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The "Bogey" Golfers Guide to Course Strategy/Management


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On 7/10/2019 at 11:45 AM, Kenny B said:

All of the info provided by scratch players on stress-free golf and course management are all well and good for scratch players.  Bogey golfers can certainly learn to minimize risk better than some do.  

However, not all bogey golfers will opt to play a 2i instead of a driver.  I'm just guessing but I think the percentage of bogey golfers that carry a 2i is quite small.  For the bogey golfers that drive the ball fairly well, their play should be to get the ball in play as far down the fairway as possible.  Most likely, their issues will be getting the next shot on or close to the green and getting the ball into the hole from around the green.  Then there are the bogey golfers that struggle off the tee to find a fairway or don't hit the ball far enough to get on or near the green in regulation (even playing the correct tees).  These golfers will need to play smart second and third shots, become masters of recovery shots, and perfect their play inside 100 yards because they will be there a lot.

For both types of bogey golfers, I am describing myself 20 years ago.  Oh wait... that was me two weekends ago!!  As we all know, we have good rounds and bad rounds.  When I have a bad round, I miss fairways, chunk hybrids or thin iron shots.  I can do all those things, but if I'm pitching and putting well, I can turn a terrible round into a just OK round.  The short game can save you.  Of course, the goal is to eliminate all of those bad shots you took to get to the green, but while you are getting your swing issues worked out, spend an equivalent amount of time practicing getting the ball up and in.  It will quickly get you below bogey golf, and it will serve you well when your ball striking improves.

Regardless of iron choice the concept is pick a club you can hit consistent and down the hole. May have to adjust tees (read ego).

also gets to the point made below about playing for bogey. Adjust expectations. Shooting 90 without hitting driver or shooting 100+ hitting driver 14 times, losing 6 balls or having to give up strokes by playing out/backwards 

10 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

Yes, there have been a bunch of really good ideas, suggestions, tips, thoughts, links, vids, etc posted .. and a few posters have mentioned something similar to the following, but.....

Here's an outline from a bogey+ and improving golfer:

 

#1. Play For Bogey.

This is not accepting a bogey after you miss making a par - this is planning your route from the tee to the hole with the intention of finishing in (scorecard par + 1).

It's a totally different mindset; and all those go for it times when you start telling yourself to blast it towards the hole is when you need to step back, put whatever club is in your hand back in the bag and re-think your current hole strategy.

 

#2. Confident swing on a conservative line.

If you execute each shot well enough and keep the ball out of trouble and moving towards your targets, you may give yourself a few good looks at a par or even an occasional birdie!

 

#3. Attitude Drives Performance.

Let go of the last shot (good or not so good) and be thinking about and planning your next one. 

 

And, very important...

#4. Have a solid pre-shot routine that helps you focus on exactly what you want to do with the next shot, and apply a pre-shot routine to each and every shot - full swing, short game, putting.

 

...I'm trying to apply these concepts to my game and when I can I'm finding I'm making more decent shots per hole and keeping the ball in play and shooting better.

This post should break the number of like count

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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1 hour ago, cksurfdude said:

#1. Play For Bogey.

This is not accepting a bogey after you miss making a par - this is planning your route from the tee to the hole with the intention of finishing in (scorecard par + 1).

It's a totally different mindset; and all those go for it times when you start telling yourself to blast it towards the hole is when you need to step back, put whatever club is in your hand back in the bag and re-think your current hole strategy.

It's so much easier to score when you take the big numbers out of play.

What's in the bag:
Driver - :cobra-small: F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S )
3 Wood (13.5*) - :titleist-small: 980F 
4 Wood (18*) - :cobra-small: F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S )
3 Hybrid (19*) - :taylormade-small: RBZ
4i - PW - :wilson_staff_small: D7 Forged - Recoil 760 ( S )
52* - :cleveland-small: CBX
58* - :cleveland-small: CBX Full Face 2
Putter - :ping-small: Craz-e
Bag - :1590477705_SunMountain: 2.5 (Blue)
Ball -  :titleist-small: AVX
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Yes, there have been a bunch of really good ideas, suggestions, tips, thoughts, links, vids, etc posted .. and a few posters have mentioned something similar to the following, but.....
Here's an outline from a bogey+ and improving golfer:
 
#1. Play For Bogey.
This is not accepting a bogey after you miss making a par - this is planning your route from the tee to the hole with the intention of finishing in (scorecard par + 1).
It's a totally different mindset; and all those go for it times when you start telling yourself to blast it towards the hole is when you need to step back, put whatever club is in your hand back in the bag and re-think your current hole strategy.
 
#2. Confident swing on a conservative line.
If you execute each shot well enough and keep the ball out of trouble and moving towards your targets, you may give yourself a few good looks at a par or even an occasional birdie!
 
#3. Attitude Drives Performance.
Let go of the last shot (good or not so good) and be thinking about and planning your next one. 
 
And, very important...
#4. Have a solid pre-shot routine that helps you focus on exactly what you want to do with the next shot, and apply a pre-shot routine to each and every shot - full swing, short game, putting.
 
...I'm trying to apply these concepts to my game and when I can I'm finding I'm making more decent shots per hole and keeping the ball in play and shooting better.


Wish I followed your #1 tonight. Had a great drive, pin is only 155 yds away, pulled out my 155 yd club and went for the green. Great shot, hit the green close to the pin and then spun left straight into a deep bunker. I would have been better off laying up since I'm pretty accurate with my short irons. I did end up with a bogey but if I laid up I'll bet I would have parred it.


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Cobra Speed Zone 6-GP/Recoil ESX 460 F3 Shafts 

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3 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

 


Wish I followed your #1 tonight. Had a great drive, pin is only 155 yds away, pulled out my 155 yd club and went for the green. Great shot, hit the green close to the pin and then spun left straight into a deep bunker. I would have been better off laying up since I'm pretty accurate with my short irons. I did end up with a bogey but if I laid up I'll bet I would have parred it.


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This is an example of another mindset to adjust. Where is pin? Where is trouble? How much room in front or behind pin? Is it better to be short of the pin?  Then figure out shot type to hit. 

So many golfers think what is the number to pin then what club gets me that distance and don’t factor in the other stuff or that most aren’t stopping their shots on a dime so when it goes the distance they expect then keeps going past the pin or follows the contour of the green and runs off.

listen to pros and caddies and you will hear them talk distance to pin and usually front, middle, back distances and sometimes carry if they need to get over a hazard or bunker.  They are trying to determine landing spot and shot shape. 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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Man, there is way too much thinking going on in this thread.  Put ball in play.  Put ball on or around the green.  If you miss, just get it on the green and inside 30'.  If you miss the green 18 times and hit simple chips to 30' or slightly better, you just shot 90.  Hit five greens and you shoot 85.  Hit ten greens and you shoot 80.  

Want to see your potential vs your 'real' golf?  Play a round, after you hole out place your golf ball in the geographical cent of the green.  Putt out and add three shots on par 5's, two shots on par 4's, and one shot on par 3's.  I'll bet the majority of players won't shoot over 80.  

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On 7/11/2019 at 9:42 PM, tony@CIC said:


Wish I followed your #1 tonight. Had a great drive, pin is only 155 yds away, pulled out my 155 yd club and went for the green. Great shot, hit the green close to the pin and then spun left straight into a deep bunker. I would have been better off laying up since I'm pretty accurate with my short irons. I did end up with a bogey but if I laid up I'll bet I would have parred it.
 

 

The bold part is the problem.  You hit a good shot onto the green, and got unlucky, and you're blaming your strategy.  90% of the time you hit a good shot to the center of the green, you'll 2-putt for your par.  Probably 60 or 70% of the time you choose to lay up, you'll pitch on and 2-putt for bogey.  For a little reality, check the PGA Tour stats.  From 20 to 30 yards, your average pro gets up and down just over half.  From over 30 yards, the average pro gets up and down about 1 time in 3.  And we all know, not a single one of us here is as good as a mid-level tour pro.

:titleist-small: Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff

:callaway-small:Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X

:mizuno-small: T22 54 and 58 wedges

:mizuno-small: 7-wood

:Sub70: 5-wood

 B60 G5i putter

Right handed

Reston, Virginia

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7 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

The bold part is the problem.  You hit a good shot onto the green, and got unlucky, and you're blaming your strategy.  90% of the time you hit a good shot to the center of the green, you'll 2-putt for your par.  Probably 60 or 70% of the time you choose to lay up, you'll pitch on and 2-putt for bogey.  For a little reality, check the PGA Tour stats.  From 20 to 30 yards, your average pro gets up and down just over half.  From over 30 yards, the average pro gets up and down about 1 time in 3.  And we all know, not a single one of us here is as good as a mid-level tour pro.

We aren't as good as the worst pro let along the mid-level guy!!

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11 minutes ago, edteergolf said:

We aren't as good as the worst pro let along the mid-level guy!!

Yeah, we all kind of know that, but not many of us really look at the statistics.  Most of us expect more from ourselves then we should reasonably expect.

:titleist-small: Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff

:callaway-small:Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X

:mizuno-small: T22 54 and 58 wedges

:mizuno-small: 7-wood

:Sub70: 5-wood

 B60 G5i putter

Right handed

Reston, Virginia

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13 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Yeah, we all kind of know that, but not many of us really look at the statistics.  Most of us expect more from ourselves then we should reasonably expect.

You would be amazed to hear the expectations of my women's golf team.  After listening to how good they should be I tell them that if I could just get you to hit your clubs a bit longer, you could be the number 1 player in the world on the men's tour.  Just hit the green and go to work!!  Last year I had them do the putt from the middle drill and nobody shot over 75.  Not one of them averages 75 for the season!!

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Man I am digging seeing all the new run this thread has gotten...WOW! Lots of great content here especially from @cksurfdude! Keep it coming Spies! All good stuff!

In my       :ping-small: DLX Cart Bag:
Driver
:    :ping-small: G410 SFT, set to 9.5*, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 60, stiff (MGS Official 2019 Tester)
3W:          :ping-small: G-Series SF TEC, set to 16*, Aldila Tour Blue ATX, 65g, stiff
5W:          :ping-small: G400 SFT, set to 19*, Aldila Tour Blue ATX, 65g, stiff
7W:         :ping-small: G410 SFT, set to 22*. Alta CB 65 Red, stiff

Irons:       :ping-small: GMax, Green Dot, 5-PW, Project X Graphite Blue 6.0, 80-90g , stiff
Wedges: :ping-small: Glide 2.0 Stealth, 50* SS, 54* ES & 60*/8 Forged MGS Special from the Wedge Wizard, Green Dot, Alta CB graphite, 84g, stiff
Putter:     :ping-small: Vault 2.0 B60 Copper, 33", black dot w/GP SNSR grip (PING Sigma 2 Fetch under "see-trials")
Ball:       :Snell: MTB BLACK (MGS Official 2018 Tester for the :Snell: MTB RED)
Shoes:     :footjoy-small:  Classics Tour w/Black Widow Softspikes

Disabled Marine Veteran. Semper Fi!

#No apologies, just Play Your Best
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Almost........did it: almost played bogey golf on a new to me, tough course (playing from the forward tees) with a lot of elevation changes up and down, several blind shots uphill and downhill, lots of visual distractions, fast and sloping greens, etc etc.

Made mostly bogeys plus three pars offset by three doubles but then one round-wrecker 9 (ouch) where I deviated from "the plan" (see Post #61 at top)...

 

Really steep downhill Par 4 (#16), but not a blind shot this time - so, theoretically!, "should be" (ha) an easier hole - but I got a little greedy and swung too hard .. hooked left .. OB...  Drop, ball is above the feet so I know it's gonna tend left .. hit it too hard .. hooked left .. OB...  Drop, ball is above the feet so I know it's gonna tend left .. hit it too hard .. hookedleft .. greenside bunker....  Awkward stance half in/half out of the bunker got out in one, but ball rolled aaaaallll the way down slope to the very far fringe .. three putt..... 

Most of the rest of the tee shots were good or playable, most follow-up shots were ok with only a few mis-hits (heavy) tho a few issues with distance control long or short, and putting was mostly pretty good, too.

So overall feeling like I actually learned / internalized some good things -- most especially #1: "swing within yourself" and #2: "only hit the shots you know *you* can".

Till next time.....

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

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