hitting greens

[scotton]

I read an interesting article on GolfDigest.com (I assume it was in their magazine recently, I only read every other month).
The article was about breaking 80, and they have a chart by Dr. Lucius Riccio (included because it's a funny name) where Dr. Riccio shows a correlation between your score and your GIR. For example, if you hit 8 GIR, you should be shooting 79, all things being equal.

But the thing I really liked about the article were 3 keys to hitting greens:
Grip down an inch
Use a shorter swing
Aim for the center of the green

All of this has been said before, and isn't real mind-blowing, but I'm going to dedicate myself to trying those three things for the next few rounds and see if my GIRs improve. Then I'll probably need to find an article on 3 putting.

Here is a link to the article: link

[wengerlaw]

Nice article, thanks for pointing it out. This is a great example of how most of us who want to shoot lower scores should be playing more conservatively and thinking more about course management.

[powerhitter]

its nice to hit the green and all, but you need to remember that it should be atleast within a 20foot radius of the flag to make an "attempt" putting it in the hole. So sometimes rather than try to stretch for a GIR, and possibly dropping it in the bunker, put it in your sweet spot and knock it stiff ^^.

[wengerlaw]

  powerhitter said:

its nice to hit the green and all, but you need to remember that it should be atleast within a 20foot radius of the flag to make an "attempt" putting it in the hole. So sometimes rather than try to stretch for a GIR, and possibly dropping it in the bunker, put it in your sweet spot and knock it stiff ^^.

I see what you're saying, but for higher handicappers like myself who can't necessarily put it in the "sweet spot and knock it stiff" with any great reliability, having a goal in your mind of at least getting on the green in regulation (no matter where) and then taking your chances with the putter is a good thing.

For me, if I were able to hit every green in regulation and then three-putted all of the holes, I'm still looking at shooting a 90 for the round. This would be a good score for me. This obviously doesn't sound like a real fun way to play, but I think the thought is sound from a course management standpoint.

[Buckswin]

  wengerlaw said:

I see what you're saying, but for higher handicappers like myself who can't necessarily put it in the "sweet spot and knock it stiff" with any great reliability, having a goal in your mind of at least getting on the green in regulation (no matter where) and then taking your chances with the putter is a good thing.

You're absolutely right.

I read the article, as well, and have been keeping stats for some time. There is a direct correlation between my highest GIR rounds and my lowest scoring rounds, regardless of how close to the pin my approach is. Over the last 2 years, I average a hair over 2 putts/GIR and 1.7 putts/missed GIR. As a 20 handicap (19.9), I could certainly do a better job of getting my approach shots closer to the pin to give myself an opportunity at a 1 putt GIR, but that's simply not realistic at this point. If I miss the GIR, it costs me 0.7 strokes. If I hit every GIR, I'd shoot par golf. If I missed every GIR, I'd shoot bogey golf. I'm averaging 20% GIR this year, and am averaging shooting a 92.

[powerhitter]

I have a decent correlation between GIR and low scoring, but the better factor for me is putting. The more 1 putts I have the better my round normally goes, since for me it normally implies made birdies and saves.

[Shindig]

  scotton said:

I read an interesting article on GolfDigest.com (I assume it was in their magazine recently, I only read every other month).

I seem to remember hearing that most people with double-digit handicaps shoot far better scores when the flags are not in the holes at all. This encourages aiming for the center of the green and 2-putting, instead of firing at a pin off on the side, missing, having a a difficult chip back, 2-chipping, 2- or 3-putting and ruining your score.

[$2 Nassau]

The choking down advice flat out works...for me anyway....now why can't I just pound that into my head and do it more often!! Seems like when you choke down, you make a little shorter swing as well, they kind of go hand and hand.

[Mhinderaker]

See now maybe I'm in the minority here, but I am such a terrible putter that I am often better off missing just short of greens.

For example a few times ago playing 9 holes I hit 7 out of 9 greens and had I think 22 putts, so despite the fact that I should have been on track for an absurdly good score, I shot a 44.

[tejama]

I can honestly say that shortening my swing this summer has allowed me to improve my GIR and as a result dropped my scores consistently into the low 80s (including breaking 80 a few times this summer for the first time in my golfing life).

[powerhitter]

You have a 10 handicap and broke 80 only a couple of times ? Im a 10 and I've broken par a few times, not to knock on your game, so your course must be really narrow and stress precision. Though I must admit 9 times out a 10 a GIR is alot easier to par than an up and down

[tejama]

Haha...well, our course makes you pay badly for mistakes. Not to mention that I live in the most easterly point in North America, so the wind is constantly howling and our summer season is basically mid-July to mid-August. Excuses, excuses I know. But no worries about knocking me on my game...I only get to talk about it now for the next 6 weeks as I broke my thumb playing baseball earlier this week.

[powerhitter]

O no I twisted my ankle before I was so pissed when I couldn't play, I feel your pain. You can technically still play if it was your right thumb and you have it partially casted. Since the right thumb is a decorative peice for righties (left thumb for lefties).

[lamebums]

I can hit a lot of greens, but my short game is an unqualified disaster. Last week, I remember a round where I hit 12 greens in regulation - and still shot a 92. And if I miss a green...well, that's worse. I have more T.C. Chens than everyone else I know combined, and if I dont TC it, I'll blade it off the other fringe.

[nyjets2806]

i dont find that i have too big a problem hitting greens (usually about 9-12 per round) and when i do hit the green i rarely ever 3 putt. the reason i usually miss the green is because i miss the fairway and have to spend strokes punching it out of the trees or something. my game lives and dies by the driver if its cold ill probably be off on my entire tee to green game.

[tejama]

I think the crowd in this thread need to start a short game thread, cause you can add my name to the brutal crowd. I could easily hack 2-3 strokes off every round of golf if I could chip AT ALL! I have a mindset that I want to put the ball within a certain distance around the pin, and for the life of me, I can't do it consistently.

[Golfer7945]

  scotton said:

I read an interesting article on GolfDigest.com (I assume it was in their magazine recently, I only read every other month).

is this working for you? I tend to leave too many shots short of the green and then put too much emphasis on my sand wedge.... My goal for tomorrow morning...(sunrise tee time) is to hit one more club from every fairway and to use 3 wood off of the tee if my first driver shot slices.... I wil post my score tomorrow on the what did you shoot today thread...

[lamebums]

  tejama said:

I think the crowd in this thread need to start a short game thread, cause you can add my name to the brutal crowd. I could easily hack 2-3 strokes off every round of golf if I could chip AT ALL! I have a mindset that I want to put the ball within a certain distance around the pin, and for the life of me, I can't do it consistently.

I could hack 20 strokes off my round if I could chip and putt. I would be scratch overnight. At least you didn't

five putt in the first round of your club championship.