the practice green. when it comes to chips and pitches keep it simple, putt it whenever you can, and dont get over aggresive, nothing is worse than chipping through the green and having a short side chip or bunker shot. also try being very safe with your irons as well, pick a small area on the safest part of the green. as for the tee ball just dont get penalty strokes.

Answer 5

As pretty much everyone has said here, you got to work on your short game.  That is the only real way to drop handicap.  Think of it like this, if you can get your second shot within 100yrds everytime (which should be doable with a 20 handicap) and chip it close and 1 putt that is a par.  As opposed to hitting all 18 greeens and 3 putting every hole for a bogey, which would you rather have?  Stick to short game practice, and if you feel like you are going nowhere with your practices, seek proffesional help.  Instructors are invaluable to dropping your handicap.  They find your weaknesses and try to fix them.

as far as your slice/exaggerated fade goes, do you konw what it is that is causing the it?  its probably a simple fix, most likely you need to bring your club in to out, shallower swing plane, or you might need to release the club with your hands.

Answer 6

Take a few lessons to make sure you are doing things correctly, then just practice like all heck.  Once you know you are doing the right thing, keep at it.  Repetition is the way to go.  I will sit at the range and hit a bucket worth of 105 yards shots and hope they all land in the same spot.  Once they do, which will never happen, I would be set.  It is just the constant act of doing something right that makes you better, so practice you *** off at least 3 days a week, preferably 7 days and just do it to it.

Answer 7

Work at the range on hitting your clubs the same yardage and work on your short game. Harvey Penick has the greatest anectdote. "If you want to improve your putting, hit your irons closer to the hole."

Answer 8

Practice putting and chipping.  That is the easiest way to do it.  The less you putt and chip, the lower your score will be.

Answer 9

Agree.

If you get better in your short game, you can reduce your score by 5 shots or more.

Check how many 3 putts and chip shots you do during the round, and try to reduce them.

3 putts are the one you must not have during the game.

You will see the difference by working on your short game.

Answer 10

Work on your short game.

Hit for show, putt for dough.

The pros spend most of their time on the practice green and bunkers. Start there.