bobmac
Major Champion
Why not?
Par 71
- Thread starter pieface
- Start date
Why not?
If I can cover 480yds in 2 shots, I'm aiming to get on the green in 2. If my second shot misses the green, I'm aiming to sink my chip, not get it close. And if my chip doesn't go in, I'm aiming to sink the putt, not lag it. Why would anyone aim to use two shots for any particular scenario when one will do?
bobmac
Major Champion
Because they get a shot here and a net par is good.
chrisd
Major Champion
My mentality is the same, it really only changes if I'm in the cack and have to get back on track or I know for certain that it would be foolish to go for a shot that is very likely to put me in to real trouble e.g. 220 yards to a green with water to one side, although I'd probably go 200 yards if i could 😁
And a net eagle is better...
I get where people are coming from but the aim of the game is shoot as low as possible, not almost as low as possible. Ok, there might be a lake with a 240yd carry to the green, and I accept the need to be careful. But where there isn't a major obstacle, why lay up?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Surely its also about understanding your own ability as well
There are plenty handicap golfers who have reached their natural peak and regardless of who many lessons what change their HC significantly so they understand what they can and cant do on a course
If someone is 220 away from a green and they know that its on their edge but they also know if they try and go for it 80% of the time they will end up hitting a poor shot which could make things worse - so instead they will attempt to lay up to a yardage they like and then look to get up and end but a bogey for them wont be a bad score - where as if they went for it a double bogey would be a likely result - surely thats just good course and game management
A net par is good - the reason why is because we play Handicap golf , a net par means on that hole they played to their expected level - i would suggest that more "gross pars" are made from these players when they play sensibly and to their abilities than if they went for the glory big shot. Sensible game management - something that is just as important than striking the ball well
There are plenty handicap golfers who have reached their natural peak and regardless of who many lessons what change their HC significantly so they understand what they can and cant do on a course
If someone is 220 away from a green and they know that its on their edge but they also know if they try and go for it 80% of the time they will end up hitting a poor shot which could make things worse - so instead they will attempt to lay up to a yardage they like and then look to get up and end but a bogey for them wont be a bad score - where as if they went for it a double bogey would be a likely result - surely thats just good course and game management
A net par is good - the reason why is because we play Handicap golf , a net par means on that hole they played to their expected level - i would suggest that more "gross pars" are made from these players when they play sensibly and to their abilities than if they went for the glory big shot. Sensible game management - something that is just as important than striking the ball well
Handicap golfers have a lay up yardage they are confident of getting it close from... really...C'mon Phil, even at our level our comfy yardage rarely sees us at guaranteed one putt distance. If they thin/top their shot they will almost certainly be mid iron distance away anyway.
bobmac
Major Champion
I have never mentioned a go for glory big shot.
I'm talking about people playing a hole differently because of its par or stroke index.
A hole that 480yds long is not a hard par 4 or an easy par 5 its 480yds long, play it the best you can.
In case you haven't read all my replies, here's a few
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Who said anything about "guaranteed" one putt - i suspect most will be looking for a bogey but will hope to give them a chance for a one putt par but if they dont get that one putt then they walk away with a bogey and no real damage is done. If they thin their shot they could be in a bunker or in the thick rough or if they top they could be playing the next shot 5 yards away. A lot to be said for sensible golf
Its handicap golf where shots come into it so they will approach the hole with what shots they have on that hole - even in medal play where even though the shots just get taken away at the end people will still look at their "shot holes" and think a net par is a acceptable result on that hole and anything more is a bonus - play each hole at a time. Its also worth remembering that their HC will be adjusted from the stableford points as well so even if its medal the shots on each hole still have a meaning
chrisd
Major Champion
This is all true, I played a Vets 4bbb match last week where I out drove their pair by sometimes 50 yards but, giving them shots, they were able to get on in 3 and be closer than me because I was hitting a longer iron in for 2 to be level with them. It was a game they knew well how to play on their home course and they only came unstuck when there was the one long par 4 which my partner and I got on in 2 and they didn't in 3 with a shot. So playing the careful game was great for them, but, if it were stroke play they would never be likely to get their handicaps down as they were wholly content with nett pars.
I, on the other hand, want to get down to single figures and am not going to do it without going for par/birdie/eagle on most holes even where I get a shot. Playing to my handicap is, I feel, too conservative.
bobmac
Major Champion
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Because thats how people play their monthly medal and stableford - the handicap is always on their mind - and yes the HC is based on the CSS but that doesnt change where you get your shots on the course during a medal and it doesnt change that the HC is based on the stableford score for that round - so people getting 2 points on a hole is a minimum return for them.
I approach each hole with the minimum that i look to get is 2 points and my play will dictate that on that hole - i spend 18 holes playing safe and look at a net par as an acceptable result - 36 points on a decent number of courses will get you a handicap cut.
By playing that way i managed to get my handicap down to where it is but we are all different and we will all find our way of playing the game on the course.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
i dont lay way back when i take the option of not going for the green with my longest wildest fairway wood. i still try to get it as close as i can whilst not playing myself out of the hole/round.
a bogey i can recover from. a lost ball not so much.
you have to weight up the risks on every shot.
a bogey i can recover from. a lost ball not so much.
you have to weight up the risks on every shot.
bobmac
Major Champion
So you're playing in a medal, you've started par par and the 3rd hole is a 240yd par 4 with a bunker in front of the green and no wind. How would you play it?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
The same as i always play it because thats exactly what our third is - i take an iron or hybrid as ours is a split fairway and leave myself a a SW into the green but i have at times just gone 7 iron wedge.
bobmac
Major Champion
bobmac
Major Champion
How would you play it if it was changed to a par 3?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Would take a driver or 3wood depending on the conditions but if I had a shot on the hole might look at a lay up then a wedge - it would depend on how I was feeling about my swing and if is was in a confident mood
bobmac
Major Champion
So if you had a shot you'd lay up and if you had no shot you'd go for the green assuming you started par par so feeling ok?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Bob - it wouldn’t be a harden fast rule - I would judge it on the day in all honesty - I can say one thing now and do something different but the overriding thought would be a net par ( 2 points ) I would be happy walking off with
