Do you sacrifice your score for improvement?

[TheGeekGolfer]

when I know I can easily bump and run a 7 iron close

WHY??? Practice your chips/flops, but keep putting it close will make sure you can do it under pressure if you ever get into tournaments.

even though I have a stock 1-5 yard fade that is deadly accurate

DEADLY ACCURATE - again, WHY?? mess with it? Yes, golf is about learning how to play different shots from different lies, etc. But, it's also about continually fine-tuning your game. Those 'deadly accurate' shots then become 2-4 ft 'tap-in' birdies that push your round lower.

Whatever, keep doing this and I don't think you'll see a vast improvement in your overall scores. Why...because you really will never know what your overall score is (IMO).

[Williamevanl]

I guess what I hope happens is that I still get to scratch by doing this. I'm only making the game harder on myself I guess but its obviously going to make me better in the long run.

Okay, I'll play with all my weaknesses until the become stronger then my current strengths. Then I'll play with everything I have. Seems like a good strategy to me. If I can get as accurate with a push draw as I can a fade and I can choose which to hit based on the hole location well, I'll be really really good right?

It seems silly to me that people are playing with the hope of just surviving the round with a decent score, thats no way to play. I started golfing with a friend of mine years ago and he still struggles to break 100 he just survives the round by always hitting a little hook at everything. He is never going to get any better because of it. I think there is too much I'm just not good at that so I dont do it mentality.

[Parker0065]

Everyone goes through different levels of learning to score in golf. It's a never ending process.

It's good to practice shots that are tough or make you uncomfortable on the range, but to get to the next scoring level and improve you will eventually have to take the shot to the course. The truth is your probably going to fail the first few times on the course but we've all been through it and that's why it takes practice and determination to improve in golf and build up your confidence in the shot.

I think what holds some higher handicapers back(besides swing mechanics) is they don't spend enough time on the practice range working on different shots, they just go out and attempt them on the course. Doing it this way never gives them a chance to build up confidence in the shot and if they do eventually improve it takes much longer than if they worked at it on the practice range(preferably with a teaching Pro).

To me, sacrificing score means sacrificing my score in a tournament or other competiton. No, I will not do that or else I wouldn't bother playing in the tournament to begin with,lol. If I'm playing a practice round to prepare for a tournament, I'm probably more focused on learning the course and hitting the type shots I will need so I'm not so worried about score at that particular time.

But in the end it's completely up to the individual on what type of player you want to be and what your tournament expectations are. If you want to be a serious tournament player, your going to have to put in the range time, develop the shots, and learn to take it to the course. If you just want to go out with your buddies, have fun and try new shots, then there's nothing wrong with that either!

Golf is my home away from home but I have two other sports that I enjoy just playing and I have no interest in improving at all. They are bowling and tennis. A few years back my brother really got into bowling and he learned how to manipulate the ball and had a average in the low +200's. I average about 120,,lol and my highest game is 160. I was visiting him and we went bowling and after the first couple frames he comes over and says "if you would just do this and do that,,,blah,blah you would be so much better". I said look bro, I have one serious sport in my life and that's golf, I don't need another. I'm just here to drink beer and throw this rock down that lane,,lol!

I understand there are golfers out there that play golf with the same attitude I have about bowling. That's why guy's that go out to drink beer and knock the ball around or try crazy shots you know they can't pull off doesn't bother me. They just want it to be fun!

[whetstone]

I practice ALOT on the course because I hate practicing at the chipping/putting green and banging away at balls on the driving range. However, if I'm keeping score, I play the shot that gives me the best chance of going low... in my case, "going low" means mid to low 80's.

[Williamevanl]

Hey Parker thats a pretty good metaphor actually, bowling. Lets say you are an average bowler and you bowl it straight and you average like 180. There is a good chance you are never going to advance much further then that due to the nature of bowling that way.

Unfortunately if you aren't willing to suck for awhile while learning to curve it into the pocket then you aren't going to get better. So this is more what I meant if you want to get good at bowling you would have to sacrifice your score. Sure you could go back and fourth between straight and curving depending on if you were playing for fun or in a "tournament' but at same point you would have to make that leap to always curving if you wanted to become a great bowler even if it meant you had to go down in your overall scoring average. ie. sacrificing your score for improvement.

There are a bunch of these, Curving in bowling, top spin in tennis, English in pool, High spinning lob, etc... Set of advanced techniques that make you suck for the longest time while learning but make things a lot easier in the long run. You could play tennis without top spin but you'll never get very good at it, you might beat your friends but you wouldn't have much of a chance against someone who took the high rode and learned the advanced techniques required to be really good.

[allin]

Everyone goes through different levels of learning to score in golf. It's a never ending process.

I agree, although I do have trouble doing anything just for fun that I do on a regular basis. Learning a shot on the range is one thing, having confidence to execute in on the course usually requires doing it often enough on the course to have confidence. So I do sometimes try lower percentage shots during casual rounds so that I have the shot when I need it under pressure. I believe that playing games with friends with something on it while practicing, can be a reasonable substitute.

[Leftygolfer]

No I do not. I play the shot I play all the time. Improving for me is making good scores. I play to score.

It is the same token of I want to play less forgiving irons to get better? Better at what? Making bogeys? The way you will be judged in golf is your score and that is all that matters.

[sean_miller]

No I do not. I play the shot I play all the time. Improving for me is making good scores. I play to score.

You have like, one shot?

Or, do you mean when faced with a situation that calls for a choice between two shots- one being a safe/high percentage/familiar shot - the other a high risk/unfamiliar shot, you go with the familiar confidence inducing shot, and make a mental note to practice the other shot later and decide whether or not to add it to your shot repetoir?

[MiniMoe]

score is pretty much irrelevant unless you are playing a tournament or gambling or something like that. Handicap does not matter. You always have to strive to learn and get better no matter what. if you just think about handicap and don't take risks and push yourself you will not improve as much as possible. I know my personal abilities, handicap is irrelevant. If all of a sudden I'm a 5 handicap (no offense, to anyone), It would not bother me because I know inside I can be a lot better. I know my potential, so I'm not bothered by any number I post.. good or bad. The point of the game is to lower your potential score... improve your abilities... grow as a player.... be smarter.... know your abilities and use then as best you can.

[cody west]

when im playing for myself like with my friends i will always practice shots that im bad at because the shots im good at will always be there, its muscle memory. the shots im not as good at wont always be there so i have to build the muscle memory to make them consistent enough that i can do them in competition with confidence.
theres no better way to practice shots that your not good at then doing them often.