False sense of really getting to the 70's?

**Maverick** · August 5, 2012

I've been playing ALOT better lately..have easily been managing to play to an 85. I have to admit though that most of my pars come from getting up and down from green side or close chips for a 1-putt to close. I've been laying up on most of my approach shots that are 180+ (unless the green is completely safe where I would try to go for it) and will usually make a bogey at worst.

Is it possible to be consistent at shooting in the 70's with this "type" of scrambling game (getting the up and downs) of laying up OR will I have to hit GIR's to break the 80 barrier? I'm looking to hover in the mid to high 70's..someday..

What do you guys think?

**jd924** · August 5, 2012

I think you'll have to have an unreal short game. Think Brad Faxon like . No but really you might want to focus on some more distance, if you play on a tough course, it's extremely difficult to break 80 without hitting atleast 8-12 greens. Just my opinion. But if you know exactly where you are going to miss and how to get up and down, its certainly plausible its just that you need to be very accurate in where you are laying up.

**sean_miller** · August 5, 2012

Originally Posted by Maverick

I've been playing ALOT better lately..have easily been managing to play to an 85. I have to admit though that most of my pars come from getting up and down from green side or close chips for a 1-putt to close. I've been laying up on most of my approach shots that are 180+ (unless the green is completely safe where I would try to go for it) and will usually make a bogey at worst.

Is it possible to be consistent at shooting in the 70's with this "type" of scrambling game (getting the up and downs) of laying up OR will I have to hit GIR's to break the 80 barrier? I'm looking to hover in the mid to high 70's..someday..

What do you guys think?

180 yards is a "go for it" decision? WTF? No, the 70s are not in the cards I'm afraid unless you're a wizard around the green.

Stevep21 · August 5, 2012

Work on that driver and turn those 180 yard approaches into less :)

**Harmonious** · August 5, 2012

Unless you are playing 7000+ yard courses, you shouldn't be having a lot of 180 yard approaches unless you are really a short hitter. To consistently get into the 70's you need a reasonable drive (240 min) IN THE FAIRWAY, and be able to hit 8-9 greens in regulation. Otherwise, you will constantly be at the mercy of the areas around the green, which can be very tough.

If your short game is as good as you say, your next effort should go into your long game.

**onesome** · August 5, 2012

It's possible, you obviously have to have a good to very good short game and also know where you can miss the green to give yourself the best option to get an up and down, I understand about laying up if your uncomfortable with your long game if it's gonna require a low percentage shot to hit the green,if you don't already own some you probably need some hybrid long irons to give you more consistency from 180+.

**burner** · August 5, 2012

Originally Posted by Maverick

I've been playing ALOT better lately..have easily been managing to play to an 85. I have to admit though that most of my pars come from getting up and down from green side or close chips for a 1-putt to close. I've been laying up on most of my approach shots that are 180+ (unless the green is completely safe where I would try to go for it) and will usually make a bogey at worst.

Is it possible to be consistent at shooting in the 70's with this "type" of scrambling game (getting the up and downs) of laying up OR will I have to hit GIR's to break the 80 barrier? I'm looking to hover in the mid to high 70's..someday..

What do you guys think?

No chance.

Sorry if that appears harsh but to shoot in the 70s regularly you have to have a realistic chance of making a good percentage of greens in regulation. You can only expect to do this if you are hitting, say, 150 or less yards into the green. This might be via a 270 yd drive, a 150 yd positional shot and a 100 yd wedge into a 520 yard par 5 hole.Or a 270 yd drive plus a 150 yd approach into a par 4 and so on. That is a tough ask for a lot of guys.

Your scrambling, good as it appears to be, would then take care of any misses.

**LovinItAll** · August 5, 2012

Originally Posted by Maverick

I've been playing ALOT better lately..have easily been managing to play to an 85. I have to admit though that most of my pars come from getting up and down from green side or close chips for a 1-putt to close. I've been laying up on most of my approach shots that are 180+ (unless the green is completely safe where I would try to go for it) and will usually make a bogey at worst.

Is it possible to be consistent at shooting in the 70's with this "type" of scrambling game (getting the up and downs) of laying up OR will I have to hit GIR's to break the 80 barrier? I'm looking to hover in the mid to high 70's..someday..

What do you guys think?

You don't say how often you have those 180+ yard apporach shots during a round. Having 2 or 3 is a lot different than having 9 or 10. How long is the course you're playing? We all end up with 180 yard apporach shots at some point, but I hope you aren't facing those distances very often.

You should probably be playing the set of tees that brings the driving hazards (bunkers, etc.) into play for you. Ideally, that's how courses are designed, so a guy that hits it 260 from the tips will be trying to avoid the same bunkers, for example, as the guy that hits it 200 from the forward tees.

There's nothing wrong with moving up if your long game isn't there. Some will disagree, but I think shooting in the 70's driving it 200 yards from the whites takes a similar skill set as shooting in the 70's from the tips driving it 260. Both will require a decent short game and iron play, and both will be relative to the golfer achieving the feat.

**Maverick** · August 6, 2012

Interesting perspectives...being harsh is good..I need to know the truth from you players. 180 is about as long as I want to chew on for a "go for it approach", and only if the green is safe..yeah pathetic. Anything 150 and in I'm good to go..it's those ones that start to go north of 150..like 160, 170, 180. Seems like I need to build more consistency in the mid-irons or drive it farther.

**TourSpoon** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by Harmonious

Unless you are playing 7000+ yard courses, you shouldn't be having a lot of 180 yard approaches unless you are really a short hitter. To consistently get into the 70's you need a reasonable drive (240 min) IN THE FAIRWAY, and be able to hit 8-9 greens in regulation. Otherwise, you will constantly be at the mercy of the areas around the green, which can be very tough.

If your short game is as good as you say, your next effort should go into your long game.

This...8-9 greens is the key.

Large chris · August 6, 2012

I think you have every chance because - (from experience) If your long game isn't too good, the short game gets more practice and it sounds like you are coping / improving in the short game Good short game helps the short iron approaches. So I suspect the missing link is probably driving distance / accuracy? Average distance please?

**Maverick** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by Large chris

I think you have every chance because - (from experience)
If your long game isn't too good, the short game gets more practice and it sounds like you are coping / improving in the short game
Good short game helps the short iron approaches.
So I suspect the missing link is probably driving distance / accuracy?
Average distance please?

220-230 average..once in awhile I'll peak at 240.

**sean_miller** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by Maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Large chris

I think you have every chance because - (from experience)
If your long game isn't too good, the short game gets more practice and it sounds like you are coping / improving in the short game
Good short game helps the short iron approaches.
So I suspect the missing link is probably driving distance / accuracy?
Average distance please?

220-230 average..once in awhile I'll peak at 240.

Sounds like you're swinging all out or your driver is a bad fit. Your max is only 10-15 yards past your "average"?

Large chris · August 6, 2012

Hate to mention the g word but sounds to me if you could use the gym to get another 5 mph on your driver swing that would be significant - Grip strength, torso twists, crunches, leg pressing..... Doesn't matter how old you are by the way, in fact the biggest improvement will come the older you are

**sean_miller** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by Large chris

Hate to mention the g word but sounds to me if you could use the gym to get another 5 mph on your driver swing that would be significant -

Grip strength, torso twists, crunches, leg pressing..... Doesn't matter how old you are by the way, in fact the biggest improvement will come the older you are

I agree 100% with working out, but maybe not for the same reasons.. We're not talking about, "how can I hit the ball farther" or "how can I make more putts", but "how can I shoot in the 70s". People who score well for 18 holes are fit enough to approach the 18th hole with the same focus as the 2nd hole. It takes less energy to hit fewer shots, so playing 9-holes well is much easier physically than playing 9-holes poorly. To play well for 18 though, you need to make good swings for about 4 hours. Much easier with a decent fitness level.

**Jimdangles** · August 6, 2012

Can you touch 70's yes. My current best score is an 81 and it came on a day where I didnt hit a good drive til hole 11. I just scrambled all day. I dont think there is anyway you could maintain shooting 70's without Gir. If you are saying you have 8 long approaches and can get up and down on most of those and par all the shorter holes than you should be good. 180 yards seem like long approaches though. Moving up may work well for you.

**Maverick** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Sounds like you're swinging all out or your driver is a bad fit. Your max is only 10-15 yards past your "average"?

I wouldn't say I'm swining out..I've been using a 12 degree driver which has been keeping me straight and in play. I'm not sure (doubt) that a lower lofted driver (say 10.5) will give me more distance with my swing speed either. It just more "fun" when you see the ball go straight and in play. I don't know if it's even worth opting for a lower lofted driver if there is more chance of the drives going awry at the cost of getting a "longer" drive..once in awhile.

**sean_miller** · August 6, 2012

Originally Posted by Maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Sounds like you're swinging all out or your driver is a bad fit. Your max is only 10-15 yards past your "average"?

I wouldn't say I'm swining out..I've been using a 12 degree driver which has been keeping me straight and in play. I'm not sure (doubt) that a lower lofted driver (say 10.5) will give me more distance with my swing speed either. It just more "fun" when you see the ball go straight and in play. I don't know if it's even worth opting for a lower lofted driver if there is more chance of the drives going awry at the cost of getting a "longer" drive..once in awhile.

Your stated average distance is perhaps an overestimate as it's so close to your max distance.

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False sense of really getting to the 70's?

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