DeanoMK
Club Champion
I've got one tomorrow and am definitely going to be adopting this strategy, especially as it's a course where driver isn't really needed.
I've got one tomorrow and am definitely going to be adopting this strategy, especially as it's a course where driver isn't really needed.
chrisd
Major Champion
I played a 4bbb knockout this morning and felt that for weeks now I've hit the ball well but scored badly, except with the driver. I sorted out the driver problems and planned to play boring golf as we were playing a higher handicap pair who we never beat. I didn't play boring golf though because what worked was better concentration on the main things, grip, stance, alignment etc etc and that really worked well and was my best round for some time
Oldham92
Hacker
Surely it's not boring to be in the middle of the fairway watching an opponent who's 40 yards ahead in the trees trying to find his ball?
Wolf
Well-known member
Let me know how you get on mate, be interested in how it works out.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Was very sensible in the medal today, for my second shots I didn't hit anything longer than 7 iron. If I couldn't reach with that I just hit it anyway and then chipped/pitched on - rather than trying to go for it with a hybrid and risking the big slice. Shot 83 and got cut two shots, so it obviously did me some good.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
There is clearly some good scores being posted so I'm pleased to see it working. I stand by my original feelings (for now) and may re-visit it again n the winter where I don't get enough distance to get to some holes. That said driver is required on 2, 3 and 12 as there are carries that must be made to avoid a large score (and 3 is an environmental area that has to be got over or it's usually double at best from the drop zone)
DeanoMK
Club Champion
Just checking in after yesterday - I played well and kept to the game plan but I was pulling a lot of shots left which was killing me and the guy I was playing (who was off of 7) was very consistent, and was also playing quite conservatively too - he played a lot of irons off the tee and never took any big risks.
He beat me 7&6. I had some chances but ultimately my swing let me down rather than the game plan. Onwards and upwards.
He beat me 7&6. I had some chances but ultimately my swing let me down rather than the game plan. Onwards and upwards.
jmf1488
Club Champion
My problem with this whole game plan of laying up with irons of tees and breaking holes down. You hit your 7 160 on par 4 it leaves you 240 in. You hit another 7 and it leaves you 80 in providing you put 2 good strikes on the ball. Now you need to get up and down from 80 yards to get your par. What happens you put a bad strike and miss the green. Then you need to get up and down for 5 and the pressure is really on because nobody wants a 6. Your handicap is a level of your consistency and if your ball striking is good enough that you could hit all these shots good then why arent you hitting driver?
Would it not be better to bladder a driver down 230. Take a 6 iron from the rough cause the driver was offline and if it hits the green good and if not your leaving yourself up and down for par or up and 2 putts for bogey.
Would it not be better to bladder a driver down 230. Take a 6 iron from the rough cause the driver was offline and if it hits the green good and if not your leaving yourself up and down for par or up and 2 putts for bogey.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Personally I think if you can reach in two, you should reach it in two. Where I applied this to my own game though, was for longer par 4s where I would be hitting driver and hybrid just for an outside chance of reaching it (at the risk of slicing the hybrid), I just played it more as a par 5 almost, with 7 iron 2nd shot not trying to reach, and play on with the third. I'm more likely to make a 5 that way than trying to make a two-putt 4 against the odds and end up with a 6.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
I think the strategy/ conservative idea is fine on holes you normally run up a cricket score on.
A 6 is still better here than an 8.
There should be plenty of holes on a course were you dont need to play safe. Even a driver , chip on then short iron onto the green is still a good play.
A 6 is still better here than an 8.
There should be plenty of holes on a course were you dont need to play safe. Even a driver , chip on then short iron onto the green is still a good play.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
As a handicap golfer even a double (net bogey or 1 point in stableford) on a shot hole doesn't have to be a show stopper which is part of my reticence with the method. Personally I would rather try and be as near as I can (even if I have to lay up out of the rough) and leave as short a shot as possible as I think a) I am working hard on my pitching/chipping so confident in my ability b) there is less margin for error than trying to hit a 9 iron 120 yards (especially in the wind or on hard greens).
Siolag
Active member
Watching the videos and reading this thread has made me really think about 'Course management' for the first time. Up until now I haven't really given a lot of thought about the shot after next, but now I think I will try a slight different approach and work out a bit better strategy on each hole.
Sports_Fanatic
Assistant Pro
May be I'm not getting it, but for me it's not about taking a 7 iron off every tee so a 380 yd hole may be 7 iron, 7 iron, wedge but instead playing what's in front.
So if I have a 380 yd hole and it thins around 240/250 due to bunkers/lake/trees, then I may take a recovery 210yds to take the trouble out and then accept I've got a longer iron 6 or 7 in rather than a wedge as if I miss the green I'm not likely to be in trouble so still chance of a par.
Similarly, a par three that you can only reach with three wood (say 210/220yds) but trouble if you go right or left, then you may play 5 iron short and save, for a chip and run up the green. Always harder to lay up par 3.
Final one, Par 5 that if I hit two worldies I may get on in two, I find hybrid off the tee can be better as it takes away the option of trying to hit 3 wood in and potentially slice into trees/lake, so I end up with a short wedge for my third.
Anyway, I've definitely seen a marked improvement over last 3 rounds by playing slightly more sensibly.
So if I have a 380 yd hole and it thins around 240/250 due to bunkers/lake/trees, then I may take a recovery 210yds to take the trouble out and then accept I've got a longer iron 6 or 7 in rather than a wedge as if I miss the green I'm not likely to be in trouble so still chance of a par.
Similarly, a par three that you can only reach with three wood (say 210/220yds) but trouble if you go right or left, then you may play 5 iron short and save, for a chip and run up the green. Always harder to lay up par 3.
Final one, Par 5 that if I hit two worldies I may get on in two, I find hybrid off the tee can be better as it takes away the option of trying to hit 3 wood in and potentially slice into trees/lake, so I end up with a short wedge for my third.
Anyway, I've definitely seen a marked improvement over last 3 rounds by playing slightly more sensibly.
DeanoMK
Club Champion
You've got it spot on, at least with the way that I've interpreted it too.
Pin-seeker
Well-known member
^^^this.
D
Deleted member 18121
Guest
Exactly, this is why its important for people not get hung up on the notion of not hitting driver....the idea is about removing danger from a hole. If you have a 200yd+ carry over trouble and then beyond that you have a 50 yard wide fairway and 100 yards of roll out...you bet your ass I'm smashing driver, because I'd back myself to hit a gap that big.
I played a game with my son in law on sunday and his course management is appalling.
there was a par 4 about 380 yards - trees pretty much all up the right and a pond/lake at about 220-250 yards on the left.
he takes driver and pulls it left into the water - he's best drive is circa 230 so anything slightly pulled will always be in trouble on that hole
I hit 5 iron to take the water out of play, then hit 8 iron to the front right of the green and 2 putt for par while he blobs the hole and does nothing but moan about it.
I only hit driver twice that round, mainly because I wanted to get used to my new irons and I didn't really need to use it.
I have told him time and time again that he doesn't need to hit driver but he just wont listen as he thinks being a long hitter is all that matters
there was a par 4 about 380 yards - trees pretty much all up the right and a pond/lake at about 220-250 yards on the left.
he takes driver and pulls it left into the water - he's best drive is circa 230 so anything slightly pulled will always be in trouble on that hole
I hit 5 iron to take the water out of play, then hit 8 iron to the front right of the green and 2 putt for par while he blobs the hole and does nothing but moan about it.
I only hit driver twice that round, mainly because I wanted to get used to my new irons and I didn't really need to use it.
I have told him time and time again that he doesn't need to hit driver but he just wont listen as he thinks being a long hitter is all that matters
rksquire
Head Pro
Went through a bad patch with my driver (normally strong) so changed it to a format where I could 'score', just to avoid embarrassment. Driver now comes out 6 times (going well again) and contemplating reducing that to 4 or 5. Badly hit 3 woods and 4 hybrids bring alot less danger in to play. This is 6 drives where danger is minimal or a drive is required vs 13 normally. Looking at results this is saving me between 4 and 7 shots on the rounds played so far. I might be playing better, but I think it's generally because I'm in a better position after my first shot. Played match on Sunday and even though match finished on 15th, played last 3 holes. Had I had a stableford or medal round, I would have had my best ever round. I've also eliminated 'Holywood' shots and started to take my medicine. It's not boring, it's golf. It's even making me want to practice chipping and I don't make enough up and downs.
My (new) club team partner plays bogey golf - hits it 160 onto the fairway, 160 towards the green and is almost always left with at least a shot at par.
My (new) club team partner plays bogey golf - hits it 160 onto the fairway, 160 towards the green and is almost always left with at least a shot at par.
Maybe let him know that those two points don't equate the same thing
Then he can play sensible like the rest of us lol
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
Really got to live it tonight. Took no more than a hybrid off most tees on the front 9, even as low as a 5 iron. I made the turn in 10 over. Mostly due to two shank however should have been about 8 over at worst. I did struggle to make bogey at times but had nothing worse than a double, even with a shank.
At the turn the confidence grew and I started taking 3 wood, absolutely nailed them! Eventually I tried the driver but it wasn’t great, fairway with one to set up a birdie chance and the other was way right but long enough to give me a par.
I certainly found the back 9 more enjoyable, mostly due to the lack of shanks and only one double.
I ended up with 84 (par 69) and the driver and 3 wood probably helped keep that under 90 with the shanks.
I certainly would have struggled to break 90 without the 3 wood, I still took a couple of irons off the tee and a hybrid on the back 9.
I think not taking driver until later in the round really helped, as did my continual approach to 3 shotting any par 4s where I had a shot. It didn’t generate many pars but it did stop me having any big numbers.
I kept it in play all the way round, only losing balls the sideways irons I hit.
I would certainly play this way again as I really felt I could build a score, as long as I could get a 3 wood off the tee when the hole opened up a bit.
If I had started that earlier, not had the tom hanks and had way more golf under me (only my second 18 of the year) I felt I could have got closer to 80.
I hit 77% of fairways but only 22%GIR for 1.83 PPH.
At the turn the confidence grew and I started taking 3 wood, absolutely nailed them! Eventually I tried the driver but it wasn’t great, fairway with one to set up a birdie chance and the other was way right but long enough to give me a par.
I certainly found the back 9 more enjoyable, mostly due to the lack of shanks and only one double.
I ended up with 84 (par 69) and the driver and 3 wood probably helped keep that under 90 with the shanks.
I certainly would have struggled to break 90 without the 3 wood, I still took a couple of irons off the tee and a hybrid on the back 9.
I think not taking driver until later in the round really helped, as did my continual approach to 3 shotting any par 4s where I had a shot. It didn’t generate many pars but it did stop me having any big numbers.
I kept it in play all the way round, only losing balls the sideways irons I hit.
I would certainly play this way again as I really felt I could build a score, as long as I could get a 3 wood off the tee when the hole opened up a bit.
If I had started that earlier, not had the tom hanks and had way more golf under me (only my second 18 of the year) I felt I could have got closer to 80.
I hit 77% of fairways but only 22%GIR for 1.83 PPH.
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