Do you favor your 9 or 18-hole scores?

[wannabe]

As you're following your own stats & improvements, do you place more emphasis on your 9-hole scores or your 18-hole scores, or both, and why?

I've always focused on 18-hole scores, but when I played a round earlier this year and my back nine score was almost 10 strokes better than my front nine, it seemed like I should focus more on 9-hole scores as a good measure to assist in my overall improvement.

Seeing a 9-hole drop from 50's to 40's to 30's may help in the larger quest to drop below 100, 90, 80, ....

[Knockglock]

As you're following your own stats & improvements, do you place more emphasis on your 9-hole scores or your 18-hole scores, or both, and why?

I personally focus on 18 hole scores, because in my opinion one of the most difficult aspects of golf is keeping your focus together for an entire round.

[iacas]

A round of golf is 18 holes. Anyone can get hot for nine holes - or lucky - so half-round stats won't tell you squat.

[Fourputt]

A round of golf is 18 holes. Anyone can get hot for nine holes - or lucky - so half-round stats won't tell you squat.

What Erik said.

[sean_miller]

A round of golf is 18 holes. Anyone can get hot for nine holes - or lucky - so half-round stats won't tell you squat.

That's why I focus on the front and back 9 separately. If the front nine is typically better, I probably need to work on my conditioning. If the back nine rules, I probably need to practice and/or warm up more before teeing off. If it's back to back awesomeness then my work/practice/golf/home life is in complete balance. coughbullshitcough

[Shorty]

I've always focused on 18-hole scores, but when I played a round earlier this year and my back nine score was almost 10 strokes better than my front nine, it seemed like I should focus more on 9-hole scores as a good measure to assist in my overall improvement.

This is exactly why you should focus on 18 hole scores.

Do you mark down the winner of a 400 mete race after 200 metres? The fact that your scores are are all over the place is what you need to focus on. Consistency is needed. The problem isn't solved by thinking that your mistakes needn't count. You won't improve by pretending that you haven't had a bad 9. Especially when the term you used was "overall improvement".

[CG031]

A round of golf is 18 holes. Anyone can get hot for nine holes - or lucky - so half-round stats won't tell you squat.

I agree. Also, if you shoot a good front nine, whatever that score may be for the individual. It can tell you a lot about your golf game and how you hold up for the next nine holes...

On Monday, I shot 36 on the front, played awesome, wasn't even thinking about my score... Then I started to get on the back nine, and I knew I was +1 thru 11 holes...that's when I started to concentrate on my score, and ended up shoot a 43 on the back, resulting in a 79...

[Cussin hacker]

I focus on each hole. Total score is how we measure how we're doing overall with our games. In that since I do focus on 18. If you only play nine, then that score is what you focus on.

[Aetsh]

9..I usually fall apart more playing 18 straight through

[daveh]

I usually play 9 holes so my 9 hole score gives me a better idea of how I'm doing.

Besides, it's still my first year and I expect my consistency to improve. I'll worry more about 18 hole scores next year.

Although when calculating my handicap I only use full 18 hole scores.

[Doctorfro]

Nine holes is just practice, an outing, a little exercise, a diversion, whatever.

[alf174]

I focus on each hole.

Agreed, my round score will be good if I stay in the moment and not start thinking too far ahead.