Real Player Growth?

[stillgolfing]

I have read several earlier posts regarding this issue and noted that there were various opinions as to what, when and how this occurs (or doesn't).
Here are my observations regarding a new ME I created, about six months ago.
After a failed attempt at surviving Elite (handled original courses O.K. - average par, but could not complete many top 400 Custom Courses because I literally would get stuck in a bunker or deep rough and could not get out, so had to can the game - note someone once posted you could take a twelve and move on, but I have yet to find that option.), I Consequently, created a new player, went back to Standard mode, moved up a tee (from the Blacks) and started playing my similarly untalented ani-buddies on various recommended courses, as well as some "pot luck downloads" Here are my observations:

1) My newly created "Standard" player's driver originally = 232 yds when selected
2) When hit the ratio of carry to roll (C/R) was 60/40
3) The assigned distance and observed C/R ratio improved as I played more holes/games
4) Current stats (after 850 holes), Driver = 266 yds, C/R 85/15.

This improvement in player ability has allowed my scoring average to improve from 76.2 after 200 holes to my current 71.2. Yesterday I got my first hole in one (2nd hole on Ullna GolfKlub) and shot my lowest score by far (-9) at the Ridges. Still overall I'm not good enough to play against the Pro rosters, but I'm beating the crap out of the amateurs, so the game is much more enjoyable.

Do any of you experienced regulars remember if you observed this kind of improvement when you played at this level.
Also, I was wondering at what point you were able to move up to Elite and play competatively?
Thanks Dave

[bryce]

Dave,
If you select the box "allow pickups" on the screen where you decide what course to play (options tab, I believe) you can pick up and go to the next tee.

I use 2 players. One a vertical truswing, the other a clicker. I caught on to the clicking fast, but it took 2 years before I could consistently shoot close to par with my truswinger. Now my scoring average for each is a .2 difference! My truswing player did experience a great improvement, almost overnight. I was shooting around 80-85, until I realized the courses I was playing were just brutal, and I played EVERYTHING on very dry greens. I started shooting around par almost immediately, even while varying the green conditions.

I still could not and now cannot compete with some of the greats that played on the Copyright Club ladders like Terry, Dar, or Hookster, so I just stayed out of them and played casual games.

Doron

[SteveHorn]

Dave! It sounds like to me its time for you to graduate yourself to the standard Pro tour like a mid point (Nationwide tour). Thats what I did when I first started after I started being to good for the amateurs. If you use the Pro tour that comes with the game play some courses that aren't as difficult and win a few and improve your average a little more maybe 70 to 70.5 area.Yes you may struggle at times and miss the cut more then you like but you sould continue to improve the more you play. Once you win a few on the Pro tour then graduate again and play against my PGA players. The PGA players list they average from 69.7 to 72.5. so you fit. Also I'm a truswing player and my driving average is about the same as yours is now and I've won many tournaments. I've also missed way to many cuts to try and count. So I say challenge yourself to improve. Beating up on the amateurs is'nt good enough or challenging enough if you are avg. 71.2

[stillgolfing]

Dave! It sounds like to me its time for you to graduate yourself to the standard Pro tour like a mid point (Nationwide tour). Thats what I did when I first started after I started being to good for the amateurs. If you use the Pro tour that comes with the game play some courses that aren't as difficult and win a few and improve your average a little more maybe 70 to 70.5 area.Yes you may struggle at times and miss the cut more then you like but you sould continue to improve the more you play. Once you win a few on the Pro tour then graduate again and play against my PGA players. The PGA players list they average from 69.7 to 72.5. so you fit. Also I'm a truswing player and my driving average is about the same as yours is now and I've won many tournaments. I've also missed way to many cuts to try and count. So I say challenge yourself to improve. Beating up on the amateurs is'nt good enough or challenging enough if you are avg. 71.2

I think you are right Steve, time to give the pro circuit another try. I mainly just play 1 offs with my ani-buddies while checking out courses that are of interest. So just never bothered to go back and try a pro circuit. I rarely ever play a course twice in a row because, being late to the party, I'm more interested in evaluating the courses. Reviewed quite a few last week, but never got around to posting my comments. Wasn't sure that anyone would be interested in what I thought of courses that were created years ago. Probably the designers have long gone to that big golf simulation in the sky.

[sandwedge]

I would be interested in the reviews. I tried to do a few but am not the best at writing them. It would be nice to have some reviews of the old courses with a screenshot or two and a description of a few guys playing a round - kind of like Fab and Bad Body did awhile ago.

[Indy Anna Jones]

A couple of things to comment on/about.

Re "pickups": IIRC you can't use them on the tour, or if you do (and stats are important) it won't record stats because it's not considered a regulation game. That really stinks if you're caught in one of those impossible situations because if you do pickup you're out of that particular tournament.

The one thing I found with using a new player vs an established player is that initially I got substantially more yardage, maybe 20-30 yards considering conditions. The yardage slowly decreased over 8-10 games or so until it was closer to what shows up on the clubheads, which can be increased by using less loft... etc. etc.

The thing that always frustrated me with "The Tour" and using AI players is how bad they are in the short game, putting/chipping. They'd hit a 50 foot putt like it was nothing then 3 putt a 5-footer. I also found that a handful of players would shoot maybe 8-10-more under in the first round, but rarely finish lower than 16-18 under. However, if you're only shooting 6-10 under...