• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Better Ball Striking Or A Lower Score - which do you prefer?

I really don't care if I nobble it around but still walk off with a score in the mid-low 70's..
It's all about the score.
The other day I hit some cracking shots, got some bad bounces and didn't make a score
On the other hand I hit some rubbish that scrambled onto the green and a couple of 3's went on the card.....
 
I'll take the lower scores. I'm hitting the ball as well as ever, and having so many birdie chances, but the shrink moths have been cuddling up to the hole... not had a birdie for weeks - missed 6 from within 5ft yesterday. Sod the pretty, give me a score!!
 
A gew years ago I'd have said ball striking. But i now understand that good ball striking is the holy grail and doesn't happen all that often. It's great when it does and if the two happen at once that's golfing nirvana but I'd take lower score every day.
 
I played 36 holes on Friday and shot +5 for the first 18 and +8 for the second lap

I had much better control of the ball on the second lap but had a worse score

I'd much rather have good ball striking but as we all know there are no pictures on a scorecard

which do you prefer?

There is nothing worse than striking it great and scoring like a complete numpty, so it's a low score all day long for me matey
 
I'll take a low score too, knowing i can get round in a decent score without striking it well would be pleasing to me. I think if i was striking the ball well but struggling to score i would be a little annoyed and start thinking about what was causing it - bad bounces, poor putting etc.
 
A gew years ago I'd have said ball striking. But i now understand that good ball striking is the holy grail and doesn't happen all that often. It's great when it does and if the two happen at once that's golfing nirvana but I'd take lower score every day.

The voice of reason at last.

I cannot believe for a minute anyone would prefer to have a good ball striking day and enjoy the fact that it may cause their HC to increase that day over a day where they worked it round and got a cut.

I'm a decent ball striker generally but right now I'd give anything for a cut.
 
If it was a handicap qualifier I'd be far more bothered about the score but I probably enjoy a bounce game better if I'm striking the ball well. Agree with others who say that improving ball striking is a route to consistently lower scores.
 
If it was a handicap qualifier I'd be far more bothered about the score but I probably enjoy a bounce game better if I'm striking the ball well. Agree with others who say that improving ball striking is a route to consistently lower scores.

Of that there is no doubt FD, if I hit a shot off target but strike it well then I can accept the bad shot, in a medal I'd rather duff it to the green in 2 than have to play my next shot from a well struck iron out of a bunker.
 
Top