The "Stop Conning Yourself" Thread

[krupa]

I'm conning myself that I can break 100 without spending more time practicing my short game.

[Deryck Griffith]

I'm conning myself that I can break 100 without spending more time practicing my short game.

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

[mvmac]

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

@krupa in case you haven't seen these threads.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krupa

I'm conning myself that I can break 100 without spending more time practicing my short game.

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

Totally agree, and what's funny is that everyone I talk to in a live situation universally states that their putting or short game is holding them back. This is the biggest con in my mind.

In fact, I'm convinced that long game is the main reason why anyone doesn't break 80.

[metbid]

My biggest con is after I have a couple of good rounds, I think I have got it all figured out.  Only to go out and just blow the next one.................

[krupa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deryck Griffith

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

@krupa in case you haven't seen these threads.

Thanks.  I saw the ratios thread before.  I will review the other one tonight.  The ratio thread says, to use those ratios unless you have a glaring weakness. Does averaging almost 3 putts per hole (so says Game Golf) count as a glaring weakness?  I don't know how to figure out stats for wedge shots.  I know I can't trust mine; I'm happier hitting a PW from 100yds than I am chipping from 10.  That's not to say I lay up to 100, I'm just more confident from 100yds than I am inside 100.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deryck Griffith

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

@krupa in case you haven't seen these threads.

Thanks.  I saw the ratios thread before.  I will review the other one tonight.  The ratio thread says, to use those ratios unless you have a glaring weakness. Does averaging almost 3 putts per hole (so says Game Golf) count as a glaring weakness?  I don't know how to figure out stats for wedge shots.  I know I can't trust mine; I'm happier hitting a PW from 100yds than I am chipping from 10.  That's not to say I lay up to 100, I'm just more confident from 100yds than I am inside 100.

With a score over 95, I can confidently state that 3 putts is because of your chipping and further that your approach game is so far off that you need to scramble for bogey. The reason for scrambling for bogey is either that your tee shots are too short or too wild.

I've been in your shoes not too long ago. I remember struggling to get to the green. Once I stopped struggling to the greens better scores happened naturally.

Everyone has bad putting days, but the average score really depends upon your making greens.

At this point, if I 3 putt most of the holes, I would still shoot under 90. Over 90 scores are usually the result of bad tee shots or approach shots on multiple holes

[metbid]

I'm conning myself that I can break 100 without spending more time practicing my short game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

With a score over 95, I can confidently state that 3 putts is because of your chipping and further that your approach game is so far off that you need to scramble for bogey. The reason for scrambling for bogey is either that your tee shots are too short or too wild.

I've been in your shoes not too long ago. I remember struggling to get to the green. Once I stopped struggling to the greens better scores happened naturally.

Everyone has bad putting days, but the average score really depends upon your making greens.

At this point, if I 3 putt most of the holes, I would still shoot under 90. Over 90 scores are usually the result of bad tee shots or approach shots on multiple holes

I have to agree with Lihu here. Unless you are routinely missing 2 foot putts, it is more likely that you that you are not hitting greens/near greens inside 20' - 30'  very often.  The key there is to hit fairways long enough to have good 2nd shots on green or near green.

[Deryck Griffith]

Thanks.  I saw the ratios thread before.  I will review the other one tonight.  The ratio thread says, to use those ratios unless you have a glaring weakness. Does averaging almost 3 putts per hole (so says Game Golf) count as a glaring weakness?  I don't know how to figure out stats for wedge shots.  I know I can't trust mine; I'm happier hitting a PW from 100yds than I am chipping from 10.  That's not to say I lay up to 100, I'm just more confident from 100yds than I am inside 100.

Your putting stats will improve as soon as your ball striking improves.  3 putting is a lot less likely to happen when you are "striking" the ball closer to the hole vs. "striking" it poorly and leaving yourself longer putts which brings 3 putting into play.

The same for your short game.  When you are striking the ball better and you miss the green, a stronger ball striker will leave their shots closer to the green.  Closer to the green equates to an easier executable chip and an easier executable chip equates a higher percentage chance chipping closer to the hole and being closer to the hole once again, equates to a higher percentage to not 3 putt or to even 1 putt.....you get the idea...

People who say they putt well wouldn't make much of a difference to a high handicappers score because most high handicappers use up their shots to par prior to even reaching the green.  That's where the conning yourself lies....  By the time a high handicapper reaches the green, they are usually putting for bogey or worst.

[No Mulligans]

A legit HI doesn't line.  There is no con there.

Before a round, I almost always think I'm going to play better than I do.  So that's the conning myself that I can think of.

Other than that, I think I'm pretty realistic... I suck.  However, I've been getting better this year.  But recently I've been playing worse and my HI is going to go up on the next revision.

[Grumpter]

I'm sure the guys I played with a few weeks ago thought I had a vanity handicap when I told them 6.5 and then promptly threw up a crowd pleasing 90 for the day. It happens. I went from playing very good golf (for me) for a 6 week period and now am in a tailspin. Yesterday it felt like I actually forgot how to play the game of golf almost breaking 90 the wrong way again. My handicap has shot up 1 full stroke since the last update and I have 3 very low scores (for me) about to drop off. My point being maybe it wasn't the guys best swing day and hopefully that 12 handicap was his 9 hole handicap.

[GolfLug]

My biggest con is after I have a couple of good rounds, I think I have got it all figured out.  Only to go out and just blow the next one.................

It is not a con if you have been purposefully mislead by the golfing gods..

[krupa]

With a score over 95, I can confidently state that 3 putts is because of your chipping and further that your approach game is so far off that you need to scramble for bogey. The reason for scrambling for bogey is either that your tee shots are too short or too wild.

I've been in your shoes not too long ago. I remember struggling to get to the green. Once I stopped struggling to the greens better scores happened naturally.

Everyone has bad putting days, but the average score really depends upon your making greens.

At this point, if I 3 putt most of the holes, I would still shoot under 90. Over 90 scores are usually the result of bad tee shots or approach shots on multiple holes

Originally Posted by krupa

I'm conning myself that I can break 100 without spending more time practicing my short game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

With a score over 95, I can confidently state that 3 putts is because of your chipping and further that your approach game is so far off that you need to scramble for bogey. The reason for scrambling for bogey is either that your tee shots are too short or too wild.

I've been in your shoes not too long ago. I remember struggling to get to the green. Once I stopped struggling to the greens better scores happened naturally.

Everyone has bad putting days, but the average score really depends upon your making greens.

At this point, if I 3 putt most of the holes, I would still shoot under 90. Over 90 scores are usually the result of bad tee shots or approach shots on multiple holes

I have to agree with Lihu here. Unless you are routinely missing 2 foot putts, it is more likely that you that you are not hitting greens/near greens inside 20' - 30'  very often.  The key there is to hit fairways long enough to have good 2nd shots on green or near green.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krupa

Thanks.  I saw the ratios thread before.  I will review the other one tonight.  The ratio thread says, to use those ratios unless you have a glaring weakness. Does averaging almost 3 putts per hole (so says Game Golf) count as a glaring weakness?  I don't know how to figure out stats for wedge shots.  I know I can't trust mine; I'm happier hitting a PW from 100yds than I am chipping from 10.  That's not to say I lay up to 100, I'm just more confident from 100yds than I am inside 100.

Your putting stats will improve as soon as your ball striking improves.  3 putting is a lot less likely to happen when you are "striking" the ball closer to the hole vs. "striking" it poorly and leaving yourself longer putts which brings 3 putting into play.

The same for your short game.  When you are striking the ball better and you miss the green, a stronger ball striker will leave their shots closer to the green.  Closer to the green equates to an easier executable chip and an easier executable chip equates a higher percentage chance chipping closer to the hole and being closer to the hole once again, equates to a higher percentage to not 3 putt or to even 1 putt.....you get the idea...

People who say they putt well wouldn't make much of a difference to a high handicappers score because most high handicappers use up their shots to par prior to even reaching the green.  That's where the conning yourself lies....  By the time a high handicapper reaches the green, they are usually putting for bogey or worst.

All right, I'll keep doing what I'm doing (practice wise) and see how it goes.

[mdl]

I think I've got a relatively accurate view of my own game.  My basic stats (FW%, GIR%, putts per round, putts per GIR) are all pretty close to what you'd expect for someone with my cap.  In other words, I'm slightly better than the average random golfer at ball striking, short game, and putting, but not a lot better.  I'm probably a little worse at putting, and maybe with near the green short game shots, and make up the stroke or two with length leading to shorter approaches or reaching more par 5s in two (when the tee shot is solid).

The biggest con I probably pull on myself is that I'm getting better.  Even now where I only play 9 holes a week and my only practice is dry swings at home, I can convince myself I'm improving things!  But the scores don't lie.  I was a low-mid 80s player with a round in the 70s every once in a while for years when I was playing/practicing a good amount, and I'm a high 80s+ player now that I'm not getting to play or practice nearly as much.

I have succeeded at least in turning my shot around and drawing most shots, but my dispersion isn't any better...

[thefinlex]

I con myself that I can still "get it out there" with driver.......then you tee it up against some rubber limbed youngster in the Saturday medal who lazily smashes his driver 40 yds past me...and then it lands and runs out!!!   hopefully he's a rubbish putter eh? I can con myself quite a bit!

[mcanadiens]

I suppose I con myself the most with thinking I know what might be causing my problems from one round to the next. Reality is that I don't know much about it. From one week to the next, trying to fix what I'm doing is just as likely to make things worse as better. Actually doing something about this has proven difficult. Still haven't managed to find a camera to take some video.

[mvmac]

I'm happier hitting a PW from 100yds than I am chipping from 10.  That's not to say I lay up to 100, I'm just more confident from 100yds than I am inside 100.

You're really averaging a 3 putt?

I get that you're exaggerating when you say you're better from 100 yards than 10 yards (of the green) but if it's close to being that bad then yes spend some extra time improving your wedge technique.

Before a round, I almost always think I'm going to play better than I do.  So that's the conning myself that I can think of.

Well I think we all do that!

Other than that, I think I'm pretty realistic... I suck.  However, I've been getting better this year.  But recently I've been playing worse and my HI is going to go up on the next revision.

Golfers can realize they "suck" and still con themselves on why they suck (not saying this is you). They'll blame the mental game, putting, equipment or the swing tip that "stopped working".

[mdl]

Golfers can realize they "suck" and still con themselves on why they suck (not saying this is you). They'll blame the mental game, putting, equipment or the swing tip that "stopped working".

This used to be me for sure.  I knew overall that I wasn't great, but thought my iron play was better than it was, my driver was closer to good than it was, didn't understand how bad my putting or course management were, and overall thought I was much closer than reality to turning a big corner, magically eliminating the errant drives and general blow up holes, and becoming a mid single digit.

Being around the game and TST longer, I've come to a much more accurate self-assessment.  All aspects of my game are decent but no better.  My mental game and course management have gotten better, but that's just brought them from something I didn't think about at all and were terrible to something at least okay.

I think a lot of this is the pretty cliched fact around here that we better remember our best (and worst) shots/rounds.  Because I hit the ball pretty far for an amateur, my best driver rounds were/are better than most people's, just because I'm outdriving most random golfers, so if I'm smoking it and hitting a lot of fairways, I'm putting myself in better positions than most random golfers can get to off the tee.  But that just adds a bit to the variance of my scores, doesn't make me a better golfer than I am like I used to like to think.