Single figures golf and how to get there.

[Trodski]

Be a better ball striker.

Which unfortunately for most people takes lots of practice.

I’ve just got into the promised land but it’s taken me hours of practice and lessons and a whole winter of terrible golf.

Find a good pro and trust the process.

 

[louise_a]

My index is 8.6. my strengths are my drives a decent distance (180ish) and mostly on the fairway, I generally have to hit a wood for my 2nd shot but again I am fairly consistent with them. I let myself down with my short game, my chipping and putting aren't great, but happily they don't need to be for me to maintain a single figure index

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Keep it in play off the tee
Hit as many greens in regulation as you can
Scramble well
Be better than average from bunkers
Pitch well from 100 yards and in
Avoid 3 putting
Be proficient at holing out from 5 feet and in

Simple

 

[steadyon]

Been out for 18 this evening. Shot 81. No lost balls! Bit of semi rough but no deep stuff. Definitely getting more consistent and keeping the real bad shots away. I’m driving about 210 on average. The odd one at 230. How course is nowhere near flat and a few of the holes are such that where the ball lands it’s got to run up a slope so you don’t always get a lot of run. A couple of doglegs where you don’t even need a driver off the tee. I think I’m getting consistent enough to get around the green in r3gulation even if i don’t flush it. In a sense my bad shots are getting better. I think I should focus on short game and keeping it in play. I’m sure a better short game would have saved 6 shots today. We are just shy of 6k yards and par 69.

 

[Foxholer]

Been out for 18 this evening. Shot 81. No lost balls! Bit of semi rough but no deep stuff. Definitely getting more consistent and keeping the real bad shots away. I’m driving about 210 on average. The odd one at 230. How course is nowhere near flat and a few of the holes are such that where the ball lands it’s got to run up a slope so you don’t always get a lot of run. A couple of doglegs where you don’t even need a driver off the tee. I think I’m getting consistent enough to get around the green in r3gulation even if i don’t flush it. In a sense my bad shots are getting better. I think I should focus on short game and keeping it in play. I’m sure a better short game would have saved 6 shots today. We are just shy of 6k yards and par 69.

Good shooting. More of the same will chip away at that gross score. It takes a lot of practice to get the short really sharp, but it's probably the best way to do it from here. Don't completely neglect the long game though! A couple more GIRs will likely mean a couple of shots less.

 

[steadyon]

Good shooting. More of the same will chip away at that gross score. It takes a lot of practice to get the short really sharp, but it's probably the best way to do it from here. Don't completely neglect the long game though! A couple more GIRs will likely mean a couple of shots less.

just looking at the Garmin stats Fairways6/13 GIR 7/18 and 35 putts.

 

[Foxholer]

just looking at the Garmin stats Fairways6/13 GIR 7/18 and 35 putts.

Getting that GIR count up, even by just 2 or 3, will be the stat that reflects improvement. Higher FW count might help.

 

[Springveldt]

just looking at the Garmin stats Fairways6/13 GIR 7/18 and 35 putts.

Sounds like you didn’t have many up and downs then if you had 11 chances but still 35 putts. Maybe need to work on the chipping.

 

[steadyon]

Sounds like you didn’t have many up and downs then if you had 11 chances but still 35 putts. Maybe need to work on the chipping.

I didn’t, in fact I can’t remember a single one. In fairness though I got a few nasty ones - fluffy rough 8 ft off the green and pin only 6-7 foot on. I still think with chipping and pitching I’m working on technique more than feel. That said I only had one duffer where I just bottled and daren’t accelerate gently through the ball. My long putting was reasonable though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I didn’t, in fact I can’t remember a single one. In fairness though I got a few nasty ones - fluffy rough 8 ft off the green and pin only 6-7 foot on. I still think with chipping and pitching I’m working on technique more than feel. That said I only had one duffer where I just bottled and daren’t accelerate gently through the ball. My long putting was reasonable though.

Short game and putting sound like they need work. 35 putts is at least 3-4 too many and you probably need to be around 30 or less. The better the chip the more up and downs you make and the number of putts come down. Logical. Good shooting though and sounds like you are making progress