Simulation Game Improvement Realization?

[SirNeedaSim]

I've been golfing for 3 years and will be starting my 4th year in May. I discovered the game but putting myself out there to try to networking with colleagues at work. I quickly discovered I really didn't care about networking anymore and discovered a true love, Golf. I do love the commradary of a good foursome. Wish I would have thrown the pool stick away 30 years ago.

As of now, I'm a low to mid 90's player, with a best legit round of 86 twice and a handful of other rounds in the 80's. I've been making steady improvement on my game thus far. Boy, I sure am glad I made it through that 1st year, not sure the guys playing behind me did though...Lol!

I've committed to and already purchased all of the pieces to build my Garage Sim but I'm waiting for a few straggling pieces to arrive before I can get up and running. ST & TGC will be my setup.

I would like to shout out to all you guys who have been playing on a Sim for more than a year and hear what kind of game improvement success you've realized thus far with respect to handicap and game improvement. Please provide some insight on your Sim. usage and work out routines if you respond. I look forward to hearing your success stories to get a glimpse of what might be coming my way. Thanks in advance for any responses provided.

Rick

[keither5150]

Rick,

Welcome to TGC. It's a blast. I've had my sim since 2013 but only really started using it ( due to injury ) July 2015. Since then I have dropped my handicap from a 18 to a 10. Big improvement comes with plenty of shots. I bought TGC in Aug 2015 and since then have played over 340 rounds. My routines are simple...... practice for the next tour event, play the event..... practice for the next event. Once you get your feet wet, join the tour, it's a lot of fun. Some of the guys organized a group play lobby as well. I just looked at my shot data. I have taken over 16000 shots since July. I must say that I love TGC and my sim. You may have to change your user name to Sirgottasim. Many times I would hit a 8 or a7 iron off the tee just so I could be 140 yards out as my short game sucked. After working a ton on the short game, I now use the driver on almost all holes. My Girs and FIRs have gone from 15%-30% to 45%-65%. This winter I am working on my short game and shot shaping...

[SirNeedaSim]

Thanks for sharing Keither, sounds like your on a great trend and have a good plan. The 16000 shots, is that since July 2015 or 2016? Does that include or exclude the shots from 340 rounds? It would be very interesting if the software Guru's would publish some real statistical data analysis reports from everyday Joe's like us that shows game improvement trends based on usage.

[keither5150]

16000 since july 2016.....I know.... I have a problem. Includes shots from tournament, the range and practice rounds after July 2016 ..... July 2016 is when TGC shot data went live. 340 rounds are completed rounds since Aug 2015. Many times I won't complete a round because it was a practice round..... I find a shot I want to practice and hit the autorewind button ( like auto mulligan ) and then take the same shot over and over. Sometimes 30 or 40 times, with the same shot. I might be the most addicted player on TGC.......

[Sascha1818]

Hi Rick,

i just started to play golf in spring 2015. I did one or two rounds of "gardening" and "easter egg hunt" the in fall 2014 but really got hooked in spring 2015.
Since I'm on the road a lot and wasn't a member in a German Golf club at the time i desigted to buy a sim (ST) in fall 2015. Late fall 2015 was also the
first time i broke 90. When TGC came out for skytrak in feb 2016 i bought it in the first hour available. Best money i ever spend. Started with mid to high
90, even rounds in the 100s on TGC with my skytrak. Some of it had to do with indoor swing, getting a feel for the short game and putting on TGC but i improved to high
80s , low 90s within a month or two. In late summer last year i broke 80 for the first time. Man what a day, was smiling for days. Had one more round in the 70s since.
I play pretty consistant in the mid 80s now. I'm pretty disappointed with a high 80s lol. If i could stay focused I'm sure i could play better. The 2 or 3 double or even tripple a round is what's still driving me crazy. Long story short. I went from a 20+ handicap to a 13 handicap within one year. It's awesome and now that i have my new heated sim room finished and am almost 100% again after my surgery I will be playing 6x a week again soon. Want to get single digit this year. Oh and by the way, join the TGC tour right away, it's a blast. I will try the online group play soon as well. Just have to recover a little more. Been playing the tour for almost one year now and it's a blast.

[SirNeedaSim]

Breaking 80 within 1.75 year after starting to play period.....WOW!!! Either you have some natural ability or I'm just a very slow learner, maybe some of both. Seriously, I just read multiple places only about 2% of golfers break 80, 25% break 90. To do that in such a short period is freaking amazing. Please elaborate on how you've been so successful.

Btw, if you hit a driver descent and haven't tried a 48" long driver, you owe it to yourself to experiment and at least try it. I bought a new uncut shaft for my driver last year and had the hosel fitting epoxied on at the range pro shop just for kicks to see what 48" was like before deciding to cut it down. Hit a small bucket of balls at the range and I was definetly longer. Went straight to Greencastle Greens and played 18 at my scheduled tee time. It's probably the toughest real course near me that I play. Best previous round there was 95ish. Shot an 88 first day with 48" beast. I refuse to cut it down now....lol. I have noticed I tend to stay lower in the 90's now. Don't believe all the BS you read about long driver shafts until you try it for yourself. Only negative I can mention is how far it sticks out of my bag the need to buy a longer head cover to protect it from the other clubs.