As you lower your handicap what areas of the game become absolutely crucial?

[Joff]

The fact that you achieve a low h'cap means that most parts of the game are fairly decent.

As you get lower GIR (or fringes/ v.close) becomes the most important part of the game. Work that back from the green and you want to be hitting mid to short irons into most greens for best chance of achieving this. Therefore the most important part is driving - in play, decent length so you can start knocking out pins.

Glad someone else thinks this!

 

[Stuey01]

As a high handicapper and the thing screwing my game and my biggest weakness is my ability to get down in 3 or less when inside 50 yards or less. Unless I have had a mare approach I'll be inside 50 yards after 2 shots. Ideally I want to be getting on the green and having a single putt or at worse a 2 putt for a bogey, but it'll take me 1 or 2 to get on and then 3 or 2 putts and sometimes god forbid 4 putts meaning my par/bogey is now a double or worse. My GIR is poor at around 18%, but my scrambling is even worse 7%. Short game is where it is at. Driving doesn't even come close.

Would you agree that you at least have to be in play before short game is even a factor?
I'm talking about the difference between being in bounds on the right hole, with a second shot, rather than sliced/hooked off the planet and in trouble straight from the tee.
Not talking about the difference between 240 up the middle and 290 up the middle, which is not as important as short game, at amateur level anyway.

 

[thecraw]

While I do agree to an extent that you can interpret stats anyway you chose you'r only cheating and kidding yourself on by using them to your advantage. Using your example of "hunting pins" robo if I go for a tight left pin and tug it slightly missing the green by your inch as you say, correct it isn't a green in regulation so you can't count it as such. We agree on that.

As I'm only an inch off the green and and have 6 feet to the flag like you say I will be putting. If I go for this putt chasing the birdie and knock it 2 foot past and miss the return then in my mind its still a 3 putt. I do agree that "in theory" its actually a 2 putt for stats purposes but it would suggest more to me.

Either way I do think there is a place in golf to analyse your stats. It will paint a picture unless you wish to interpret them differently or to your own advantage.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

When advised to keep stats by my pro he advised using common sense.

If you miss a fairway but the 2nd shot is easy as it's sitting up and has a clear route, class it as hitting the target.
If you miss a fairway but the 2nd shot is difficult as it's sitting down or has no clear route, class it as missing the target.

With Putting if you on the fringe and have what you would class as a reasonable 2 putt, class it as hitting the target.
If you on the fringe and don't have what you would class as a reasonable 2 putt, class it as missing the target.

Doing this I can determine how accurate & consistent I was.

 

[woody69]

Would you agree that you at least have to be in play before short game is even a factor?
I'm talking about the difference between being in bounds on the right hole, with a second shot, rather than sliced/hooked off the planet and in trouble straight from the tee.
Not talking about the difference between 240 up the middle and 290 up the middle, which is not as important as short game, at amateur level anyway.

Not in the context of the OP no. He is at a 20 h/cap and is looking to improve that to 18. He therefore doesn't need to think about GIR or being "in play" as on the majority of holes he will be within 50 yards after 2 shots, even if he has spooned it on to the opposite fairway. His priority should be getting down in 3 or less from 50 yards out to hit his target of bogey golf. You're talking about a very high/non handicap player just getting to the green. In that instance, yes I would agree that giving you a chance of getting on the green in 3 is the 1st priority.

 

[Stuey01]

Not in the context of the OP no. He is at a 20 h/cap and is looking to improve that to 18. He therefore doesn't need to think about GIR or being "in play" as on the majority of holes he will be within 50 yards after 2 shots, even if he has spooned it on to the opposite fairway. His priority should be getting down in 3 or less from 50 yards out to hit his target of bogey golf. You're talking about a very high/non handicap player just getting to the green. In that instance, yes I would agree that giving you a chance of getting on the green in 3 is the 1st priority.

Agree to disagree I suppose.
Taking 3 off the tee regularly or hacking out the woods is going to cost a lot of shots before you even have a chance to use t your short game skills.
For me:
1) get it in play
2) get it near/on the green
3) hole out

1 and 3 being more important than 2, as it is easier to recover from a poor second shot with a good short game.