The main thing that's helped me a lot is to just get out there. Every swing is different, so just keep hitting balls over and over again. Just keep experimenting until you have found whats right for you. Good job, you've had a huge improvement!!!

Joseph

Straighten out that driver.  Work hard on your grip, stance and swing tempo.  There are plenty of tips on here.  You can't shoot low scores from the rough.  Good luck

Deno

Sorry i have to Poke Deno for a laugh. Deno Phil Wins majors from the woods. hahahahahah anyways i digress to the acutall point. Lesons like a few people have said its better then a shinny new driver and will lower your score faster than anything you might buy off the shelf. My advice on lesons.

Go open minded and let the pro adjust your swing. dont tell him how you swing let him tell you how you swing. He will do more than just teach you to hit a striaght ball at the range. he'll work your short game and putting as well.

If your a doit your selfer. work your short game wedges first. the key to lower putting numbers is closer to the whole with pitching, chipping and floping.

second would be work putting. you can never practice this tomuch. i think enuff said , maybe buy a practice putting mat. they help with tempo and smoth straight puttings.

next i would work your iron play. short game is made easyer with better iron play.

i would work the driver and wood game but dont let it consume you. find a playable swing and forget about trying to hit the ball 300yrds. just find a playable drive and learn to work with that. you can tweek your driver game as time goes on. but getting iron and short game down is the staple of any good player.

Based on what you indicate, the weakness appears to be off the tee.  If you are having to make a recovery shot as your second, your scores will definitely go up.  In a sense, you are penalizing yourself off the tee.  Tough way to start a hole.  May I suggest using a higher lofted club off the tee - such as a 3 wood.  you would lose a little distance, but you may be more accurate with it.  If using a 3 off the tee is not in your gameplan, I would suggest shortening your swing with the driver and that should help you control it more.  

Thanks Todd

I was thinking the same thing. So while I'm working the Driver on the range, I figured my 910F that I got Friday will have to be the club of choice. Last year was more of the 4iron or 3 hybrid off the tee late in my rounds do to frustration with the driver.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions it is appreciated.

Lessons - Lessons - Lessons...

I can't emphasize professional lessons enough. It has work for me. I was in your position a few years ago. I could not break 90 for a full season. I took lessons and watched "The Golf Fix" with Michael Breed. Not only did I break 90, I'm consistantly shooting in the 80's and broke 80 a few times last season. I also watch a lot of pro tournaments. Not only for the entertainment but to study the pros. My goal for this season is to break 80 and consistantly shoot in the 70's. I'm determined to do this!

Good Luck & Keep us posted...

PUTTING!

Seriously, if you want lower scores make more putts.  It's literally half of your score on the card.  If you want to really get into it keep some stats for yourself.  GIR, Putts, Fairways, Putts made/missed inside 10 feet, Saves, and Par 3, 4, and 5 scoring percentage.  This will let you know what you need to work on.  

I always keep Fairways, GIR, and Putts on my score card.  I think those are the 3 most important stats.

Joseph

If you have the time and money a few lessons with a good teaching pro is the way to go. 

The reason you have improved is do to the fact that you are playing more and therefore able to hit the ball better, recovering from poor drives or iron play.

From your comments it appears that you should focus on the Driver, Irons and Wedge.  This game revolves around consistency.  You will find that if your drives are in the fairway then the iron play will improve.

Learn to hit your driver in the fairway. Concintrate on this club.  By doing that you will learn the proper grip,stance,posture and ball position.   Ben Hogan wrote a instructional book many many years ago, it is a good starting point.

Yes this game is addictive and the more you play and the better you become it becomes more addictive.  Good Luck.

Fix your slice and you'll pick up more distance on the driver.  This will hopefully give you shorter shots into the greens.  Work hard on your chipping and pitching.  Focus on where you want to land the ball.  Put a tee in the green and see how accurate you are in landing the ball close to it.  Lastly, improve your long putts.  Learn to control the length and speed of your stroke on long putts.  This will help you eliminate 3 putts.

As many on here have already said. Lessons.  they are so key to it.  I started playing golf 6months ago (at age 33), but went straight into lessons, In 6months I have gone from complete novice to regurally shooting in the 90's.  With loads of scope to improve.