Fall-ing Handicap

A falling handicap is a scary thing.

Just to be clear, I'm defining falling as going up. I've been in a slump for a couple of years now. My lowest index was in the mid-15 range in 2024. Today, it's around 21. The main reason for the slump is that I don't practice enough- not enough to keep the ball in the fairway and out of trouble. I end up in unfavorable locations, often called in jail, and I don't know how to escape. Sure, I can drive, hit irons, chip, and putt in the practice area, but those conditions are clear of obstructions. The only practice I get hitting my ball off of twigs, next to a tree root, from a severe upward or downward lie, in the weeds, or under a hanging branch is when I play a round. Those "practice" strokes, combined with my frequent fat shots, add up fast.

When I was a bogey golfer, I expected one bad shot per hole.