Lies, Damned Lies and....Statistics

[Smiffy]

Holy crap. This is way above my head. I just whack it, run after it and whack it again. The only stat I keep is the score. Way too much info here for me to take in.

Agree 100%. I either play crap or I play well. I couldn't give a toss how many greens I hit in regulation or how many putts I take. Yesterdays game is just that....yesterdays. It's gone. Forever. The only part of my game I worry about is when and where I'm playing next.

 

[Cernunnos]

I think Tony has made an interesting point about how he manages his round.
"There is a long par 4 at my place that I struggle to hit with my second because it has to be a flushed 3 wood to reach and I only flush them when the ball sits up nicely in a bit of 1st cut or short rough. So I always aim to miss the fairway left. "

Part of playing a good round is about effective course management. Learning where to put the ball when you can't hit the green is an important part of that.

Indeed & we all reach for Driver way too often off the tee too, when on a short parr 4 we could actually use anything from a 4 iron to a 7 iron on a 250 to as much as 300 yards & be in as good a position on most courses to be able to attack the green anyway with an mid iron or even wedge anyway.

Course management is indeed king. I will admit to starting to resist temptation on occasion to hit woods & instead take a long or mid iron instead. I'd bet if I left the woods in the bag or the boot & used Irons only I'd probably get around in a lot less shots & might probably be closer to the pin before I need to take out the head cover off the putter.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Of course I don't wait a full year to review the statistics!!!!! If you'd read the piece I state that SS2 gives me a statistical breakdown that my coach has so we can gear lessons to the current problem.

I only used the full year last year as I started off badly and was averaging over 36 putts but after a putting lesson and some serious practice my average was much better and for the last three months of the year I was averaging 31.67. I'm not too hung up on my putting statistics yet as the greens have been poor although they were in good knick today and no three putts and 32 putts for the round.

The achilles hell has always been my scrambling as I tend to miss to many greens usually left or right so my club selection is pretty good (I'm rarely short) but have failed to get up and down. I'm working hard at my pitching and chipping and early indicators show these are improving.

 

[haplesshacker]

As someone said a little while ago. Most od our coures only need an iron of the tee and an iron into the green. Why use a driver / wood!?

I've taken a new look at my game this season, and it's about just getting near the green or to a lay up point. Forget hitting the ball into oblivion. If it goes well then I'll have a short iron into the green, it it doesn't the balls either OOB, lost, or a damn difficult shot. Where as if a play sensibly I can make all greens, except the par 5s in 3 and then two putt at worst. Well that's the plan. It doesn't always work of course!!

Stats are interesting if you take that road. But never take them in isolation, they can be misleading!

A 3 putt from 60 feet is one thing, a 3 putt from 6 foot is something completely different. And this is where most stat packages fall down regarding the putting. There is no record of what putts it is you're trying to do. Only your head can give you a reference on that one.

Therefore regarding the OP, I'm not disagreeing with him, as I'm aware of the limitations of keeping stats, and I bear that in mind when looking at mine.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have a feeling (and I'll wait until SS2 corrects me) that the next upgrade was going to include something to record putting distances.

 

[CVG]

I have to say I think there is some truth in looking at stats. if you like that sort of thing.
But another way of looking at things might be that we should consider the course management needed for an individuals game to get the best score. The fact that you can't reach any par 4 or 5 in regulation doesn't mean that your not playing well, does it?
If I walk away from a round thinking I have scored the best I could then I'm pleased. I might walk away thinking I left a few putts out there and consider doing a bit of work on the stroke, or remember that fairway wood that I scuffed, and consider going down the range to practise.
I'm wary about analyising to much and forgetting to enjoy the game, thats why I play after all, I try to leave the stress behind when I go out on a course, thankfully I don't feel the need to note down every single shot.