To Golfers Who Score in the 70s - What's Your Story?

[iacas]

Course rating is "Par" for a scratch golfer, nothing more.  It's what a scratch golfer is expected to average, not what a 10 or 15 or higher handicap is expected to use for a target score.  Unless you are a scratch golfer, it only has relevance for handicap calculation.  Par is par is par.

I could get behind your take on it if the player was on a course with 5 or 6 "par 4" holes around 300 yards or shorter, and par 5's in 430 to 450 range, but that is not the typical par 72 course that I'm familiar with.  The course I played most of my best golf on had a full range from 343 to 430 for par 4 holes, 120 to 170 for par 3, and 494 to 520 for par 5, and those are all middle tee yardages.

Slope rating is a better mark for comparison for a higher handicap, and even then the average or mean is 113.  It doesn't have to be in the 130's or higher to have significance.

I get what you're saying, Rick, but also realize that this thread is the "for golfers who shoot in the 70s" thread. That implies that the golfers regularly shoot in the 70s and also that they're not doing it from a set of tees rated 68.7 or something. It's just implied, and you acknowledge that above.

Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

[Golfingdad]

I get what you're saying, Rick, but also realize that this thread is the "for golfers who shoot in the 70s" thread. That implies that the golfers regularly shoot in the 70s and also that they're not doing it from a set of tees rated 68.7 or something. It's just implied, and you acknowledge that above.

Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

But just like its not against the rules to post suggestions as a 10 or 20 handicap in a members swing thread, it shouldn't really matter much if a guy is a 3 handicap who almost never doesn't shoot in the 70's or an 8 handicap who only shoots in the 70's once or twice out of 10.  If somebody has some advice for the OP, and they feel they qualify to give it, then they should be encouraged to do so.

There are a number of 10, 15, 20 and even higher handicaps on this board that can offer up a lot better advice than a certain 3-ish handicap that seems only interested in comparing penis length in every thread.

[trickyputt]

[QUOTE name="Fourputt" url="/t/60861/to-golfers-who-score-in-the-70s-whats-your-story/180#post_1113140"]   Course rating is "Par" for a scratch golfer , nothing more.  It's what a scratch golfer is expected to average, not what a 10 or 15 or higher handicap is expected to use for a target score.  Unless you are a scratch golfer, it only has relevance for handicap calculation.  Par is par is par.   I could get behind your take on it if the player was on a course with 5 or 6 "par 4" holes around 300 yards or shorter, and par 5's in 430 to 450 range, but that is not the typical par 72 course that I'm familiar with.  The course I played most of my best golf on had a full range from 343 to 430 for par 4 holes, 120 to 170 for par 3, and 494 to 520 for par 5, and those are all middle tee yardages.   Slope rating is a better mark for comparison for a higher handicap, and even then the average or mean is 113.  It doesn't have to be in the 130's or higher to have significance. [/QUOTE] I get what you're saying, Rick, but also realize that this thread is the "for golfers who shoot in the 70s" thread. That implies that the golfers regularly shoot in the 70s and also that they're not doing it from a set of tees rated 68.7 or something. It's just implied, and you acknowledge that above. Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

I agree. The idea of this measurement is that this measurement begins a process of understanding of what it takes to be a pinnacle player, or what the expectations of you would be, should you consider yourself in comparison to the averages produced by the money motivated game we watch on tv. It is fair, because it is not related to your choice of courses, and is boiled down so much it has no flavor, being reduced to numbers of upslope, downslope, and distance. It is an impressive number. My local muni has a 68, but on paper it is 71. From the white, 66.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Course rating is "Par" for a scratch golfer, nothing more.  It's what a scratch golfer is expected to average, not what a 10 or 15 or higher handicap is expected to use for a target score.  Unless you are a scratch golfer, it only has relevance for handicap calculation.  Par is par is par.

I could get behind your take on it if the player was on a course with 5 or 6 "par 4" holes around 300 yards or shorter, and par 5's in 430 to 450 range, but that is not the typical par 72 course that I'm familiar with.  The course I played most of my best golf on had a full range from 343 to 430 for par 4 holes, 120 to 170 for par 3, and 494 to 520 for par 5, and those are all middle tee yardages.

Slope rating is a better mark for comparison for a higher handicap, and even then the average or mean is 113.  It doesn't have to be in the 130's or higher to have significance.

I get what you're saying, Rick, but also realize that this thread is the "for golfers who shoot in the 70s" thread. That implies that the golfers regularly shoot in the 70s and also that they're not doing it from a set of tees rated 68.7 or something. It's just implied, and you acknowledge that above.

Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

Okay, I can understand this.  However, I went through about a 10 year stretch when I never had fewer than 2 or 3 scores in the 70's, and I still feel that they were just as relevant, despite the fact that the rating was 69.4.  Many of those scores were low enough that they would have qualified even with the differential.  I've shot a lot of 74-77 scores over the years.  That said, I will likely never look sideways at someone just because they only broke 80 by one stroke on a 69 rated par 72 course.  For the great majority of amateur golfers, breaking 80 on a par 72 course is a lifetime achievement goal, and deserving of recognition for it.  After all in normal golf parlance, what they did was break 80, not break a differential equivalent of 80.

Since I no longer shoot 70s on a semi-consistent basis, I'll bow out of this discussion.

[iacas]

But just like its not against the rules to post suggestions as a 10 or 20 handicap in a members swing thread, it shouldn't really matter much if a guy is a 3 handicap who almost never doesn't shoot in the 70's or an 8 handicap who only shoots in the 70's once or twice out of 10.  If somebody has some advice for the OP, and they feel they qualify to give it, then they should be encouraged to do so.

There are a number of 10, 15, 20 and even higher handicaps on this board that can offer up a lot better advice than a certain 3-ish handicap that seems only interested in comparing penis length in every thread.

I agree; if you (anyone) have something to add, add it.

The examples that were being talked about were extremes, like 62 CRs, and someone who "occasionally shoots in the 70s" on those is less likely to have feedback from the perspective of what this thread intends to uncover, IMO.

[jmsage]

My dad and step mom are both class A PGA professionals

Growing up I was never interested in golf because I was always into more up pace sports... I was a huge into basketball, football, snowboarding, and played baseball growing up. When I got out of high school I wasn't able to playing competitive sports anymore, and we went on a trip to mexico as a family and my dad brought me out golfing and surprisingly i shot pretty decent for never being into golf i shot an 84.  After that I was hooked, keep in mind that wasn't my first time picking up a club, I would play maybe 2 to 3 times a year with my dad, but nothing seriously.

3 years later here I am

[trickyputt]

Then welcome to an arena where you can play until the end of your days.

[BuckeyeNut]

Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

Exactly................    if a golfer simply states, "Hey, I scored an 85" or any score without a qualifier, I immediately assume it's a short 5600yd course with a 66.0CR.

[trickyputt]

I distinctly remember a thread where I argued the off topic point that par should be reduced on older courses to bring them online with parity to the par value of bigger modern courses. This is the same idea bubbling up again, for the same reasoning. Thanks for taking up the flag. Back to topic...

[iacas]

I distinctly remember a thread where I argued the off topic point that par should be reduced on older courses to bring them online with parity to the par value of bigger modern courses. This is the same idea bubbling up again, for the same reasoning. Thanks for taking up the flag.

There's no need for that. That's what course ratings are for.

Start a new thread if you still want to talk about it, but good luck assigning a 337-yard par four a par of 3.89 or something. :P

[onthehunt526]

.89 of a birdie is funny as hell... another thread entirely... Erik, Would you consider 5 to 7 rounds out of ones twenty on their handicap index card in the 70s, regularly in the 70s? My home course/slope rating is 71.2/121 by the way...

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Course ratings do matter for all golfers, since they're the first piece of the differential. A golfer shoots 85 on two courses, both have a par of 72. One is rated  68.7 and the other 74.7. Those six strokes are going to matter more than the slope adjustment. You see? Not that a guy shooting 85 is really the target of this thread, of course…

Exactly................    if a golfer simply states, "Hey, I scored an 85" or any score without a qualifier, I immediately assume it's a short 5600yd course with a 66.0CR.

Why would you assume that?  Are most of the courses in your area that wimpy?  If not then why would you assume the least likely scenario?  I've never played a course that short that had a par of 72, or even 71.  That's usually about where the forward tees are, and no adult male I know under the age of 75 plays that far forward.

[BuckeyeNut]

Why would you assume that?  Are most of the courses in your area that wimpy?  If not then why would you assume the least likely scenario?  I've never played a course that short that had a par of 72, or even 71.  That's usually about where the forward tees are, and no adult male I know under the age of 75 plays that far forward.

I have my reasons.....LOL

Don't even get me started on the "non-golfer" topic....where did that thread go?  LOL

[iacas]

Would you consider 5 to 7 rounds out of ones twenty on their handicap index card in the 70s, regularly in the 70s? My home course/slope rating is 71.2/121 by the way...

Yeah, plus, if you have something to add to this discussion, go for it. If other "golfers who score in the 70s" disagree, they're free to share their opinions too.

Why would you assume that?  Are most of the courses in your area that wimpy?  If not then why would you assume the least likely scenario?  I've never played a course that short that had a par of 72, or even 71.  That's usually about where the forward tees are, and no adult male I know under the age of 75 plays that far forward.

Sub-6000 yard course with a course rating of 68.x and… par 72: http://lakeviewcc.com/imgs/course/scorecard.jpg .

(The black and blue tees are longer now. White are the same.)

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onthehunt526

Would you consider 5 to 7 rounds out of ones twenty on their handicap index card in the 70s, regularly in the 70s? My home course/slope rating is 71.2/121 by the way...

Yeah, plus, if you have something to add to this discussion, go for it. If other "golfers who score in the 70s" disagree, they're free to share their opinions too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Why would you assume that?  Are most of the courses in your area that wimpy?  If not then why would you assume the least likely scenario?  I've never played a course that short that had a par of 72, or even 71.  That's usually about where the forward tees are, and no adult male I know under the age of 75 plays that far forward.

Sub-6000 yard course with a course rating of 68.x and… par 72: http://lakeviewcc.com/imgs/course/scorecard.jpg .

(The black and blue tees are longer now. White are the same.)

My point was that that isn't a normal length for a par 72 course from at least the middle tees.  I was just busting his chops because he chose to assume the least likely scenario rather than the most likely one.

[onthehunt526]

Erik has stated in a previous post that to consistently score in the 70s... To hit 9 or 10 greens, work on your putting but not too much (65/20/15 thread), short game work on the same lines... My huge secret when I consistentmy shoot in the 70s (It is middle to high 70s)... Easy advice: Don't do anything stupid to make a big number... avoid penalty strokes... you can follow LSW and try to get as close to the hole as you can, but when you get into deep deep trouble off the tee, FIND A WAY TO NOT GET INTO DEEPER TROUBLE, AND LIMIT THE DAMAGE TO A BOGEY I've shot in the 70s with 1 double or worse but never more than that... Three Years Ago I shot a 72 on a 6,440 yard, par 70 with a CR of 70.8 (don't remember slope)... With a double on 5, a birdie on the 1st and bogeyed 18 (I three jacked from 12 feet, with a putt for level par 70)... but mostly on a par-72 that doesn't have a CR of 68.5 you can make 7 bogeys, and 11 pars to shoot 79... if you make a double that's one more par or better you have to make...

[inthehole]

Easy advice: Don't do anything stupid to make a big number... avoid penalty strokes... you can follow LSW and try to get as close to the hole as you can, but when you get into deep deep trouble off the tee, FIND A WAY TO NOT GET INTO DEEPER TROUBLE, AND LIMIT THE DAMAGE TO A BOGEY I've shot in the 70s with 1 double or worse but never more than that... Three Years Ago I shot a 72 on a 6,440 yard, par 70 with a CR of 70.8 (don't remember slope)... With a double on 5, a birdie on the 1st and bogeyed 18 (I three jacked from 12 feet, with a putt for level par 70)... but mostly on a par-72 that doesn't have a CR of 68.5 you can make 7 bogeys, and 11 pars to shoot 79... if you make a double that's one more par or better you have to make...

Thx - I'll remember that.   Importance of eliminating doubles at all costs is well taken

[coganstewart]

It took me 2 years to break 80 consistently. 1 year of just messing around, 1 year of playing consistently. 1) Figure out what your natural shot shape is. Do you hit a draw, fade? I draw my driver off the tee so I know I can set up toward the right side of the fairway. If I do miss the fairway, I know where I will miss (right to left draw). Same with my irons. 2) An obvious, don't chunk or thin and shots. These are wasted strokes. A little more in depth, aim for the middle of the green! If you draw or cut the ball 5 or 10 yards, you're still putting. Pick and choose when to go at flags. 3) Have 2 or 3 different chip shots in your bag. I can play a flop where I lay my 60 degree over, I can play a low spinner that bites when I deloft my 60 or 56, or I can play a chip that will run out. Practice different chip shots and know when to use them. 4) Last and most important, BE A GOOD PUTTER. You will use this club more than any club in your bag. Let's say you're a perfect player and you hit every green in regulation, more than half your strokes will be made with a putter if you two putt every hole for par.