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The "Bogey" Golfers Guide to Course Strategy/Management


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There's quite a good bit of fine advice flying around here lately and was thinking I'd start this thread to consolidate some of it for us "bogey(+) player" types.

 

One tip I've heard of is to take one extra club (say 6i instead of 7i) if the pending approach shot calls for the same club you'd select every time by default, i.e.: 7i. I think I'm in this default-mode quite solidly. I have a gap chart I've created for every stick I have (sans putter of course) that I look at for almost all approach shots after I take a LRF shot at the flag. If the LRF says "149", I just grab my 150-yd club (7i) and try to execute the shot. If I happen to be online, I generally am short, so the "add 1 club" tip may apply pretty darn well. I will try this on the next outing for sure.

 

What are your best general tips you have for us to improve our on-course management?

 

Thank-you all in advance Spies!

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Add one club, always.

Aim for the center of the green

Play fast

Play the shortest tees your course offers.

Leave your ego in the trunk with your street shoes.

It's all about the next shot, not the last one.

No fist pumps, no thrown clubs. You're not good enough for either.

Stay classy, never offer advice.

Always fix at least 3 pitch marks on every green. Yeah, I feel sorry for you guys who play at private clubs where pitch marks aren't an issue.

Play the cheapest balls you can buy or find. A proV1 isn't going to help you.

Practice

 

 

 

 

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:    :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
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Ball:       :Snell: MTB BLACK (MGS Official 2018 Tester for the :Snell: MTB RED)
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My best advice is to play for your shot shape.

 

Why take driver on a dogleg left if you slice? You're making the hole longer for yourself. Take a hybrid or a comfortable iron and get the ball in play. Who care what your buddies say. My miss with the driver is right. So if the hole is going left I'm not using driver unless it's been on fire that day.

 

Opposite if you hook the ball.

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Accept that bad shots happen to everyone. Once the ball is in the air nothing else you can do so as you are heading for the ball forget that shot/result and prepare to play the shot that's in front of you

 

#2 around the greens get the ball on the green and rolling as soon as possible. Consider using less loft for chips and pitches instead of playing for the hop n stop. Let th ball land and roll out like a putt.

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Play smart

Hit the shot you know you can hit not the one that might happen

Don't get overly frustrated and if you do get frustrated(hey it happens to every one) forget it by the next shot

You will hit bad shots everyone does

Set manageable and realistic goals i.e. Under bogey golf

Practice playing(can be on range) don't practice practicing.

 

And most importantly at Bogey golf, don't take it too seriously and have fun while playing.

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The "Bogey" Golfers Guide to Course Strategy/Management - 

 

I'd advise a bogey golfer to first (strategy) play a forward tee and stay off the back tee. Learn (management) the dangers on a golf course, how to avoid them, and how to recover when they aren't avoided.

Letting go of egos, fixing divots and playing cheap balls isn't going to help a bogey golfer improve their chances of staying in the game.

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I don't think there is a "bogey" golfer strategy or management that would be any different than any other's. To me it is all about just that, strategy and management. If you select a plan, implement it and stick to it then you are doing what every golfer should do. Execution is always the key and by sticking to your plan, you can adjust it accordingly based on what your execution is. Most everything in this thread should be applied to ALL golfers. 

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:taylormade-small:     Stealth 2+ 9 (Diamana PD 60 S 45") 

image.png.dee92ef6cebb2ac4a3883744fc248f12.png     Stealth 2+ 15 (Diamana PD 70 S 43")

:ping-small:          G425 19 (Raijin 2.0 85x)

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 :titleist-small:           Vokey SM9 49 08 F (KBS 610)

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 :titleist-small:           Vokey SM9 59 04 T (KBS 610)

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First, a bogey golfer needs to analyze why they are a bogey golfer.  Not all bogey golfers are the same.  A bogey golfer can hit the ball 300 yards but rarely straight, or they can't hit the ball 200 yards but it's often in the fairway.  Saying they should move up to forward tees is not the answer for everyone.  Sure both golfers would probably benefit, but that's not what the golfer that hits 300 yards wants to do.  Other bogey golfers may be good tee-to-green, but have no short game.

 

The point is... play to your strengths and practice your weaknesses.  There is no way around it; you have to practice.  I'm not a Martin Hall fan, but he's right: "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting."

 

In my case... I was a bogey golfer for 10 years.  I started playing golf late in life and while I had decent distance when I started, I rarely was straight.  Over the last 10 years I've lost distance off the tee, but I went from a bogey golfer to single digit.  How?  I took lessons and now keep the ball in play, and I practice my short game several times a week on days I don't play.  

 

I know everyone wants to play.  I get it.  So did I.  But I wanted to get better, and the quickest way IMHO is to take lessons and practice the short game.  If you play while taking lessons, be warned!  The time and money spent on lessons will be wasted because when you play, you WILL revert to your engrained swing habits.  Those are not easily forgotten.

 

As far as having a plan...  Having a plan is great, but the reality is that many bogey golfers are not good enough to implement a plan on how to play a hole.  I've seen golfers hit a hybrid instead of their driver, and mishit it just a badly as they would have hit their driver.  Now they are further from the hole.  For the bogey golfer, plenty of shots are going to be missed, and they will lead to mistakes made.  It's how a golfer recovers from bad shots that determines whether or not they remain a bogey golfer.  The best thing to do is understand each hole and the course.  Play the shots that can be confidently made, accept the outcome, learn from it, practice those shots needed to recover, and most of all... enjoy the game.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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There's quite a good bit of fine advice flying around here lately and was thinking I'd start this thread to consolidate some of it for us "bogey(+) player" types.

 

One tip I've heard of is to take one extra club (say 6i instead of 7i) if the pending approach shot calls for the same club you'd select every time by default, i.e.: 7i. I think I'm in this default-mode quite solidly. I have a gap chart I've created for every stick I have (sans putter of course) that I look at for almost all approach shots after I take a LRF shot at the flag. If the LRF says "149", I just grab my 150-yd club (7i) and try to execute the shot. If I happen to be online, I generally am short, so the "add 1 club" tip may apply pretty darn well. I will try this on the next outing for sure.

 

What are your best general tips you have for us to improve our on-course management?

 

Thank-you all in advance Spies!

Adding a club is something I sometimes forget about, during the winter I do, but in the summer I never feel like I need to, then I come up short and think why. The thought is to add a club until you start going over all the greens.

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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Adding a club is something I sometimes forget about, during the winter I do, but in the summer I never feel like I need to, then I come up short and think why. The thought is to add a club until you start going over all the greens.

Going over our greens is usually bad, unless you like chipping on a severe downslope.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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There's quite a good bit of fine advice flying around here lately and was thinking I'd start this thread to consolidate some of it for us "bogey(+) player" types.

 

One tip I've heard of is to take one extra club (say 6i instead of 7i) if the pending approach shot calls for the same club you'd select every time by default, i.e.: 7i. I think I'm in this default-mode quite solidly. I have a gap chart I've created for every stick I have (sans putter of course) that I look at for almost all approach shots after I take a LRF shot at the flag. If the LRF says "149", I just grab my 150-yd club (7i) and try to execute the shot. If I happen to be online, I generally am short, so the "add 1 club" tip may apply pretty darn well. I will try this on the next outing for sure.

 

What are your best general tips you have for us to improve our on-course management?

 

Thank-you all in advance Spies!

There's quite a good bit of fine advice flying around here lately and was thinking I'd start this thread to consolidate some of it for us "bogey(+) player" types.

 

One tip I've heard of is to take one extra club (say 6i instead of 7i) if the pending approach shot calls for the same club you'd select every time by default, i.e.: 7i. I think I'm in this default-mode quite solidly. I have a gap chart I've created for every stick I have (sans putter of course) that I look at for almost all approach shots after I take a LRF shot at the flag. If the LRF says "149", I just grab my 150-yd club (7i) and try to execute the shot. If I happen to be online, I generally am short, so the "add 1 club" tip may apply pretty darn well. I will try this on the next outing for sure.

 

What are your best general tips you have for us to improve our on-course management?

 

Thank-you all in advance Spies!

The one up strategy for me depends on the Pin location and the 'danger zone' around the pin. For instance if the pin is in back - meaning I have a lot of green to work with I'll go with the iron for that distance. On the other hand is the pin is in front and there are bunkers surrounding the front of the green - which in our case is pretty common, I'm going with a longer club. Note: I'd rather have a longer putt than trying to get out of bunkers.

Left Hand orientation

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I'll duplicate a few that I think are important, and not just for a "bogey golfer".  

 

Aim for the middle of the green.  This isn't just side-to-side, but front to back.  For a front pin, plan to be past it, in the middle.  For a back pin, plan to be short of it, in the middle.

 

Short game shots MUST get on the green.  Don't try the high-risk flop over a bunker to a tight pin, just get it on the green somewhere.  

 

Get every shot as close to the hole as reasonably possible, unless you NEED to stay shorter to avoid trouble.  Don't lay up to 100 yards if you can get it to 60, most players will do better from a shorter distance most of the time.

 

Play to your strengths, but practice to improve your weaknesses.

 

I strongly recommend reading "Lowest Score Wins".

http://lowestscorewins.com/buy

This book was written by the owner of a "rival" golf website, and I know that the author has alienated some people with his online personality.  Nevertheless, this book presents excellent discussions of on-course decision making, planning your practice, and a host of other topics.  Very little about the golf swing itself.

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Right handed

Reston, Virginia

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Add one club, always.

Aim for the center of the green

Play fast

Play the shortest tees your course offers.

Leave your ego in the trunk with your street shoes.

It's all about the next shot, not the last one.

No fist pumps, no thrown clubs. You're not good enough for either.

Stay classy, never offer advice.

Always fix at least 3 pitch marks on every green. Yeah, I feel sorry for you guys who play at private clubs where pitch marks aren't an issue.

Play the cheapest balls you can buy or find. A proV1 isn't going to help you.

Practice

 

 

 

 

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Yes!! to all of this!

 

 

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The very first time I ever broke bogey golf, I just decided to try playing the course like bogey was par. The very least I figured I can't do worse than I had been already (which was always 90+).

 

I approached every hole as if it was actual par +1 and planned my strategy accordingly.  It forces you to take such a smarter strategy when you are actually trying to make bogey and not par. You approach holes differently and make shots you wouldn't otherwise (like avoiding bunkers). There are always a few holes that it makes sense to try to go for the green in regulation or try hitting a longer tee ball (which then counts like a birdie if you make par).

 

RESULT = I shot 3 under bogey golf that day—my playing partners couldn't believe it. 

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There is a guy in my Saturday foresome who plays to “Frankie par” which is basically bogey golf. He's happy if he leaves the course shooting 90 or less.

 

Several items to add to this for your consideration...

 

I've played with more bogey golfers then I can count and the #1 reason that keeps a bogey golfer there is that you can't hit a chip shot accurately from 70 yards and in. You chunk it, blade it or something in that neighborhood. Why not just take a pitching wedge from within 90 yards of the green and master that club. Take the other wedges out of your bag until you get deadly with a PW around the greens.

 

Also, I bet I can beat you on a par 5 if I take 7 iron off of the tee and play from where that ends up. Meanwhile, go ahead and hit your driver in the bunker, or out of bounds, or behind a tree, or in the water, or anywhere but the fairway. I'll still get on the green in regulation hitting 7 iron down the fairway 3 times, versus you spraying a driver anywhere but straight, and then you have to hit something from a difficult lie just to recover, which you probably shank into deeper trouble.

 

I see this every week with the guys I play with. They spend 18 holes getting mad at their driver and playing from the woods, and chunking chips and hating their wedges because they can't hit any of them. Give me a 7 iron, PW and putter, and I bet I can beat the bogey golfer with all 14 of his clubs.

 

Something to think about anyway.

 

 

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A bogie player by definition means you really only screw up one shot per hole right? So that means you're close.

 

Extra club always....

Nope

Only with a red flag

 

Figure out how far you hit your clubs... ok? Is not that hard. One trip to the range should settle that.

Plan to play par- always visualize a great shot, never plan on sucking... if you take an extra club and chunk it? You've still chunked it.

If you chunk it, visualize the next shot being great.

 

Hit better drives- if you always hit crap duck hooks, or banana slices, spend a few minutes on YouTube and read up on why you do that, then take the outlined steps to quit doing that.

 

Doing the same thing over and over , while expecting a different outcome is, well.....

Admit to yourself you do that, and start doing something else.

If you can't hit a driver in play, then guess what....?

Hit something else... in play.

 

Not everyone can afford lessons, but who in here can't operate a laptop and YouTube?

 

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I have a gap chart I've created for every stick I have (sans putter of course) that I look at for almost all approach shots after I take a LRF shot at the flag. If the LRF says "149", I just grab my 150-yd club (7i) and try to execute the shot. If I happen to be online,????? I generally am short, ???.?so the "add 1 club" tip may apply pretty darn well.!

“I generally am short”?.???

I think you need to adjust you gap chart! What good is a gap/distance chart that is “generally” incorrect?

 

Have an honest idea of your lengths.

 

Remember also, you can also nano adjust distances by gripping down, a little will remove 5ish yards, up to 10 if you go all the way to a first finger steel.

 

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Going over our greens is usually bad, unless you like chipping on a severe downslope.

You have to play to the course setup as well, but if you continually come up 5-10 yard short of every green, adding a club will get you to the green. Once you start hitting it over the greens, switch to the shorter clubs. Most times though it's ego that keeps us from using the correct club, instead we hit the one that comes up short

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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You have to play to the course setup as well, but if you continually come up 5-10 yard short of every green, adding a club will get you to the green. Once you start hitting it over the greens, switch to the shorter clubs. Most times though it's ego that keeps us from using the correct club, instead we hit the one that comes up short

My wife and I use both a laser and GPS when we play.  She always uses the laser; I never do.  She will tell me the distance to the flag; I look where the flag is located.  If it's back, I use the GPS center number.  Our greens are very firm and stopping balls on approaches isn't easy.  If it's a front pin, I use the GPS front number unless it's closer to the middle.  

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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There is a guy in my Saturday foresome who plays to “Frankie par” which is basically bogey golf. He's happy if he leaves the course shooting 90 or less.

 

Several items to add to this for your consideration...

 

I've played with more bogey golfers then I can count and the #1 reason that keeps a bogey golfer there is that you can't hit a chip shot accurately from 70 yards and in. You chunk it, blade it or something in that neighborhood. Why not just take a pitching wedge from within 90 yards of the green and master that club. Take the other wedges out of your bag until you get deadly with a PW around the greens.

 

Also, I bet I can beat you on a par 5 if I take 7 iron off of the tee and play from where that ends up. Meanwhile, go ahead and hit your driver in the bunker, or out of bounds, or behind a tree, or in the water, or anywhere but the fairway. I'll still get on the green in regulation hitting 7 iron down the fairway 3 times, versus you spraying a driver anywhere but straight, and then you have to hit something from a difficult lie just to recover, which you probably shank into deeper trouble.

 

I see this every week with the guys I play with. They spend 18 holes getting mad at their driver and playing from the woods, and chunking chips and hating their wedges because they can't hit any of them. Give me a 7 iron, PW and putter, and I bet I can beat the bogey golfer with all 14 of his clubs.

 

Something to think about anyway.

 

 

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This reminds me of a story of my first year playing golf.  I joined our company golf league on Monday evenings.  My best score all summer for 9 holes was 62.  At the end of the summer they had a 3-club tournament.  Since I couldn't hit any wood very well, I picked 5i, 9i, and putter.  Shot 47.  

 

Sure, I could have eventually played bogey golf with those 3 clubs, but even though I would have achieved a goal, it would seem artificial to me because I wouldn't have done it playing the clubs I should be playing.  Most people start playing golf by wanting to smash the ball as far as they can.  It's fun. It's more fun when they find the ball.  Hit one booming drive straightish, and they are hooked.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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“I generally am short”?.???

I think you need to adjust you gap chart! What good is a gap/distance chart that is “generally” incorrect?

 

Have an honest idea of your lengths.

 

Remember also, you can also nano adjust distances by gripping down, a little will remove 5ish yards, up to 10 if you go all the way to a first finger steel.

I don't know if I would recommend gripping down to a bogey golfer. I think they would still take a 7 iron swing and blade it. They wouldn't realize to adjust their stance. And even if they did the results would still probably be worse 15 feet long. That is a shot that requires a lot of practice to learn how to adjust your stance and swing.

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I don't know if I would recommend gripping down to a bogey golfer. I think they would still take a 7 iron swing and blade it. They wouldn't realize to adjust their stance. And even if they did the results would still probably be worse 15 feet long. That is a shot that requires a lot of practice to learn how to adjust your stance and swing.

I agree.  But of course it depends on the bogey golfer.  A bogey golfer could be a good ball striker, but suck at the short game.

 

The problem with single digit players (myself included) giving recommendations to bogey golfers is that many times what seems easy, is not easy for someone with less skill.  It's all well-intentioned, but is it very helpful?

 

This thread was started by a higher handicap player, but we have not heard much from bogey+ players.  I would like to get some feedback from these players on what they have tried, what worked, what issues they have. Is that the intent of this thread?

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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As an tweener - I'm a 5 so I'm half way between a bogey golfer and being a good golfer - I think that much of the advice being given here is good except one exception - the ball that you play matters - get it through your head - the ball that you plays matters -

 

There are three different types of balls - most people should find the urethane covered ball that best fits their game and use it - price isn't so much a factor anymore - you can buy Vice or Snell or hit the second hand sites and get a top quality ball for a reasonable price.  The urethane covered ball provides more options around the green - this isn't about spin on your 5 iron or off the driver - any reasonably good ball will spin about the same off of those clubs - it's all about around the green - so pick a ball, any urethane covered ball and test it around the green - if you like it stick with it for the entire season - do your testing in the late fall to determine if you want to switch to something else for next season -

 

Remember the ball is a piece of equipment used for every shot - It matters - hugely and if you so desire you are good enough, as a bogey golfer, to use the Pro VI or Pro VIx whichever is the better fit.

 

Course management is a big deal - most golfers think they are great at course management - most golfers are not - on average there is about the same gap between the average golfer and touring pros as there is in the other facets of the game.

 

The first step to figuring out good course management is to chart your game - its almost certain that you will discover that you are short of target a significant portion of the time - if not - bully for you but an honest assessment for almost anyone here -even a lower handicap player is that we are mostly short - mishits (which all of us do) produce short shots.  Once you've figured out how to manage that work on how to manage those misses - normally that means short game work - practice your short game twice as much as your long game and you'll see dramatic results -

 

Take lessons if you don't already - don't expect lessons to be a magic bullet - if you are going to do it be sure that you are able to set aside the time necessary to practice what you learn.

 

If you aren't already get fit for your equipment.

 

Get involved in some sort of golf specific fitness program.

 

Those pieces of advice should be good for any of us.

 

But most of all since there has been contrary advice - the ball does matter and you are good enough as a bogey golfer or any golfer except the person playing a hand full of times a year to play a urethane ball because price doesn't come into play any more - it used to but it doesn't now.

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The Rev always makes great points which is why I always enjoy reading his posts.

 

The "take lessons" advice and the "get fitted" advice are points with which it's hard to argue.

 

As to the course management issue, there's no question that most if not all bogie linksters overvalue their own skills in making management decisions. The right decision would doubtlessly improve their scores.

 

But there is another consideration.  Deep down, is the lowest possible score always preferred to playing the game the way one would prefer to play it?  The quick answer might be "yes," but on further consideration, one must consider the possibility that the best way to play is the way that's the most fun.

 

Now to the golf ball.:  right now, it looks like I'm much closer to assisted living than I am to ever playing golf again.  I had a Quixotic dream that I might be able to play wearing my back brace, but just hitting balls and practicing a few putts tells me that if I were a dog or a cat, the humane thing would be to put me down.

 

However, when I was at my very best, an 8 or 9, sometimes even brushing up against 7, I played the universally maligned original Spalding Top Flite, often called, the Rock Flite.  I absolutely loved that ball, the compression of which was too high to advertise.  And I played my best golf with it.

 

So I have to say, Rev, I just don't know.

 

 

 

 

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I agree. But of course it depends on the bogey golfer. A bogey golfer could be a good ball striker, but suck at the short game.

 

The problem with single digit players (myself included) giving recommendations to bogey golfers is that many times what seems easy, is not easy for someone with less skill. It's all well-intentioned, but is it very helpful?

 

This thread was started by a higher handicap player, but we have not heard much from bogey+ players. I would like to get some feedback from these players on what they have tried, what worked, what issues they have. Is that the intent of this thread?

I'm a bogey player! And your first sentence nailed it. I hit over 60% of fairways consistently with drives 275+ yds, but my short game is atrocious (which I'm realizing more and more). Putting is average (1.9/hole).

 

It's frustrating because I have the potential to be a single digit handicapper, but I just can't seem to put an entire round together. For example, last round I was +1 through 5 holes but ended with a 90. I've also had multiple rounds where I'll drop 5-9 strokes on the back. Going 49-40 or 47-42 is a regular occurrence. (I swear I warm up).

 

I read yesterday that PGA Tour guys are up and down 70% of the time from 50 yrds and in. This is where I struggle and am working to improve. I can't claim to be up and down with that percentage until I'm on the green.

 

What I did to reach this point was:

- took lessons

- use a tracking app like the Grint to find where the misses are

- practice with a purpose

- practice putting inside everyday with a PuttOut.

 

Thanks for reading my $0.02.

 

 

 

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It's frustrating because I have the potential to be a single digit handicapper, but I just can't seem to put an entire round together.

You, like me, are a natural for gross Stableford matches.

 

A nuclear hole just means a hole with no points.

 

Meanwhile, you pile up points on the other holes.

 

I've beaten better players than I under those stipulations.

 

 

 

 

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I'm a bogey player! And your first sentence nailed it. I hit over 60% of fairways consistently with drives 275+ yds, but my short game is atrocious (which I'm realizing more and more). Putting is average (1.9/hole).

 

It's frustrating because I have the potential to be a single digit handicapper, but I just can't seem to put an entire round together. For example, last round I was +1 through 5 holes but ended with a 90. I've also had multiple rounds where I'll drop 5-9 strokes on the back. Going 49-40 or 47-42 is a regular occurrence. (I swear I warm up).

 

I read yesterday that PGA Tour guys are up and down 70% of the time from 50 yrds and in. This is where I struggle and am working to improve. I can't claim to be up and down with that percentage until I'm on the green.

Some of this goes back to expectations, which is being discussed in another current thread.  The best players in the world have bad holes, just not many.  Mid-level players have many more bad holes, and those bad holes are as much a part of their game as the good holes.  Working on your game, improving your weaknesses, will decrease the number of those bad shots and bad holes.

 

But expectations.....on the PGA Tour, scrambling from outside 30 yards, the average is around 30%, and the very best is 50%.  When you move to the range of 10 to 20 yards, the average is around 65%, and the best is 77%.  From inside 10 yards, 86% and 98%.  Obviously from this, at any level, the best way to improve your scrambling is to miss closer to the green.  Yes, improve your short game and putting skills, especially if its a personal weakness, but most people will get more benefit from improving their full swing.

https://www.pgatour.com/stats/categories.RARG_INQ.html

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Reston, Virginia

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This reminds me of a story of my first year playing golf.  I joined our company golf league on Monday evenings.  My best score all summer for 9 holes was 62.  At the end of the summer they had a 3-club tournament.  Since I couldn't hit any wood very well, I picked 5i, 9i, and putter.  Shot 47.  

 

Sure, I could have eventually played bogey golf with those 3 clubs, but even though I would have achieved a goal, it would seem artificial to me because I wouldn't have done it playing the clubs I should be playing.  Most people start playing golf by wanting to smash the ball as far as they can.  It's fun. It's more fun when they find the ball.  Hit one booming drive straightish, and they are hooked.

To quote Herm Edwards...

 

14 clubs, 10 clubs, 2 clubs.  Whatever it takes "to win the game."  You can call it artificial if you want, but if by your own admission you played better with 3 clubs then you did with 14, don't you think there is a problem there?  (See my previous post for the answer)

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