Highlands Ranch Golf Round Recap (98) – Honest Amateur Breakdown
I played a round today at Highlands Ranch Golf Club with Lucas and finished with a 98. Not my best, but if you’re a mid-handicap golfer like me, you know these rounds happen.
This is a full breakdown of what worked, what didn’t, and what I’m trying to fix.
What Went Right: Driver Finally Showing Progress
The biggest positive from this round was my driver.
I hit it consistently well for most of the day, with only a couple of bad misses. Distance felt solid, and I’m starting to see signs that my recent lessons are helping—especially with my backswing.
Key Highlights:
- Hole #2: Great drive and a solid approach onto the green (wasted with a 3-putt)
- Hole #6: Strong tee shot and managed to reach the green despite a less-than-perfect approach
For a 15–18 handicap golfer, this is exactly the kind of progress you want to see off the tee.
What Killed My Score: Chipping and Bunker Play
Let’s not sugarcoat it—this is where the round completely fell apart.
Chipping Issues (Biggest Problem)
My short game is in a really bad spot right now.
Chunked chips, poor contact, no confidence—it’s costing me multiple strokes per hole.
If you’re shooting in the 90s, this is probably familiar:
- Miss green
- Bad chip
- Miss putt
- Add 2–3 strokes instantly
That was my round in a nutshell. Normally chipping is one of my strongest parts of my game, when it goes bad the whole round goes bad.
Bunker Trouble (Felt like I hit every bunker possible)
I don’t know what it was, but I found every bunker on the course.
It honestly felt like I was in the sand more today than I was all of last year combined.
Even worse:
- Struggled to get out cleanly
- Left myself in bad positions
- Turned manageable holes into double bogeys (or worse)
One Bright Spot on the Short Game
It wasn’t all bad.
On hole #13, I hit a really clean chip with backspin and managed to save par on a par 3.
That shot proved I can do it—it’s just about consistency now.
Swing Changes I’m Working On
I’m currently taking lessons (see my lessons progress here) and focusing on two key swing changes:
1. Straighter Backswing
Trying to avoid getting too far inside and keep the takeaway more on plane.
2. Hip Rotation in Downswing
Working on initiating the downswing by firing my hips (like closing a door).
Results so far:
- When I do it right → great shots
- When I don’t → inconsistent and frustrating
Pretty typical for swing changes mid-season.
Playing Partner Recap: Lucas Goes Low
While I struggled, Lucas absolutely lit it up.
- Shot a 76
- Was +6 on the front nine
- Then played a phenomenal back nine
Everything was working for him—ball striking, putting, course management.
Not going to lie:
- Proud of him
- Also… he made me look terrible out there
Final Scorecard Takeaways
Final Score: 98
Handicap Range: 15–18
What Worked:
- Driver (best club in the bag today)
- Occasional solid iron shots
What Needs Serious Work:
- Chipping (top priority) get back being an asset not a liability
- Bunker play ties in with the overall bad chipping
- Putting consistency but the new putter is starting to feel better
Key Lesson for Amateur Golfers
If you’re trying to break 90 (like me), here’s the reality:
👉 You can survive inconsistent ball striking
👉 You cannot survive a bad short game
Fixing chipping and bunker play is the fastest way to drop strokes.
What’s Next
Going to keep grinding on:
- Short game practice
- Bunker reps
- Reinforcing swing changes from lessons
Hopefully next round shows some improvement.
If you’re a mid-handicap golfer working through similar issues, you’re not alone. This is the process.