ADVICE WANTED: What stats should I try to improve on?

[Stacey_E]

My goal for 2009 is to get my handicap to single digit (but 8 or under would be awesome!). I was hoping if I threw out some stats from my last 10 rounds I could get a little advice from other members on what aspects I should focus on improving. I would greatly appreciate the help of the lower handicaps who have been where I am going. I also welcome any advice from golfers of all handicaps because you don't have to be scratch to be insightful.

As I said these are only from the last 10 rounds, but I know they are typical of where my game is at the moment. Thanks a lot in advance for any advice!!

Average Stats for 18 holes...Par 70/Course Rating/67.6/Slope 113
Net score: 81.8
Overall fairways hit with any club: 72%
Fairways hit when using a driver: 72%
Greens In Regulation: 40%
Putts per green: 1.83
Putts per GIR: 2.02
Up and Down % < 50 yards: 44%
Sand shots taken: 0.8
Sand save percentage: 0%
Birdies: 1.4
Pars: 8
Bogies: 5.6
Doubles: 1.2
Triple or worse: 1.8
Penalty strokes: 2.2
Equitable Stroke Holes: 0.4
Average Driver Distance: 240

[Eeryck]

As a golfer I am a high capper so my analysis is based on my engineering background and intuition.

With your Fairways, U/D, GIR and puts I would have thought that you would already be in the single digits. Then seeing your doubles and triples or worse I think this is where you are losing the strokes that will get you lower. I would say that when things start to go wrong (which appears not to be that often) it is mostly due to either lost focus or course management after a bad shot.

Seems like when I have seen stats from other low cappers that they are very similar to your own but perhaps less the 3 strokes from the doubles and triples you averaged.

-E

[NM Golf]

I would say improve on the average score stat, as thats the ONLY one that really counts!

JK. Your stats look pretty good. The one thing that sticks out to me is the fact that you hit so many fairways yet only 40% GIR. From your avg driving distance you are not that short off the tee so maybe look at your middle to long iron play.

Also look at game management as you seem to have way too many blow up holes. Your stroke average is 81.8 yet you average almost 4 double or triple bogeys a round. Thats two many.

[Stacey_E]

seeing your doubles and triples or worse I think this is where you are losing the strokes that will get you lower. I would say that when things start to go wrong (which appears not to be that often) it is mostly due to either lost focus or course management after a bad shot.

This is definately one of the things I need to work on. And you are right about the loss of focus thing. 18 holes require so much focus, and honestly my course management isn't that terrible. I know this makes no sense with all of the triples and doubles, but course management is actually one of my strengths. But the stamina of my focus is still under construction. I totally check out on my management 2 or 3 holes a round. One thing I've tried lately to fix is the course management after a bad shot. I repeat to myself "don't throw good shot after bad". It just helps to hear someone else say it too!

I would say improve on the average score stat, as thats the ONLY one that really counts!

I agree with that 1st statement sooo much. It's not how, but how many.

I do need to work on my middle and long iron play. I'm much more accurate from the 7 iron down. My iron play has always been the weakest part of my game from day one. I've been honest enough about that to build my set accordingly (see club specs). Since going more GI with the upper part of my set I'm starting to miss a few more greens on the fringes rather than by 20 or 30 yards. Of course that skews my U/D & putts to look a little better than they are, but that is always a statistical conundrum I suppose. But it sounds like I need to be grinding those mid/long clubs on the range more. Especially until I can get my driver distance up a little more. Thanks a lot!

[Stacey_E]

Also, in my quest to be accurate in my stat posting I was not accurate in my introduction. These stats are from my last 10 "keeper" differentials from my handicap card. That's why my average net score comes out roughly to my handicap when you do the math. I'm in no way consistant enough that my average is equal to my handicap. I'm not sure anyone is.

So in a nutshell, my stats are from when I am playing the better half of my rounds. I don't really keep stats on the throw away scores. My reasoning is I want to know where I fall short even when I'm at my best. I do however compare my bad round stats to these stats to know how and where I wasted so many strokes.

[Ben]

Why pick and choose? Improve all the stats.

[Stacey_E]

Why pick and choose? Improve all the stats.

Excellent point! While I was looking for a couple of things to focus on, I suppose a small improvement in each catagory would compound to a noticable net score difference. I hadn't thought of that.

I liken this to what my stepfather told me about building a house. He's built every house he ever lived in. He said something to the effect of..."If you're off a quarter inch here and a quarter inch there by the time you get done the entire house is leaning a foot off".

[zeg]

Well, if you're at 13 hcp now and looking to drop ~4, I think it's been nailed above. The 1.8 triple or worse and the double have been mentioned, but you also say 2.2 penalty strokes per round. That seems like a lot. That coupled with the many double/triple+ holes suggests you might be playing too aggressively for your skills and winding up in trouble. Maybe focus on keeping the ball under control and in play. If you can drop a single stroke off your double/triple bogeys and lose the penalty strokes, that'd be an improvement of 5 strokes per round. Obviously you're not going to get them to zero, but still, that seems like an obvious place to try to pick up your goal.

[Doctorfro]

Well, I have a stat that is telling for me. 99% of the time if I hit 50% of GIR I shoot 80 or better. If it were me I'd be trying to figure out how to hit more greens. Of course putting is always the great equalizer. You can always putt better.

[ks8829]

Lower Scores

Work from the pin backwards
1) If you average 33 putts per round
2) up and down is 50%
3) you miss 60% of the greens or 10.8 greens.
4) if you get up and down 50% that is 5.4 strokes per round extra



1) work on improving your putts per round (40% of practice time)
A) distance control and 3 foot putts
B) work on making a good stroke with equal distance back and forward to control distance.
C) keep your hands out of putting and use your shoulders.
2) next work on your up and down (40% of practice time)
A) feet close together
B) weight forward
C) shoulder motion similar to putting
3) greens on regulations percentage. (20% of practice time)
A) practice 50 - 100 yard shot
B) 150 yard shots
C) 200 yard shots

[Awsi Dooger]

Nobody wants to say it, or doesn't know to say it. I'll say it: Improve your driving distance and everything above is automatically cleansed.

It's lollipop cute to say pay attention to this, and make sure you do that. Get closer to the target after one shot and you'll automatically shave a critical percent of disadvantage on virtually every subsequent shot.

I've bet the golf matchups for more than 20 years. Driving distance has always been undervalued, to the point I'd have stopped wagering on them long ago if I didn't know the oddsmakers will continue not to place enough of a premium on distance. They've figured it out beyond where they were 6 or 8 years ago, but even now there's a tendency to subjectively downplay how vital those extra yards really are.

I know in my own game the primary difference between my 3 handicap peak as a teenager and now struggling to stay below 10 in my late 40s is strength and distance, plain and simple. I hit it shorter and the courses are longer, not a friendly combo.

Putting would be next, specifically getting that 2.02 on a GIR below 2. The average PGA pro is about 1.79. Obviously a 10ish amateur like you and I isn't going to threaten a number like that, given further distance from the hole and worse putting to begin with, but maybe something in the 1.95 range would be realistic.

[Henry]

If i were you i would try and get your putter stats under 2 that way even if you miss some greens you can still make par.

[Stacey_E]

If you can drop a single stroke off your double/triple bogeys and lose the penalty strokes, that'd be an improvement of 5 strokes per round. Obviously you're not going to get them to zero, but still, that seems like an obvious place to try to pick up your goal.

True. One thing to consider, and it took me a while to figure this out, is that at least a couple of the double/triple holes are BECAUSE of the penalty strokes. So with 3 holes a round above bogie, stoping the 2 penalty strokes will probably eliminate two of those 3 high score holes.

You can always putt better.

I'm certain this is true of even Tiger. Droping just one or two more putts a round would help tremendously.

Lower Scores

That's a good practice plan. I'll admit to the fact that I never practice putting. Yes, I admitted it in front of the entire thread haha! Before a round I roll about 8 or 10 long putts to get a feel and 8 or 10 three footers to hear the ball go in the cup. Then I'm out. That's a joke as far a putting practice goes.

Nobody wants to say it, or doesn't know to say it. I'll say it: Improve your driving distance and everything above is automatically cleansed.

If I could add a little distance I'm sure it would help. Take a 400 yard hole. If I hit 240 now I have a 160 yard 6 iron in. If I added 20 yards to my driver and just 10 to my irons, that same driver would leave me with 140 in. Then I would have a 9 in my hand (what is currently my 125 club) that I could deloft to get 5 more yards. Driver-6 iron or Driver-delofted 9 iron? I like the second much better. Also I'm thinking of steping up my driver setup in the spring. I'm currently just using what I call a "thriver" (3 wood/driver) with 12* and 44" shaft. I hit the center of the face more this way, but I do beleive my ball striking is somewhat improving enough to at least consider a longer setup.

If i were you i would try and get your putter stats under 2 that way even if you miss some greens you can still make par.

Actually I make a few pars by missing the green. But not having my GIR putts under 2 hurts. Obviously if I'm averaging 1.4 birdies a round (which are 99% of the time with GIRS) then having 2.02 GIR putting means I have a few 3 putts on GIRS to bring that stat back up above 2. That really hurts my ego, 3 putting a GIR! Probably one of those a round is due to "hitting" the green but being 60 plus feet from the hole, which goes back to approach shots as well. It's all interelated I suppose.

GREAT ADVICE ALL....I'M TAKING IT ALL IN. Just trying to get a jump on my plans for next year. Jan 1 is just around the corner.

[davy4862]

Just a suggestion but
I think you could look to play to your stengths rather than looking to improve one particular aspect. You are very strong from 50 in so it could be a good move to decide to lay up close to all but the easy greens to ensure you stay out of trouble. I think this would benefit a couple shots a round.

If you play with this in mind from tee to green on the hardest holes it may help cut the doubles and triples as well.

However I am an 18 hc so what do I know

[Stacey_E]

Just a suggestion but

Excellent point. I can think of the 2 hardest holes on my course, for me, and both of these would be good layups to about 20 yards from the fringe. If I get up and down on one of them thats one stroke saved. Im looking to shave at least 4 so that idea alone gets me 25% of the way there!

[Borf]

Lower your scoring average to around 67-68.

[Eeryck]

Well Sacey_E you seemed to open Pandora's box with respect to what people think you should do for improving your game. The general consensus seems to be improve all aspects of your game to get those few strokes.

One other thing occured to me about this statement:

I'm in no way consistant enough that my average is equal to my handicap. I'm not sure anyone is.

Your anti-handicap determined by calculating the handicap based on your ten worst scores has the ability to tell you quite a bit about how consistant or inconsistant you are.

I read an article once about player pairings and how a really solid consistant golfer paired would do better paired with a 8-hcp, with a 15 anti-hcp than he would with a 10-hcp, 12 anti-hcp. This was for team play, but the point is if you have a large differential between anti-hcp and hcp it could be an indicator that consistancy is where you are losing your strokes. Good luck developing your improvement plan for next year. My road is a lot simpler for me focus next year is chipping and pitching, but I have a much larger margin for improvement and the strokes should come off easier for me. (I hope!) -E

[PiKapp23]

As the son of a PGA Professional, the one thing I hear constantly that I need to improve on is scrambling - AKA being able to get up and down when missing the green in regulation. Looking at your stats, I would say if you could improve your chipping/short pitches/sand saves to somewhere 50-60% (or higher, obviously) you could easily cut 3-6 strokes off your game and maybe more. One thing Dad has always said is your short game leads to more confidence in your approach game and you'll hit more greens because your not as worried about missing the green and posting a big number. The only other stat that might need improvement to go along with short game is lag putting on long putts.