How can I stop my score sliding

[ainley87simon]

So I played a round tonight taking 111 shots to get round 18 holes. In the bar afterwards my playing partner could not believe I had so many shots we thought through the holes and could only recall me having 4 or 5 bad shots, admittley I was 5 off the tee on one the holes, and I had 3 or 4 7s, but no would you look at my card/round and think this guy cant play golf.

I am desperate to reduce my handicap from 28. It sounds stupid but I play better shots than my handicap suggest, I can hit greens from positions that playing partners can't (and they give 12/10/and 15 shots based on their handicaps).

I know the big weakness in my game is putting, tonight I had 39 putts. Where do I need to concentrate my efforts? Should I be trying to get close to the bin from the fairway or just aim to it the green, and get it down with 2 putts? Should I make I sure I hit every fairway? (I generally hit 60% of my fairways). Should I concentrate on scoring well on par 3's I generally take 4 or 5's on these.

Like I don't struggle to play golf, I can play some great shots, do I need concentrate on my course management to drop shots? Or do I need focus on sinking more puts? Taking fewer ricky shots?

Frustrated.

 

[MadAdey]

So I played a round tonight taking 111 shots to get round 18 holes. In the bar afterwards my playing partner could not believe I had so many shots we thought through the holes and could only recall me having 4 or 5 bad shots, admittley I was 5 off the tee on one the holes, and I had 3 or 4 7s, but no would you look at my card/round and think this guy cant play golf.

I am desperate to reduce my handicap from 28. It sounds stupid but I play better shots than my handicap suggest, I can hit greens from positions that playing partners can't (and they give 12/10/and 15 shots based on their handicaps).

I know the big weakness in my game is putting, tonight I had 39 putts. Where do I need to concentrate my efforts? Should I be trying to get close to the bin from the fairway or just aim to it the green, and get it down with 2 putts? Should I make I sure I hit every fairway? (I generally hit 60% of my fairways). Should I concentrate on scoring well on par 3's I generally take 4 or 5's on these.

Like I don't struggle to play golf, I can play some great shots, do I need concentrate on my course management to drop shots? Or do I need focus on sinking more puts? Taking fewer ricky shots?

Frustrated.

I find it hard to understand how you are struggling to play to 28. If you hit 60% of fairways and can hit greens from places better golfers can't then I would love to see how woeful you are around the greens as that is where you must be throwing a lot of shots there.

It may be worth filling a card out with how you played on each hole. Basically when you fill the card out put on it if you hit the fairway, hit the green in regulation, played from a bunker, shots inside 100 yards and 50 yards, chips and putts. After a few cards you will straight away you will see what is weak in your game. Follow this link to an old forum thread.

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?4738-Scorecard-Golf-Round-Analysis-Software

 

[Beezerk]

39/18 = 2.1 so I wouldn't say your putting is too bad lol.
I took a lot of shots from a recent score by thinking about course management, no more crazy "I can hit the green from here" ideas and playing the percentages, trying to keep out of the rough etc.
Try it next time out as an experiment, main thing for me was dropping woods from the tee and using hybrids, ok I lost 30, 40, 50 yards but I was on the fairway more often than not.
Good luck mate.

 

[ScienceBoy]

If you are trying to break 100 and need a game plan I have written my game plan out here. Course management is always a factor!

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?51871-Trying-to-break-100-The-3-Goals-Method

Putting, chipping and pitching are essential, I duffed loads of shots but still shot 88 because I had 27 putts. I could not have had so few putts if I had not chipped close. I could have shot a much better score if my pitching had been even half decent! I was three off the tee twice that 18 due to our impossible rough for finding balls (too mach daises and clover).

 

[pbrown7582]

Course management, can help getting the ball back in play rather than taking on high risk shots.
If you hit middle of fairway middle of green 2 putts for a boring regulation 4 you can't go far wrong.
Off 28 your looking to average around abouts 5 a hole for a good day so a 4 on a par 3 is good.
39 putts maybe a touch high but not a real concern
5 off the tee is a big hit turns 110 into 106 very easily.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

It's hard to see how your stats stack up, if your hitting 60% of fairways (which is a figure a low single figure player would like), your scoring 4 or 5 on par 3 and hitting greens when your lower handicap partners don't, where are your 40 wasted shots per round going?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I hit more than 4 or 5 bad shots per round off of 7. I think you need to be more honest with your assesment of your game. Oh, and improve your putting/short game

 

[Hunka Turf]

I'd suggest 2 things.

1) Short putts. Practice holing 3,4 and 5 foot putts. Make yourself hole 10 in a row from each of these distances. It will greatly improve your confidence on the greens and save you lots of shots.
2) Course management. It's a simple rule but before you play a shot think to yourself "could I pull this off 8 out of 10 times?" If the answer is no then pick a safer option

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

So I played a round tonight taking 111 shots to get round 18 holes. In the bar afterwards my playing partner could not believe I had so many shots we thought through the holes and could only recall me having 4 or 5 bad shots, admittley I was 5 off the tee on one the holes, and I had 3 or 4 7s, but no would you look at my card/round and think this guy cant play golf.

I am desperate to reduce my handicap from 28. It sounds stupid but I play better shots than my handicap suggest, I can hit greens from positions that playing partners can't (and they give 12/10/and 15 shots based on their handicaps).

I know the big weakness in my game is putting, tonight I had 39 putts. Where do I need to concentrate my efforts? Should I be trying to get close to the bin from the fairway or just aim to it the green, and get it down with 2 putts? Should I make I sure I hit every fairway? (I generally hit 60% of my fairways). Should I concentrate on scoring well on par 3's I generally take 4 or 5's on these.

Like I don't struggle to play golf, I can play some great shots, do I need concentrate on my course management to drop shots? Or do I need focus on sinking more puts? Taking fewer ricky shots?

Frustrated.

I'm in a similar place to you. I find that I can hit some superb shots, but just don't do it regularly enough. So on any hole I might hit one or two well, but also a couple of duffers which then really screw up your score as you have to try and get out of the mess you've made. A couple of good shots on a par 4, and a couple of duffers in between, with the shots required to correct the errors mean the 7s, 8s and 9s rack up . Occasionally, when I hit a few good shots in a row I have acceptable scores. Practice, practice, practice I suspect.

 

[Foxholer]

At your level, Bogey Golf works!

Don't try to hit a 4-iron onto the green. Don't try to hit 8-iron over the trees. Don't try to reach the green in 2 on Par 5s!

Play the game from the middle of the fairway as often as possible! Lay up short of trouble. Chip and 2-putt.

Your bad shots may hurt your score. Trying, and (pretty much inevitably) failing, to hit miracle recovery shots will kill it!

 

[Birchy]

First thing i learned was to get the ball in play. If your losing a lot of balls off the tee then you need to rethink the strategy side. Driver every hole is no good if your losing balls.

After that i would work back from the green. Improving your short game & putting will get the handicap down the quickest.

 

[Hunka Turf]

I hit more than 4 or 5 bad shots per round off of 7. I think you need to be more honest with your assesment of your game. Oh, and improve your putting/short game

Agreed but a 28hc definition of good/bad shot will be very different to yours

 

[Wooky]

There is lots you can do to improve your scores.

1. Find a club (3 wood or Hybrid) that you can hit reliably & straight on holes where there is trouble.
2. Don't take on shots over trees & bushes (look for the easy route)
3. Know your distances with all your clubs
4. Practice from 100 yards in with your wedges.
5. Practice your bump & run shots from the fringe.
6. Course management, the long shot isn't always the best option, look to lay it up sometimes short of the trouble.

 

[TheClaw]

39/18 = 2.1 so I wouldn't say your putting is too bad lol.
I took a lot of shots from a recent score by thinking about course management, no more crazy "I can hit the green from here" ideas and playing the percentages, trying to keep out of the rough etc.
Try it next time out as an experiment, main thing for me was dropping woods from the tee and using hybrids, ok I lost 30, 40, 50 yards but I was on the fairway more often than not.
Good luck mate.

Yes but two putts on every green is only good if you're hitting the greens. Scoring that high the op must be missing the green then not getting his chip close enough to one putt.

I'd imagine a typical hole would be:
A straighish tee shot of 200 yards.
An iron that lands 30 yards away from the green.
A pitch that nearly reaches the green.
A chip.
Two putts.

Easy 6 (and that's on a good hole)

Am I right??

 

[Beezerk]

Yes but two putts on every green is only good if you're hitting the greens. Scoring that high the op must be missing the green then not getting his chip close enough to one putt.

Yeah fair enough mate, just saying I'd be happy with 2 putts per hole

 

[ainley87simon]

Yes but two putts on every green is only good if you're hitting the greens. Scoring that high the op must be missing the green then not getting his chip close enough to one putt.

I'd imagine a typical hole would be:
A straighish tee shot of 200 yards.
An iron that lands 30 yards away from the green.
A pitch that nearly reaches the green.
A chip.
Two putts.

Easy 6 (and that's on a good hole)

Am I right??

You have pretty much got my good holes there. A bad hole would be another shot (or 2) off the tee, or a rescue shot out of trees or rough to get back on a fairway.

 

[TheClaw]

There's no real secret apart from fixing the flaws. I've been playing well lately and it's basically because my swing is better and I am more consitent with the short game.

A lot of people will advise you to fix the short game etc but I personally think having a decent swing should come first. It makes the game more enjoyable. It should also help you get round about the green in 2 and on in 3 (par 4s) which is a good target.