What to do next?

[Waynkie Doodle]

I have recently got back from about a year and a half break from golf and I'm starting to get my game back. My score on 18 holes is usually between 80-85 and I'd like to get my average to break 80 my latest round consisted of:

10 fairways hit
9 greens in regulation
34 putts
11 pars
6 bogeys
1 double
and no 3 putts
for an 80 when par= 72

With these numbers what part of my game do you think I should dedicate most of my practice time to in order to be able to bring that avg score down 6 or 7 strokes? I assume that approach shots and poor pitching is to blame which would explain only having 2 one putts. Anyone have any suggesstions for any drills that would greatly increase the consistency and control of this part of my game? Thanks.

 

[Jared Willerson]

Work on mid irons.

I like the new statistics they will be measuring on tour next year that really determine who wins.

Most winners on the PGA tour are striking their approach shots very well and having an above average week in the rest of their stats.

Short game can help you to a point, the main thing is just avoiding disaster (like the double). Scoring is hitting the right shot at the right time, not building a statistical castle.

Nobody likes stats more than me, but when it comes down to it, they really don't matter much.

 

[Waynkie Doodle]

thank ya sir.
Ok well my biggest misses with my mid irons are either I don't get my hands back square and I push one off to the right which I know how to handle that but I also balloon them every once in a while and I was wondering what are the main causes of this so hopefully I can eliminate this one so I don't have to worry about it anymore...?

 

[bax1865]

I have recently got back from about a year and a half break from golf and I'm starting to get my game back. My score on 18 holes is usually between 80-85 and I'd like to get my average to break 80 my latest round consisted of:

10 fairways hit
9 greens in regulation
34 putts
11 pars
6 bogeys
1 double
and no 3 putts
for an 80 when par= 72

With these numbers what part of my game do you think I should dedicate most of my practice time to in order to be able to bring that avg score down 6 or 7 strokes? I assume that approach shots and poor pitching is to blame which would explain only having 2 one putts. Anyone have any suggesstions for any drills that would greatly increase the consistency and control of this part of my game? Thanks.

Chipping and Putting......you hit 9 greens without a 1 putt green. You missed 9 greens and only 1 putted twice. You could easily improve by 3-4 strokes just by chipping/pitching it closer and getting solid with putts inside 5 feet.

 

[birly-shirly]

Waynkie - have you googled Louis Riccio and Mark Broadie (not as a couple!)? If you want to analyse your stats, either of them is a good place to start. BUT, I'd try to draw your conclusions based on a few rounds, not just one.

Riccio says the biggest determinant of score is GIR, then putting. He has a formula that estimates likely score as 95 - (GIRx2). By that measure, 9 greens should put you comfortably into the 70s - IF YOU PUTT AVERAGELY.

I'm curious that you managed to not 3-putt, but made no birdie putts out of 9 GIR. That strikes me as an unlikely combination. My putting is not a strength. My last round, I hit 9 GIRs, must have 3putted 4 or 5 times, but still managed one birdie. I'd say you need to look at a larger sample size to work out whether you need to work on your putting, or if you just had one of those days.

 

[eoscar]

Riccio says the biggest determinant of score is GIR, then putting. He has a formula that estimates likely score as 95 - (GIRx2). By that measure, 9 greens should put you comfortably into the 70s - IF YOU PUTT AVERAGELY.

That is interesting I will have to do some googling. This weekend I played 2 tournament rounds on the same golf course. First day 10/14 Fairways, 11/18 GIR, 38 Putts and shot 87, second day 9/14 Fairways, 12/18 GIR, 31 Putts and shot 73.

The major flaw I see in that system is on the greens a player misses the number of putts is so dependent on how well a player chips or pitches the ball.

 

[birly-shirly]

That is interesting I will have to do some googling. This weekend I played 2 tournament rounds on the same golf course. First day 10/14 Fairways, 11/18 GIR, 38 Putts and shot 87, second day 9/14 Fairways, 12/18 GIR, 31 Putts and shot 73.

The major flaw I see in that system is on the greens a player misses the number of putts is so dependent on how well a player chips or pitches the ball.

Don't know if I'd call it a flaw as such - but at your level you are reaching the limits of the predictive power of the formula. Guys are on tour making a living hitting 11 or 12 greens and 14 is probably the upper limit. So chipping and putting become the key differentiators then. Although, I think Mark Broadie has some data now that the best players get a huge advantage over the field from the ability to hit long (200 yard ish) shots close to the hole. I guess on tour stiffing it from 200 yards means birdie or eagle. Again, if you're playing at a level where you can plunder the par 5s, then a simple GIR stat might not capture that.

Riccio's stuff is easy enough to find. There's a load of Broadie stuff on Slate website. Someone posted a link here within the last couple of weeks.

 

[Waynkie Doodle]

Waynkie - have you googled Louis Riccio and Mark Broadie (not as a couple!)? If you want to analyse your stats, either of them is a good place to start. BUT, I'd try to draw your conclusions based on a few rounds, not just one.

Riccio says the biggest determinant of score is GIR, then putting. He has a formula that estimates likely score as 95 - (GIRx2). By that measure, 9 greens should put you comfortably into the 70s - IF YOU PUTT AVERAGELY.

I'm curious that you managed to not 3-putt, but made no birdie putts out of 9 GIR. That strikes me as an unlikely combination. My putting is not a strength. My last round, I hit 9 GIRs, must have 3putted 4 or 5 times, but still managed one birdie. I'd say you need to look at a larger sample size to work out whether you need to work on your putting, or if you just had one of those days.

I appreciate the Louis Riccio, Mark Broadie suggesstion. It will definitely help shine some light on the situation here a little.
I did manage not to 3 putt which is becoming more and more normal for me but the greens had not been mowed in a few days and they were unbarebly slow. So it was "one of those days" I couldn't get the speed down and thus I burned the edge of the hole up all day long on my birdie putts leaving a lot of those pars as "tap ins."
If anything was off then it was my GIR normally I don't hit as many. I probably average about 7 unfortunately,
but I made a change that day and shortened my BS a little to try and get some more control and if Riccio says GIR is the most important thing and then putting I have a feeling I need to get that number up to be able to ever play any better golf.

Perhaps I'm on the verge of lowering my scores already and I didn't even know it.