High Handicappers-The Tee Shot

[LeafsFanNL]

I completely agree with this. I think a few people misinterpreted the question. I don't think he means hitting a driver 275 down the middle on every hole. I take it as meaning just getting off the tee and advancing down the hole is very important for a below average player. Anytime a player hits a poor tee shot it makes that hole harder. That is why he deems it the most important.

I am a new golfer entering my fourth summer. I have played a dozen or so rounds each of the past three years, and have lowered my scores from the mid 120's to knocking on 100's door last October. Some lessons I took last summer really helped my short game particularly chipping, however I need to have a good tee shot. I get a little less than 200with a good drive, any my next best club gives me about 160 off the fairway. A flubbed tee shot really puts me into a hole, and brings the possibility of a large number into play. HB

[Brakkus]

I am a new golfer entering my fourth summer. I have played a dozen or so rounds each of the past three years, and have lowered my scores from the mid 120's to knocking on 100's door last October.

This is exactly what I meant,because I'm playing for bogey as recommended for a high handicap,if you flub a shot in the fairway or off the teen then you are playing for a 6 that's just a fact.Add a 3 putt or a mis-judged pitch or chip then it's a 7,that's not negative it's a consequence of being less skilled than a 10 handicapper.

[Andrew Rice]

I agree 100%! Ballstriking and the long shots are the cornerstone of golf. You may have the best shortgame in the world, but if you are getting it up and down for 8's and 9's that does you no good. Same goes for course management and a good mental outlook. You must be able to hit the ball from'A' to at least the vicinity of 'B' in order for everything else to matter.
Andrew Rice

[wannabe]

Having been a high-handicapper for well over a decade, I can say that enjoyment on the course with your buddies comes best when you can at least keep up with them, and that's most impacted by your ability to get decently off the teebox. So yes, my vote is that the tee shot is most important to us (and yes, we're in the majority) high-handicappers.

And for me, that translates to (1) decent contact, (2) airborne, (3) over whatever hazards lie in front of you. Maybe you get 180, maybe you get 240, but at least you're 'playing'.

Let's face facts. When your out with your partner or foursome, you wanna have some fun and play a 'good' round, esp. as a duffer. When your golf score is the same as your amateur bowling score, you're happy if you get a bogey, and feel like you've won the Masters when you get a par or less.

The best times I've had on the course are definitely when I've been getting off the tee well. Scores? Not changed much for sure. But my rounds and the fun, which includes respect of my peers, comes from a decent tee shot and "keeping up". Once you're off the teebox, you can usually duff around the rest of the hole and still hang with the better players in your group. I specifically recall periods in my golf life where I purposefully didn't play rounds with folks because I knew my tee shots sucked, and I'd just be a drag on everyone else's fun. Pathetic maybe, but real.

I also think it's important that the tee shot be with the driver. Those instructors who tell us novices to leave our drivers in the bag to me do us a terrible disservice. It's like we're being neutered or something. I completely agree that learning swing technique is much better done at the range with an 8-iron, and that lower scoring comes with short game/putting accuracy, but for having a fun round on the course starts with getting off the tee respectably.

Tee shot - yep.

[LeafsFanNL]

Having been a high-handicapper for well over a decade, I can say that enjoyment on the course with your buddies comes best when you can at least keep up with them, and that's most impacted by your ability to get decently off the teebox. So yes, my vote is that the tee shot is most important to us (and yes, we're in the majority) high-handicappers.

Well said brother