The Lowest Point

[LeftyHoges]

Playing with Solarman will do that to you.

We were tied off the bat through 11. That's the scariest phenomenon I've ever encountered...

More fun?

Not a club thrown in there. That part in particular was not fun.

[3Puttpete]

Do you mean Mark Brody? I don't have stats for my game over the last 2 years unfortunately so I can't give you a real answer. I can tell you that not duffing chips around the green has saved me shots. It still happens but not nearly as frequently.

That’s him.

He goes into a bit more detail but my spin on it is how often would you expect a scratch marker to make par from 150m out v an 18 handicapper. It’s all about GIR.

The scratch marker is relying on 2 putts for par and the 18 handicapper needs to get up and down.

Which of these would you expect to be more successful?

Obviously you can do whatever you want with your game but the idea that one needs to work on chipping to reduce a handicap is a fallacy. A big part of the problem is, as you mentioned, most of us don’t have stats over a long period and we remember the odd up and down so we think that’s how we get better. We rarely remember a pretty comfortable 2 putt par.

[Hatchman]

That’s him.

He goes into a bit more detail but my spin on it is how often would you expect a scratch marker to make par from 150m out v an 18 handicapper. It’s all about GIR.

The scratch marker is relying on 2 putts for par and the 18 handicapper needs to get up and down.

Which of these would you expect to be more successful?

Obviously you can do whatever you want with your game but the idea that one needs to work on chipping to reduce a handicap is a fallacy. A big part of the problem is, as you mentioned, most of us don’t have stats over a long period and we remember the odd up and down so we think that’s how we get better. We rarely remember a pretty comfortable 2 putt par.

How long to your call a long time for keeping stats?
Back when kept stats its was over 5 years during 1 block before I gave the game a break for 8yrs and most recently for 3yrs of stats before stepping away again and going to part time mostly social Golf 5 years ago.
All during those periods of keeping stats the short game was the big difference of how well/often I was around my hcp at the time. Hitting a high number of Fairways or higher than usual GIR had less impact on the scores.
During both of these times I was mostly on mid single figures.

[3Puttpete]

How long to your call a long time for keeping stats?
Back when kept stats its was over 5 years during 1 block before I gave the game a break for 8yrs and most recently for 3yrs of stats before stepping away again and going to part time mostly social Golf 5 years ago.
All during those periods of keeping stats the short game was the big difference of how well/often I was around my hcp at the time. Hitting a high number of Fairways or higher than usual GIR had less impact on the scores.
During both of these times I was mostly on mid single figures.

What % of GIR did you turn into par v the % of missed greens?

[BobsYourUncle]

I tend to agree with 3PP - I think you'll drop your handicap by hitting more (effective) fairways & greens, but play to your handicap more often when you chip & putt well. You need to be hitting enough fairways and getting close to enough greens first though, which is why I think that's what higher handicap (bogey+) golfers should work on. Once you're doing that (and by that stage probably have a single figure handicap), pitching, chipping and putting makes all the difference.

Although I'm not sure my stats back that up - last 20 rounds:
38% fairways hit
36% GIR
35% up and down
1.65 putts/hole
1.8 putts/GIR

Pitching & chipping 50m and in is definitely a weakness for me.

[wazamac]

If you start bringing missed greens into the equation, do you the start bring in the uphill, downhill lie, deep rough or tight lie, into the equation?
Those factors will determine your up and downs from missed greens.
Where does it end?

[3Puttpete]

If you start bringing missed greens into the equation, do you the start bring in the uphill, downhill lie, deep rough or tight lie, into the equation?
Those factors will determine your up and downs from missed greens.
Where does it end?

That’s pretty much the point. It’s a lot easier to score from a green than not.

[3Puttpete]

I tend to agree with 3PP - I think you'll drop your handicap by hitting more (effective) fairways & greens, but play to your handicap more often when you chip & putt well. You need to be hitting enough fairways and getting close to enough greens first though, which is why I think that's what higher handicap (bogey+) golfers should work on. Once you're doing that (and by that stage probably have a single figure handicap), pitching, chipping and putting makes all the difference.

Although I'm not sure my stats back that up - last 20 rounds:
38% fairways hit
36% GIR
35% up and down
1.65 putts/hole
1.8 putts/GIR

Pitching & chipping 50m and in is definitely a weakness for me.

There you go. 1.8 putts per GIR is a below par average for those holes.

Adding a chip means you need to average 0.8 putts for the same result.

[Hatchman]

What % of GIR did you turn into par v the % of missed greens?

The data from my first time keeping stats is long gone and lost.
The more recent block is stuck on a dead computer at home.
What I do know from keeping the stats was I wasn't hitting as many GIR as I thought someone off the hcp I was at time should and there was a heavy reliance on my short game.

The GIR one is also relative to the size of the Greens your playing on. Play at a course with tiny targets and your going to be chipping more often.

[BobsYourUncle]

5.7

First time below 6.

[NewyMitch]

5.7First time below 6.

Nice one

[Hatchman]

5.7

First time below 6.

Get that flat stick and chipping a bit better and you'll have no problem seeing that go lower with your ball striking.

[Flavzz]

5.7

First time below 6.

Ripper mate. Great stuff.

[BobsYourUncle]

Thanks guys. It won't stay that low, I've got 2 flags to come off in my next 2 rounds.

[Flavzz]

Thanks guys. It won't stay that low, I've got 2 flags to come off in my next 2 rounds.

Sub 80 at Thaxted will keep it going I'll mark your card to make sure..

[Hatchman]

Sub 80 at Thaxted will keep it going I'll mark your card to make sure..

You've got Vijays magic pencil?

[wazamac]

I'll take a 96 while your marking.

Well done Bobs my Dad

[Daves]

I am now back to single figures for the first time since mid 2016. I will play off 8 tomorrow at Keperra. Which is the lowest I got to for a short while last time. Let's see if I can sustain it a bit longer this time!

[Ferrins]

If you struggle Dave then just blame the clubs. In fact just put them in storage for 6 months and use something else.

[Halfer5]

As I said in September it might take a wee bit of time to get back under 3 due to flags dropping off but I’ve just gone on a tear for the last 5 rounds to get my cap down to an all time low of 2.3, the first time ever I’ll be playing off 2. Might only last 1 round as I have 2 flags falling off in the next 2 rounds. Shot a very controlled -1 (70) today in what was my best ever ball striking round: hit every fairway & 16/18 greens. I did however have a very average putting round (33 putts) with 3x3 putts, while my putting has been improving it’s still my weakest link.

[PeteyD]

Played off 12 the other day, lowest ever. 78 off the stick had me to 13.1 and they also take a -1 for a good round which knocks it down a bit. Hoping to break 80 again before the year ends ...

[markTHEblake]

I did however have a very average putting round (33 putts) with 3x3 putts, while my putting has been improving it’s still my weakest link.

Its common to blame putting as a weakness ( I do it too), 33 putts is meaningless number alone, you might have had a lot of long difficult putts.

Give consideration to also tracking this statistic, number of 20ft uphill putts per round, and compare to total putts.You may instead be hitting to the wrong spots, rather than being a poor putter.

Source: Mind of a Tournament golfer. David Cook.

[Halfer5]

Its common to blame putting as a weakness ( I do it too), 33 putts is meaningless number alone, you might have had a lot of long difficult putts. Give consideration to also tracking this statistic, number of 20ft uphill putts per round, and compare to total putts.You may instead be hitting to the wrong spots, rather than being a poor putter.Source: Mind of a Tournament golfer. David Cook.

I get your point but I measure strokes gained against scratch and my last round was: Tee -1.52; Approach -5.5; Short Game -0.36; Putting +5.53; While it’s not as pronounced it’s a similar trend over the last 15 rounds, I’m pretty convinced my putting is shite...

[3Puttpete]

I get your point but I measure strokes gained against scratch

What does this mean?

[Daves]

What does this mean?

I am not sure what Halfer is using for his stats, but in Game Golf I can look at my rounds vs Scratch.

GG Handicap

The GAME GOLF Handicap is an estimate of the number of strokes you will achieve, over (or under) par, in an 18-hole round of golf. In other words, it is an estimate of your scoring ability on a golf course of a typical difficulty and yardage.
The GAME GOLF platform has accumulated hundreds of thousands of golf rounds uploaded by players from all over the world. GAME GOLF now has a baseline statistic of scratch players that can be used as a benchmark against your most recent rounds of golf that you choose to include in your stats.
The GAME GOLF Handicap is not the equivalent of USGA's Handicap Index. Our methodology does not use the USGA course and slope ratings. Hence the GAME GOLF Handicap will work for rounds played on golf courses worldwide.