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Scottt
7th October 2008, 09:27 AM
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2315/statsxl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Fairways %: 48
Up % down %: 38.4
Ave over CCR: 12.8 shots

This is the story of my last 20 rounds.

The average score above is a bit useless because the courses I regularly play vary in par from 62 to 72.

What I am after is some meaningful and objective thoughts on the areas of my game that appear to be the most in need of improvement.

To me the area that stands out is GIR. 30% isn't good enough for a 9 marker, IMO. I'd like to get this up over 40% and think that is the key in my quest to get to 7.

I'm really happy with my putting stat, and the fact that I am making more birdies lately, in part to my new strategy of working backwards on par fives and short par fours to work out where is the best place to be for my approach (both distance and angle) - as opposed to just trying to get as close to the green as possible.

That has also addressed a shocking stroke average on par fives that was truly embarrassing. On Sunday my par 5 average was 4.5 8)

So fire away.

I'd also love if someone could post here those benchmark stats for each handicap that I have seen somewhere on the forum but cannot find for love nor money.

BrisVegas
7th October 2008, 09:52 AM
the benchmark stats are on golflink mates.

Your GIR stat should be over 50%. Oh and stop hoing. Give the clubs a chance to settle in.

sms316
7th October 2008, 09:54 AM
First impression is paralysis by analysis.

JustSneaky
7th October 2008, 09:56 AM
A tad to many boggies for a nine marker.I'm guessing the stats for up & downs,may reveal why.

Interesting for me was I didn't know your hdcp but I guessed 9 after reading 39% pars 39%bogey....which gives credit to the stats.(of course then I read on)

Scottt
7th October 2008, 10:05 AM
Your GIR stat should be over 50%. Oh and stop hoing. Give the clubs a chance to settle in.

I have stopped, and don't intend to change for quite some time. The four wood goes in and out depending on the course, but no other changes are likely. The driver, hybrid, irons and putter have all been in the bag for a few months now. It's just the wedges and fairway wood that have been swapped, but now with the 52 and 56 mizy wedges that is settled as well.



First impression is paralysis by analysis.

I keep my stats from every round, but I don't refer to them that much really. I don't need a computer program to tell me about my game, but it does help to reinforce what I feel to be the case (that being that I have to hit my irons better and have fewer "brain explosion" holes.


A tad to many boggies for a nine marker.I'm guessing the stats for up & downs,may reveal why.

Interesting for me was I didn't know your hdcp but I guessed 9 after reading 39% pars 39%bogey....which gives credit to the stats.(of course then I read on)

I'll tear through and get an up and down stat for the past little while.

Scottt
7th October 2008, 10:22 AM
Up and down stat, fairways stat added.

Dotty
7th October 2008, 10:28 AM
Why don't you keep the 4w in the bag always and take one less uncertainty out of your game ? You have enough going on in your mind, with your OS trip, etc. to worry about pre-game equipment choices.

By your signature, it looks like you still only have 13 clubs max. (D/Fw/Hy/7xI/2xW/P). And you know that each club works for you, by all the testing and hoing done.

So just hit the fairway, hit the green and sink the putt.

ps. And be nice to others.

JustSneaky
7th October 2008, 10:30 AM
There it is! you're missing 70% of greens and only getting up & down 38% ! Missing greens an't so bad if you can bring the up & downs to 70%

3oneday
7th October 2008, 10:40 AM
Is computer time on there ? Halve that and see what happens :lol:

Scottt
7th October 2008, 10:41 AM
Just found the golflink stats.

For a category A golfer (9hcp and lower), the benchmark is:

58% of fairways
45% of greens
31.7 putts per round

The big one there for me is GIR. I'm 16% below that at the moment.

Scottt
7th October 2008, 10:43 AM
Why don't you keep the 4w in the bag always and take one less uncertainty out of your game?

I find greater choice sometimes equals greater uncertainty. That's why I don't carry a 60* wedge and am questioning the value of the four wood.


And be nice to others.

I'm trying, can you tell? I have been way nicer lately.

dc68
7th October 2008, 11:26 AM
I'm trying, can you tell? I have been way nicer lately.



:shock:

Johnny Canuck
7th October 2008, 11:52 AM
Take two or three weeks of hitting for the middle of the green. Don't get tempted by the pins.

I always heard people say this, but never really tried it until my course closed and there were no flags. I played on the Saturday and probably didn't break 90 at Secret Harbour. Went out on Sunday to Kennedy (which is harder) and shot 73 aiming for the middle of the green and a two putt. I became a firm believer in that theory after that experience (but I still don't adhere too often).

I wouldn't say to do it everytime, especially if you've got a wedge for an approach, but it will help. Give youself a larger margin for error if you are struggling to hit greens until your approaches improve.

BrisVegas
7th October 2008, 12:05 PM
that's good advice JC. I might give that a shot this weekend.

Scottt
7th October 2008, 12:17 PM
Great advice Johnny. Thanks.

Johnny Canuck
7th October 2008, 01:29 PM
Let me know how it turns out. I was a little shocked to see the results I got. No short siding myself, no bunkers, no wedges needed!

Jarro
7th October 2008, 01:31 PM
But what's to say that if you hit more greens, you'll make less putts ?

You might hit a green and be further away from the pin, thereby putting extra pressure on your putting.

I hope that made sense:-s

adlo
7th October 2008, 01:41 PM
Good advice Johnny, might give that a shot on Saturday too. As long as I am putting better than I did on Sunday it just might work :shock:

Mind you, I will be playing a course with smallish greens (Wembley Old) so it should work a treat. I tried a similar appraoch at Joondalup a while back and hit more greens in reg than average but scored poorly, I think I 3 putted 5/8 GIR, the greens were massive. Made me realise how I need to improve my lag putting. So I suppose it helped highlight a weakness in the end anyway.

Scottt
7th October 2008, 01:41 PM
True jarro, if my GIR goes up to 40%, my putts per round stat will probably rise as well, but as long as the scorecard number is lower, I don't mind.

I'd like to think though that I am more likely to two-putt from 30 feet than get up and down from 15m+.

Scottt
8th October 2008, 03:46 PM
Let me know how it turns out. I was a little shocked to see the results I got. No short siding myself, no bunkers, no wedges needed!

Only one round down, and I hit five greens again, so no benefit so far with greens hit, but I did find I left myself much less to do when I missed a green.

Where I often have 15m with a 56* in my hand, quite a few chips today I was a few feet, maybe 1.5m max off the green and could just chip and run with a nine iron.

5/13 up and downs was on par with my average (38.4%), but of the chips I had from next to the green it was 4/5, so that is a definite benefit.

Scottt
12th October 2008, 03:33 PM
Working nicely now Johnny, thanks. 10 greens today and I felt much more comfortable aiming at the centre of the green (after my first hole, where I took on a right-hand pin and short-sided myself in the trap!).

It put much more pressure on my lag putting, but all in all a step forward.

I think too, there is something in the approach I had today, which was to ignore the score and just concentrate on making a good swing every time I got over the ball.

AndyP
12th October 2008, 06:34 PM
I can't believe that aiming for the centre of the green is such a revelation for a few people.

Scottt, have you read any of Dr Bob Rotella's books. Both of the things you've mentioned above are in there, as well as many other helpful things.

Johnny Canuck
12th October 2008, 07:05 PM
good to hear. once you get the results, start to cheat a bit. if the pin is extreme right, aim a little right of centre so that you still have a greater margin of error. if your putting is half decent, this should lower your scores. as you gain confidence, start to get more aggressive.

good work though!

Scottt
12th October 2008, 07:16 PM
I can't believe that aiming for the centre of the green is such a revelation for a few people.

Scottt, have you read any of Dr Bob Rotella's books. Both of the things you've mentioned above are in there, as well as many other helpful things.

I've only read Golf is not a Game of Perfect. There are many good things in there I am not disciplined enough to put into play regularly :lol:

One great think I read though related to putting, and to it being more important to be confident about the line you have chosen than to have chosen the correct line.

I'm getting there bit by bit...

Boonie
16th October 2008, 09:19 AM
There it is! you're missing 70% of greens and only getting up & down 38% ! Missing greens an't so bad if you can bring the up & downs to 70%

.....and get the up and downs to 70% and you will be leading the PGA tour scrambling stats by 5.2%:smt038

Scottt
16th October 2008, 11:45 AM
12 greens today. Getting better!

oobsadd2
16th October 2008, 12:19 PM
Good advice Johnny, might give that a shot on Saturday too. As long as I am putting better than I did on Sunday it just might work :shock:

Mind you, I will be playing a course with smallish greens (Wembley Old) so it should work a treat. I tried a similar appraoch at Joondalup a while back and hit more greens in reg than average but scored poorly, I think I 3 putted 5/8 GIR, the greens were massive. Made me realise how I need to improve my lag putting. So I suppose it helped highlight a weakness in the end anyway.

I played Joondalup years ago and I remember the greens being treacherous. Part of the members comp was a prize for a round without a 3 jag.

Johnny Canuck
16th October 2008, 01:29 PM
I played Joondalup years ago and I remember the greens being treacherous. Part of the members comp was a prize for a round without a 3 jag.
I played a skins match with two mates about a year ago at Joondalup and I had to chip on the green 3 times in one round to get the ball anywhere close to the hole. I would have had to putt it through deep rough if I wanted to take the correct line. I actually "two putt" twice out of the three times, which I was super happy about. It got me thinking about doing it on the longer straight putts that I had.

At Joondalup, you might want to shrink your target and not aim for the centre of the green due to the sheer size and undulation.

Johnny Canuck
16th October 2008, 01:32 PM
12 greens today. Getting better!

Great work!

How's the lag putting?

Scottt
16th October 2008, 01:43 PM
Pretty good. Though my usual 31-33 putts per round was 35 today - though I had 9 lipouts!

As predicted the increased GIR equalled more putts, but I'll take 12 GIR + 34 putts over 6 GIR + 32 putts any day!

I can rely on a nice 2-3m draw with my irons when Iam hitting it well, so I have altered "aim at the centre of the green" a touch when the pin is cut extreme right, otherwise it's aim at the guts and pull the trigger.

Scottt
29th October 2008, 02:43 PM
This continues to get better.

last five rounds have seen 10, 12, 10, 9 and 9 greens in reg, and three of those five rounds have been under my handicap.

The other big improvement related to more GIR is more birdies, two per round is becoming the norm!

Longer putting a needs some work ( four three-putts today...) but it's a big step forward nonetheless.

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 05:35 AM
A lot of things are looking up after a few months working on this. Last 10 rounds are Oct 12 - present.

Fairways
October 2008 - 48%
March 2009 - 53%
Last 10 rds - 62%

GIR
October 2008 - 29%
March 2009 - 39%
Last 10 rds - 49.5%

Putting
October 2008 - 32.20ppr
March 2009 - 33.12ppr
Last 10 rds - 34.48ppr

Scoring
October 2008 - 81.25
March 2009 - 81.20
Last 10 rds - 81.00

The improvement in this area is actually better than it appears, because I stopped playing par 60-odd courses last Oct.

The theory and mental approach has helped for sure, but I also think I am making more consistant swings as a result of improving my posture. Below is a pic from Sunday alongside a video still from last January.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/99d4bf0661.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

(http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

Webster
3rd March 2009, 07:00 AM
Is that a bald spot I can see evolving on your cranium Scottt?

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 07:06 AM
:lol: You should be a detective, Jack. Yep, sure is. Been there since I was 16 or so, but my sisters reckon it's getting bigger.

sms316
3rd March 2009, 07:36 AM
I would have thought it would be you missus looking down at the top of your head, not your sister. But hey, each to their own.

Webster
3rd March 2009, 07:44 AM
It depends what his sister(s) have strapped to themselves when they are checking out the view of the back of Scottt's head...

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 07:48 AM
:lol:

That how I fixed my posture...

Webster
3rd March 2009, 07:53 AM
they must have been pulling your head back by the ears....

sms316
3rd March 2009, 07:55 AM
So where do the beads fit in amongst all of this?

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 07:55 AM
Not the ears. How do you think I got the bald spot? I used to have dreadies...

Dotty
3rd March 2009, 08:05 AM
All you need is a brown robe, and you'll get a start in the Sherwood Forest Open.

virge666
3rd March 2009, 09:27 PM
Right hand grip is too weak - strengthen it.

You should not have a straight right arm. Have a look at Paul Casey's setup.

Upper posture looks good, just close your shoulders and soften that right arm.

Johnny Canuck
3rd March 2009, 10:13 PM
Right hand grip is too weak - strengthen it.

You should not have a straight right arm. Have a look at Paul Casey's setup.

Upper posture looks good, just close your shoulders and soften that right arm.

I am the least technical 3-5 handicapper you will find, however, I thought the exact same thing when I looked at Scottt's photo. Right hand looks extremely weak. However, messing with one's grip is the first step to disaster. I didn't tell you to change anything, it was all Virge!

Good to see you hitting more greens. I have been aiming middle in my champs this past weekend.

I also play holes the way that they set up to aid me in hitting greens. For example: many of the holes at Kennedy are setup in a way that will entince you to hit either a draw or a fade into the green, almost subconsciously. If I know I am going to fade it in, I'll start it on the left edge of the green and let it drift in. If I hit it straight, I'll still get green. Hit a fade, I'm sitting pretty. The draw is not even an option, so I know I won't miss the green at all. Depending on how far right or left the pin is cut, I will adjust my target line.

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 10:47 PM
Right hand not usually that far over. I may have been posing a bit...

Johnny Canuck
3rd March 2009, 10:59 PM
Showing off the head?

Moe Norman
3rd March 2009, 10:59 PM
I don't even know the difference between a weak and strong grip.

Apparently mine is a strong one though.

virge666
3rd March 2009, 11:50 PM
I don't even know the difference between a weak and strong grip.

Apparently mine is a strong one though.


Life line in Palm behind & against the grip = strong.
Life line in Palm on top of and not touching the grip = weak.

Scott - change it - you can't turn properly with your shoulders open like that and your right arm that tight... screams smothered hooks and big slices.

:)

Scottt
3rd March 2009, 11:56 PM
Have you been hiding in the trees watching me play again, Virge?

Smothered hooks and big slices, eh? Check!

Though have you seen my fairway stats of late?

virge666
4th March 2009, 12:11 AM
You need to get that right elbow pointing at the ground on the backswing. You can't that with your weak right hand grip.

Try and get the inside of your elbow pointing to the sky. it will feel weak at setup - but be much stronger through impact.

Next problem....

Johnny Canuck
4th March 2009, 12:12 AM
Try and break 100 next round out after digesting all of this...

Scottt
4th March 2009, 12:28 AM
The funny thing being that my natural grip is a strong right hand, but I was advised to weaken it in my teens to guard against hitting hooks. It still feels much more comfortable with my right thumb just on top of my left thumb, palm more or less facing the target.

Scottt
4th March 2009, 03:24 AM
I just stopped on the way home and bought Ben Hogan's Five Lessons and read the grip chapter on the tube. Got home, grabbed a club and WOW.

I already feel like I'm more in control of my swing. One small but significant change: I was taught to run the club along the first joint of the left-hand fingers, but Hogan shows in a diagram the club running across the first joint of the pointer then up the palm slightly to rest against that muscle on the heel of the hand.

From that position - opposed to the club running along the fingers - putting my right hand in the correct position is simple.

I feel like I just found god!

Scottt
5th May 2009, 11:35 PM
Grip is paying dividends. Even had a 50-odd year old bloke who has played 50+ matches for the county tell me last weekend "you grip the club as well as anyone I have seen". :shock: Thanks for the guidance Mr Hogan!

Interesting to see how far I have come from the numbers I was posting last October.

Now I just need to get some comp games in to lower the handicap.

Scottt
6th May 2009, 12:12 AM
Thought I should put this down somewhere I can refer back to.

Goals for rest of 2009
1. Get Fairways Hit stat up to 60%
2. Get GIR stat up to 55%
3. Get PPR under 33

If I can do that and play enough comp golf, I will be off 6 or less on NYE 2009!

razaar
6th May 2009, 05:35 AM
4. get back to Oz.

Scottt
6th May 2009, 05:52 AM
Not until late 2010 ;) Got to play some in Scotland, Ireland and the US first!

Scottt
9th July 2009, 09:41 PM
Things just keep getting better!

Got to 7.4 for one round last week, but back to 7.5 now.

Isn't really an area I haven't improved in this year so far, and for the most part, I am playing courses I have never seen before!

Well on the way to the three goals listed above!

Also, since switching to the Odyssey #2 CS, I have had only three three-putts in the last 10 rounds I have played!!

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/a20cb7519b.jpg

Haywire
14th July 2009, 11:49 AM
HI everyone,

Does anyone know of any recommended or reputable golf coach in the west? I live near Pt Cook. Thanks.

virge666
16th July 2009, 08:25 PM
I am quietly on my way out to six mate - you could be past me soon.

Scottt
22nd July 2009, 04:44 AM
Virge - you off six is like Matt off 10: complete armed robber territory.

That even par round at Ashlar is still fresh in my mind - and Matt shooting +4 while moping that he was "chopping it" :lol:

virge666
22nd July 2009, 05:47 PM
Virge - you off six is like Matt off 10: complete armed robber territory.

That even par round at Ashlar is still fresh in my mind - and Matt shooting +4 while moping that he was "chopping it" :lol:

Yeah - that was a half decent day !!

Matt hit it the best I have ever seen him play and stupidly long.

henno
22nd July 2009, 06:16 PM
Was that with the GC mids? ;-)

virge666
22nd July 2009, 06:31 PM
Was that with the GC mids? ;-)


Yup... and the SQ Tour.

Scottt
12th August 2009, 05:37 AM
Thought I should put this down somewhere I can refer back to.

Goals for rest of 2009
1. Get Fairways Hit stat up to 60%
2. Get GIR stat up to 55%
3. Get PPR under 33

If I can do that and play enough comp golf, I will be off 6 or less on NYE 2009!

The above goal was made on May 5.

As of August 11 my 2009 numbers are:

Fairways - 54%
Greens - 45%
Putts per round - 33.4

More importantly, handicap is down to 6.9 :D :D :D

While the specific stats above aren't at the level I wanted yet, what I have managed to do is take more horrific numbers out of my game. Where I miss greens, I am more and more getting to the green on the subsequent shot, rather than taking two or more shots to get there. The result is fewer doubles and triples.

6.4 doesn't feel too far away, and aside from a brain fart round a couple of weeks back, the game is feeling easier than ever before.

Sydney Hacker
12th August 2009, 06:14 AM
Scottt, is that handicap done via the British system or the aussie ? Would be interested to see how the differences between the 2 of them work.

Scottt
12th August 2009, 06:18 AM
They're actually more or less identical, Syd. Though my stats program calculates it using the USGA system and has it at 7.2 currently.

Scottt
30th August 2009, 04:46 AM
My old man had had a few beers watching his Dragons lose (about a beer for every Souths try :lol:) when I called him this morning and he bet me that I won't get the handicap to 5 by the end of September.

Decent stake, and wisely or stupidly, I said "you're on".

So I have about 8-10 games before October arrives and 1.5 shots to lose!!

adlo
30th August 2009, 11:56 AM
Scottt, my advice to you is to score lower.

Enjoy.

Ferrins
30th August 2009, 12:27 PM
Forget the stats for 10 rounds and max out every club and try to birdie every hole and eagle the par 5's that you can reach in two.

Scottt
30th August 2009, 03:56 PM
Que?

Jarro
30th August 2009, 06:34 PM
Another bet you're bound to lose

Scottt
31st August 2009, 02:28 AM
You're so dreary, Jarro. I saw your name as the last to post and knew it'd be something inane about the bet of ours you welched on.

Ferrins
31st August 2009, 04:58 AM
Knock the bet on the head in one round. Your due for a sub-par round. Your next monthly medal is the perfect stage so get out there and perform.

Jarro
31st August 2009, 05:21 AM
So touchy Scottt ....

.... maybe you shouldn't blog on about yourself if you don't want to hear any criticism ?

Anyway, i hope you win your bet with your Dad all the same

Scottt
31st August 2009, 05:51 AM
I'm hoping so Ferrins, today should have been a +3 or +4 day, but a few three-putts and bad swings from 60-90m out put paid to that.

But you're right. If I can have another +3 round like a few weeks back and the course rates one over, that's 1 whole shot just like that!

Tongueboy
31st August 2009, 06:21 PM
:smt023and a bet should be paid out to you

Scottt
31st August 2009, 06:26 PM
Not a great start to the charge:

+10 at West Sussex yesterday means .1 back. Three three-putts on GIR holes was just stupid, but I guess that happens when you have less than 100m in and leave yourself 60ft+ putts...

I'm consistantly hitting more fairways and greens than ever before, so I feel like it's only a matter of time.

As Ferrins said, I just need one scintilating round to break its back, I'd just rather that come sooner rather than later in the process, though I do have three rounds coming up at Cinque Ports, so I think I am more of a chance to do it on my home track than in one of these rounds on a new course.

Batchworth Park this afternoon, so here's hoping I return home tonight with a handicap that begins with 6. That will be a start.

razaar
31st August 2009, 06:29 PM
Scottty, what handicap system is current where you are?

Scottt
31st August 2009, 06:36 PM
UK system, so identical to Aus.

7.2 currently, and my USGA mark is 7.0.

razaar
31st August 2009, 06:38 PM
I understood Scotland uses the US Slope system. Am I wrong in this?

Scottt
31st August 2009, 06:41 PM
I'm pretty sure Ireland does, but no, Scotland doesn't.

razaar
31st August 2009, 06:54 PM
http://www.golfqueensland.org.au/files/Q&A%20-%20USGA%20Course%20Rating%20System%20in%20Australi a%20i%20(5-5-2009).pdf

Para "why are we changing etc..." first page. Assuming England doesn't include Scotland?

Scottt
1st September 2009, 04:07 AM
I think they mean Great Britain (ie. England, Scotland, Wales).

Heartbreak today!

I parred the first two, then had seven over the next six - including a birdie!, then played the last 10 in even par.

So +7, 36pts, will have to see what the CSS was to see if I lose 0.2 or not.

Disappointing in a way, but pretty glad to bounce back and post a score, with 9/14 fairways and 11 GIR.

On 17 I had 15ft breaking gently left to right and holed it for birdie, the had a hard-breaking L to R downhill 10-footer for par on 18 and made it in the heart to win the 4BBB match 1up with my 28 marker partner (who had 22pts) against a pro and a 6-marker. F**king sweet!

Scottt
28th December 2009, 02:13 AM
The year seems to be over for me golf,wise, so I figured it's as good a time as ever to update some stats and see where I am at.

For 2009

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5075/stats1j.jpg

I'm pretty happy with the GIR and fairways hit categories, but putting it a bit shite. 2.01 putts per GIR isn't good enough, even though 1.86 putts per hole is alright.

All in all, I can't se too disappointed about a year that saw me cut from 9.1 to 7.0, but I still feel like I could have done better.

I shot 76 at Deal on 21/09 and lost it after that, even though I managed a couple more rounds in the 70s, including a 74 in what would turn out to be my last round of the year way back on Nov 3.

Messing around with a few different flatsticks early in the year can't have helped, but I have resolved to stick with the Odyssey #2CS and get something going.

I seemed to make more 10-20ft birdies with the old Anser 2, but I miss almost nothing from inside 4ft with the #2CS, which keeps it in the bag.

Gross scores

Worst: 89, Best 74, Best round +3 (75 @ RCP)
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/8828/stats2.jpg

Scottt
28th December 2009, 02:34 AM
Looking back at the OP from Oct 08, the huge improvement is in GIR (was 29%, now 43%) and Fairways (was 38% now 57%).

Also, my new strategy of thinking more about placement on par 5s has seen me cut my average from 5.8 to 5.3 on three-shotters, so 1.5 to 2 shots a round just on those holes.

It drives home just how disappointing my putting has been. That is just a matter of practising, but that isn't likely until I once more have a home near my home club, which won't happen until at least when I move home to Aus.