New Year - New Strategies ?

[Macster]

I always seem to get like this near the start of a new Season, - log on to HowDidIDo to peruse the stats, compare mine against others, etc etc, in an effort to see where shots can be shaved, and in the hope that I can once again get down to Single figures.
I managed it once in 09, for about 2mths, but my 9.2 slipped up to 9.5 by season end, and I still loiter at 9.8.

But when you analyse things on HDID etc, it makes for some interesting stats.....
ie Mine / OtherCat2 / Cat1
Birdies 5.35% 4.12% 9.26%
Pars 36.98% / 34.43% / 52.14%
Bogeys 36.98% / 41.69% / 30.54%
D.Bogeys 20.68% / 19.70% / 7.88%

I've also averaged my score for every Hole on my course, and over the 51 Competition Rounds, and that shows up some glaring stuff too.

Like - my worst hole averages 1.76 OVER Par, and its our 1st !! *not good*
I also average more 'Over Par' on the Back 9 (+8.98), than I do on the Front 9 (+7.79),.....
This could be down to some tougher holes, 450, 430, and 469Yd Par 4's, 2 tough Par 3's of 180/199yds, etc etc......
Or could it be down to the fact that I'm just more 'comfortable' on the Front 9, - as we probably play it more anyway, - we quite often play to 12 as a social on a summer evening etc. - maybe I should be concentrating the holes I play better on the Back 9 ?

Clearly my Double Bogey stats are poor - I need to make a conserted effort to reduce these alone, as single handedly they are wrecking my handicap.
I think from memory, I managed 1 round last year without a Double on the Card.

So, am I alone in stuff like this, or is it just early season madness and desperate quest for inspiration ?

*and breathe.........*

 

[0]

I think you are doing the right thing - if you dont know your stats how will you achieve your goals.
I have 3 lessons this time of year Feb Mar April and hope to hit the ground running.
I am currently 12 and want to be off 9 by the end of the season.
My pro said so how are you going to that ? Unless you know what areas to target how do you know what to practice.
With me its short game - especially putting.
I am now keeping stats every round

 

[Whereditgo]

Do you think that breaking the scoring down further would be useful? FIR, GIR, No of putts etc, etc.

I use SS2 but then I am a bit of a 'statto'. What the additional information does do is let you analyse the precise reason for those bad scoring holes and see if there is a common reason.

Like you Chris, I have a couple of holes that are costing me shots every round. A different approach to the way I play these holes is hopefully going to shave a couple of shots per round.

I keep getting into trouble off the tee on our 18th for example, which has previously been one of my strongest holes, I'm going to take a long iron or try the new hybrid for a few rounds and see if I can get the confidence back on that tee box.

 

[Macster]

Hi Phil, I did want to use SS2, but couldn't as I use a Mac, and they didn't have a Mac version. I'll check again, maybe they do now, I would use it.
I'm not being greedy, I only want a couple of shots off !!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Another SS2 statto and it has helped me realise more succinctly where the shots are going and which holes are the real bogey ones (which aren't the ones I thought they were). It also gives my teaching pro my latest stats in terms of FIR, GIR and short game so we can tailor lessons to anything that is really weak (and yes my short game is on the list)

 

[Robobum]

This may be too simplistic as I don't know your game, but seeing as you are averaging (practically) a double on the 1st hole.......do you warm up ready for the round? Even if you can get that down to a bogey, you've got your single figures right there.

 

[Region3]

Are triples and worse included in the doubles as they all add up to damn near 100%?

Definitely keeping doubles and worse off the card is the secret to scoring well around our h'caps.

How do you play your first hole?

 

[Macster]

Correction - the 1st averages at 4.90, slight miscalculation !!!
That makes my 'worst' hole our 16th, an average of 5.29, but it is a monster of a hole, Par 4 of 469yds, sweeping dogleg left, to a tight green.

Hardly surprising then.

 

[Imurg]

How do you play your first hole?

1 par, 4 bogeys, 3 doubles and 2 triples on our 1st this year. It's a bugger, epspecially if its windy - and it has been. Need to carry 200 to be safely over the diagonal ditch or lay-up leaving 200+ to the green. Very easy to get very wrong.

Don't I know it.

 

[Macster]

Region3 - 'Doubles or worse', so Ive taken them all as Doubles for comparisons etc, although in all honesty, I'm rarely 3 over.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Stats Stats Stats - what does it all mean.

I'm a recovering statoholic so I know this subject quite well and I'm not really sure what the number of pars, bogeys etc tell you. What's more important IMHO is not what you score but how. I made 8 bogeys 8 pars and 2 trebles on Saturday but that doesn't really help me a lot with where to improve. Probably 5 of those bogeys were failing to get up and down from around the green. One of the trebles was because I tried to cut a ball round a tree and fcuked it up, just to see if I could as it wasn't a comp. I did it the 2nd time and then failed to get down from the edge of the green. This is pretty normal for me and so no matter what score I get, short game would undoubtedly improve it.

I still think about stats and still toy with the idea of recording them but for me, FIR and GIR aren't enough, I want to know why, how many greens with each club from how far out? If I miss is it because I hit it poorly or mis-judge the wind?

You see, like I said, I'm a recovering statohlic but I'm always thinking about it and have a rough idea of my basic stats and the one that stands out for improvement is my short game regardless of what I score on a hole.