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how to shoot lower scores?


dash1988
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Most courses are designed to be played in 72 shots. IF you played it that way... 18 greens at two putts each is 36 putts.( HALF of the 72 shots) We have 18 approach shots from all different distances, 14 longer tees shot on the par 4s and 5s ect ect. It's rare that golf playes out that way as we all know, but it's a good foundation to use to set up your practice. 50% on and around the green, 20% longer tee shot (driver ect) 30% approach shots. Obviously you come up with a formula to improve where you need it the most. A huge key to improve when you practice is to practice with a purpose and not just hit balls. ALWAYS hit to a target and have a purpose. There has been great advice here for on the course. If your a 20 handicap don't try and shoot scratch. Just try and shoot better than 20 over by avoiding the big errors. At a 20 you get pops on every hole so there is no reason to go for it in two on a par 5 and risk the hazards. You can hit your 7iron four times to get on the green and two putt to shoot your handicap. Throw in a par or two on the easy holes and you beat your handicap! As many said, be smart and practice properly and the scores will come down quickly.
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Originally Posted by x129 ...snip... It doesn't take much work to get to the point where you can hit all the short game shots ...snip...

Say what!?

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Personally, my improvement in the last 3-4 months (15.7 down to 10.0, and I think I can get it even lower...) has come 95% from ball striking/long game.  I have been working on educating myself about what a good golf swing is and applying that knowledge to myself.  Video camera, mirror work, and the range.  The improvement in accuracy and consistency has helped tremendously.  It's hard to keep the scores down when you are OB or in the hazard off the tee and missing approach shots wildly.  If you are not getting tee to green consistently, work on your swing and your ball striking...

I haven't worked on my short game at all.  But I guess I already had a decent short game from all the scrambling I had been doing...

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Mate I would say find a good pro & invest in some lessons.  Acknowledge that 1 lesson wont be a cure all, get a lesson, work on what you're taught & when you feel comfortable with that change its time to head back for the next lesson.  Get the building blocks right & better scores will follow.

In my  :sunmountain: H2NO bag:

 910 D3 (9.5° - A1 setting)

 910 F-d (15° - A1 setting)

 4DX (20°)

:mizuno: MP64 (4-6) MP69 (7-PW)

:mizuno: MP-T4 (50°), (54°), :callaway: Jaws (60°)

 Select Newport 2 2012)

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Originally Posted by Roblar

And then...

IMO, you already have more than enough wedges.  And at this point you would be best off saving the '30 blooper that stops on a dime' for the range.  I'd recommend picking either your pitching wedge or your gap (if you're comfortable with it), and using that for all your shots within 70 yards.  Try to develop 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 swings, and then practice using your pitching wedge with a putting stroke (ball back in the stance) when you're relatively close to the green.

Roblar is spot-on. I'm not that good. Just getting to the point where I can probably shoot somewhere between 90 & 100 fairly regulary. I only have two wedges: Pitching & sand. I've worked a lot on the range at 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 swings with the sand wedge. At first it was very uncomfortable and very ugly, but now it feels much, much better and the results reflect that.

I also don't worry about trying to put backspin on the ball. That's a bit too advanced for me right now. I just want to strike the ball well and get the distance right. I've also worked a lot on long lag putts so when I'm not close to the flag I still have a reasoable chance of two-putting.

As for chipping, I've done exactly what he says too. Ball back in the stance, very important to deloft the club and also keep the lower body very quiet and use a stroke that's more like putting than pitching. I'm getting very comfortable chipping with SW, PW, 9i & 8i.

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You are taking it out of context. It took me about a  week of practice to get to the point where I  could chip the ball without blading it, pitch the ball 20 yards and have it land on the green, and get out of a sand trap. Obviously I mess up the execution but I expect to hit those shots most of the time.  And before you say I am some type of shortgame prodigy, Utley says pretty  much the same thing (a weekend to learn how to always get out of bunkers). On the other hand it takes a long time to learn how to stop the ball within 3 feet of the hole. If your trying to break 90, you just need the first set of skills. If your trying to break 70, you need the second. You could spend hours perfecting that lob shot that you need twice a round or you could spend that time working on putting or approach shots. Obviously if you have a ton of time, you work on everything.

Originally Posted by Roblar

Say what!?

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I agree the standard and easy short game shots are not all that difficult to learn to execute reasonable well. It's the ones that result from the bad approach shot that leaves you with a difficult chip or pitch shot. For me it's easier to work on setting up and executing a better approach shot than working on the nasty and tricky recovery shots.

I've also found improving my game off the tee and my mid-irons and full wedge shots minimize the more difficult short game shots.

Biggest bang for the buck for me: Not going OOB, particularly off the tee. In general more consistent ball striking on all full swings with any club.

I'm also working on course management. Where's my most effective approach shot from and with which club? Okay, use a club or series of clubs off the tee that should get me there if well struck. Same with doglegs and hazards that might not be able top be carried.

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Played with a guy the other day who hit 2 GIR and shot 72 on par 71. I repeat...short game, short game, and short game!

In my OGIO bag: Driver: King Cobra ZL 10.5 3 Wood: Ping i20 15 3 Hybrid: Ping i20 20 4 Hybrid: Ping i20 23 5-PW: Mizuno MP60 Project X 5.5 52-56-60: Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 2009 Oil Can Putter: Powerbilt EX 200 MA330 Ball: Bridgestone B330RXS

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Originally Posted by 10footer4bird

Played with a guy the other day who hit 2 GIR and shot 72 on par 71.

I repeat...short game, short game, and short game!


I would totally agree, I read something a few years back, the goal of every golfer should be 18 par putts, not 18 GIR.  So the key is to be consistent hitting the ball and advancing it toward the green, then chip and putt your way to low scores.  I know I've only been able to accomplish that goal one time, when your a 12 it's easy to miss a green and stub a chip, there goes your par putt.

Craig 

Yeah, wanna make 14 dollars the hard way?

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Sounds like that guy has a good long game. When I shoot a round with 2 GIR, I am at 60+ before I even picked up a wedge or putter.

Again, look at your game and figure out what needs to be done. It is a lot more useful than repeating bromides.

Originally Posted by 10footer4bird

Played with a guy the other day who hit 2 GIR and shot 72 on par 71.

I repeat...short game, short game, and short game!

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Originally Posted by x129

Sounds like that guy has a good long game. When I shoot a round with 2 GIR, I am at 60+ before I even picked up a wedge or putter.

Again, look at your game and figure out what needs to be done. It is a lot more useful than repeating bromides.

I was just going to reply along those lines ( I haven't heard the word 'bromide' in a long time - well said x129!). Golf is such a complex event, with many interrelated parts that affect each other (like pulling on one thread of a spider web will move all the others to some extent), that makes the OP's question one of enormous scope. It is of such large scope that one could, say, devote almost an entire forum to it?

Or, another way of putting it: There ain't no short cuts! Enjoy the journey and the many facets involved in becoming a better player!

dak4n6

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Bromide...nice! My point was that short game (100yd in) practice is the key to lower scores and is where the main focus should be.

In my OGIO bag: Driver: King Cobra ZL 10.5 3 Wood: Ping i20 15 3 Hybrid: Ping i20 20 4 Hybrid: Ping i20 23 5-PW: Mizuno MP60 Project X 5.5 52-56-60: Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 2009 Oil Can Putter: Powerbilt EX 200 MA330 Ball: Bridgestone B330RXS

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 10footer4bird

Bromide...nice! My point was that short game (100yd in) practice is the key to lower scores and is where the main focus should be.

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My advice would be to get out every day, at least to hit chips, pitches, and Pitts at the course's practice facilities. The short game will help you score better, and being consistent will make your short game better. In addition, you will also improve you ballstriking by working on 30 or so yard wedge shots, because you need to hit them crisp to get the spin you want on them.

 

 

My bag:

Driver: G10 10.5* w/ Pro Launch Red Reg 

3 Wood: G10 w/ Pro Launch Red Reg 

18* and 21* hybrids: G10 with Pro Launch Red Stiff 

4-PW: Ping Eye 2 Irons w/ Reg GS 95 

56* and 60*: Tour-S Rustique Wedges w/ Stiff KBS Tour 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Pro Platinum Newport 

 

 

 

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Originally Posted by 10footer4bird

Bromide...nice! My point was that short game (100yd in) practice is the key to lower scores and is where the main focus should be.

Originally Posted by KevMcGreat

You gotta practice chipping and putting thats where the scores come from

Misconceptions like these are why I wrote this:

http://thesandtrap.com/t/58816/65-25-10-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time/

72 was basically THE LOWEST that guy could possibly shoot. Using basic math he had, what, 21 putts or so? Meanwhile I shot 63 the other day hitting 18 GIR and 63, while not the highest I could have shot (I could have missed some three footers I guess, and not made those two putts at about 10-15 feet), but it was pretty much the least stressful 63 in the world, while that guy was grinding his rear off to shoot +1.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Erik,

The OP is playing off a 20 handicap. 63, 72, 79 are not likely in his near future. He asked how to shot lower scores than his current 90's.

I agree that he likely has the largest area of improvement (thrown away strokes) outside 200 yards. I also agree that if any of us is ever going to be near par, we need a great long game and, if it is good enough, you won't need much of a short game.

The guys I see every week shooting in the 90's and 100's would shoot in the 80's if they stayed out of trouble. And until you can work on a driver swing that stays out of trouble, I say hit something else if you want to shoot 88.

What say you?

Russ - Student of the Moe Norman swing as taught by the pros at - http://moenormangolf.com

Titleist 910 D3 8.5* w/ Project X shaft/ Titleist 910F 15* w/ Project X shaft

Cobra Baffler 20* & 23* hybrids with Accra hybrid shafts

Mizuno MP-53 irons 5Iron-PW AeroTech i95 shafts stiff and soft stepped once/Mizuno MP T-11 50.6/56.10/MP T10 60*

Seemore PCB putter with SuperStroke 3.0

Srixon 2012 Z-Star yellow balls/ Iomic Sticky 2.3, X-Evolution grips/Titleist Lightweight Cart Bag---

extra/alternate clubs: Mizunos JPX-800 Pro 5-GW with Project X 5.0 soft-stepped shafts

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Note: This thread is 4146 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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