Using your shots

[Barking_Mad]

Re the bit in bold:
There is more than one way to explain that, ie, when you say your 7 iron is reliable, do you mean for distance or accuracy or both, many a time, we amatuers will have X Yards to go to the green and will say to themselves, “That’s my 7 Iron” they hit the 7 Iron and come up short, now that could be because the distance they believe they can hit the 7 Iron is their sunday best and not their average 7 Iron.


Also if as in your case you know your 7 Iron is going to come up short and that is your intention, then the comment wouldn’t apply to you.

I use Game Golf and have for many years and when first analyzing my stats I expected my driving to be poor, but the reality was was that my driving was slightly above average and my biggest issue was being short in to the greens from 200-100yds, when using a variety of clubs.

Fair point, some people think they hit clubs further than they think they do. But yes, mine goes 150 yards on a normal swing and I'd consider it reliably straight. As I've got better I'll happily hit 5 or 6 iron into the green but occasionally I'll still hit a 7 iron where I'm concerned about my lie/miss/bunkers etc.

My driving is the weakest part of my game, or at least the most inconsistent.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I

Fair point, some people think they hit clubs further than they think they do. But yes, mine goes 150 yards on a normal swing and I'd consider it reliably straight. As I've got better I'll happily hit 5 or 6 iron into the green but occasionally I'll still hit a 7 iron where I'm concerned about my lie/miss/bunkers etc.

My driving is the weakest part of my game, or at least the most inconsistent.

Playing our 210yd par 3 15th today on which I get a shot. My longer game had got to pot so I took a 6i off the tee as that was still working. Hit it full knowing I’d be 30yds short of putting surface but in absolutely no trouble, and if I could pull a decent chip and putt out of the bag then big success; if chip and two putt then with a shot I get nett par. Still success. Sure enough, 30yds short of green but in no trouble and clear chip on. Unfortunately I left my chip short and three putted. It doesn’t always come off but at least stage 1 of my cunning plan came off. Stupidity let me down.

 

[essexguy194]

A lot of people say it but I don't really agree with 'using your shots' just because they're there. If I think I can get on the green in regulation then I'm going to try. If I think it's unlikely that I'll be able to, then I try and hit a sensible lay-up instead. I think relying on your shots too much puts pressure on my short game, i.e. if I lay up and then fluff the pitch or three putt then it's a double, and I'm unhappy. I think as you said above, having shots for me is just a reflection of the fact I won't always get it right. But the goal is to have less shots over time, so I'm always going to strive for the lowest possible score. ??‍

If you're still getting two shots on some holes though you could definitely play for a bogey on them, since that'd be 3 points so you have more leeway.

This is exactly what i end up doing lol. End up putting to much pressure on the short game or putting which ultimately uses those shots up.

Think youre exactly right its just about going through the right though process and playing to probabilities/percentages

 

[essexguy194]

Some really good points all and its really useful to see the thought process that goes on in everyone's head, definitely some learning in here for myself and how I approach my golf!

Thanks everyone!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've not read the full thread, so some may agree with me, some will no doubt disagree with what I'm going to say. But...

Ignore your handicap & how many shots you get on each hole.
Simply decide on your best approach to getting the lowest score on each hole.

On one hole you may feel best playing safe and taking extra shots to get to the green. On other holes you may feel the best approach is to be more aggressive.
Don't do something simply because of the number of shots you get on a hole.


I get 4 shots at my course. Statistically the holes I played worse weren't strokes 1-4, they were stroke 3, 5, 7 & 8. So I ensured bogey is the worst score I got on those holes, by being more conservative.
I've now started scoring better on them. But holes 1, 2 & 4 I play very aggressively because I know that, no matter what the stroke index, I'm good at playing those holes.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I'd check out Golf Sidekick on youtube for a ready baked guide to strategic decision making round the course at different levels of ability.

You don't have to adopt it religiously, but it's very sensible stuff as advice for playing within your own limits and you can take it and use it as you see fit.

I'm with James in that I don't think it's about taking par as bogey on each hole, but rather an approach to how you play each individual shot. You can't change what's already happened, you need to ignore that and make the best shot choice for the one facing you.

 

[jmf1488]

When I tell high handicappers to use their shots. Its not telling them to lay up on par 4s or try to get on in 2 on a par 3. Its to get in the mind frame that 5 on that double shot par 3 is still a good score. Too many times I play with high handicappers who feel they need to get to par every hole otherwise its a bad hole. Golf is a confidence game. You need to be realistic with your ability. You've 28 shots, come in under 28 over and youve had a good round. Play more, have fun and the handicap will come down by itself. If the swing goes off the map get lessons. Probably at 28 you should be getting lessons anyway. Lessons are the quickest way to get them down.

 

[azazel]

I've not read the full thread, so some may agree with me, some will no doubt disagree with what I'm going to say. But...

Ignore your handicap & how many shots you get on each hole.
Simply decide on your best approach to getting the lowest score on each hole.

On one hole you may feel best playing safe and taking extra shots to get to the green. On other holes you may feel the best approach is to be more aggressive.
Don't do something simply because of the number of shots you get on a hole.


I get 4 shots at my course. Statistically the holes I played worse weren't strokes 1-4, they were stroke 3, 5, 7 & 8. So I ensured bogey is the worst score I got on those holes, by being more conservative.
I've now started scoring better on them. But holes 1, 2 & 4 I play very aggressively because I know that, no matter what the stroke index, I'm good at playing those holes.

Effectively ignoring Par as a concept would be a great thing for almost every golfer as well.

 

[Jigger]

I play off 14 but I struggled to get below 22 before I started playing with a group of players around 8-14. The biggest lesson I’ve take is to take my punishment.

If in full play in the middle of the fairway take whatever shot you think you can hit for that hole.

If off the fairway consider laying up to the best position to get on and possibly close.

If in trouble like trees, take the easiest option to get it in play so you don’t follow one bad shot with another.

If taking a penalty, accept it, play sensibly and don’t chase the best achievable score. Golf is 18 holes so you can probably make it up somewhere else or your will have already gotten away with something earlier anyway.

It can sometime be boring golf but you’ll be amazed how much your hcp comes down.

 

[essexguy194]

I'd check out Golf Sidekick on youtube for a ready baked guide to strategic decision making round the course at different levels of ability.

You don't have to adopt it religiously, but it's very sensible stuff as advice for playing within your own limits and you can take it and use it as you see fit.

I'm with James in that I don't think it's about taking par as bogey on each hole, but rather an approach to how you play each individual shot. You can't change what's already happened, you need to ignore that and make the best shot choice for the one facing you.

I do watch golf sidekick! Definitely a good watch

 

[essexguy194]

When I tell high handicappers to use their shots. Its not telling them to lay up on par 4s or try to get on in 2 on a par 3. Its to get in the mind frame that 5 on that double shot par 3 is still a good score. Too many times I play with high handicappers who feel they need to get to par every hole otherwise its a bad hole. Golf is a confidence game. You need to be realistic with your ability. You've 28 shots, come in under 28 over and youve had a good round. Play more, have fun and the handicap will come down by itself. If the swing goes off the map get lessons. Probably at 28 you should be getting lessons anyway. Lessons are the quickest way to get them down.

Agree with all of that. Yeah i have a couple of lessons a month, they definitely help!

 

[Canary Kid]

Similar to the posts above, I have 12 shots around my place but I also know I can score par or better on every hole on my day (never at the same time obviously!), so that is what I aim to do.

As a result I only try and use my shots to rescue me when I get out of position or if the weather is awful - needing an extra shot into the long par 4s etc.

Exactly this ^^^

 

[RichA]

The course I play is quite long. Especially in winter, if I even try to play an uphill, 430 yard par 4 or a 600 yard par 5 without using my handicap sensibly it's a recipe for an 8 or 9.
I guess it's all about knowing what you're capable of on the day, rather than aiming for a theoretical best case outcome.

 

[evolve528]

For me the a couple of things that are really important here are....

- On each tee don't just think about the tee shot, think about the hole in general particularly the hazards present (they are what really costs the extra shots)

- Then also do not be influenced at all by what club/shot anyone else is playing, or in short, play your game.

I play off 18 (but due to inactivity probably should be 10-12) but the amount of times I have the honour and my 36 handicapper mate asks me "what did you hit there?" my response is pretty much always "don't worry about what I hit I'm probably trying to play the hole totally different to you" I probably hit a 7 iron 20+ yards further than him etc.

The one that really gets me is if I hit a bad one off the tee, chunk the iron or smash it into the trees and then still get asked the same question! haha (maybe he wants to actually avoid that club?!)

It does amuse me when you see 4 balls on some of these pay n play courses when they are clearly all mixed handicap levels but because the first one hits driver they all follow! Play the club and shot that's best for you! Somebody who draws the ball or slices it will play certain holes totally differently, especially in relation to hazards present.

Don't fall into the trap of copying the better player, it will cost you shots.

 

[Foxholer]

im a high handicap player, my playing handicap for my course is 28. it is coming down, not as fast as id like, but slowly and surely.

Something someone said to me recently was you need to use your shots better. Saying that i will score better if i start to approach holes thinking i have two extra shots here. I must admit i normally view my handicap as something to make up for my mistakes, not something to actually use as a plan.
...

To me, it's not so much 'using your shots better' as 'not needing/trying to make Par on every/any hole'! Same/similar concept but, at least to me, a more positive one! This way, you won't get into so much trouble and will not try 'impossible' shots if/when you do!

 

[evolve528]

Agree with what Foxholer said above, and to frame my comment earlier a bit differently... rather than 'using shots' better to think of it as 'I'm a high handicapper so on this stroke index 1 par 4 (for example) I really don't need to even try to get on the green in 2, a bogey would be a great result for me so I'll try to get on the green in 3 and 2 putt'

As Foxholer said I personally see that as a much more positive outlook to each individual hole.

I still think a big part of this is sub-conscious with high handicappers seeing their lower handicap partner e.g. go for the green with the 2nd shot and then without any other thought trying to emulate that rather than playing their own sensible game.

 

[RichA]

 

[HarrogateHacker]

I tried to play to my shots for a few rounds, in the hope of dropping my scores. The issue was where as I get the occasional par now (even the odd birdie). These were all lost when ‘playing to my shots’, any mistakes then took my bogey to a double. Might work for others though. The bigger issue i had was that I enjoy going for it, even to the detriment of my score, so when I did play safer golf well, I found it a bit boring, and I play golf to have fun

 

[RichA]

I don't entirely disagree. I often just go out and play to have a fun round where I take everything on and try to hit my longest drive off every tee. That was how I got my lowest round.
It was the sensible rounds though that took a massive chunk out of my handicap, got me scoring lower more often and gave me the confidence to play an occasional FI round. The FI rounds are fun but don't generally end well.

 

[essexguy194]

I tried to play to my shots for a few rounds, in the hope of dropping my scores. The issue was where as I get the occasional par now (even the odd birdie). These were all lost when ‘playing to my shots’, any mistakes then took my bogey to a double. Might work for others though. The bigger issue i had was that I enjoy going for it, even to the detriment of my score, so when I did play safer golf well, I found it a bit boring, and I play golf to have fun

Its funny i had a playing lesson with my pro. His biggest observation of my game was that i wasnt positive thinking enough haha