Positive Scoring Method

[Crazyface]

I've started a simpler way of scoring at the moment. Bunkers? Take out no penalty. Drive out of bounds? No penalty, drop when ball went out or whack another if I'm not holding anyone up. We (me and the wife) are using this as we go round. I thought I'm not going to ruin a round messing about in sand pits. Now the thing is using this method, and it's a really positive way of assessing your round with it being if you hadn't made these unforced errors, the wife got round in 113 (previous best 126 proper method). She was really buzzing, but realized that shots should be added, but could see what she could actually score. She's even thinking she's gonna beat me today. So what? So what?????? She's NEVER EVER been like this over golf.

Give it a try.

 

[Orikoru]

Obviously you can score it how you like in your friendly rounds, and if bunkers haven't been raked in the current situation fair enough. But I can't see the logic of not penalising yourself for going out of bounds? Surely there has to be some consequence to a shot that bad or you're not really playing golf you're just whacking balls around.

 

[LincolnShep]

Obviously you can score it how you like in your friendly rounds, and if bunkers haven't been raked in the current situation fair enough. But I can't see the logic of not penalising yourself for going out of bounds? Surely there has to be some consequence to a shot that bad or you're not really playing golf you're just whacking balls around.

Maybe the penalty of losing a ball is enough of a deterrence.

 

[LincolnShep]

It's your leisure time you're entitled to use it exactly as you want. If that's the game you want to play then go for it - as long as you're both playing to the same rules then it really doesn't matter. Nobody had played Stableford until Dr Stableford invented it. Maybe we'll all be playing CrazyFace in a few years!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It is Happy Golf. Why not if it is for social purposes? I'm with LS on this.

 

[Beedee]

Drive out of bounds? No penalty

New golf shot - that would be a "Dominic Cummings".

 

[Grant85]

I've started a simpler way of scoring at the moment. Bunkers? Take out no penalty. Drive out of bounds? No penalty, drop when ball went out or whack another if I'm not holding anyone up. We (me and the wife) are using this as we go round. I thought I'm not going to ruin a round messing about in sand pits. Now the thing is using this method, and it's a really positive way of assessing your round with it being if you hadn't made these unforced errors, the wife got round in 113 (previous best 126 proper method). She was really buzzing, but realized that shots should be added, but could see what she could actually score. She's even thinking she's gonna beat me today. So what? So what?????? She's NEVER EVER been like this over golf.

Give it a try.

It's not for me. I can see the benefit of playing without consequences when learning the game, but at some point you are going to have to accept the reality of OB / lost balls / bunkers etc if you are going to play in club events or even casual roll ups. Fair enough if you aren't, but it seems like she does care about getting better and measuring progress.

I also think anyone shooting over 126 has a long way to go before they are going to take out those mistakes. There's obviously far better players, shooting in the 70s and 80s consistently that might only have a handful of rounds a year without a big miss or a poor bunker shot.

For me, I'd be trying a different strategy, short of getting lessons and improving ability, I'd recommend using your shots. If you're a 50 handicapper, use those 50 shots and take the big misses out of play. A 50 handicapper should be hitting it nowhere near any OB, if there's OB they can reach, take it out of play with a short club or very safe line. If there are greenside bunkers, lay-up short of them and chip on. If there's water that you are worried about, lay up short of it. Your game isn't good enough to stand up to pressure, so just try and remove pressure shots.

You are getting 2 or 3 shots a hole to shoot your best genuine score (without breakfast balls and lifting from bunkers), so use these shots wisely and tactically.

If you're 150 yards away and might be able to get a 3 wood there... don't try. More likely bad things will happen. A 7 iron and a wedge is the play. It will give far more confidence playing 2 controlled shots with much less risk or pressure involved in them than trying to hit a green with your longest club. A green is far bigger from 50 yards out, than 150.

In time, general ability will improve and you might start taking on more shots. And will also work out the holes you can take on the longer approaches, where there is more room to miss etc.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Play every hole as if it had a par of 6, and keep score relative to 6s. Means that such as lost balls or struggling to get out of a bunker seem to matter less, and so when a score or problems matter less then they don't linger in the head; and when you get a 3 or a 4 on a hole you are 3 under or 2 under your 'par' for the hole - and that makes you feel really good

 

[Captainron]

Yay!!!! I’m a scratch golfer!!!!!

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Bit similar but some suggest moving up tees on occasion e.g. men play of reds, ladies of blues (or whatever standard each person prefers) so you get used to scoring lower (or see what’s holding you back may not be distance), then take it back when ready.

 

[Crazyface]

Really enjoyable day today. I played rubbish loosing balls like idontknowwhat but using PSM shot 84. Feels good ?. Wife? 107 using PSM. Dead chuffed. Not too far off if proper scoring used actually. PSM doesn't kick you in the doodahs and you feel good most of the way round. Sure we both know it's not the right way but it's a nice way to play and score believe me. Lovely day. Wife already talking of breaking 100. Would she using proper scoring. I think, well I damn well know not. I can recommend this. She's got megga confident and this has improved her golf immensely.

 

[hairball_89]

Don't get the negativity in some replies here. All this is showing, especially for your wife, is what is possible if the mistakes can be minimised.

Yes, the will always come out here and there, but a little bit of work lessening those mistakes when back to "proper golf" and the scores can and will come tumbling down.

 

[williamalex1]

You and your misses do as you like, make your own rules when playing for fun. Players behind will be delighted that you're not emptying bunkers, playing umpteen provisionals or 3 shots from the tee.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not for me and think Grant85 gets it bang on. Golf is hard and so yes it is easy to get despondent when they start and there have been a few on here over the years for whom breaking 100 in a competitive game was a real landmark. I think you need to get use to the consequences of bad shots and understand why they happen (so lessons may be necessary) but also how to play on the course. A range is fine for refining technique but there is no consequence for a bad shot and you hit another ball.

Assuming a player has a vague competency and can get the ball airborne and travelling relatively straight, then surely course strategy becomes paramount and 180 yards off the tee and in play is better than 200 yards in the rough or OOB. I like the concept of playing every holes as a par 5 and so what you give away making 7 or 8 as a beginner on the par 5's and longer par 4's can be pulled back with a 3 or 4 on the par 3's and shorter par 4's. It won't happen immediately and so the higher scores (or x over 5's) will dominate but if you can get it round in 9 over 5's then it's 99

 

[garyinderry]

Really enjoyable day today. I played rubbish loosing balls like idontknowwhat but using PSM shot 84. Feels good ?. Wife? 107 using PSM. Dead chuffed. Not too far off if proper scoring used actually. PSM doesn't kick you in the doodahs and you feel good most of the way round. Sure we both know it's not the right way but it's a nice way to play and score believe me. Lovely day. Wife already talking of breaking 100. Would she using proper scoring. I think, well I damn well know not. I can recommend this. She's got megga confident and this has improved her golf immensely.

I'm all for it. Keep going. Before long neither of you will need it.

 

[Crazyface]

Don't get the negativity in some replies here. All this is showing, especially for your wife, is what is possible if the mistakes can be minimised.

Yes, the will always come out here and there, but a little bit of work lessening those mistakes when back to "proper golf" and the scores can and will come tumbling down.

OMG !!! This is EXACTLY what I'm thinking. I can only say that for the three people who have been using this. My mate knocks it round in 94 and is talking about breaking 90 for the first time. The wife is talking about the playing of golf and where shots could be saved (she's never ever said ANYTHING like this before) and breaking 100 and beating me. As for me it is showing me where I'm at, 78 was possible but usually 82-84 if only I stopped whacking the ball OOB / into water. We all come off the course feeling positive about how we are playing. And that can only be a good thing.

 

[Crazyface]

Not for me and think Grant85 gets it bang on. Golf is hard and so yes it is easy to get despondent when they start and there have been a few on here over the years for whom breaking 100 in a competitive game was a real landmark. I think you need to get use to the consequences of bad shots and understand why they happen (so lessons may be necessary) but also how to play on the course. A range is fine for refining technique but there is no consequence for a bad shot and you hit another ball.

Assuming a player has a vague competency and can get the ball airborne and travelling relatively straight, then surely course strategy becomes paramount and 180 yards off the tee and in play is better than 200 yards in the rough or OOB. I like the concept of playing every holes as a par 5 and so what you give away making 7 or 8 as a beginner on the par 5's and longer par 4's can be pulled back with a 3 or 4 on the par 3's and shorter par 4's. It won't happen immediately and so the higher scores (or x over 5's) will dominate but if you can get it round in 9 over 5's then it's 99

This is another good idea.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That's like being grateful you don't get murdered and chopped up every day ?

When I first started playing counting against 6s it was great to find myself finishing my round - say - 8 under 'par'. Yes - I had gone round in 100 but I was 8 'under'. And that just felt good and positive.

Likewise when after 9 holes I might be - say 5 'under' that kept my thinking positive - even although on the par 63 (31/32) municipal course I played I was actually 18 over par. But 5 'under' feels so much better than 18 over - and an excellent starting point for my second 9 holes.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This is another good idea.

Same as my playing to 6s when I was a complete beginner playing an 18 hole course. Once I got to scoring well under 6s 'par', I shifted to playing to 5s. But that was quite a jump.

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

When I started, I used 18 times 6 equals 108 as my target, and I found it very useful. The day I broke 100, felt very good indeed.......almost as though I had become "a golfer".
Now with my partner starting in her late 50s, I'm using similar tactics, adding a shot a hole so we're on 126, that's 55 over on our (tough) course.
We're nearly there, but it HAS tested my patience. For OOB, she gets the new rule penalty, so that we keep moving. For bunkers, I make her play 'em, or she'll never learn.
Her big problem is pace of play, and she can't stand having anyone pushing her from behind, (nor can I) so we are standing aside and waving through frequently!