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

[DaveP043]

LOL, like I said, I was within 3 feet of 4 more, so 11 of 14 isn't bad.  BEsides, didn't you get to play with @mchepp , he doesn't miss many fairways either.  We'll have to start lobbying the captains now to be sure we can play in the same group next time.  Or even better, come visit DC, we can make arrangements to play at my home club, and probably with @jsgolfer at his.

[naws-golfer]

4 HDCP here, id say 3 of every 4 round are in the 77-80 range with the occasional 75/76 and 81. my strengths in order are: putting/ scrambling/ driving/ wedges/ irons

1) Ive been playing all my life, my dad has been a scratch golfer for 40 years.

2) I grew up on a hilly mountain course, learned all kinds of lies, how to get the golf ball around the course, never learned on the range

3) I was an erratic driver until 2 years ago. You'll never break 80 consistently making short game mistakes. up and downs should be expected.

4) 3 putts are not an option. I might have 1x 3 putt per round. they are like soda's, empty shot that you don't see but count just as much

5) I take roughly 3-4 lessons a year. only way I've broken through plateaus are to fix, practice, and repeat.

6) I practice 2 times per week, play at least once. anytime I get to play 9 I will. My practice area has prov1's so I know my distances pretty well

7) you've got to make birdies. if you are trying to shoot in the 70 on average you should be making 2 birdies minimum per round. too hard to try and keep your score low with pars.

I like odd numbers so I'll stop there.

[jsgolfer]

LOL, like I said, I was within 3 feet of 4 more, so 11 of 14 isn't bad.  BEsides, didn't you get to play with @mchepp, he doesn't miss many fairways either.  We'll have to start lobbying the captains now to be sure we can play in the same group next time.  Or even better, come visit DC, we can make arrangements to play at my home club, and probably with @jsgolfer at his.

Absolutely, anytime any TST'ers are in the No. VA area, drop me a line, you're always welcome to come play Springfield if I'm available.

[onthehunt526]

Apparently 9/18 GIR isn't enough for me to shoot in the 70s, lol... I shot 85 yesterday with 9/18 GIR, the penalty shot didn't hurt me so much (salvaged a bogey), but two doubles and 2 3-putts did... Plus my scrambling stunk yesterday... 2 out of 9 scrambling...

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="DaveP043" url="/t/60861/to-golfers-who-score-in-the-70s-whats-your-story/252#post_1203225"]   LOL, like I said, I was within 3 feet of 4 more, so 11 of 14 isn't bad.  BEsides, didn't you get to play with @mchepp , he doesn't miss many fairways either.  We'll have to start lobbying the captains now to be sure we can play in the same group next time.  Or even better, come visit DC, we can make arrangements to play at my home club, and probably with @jsgolfer at his. [/QUOTE] Absolutely, anytime any TST'ers are in the No. VA area, drop me a line, you're always welcome to come play Springfield if I'm available.

My parents live half an hour from the Springfield CC. So, watch out for me, I might take you up on that!;-)

[DaveP043]

My parents live half an hour from the Springfield CC. So, watch out for me, I might take you up on that!

Keep in touch when you're coming to the area.  My club is about 45 minutes drive from Springfield, and is completely different, as @jsgolfer can attest.  Playing both of them back-to-back would make an interesting combination.

[jsgolfer]

My parents live half an hour from the Springfield CC. So, watch out for me, I might take you up on that!

Definitely keep in touch.

Keep in touch when you're coming to the area.  My club is about 45 minutes drive from Springfield, and is completely different, as @jsgolfer can attest.  Playing both of them back-to-back would make an interesting combination.

Most definitely, you need to be a mountain goat to play Stoneleigh.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

My parents live half an hour from the Springfield CC. So, watch out for me, I might take you up on that!

Definitely keep in touch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveP043

Keep in touch when you're coming to the area.  My club is about 45 minutes drive from Springfield, and is completely different, as @jsgolfer can attest.  Playing both of them back-to-back would make an interesting combination.

Most definitely, you need to be a mountain goat to play Stoneleigh.

Cool.

Jerry, my cousin lives in Alexandria. I might have to drop in on you as well.

I have yet to play golf in VA. I just played a municipal course near where my parents live in Potomac.

[jsgolfer]

Cool.

Jerry, my cousin lives in Alexandria. I might have to drop in on you as well.

I have yet to play golf in VA. I just played a municipal course near where my parents live in Potomac.

Cool.

Jerry, my cousin lives in Alexandria. I might have to drop in on you as well.

I have yet to play golf in VA. I just played a municipal course near where my parents live in Potomac.

Not a problem, drop me a line. In fact I will be playing at Springfield this afternoon, leaving in about 45 muinutes.

What course did you play, Falls Road?  You were surrounded by several awesome private courses in Potomac.

[Mike Boatright]

A lot of hard work getting consistent with the driver is about 70% of it the rest is a good short game. The the real key is a good mental attitude playing aggressively and fearless without beating yourself up about misses. It's mostly physical though it takes hard work to get consistent off the tee that's what 70 shooters do now what I'm working on is becoming a consistent 60's shooter that's about approach shots primarily. It's more of a science than anything % of fairway hit's good putting and some par saves will amount to a 70's shooter because you should make a birdie 6 pars and a bogie and maybe on the back 4 bogies the rest pars.

[saevel25]

A lot of hard work getting consistent with the driver is about 70% of it the rest is a good short game. The the real key is a good mental attitude playing aggressively and fearless without beating yourself up about misses. It's mostly physical though it takes hard work to get consistent off the tee that's what 70 shooters do now what I'm working on is becoming a consistent 60's shooter that's about approach shots primarily. It's more of a science than anything % of fairway hit's good putting and some par saves will amount to a 70's shooter because you should make a birdie 6 pars and a bogie and maybe on the back 4 bogies the rest pars.

Majority of it is a good long game.

If you want to compare low amateur to a high handicap. A low handicap saves 4.3 strokes on putting, 15 strokes on long game, 6.5 strokes on short game and 1 stroke on sand shots.

http://www.columbia.edu/~mnb2/broadie/Assets/broadie_wscg_v_200804.pdf

Actually, Fairways Hit is highly overrated. Statistics has proven that. Check out the book Every Shot Counts and Lowest Score Wins. They will tell you that long game matters more than any other par when you differentiate between low handicap versus high handicap.

If you want to shoot in the 70's. Hit a lot of greens , don't take penalties, stay out of bunkers, get up and down half way decent and sink a few putts. Primarily hit a lot of greens.

[vangator]

4 HDCP here, id say 3 of every 4 round are in the 77-80 range with the occasional 75/76 and 81. my strengths in order are: putting/ scrambling/ driving/ wedges/ irons

There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. My strength in order (best to least) are: irons, wedges, scrambling, driving, putting. My last round was strange: Front nine 5 FIR, 4 GIR for 39. Back nine 2 FIR, 3 GIR for 37. I only made one putt over 4 feet all day (an 8 footer). My putting sucks, but I haven't 3-putted in several rounds, which is a miracle in itself. A lot of my non GIR are from the fringe with a putter or a simple chip shot. All but one missed fairway was from first cut or short rough. I'm hooking my driver too much. It's hitting the fairway but rolling to the first cut or just beyond, so it's still very playable. Slope is only 123. I think the biggest thing is having a good up and down game and keeping the ball in play. Since almost every shot is miss, you have to make playable misses.

[Mike Boatright]

Majority of it is a good long game.

If you want to compare low amateur to a high handicap. A low handicap saves 4.3 strokes on putting, 15 strokes on long game, 6.5 strokes on short game and 1 stroke on sand shots.

http://www.columbia.edu/~mnb2/broadie/Assets/broadie_wscg_v_200804.pdf

Actually, Fairways Hit is highly overrated. Statistics has proven that. Check out the book Every Shot Counts and Lowest Score Wins. They will tell you that long game matters more than any other par when you differentiate between low handicap versus high handicap.

If you want to shoot in the 70's. Hit a lot of greens, don't take penalties, stay out of bunkers, get up and down half way decent and sink a few putts. Primarily hit a lot of greens.

An 80's shooter has lot's of penalties hazards etc.. He said he it 9 out of 18 greens should be good enough to shoot a 78 maybe. You can't get up and down if you don't hit the fairway in fact you can't do anything if you don't hit the fairway the hole is essentially lost to par without getting lucky. Hit the fairway miss a green make a bogie then the next hole birdie followed a few bogies and do it again that's a 78. Of course putting and hitting greens matters but mid 80 guys usually spray it off the tee.

[Dave2512]

I average 80's, roughly 82, and maybe have a penalty once every four rounds if that. I also don't hit many fairways, sometimes intentionally. I scramble fairly well because I am always near greens and I make more pars than bogeys. It never comes down to birdies when I break 80. With rare exception it's about GIR and nGIR.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saevel25

Majority of it is a good long game.

If you want to compare low amateur to a high handicap. A low handicap saves 4.3 strokes on putting, 15 strokes on long game, 6.5 strokes on short game and 1 stroke on sand shots.

http://www.columbia.edu/~mnb2/broadie/Assets/broadie_wscg_v_200804.pdf

Actually, Fairways Hit is highly overrated. Statistics has proven that. Check out the book Every Shot Counts and Lowest Score Wins. They will tell you that long game matters more than any other par when you differentiate between low handicap versus high handicap.

If you want to shoot in the 70's. Hit a lot of greens, don't take penalties, stay out of bunkers, get up and down half way decent and sink a few putts. Primarily hit a lot of greens.

An 80's shooter has lot's of penalties hazards etc.. He said he it 9 out of 18 greens should be good enough to shoot a 78 maybe. You can't get up and down if you don't hit the fairway in fact you can't do anything if you don't hit the fairway the hole is essentially lost to par without getting lucky. Hit the fairway miss a green make a bogie then the next hole birdie followed a few bogies and do it again that's a 78. Of course putting and hitting greens matters but mid 80 guys usually spray it off the tee.

I suppose this depends upon why they shoot mid-80s. I do happen to spray off the tee, but I get some really nice ones as well.

[iacas]

You can't get up and down if you don't hit the fairway in fact you can't do anything if you don't hit the fairway the hole is essentially lost to par without getting lucky.

Sorry, but that makes no sense at all.

Hitting the fairway is nowhere near that important.

I wrote a book you should check out… It was my avatar for awhile, but for now just go here and look (and buy?): http://lowestscorewins.com/.

[Golfingdad]

You can't get up and down if you don't hit the fairway in fact you can't do anything if you don't hit the fairway the hole is essentially lost to par without getting lucky.

I rarely hit fairways (30% or so right now - equal misses on both sides - I'm working on it) and I have no trouble making pars often without "getting lucky."

[vangator]

I rarely hit fairways (30% or so right now - equal misses on both sides - I'm working on it) and I have no trouble making pars often without "getting lucky."

Yep. Depends on the course you play. If it's US Open rough, then par is tough. If there are a lot of those tall wooden things, it get tough. But not impossible. The toughest course I've played is the Doral Blue Monster from the tips with 5" Bermuda rough. If you miss the fairway, you hit a provisional. If you find the ball, it's a SW sideways. Par is gone. But most courses aren't like that.