I really need someone to make me feel better—or worse. I started seriously pursuing golf last year and took lessons, with the goal of consistently breaking 100 by the end of this year. But honestly, I feel like I’m nowhere near that goal.
One big issue is finding time to play, especially with work and young kids. I finally got out for a round this week after a couple of months, and it was rough. I topped the ball 40 yards, sliced drives into the woods six times in a row (I kept teeing it up, hoping to hit a good shot), and my best drive was only 145 yards—at least it went straight! I even chucked my driver into the woods at one point, then had to sheepishly go retrieve it.
Is there any hope for a 40-year-old guy who’s not great at sports and only plays once a month to get better at this frustrating game? Should I just stick to my mixed doubles team? I’m seriously hating golf right now and feeling terrible about myself for wanting to improve but not seeing any progress.
I just broke 100 for the first time today after taking golf seriously for 6 weeks! Before this, I’d only play once or twice a year. I’ve been hitting at least a small bucket of balls almost every day and have played 5 rounds total. So that’s about 35 days of practice, plus 3 lessons and a ton of YouTube videos. Just keep practicing, and you’ll definitely get there!
It took me about a year, and I practiced way more than you and took lessons, yet I still shoot over 100 regularly after nearly 5 years. My goal is usually to hit the low 90s. Golf is a tough game, and you really need to dedicate a lot of time to it if you want to be even mediocre. I’m 44, by the way, short and stocky with the flexibility of a tree!
I also started playing golf in my early 40s, and it took me about two and a half years to finally start breaking 100. Guyz…Golf is tough, especially at first when there are so many details you can mess up in your swing.
But don’t worry—there’s definitely hope for you to get decent at golf, even if you can only play once a month. Try to find some time to hit the driving range, even if it’s just for half an hour. Focus on the basics: aim for the middle of the clubface and don’t stress about distance. This isn’t a competition!
If you figure out which club you can hit consistently—maybe it’s your 7-iron—then use that to tee off. If it takes you four 7-irons to reach the green on a par 4, that’s fine! You’ve still got two putts to make a double, which isn’t bad when you’re trying to break 100. Just keep the ball in play and avoid penalties as much as you can. The key to breaking those goals like 100, 90, or even 80 is to play to your strengths and keep it simple.
Juz keep in mind that a lot of people don’t follow the proper rules. They’ll give themselves a breakfast ball or a mulligan and then claim they broke 100. Not saying everyone does this, but it’s pretty common…
I’ve played 1.5 months from the reds (the forward tees), 2 months from the greens (the second closest to the front), and 3 months from the whites. I’ve broken 100 from the whites twice, but that’s my level right now, so there’s no point in moving back further anytime soon.
You’ve only played for 2 months? You literally don’t practice, so how can you expect to get good? It’s like going to the gym just 4 times a year and being mad that your bench press isn’t improving.
If you want to get better, treat it like a sport. You’ve got to enjoy the process of improving. Honestly, practicing is more fun for me than actually playing. Playing is just a way to test your skills and then figure out what you need to work on. It’s a cycle: practice, play, and repeat.
And if you’re feeling unathletic, just hit the gym and stay active. That’ll do way more for your golf game and your overall health and quality of life
