How Many Pure Shots per Round?

[Big C 222]

I chose 4-6 shots per round. I went over my last round shot by shot and had 8 full swings, where I could not have asked for better contact off the club face. That is probably on the higher end of my norm, but 5-7 might be a better choice for me, if given the option. I suspect that I am probably a more erratic golfer than most people in my handicap range, meaning I hit more "great" shots than your typical 7 handicap, but also more "wtf" shots as well. OB Slices, chunked chips and the occasional hosel-rocket are sadly still in my repertoire.

[ChetlovesMer 596]

17 hours ago, coachjimsc said:

I voted 1-3. Most of mine are with the driver.

I'm calling excessive modesty on Coach Jim. Your handicap is 4 and you only hit 1-3 shots really solidly per round. .. most with the driver. How many GIR's are you getting per round? With a 4 handicap, I'm guessing around 8 or 9, maybe more. How are you getting GIR's without hitting at least one of the shots on that hole solidly? 

I think either you have a much stricter definition of "really solid hit", or you are being hard on yourself, or possibly overly modest. 

[phillyk 491]

5 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I think either you have a much stricter definition of "really solid hit", or you are being hard on yourself, or possibly overly modest. 

That's why this question is tough.  I may hit a shot and hit the green, but am thinking crap I chunked it, leaving a 30ft putt or something.  While the guy next to me is saying great ball, I'm fussing over a chunk.  As you get better, the misses are smaller or more "controlled" so while some shots appear solid, they are still misses.  

[Double Mocha Man 675]

9 minutes ago, phillyk said:

That's why this question is tough.  I may hit a shot and hit the green, but am thinking crap I chunked it, leaving a 30ft putt or something.  While the guy next to me is saying great ball, I'm fussing over a chunk.  As you get better, the misses are smaller or more "controlled" so while some shots appear solid, they are still misses.  

I thinned a 9 iron a few days ago on a par 3 and grazed the cup, leaving a 6" putt for birdie.  I did not consider that a good shot at all.  I told my golfing buddies I would not accept a hole-in-one off of that shot. Too embarrassing.  Serious.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[DaveP043 2,319]

19 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I think either you have a much stricter definition of "really solid hit", or you are being hard on yourself, or possibly overly modest. 

 

4 minutes ago, phillyk said:

  As you get better, the misses are smaller or more "controlled" so while some shots appear solid, they are still misses.  

This is a pretty common thing, our definitions of "pure" are different, largely dependent on our level of play.  I'm likely to be very happy with a quality of contact that would leave a better player like @phillyk or @iacas just a little disappointed.

[Double Mocha Man 675]

It's funny, but when I'm practicing on the range, with a 35 ball bucket, I'll pure 8 - 10 shots.  Then again, the swing gets grooved with the same club, no pressure, and I'm hitting rapid fire.

[coachjimsc 255]

22 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I'm calling excessive modesty on Coach Jim. Your handicap is 4 and you only hit 1-3 shots really solidly per round. .. most with the driver. How many GIR's are you getting per round? With a 4 handicap, I'm guessing around 8 or 9, maybe more. How are you getting GIR's without hitting at least one of the shots on that hole solidly? 

I think either you have a much stricter definition of "really solid hit", or you are being hard on yourself, or possibly overly modest. 

I'm hitting about 11-12 greens on average according to my Game Golf.

Of those I very rarely hit one "pure". They end up okay but if it is not solid and not on my intended start line I do not list that under pure.

Same thing with the driver. If I aim down the right side of the fairway and I pull it 25 yards left but still ends up in the fairway with good distance I don't consider that pure either. 

As @iacas said direction does count as does what I intended to do. But to me the category of a "pure shot" is very personal.

Thanks for thinking I was modest @ChetlovesMer. 😉

[ChetlovesMer 596]

1 minute ago, coachjimsc said:

I'm hitting about 11-12 greens on average according to my Game Golf.

Of those I very rarely hit one "pure". They end up okay but if it is not solid and not on my intended start line I do not list that under pure.

Same thing with the driver. If I aim down the right side of the fairway and I pull it 25 yards left but still ends up in the fairway with good distance I don't consider that pure either. 

As @iacas said direction does count as does what I intended to do. But to me the category of a "pure shot" is very personal.

Thanks for thinking I was modest @ChetlovesMer. 😉

What about "really solidly"?

[Double Mocha Man 675]

Usually I'll take a dink 8 iron that rolls to within 6 feet of the flag as opposed to a buttery 8 iron I'm not expecting, travelling 10 yards longer than my chart, that lands directly over the flag on the back fringe.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[gbogey 148]

I think about this as a "pure" shot is one that I'm not sure what I could do to hit the ball better - I think that this meets the definition described.  By that account, I had 4-5 in each round last week - one round was a poor round, one was better than average.  Half of those were drives for which long and straighter is harder to determine and "pure" is much more subjective so not sure that counts.  One of the "pure" approach shots missed the green - I don't know how as I went 10 yards longer than expected into a strong wind, but I still think I hit it perfectly, maybe too much so.  Another was a hybrid from 188 which I knew was close to the flag the minute I hit it and turned into an eagle. For the two rounds, three birds and one eagle, but only two of those were from "pure" shots.

[Double Mocha Man 675]

My personal definition of a "pured shot" is a swing that feels perfect, buttery.  The shot is off the sweet spot, nice click, polite little divot and the ball goes just as planned.  You turn around and there's a tour pro standing behind you with a big smile on his/her face and they're asking you when you plan to join the tour.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[gbogey 148]

48 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

My personal definition of a "pured shot" is a swing that feels perfect, buttery.  The shot is off the sweet spot, nice click, polite little divot and the ball goes just as planned.  You turn around and there's a tour pro standing behind you with a big smile on his/her face and they're asking you when you plan to join the tour.

Agree - the ones you kind of stand back and watch because it felt so good and perfect and dead on.  Except in my case too far a few times.

[Vinsk 1,800]

I voted 1-2. Now although it’s been better lately ....I’d say 4-20 shanks which for me are pure as the driven snow.

[Double Mocha Man 675]

1 minute ago, Vinsk said:

I voted 1-2. Now although it’s been better lately ....I’d say 4-20 shanks which for me are pure as the driven snow.

Doctor, heal thyself.  I'd say you need that gimmicky set of irons with no hosels.  Late night TV and you're good.  😁

[Vinsk 1,800]

32 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Doctor, heal thyself.  I'd say you need that gimmicky set of irons with no hosels.  Late night TV and you're good.  😁

Yeah I bought one back when I was in Colorado. Shanked my third shot with it. It’s the only gimmick I actually bothered to send back for a refund.

[todgot 36]

I said 7-9.  I tee off with a 3 wood at my home course on three holes and almost always hit it flush.  we also have five par 5's and I hit my 3 or 4 hybrid on second shots which I typically flush.  Of course, I'm hitting the ball great right now... other times it might be 3 to 5. 

[Fairway_CY 117]

Over the last 3 weeks, I've really been striking my irons well.  For that reason (and that reason alone), I chose 4-6.  My driver is loose, but I'm really feeling good over my irons and they're coming out of the center of the face more and more frequently.  

Today alone, I can count 7 from my round... all with irons.  Unfortunately, 2 of them came after punch outs due to poor tee shots, but... they were still pure.  

CY

[djake 94]

I read thru the thread and then voted 1 to 3.  I was intimidated to think I could even do that many pure shots in a round. 🙂 I was originally thinking a lot higher number.

As I read thru all of the comments it made me think a lot more about my game and get truly honest with myself.  It is a lot easier to see the number at 1 to 3 and when I am playing really good golf 4 to 6 shots in a round.  

When I am having those fewer and farther between rounds of 4 to 6 really pure shots I generally get them back to back and that is when I get birdies.  

85% of the time I check the face of my club to see where contact is at.  When doing so I find it amazing how today's clubs help so much with off center contact.