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Turning the corner into more serious golf

Benjamin F — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:39:50 GMT

Good afternoon,

Brand new TT member here, and I'm starting to get a bit more serious as a player.

A bit of background, I'm 27 and I played a bit around the time I was in middle school, and then was reintroduced during 2020. During that time (2020-2023), I improved quite a bit, being able to regularly score in the low 90s on most courses. Life got in the way, and I wasn't able to keep up my playing until now, where I have the schedule to allow playing or range time much more frequently.

I can still shoot about 92-96 (I have no idea what that translates to in handicap), but my best friend is getting married next summer, and I want to be at least into the 80s by the time his bachelor party comes around. Any advice to shave off a few strokes and build consistency? Or is it simply range time and playing rounds that helps?

I know the answers are varied, and I can provide more relevant information if needed.

Thank y'all,

Ben

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Don O — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:08:37 GMT

Scoring can be broken down to Fairways hit, greens in regulation (GIR) a.k.a. approach shots, and putts. You can track them on a scorecard.

There are no shortage of articles on how to break 90. Three putts that contribute to double bogeys are the biggest reason one can’t break 90.

That you hit some drives OOB may mean you are hitting less than 50% of fairways. Besides working to get closer to a fairway, having some basic stats, a pro can work on a plan to improve. I promise it will not spending time on a range primarily hitting driver.

RE: Wedge chart

Bill P — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:31:14 GMT

Recently went thru a Titleist wedge fitting and changed from a 4-club set up to a 3-club set up. Removed the 52* wedge from the bag. My SM10 46*/F remained but was bent to 47* and added two new SM11's to the mix: 54*/M bent to 53*, and 58*/M. Still getting comfortable with the new wedges and then will do a chart for three distances per club based on stance width as taught by Dan Grieves.

Wedge chart

Dan B — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:23:10 GMT

Does anyone use a wedge chart?

If you do, how many yardages do you have for each club? 3 or 4?

Also do you use it for PW through to LW?

I’ve decided it’s something I’m going to do for this season, instead of trying to gauge the distance and hope that it will give me more confidence over those sub 100 shots

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Clinton M — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:54:47 GMT

get lessons and practice on the driving range

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Dan B — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:25:04 GMT

92 with a couple of OB could have easily been mid 80’s though so take the positives from the round.

I feel your pain with those approach shots, something I’m working on this season for sure. They are definitely better than last season but still not what they need to be.

Keep working and it will come

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

LGuzman — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:55:52 GMT

Ben, like most of the posts above:
1) Get a PGA Pro lesson
2) Focus on pitching, chipping and putting (see your own post above)
3) Practice what the PGA Pro recommends on item #2.
4) Go out and have fun!!

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Benjamin F — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:46:04 GMT

Thanks for all of the responses. I think it's definitely time to get a lesson or two down.

I just played my first 18 of the year yesterday, shot 92, with front 9 score of 41. Back 9 was a bit rough, hit a couple unfortunate OB shots and certainly not my best putting (even though the front was my lowest9 ever.

I do feel at this point my biggest weak link is between 50 and 100 yard shots, I found myself flying or coming up short from that range. Full iron swings and within 30 yard chips have been pretty on point. Maybe a lesson with a focus on those approach shots is in order.

Thanks,
Ben

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Eric H — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:29:27 GMT

Hey Ben, all of the best teachers and players say the best way to save shots is to practice around the green. Its alot of fun to hit drivers nad 7 irons at the range, and that is definitely required to improve, but getting better around the greens is key! Get better at chipping and putting can eliminate strokes quickly! Spend some time around the practice green and get soft hands!

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Keith M — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:03:42 GMT

I saw a recent instructional video with Gary Player, he said the #1 advice he would give to amateurs is don't waste your time fiddling with your swing on the range, spend all your time on the practice green and chipping area. You'll find more strokes there than anywhere else.

Like the others said, working with a PGA Professional on setup, grip, and fundamentals will help the overall swing and consistency of contact.

RE: Range mats vs grass

Erich F — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:57:08 GMT

Barry, I second that thought. I went to a simulator and didn't hit it great and still shot 74 on the Old Course.

Range mats vs grass

Jimmy S — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:03:58 GMT

Hitting off mats just doesn’t translate the same for me as real grass, and I’m starting to feel like it’s actually hurting my on-course performance. Mats seem to let me get away with slightly fat contact where the club just bounces into the ball and still produces a decent shot, but on the course those same swings turn into chunks or inconsistent strikes. I’ll leave the range feeling solid, then it doesn’t show up when it matters. Curious if anyone else in the Team Titleist community has dealt with this and what you’ve done to make mat practice more effective or better transition to real turf before a round?

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Erich F — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:54:51 GMT

If you have a place to practice your short game, do it! Being able to get up and down from around the green is the best way to lower your scores. Chipping and putting well will serve you well, especially if you are having a struggle with the long game. If the driver and irons are on, you can go low, if the driver and irons are a bit balky, you can rely on your short game to save your round.

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

Frank P — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:17:51 GMT

INSTRUCTION !!!

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

John G — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:22:08 GMT

Ben, find a PGA teaching pro and take lessons. A good foundation of the golf swing, short game and putting you will receive from your lessons will put you on the correct path to shooting in the 80s. John

RE: Turning the corner into more serious golf

nancy s — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:04:10 GMT

Have you taken any lessons? Have you taken any rules classes? Learning course management will help you save a few strokes as well. You would be surprised what a lesson can do for your game. At first it might be frustrating until you hone that advice the Pro gives you.

Nancy

RE: Range mats vs grass

Ethan B — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:42:56 GMT

Completely agree, grass ranges are so much better and more representative of the actual course

RE: Range mats vs grass

JKeiter — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:44:16 GMT

Ain't that the truth. I got some crazy golf elbow from hitting off mats - and it was even off a very good one. I’d go so far as to say I’ll probably never hit off mats if there’s turf available and if there isn’t, I just work on different driver/fairway wood sits mostly

RE: Hitting on mats

WKilloran — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:22:19 GMT

I don’t think it makes a big difference. I know if I hit the ball solidly.

Hitting on mats

Greg B — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:37:03 GMT

Hey guys, I just came back from the range. The grass hitting area was closed and I had to hit off the mats which I hate doing. I think it gives you a false sense of hitting the ball first. Antone else have a comment on this.

RE: Range mats vs grass

Eric H — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:55:07 GMT

I love that we have indoor facilities for the long winter months. Our local one is amazing, love hanging out there. However, I just get tired of the mats, The interaction with the ground is just not the same as actual earth and grass.

RE: Range mats vs grass

Randy M — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:22:59 GMT

When hitting off the mats whether at the driving range or in a simulator setting, I find that it is really easy to become ball focused rather than target focused. If you get ball focused in your practice off the mats, you will tend to get real steep on your downswing which is not good at all. You will see lots of chunks and mishits if that happens --- especially when you return to natural turf because the bounce that you experience when hitting off the mat is no longer there when hitting off real grass. You then have to readjust to a shallowed out swing path through the impact zone.

RE: Range mats vs grass

Dale V — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:07:43 GMT

I will add that some mats have minimal padding and can damage clubs and shafts. Steep swings can crack shafts and de-loft forged irons. I wish our range had an area where you can practice uneven lies and rough for full shots. Ours, like most, are pretty flat as it’s easier to maintain.

RE: Range mats vs grass

samuel g — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:36:04 GMT

One can never hit it fat off the mat.
It often feels as if I can just bounce the sole of the iron off the mat regardless of the steepness of my swing. Also works well to pull off some tricky a flop shots.
The true feedback is not there though.

RE: Hitting on mats

Clinton M — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:59:07 GMT

the driving range i go to has mats