Have You Ever Read Golf Digest... ON WEEEEEED???

[iacas]

If you had, you would have gotten a really big kick out of the November, 2007 issue.

Let's start way in the back of the magazine, where we find this incredible image:



Yes please, I'd like to learn how to hit the top-spin drive seen on the right! It's a great offensive weapon - it dives down over the net and kicks past the opponent. It's great at Wimbledon where the bounce is already pretty low. Oh, wait, this is golf...

A few pages earlier, we find:



Only two thoughts spring to mind:

1. Shame on Golf Digest for publishing Bobby Clampett's "O" face! Shame, shame!!!
2. Since when does hitting down on your driver make any sense? Apparently we're not the only ones smokin' weed, dudes!

BTW, now all of Bobby Clampett's "I love it when Tiger takes a divot with his 3-wood" comments make sense.

And just for kicks, let's have a look at Golf Magazine, same month.



Hot damn! My average score this year is 77! I'm six shots better, on average, than a scratch handicap golfer! Wowee! But wait, if they're shooting 73 half the time (last 10 of 20!), then that means they're shooting 93 the other half of the time? Dave Pelz has apparently skipped the weed and gone straight to the hard stuff.

And I don't remember the last time I had a round without a birdie. My average is at least in the high 1s - how in the heck do scratch golfers manage only one birdie per round? Later in the same issue they talk about "how close you are" to being Tiger Woods and the scratch golfer listed there makes 5 birdies per round.

[$2 Nassau]

That outlined swing path in the picture above...I sure hope that driver has 20 degrees + of loft on it, otherwise I think he's going to be disappointed with that shot as it bounces off the tee box 2 feet in front of him. And it's not like that ball is sitting on the ground where he can try to pinch it against the turf to get it airborn.

I'm confused.

[iacas]

That outlined swing path in the picture above...I sure hope that driver has 20 degrees + of loft on it, otherwise I think he's going to be disappointed with that shot as it bounces off the tee box 2 feet in front of him. And it's not like that ball is sitting on the ground where he can try to pinch it against the turf to get it airborn.

I've heard good things about Bobby Clampett's book, the "Impact Zone," but this image makes me wonder wtf is going on. I suppose they exaggerated the arc there. I've always believed you want to come into impact pretty much level. Anything outside of a few degrees from level is too much. I know pros hit down but I'm not sure if that's for control, distance, or both... more investigation necessary.

High Launch, Low Spin is the mantra these days. But Bobby was a great driver before he went nuts and lost his swing, so...???

[wolverine318]

That is messed up stuff about the driver,

As for birdies per round. Tiger leads with 4 while the worst is 2.5. So I guess a 3.5 average for a Pro isnt that much off, when I first looked at that I thought it was quite low too. But the others? I guess its hard to say, I make 1.7 birdies per round, I would have to think the average for a scratch player would be at least that on average if not 2. I would think their range would be from 2.5 to 1.5 give or take. I dont know too many scratch players who only average 1 birdie per round.

[J_Bone]

That's how I hit my driver 80% of the time. I hate it!! I try to hit it on a slight upswing, but when I do I usually hook it......I'm working on it.

[Shindig]

I'm trying to figure out how someone can be a scratch golfer on only one birdie per round. My understanding is that the low-handicappers make up with birdies what they miss on their bogeys, rather than shooting eighteen straight pars. I figure maybe - maybe - if you are terrible with irons but have a short game that would make Tiger jealous, then maybe... maybe you can be a scratch golfer and make only one birdie per round.

[iacas]

I'm trying to figure out how someone can be a scratch golfer on only one birdie per round. My understanding is that the low-handicappers make up with birdies what they miss on their bogeys, rather than shooting eighteen straight pars. I figure maybe - maybe - if you are terrible with irons but have a short game that would make Tiger jealous, then maybe...

C'mon guys, clearly these are the scratch golfers that Dave Pelz says

average 83!

[The Rambler]

Great job GD! I learned to hiy my driver on the upswing. I used the ball in the ground 3-4 inches away drill to hit my driver.

[geezer]

Great job GD! I learned to hiy my driver on the upswing. I used the ball in the ground 3-4 inches away drill to hit my driver.

Whats that one? My interest is piqued.

[Dyna]

Wouldn't a "scratch" golfer who supposedly averages 83 actually be somewhere around an 8-11 handicap depending on slope? I thought your handicap was your average score which means a scratch player obviously will shoot some rds in the 60's while others will be mid 70's?

The chart makes no sense.

[iacas]

Wouldn't a "scratch" golfer who supposedly averages 83 actually be somewhere around an 8-11 handicap depending on slope? I thought your handicap was your average score which means a scratch player obviously will shoot some rds in the 60's while others will be mid 70's?

No, your handicap is a measure of your potential, not your average. At best, your handicap is approximately the same as the average of your BEST 10 of your last 20 rounds. So, again, to be scratch and average 83, you'd have to shoot a 93 for every 73 you shot.

[Shindig]

C'mon guys, clearly these are the scratch golfers that Dave Pelz says

I love a par-5 as much as the next guy, but par-83 (or worse, course-rating 83) is beyond what I'm up for anytime soon.

Well, par-83 maybe not. There are enough par-4s I need to play as par-5s anyway...

Wouldn't a "scratch" golfer who supposedly averages 83 actually be somewhere around an 8-11 handicap depending on slope? I thought your handicap was your average score which means a scratch player obviously will shoot some rds in the 60's while others will be mid 70's?

Handicap is more or less how well you played compared to the course rating (a far more meaningful number than par, if you're at that level), adjusted for slope rating (because some courses are tougher than others, even if a scratch player would have the same number of birdie opportunities, etc). Pelz usually has great articles, and I

really wonder where these numbers were coming from.

[nykfan4life]

yeah, i was reading this, a 27 handicap, and i even cried foul when i read this.

the guy promotes switching to left hand low for chipping and making divots/hitting down with your driver. I'd like to see that.

[J_Bone]

making divots/hitting down with your driver. I'd like to see that.

Now you don't. It sucks and it's ugly.....LMAO.

[Burg]

C'mon guys, clearly these are the scratch golfers that Dave Pelz says

I believe that the graph indicates Tournament scores for those that have the handicap listed. Pelz's point is that everyone shoots above their handicap in a Tournament setting. This would explain the 71 average for Tour Players with +5 handicaps.

Not saying I agree with it, but it makes more sense when you factor in the fact that the scores represented by the graph are Tournament scores NOT regular rounds with friends.

[iacas]

I believe that the graph indicates Tournament scores for those that have the handicap listed. Pelz's point is that everyone shoots above their handicap in a Tournament setting.

I know - I still find the number incredibly high. Scratch golfers are better than I am, and my tournament scoring average this year was under 80.

This would explain the 71 average for Tour Players with +5 handicaps.

Not really... PGA Tour courses probably have a rating of about 76. Shoot a 71 there and you're a +5 on your average scores.

Not saying I agree with it, but it makes more sense when you factor in the fact that the scores represented by the graph are Tournament scores NOT regular rounds with friends.

Again, I still think the number's incredibly high. But that aside, if that's true, I'd be more interested in evaluating just what in the hell these guys do wrong in tournaments to shoot 11 strokes above their handicaps! That's tough to do, particularly for a scratch golfer.

[Burg]

Again, I still think the number's incredibly high. But that aside, if that's true, I'd be more interested in evaluating just what in the hell these guys do wrong in tournaments to shoot 11 strokes above their handicaps! That's tough to do, particularly for a scratch golfer.

This could be a factor of how many players don't have true handicaps or play rounds that aren't governed strictly by the rules yet still record their score. For example, if a player doesn't record his actual score (mulligan here and there) or doesn't follow the strict rules (gimmie putts, etc.) in obtaining his handicap and then must do so in a Tournament their scores will certainly go up. Again, doesn't explain the Tour pros but I can see it happening with those that record "casual" rounds.

[iacas]

This could be a factor of how many players don't have true handicaps or play rounds that aren't governed strictly by the rules yet still record their score. For example, if a player doesn't record his actual score (mulligan here and there) or doesn't follow the strict rules (gimmie putts, etc.) in obtaining his handicap and then must do so in a Tournament their scores will certainly go up.

Oh, I agree some of it could be due to that. But it's tough for me to fathom that many scratch golfers who cheat so much and don't want an accurate testament to their game.

Usually one's adherence to the rules is inversely proportional to one's handicap. To go from having a handicap of 0 to averaging 83 implies that a whole lot of scratch golfers are doing a whole lot of cheating AND have severe mental issues (dealing with stress of competition).