What are your "Golf" rules?

[phan52]

Are you talking straight up and straight down?  If you are talking at some angle to the slope, 30, 45, 60 degrees for example, the downhill putt will have an overall break of much more than the same uphill putt with the same angle to the slope.  It will start breaking right away.

I am talking strictly about an uphill vs. a downhill putt, not all the other variables that are coming up. The OP made a blanket statement that downhill putts break more than uphill putts and that is intrinsically not true.

[boogielicious]

Only if it is straight up versus straight down.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I have some rules.  Things I feel like I have discovered as the best way to play.  It should be noted they all apply to someone around my handicap and worse.

- On the tee, use the longest club that you feel really confident you can keep in the fairway.  On a wide one, it would be 3-wood.  On a skinny one, probably hybrid or 4i.  I can't keep a driver on hardly any fairway.

- Play to make sure you get there in 3.  If you get there in 2, great.  But most bogey golfers don't get there in 2 anyway.  Don't take on trouble to get it there.  Instead just make sure you get on in 3.

- Make sure you get out of the bunker in 1 shot.

- When chipping, instead of trying to ensure an up & down - just play to get close enough to 2-putt. It reduces the chunks and blades that come with getting too fancy. Bogey golfers don't get up and down but so often anyway.  Plus, if you play for the two-putt, you'll be surprised at how many end up close.

- Only use the 60 degree as a last resort.

[phan52]

It took me years to relent and do the right thing, but I finally conceded that I needed to take my medicine after a poor shot and just get the ball back into play. No more hero shots. It is certainly reflected in my scores.

[Ernest Jones]

Lol, I cringed when I saw the thread title, "oh FFS here we go again!" Glad it wasn't what I thought it was. ;-) My rule is simple - Never quit playing golf, every shot is an opportunity regardless of what came before. Stay In The Game!

[arturo28mx]

Aim for the middle of the fairway

Aim for the middle of the green

[MissouriHack]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Lol, I cringed when I saw the thread title, "oh FFS here we go again!"

Glad it wasn't what I thought it was.

My rule is simple - Never quit playing golf, every shot is an opportunity regardless of what came before. Stay In The Game!

I really like this one. Its an excellent point. I tend to get down on myself and don't bounce back well. I start to lose focus. What do you think about play a round in thirds? Instead of a front nine and a back nine? Mentally I mean, I have been thinking about add this as one of my rules to force my self to refocus in a round more.

[Ernest Jones]

I really like this one. Its an excellent point. I tend to get down on myself and don't bounce back well. I start to lose focus. What do you think about play a round in thirds? Instead of a front nine and a back nine? Mentally I mean, I have been thinking about add this as one of my rules to force my self to refocus in a round more.

Actually I used to do just that. I would look at a round as 6 three hole rounds. That way I could reset every 3 holes and have an opportunity to have a great 3 hole round even if the previous three holes were a disaster. Now I just do my best to maintain that attitude all round. Staying in the game also helps me enjoy the round and maintain a goal, the goal is to score as low as possible. If that means a 93 so be it but I'll do everything in my power to keep it from being a 94. Focus, keep grinding and NEVER STOP PLAYING GOLF.

[MissouriHack]

Originally Posted by phan52

I am talking strictly about an uphill vs. a downhill putt, not all the other variables that are coming up. The OP made a blanket statement that downhill putts break more than uphill putts and that is intrinsically not true.

[Topper]

Don't be stupid  (with respect to course management....not just in general )

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by MissouriHack

What are the rules that you set for yourself that help you too go low in a round? Were do you apply them? What happens if you break them?

My rules:

You here to have fun.

Aim for the middle of the green dummy, don't chase pins unless you can use a wedge.

No, and I mean NO hero shots ( see rule 2) take your medicine if you don't it will cost you more than one stroke.

Love these three especially, and try to always follow them.  Well, I certainly don't always play for the middle of the green, but I do always try to maximize my chances of hitting the green, and try to avoid ever going for sucker pins.

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Play to your strengths.  Practice your weaknesses.

Fantastic advice.

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Your best chip is your worst putt - When deciding what to do when just off the green. Putt it.

Every putt has break - While not technically true, I try to discern 'some' kind of break in every putt so I have more of the hole to work with.

When in doubt, overplay the break - A putt that breaks below the hole never goes in.

Don't fall in love with the line - Once you got the line, forget it. Concentrate on the stroke.

I like all of this except the bold.  I used to follow that advice exactly, but then got tired of missing putts because I was overthinking it.  Trying desperately to find break because "I know" it can't be perfectly straight.  I'd rather see no break, aim dead center, and have it fall off ever so slightly, than find a little break, hit it perfectly at the edge, and have it go dead straight and miss the hole.  I realize you are probably saying "Hey dummy, don't give up the hole" to which you wouldn't be wrong.  But my skills at hitting it EXACTLY where I am aiming are not good enough to do that, so I believe maximizing the hole on putts I think are straight means aiming dead center.

[phan52]

One rule is that at least once a week I will watch Playing Lessons on the Golf Channel (like right now) because Holly Sonders is ridiculously hot.

[MissouriHack]

Originally Posted by phan52

One rule is that at least once a week I will watch Playing Lessons on the Golf Channel (like right now) because Holly Sonders is ridiculously hot.

Agreed sir

[Uncle Peter]

I saw a note written on the steering wheel of a golf cart last week. It said in large capital letters "Take dead aim, par it". I decided to try it and it actually worked out pretty good!

One of my main rules though is to try to never hit the same bad shot twice. I try to follow it as much as I can...

[9424tm]

First rule is, never talk about golf club...

[Crockme]

When in doubt, overplay the break - A putt that breaks below the hole never goes in. Don't fall in love with the line - Once you got the line, forget it. Concentrate on the stroke.

I followed these 2 rules and putted lights out last night. Thank you.