Probably the million dollar question ...But!

[kid2]

How do i figure out the secret to dropping a few more shots....Ok its only been about 10 weeks since iv been back on my feet after the injury but it feels like this season im playing better than i have since i took up the game....
Out of 12 comps iv had 2 cuts (1.2 and 0.3) 5 buffer finishes and 4 0.1's back....
Out of the 0.1's iv been 1,3,2,and a miserable 13 shots outside my buffer.....

Im pretty good on the greens last weekend i finished in the buffer after an NR on our 18th but i only had 34 puts for the other 17 holes....
My main problem from what i can see are destructive tee shots and wrong choices for chips around the greens.....

I have an unhappy knack at getting too aggressive with my pitching causing the ball to run well past the holes at times....

So what should i work on without letting other areas down....

Not missing greens from distance?
Playing to a lay up yardage(course management)?
Or just grinding out at my scrambling....

Most of my shots i seem to loose in the first nine holes if im not playing well and for some reason when i only have 4 or 5 shots left for the back nine i seem to play these to level par most of the time....Im not sure if having the pressure of not dropping shots on the back nine is making me play better or not but somethings gone west somewhere...
I just feel im only a few shots away from shooting a very good round.....

Or am i just being too impatient......

 

[G1BB0]

think about what shots really cost you (as you have) then practice, practice and more practice. Maybe a lesson to start with to identify any flaws and give you some drills. Then its just plain and simple time and effort hitting balls.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would say short game is key. If you can control the pitches and chips better and get a few up and downs these will be the shots that shave those 0.somethings off. If driving and missed greens become and issue then a lesson will get you on track.

Personally I think you want it all and want it now. Nothing wrong with ruthless ambition but after time out injured enjoy the progress to date and look to build on it towards the end of the season, consolidate over winter and hit 2013 hard.

 

[Foxholer]

Short game; short game; short game!

Especially putting!

 

[kid2]

I would say short game is key. If you can control the pitches and chips better and get a few up and downs these will be the shots that shave those 0.somethings off. If driving and missed greens become and issue then a lesson will get you on track.

Personally I think you want it all and want it now. Nothing wrong with ruthless ambition but after time out injured enjoy the progress to date and look to build on it towards the end of the season, consolidate over winter and hit 2013 hard.

Well the driving i think after yesterday i have a handle on Homer....
Iv always had a left to right flight since i took up the game and last year i learned how to draw my irons....Just through stubborness more than anything but i wasnt swinging right whatever i was at...
This year iv been working hard on a 1 plane swing and i hit my irons pretty straight or with a very slight left to right flight on the longer irons and straight to a slight draw on the mid and shorter ones.

When trying to draw the driver is where i was running into trouble and consequently loosing lots of confidence.....
Im attacking the ball from the inside with all the clubs but seem to push fade the longer stuff so yesterday i tried it with the driver and found it far easier to control and i had heaps of confidence knowing where i was aiming and where the ball was going to finish roughly....Makes a big difference to confidence when your driving the ball well...

I hold my hands up to one problem i do have....When around the greens within 20 yards or in im automatically reaching for a gap or sand wedge.....I guess playing the wrong shot for the wrong situation....
Instead of maybe bumping a 6,7 or 8 iron in when there is no trouble im going for the money shot.....:mmm:

I guess i need to simplify things a bit more!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was always told get it on the green and rolling. Less variable.

 

[JustOne]

I hold my hands up to one problem i do have....When around the greens within 20 yards or in im automatically reaching for a gap or sand wedge

Sounds perfect unless you're duffing 'em.

It's going to happen for you, you've gone down by a shot in 12 comps, you'll come down more. Don't get too cute with your second shots... there's no shame being middle of the green or past the pin. Every time you're less than 20yrds from the pin and you get cute with it and miss the green.... post me £1

 

[scottbrown]

short game but mainly putting!

You say you only had 34 putts for 17 holes. I have averaged 30 putts a round over 60 rounds this year. I know its not the be all and end all as if you hit GIR you will often be further from the hole than if chipping on.

But if you could knock 2 putts a round off these would come direct from your handicap in theory.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Having similar problems scoring at the moment. Consistently 4-6 shots over handicap. Playing "nearly" golf. Missed buffer by 1 on Saturday after 3 putting last 2 greens.

Course is playing long which is putting pressure on my short game. Heavy (saturated) ground seems to make those little pitches and chips more difficult. Just a touch heavy and they go nowhere. Greens are also hard to judge.

That plus the occasional miss hit with a long club which puts it in 3 feet of fescue means that I just can get a score going. I'm either making par or double bogey.

Might be better when summer's here and the fairways are running a bit and the greens are more consistent. Oh wait a minute...

 

[Ian_S]

I had a bit of a shocker of a round yesterday, 20 pts, but managed only 28 putts on 16 completed holes - and I consider myself a pretty poor putter.

If you're taking nearly two putts per green then you've either one of two problems around the green. Poor putting or poor chipping. To work out which, ask whether you're always lining up long putts. You could also try logging distance to pin of first putt.

You can reduce the number of putts you take without doing any putting practice, simply by getting closer to the pin with your chips.

 

[Stub]

Keep on the fairway off the tee and then your short game is key. I have done that and at last am playing to my handicap.

The crucial point with the shortgame is distance control and knowing how far you hit a shot with each club with differingswings/shots. Once you have mastered this life becomes so much easier this...but then you will never 'master' it completely as there is always something that is under performing on any given day.

I have spent a significant amount of time practicing pitching, chipping and putting using different clubs and swing lengths etc. I have now got to the stage where hitting the green is not enough. I now expect to be inside one putt length, and a two putt is a sign of failure.

The results in the last few weeks have been great, now I need to do it in a medal :fore:.