Breaking Bad Club - A Thread for Golfers Trying to Break 100

[Osnola]

Last four rounds have been in mid 90's....then last round was an even100...I like to play tees that are from 5700 yards to 6100 yards.  Senior that has lost some distance off the tee.  I have found that the following really affect my score:

1.  Tee shot---playable is good, unplayable or terrible lie making 2nd shot tough kills me

2.  I do not hit a lot of greens in regulation, so I live and die with how I do from 40yds in....getting on the green in position to have a chance to make a putt is crucial.

3.  Putting....3 putts are a killer, especially on par 3's

4.  Have a good round going then I score a 7 and 8 on back to back holes...

[Steve4445]

I have just started out about 2 1/2 months ago and I am aiming to try and break 100 by the end of the financial year - lets see how that goes.

I played a little as a kid in my big backyard but just chipping and putting of rough grass and only ever ventured to a local par 3 once in a blue moon.

I have played allot of short game stuff in the last few months averaging early  on around the +23  mark on a par 3 but have slowly reduced this score. My last round on that par 3 was a +6 so I have improved a bit on that side of things.

I played 2 weeks ago and shot a 104 where I had a few blow out holes and was so frustrated as I played yesterday with no blow out holes as such just very bad all day with no par's and ended up with 109 - this game can really mess with your head at times.

The things I really need to work on are my tee shots with drivers and long iron/hybrids. I have a very bad fade and spend to much time on the opposite fairway or the trees taking valuable shots. I plan on taking a few more lessons on this, the only lesson I have he fixed me and every drive was going straight but I cant seem to replicate it on the course lol.

[JonMA1]

On 4/3/2018 at 12:18 AM, Steve4445 said:

I have just started out about 2 1/2 months ago and I am aiming to try and break 100 by the end of the financial year - lets see how that goes.

I played a little as a kid in my big backyard but just chipping and putting of rough grass and only ever ventured to a local par 3 once in a blue moon.

I have played allot of short game stuff in the last few months averaging early  on around the +23  mark on a par 3 but have slowly reduced this score. My last round on that par 3 was a +6 so I have improved a bit on that side of things.

I played 2 weeks ago and shot a 104 where I had a few blow out holes and was so frustrated as I played yesterday with no blow out holes as such just very bad all day with no par's and ended up with 109 - this game can really mess with your head at times.

The things I really need to work on are my tee shots with drivers and long iron/hybrids. I have a very bad fade and spend to much time on the opposite fairway or the trees taking valuable shots. I plan on taking a few more lessons on this, the only lesson I have he fixed me and every drive was going straight but I cant seem to replicate it on the course lol.

Welcome to The Sand Trap @Steve4445.

I understand your frustration. You'll notice that shooting a relatively low score for one round only to follow up the next with a high score is something we all experience. It's part of what makes this game so maddening and at the same time so addictive.

Good for you on finding what sounds to be a good instructor. There are so many topics here that will help someone who is just starting out. I'm sure you've browsed some of these already...

https://thesandtrap.com/forums/forum/14-swing-thoughts/

Also, try to be patient about your progress. It may feel at times like you're not getting better, but it's likely you are. For some of us, improvement is not a straight drop from bad scores to good ones.

Good luck.

[Rykymus]

I played off and on about 25 years ago, nothing series, then started playing again last summer (about 9 months ago). Spent a lot of time at the range, and played the muni 9-hole par 3 course at least 3 times per week. Then we moved to DFW area and now live on a golf course. (Nice view of the 14th fairway from our backyard.) Didn't play for about 5 months, then started going to the range again a few weeks ago. Decided to dive in and play all 18 holes. (Yeah, I'm pretty sore today.) Shot a 115, which as I remember from years ago, was good for me. And I only lost 3 balls! (All cheap used balls.) 

I noticed that my shot control began suffering around the 13th hole. Probably should stick to 9-holes until I'm in better shape. I'm getting a lot of good tips from this thread. 

[The Hook Meister]

I have been there. I played a nine hole course and shot a 31, that should have been a 26 if I could putt at all. The short game can ruin a pretty good round. I got some advice form someone I was playing with he told me to slow down when I putt. I was getting in to much of a hurry that's why I was missing a lot of putts.  As far as learning to hit your driver, go to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls with it. That's how I learned to hit mine, It only took me two or three buckets. At least if your ball goes way right or left you do not have to look for it.

[sofingaw]

Hello all! I’ve spent the last several days on and off reading this whole thread. Thanks to everyone for providing tips, inspiration, and stories. 

I had played golf a few times in high school, and always liked it, and early in my Navy career, but never got hooked... until the summer of 2012. Watched the US Open, saw my clubs covered in cobwebs on the back porch, and became inspired to go play some. Then this greatest of all games got its hooks into me hard. From the summer of 2012 until the fall of 2013, I probably played about 30-40 rounds, hit the range at least 2 dozen times, and got 2 lessons, and I was active here in he forums at that time. Started off shooting btween 110-130. I always play according to the rules, and keep an honest score. Lowest score: 100.

I moved to Japan at the end of 2013, was stationed on a ship for 3 years, and had 2 kids. Needless to say, I’ve been away from the game for a while. I play about 3x a year, but I lust after more!

I recently played a new course, and shot 105. Felt really good, considering my layoff. I had several triples, and one quad, but the rest was really pretty good. This round was the first ever that I thought about my ‘best miss’ and played to it, while actively avoiding trouble. I took driver 3x off the tee, and it was really bad (OB) twice. 

I am fully committed to playing better, smarter and shooting better scores. I have decided to keep driver at home until I have it comfortable again (I used to hit it OK).

Here is my course/shot management plan, which I am committed to for the foreseeable future: 

Par 3 Tee: Hit the green.

Par 3 2nd: Hit within 10ft of flag if off the green, within 3ft if on green/fringe.

Par 4 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB) Use club that will take me to between 125-175 if reachable from tee. 

Par 4 2nd: Hit GIR/nGIR if safe and <200.

To safety and down the fairway if unsafe or >200.

Par 4 3rd: Hit green/nGIR if recovering. 

Par 5 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB)

Par 5 2nd: Hit the fairway, to approach distance. (150 stake)

Par 5 3rd: Hit green/nGIR.

Par 5 4th: As close to the hole as possible.

All holes: 

On green/fringe (all holes:) 2 putt.

Never take a club that will go OB. (No driver until and unless proficient on range that day).

Use at least a 6i (180 club) to get in fairway off tee, so don’t lose ALL distance. 

Use ‘right’ full swing club on all 2nd and 3rd shot approaches <200.

Plan misses on all tee and approach shots. Look for and identify ‘best’ miss on each shot. (If long/right is safe, go long/right, etc.)

No 7’s on the card. (But, accept it if no putter in hand on 5th shot). 

I’m confident that the key to success with this plan is to actually stick to it. What I like about it is that now I don’t have to think very much about what club to take or what shot to hit. I’m much less likely to make a bad decision since I’ve already made a good decision on each shot before I even hit the course! 

My next round is next Friday, and I plan to play again the following week as well. I’ll keep you all updated, but I’d be shocked if one of those two rounds isn’t in the 90’s. Good luck to all of us!

Edited April 10, 2018 by sofingaw
Not sure why part of the text is large.

[klineka]

I really like how you have game planned, I have a couple suggestions for you, all are strictly my opinions, and they are more about managing expectations than drastically changing game plans.

On 4/10/2018 at 5:28 PM, sofingaw said:

Par 3 Tee: Hit the green.

Par 3 2nd: Hit within 10ft of flag if off the green, within 3ft if on green/fringe.

For par 3 tee shots, your goal should be nGIR. If you get GIR on a 1 out of 4 par 3s in a round that would be great. Aim for nGIR until you can consistently do that 4/4 times per round, then bump it to the GIR goal.

For the 2nd shot, its not realistic to expect to be within 10ft of the flag if off the green. Especially since many par 3s have water, sand, large mounds, etc, which make the chips and pitches more intimidating. If you are 30 yards short of the green, in a bunker, etc, its not realistic to expect your 2nd shot to be within 10 feet. I think a better goal here would be something along the lines of "Get the ball on the green, and on the proper tier if it is a multiple tiered green"

 

On 4/10/2018 at 5:28 PM, sofingaw said:

Par 4 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB) Use club that will take me to between 125-175 if reachable from tee. 

Par 5 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB)

I think you are giving too much credit to hitting the fairway. Unless the rough at the courses you play is very thick and could result in a lost ball, hitting the fairway is not that important.

I would change those to something similar to "Advance the ball as far as possible while eliminating (or minimizing as much as possible) the chance of the ball going OB.

You are going to shoot lower scores if you are 120 yards in the rough vs 150 yds from the fairway.

 

On 4/10/2018 at 5:28 PM, sofingaw said:

Par 5 2nd: Hit the fairway, to approach distance. (150 stake)

Similar thing here. If you have 250 yards left on a par 5 with no OB on either side and very few trees, it doesnt make sense to hit your 100 yd club just so you are at the 150 stake. Advance the ball as far as you can (safely) even if it brings the rough into play. 

 

On 4/10/2018 at 5:28 PM, sofingaw said:

Never take a club that will go OB. (No driver until and unless proficient on range that day).

I dont think this is a good strategy. Hitting into the sand is almost just as bad as going OB for a higher handicap like yourself. You wouldnt play the entire round never taking a club that doesnt bring sand into play. Sure you can technically play the entire round hitting a 9 iron until you get nGIR so that OB isnt in play, but in order to score as low as possible, you need to use longer clubs off the tee, even if it does bring OB into play a little.

---

I highly recommend getting the book "Lowest Score Wins", it was written by the owner of this site, and talks extensively about game planning, shot zones, and just how important it is to advance the ball as far as possible.

Edited April 12, 2018 by klineka
formatting

[sofingaw]

On 4/11/2018 at 6:28 AM, sofingaw said:

Hello all! I’ve spent the last several days on and off reading this whole thread. Thanks to everyone for providing tips, inspiration, and stories. 

I had played golf a few times in high school, and always liked it, and early in my Navy career, but never got hooked... until the summer of 2012. Watched the US Open, saw my clubs covered in cobwebs on the back porch, and became inspired to go play some. Then this greatest of all games got its hooks into me hard. From the summer of 2012 until the fall of 2013, I probably played about 30-40 rounds, hit the range at least 2 dozen times, and got 2 lessons, and I was active here in he forums at that time. Started off shooting btween 110-130. I always play according to the rules, and keep an honest score. Lowest score: 100.

I moved to Japan at the end of 2013, was stationed on a ship for 3 years, and had 2 kids. Needless to say, I’ve been away from the game for a while. I play about 3x a year, but I lust after more!

I recently played a new course, and shot 105. Felt really good, considering my layoff. I had several triples, and one quad, but the rest was really pretty good. This round was the first ever that I thought about my ‘best miss’ and played to it, while actively avoiding trouble. I took driver 3x off the tee, and it was really bad (OB) twice. 

I am fully committed to playing better, smarter and shooting better scores. I have decided to keep driver at home until I have it comfortable again (I used to hit it OK).

Here is my course/shot management plan, which I am committed to for the foreseeable future: 

Par 3 Tee: Hit the green.

Par 3 2nd: Hit within 10ft of flag if off the green, within 3ft if on green/fringe.

Par 4 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB) Use club that will take me to between 125-175 if reachable from tee. 

Par 4 2nd: Hit GIR/nGIR if safe and <200.

To safety and down the fairway if unsafe or >200.

Par 4 3rd: Hit green/nGIR if recovering. 

Par 5 Tee: Hit the fairway. (No OB)

Par 5 2nd: Hit the fairway, to approach distance. (150 stake)

Par 5 3rd: Hit green/nGIR.

Par 5 4th: As close to the hole as possible.

All holes: 

On green/fringe (all holes:) 2 putt.

Never take a club that will go OB. (No driver until and unless proficient on range that day).

Use at least a 6i (180 club) to get in fairway off tee, so don’t lose ALL distance. 

Use ‘right’ full swing club on all 2nd and 3rd shot approaches <200.

Plan misses on all tee and approach shots. Look for and identify ‘best’ miss on each shot. (If long/right is safe, go long/right, etc.)

No 7’s on the card. (But, accept it if no putter in hand on 5th shot). 

I’m confident that the key to success with this plan is to actually stick to it. What I like about it is that now I don’t have to think very much about what club to take or what shot to hit. I’m much less likely to make a bad decision since I’ve already made a good decision on each shot before I even hit the course! 

My next round is next Friday, and I plan to play again the following week as well. I’ll keep you all updated, but I’d be shocked if one of those two rounds isn’t in the 90’s. Good luck to all of us!

 

Thank you! Yes, I’m going to buy the book. This strategy that I have outlined is definitley a living document, and open to modification. (Though, not during a given round.) I plan to stick to one strategy while playing, without changing it, so I can see what works and what doesn’t. If changes are needed, I’ll change before my next round. This is also a practice in discipline with me at this point, and a focus on changing my process distinctly so that I get distinctly different results.

The question I’m asking myself is, ‘Can I finally play with a plan, and hold myself to it for an entire round?’ I imagine that’s what many better players do. 

I agree totally with your suggestions for par 3’s. You’re right about my abilities with regard to them. nGIR for the first shot, and in the green in two is the plan now. 

For tee shots on par 4’s and par 5’s, I do also agree that hitting the fairway itself is not critical, but OB or not, I MUST stay out of the trees or thick rough as much as possible. Of course my GOAL will still be 14 fairways, but acceptable results will be anything in play with a clear shot to advance further toward the green.

For the longer holes, I think I’m going to try to stick with what I have for now, even though it is ultra-conservative. The reason for this is two-fold: 

1) I’m trying to shoot a number (<100) for the very first time.

2) I have hooked/sliced/duffed many, many a 4i and 5w off into narnia playing from 220-250 And trying to get it ‘down there’ as far as possible. Besides penal tee shots, penal 2nd shots are my worst score killers. Following the tee shot, A (mostly) guaranteed pair of full wedges or 9i will have me on/near the green in 3, and I won’t be risking sailing one into the twilight zone.

My thought is that the 3-4 ‘extra’ shots I’m taking will be balanced out by fewer penalties/bad lies/awkward angles/in between distances on the few longest holes. 

Once I improve enough, I’ll start trying to get nGIR, or ‘up there’  from 220-250.

For sand, I am not personally bothered by sand, even as a high handicapper. I get out first time go, almost every time from fairway or green side bunkers alike. I would MUCH rather hit 3 from any sand than hit 4 from OB, every time. It’s true that I would never play without a club that brought sand into play (wedge, short iron maybe), but I lose many more shots OB off the tee than I do coming out of sand each round. Keeping a wild driver at home is a bigger deal than anything else for my blowup holes, I think. 

I admit freely that as you said, to score as ‘low as possible’, I’ll need to advance the ball as far as I can most of the time. But for now, I’m just trying to score ‘lower in general.’ Hence the drastically conservative strategy.

As I said though, this is a living plan, and may (will) change. I may eat crow on ALL parts of my plan in the end, knowing how golf is! 

And you are definitley a better player than I, so I’m prepared to be wrong. 

Thank you so much for commenting, and for your awesome suggestions! I’m pumped to go play. 

[klineka]

14 hours ago, sofingaw said:

Thank you! Yes, I’m going to buy the book. This strategy that I have outlined is definitley a living document, and open to modification. (Though, not during a given round.) I plan to stick to one strategy while playing, without changing it, so I can see what works and what doesn’t. If changes are needed, I’ll change before my next round. This is also a practice in discipline with me at this point, and a focus on changing my process distinctly so that I get distinctly different results.

The question I’m asking myself is, ‘Can I finally play with a plan, and hold myself to it for an entire round?’ I imagine that’s what many better players do. 

I agree totally with your suggestions for par 3’s. You’re right about my abilities with regard to them. nGIR for the first shot, and in the green in two is the plan now. 

For tee shots on par 4’s and par 5’s, I do also agree that hitting the fairway itself is not critical, but OB or not, I MUST stay out of the trees or thick rough as much as possible. Of course my GOAL will still be 14 fairways, but acceptable results will be anything in play with a clear shot to advance further toward the green.

For the longer holes, I think I’m going to try to stick with what I have for now, even though it is ultra-conservative. The reason for this is two-fold: 

1) I’m trying to shoot a number (<100) for the very first time.

2) I have hooked/sliced/duffed many, many a 4i and 5w off into narnia playing from 220-250 And trying to get it ‘down there’ as far as possible. Besides penal tee shots, penal 2nd shots are my worst score killers. Following the tee shot, A (mostly) guaranteed pair of full wedges or 9i will have me on/near the green in 3, and I won’t be risking sailing one into the twilight zone.

My thought is that the 3-4 ‘extra’ shots I’m taking will be balanced out by fewer penalties/bad lies/awkward angles/in between distances on the few longest holes. 

Once I improve enough, I’ll start trying to get nGIR, or ‘up there’  from 220-250.

For sand, I am not personally bothered by sand, even as a high handicapper. I get out first time go, almost every time from fairway or green side bunkers alike. I would MUCH rather hit 3 from any sand than hit 4 from OB, every time. It’s true that I would never play without a club that brought sand into play (wedge, short iron maybe), but I lose many more shots OB off the tee than I do coming out of sand each round. Keeping a wild driver at home is a bigger deal than anything else for my blowup holes, I think. 

I admit freely that as you said, to score as ‘low as possible’, I’ll need to advance the ball as far as I can most of the time. But for now, I’m just trying to score ‘lower in general.’ Hence the drastically conservative strategy.

As I said though, this is a living plan, and may (will) change. I may eat crow on ALL parts of my plan in the end, knowing how golf is! 

And you are definitley a better player than I, so I’m prepared to be wrong. 

Thank you so much for commenting, and for your awesome suggestions! I’m pumped to go play. 

Good luck and let us know how you do!

One extra tip, if you havent already, it might help if you wrote your plan down or printed it out and kept it in the cart with you since its quite a bit of information to remember during the round

[JerseyBoy]

I am still far away from breaking 100 as this will only be my second season playing seriously. However, towards the end of the season last year, I started feeling a lot better with my swing, and had far fewer "blow up" holes. 

The weather has been horrible in the North East so I haven't had much time at the range, but my first range session after the winter was really pretty solid. I also don't get much time to play on a course, with a busy job and three kids, dog, blah, blah, blah. Playing on a course for the first time beginning of May, so we'll see how it goes. A few more range sessions in between, too. 

[sofingaw]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

Good luck and let us know how you do!

One extra tip, if you havent already, it might help if you wrote your plan down or printed it out and kept it in the cart with you since its quite a bit of information to remember during the round

Definitely. I’ve got it saved in ‘notes’ in my iPhone with the new suggestions you’ve provided. I plan to take a look between holes while waiting to tee off  so I keep it fresh. Thanks again, and I will keep you informed!

52 minutes ago, JerseyBoy said:

I am still far away from breaking 100 as this will only be my second season playing seriously. However, towards the end of the season last year, I started feeling a lot better with my swing, and had far fewer "blow up" holes. 

The weather has been horrible in the North East so I haven't had much time at the range, but my first range session after the winter was really pretty solid. I also don't get much time to play on a course, with a busy job and three kids, dog, blah, blah, blah. Playing on a course for the first time beginning of May, so we'll see how it goes. A few more range sessions in between, too. 

Good luck!

[sofingaw]

I have to eat some humble pie, but I’m not afraid to out myself here. 

I played SO badly this round. Didn’t even score one hole, after I reached 12 strokes. 

I haven’t played this poorly in a long time, but I’m undeterred. I will move past this. 

All the course management in the world couldn’t help the swing I had yesterday. I literally put an 8 iron mere feet from OB off the tee on one hole. An 8 IRON!!!!!

Here are my excuses, in no particular order:

Started on 18, because of being with a large work group, social outing, all teeing off together. 

I hit too many balls on the range the day before playing, and developed blisters, due to..

Grip and swing changes that I tried to implement, but certainly didn’t have grooved by the day of my round.

I had too many swing thoughts in my head on the course (see above).

I was paired with two people who had never ever played before, even once, and required (and received) basic swing, etiquette and basic rules instruction from me.

I had to leave by a certain time to return to work, and was therefore pressured to finish on time. 

Pace of play was very slow for everyone. (5+ hour round). Was playing on a military course in Japan, which allows local guests. The polite thing to say is that the elderly Japanese golfers in several groups directly ahead of us were... ‘deliberate’.

I talked so much trash on here about my course management plan, and failed to implement it on numerous occasions because...

I hit bad shots with my ‘safe’ clubs, and thereby lost confidence in all clubs, and so I even hit driver a few times, (predictably) badly, late in the round. 

And most of all:

I wanted to do so well, so badly! I psyched myself up and out of this round before I started.

The positives were:

I had a string of four 5’s in a row, and was definitely playing well enough during that period.

I putted decently. Didn’t make any putts outside of 6’, but only missed 1 or 2 inside of 6’.

I hit one drive with my 5w 230 yards or so, and dead straight. 

AFTER I hit my 8 Iron next to the woods to a severe side hill lie off the tee (see above), hit an approach well short (of course), duffed a SW 5’ (yuck)... AFTER all that.. I hit my next SW stiff to 2” from about 50 yards, and tapped in for a 5 on a hard, short par 4. 

I got to play golf! 

As neither a positive, or an outright negative, I confirmed that I’ve developed a consistent one way miss with my irons: a hook. Or as I call it an ‘overcooked draw’, LOL. (Starts straight, or slightly pulled, then curves left, and more left.) This ‘shot’ has almost always been in my bag, but today it’s almost all I seemed to hit!

Now I have something specific to correct as I practice. 

The quest continues. Next time I’ll make sure to put myself in position to play well, and to keep the pressure off myself. 

I’ve not given up on my course management plan, and I already bought the LSW book. It hasn’t arrived yet. Hope to get it and read it before my next round. Would already have it read if it was available on Kindle, (hint, hint). 

Good luck to all! 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by sofingaw

[The Recreational Golfer]

If your goal is to play 18 holes and hit the ball less than 100 times, here are two ways to do that which I almost guarantee.

1. Play from the forward tees.

2. Play from your usual tees with no more than your 130-yard club.

I'm serious. If you can't break 100, you are probably playing a course that is too long for you. And if you played nothing longer than a 130-yard club on a 6,200-yard course (keeping the ball in play and not throwing up every time you get to the green) you could shoot in the mid-90s.

[Mr Wolf]

32 minutes ago, The Recreational Golfer said:

If your goal is to play 18 holes and hit the ball less than 100 times, here are two ways to do that which I almost guarantee.

1. Play from the forward tees.

2. Play from your usual tees with no more than your 130-yard club.

I'm serious. If you can't break 100, you are probably playing a course that is too long for you. And if you played nothing longer than a 130-yard club on a 6,200-yard course (keeping the ball in play and not throwing up every time you get to the green) you could shoot in the mid-90s.

I think this is bad advice.

I scored 105 my previous round. 37 putts - and 4 holes with 8 scores. My driver works - had one birdie and three pars.

I need to reduce mistakes in my short game and putting  - playing my 9 iron won't work. That will get rid of 10 strokes.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Mr Wolf

[krupa]

Played 9 today.  Scored 48 with 16 putts. My first hole was a nightmare (+5) then I settled down to bogies and pars until I left a bogey putt 1 inch short on the 9th.

 

http://www.gamegolf.com/player/krupa/round/2097917

[amishboy51]

44 minutes ago, Mr Wolf said:

I think this is bad advice.

I scored 105 my previous round. 37 putts - and 4 holes with 8 scores. My driver works - had one birdie and three pars.

I need to reduce mistakes in my short game and putting  - playing my 9 iron won't work. That will get rid of 10 strokes.

I think you may be missing the "subtext."The point that the Recreational Golfer is trying to make is that you don't have to hit the ball far, but you do have to be consistent and accurate from 130 yards and in. If your driver works for you, and you hit it consistently, long, and accurately, you're that much more likely to break 100. But even on a typical 6200-yard course, you can also break 100 if, on a typical par 4, you hit a club from the tee 130 yards on-line and in the fairway, hit the same club another 130 yards on-line and in the fairway, and hit a third shot 100-130 yards onto the green, then two-putt.

[now I just have to learn to practice what I preach! ]

 

[allenc]

2 hours ago, The Recreational Golfer said:

1. Play from the forward tees.

Excellent advice!  That will give most people a great chance of breaking 100 and will be a lot more fun as well.

 

2 hours ago, The Recreational Golfer said:

2. Play from your usual tees with no more than your 130-yard club.

Terrible advice!  Someone who can already shoot 90 might still be able to break 100 this way, but not someone who can't break 100.  They are going to sometimes hit their 130 yard club 50 yards.  Even if they play well (for them) on a hole they might be on the green in 4 then 3 putt on a par 4.  If they play the hole poorly it will be far worse.  They'll never have a chance at a par.  Those, and bogies, compensate for a lot of the big numbers.  Distance just counts for so much.

Again, this might be good advice for a 9 handicap to break 100 if his life depended on it, but not for a "breaking bad" player.

[krupa]

Guess I should post the bad with the good... played 9 last night and shot a 57. https://www.gamegolf.com/player/krupa/round/2104550

First hole, I hit the fairway and then GIR... proceeded to 4-putt.

Ah well, I made a nice birdie putt on a hole I usually have a lot of trouble with, so that was good.