GIR (or not)

[Slab]

I’m 13.3 index, (14 shots off comp tees and 11 one tee forward) Comp tees are around 6,500yrds and one tee forward at 6,000yrds.
My problem is I score an average 10+ shots higher from the comp tees and my best-8 is now wholly based on GP rounds from the shorter layout

The scoring difference typically stems from the GIR potential on the par4/5’s
Comp tees there’s usually just 3-4 holes I can go for a GIR but one tee up and that changes to 9-10 holes I have a chance on (it’s a combination of pure distance on some holes and likely hazards on other holes) & the prevailing 3 club wind, and of course there’s still holes that I’ve no chance of GIR even teeing forward. It means in comps I’m using my handicap just getting the ball near the green

As you might imagine comps are exasperating (not that I expect to win but I do expect to enjoy my golf) while my social rounds are enjoyable & still challenging
Doing comps and social golf from two tees is increasingly frustrating me… do I:

Play better golf
Find distance through the bag
Quit comps
Quit playing one tee forward
Something else?

 

[Arthur Wedge]

So the course is tougher from the comp tees and as you play more often your handicap will reflect that

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Welcome to my world of golf . Comps at my place off whites are 6,800yds, yellows are 6,400yds. I don't play at all off the whites, I can hit 2-3 GIR on there. No point, it is no fun.

Even yellows are too long really, other reasons why I play there still. Thankfully, whilst you don't get your name up on a board, that no one ever reads , on a Saturday, they are still official comps for h/c purposes. They are not just GP cards. If your club offer the same, I'd pack in the main comps if you are no longer enjoying them. Why bother when the fun isn't there.

 

[Oddsocks]

Play as much as you can from the comp tees as it seems your Hc is more yellow tee based?

 

[Slab]

So the course is tougher from the comp tees and as you play more often your handicap will reflect that

Yeah it would, but I've no desire to consistently shoot a higher gross (with the associated higher handicap) to get a better nett score. I see zero enjoyment in any aspect of that

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Yeah it would, but I've no desire to consistently shoot a higher gross (with the associated higher handicap) to get a better nett score. I see zero enjoyment in any aspect of that

Then don’t play comps

Expectations in golf are clear

People have a limit to how well they can play , and then a HC brings balance ( well apparently )

Or find a way to get better so you can score lower gross scores

Golf is hard

 

[Slab]

Welcome to my world of golf . Comps at my place off whites are 6,800yds, yellows are 6,400yds. I don't play at all off the whites, I can hit 2-3 GIR on there. No point, it is no fun.

Even yellows are too long really, other reasons why I play there still. Thankfully, whilst you don't get your name up on a board, that no one ever reads , on a Saturday, they are still official comps for h/c purposes. They are not just GP cards. If your club offer the same, I'd pack in the main comps if you are no longer enjoying them. Why bother when the fun isn't there.

We've some roll ups going off the non-comp tees but so far the official comps are all still off medal tees. Hopefully it'll change in time but in the meantime the comp tees are more like a chore for me in individual comps and not sure the pre/post round social aspect is enough of a draw to keep me entering until change comes along

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would play and submit cards off the comp tees on a regular basis so it is a true representation of where you are off those markers. As long as you are enjoying both competitive and social rounds then don't get too hung up on it and let the handicap find its own level. Nothing worse than players with a vanity handicap who then moan they can't play to it off the backs

 

[Slab]

Then don’t play comps

Expectations in golf are clear

People have a limit to how well they can play , and then a HC brings balance ( well apparently )

Or find a way to get better so you can score lower gross scores

Golf is hard

Yeah that's one of the options I listed. It would save me a few hundred in costs each year too but the downside is missing the camaraderie, so not an option to take lightly

'Get better' in my case translates to hitting it longer, which with increasing years would be tough.
I've by no means cracked golf, it is the hardest game after all, but shot 80 gross yesterday (par 72) for the 3rd time in three months, teeing it forward. So there is an overall game of sorts in terms of FIR/GIR, it just beats me up over a certain course distance

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yeah that's one of the options I listed. It would save me a few hundred in costs each year too but the downside is missing the camaraderie, so not an option to take lightly

'Get better' in my case translates to hitting it longer, which with increasing years would be tough.
I've by no means cracked golf, it is the hardest game after all, but shot 80 gross yesterday (par 72) for the 3rd time in three months, teeing it forward. So there is an overall game of sorts in terms of FIR/GIR, it just beats me up over a certain course distance

Length is an issue for me and I average around 210 across all conditions according to Arcoss and of course that will drop as we go into winter. I am simply learning to use my shots better and a 180-200 yard fairway finder make sit easier to land into a good distance to hit a decent short iron in. I have worked hard on GIR with 8, 9, PW and wedges and on proximity so I can try and get it as close as possible as often as possible. Also worked on longer putts to reduce the number of three putts from distance. By not going for greens from distance tends to take a lot of the hazards out of play

 

[Slab]

I would play and submit cards off the comp tees on a regular basis so it is a true representation of where you are off those markers. As long as you are enjoying both competitive and social rounds then don't get too hung up on it and let the handicap find its own level. Nothing worse than players with a vanity handicap who then moan they can't play to it off the backs

That thought has crossed my mind too (but as above) a goss 80 (par 72) at 6,000yrds is by no means gonna get me on any tour, its not exactly crap golf either
So maybe i'm a bit of an outlier because if I play comp tees and handicap rises accordingly, then tee it up forward in a roll up, I (could) win sombrero of the year with a nett in the low 60's

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Yeah that's one of the options I listed. It would save me a few hundred in costs each year too but the downside is missing the camaraderie, so not an option to take lightly

'Get better' in my case translates to hitting it longer, which with increasing years would be tough.
I've by no means cracked golf, it is the hardest game after all, but shot 80 gross yesterday (par 72) for the 3rd time in three months, teeing it forward. So there is an overall game of sorts in terms of FIR/GIR, it just beats me up over a certain course distance

As I said it’s down to expectations

It’s managing the expectations between playing off the forward tees in comparison to playing off the comp tees

And your handicap will reflect that hence why you get 3 shots less on the forward tees

Shooting a specific number of one tee set shouldn’t equate to a number of a different tee set if the distance and rating difference is significant

If you want to score lower gross on the comp tees then either hit it longer which is not easy or improve the short game to get up and down more

 

[Bratty]

GIR is an odd stat to base a desire for more distance on.
What's your up and down stat when you do miss a green?
Another option could be to get better at pitching, chipping and putting. Then lay up to a good number which misses any fairway or greenside bunkers, or feel comfortable chipping from rough around the greens and get up and down.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

GIR is an odd stat to base a desire for more distance on.
What's your up and down stat when you do miss a green?
Another option could be to get better at pitching, chipping and putting. Then lay up to a good number which misses any fairway or greenside bunkers, or feel comfortable chipping from rough around the greens and get up and down.

Exactly this. Get good from 120 and in and it gives you options to go for it (swinging well/conditions etc allowing) or lay up and try and get up and down from there.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That thought has crossed my mind too (but as above) a goss 80 (par 72) at 6,000yrds is by no means gonna get me on any tour, its not exactly crap golf either
So maybe i'm a bit of an outlier because if I play comp tees and handicap rises accordingly, then tee it up forward in a roll up, I (could) win sombrero of the year with a nett in the low 60's

If you put a card in from each tee everytime you play it will reflect your scoring. It may rise after a string of back tee cards and then drop if you have a good day on the forward tees. It is the only way to get a true reflection of what the handicap is at any time (not taking into account those that are sandbaggers and we've discussed elsewhere)

 

[Slab]

If you put a card in from each tee everytime you play it will reflect your scoring. It may rise after a string of back tee cards and then drop if you have a good day on the forward tees. It is the only way to get a true reflection of what the handicap is at any time (not taking into account those that are sandbaggers and we've discussed elsewhere)

I thought it would actually work as you describe but I put in 2-3 cards a month from both tees (only get so many individual games) and that has given me my index, but the resulting difference in CH between them doesn't resemble my own ability

I can play to (& beat) the 11 but i'd need a rangefinder to even see 14 let alone play to it

 

[Slab]

GIR is an odd stat to base a desire for more distance on.
What's your up and down stat when you do miss a green?
Another option could be to get better at pitching, chipping and putting. Then lay up to a good number which misses any fairway or greenside bunkers, or feel comfortable chipping from rough around the greens and get up and down.

I use FIR/GIR because I don't track stats in-depth. at my level there's way too many variables totally unconnected to golf that affect my score on a given day. Even how I slept the night before can screw with my swing or playing PM after a decent lunch (I'm fragile that way )

But I know if i'm hitting fairways and greens in reg then i'll most often 2 putt for par with the odd bird and/or 3-putt bogey

 

[Voyager EMH]

A course gets two ratings, Scratch Rating (aka Course Rating) and Bogey Rating.
These are based on a notional 0.0 and a notional 20.0 player.
Slope Rating represents the difference between these two ratings.

Whatever our HI is, we are placed on that straight line between those two extremes or extrapolation beyond those limits.

In reality, our individual styles, strengths and weaknesses will cause some us to be some way off that straight-line graph.
For me, HI 4.6, I also lack distance. I do not find anyone with a lower HI who I can outdrive. And yet loads of chaps off 7, 8 and even 9 can outdrive me. I must be making up for that in other areas. I'm fairly sure I know what that is. My high level of £-returns on the 2s sweeps is a good indicator.

Off 13.3 you are in the middle area, but possibly deviating way off that straight line. Not a typical 13.3, maybe.
You are making an attempt to find out what that is that makes you different. You will be by far the best judge of that as you continue to think about it. I hope you work it out and play to your strengths.

Even though I believe I am a short-hitting 4.6, I find our yellow tee course more difficult to achieve my desired score differentials. The other way round from you.
9-over off the whites is 7.0 and 7-over off the yellows is 7.0.
My 8th best is 6.2. So about 7 is an average score for me. I do not find our yellow tee course 2 shots easier.
The long par 4s are still long par 4s. The par 5s are still 3 shots.

 

[harpo_72]

If you look at your driving distance and 7 iron distance does that get you on most greens when combined ?
It’s not unreasonable to expect your 7 iron to be relatively accurate.. so if your hitting 200yard drives and 130yard 7 irons 330yard par 4s are the ones you should be hitting.. if you want to improve that stat then it’s 6,5 hybrids and 9,7 woods to get you the distance and accuracy.. bit of practice and consistency should help you.

 

[Slab]

If you look at your driving distance and 7 iron distance does that get you on most greens when combined ?
It’s not unreasonable to expect your 7 iron to be relatively accurate.. so if your hitting 200yard drives and 130yard 7 irons 330yard par 4s are the ones you should be hitting.. if you want to improve that stat then it’s 6,5 hybrids and 9,7 woods to get you the distance and accuracy.. bit of practice and consistency should help you.

Thanks,
7iron goes about 140 for me & 200 driver is fine and if I miss more than 3 fairways with driver (12 hits) then it'd be a lot, however the prevailing 3 club wind kills those distances, so off comp tees a driver then even 3w/5iron will often still leave a full 3rd shot in on too many par 4's
Just two par 4's at/under the example distance above (which I reach fine) six others are around 400 with five of them into the wind (& cant reach any, so I treat as par 5's anyway)