The worst 14 handicap ever

[Hoovedawg]

Ive been playing for a year or so and am down to a 14. I usually shoot in the 80's or 90's but have shot between 73-102 in the last month. I was doing my putts, gir and fairways and i feel like they all are terrible compared to most people at a 14. Let me know if they are about what a 14 handicap should be or if they are really bad.

Average driving distance: 212 (Losing so much distance from huge sky/slice) (Longest-272)
Fairways GIR Putts Score
8/14 1/18 29 86
4/14 0/18 32 98
10/14 2/18 42 102
8/14 4/18 33 87
10/14 13/18 35 73
8/14 4/18 28 84
14/14 2/18 34 88
12/14 4/18 32 90
8/14 2/18 38 92
12/14 10/18 34 78

So my totals are
Fairways: 94/140 67% (4-14)
GIR: 42/180 23% (0-13)
Putts: 33.7 (28-42)
Score: 87.8 (73-102)

[ChappyEight]

Your scrambling must be incredible. It looks like your scores go down as your GIR go up which means, to me, that you save yourself well.

I'm the same way, but I don't scramble nearly as well and usually shoot right above or right below 100.

[Hoovedawg]

I do tend to save myself pretty well and i havent had too many blow up holes lately. I would guess that probablly 75% of my par 4's go Drive in the fairway, missed gir, chip on, and then 1 or 2 putts. My chipping is pretty good but its frustrating how many greens i miss cause 23% is terrible but the really bad part is that 23 came from 2 rounds so with out those im 20/144 (14%).

[opie]

I'm about the same.. Your F/W's are MUCH higher than mine but your GIR's are a little lower than mine even with me being in the F/W a lot less than you (less than 40%). Just from looking at stats your iron play seems worse than a 14 HC. Is it because of distance and you have long 2nd shots into par 4's?

[Slim 11]

According to the stat tracker I use. you are looking pretty good. I use the Golf Channel one and it gives you your stats compared against average stats of the same handicap. You can also adjust it to see what a better handicapper average is (or worse).

Anyway, according to the Golf Channel you should be like this:
Fairway % = 47%
GIR = 29%
Putts = 33.6

So you are way better on fairways and average on putts. Your GIR's could be better and that's the key stat in my opinion anyway. I don't care if I get home in regulation from the rough or the fairway. Just let me get the putter in my hands.

You probably suffer in this category for the same reason I do. I am not a long hitter. Our average driving distance and longest drives are very similar. Therefore, I am often hitting longer irons into the green and coming up short, or left, or right, etc. and having to scramble. GIR's are the key to us mid-handicappers getting down farther.

[Hoovedawg]

My irons are decent but a little inconsistant. My gir problem is caused mostly by my driver i think. I swing in the mid 90's but have a pop up slice that i hit a lot which takes a 250 or so shot to 200. A 200 yard drive basically gives me no chance at a gir on a par 4 375 or more. I usually have to hit a long iron to the green which most of the time arent too bad but i end up having to chip on pretty frequently. Because of my terrible driving which happens probablly 6 or 7 of 10 drives most of my gir are from 150 or more (7 iron or more for me).

[opie]

My irons are decent but a little inconsistant. My gir problem is caused mostly by my driver i think. I swing in the mid 90's but have a pop up slice that i hit a lot which takes a 250 or so shot to 200. A 200 yard drive basically gives me no chance at a gir on a par 4 375 or more. I usually have to hit a long iron to the green which most of the time arent too bad but i end up having to chip on pretty frequently. Because of my terrible driving which happens probablly 6 or 7 of 10 drives most of my gir are from 150 or more (7 iron or more for me).

We have opposite terrible driving problems then. I hit the ball a long way but when I miss I'm chipping out from the trees which makes pars difficult

[Hoovedawg]

My driving is wierd because i can take a full swing and slice it 180 or 200 yards but still have pretty good control of it. Once or twice every round ill catch one solid and hit it straight 250 or 260 and thats usually where my gir come from.

[pittpanther]

My power went out, or I would have posted this a little sooner!

Average driving distance: 212 (Losing so much distance from huge sky/slice) (Longest-272)

My data analysis says:

1. Your Fairways does not correlate well with your score. Meaning you have good scores with bad Fairways, and you have bad scores with good Fairways. 2. Your GIR is highly-correlated with your score - The better your GIR, the better your score. 3. Your average drive is 212 yards. This is not a "bad" distance, but it could be improved. I would think a 14-HC might be averaging 230-240. 4. I don't see a lot of possible improvement with your putting. You look to be averaging about 2 putts per hole. I'm not sure how much lower you can drive down that number. 5. Your short game must be great! Others have already mentioned that. Around the green your game seems solid. My interpretation - Your approach shots need improvement. There are several ways to accomplish this: 1. Move up one tee! If the tees you are playing, and the drives you are hitting, are leaving you with very difficult second shots, then perhaps you should play from the next shorter set of tees. For example, I usually play whatever tees give me a 6500-yard course. If those are the ladies tees, so be it. 2. Increase your average drive. This will allow you to take less club on your approach shots. 3. Improve your accuracy with long irons, hybrids, fairway woods. Instead of being pin high but off the green, you have to learn to stick it! All of these things (except #1) are easier said than done... To answer your original question, your stats seem appropriate for a 14-HC. You are a stereotypical "Bogey Golfer." Nothing to be ashamed of. You don't get into trouble, you rarely have blow-up holes. You are where I want to be!

[saltman]

Ive been playing for a year or so and am down to a 14. I usually shoot in the 80's or 90's but have shot between 73-102 in the last month. I was doing my putts, gir and fairways and i feel like they all are terrible compared to most people at a 14. Let me know if they are about what a 14 handicap should be or if they are really bad.

We have the same index, my stats....

Fairways: 30/126 23.8% (1-6) GIR: 52/162 32.1% (3-8) Putts: 33.6 (29-37) Score: 87.4 (77-97) I would say we are pretty close, my number 1 problem is keeping the ball in play, especially with the driver. Your biggest issue is iron play, but you are probably having to hit longer irons into the greens. I probably benefit from being longer, 210 yards is more like 4/5-iron distance for me. I have zero confidence off the tee with anything more than a 5-iron and as all know golf is a game of confidence. All in all, we don't seem to be too much different in terms of pure statistics.

[wrx_junki]

My handicap rose from a 14 to a 15. Your stats seem fine to me. I'm pretty sure you are by far from the worst 14 handicap.

42% Fairways
32% GIR (25% on par 3's, 32% on par 4's, 43% on par 5's)
12% Scrambling
1.9 Putts (2.1 Putts after GIR)