Logical - I think so...

[Rob McBride]

Out last weekend in the club May Medal with the usual cohort of early risers, we threw balls up, set off in 3 balls and were gong along nicely. On the 6th green one of the lads chips closer than both of us, settling 2 feet from the hole, we (non chippers) were about 6 and 8 feet respectively. This was a feat that had occurred since teeing off, great chipping skills and applauded as such. Clearly a trend was developing and the better chipper (banter) offered the advice that we needed to learn to chip, & was disposed to giving lessons and began the usual jousting that develps between mates and competition.

We (non chippers) had both made the putt (and had only 1 putted from the 1st tee - scary yes), whereas our mate missed on every hole taking 2 or 3, although chipping close every time. Putt for dough rings a bell....

Walking off 18 and looking back at the card we were +22 nett for Mr Chip, +18 for No2 and -4 for myself, with the comment, think what you could do if you could chip like me?

Not known till Monday, but it turned out I nicked Div 2 but lost gross best on countback, and a 2 recorded for the 2's club - delighted. I understand the sentiment from a good friend, but it has had me thinking all week about where our perceptions are on what we need to review - Mr Chip was convinced it was driving and approach play that let him down because his play around the green was superb, but must have had between 36 - 44 Putts?

I'm not sure what there is to discuss, but thought I would share when looking back and being critical about what we need to work on and what we take from a round where some elements are great and others not so. Maybe - what is the best metric for tracking performance and identifying gaps from competition to give added value to work on in practice?

Were all out again tomorrow in the pros comp, it will be fun as always and interesting t'boot!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

He does have a point though. If he could putt half as well as he chipped he'd have played close to or below handicap. Clearly that is where his weakness is whereas you can putt well but don't get the chips so close. Its a balancing act of making sure all facets work well and if one area is weaker work on it or get a lesson and improve.

It is the same with driving. If you regularly hit it in trouble you'd soon change to a safer club or go to the range to work on it and may seek the advice of a pro. It's the same with the short game, find something that works and improve it. I'm using the linear chipping method. Not textbook but it is beginning to come together for me and I'm gaining in confidence. In my case its the short game that has been letting me down and so if I can make even 2-3 up and downs per round with the way I'm striking I would hope to be close to or below the buffer a lot more

 

[Ian_S]

This is why I always think a true analysis of putting stats needs some kind of distance factored into it. My guess is Mr Chip normally gets away with his below average putting because he chips it close a lot so his putting stats are probably misleading and he'll think 'if only I could get on the green in a shot less...'.

My last two rounds are quite a good example. I had 42 putts and felt I putted pretty poorly and it cost me an awful lot of shots. Next round I had a very similar number, yet I felt I putted much better. The biggest difference is that I was 2-putting from much further out on the second round (approach play was much worse), and I was nearly always giving myself a chance to make the second putt.

Obviously there's still a lot to work on (need to bring that to 36 or under regularly) but if I was taking a naive view I might still think my putting wasn't improving. Similarly, Mr Chip may look at average putting numbers and think he has no problem with putting whereas he's really far worse, given the position he gets himself in, than average.

 

[bobmac]

This is why I always think a true analysis of putting stats needs some kind of distance factored into it.

You could say that but there again...there are 10 foot putts and there are 10 foot putts. One might be straight uphill when the other is downhill left to right.
Some like to keep track of their total putts, some include putts from off the green, some just count how many putts you take on Greens In Regulation (GIR)
Another way of tracking your putts is count up the length of putts you actually get in.
eg on the 1st, your first put misses by a foot and you tap in.....that counts as a foot.
On the second, your approach hits the bunker. You splash out to 4 feet and hole the putt. So add that to the 1 foot from the first etc etc
Obviously, the higher the number, the better you are putting

My last two rounds are quite a good example. I had 42 putts and felt I putted pretty poorly and it cost me an awful lot of shots. Next round I had a very similar number, yet I felt I putted much better

If you are getting 42 putts per round, you need help.....soon

 

[Ian_S]

If you are getting 42 putts per round, you need help.....soon

Oh no doubt. I've been working on my putting routine and I do think I've found one that seems to work. When I three putted last round it fell into either not doing my routine fully, or badly misreading the green. One of those is just concentrating, and the other will come from more practice.

And if that doesn't work I've heard there's some gadget called a V-something that is good

 

[bobmac]

And if that doesn't work I've heard there's some gadget called a V-something that is good

I'm not one to brag but.....
It could save you hours, days, even weeks practicing the wrong thing