How good are the different elements of your game?

[JezzE]

The GM office is no place for the faint-hearted when it comes to analysis of one another's games - things can get pretty brutal at times.

But no sooner had I sat down this morning than I was met with this swift appraisal of my game from Tappers and Paul O'H. "Your chipping and putting are probably 3 or 4-handicap standard, your driving is probably about that as well, but your iron-play and pitching we'd put at around 14."

The thing is, after a bit of bartering over their slightly harsh iron-play analysis (got them down to about 10-12!), they're probably not that far off, although ironically last Sat my iron-play was pretty sharp and my chipping well off the boil.

How would you - or perhaps how would your so-called friends - rate the various elements of your game relative to your overall handicap?

 

[DelB]

Funny, had a not-dissimilar conversation with my mate a couple of weeks ago. He reckons that he and I are pretty much on a level playing field when it comes to driving and irons (he plays off 11), but my short game (particularly bunkers and chipping round the green) and putting are what brings my handicap right back up to 21 again!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

In the continuing positivity of the new improved Homer I'd say my driving is 18 handicap, long clubs (fairway woods, hybrid 4 & 5 iron) is probably around 12. My mid irons are pretty good perhaps a 10 handicapper. The problem comes around the green. My chipping is woeful and definitely 20+ standard. Mr putter is pretty good and again I would say around the 12-14 mark.

All in all if you debit and credit the good with the bad I don't think my overall game is a million miles from my handicap figure. The new swing changes are working well (great range session last night and full of enthusiasm for the new golfing year) and once we get onto the short game area and this new coach gets to grip with my mental demons and flakey technique I can really see my game being a lot more resiliant and being in contention a lot more regularly.

 

[stevek1969]

I play in an Eclectic and Stableford during the winter in the squad i play with,one of my mates sens out an e-mail every weekwith the scores at the moment i'm last in both so every week he does a report on whats going on, he summed up my game in a sentence.

Plays like a novice and putts like a pro. Thats how bad my game is just and i thought my lessons were working, seems not

 

[StrangelyBrown]

It's hard to say Jezz, i'm so inconsistant and that's why i'm still off of 24. The last time I played I started par, par, par, quad, so read into that what you will.

 

[USER1999]

chipping and putting are better than my handicap, driving is about on handicap, iron play is woeful. That is why I am having lessons.

@homer, still not quite there on the positivity mate!

 

[frasting]

Hi guys

I reckon for driving (on its day) I could compete with just about any.
Irons 3 handicap
Chipping 4
Putting 3
Bunkers 8
Mental +1

By somehow that come together as I play of 1

Be interested to see what boabski or others on the forum who have played with
Me would say though!!!!

 

[Monty_Brown]

Driving 6
Irons: 8
wedges 14
chipping 8
putting 11

Short game is where it's at if you're trying to push on into lower end of cat 2, and mine is just nowhere near it at the moment.

 

[Mattyboy]

Driving 3
Irons: 4
wedges 5
chipping 2
putting 2

OK, so taking an average of this dosnt add up to a 5 HCP! However, I feel that having made great strides in the putting department this year, I will be down to three by this time next year.

Myself and my ususal playing partners were talking on Sunday about what we hope for next year.

Their thoughts on me was a 3 HCP - now that I have 'learned' to putt.
The 11 HCP could be down to 8 if he could learn to chip.
The 2 hcp down to scratch (he is 1.6) if he can learn to control wedge distances (he is only 16 and if Tim is reading this do you fancy a long driving comp against him? I promise you - no one, other than tour players hits it as long!).

We all have high hopes for the forthcomming season!

 

[Oddsocks]

played about 2 weeks ago with a 7hc golfer who is pretty sharp, i wasnt quite as long as him, but hes words and quote " ive never seen a 12 capper drive as consistantly as you "

Driving/fairways woods 8 maybe as low as 7 for consistency but not length
Irons: 15 at best, the worst part of my game
wedges 10/9 seems to be saving scores with creative wedges
chipping 12 seems about right
putting 13/14

gives me a rough average if about 11.2 so not far out.

the new year i solely want to work on iron consistency in 4/5/6i, with tighter dispersion on 7/8/9/pw as they seem to be most common when attacking greens in regulation.

 

[Hobbit]

Courtesy of a score tracking site.

Score average 6 h'cap
FIR 5
GIR 8
Scrambling 3
Sand saves scratch
putts/round 2
3 putts 1
putts/GIR 9
pars made 2
Birdies converted 23

So even though I have a putting average of less than 30 putts per round, my conversion rate suggests I'm rubbish when the pressure is on for a birdie.

 

[One Planer]

chipping and putting are better than my handicap, driving is about on handicap, iron play is woeful.

This pretty much sums my game up also.

It's not the contact I struggle with, It's picking the club for the "estimated" distance (Don't use GPS).

 

[JT77]

It's a good way to evaluate what you need to work on, i usually do it at the end of each season.
Driving 18 e
Fairways 10 c
Irons 7 b
Wedges 11 c
Putting 10 b-
I usually grade myself as you would have been graded at school though. Put the grades up that I gave myself end of thus season, plenty to work on..

 

[thecraw]

Funny, had a not-dissimilar conversation with my mate a couple of weeks ago. He reckons that he and I are pretty much on a level playing field when it comes to driving and irons (he plays off 11), but my short game (particularly bunkers and chipping round the green) and putting are what brings my handicap right back up to 21 again!

My first ever encounter with the great white delb left me flabbergasted by his arrow like display with his magic sabertooth wand!!

Steve Kemlo and I were both about to string you up from the nearest tree at one point!!!

 

[thecraw]

Myself,

Driving, 5 handicap.
Fairways, 5 handicap.
Hybrid, 10-12 handicap.
4-9 irons, 5 or 6 handicap.
100 yards in to greenside, 28 handicap.
Greenside, single figures.
Putting, 5 or 6 handicap.

Doesn't take a genious to work out where I throw away the majority of my shots.

 

[chrisd]

I feel that most elements average out to my 11 handicap and on a given day I will chip like a pro and putt like an eejit and then another day other things will be better or worse. Fitness has probably been my biggest my biggest problem over the last 3 or 4 years, but 2 new hips later, I am really looking forward to the attack on single figures next year



Chris


Chris

 

[Evesdad]

My chipping and putting and have vastly improved over recent weeks and would say prob to a 18 standard close but could be closer on the chipping and rarely 3 putt any more. Irons seem to vary from spot on to woeful! So prob about right at 26. Now my stats say my driving is way above my hcp but recently it's deserted me so I'm going to stay in rough territory and say 22-24. Pitching getting better but prob still spot on my hcp.

 

[timchump]

my putting/ shortgame is absolutely shocking

i played my first individual competion this weekend, 31 stableford points,
not bad the winner had 35 pts, CSS was 75 on a Par 71

anyway, there is a full on computer system at the club, my score get transferred to how did i do .co.uk

decided to exrapolate each hole shot for shot, the statistics showed i took 48 putts in the round!

a few of these were from the fringe, not sure if this counts? still pretty shocking though

 

[Oddsocks]

I feel that most elements average out to my 11 handicap and on a given day I will chip like a pro and putt like an eejit and then another day other things will be better or worse.

Chris


Chris

I think 99% of people struggle with this though..

i break my game down into 5 categories

woods/fairways
long irons
short irons
chipping
putting

i can always be assured only 3/3.5 out of 5 will ever turn up for the same game, its the one that missing that is the difference between me getting lower or lingering around 12/13

 

[brendy]

Driving 5
Irons: 6
wedges 6
chipping 9
putting 5

70 yards and in shots are what are keeping me at my current handicap, shanking my way through half of the year, those thoughts are subsiding and am slowly coming back down again. Irons are a touch temperamental leaving the odd one out to the right which can be a card wrecker.


Id be interested to see what Paul and Mike thought about our driving/woods from Monday.