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Duffs to Darts on a Dime – Documenting My Journey to Better Golf

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Duffs to Darts on a Dime- kickoff

This is the first of what is planned to be a weekly Vlog update on my Duffs to Darts on a dime project. I’m currently a 20 Handicap. I plan on dropping 8-10 strokes off my index by October 31st 2018. The Catch here is that it will be done as cheap as possible.

Every player who has ever taken on the game of golf seriously has been asked at least once “what’s your handicap?”

That amazingly complicated tool that most of us don’t fully understand but we know the lower it is, the better we are as a player. It’s also the way that we can make the annual Golficity Virtual Open fair for everyone. 

The day you decide to commit to golf is the same day you want that single digit handicap. I started playing the game when I was 18. I was obsessed for a while, spending every single spare minute I could find at the range or playing a local course that was only $10 to play 9 holes if I walked.

This went on for about a year until my now wife, then girlfriend, and I moved into our own place. Needless to say, the disposable income was at a minimum and so was my improvement. If it wasn’t for my dad paying for rounds I probably would have stopped playing the game all together due to the need to survive.

Scattered rounds and minimal practice sessions continued for a few years, but my love of the game never really went away. Before I knew it, I was 30 and my golf game hadn’t improved at all. What had improved was that I had a stable job that paid well (I’m not rich but I’m comfortable) and my two kids didn’t need as much constant attention as they did the years prior. This allowed me to fall back in love with this wonderful game.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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I’m 33 at the time of this article and I’m more dedicated to golf than any other hobby in my life. One thing still hasn’t changed….. I’m still a 20-handicap player!

I have said on too many occasions “I’m the best 20 handicapper you will ever see.” I’m a stud on a simulator when the pressure is off. I don’t believe my handicap reflects how I swing a club, how I putt or how low I’m capable of shooting, but stats don’t lie!

I just finished my first year as a Golficity writer and it’s time to take on something that not only will benefit my golf game, but so many others that struggle to shed strokes from their handicap.

I have been told on more than one occasion that my swing is decent, I make solid contact and I can bomb my driver between 280-300 yards consistently. The problem is that those drives are often out of bounds (OB) off the tee and this issue isn’t just reserved for driver.

Most of this is related to a bad stance and lazy hips through rotation. The other issue has to do with one simple but major fact….. MY CLUBS DON’T FIT ME ANYMORE!  I was fitted (a basic fitting, nothing major) by a big box distributor 10+ years ago. Those game improvement irons have too weak of a shaft, the lie angles don’t make sense anymore and my swing has improved to the point that its hurting my game playing equipment that just doesn’t fit.

How will this be different than the traditional way of lowering your Handicap?

I’m going to go about this project a little differently than what would be considered “the traditional approach.” I am going to do this as low cost as possible.

Instead of going and getting fit with a brand new set of OEM clubs I’m going to go to Sub 70 Golf (Meet New Golf Club Company Sub 70 Golf). This company is a direct to consumer club company, passing the savings of the clubs onto the customer. They make a quality product at 1/3 of the cost. 

This will be the second part of my three part series with Sub 70 Golf (Facility tour, fitting experience, end of year evaluation). I’m also going to utilize the videos, tips and tricks that Golficity/ The Golficity App has been delivering for years along with some other Internet personalities, (Kevin Sprecher, Me and My golf, Mr. ShortGame, etc.) who have been offering instruction for the average golfer from places all over the globe via Instagram and YouTube.

The idea here is simple. Is it possible for the average player to their handicap on a budget, if they put in the work?

I don’t have a ton of disposable income, my office is an hour from my home and I have daily responsibilities that make it difficult to practice all day. Don’t get me wrong, if you can go to a certified teaching profession and get lessons, DO IT! I want to see how far self-motivation and hard work can get me.

So what’s the plan?

If I plan on dropping 8-10 strokes off of my index in just 10 months I’m going to need a plan. Here is how I plan to do it.

  1. Weekly recap vlog/ posts on YouTube and Instagram (Duffs to Darts on a Dime). Covering what drills I’ve done, mindset hurdles, etc (Ed DiTusa on YouTube and Instagram).
  2. Getting fit to low cost, but quality Clubs that fit my swing (Sub 70).
  3. Nightly putting and chipping using the PuttOut and PuttOut mat.
  4. 100 swings a day (Hank Haney tip).
  5. Improving physical fitness (Kirk Adams has provided weekly fitness Friday exercises for the #GolficityArmy).
  6. Lunch break short game practice in the parking lot (making time where I can to practice).
  7. Lunch break range sessions (I call these lunch buckets). Going to a local range near the office and working only one type of shot per session.
  8. Playing more rounds (even if it’s just 9 holes, getting out to local muni’s and logging rounds towards my handicap).
  9. Reviewing the data from my ShotScope and how my progress is tracking.
  10. Reading up on course management and the mental game.
When is the deadline?

The deadline is October 31st, 2019 to have my handicap no higher than a 12.0. I will play what is usually the last round of the year for me at the end of October.

If my handicap is above an even 12.0 then I missed my end goal. If its 12 or lower then its a success. Pretty simple.

I understand I can only take myself so far without a coach. I am also aware that I may be developing some bad swing habits as well but I’m looking forward to finding out how low I can go.


 

Ed started playing golf when he was 18. It started out as a hobby and something he liked to do but by 2014 it had turned into a full blown obsession. Since then Ed has committed himself to improving and learning more about the game. He doesn’t work in the golf industry, he’s not a teaching pro, he’s a guy who just loves the game and enjoys sharing his thoughts with others who share the same passion.

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ewagner2488
ewagner2488
5 years ago

Hey, this sounds a lot like me. I have been playing golf since I was 12, but never really fell in love and started playing a lot until I was in college. Then, life happens with starting a career, marriage, and kids, and I’m now 32 and a 19 handicap, and just starting to get back out there a good bit. I too have a commute to work of almost an hour, and have to play a lot of 9 hole rounds and practice where I can. I’m excited to follow your progress, as I have wondered recently if I… Read more »

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