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Lipping out Putts


pipergsm
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Originally Posted by saevel25

Doesn't matter, you say most putts not all, meaning you can have a few par saves from close range, lets say 3, the rest you two putt. That is just under 1.88 putts per hole. So even by your game, it can be skewed by a few good short game shots. What is you chip in once, that's a no putt. Detail must be there if you want to analyze your game.

Details are important, I agree, so here comes:

So far, chip-ins have only occurred during practice, never on course.

Got very close a few times, only for the ball to roll out 5 yards or more, leaving me with +15 feet again!

Even (and especially) if my approach-shot is from within 40-50 yards, I usually mess it up (the stress??), hitting the green at 20 feet or more from the hole (very common for me).

What do you call close range?

For me, that's at least within 9 feet, if not 6.

Having a first put from within 9 feet is vary rare for me.

When I do have a short first put (within 6 feet is short for me), I often 1-putt, but as I said, it's very rare for me to have a first putt that's so short.

So far, on average, I think it has occurred once every 2 rounds of 9 holes (just to give you an idea).

Since I usually play 9 holes and not 18, having 3 par-saves in 1 round is extremely rare.

Hell, I think it happened only once that I played par on 3 holes in 1 round!

That's how bad the rest of my game is at the moment, except for my driving, that's getting pretty decent.

As said before: my main problem is the transfer of my range results to the course.

When I play the course, I'm often so stressed that I mess up the easiest of approach shots.

I think that may be the most important thing for me to deal with at the moment.

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Originally Posted by MS256

If you are a beginner I assume you wouldn't be hitting a ton of greens. If that's the case averaging +15 feet on putts says some chipping practice is in order.

You're correct, MS256.

During practice, my chipping isn't that bad, getting about 70% of my shots within 10 feet (from 20-40 yards).

On course however, that percentage drops to about 10%!!!

The rest, I usually miss completely, ending up in the bunker, leaving it 10 yards (30 feet) short or over-shooting the green.

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During practice, my chipping isn't that bad, getting about 70% of my shots within 10 feet (from 20-40 yards).

That is really good. If I overheard that at the range I'd be forced to measure out 40 yards for you and make a wager. ;-)

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Originally Posted by TJBam

That is really good. If I overheard that at the range I'd be forced to measure out 40 yards for you and make a wager.

You're right, I correct: the closer to 40 yards, the more the % goes down off course!

70% is more for distances between 20 and 30 yards.

30 - 40 yards will more likely leave me with a 10 to 20 feet putt!

Again: that is during practice! Never on course.

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Just to give an idea about a typical hole for me, showing how my stress (probably) messes things up.

Playing a par 4, 350 yards.

I drive the ball 250 yards, leaving me with 100 yards to the green.

100 yards is a standard 9-iron shot for me, which I can execute with a 90% certainty at the range, so par is clearly within reach, maybe even birdie if I'm lucky.

I set-up, hit and top the ball, making it roll about 80 yards, 15 yards short of the green and about 25 yards to the pin.

I set-up to chip it with my Sw, thinking I still have a little chance for par.

This is a shot I should always get in the direction of the hole, and very often within 10 feet of it.

Mishit, the ball ends up in the side bunker!

Bunker shots are probably my weakest shots, so I'm happy to get it out in 1.

The bunkers on this course are of very low quality, often containing too little sand.

I get it out in 1, but hit it to strong, the ball ends up in the bunker at the other side!

I finally finish the hole in 7, triple bogey!

This scenario is rather the rule than the exception, and leads me to believe my stress is an important factor here.

If anyone has a good tip to get rid of that stress, I'm all ears!

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

If anyone has a good tip to get rid of that stress, I'm all ears!

You are beginning to understand that what happens in practice doesn't always translate to the course.

On the range, you are hitting shots in quick succession, so a topped drive can be forgotten 2 minutes later with three or four good ones.

On the course, it doesn't work that way. A poor drive may lead to a triple and you mightn't be using driver for three more holes and you've got time to wory about it.

The simplest process is:

1.Hit your shot.

2. Accept the result, whatever it is.

3.Repeat.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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OP - it wasn't too long ago that you schooled all of us on how to play scratch golf. You took a bunch of heat about that post, and deservedly so. We all know what we want the ball to do, the problem is learning to hit it just right to accomplish those results. Based on that thread and this one, I have two suggestions for you. 1). Based on your earlier description of your "typical" hole, you need to minimize your range time and focus on shots from green side to 80 yds out. You've said repeatedly that you really struggle getting these short shots anywhere near the hole. If you are hitting into the green from 40 yds (or whatever) because of a prior miss hit, you need to work on getting the next shot close to the hole. You obviously do not have the skill to do that right now. 2). There are a bunch of experienced and really good golfers in this forum. Why are you telling THEM why you are right? You've mentioned a million times that you are a beginner golfer. Should a beginner golfer be telling more experienced, and in many cases very low handicap golfers what's right? Or should it be the other way around? I'm glad you are taking up the sport. But I wonder if you are just on this site to troll and get some sort of entertainment with back and forth bantering your posts create, or if you truly want to gain knowledge...
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Originally Posted by pipergsm

If anyone has a good tip to get rid of that stress, I'm all ears!

1. Lower your expectations. Your second shot wasn't that bad. As a beginner to be within chipping distance in two at a par4 is a score of 8.8 out of 10. This will help you to accept and feel less stress.

2. Try to imagine your shot, like really seeing and feeling this 100y shot before you execute it. By focussing on the good things, bad things will not creep into your mind.

3. Make your chip an easy one. For a beginner a bump and run shot will help you to get on the green, maybe even within 1-putt distance. You will walk away scoring a par, bogey or double. This is very good to up to expectations.

4. Before playing a round, exercise 25 bunkershots. Within a month you will be able to get 90% of your bunkershots on the green. No more stress in the sandtrap. The other 10%? Wasn't your mistake, pro's should try those lousy bunkers instead of the perfect ones they get.

5. Don't fight the people here that are trying to help you.

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

If anyone has a good tip to get rid of that stress, I'm all ears!

Become obsessed with practicing short game shots. Practice all of them from all kinds of lies and with multiple clubs but never fall in love with a low percentage shot that won't hold up under pressure when it's not necessary for the shot at hand.

Save the floppers and spinners for when they are necessary and the only good option, but practice the Hell out of them for when you need them. Almost daily I see sombody with a straight forward chip that they could get close with a putting style stroke with a pitching wedge to an 8 iron almost every time that decides to get cute with a spinning 56 or 60 degree and messes it up. There's a time and a place for those shots (and I love hitting them) but that time and place is not when it's making something hard out of something easy, and they get even harder under pressure.

The guy that basically taught me to play constantly talked about "what would hold up under pressure" and "what wouldn't".

Lastly practice all you can and make the best decisions you can make, hit the shot like you have nothing to lose, and if you mess it up...So what? It happens to everybody.

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I got a lot of useful answers, thank you all!

Maybe one of the most interesting things is that I'd stop chipping from outside 20 yards with my Sw, and better start pitching with Pw or short irons.

It seems logical that this carries less risk of a mishit.

Intensifying my short game practice is off course a must as well, since at this moment, the least of stress seems to seriously interfere with my routine.

And last but not least, trying to find a way to lower my stress while playing.

Lowering my expectations seems a good and logical step.

I do indeed tend to put my expectations rather high, which I believe causes me to over-stress and miss many shots that I normally wouldn't miss.

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

Lowering my expectations seems a good and logical step.

I do indeed tend to put my expectations rather high, which I believe causes me to over-stress and miss many shots that I normally wouldn't miss.

This doesn't make sense. What do you mean that you "normally don't miss"? It is normal because you do it. We all do it.

You have to play with NO EXPECTATIONS. I guarantee that that is the best way to relax and score well. It's the only way to take pressure off yourself.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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This doesn't make sense. What do you mean that you "normally don't miss"? It is normal because you do it. We all do it. You have to play with NO EXPECTATIONS. I guarantee that that is the best way to relax and score well. It's the only way to take pressure off yourself.

Agree with the NO EXPECTATIONS bit. That's why I never add up my score at the turn. One shot at a time, never stop playing golf.

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

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Originally Posted by Shorty

This doesn't make sense. What do you mean that you "normally don't miss"? It is normal because you do it. We all do it.

You have to play with NO EXPECTATIONS. I guarantee that that is the best way to relax and score well. It's the only way to take pressure off yourself.

I mean that, when I practice my 20-yards chip-shots for example, only 1/20 will be a real mishit, so I can say I "normally" (usually) don't miss this shot.

When I want to use the same shot while playing on course, I'll mishit  50% or more.

The problem with me is that, when I go out to play after a decent or good warm-up, I'm basically telling myself:   Practice was good, so today I should be able to hit 90% of my shots right, and this should result in a score under 45 for 9-holes.

It's not that I'm constantly counting my strokes, but you get the idea, right?

So I start playing, and my drives are usually ok these days.

But then I start messing up completely with all my other shots.

My irons will constantly top the ball, resulting in 50 yards-shots where it should be +125 yards, or even worse, I start shanking my irons.

The simplest of chips (20-40 yards), I will suddenly leave way short (i.e.10 yards instead of 20 or 25), or overshoot the green (topping the ball), or end up in the bunker, being 10 yards right of the target line, where as during practice, this will rarely happen.

These kinds of mishits don't count for 10% of my shots (as I might expect), but rather 50% and more, when I go out and play!

I believe the high percentage of these mishits is caused by the stress I put upon myself by having too high expectations.

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

I mean that, when I practice my 20-yards chip-shots for example, only 1/20 will be a real mishit, so I can say I "normally" (usually) don't miss this shot.

When I want to use the same shot while playing on course, I'll mishit  50% or more.

Which translates as: "I mess these shots up at least half the time." Sorry.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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Originally Posted by Shorty

Which translates as: "I mess these shots up at least half the time." Sorry.

Off course I do!

The question however: why does this only happen when I play the course and not during practice?

The answer imo: stress, too much expectations

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

Off course I do!

The question however: why does this only happen when I play the course and not during practice?

The answer imo: stress, too much expectations

How are you practicing these shots?  Are you doing it off turf or off a mat?  Are you practicing these shots with the ball above and below your feet?

On the course we get a bunch of different lies.  This winter I played all winter on an indoor sim and felt like I got a bunch of good quality practice time.  I thought I was going to be a single digit HC finally!!!  I was so excited for it to warm up and go unleash my new skills on the course!  Only to realize hardly any of it translated to real golf.  I was hitting on a level mat that had different textures to simulate fairway, sand and rough.  But it was all flat and level and a perfect lie every time.  It took a big some time getting use to hitting off the turf with the ball above and below my feet again.

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Originally Posted by D-Man

How are you practicing these shots?  Are you doing it off turf or off a mat?  Are you practicing these shots with the ball above and below your feet?

On the course we get a bunch of different lies.  This winter I played all winter on an indoor sim and felt like I got a bunch of good quality practice time.  I thought I was going to be a single digit HC finally!!!  I was so excited for it to warm up and go unleash my new skills on the course!  Only to realize hardly any of it translated to real golf.  I was hitting on a level mat that had different textures to simulate fairway, sand and rough.  But it was all flat and level and a perfect lie every time.  It took a big some time getting use to hitting off the turf with the ball above and below my feet again.

I see what you mean. I've been having the same problem with my irons for a very long time!

For my chipping, I don't do it on a mat but on some grass practice area, being very similar to the course.

However, just today I changed my strategy and started practicing pitching with my 9-iron (15, 20, 30 and 40 yards) instead of always using my Sw for the short approach.

I really had the feeling the 9-iron was much more consistent and easier to control than the Sw, so I'm gonna stop using the Sw for approach shots and only use it in the bunkers.

I think this will make a big difference and save me quite some strokes (and frustration).

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Originally Posted by pipergsm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty

Which translates as: "I mess these shots up at least half the time." Sorry.

Off course I do!

The question however: why does this only happen when I play the course and not during practice?

The answer imo: stress, too much expectations

It is partly because when you practice, you are repeating the shot over and over.  That makes it less  likely that you'll have a big mishit.  On the course, you only hit the shot after playing several full swing shots and walking or riding in between shots.  This is why I take a few quick practice strokes when I'm chipping to try and get the feel for the swing and for the power I want.  My chipping stroke is different from both my full swing and from my putting stroke, so I need those few seconds to set my feel.

The only time I take any practice strokes is on chips and pitches (and one practice stroke for a putt).  It sounds slow when I write it, but the reality is that even if I take 3 or 4 practice strokes on a chip, I'm still hitting the ball within 30 seconds of it becoming my turn.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Note: This thread is 3930 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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