which do you think is easier?

[prutkows]

again, i dont know how to make polls so hopefully someone will edit this.

for low to middle handicappers, do you think its easier to reduce bogeys/doubles/others or increase birdies/eagles?

i like to think im a fairly good golfer but i rarely ever get birdies and ive only had 2 eagles in my almost 3 years of golfing. i keep my scores low by really reducing bogeys and almost never having more than 1 double/other in a round. just curious what everyones take is on scoring.

edit:
i think i have a very conservative outlook on course management, i rarely go for par 5's in two and i generally play a 3 or 5 wood on par 4's for a little more accuracy.

[zebrasinamerica]

well i look at it like this. The more bogeys you reduce the more birdie chances you are giving yourself and at some point they will start to drop. I mean look at the pros, they don't always make the birds, granted their courses are just a smidge more difficult than what we are playing on for the most part but don't sweat it man keep playing and enjoy the game and the scores will come.

ZEBRA

[gas_can]

again, i dont know how to make polls so hopefully someone will edit this.

Prutkows, It's a very personal thing. For me, reducing the bogeys is fairly easy to do, just hit fairways and greens and two putts for par. However, when I start carding two or three birdies a side without any bogies, I'm in "uncharted waters" and begin to tense up. It's then that I really focus in my pre-shot routine and have to avoid the self-destructing swing that goes OB or into a hazard. As an aside, one of the things which really helped me is loosening up my course management. Take some risks, that way you will know when they will yield rewards or penalize you. You will also be prepared for times when you need to go after a par five in two.

[iacas]

again, i dont know how to make polls so hopefully someone will edit this.

When you click "Post New Thread" (or whatever the button reads), scroll down and look for the poll options. It's that simple.

for low to middle handicappers, do you think its easier to reduce bogeys/doubles/others or increase birdies/eagles?

Define "low to middle"? Actually, I don't suppose it matters, as my answer is the same: easier to reduce bogeys/doubles/others.

Both via an improved short game and better course management. If more birdies result, great, but they'll be in smaller proportion than the reduction strokes.

[ragontona]

Far easier to reduce bogies than to make birdies for me.

I guess I think of it this way... on a par 4, for example: I can make par with 4 decent, but less-than-special, shots. Poke a drive out there somewhere around the fairway. Second shot anywhere on or around the green. Third shot -- either a putt to somewhere near the hole, or a chip to the five or six feet range. Sink the second putt, or get up and down for par.

When I make a birdie, it's usually because I've hit a spectacular second shot to ten feet or less. Or I've made a long putt from twenty feet or more.

So basically, it's possible to grind out a par even if I'm not playing particularly well. Birdies usually only happen if I'm playing pretty well, or at least have hit some really good shots.

[prutkows]

well, it seems im not the only one maybe having trouble getting more birds on the card. im more than satisfied with the way i played this summer and im looking forward to getting back home and playing a bit during winter vacation.

[rembrandt]

I think it is easier to reduce the number of boggies etc than make birdies and eagles, however, having said that, both kinda go hand in hand. When you start making more pars, you're GIR will improve and your chances of dropping more birdies will be enhanced. No doubt about that!

[allin]

I think this depends on both your personality and your relative strengths as a golfer. I hit the ball fairly straight, chip and put decently, but I don't hit the ball very high or very far. If I manage my game well and make good decisions, on my good days I get a lot of bogeys and pars, mix in an occasional chip in or long put on par 3 and par 4s. Most of my true birdies come on par 5s. My brother hits the ball much further and is erratic. Not a good chipper, good wedge player and a pretty good putter. He seems to benefit from aggressive play. I have seen him make birdie after hitting fairways on two differnt holes. He has the ability to relax and hit a good shot after a bad one, he can recover from almost anywhere. Once I am in poor position my odds of converting a spectacualr recovery are almost nil. I play the percentages and try to stop the bleeding. Both of us are playing to our strengths and our basic personalities. He is more like John Dailey and I am more like Hale Irwin. I think answering your style questions might help you decide which is more likely to work for you.

[RickRevue]

Does it really matter whether you are making birdies and eagles or not? The game is about putting down the lowest number. Your conservative approach lets you do that. Eliminating the bad numbers is job #1 in making that happen. It's fun to make birdies but adding it all up at the end and beating your lowest score (and your playing partners) is much better.

However, if you take a look at your strengths, maybe you can find situations where you can be more aggressive. i.e. If you know you are a good wedge player and feel you can get it close when you have that club in your hand, try going for more pins in those situations.

If you analyze the courses you play, I bet you can find certain holes that are more "birdie-able" than others and then develop a game plan around those.

One thing I think helps, is having really accurate yardage. When I know I have 110 to the pin instead of just guessing, I think that helps you hit it tighter. When I get in a situation where I'm sure of the yardage or on a GPS system, I seem to make more birdies.

[prutkows]

One thing I think helps, is having really accurate yardage. When I know I have 110 to the pin instead of just guessing, I think that helps you hit it tighter. When I get in a situation where I'm sure of the yardage or on a GPS system, I seem to make more birdies.

i know what you mean, i was just thinking about buying some sort of laser range finder or gps thing to take with me once i have time to get back on the course. most of the courses i play only have 200/150/100 yard markers so i do a lot of guess work. i think having some sort of tool to give me yardages will help me drop atleast 2 strokes.

[Birdie]

A good way of looking at it is to just aim for par on each hole. Whether that means taking the defensive approach and hitting 3-wood, then so be it. Occasionally a birdie might drop, but then occasionally you might 3-putt. Just concentrate on hitting the fairways and greens. Don't be so concerned about lack of birdies and eagles. Just hit for the middle of the greens and make your par. As I said, every so often, you might hole the birdie putt which is a bonus. As for double-bogeys, being in single-figures like yourself, I try to avoid these as much as possible. I find that my round flows a lot more if I don't make a double and all my best round never have double bogeys in them. If you don't get overly aggressive and aim away from the tough pins, you will find the number of doubles you make decrease. Hope this new way of thinking helps.