How important should scoring be for an absolute beginner?

[ZaPPPa]

I think I should rephrase my question a little.

"Should beginners focus on the long term progress even if it hurts their score on the short term, or should they focus on whatever brings their score down immediately."

[wachesawgolfer]

[QUOTE=ZaPPPa;198972]This thread flowed out of the ' What do You Think Is More Important? And Why? ' thread.


. Chipping is IMO not required for the first couple of rounds. I went out without having practiced how to chip and pitch, but knowing the basics from books and video and I just tried to get it on the green in one or two tries. Chipping it anywhere onto the green was an accomplishment in itself. I didn't even own a putter the first time, so I borrowed one from my playing partner and putted every once in a while. I putted out maybe 2 or 3 holes in total depending on how well I was doing.

Your approach is exactly why so many people needlessly struggle with the game and high scores. Why not learn it from the inside out as Harvey Pennick said. Learn to putt, then to chip and then worry about the full swing. When you can chip and putt, the long game is much easier from greater feel with the short shots and confidence. Its just pointless to go on a golfcourse if you cannot putt or chip at all. And, that lack of a short game may haunt you your entire golfing career. Plus, you can practice putting and chipping anywhere to make headway quick with a little patience, practice and determination.

[tjy355]

I said this in the other thread, it is my opinion that a beginner should not be out on the course until they can make solid contact with the ball every time they make a swing. It may not go far or straight, but at least they have the skill and eye-hand coordination to make good contact.

Once that level of skill is attained, then they can proceed to shorter/easier courses and 9-holers. Once they are playing, they should keep proper score, but I don't think lowering the score should be the primary focus, rather working on the fundamentals of a good swing and learning the etiquette of the game should be the initial goals.

[kafka01]

"Should beginners focus on the long term progress even if it hurts their score on the short term, or should they focus on whatever brings their score down immediately."

From my own expierence - yes they should focus on the long term progress - there will come a time where flaws/errors not combatted as early as possible will come back and haunt you the better you get. And these flaws are hard to overcome the longer you ignore them. And you cant achieve the next level unless you repaired these flaws.

[DJYoshi]

ball striking. i still have rounds where my score's sh** but i'm happy with my ball striking and that's what i focus on...consistent ball striking...

[GaijinGolfer]

I think that at first, they shouldnt keep score. Instead of keeping score and reminding themselves all the time about how bad they are at this game, why not just have fun playing the game, remembering the good shots and just forget about all the bad stuff.
I think that one of the main reasons why so many people dont stick with golf is because they think they are expected to at least make par on every hole.
If they just forgot about the score, played the game and had fun, I think a lot more people would be able to stick with playing golf.
I personally dont keep score most of the time. I do make a mental note of whether each hole or a par 3, par 4 or par 5 and then note what I get on each hole, but I dont obsess with every little stat of my game.
Im more interested in remembering the good shots and the holes where I actually make par or bogey.
I dont take golf all that seriously. If I did, Id probably have given this game up by now. I play because I love the game and because its fun. End of story.

[Smallville]

I think if they aren't going to keep score, the beginner should spend some time at the driving range, take some lessons, go to the putting and chipping greens before going to the course. My wife, for example, took 3 lessons as well as the putting and chipping, and probably 5 trips to the driving range before we went to the course together. She kept score. It was an executive course so it wasn't super long, and mostly par 3's. She was the most over par she has ever been but has improved over the last 2 months that after 4 times at a "real course but not super difficult" she broke 100 this weekend. I think most of that was getting her used to hitting balls at the range before we ever set foot on a course. If I had thrown her to the wolves immediately, she might have gotten disgusted and quit (although with her, probably not, she's pretty athletic and maybe even more competitive than me!).

Anyone who would take a beginner out before they learn the basics of hitting a drive, some fairway shots, chips and putts should probably rethink who they are taking to a course (let's not even discuss someone who takes someone to the course who has never hit a ball before!). And once they learn those basics they should be able to keep score. They aren't gonna be able to hit many fairways, probably no GIR's and you may have to take the ball out of the traps, but keeping score should be no big deal (Note: you might want to "keep score" of how many you take out of the trap!). And like I said in my earlier post, if they rack up a bunch of penalty shots, what better way to learn to count them than when they are learning how to keep score? A few penalty shots when you shoot way over 100 isn't gonna mess up a score like they do when you shoot in the 70s.

[riverc0il]

I spent a lot of days on the range before trying my first par 3 course. I kept score from the get go which was a mixed bag. The high score my first day wasn't a concern. My cool mostly birdie day after that really pumped me up. But doubling par on every hole on my third day really bummed me out.

I was having a really bad day on the course last weekend. We are talking starting out with an 8 and a 7 on a par 3. I decided I was not going to keep score for the rest of the game. I would focus on improving my swing and having fun. Sure enough, birdies and pars for the next three holes and respectable beginner level golf from there on out. Had I been keeping score, I probably would have continued to get frustrated.

Ideally, you keep score and don't let it phase you when you have a few bad holes. That is hard to do for a beginner. Probably hard to do for any golfer actually. But putting down the score card was really liberating.

I think keeping statistics for a beginner is a good thing once you have down an alright swing and can somewhat manage a course. It helps you track your improvement and will eventually build up a handicapp once playing full courses. But it is not essential and depends upon what type of personality you have whether it will help or hurt when you are starting out. I think if you are having a bad day, just forgetting about the score card is perfectly fine for a beginner not working on developing their handicap yet.

[ZaPPPa]

Its just pointless to go on a golfcourse if you cannot putt or chip at all.

Why is it pointless?

How about learning course management, hitting from uneven lies, hitting from the rough, judging distances and even just having fun without keeping score. Are you saying that playing golf without keeping score is pointless?

[GaijinGolfer]

Why is it pointless?

I agree. I see plenty of people at the courses I play on who cant chip or putt very well, but they are out there having fun and enjoying the game. IMO, thats all that matters.

Not everyone is out there trying to be a golf pro, many of them just like to get out an enjoy the game (not matter how much they suck at it). IMO, a lot of people put way too much emphasis on what their score is and not nearly enough emphasis on having fun and enjoying playing golf.

[goblue107501]

I say just write down the score of the good holes. When I was starting and playing with my dad he would only write down a score if I had triple bogey or better, otherwise I got the dreaded 'X'. I would always think that one day I'll be able to fill in all the boxes on the card. Once I was able to do that then I started keeping score every time.

If you are a beginner then the score shouldn't matter at all, it will only bring your confidence down. Just be concerned about solid contact and getting the ball on the green and then in the hole. Set a goal for each hole on the tee box (par, bogey, double, etc.) and try and accomplish that.

There isn't much difference in a 115 and 130 so why worry about it. Just try and improve your game, be more consistent, and have fun.

[mapa94]

I don't think keeping score is necessary as a beginner.
Most beginners will become frustrated if they count every shot and are shooting 120+
I'd much rather people not keep score than have a scorecard that is inaccurate because of mullilgans, ignorance of the rules, or "creative scoring".

[ks8829]

score help keep track of your progress and most golfers what to improve their game.

[wachesawgolfer]

I agree. I see plenty of people at the courses I play on who cant chip or putt very well, but they are out there having fun and enjoying the game. IMO, thats all that matters.

You both miss my point. I do not see all the things you see, apparently, with the course management and judging distances and the fun of people who cannot even hit the ball on the course with their full swing. But, be that as it may, it is VERY EASY to learn how to putt and chip, decently,(with a little effort) so that one can build and develop a golf game, without ever keeping score, if that is your desire. The feel and confidence is the key. What is the difference between a low 100s shooter and a low 90s shooter and a low 90s shooter and a low 80s shooter, their short game. People go out just to have fun and never learn the easy fundamentals of the short game and they simply always struggle, whether they keep score or not. Your still hitting the ball. I see folks all the time 4 putting from 5 feet and some who simply finally pick it up as it will never go into the hole and people who never get the ball anywhere near the green from 10 feet. But they are all taking it in and having fun, maybe.

[TommyD69]

The WORSE thing ever invented in golf was the score card!

[ZaPPPa]

What is the difference between a low 100s shooter and a low 90s shooter and a low 90s shooter and a low 80s shooter, their short game.

Yes, but an absolute beginner is not a low 100's shooter. (S)he is more likely a 120+ shooter.

I am a beginner and I have spent countless hours on the range getting a consistent swing. I can now put a ball on the green from 140y without feeling nervous about it. I absolutely agree that once you get to that point, the short game becomes critical, just like putting. If I'd had a decent short game this morning, I could have shot in the high 80's. I had 4 birdie putts in 9 holes and bogey'd all 4 (22 putts on 9 holes for 2.4 avg... ugh!)... Anyway, I say people may want to refrain from keeping score until they start getting near double-bogey golf. It's just not fun to keep track of two shanks, a top, a chunk and a four-putt.

[Smallville]

Just to clarify, my response was for my own experience. Whether a beginner wants to keep score or not, it doesn't affect me, so why should I care? It's like another thread asking if you play "real" golf or not . . .who really cares if it's not a competition?

Myself, I kept score when I was shooting middle 70s for 9 holes when we were practicing for my high school to when I shot 137 in my first high school tournament (I had been playing for about a month, maybe) to when I finally shot 36-over par (double bogey golf) to when I finally broke 100 to this year when I FINALLY shot in the 80s. But that's just my personality. I like the competition part of it, even if it's just trying to better my last score. If I didn't keep score til I could shoot close to double bogey golf I probably never would have known the first time I did it.

[jr05]

As I am a beginner (second year playing....first REAL year) I will put in my experience with this matter.

Last year I played maybe 4 times all year and really liked playing but was terrible. I would keep score every round, and would get the occasional 1, 2, or 3 over on a hole and would be psyched.

This year, I have played at least once a week and have kept scores every time. I signed up for oobgolf and have been putting my scores in there now. It is really cool to see the progression over the last couple months. Looking back on it, I wish I had done this from the beginning, or at least all this year!

So long story short, for me, keeping score has been good and I wish I had actually been better at it. I recommend signing up for a place like oobgolf so once you really get addicted you can look at it and hopefully see that you improved.