Poll for 12 to 14 USGA index golfers

[ctmurrray]

I am a 12.8 index (14 hcp at my course) who is short (200 yd drive, 140 yd 5 iron) but straight. Most other players at my handicap in the mens league are much longer drivers (220+ yds) but get into more trouble, hit more fat chips and other issues. I read today the average man drives 192 yds, so I am apparently average in that regard. The course is 6500 yds and 135 slope, 71.1 rating.
What kind of game to other 12 to 14 index players have?

[ctmurrray]

I am a 12.8 index (14 hcp at my course) who is short (200 yd drive, 140 yd 5 iron) but straight. Most other players at my handicap in the mens league are much longer drivers (220+ yds) but get into more trouble, hit more fat chips and other issues. I read today the average man drives 192 yds, so I am apparently average in that regard. The course is 6500 yds and 135 slope, 71.1 rating.

Obviously I am trying to set up a poll for the first time and failed. But feel free to comment on your game. Sorry about not getting the poll set up properly.

[iWALK18]

I am the total opposite of you.

I carry my driver 260, 280 if I give it everything i have. My 5 iron carry is 195...

And yes... I hit chip and pitch shots fat, and 3 putt way too much... but i'm getting a lot better, and i expect the scores to fall soon. I'm around the green in regulation almost every hole, and most par 5s are easily reachable for me, which is how i score if I'm playing well. All bogies and 4 pars on the par 5s puts me at 86, even with an exceptionally crappy short game.

Sometimes i think that my length is a good thing, but on many courses I feel like there is little upside to being long, and the magnification it puts on any directional error is actually a bad thing.

[Cizzle]

I play to a 14, and 5 iron = 175-180. My drive is only 220-230 carry though, I'm ballooning I think due to loft or shaft. But yes, I generally have 34-35 putts per round, and can not chip to save my life.

[Jack_2251]

OK well I am not from US, but have an official AGU ( australian golf ???) handicap, of 10.
I average drive with 210 metres carry, with in between 10 and 40 roll. My 5 iron carries 163 metres. I am generally a good chipper and short game player, but my iron play is just terrible. I average 75% fairways with about 30% GIR.

[Craig Mac]

I play off a 12.2 currently. Length is not an issue for me I just seem to make a lot of bogeys. I can hit the fairway, hit the green and 3 putt for a bogey. Or I can hit it in the trees, punch out, come up short, then get up and down. I find it comical/frustrating that this is the way I play. I personally feel that if I were to hit more greens I would probably lower my scores.

[ctmurrray]

OK well I am not from US, but have an official AGU ( australian golf ???) handicap, of 10.

I just started using a club fitting scorecard available as a pdf file from

www.ralphmaltby.com , where you record each shot taken on a hole, including if you hit the fairway/green, came up short/long/right/left on approaches. It is pretty easy to mark the sheet quickly. I used this on my first golf of the season on a Myrtle Beach vacation. It sort of confirmed my own thoughts, but here you can actually keep track of the number of times in each situation. When playing normal I hit nearly all the fairways (short and straight) but am very often short of the green (unless a short par 4). It is suppose to help the club fitter determine what to make for your new clubs, but I find it quite useful in examining my game.

[1337]

I read today the average man drives 192 yds, so I am apparently average in that regard.


Thats such bullshit, you know who makes that up? the PGA. Why? they want you to see that and think that the gap between you and the pros is MUCH bigger than you thought it was, think that the pros are MUCH more amazing than they are, and then go buy some tickets to see what you're missing. Althought the pros are great, that stat is such bullshit

[ctmurrray]

I read today the average man drives 192 yds, so I am apparently average in that regard.

Or it could be if you measure enough players, including high handicap players, this is actually the average. I know 192 yds is lower than most people I play with, but I don't play much with high handicap players. But I have not been able to find the original source for that number, so I can't say either way if the number is biased. The equipment manufacturer's might also want this number to be repeated, hoping you will by the latest club.

[1337]

yes, if you go to a golf course, hit a drive, and subtract the distance left to the hole from the total distance of the hole, your drive will be.. 250 (just an example) on tour, not only to they get 30 yards of role, they count that as their average. and they count ametuer golfers driving distance with a launch monitor, which gives you 5 yards of role and 20 yards less carry

[ctmurrray]

yes, if you go to a golf course, hit a drive, and subtract the distance left to the hole from the total distance of the hole, your drive will be.. 250 (just an example) on tour, not only to they get 30 yards of role, they count that as their average. and they count ametuer golfers driving distance with a launch monitor, which gives you 5 yards of role and 20 yards less carry

I have a special hole on my course that I use to measure my drive. It is 419 yds from the tee (but not an elevated tee), and my goal is to make the 200 yds marker. This hole is slightly downhill and wide open fairway so I can try harder with little penalty (and the downhill gives me a bit more roll to boost my chances). I keep track of the wind. Most days I am short of the 200 yd marker, sometimes at the 200 yd marker and a couple of times per year I get past that dang thing (usually in the spring when the ground is still frozen, or downwind during a drought). I have checked the distance of the tee to 200 yd marker with my laster range finder.

[Leek]

yes, if you go to a golf course, hit a drive, and subtract the distance left to the hole from the total distance of the hole, your drive will be.. 250 (just an example) on tour, not only to they get 30 yards of role, they count that as their average. and they count ametuer golfers driving distance with a launch monitor, which gives you 5 yards of role and 20 yards less carry

A properly calibrated launch monitor gives dead accurate results.

[lamebums]

I have plenty of distance, and average about 280 if it's dry out. My problem is either racking up a big number off the tee or averaging about 40 putts per round.

[ChiChiIsMe]

My biggest problem is normally blow-up holes. card a double and let it effect the next 3 holes. I'm working on it tho. No blow-up for me today and it paid off.

[1337]

I find it VERY difficult to tell how far I really drive, however i am below the 12- 14 index, so i guess that stat 192 avg, could be accurate

[golf_junkie27]

My problem was inconsistency within 50-60 yards and chipping out of the rough. This inconsistency was a result of indecision. What shot should I take? What iron should I use? I've worked pretty hard at this and the result is my HC is down three strokes from October 2007.

The two best tips I've received:

1) For irons, always use enough club and swing easy. Enough club does not mean I can hit my 8I 155 yards so I'll use it from that distance. I know that number is a max number and not an average. So I'll use a 7I. If I'm long, that's good, I'm on the green.

2) Don't try to kill it with the driver. Again, nice and easy generally results in pure contact resulting in good distance and control. I wished I could hit it 280 but I can't. However, 245-255, in the short stuff, is really nice.

The final aspect I've been working on is staying behind the ball. When at the range, I practice keeping my left shoulder, I'm a righty, behind the ball during the shoulder turn. This, combined with proper balance, has improved my ball striking and giving me consistent distance.

The goal this year is to get to an 8 or 9. Will that happen? I don't know but I'm going to try my best.

[Mfumar]

I'm a 14.8 right now and my driver distance is about 240. My 5 iron goes about 165. I've cut my handicap in half over the last 5 or 6 years, so I'm pretty happy with the way things are going. Last year I averaged 6 fairways, 4 greens and 34 putts per round. My average score for par 3's was 3.98, par 4's was 5.37, and par 5's was 6.20. My scores last year ranged from 81 to 105. My big weakness is short par 4's. I'll go for it one round and wind up with an 8, then decide to play smart the next time and still get an 8. I can never get all parts of my game going well at the same time. If I'm hitting fairways, then I'm missing putts. And if I'm putting well, then I can't get the ball on the green. The only thing that's consistent is my sand game. I think over the last couple of years I've holed out from the bunker more often than I've left the ball in the sand.

[ctmurrray]

I'm a 14.8 right now and my driver distance is about 240. My 5 iron goes about 165. I've cut my handicap in half over the last 5 or 6 years, so I'm pretty happy with the way things are going. Last year I averaged 6 fairways, 4 greens and 34 putts per round. My average score for par 3's was 3.98, par 4's was 5.37, and par 5's was 6.20. My scores last year ranged from 81 to 105. My big weakness is short par 4's. I'll go for it one round and wind up with an 8, then decide to play smart the next time and still get an 8. I can never get all parts of my game going well at the same time. If I'm hitting fairways, then I'm missing putts. And if I'm putting well, then I can't get the ball on the green. The only thing that's consistent is my sand game. I think over the last couple of years I've holed out from the bunker more often than I've left the ball in the sand.

I am in the same boat. Some rounds I finish by saying "I can't imagine what I would have shot if my (putting, driving, chipping or irons) had not been good that day".

You do know that at your handicap you can only post a 7 on the handicap computer? So you can relax after taking 7 shots... thats my attitude.