Why aren't you playing to your real potential?

[Blue in Munich]

Simple answer - I'm struggling with my mental health given the ageist abuse I get on here. ??

Shouldn't that be the ageist abuse you deserve on here?

 

[Voyager EMH]

So it raises this question.................... does spending hours on the practice ground and hundreds in lessons really help the average golfer lower their handicap? Or spending time on the course and learning to play better golf yield greater results?

1. Yes
2. Yes

 

[MadAdey]

So it raises this question.................... does spending hours on the practice ground and hundreds in lessons really help the average golfer lower their handicap? Or spending time on the course and learning to play better golf yield greater results?

1. Yes
2. Yes

But the question is which one though. Spending time practicing is not what got me lower. I ditched practicing for more course time and learned to play better golf, something that the practice ground does not teach you.

 

[BiMGuy]

I totally get what you are saying, but that is not really the point I am making with this post. I am talking more about hitting the right shot rather than hitting what you find easiest to hit a fairway with. In my OP I mentioned a par 4. To elaberate on that is going to be a good example of what I am saying. 400 yard par 4, generous fairway narrows quite a bit at 250 and then bunkers come into play at around 280. I hit my driver just short of these bunkers but into the first cut. THe ball was sat down, I got a flier that went through the green, ending up with a bogey. My pro hit a hybrid into the nice big wide part of the fairway, probably had about 170 to the green, hit the midde of the green and 2 putted.

But your last line makes my point. Instead of trying to hit a fancy shot round the corner you just play what you need to get to the corner, because that is the right shot to play.

So the issue was failing to allow for the potential you could get a flier and selecting an appropriate shot.

How much distance do you give up with a hybrid compared to a driver? 40/50 yards? There is no way you are more accurate from 40 yards further away but in the fairway compared to being in the first cut.

Then consider what happens when you "play safe" off the tee and still miss the fairway. Which will happen just as much as with a driver. Just watch the pros when they hit 3 wood or iron!

Whoever pointed out that being closer to the green is correct. Scoring gets better the closer you are.

 

[BiMGuy]

But the question is which one though. Spending time practicing is not what got me lower. I ditched practicing for more course time and learned to play better golf, something that the practice ground does not teach you.

It can to an extent if you practice properly. Banging 7 irons into the range to the same target or hitting 50 chips from perfect lies is easy and makes you feel good. But isn't effective practice.

Differential practice and changing clubs/targets every shot to simulate a round can be.

 

[BrianM]

Cant believe no one has mentioned the mental side of the game.
My biggest problem is in the head, when I'm in a good frame of mind i normally play to my potential.
Otherwise I have a million swing thoughts and I crumble

 

[BiMGuy]

Cant believe no one has mentioned the mental side of the game.
My biggest problem is in the head, when I'm in a good frame of mind i normally play to my potential.
Otherwise I have a million swing thoughts and I crumble

I did. Target and shot selection is a big part of the mental game.

 

[bobmac]

Knowing your score doesn't always help.
Trying to play to your h/cap doesn't always help.
Protecting your h/cap doesn't always help.

The quickest way to not get better?
''I'll lay up, I've got a shot here''
That's not to say go for everything but if it's doable, give it a go, what's the worst that's going to happen?

 

[Voyager EMH]

But the question is which one though. Spending time practicing is not what got me lower. I ditched practicing for more course time and learned to play better golf, something that the practice ground does not teach you.

I'm not the average golfer and I don't believe you are either. I've never had an individual lesson, I learned by playing over 50 years ago and my HI is currently 3.0.
I know the average golfer, he's a member at my club. He does benefit from lessons, practice and competitive playing in fairly equal measure.
I know that I'm being facetious, but I believe there is some truth in what I say.
Your self-awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses and how this compares with the approach others have seems to be what this thread has evolved into.
I am finding it very interesting.

 

[jmcp]

Interesting stat on Patrick Rodgers currently playing in the PGA event in Bermuda, he is joint last in driving accuracy but no1 in greens in regulation, not that I would advocate his Strategy but the approach that people are using in golf these days has changed for a lot of these very athletic golfers who don’t feel like the rough is going to hold them back too much As they have the speed/power to hit the ball high and long even from thick rough.

Also, a lot of the pro’s are so good at bunker shots and chipping from around the green that their approach shots to greens are usually directly at the flag rather than playing to a different part of the green due to a bunker in the way, safety play is often not something they entertain as they are constantly chasing birdies and if it goes wrong, they are amazing at recovery shots.

There is such a lot of golf on TV these days and with golf equipment getting more and more forgiving, I think that a lot of that style of golf is getting attempted more and more by handicap golfers rather than as you say, playing a more strategic game that would complement their handicap.

Cheers, John

 

[pendodave]

No not at all. I will take an 80 yard shot over a 40 yard shot any day of the week. Why do you see pros laying up at different distances, it's because that is the shot they prefer and feel more comfortable with.

Have a look at pro proximity to hole.
It is closer to the hole as the shots are shorter.
There's no magic distance where it's shorter because they prefer it. I've seen no evidence that this trend is different for ams, apart from the purely anecdotal.
Here is an image with some actual research. I can't embed it, so you'll need to link.
https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2020_10/image.png.2187df0f9f3e8c9c1dfcdeac8dc69c43.png
Both the likelihood of hitting the green and distance from hole get progressively worse as you get further away. There is no 80 yard "bump".
My answer to the OPs question would be that am golfers don't reach their potential because they talk themselves into all sorts of horses#@t....
...and aren't openminded enough to change even when the data suggests it.
Me and sammerbee are on the world's smallest island on this one though...

 

[Springveldt]

No not at all. I will take an 80 yard shot over a 40 yard shot any day of the week. Why do you see pros laying up at different distances, it's because that is the shot they prefer and feel more comfortable with.

I know for a fact that if you give me 10 shots from 40 yards and 80 yards (80 is a full 56 for me) then I will get that little fiddly 40 yarder closer much more than the 80 yarder.

I’d bet it’s the same for the vast majority of amateurs. Just because you are comfortable with a distance doesn’t mean you will hit it closer. All the stats show this. It’s the reason now nearly everyone on Tour goes for the green on 10 at Riviera instead of laying up to a yardage, the stats show that those that get closer score better over time.

 

[Oddsocks]

I think course management has a big part to play for club golfers. In 2014 I played my best golf but it was down to two factors, course management being to most obvious.

my course management was on point. All of the par 5’s on my course often delivered a 6 on average , very rarely did they deliver the birdie I was chasing. when taking them on in two normally caused by big misses from 220-200, these could be through the greens as it’s a hard shot to stop or right/left clag as you was trying to get the very most out the club so could tug it or block it. A not quite pure strike would often catch green side bunkers with very sketchy lies. In the end I started playing them as 5’s and unless there was a big carry I’d hit different tee shots taking out any temptation on the second shot. I’d found my happy distance in which was typically 90-100 yards and generally played the hole backwards and my scoring improved massively. Big numbers disappeared, a par was generally a given and more REALISTIC birdie opportunities were there. I also applied this on three long par 4’s that were known card wreckers.

This thread to me proves there’s a million ways to play this game - find the one that suits you ability to unlock your best results.

 

[SammmeBee]

Essentially you’ve highlighted the quickest way to get better at golf….which is to hit it closer to the flag from 200-220….

But if you can’t then find a way of only losing 1 shot rather than 2,3 or more…..

 

[Oddsocks]

Essentially you’ve highlighted the quickest way to get better at golf….which is to hit it closer to the flag from 200-220….

But if you can’t then find a way of only losing 1 shot rather than 2,3 or more…..

From anything over 180 it’s how close to the pin can I be in two, if that’s wedge wedge to gimme distance I’m happier than 180 into bunkers or crap. A 40+ yard chop out from deep rough leaves little control.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I get what is being argued re. closer is better but that argument is heavily reliant on all things being equal. Lie, hazards, line etc so its essentially course management that comes to the fore.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Why aren’t I playing to my potential?
Poor shots and missed putts

 

[Junior]

I don't make enough putts and 3 putt far too often.

 

[toyboy54]

Why aren't I playing to my potential??
Because I've got to have some in the 1st place
No, actually it's because I'm a 'DIDDIE'-( local vernacular, think you can understand)!!

 

[Canfordhacker]

But if you can’t then find a way of only losing 1 shot rather than 2,3 or more…..

This for me sums it up I don't need more birdies to improve, i need less doubles. Chasing birdies leads to more doubles. Course management is about eliminating big numbers for better scoring overall. Testosterone is your enemy.