Looking for quality shots and swing over low scores

[Valleygolfer]

After evaluating my game, I seem to enjoy biomechanical perfection over low scores. I know I am probably far from perfection but I am moving towards it. After a day of golf, although I appreciate a low score, my memories of the day are that of the few flush shots I hit during the round.

I can only gather this is the (selective of course) perfectionist in me. Anyone else on the same page?

 

[freshmanUTA]

I'd say everyone would rather hit more flush shots than lower scores, mainly because he two mostly go hand in hand.

[Patch]

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A quality shot, caused by a quality swing, will produce quality low scores in the long run. 

When we practice, I am pretty sure we are not practicing how to write a low score. We learned that in grade school. Those who didn't are probably pretty good with an eraser. 

[billchao]

I used to care a lot about hitting the ball well. Now I mostly care about the score. Sometimes you hit the ball well and you catch a bad bounce or just miss your line or something and end up with a bad result. I'd rather thin the crap out of a shot and be putting for birdie.

[Hardspoon]

4 minutes ago, billchao said:

I'd rather thin the crap out of a shot and be putting for birdie.

Funny - I'm definitely closer to the OP.  Unless I'm close to a personal best score or have money on the line or something, I'd rather hit a great shot that gets a bad bounce than a bad shot that gets lucky.

[Valleygolfer]

22 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

Funny - I'm definitely closer to the OP.  Unless I'm close to a personal best score or have money on the line or something, I'd rather hit a great shot that gets a bad bounce than a bad shot that gets lucky.

Agreed. Getting a birdie from a poorly hit shot is unsatisfying and comes off feeling undeserved.

[JonMA1]

I keep going back and forth on this, but I'll have to go with lower scores.

For the last few years, I've had very few rounds where I didn't hit at least a few really good shots. But my overall game and subsequently my score sucked so the few good shots weren't very satisfying.

The most satisfying rounds occur when there isn't a glaring weakness between tee shots, approach shots, short game and putting (and this is a rare for me). Having that kind of confidence while standing over a shot is as good a feeling as watching a long iron approach stop within a few feet of the pin.

[billchao]

1 hour ago, Hardspoon said:

Funny - I'm definitely closer to the OP.  Unless I'm close to a personal best score or have money on the line or something, I'd rather hit a great shot that gets a bad bounce than a bad shot that gets lucky.

How great can a shot be if the result sucks? A great shot has to come with a great result, otherwise it's just a shot you happened to strike well, but to what end? Isn't the point of golf to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible?

1 hour ago, Valleygolfer said:

Agreed. Getting a birdie from a poorly hit shot is unsatisfying and comes off feeling undeserved.

I'll take a birdie from an ugly approach shot over a bogey from a good one any day of the week. I have never felt any satisfaction from hitting a great shot on a bad hole.

[iacas]

Just now, billchao said:

I'll take a birdie from an ugly approach shot over a bogey from a good one any day of the week. I have never felt any satisfaction from hitting a great shot on a bad hole.

I have. I've thinned a wedge onto the green to kick-in distance, I'm sure, and I know I probably felt stupid tapping in.

I like to hit good golf shots. If you do that often enough you shoot good scores, but not always. Not when the sample size is one hole.

[billchao]

18 minutes ago, iacas said:

I have. I've thinned a wedge onto the green to kick-in distance, I'm sure, and I know I probably felt stupid tapping in.

I like to hit good golf shots. If you do that often enough you shoot good scores, but not always. Not when the sample size is one hole.

Maybe it's just me, but my tee shots can suck so much that it's hard to enjoy hitting a 200 yard approach to 15' or something because I'm still putting for 6.

The only shots I know for certain I enjoy regardless of score are the ones I execute exactly as I envision, perfectly placing a shot through a tight window and curving it just right or something. Usually that has to do with being jn trouble to begin with.

[Rainmaker]

What's better - a badly topped shot on a short par 3 that rolls to within inches of the hole . .or a drive that goes way past your normal carry distance and ends up in the lake you thought you didn't need to worry about?

I think they're both equally awesome. 

I definitely worry about making good shots, though, vs my score.  At my level the first will take care of the second . .ie . .my high scores come from bad shots, not bad decisions for the most part. 

[Jeremie Boop]

Honestly, for me, I care more about being able to hit quality shots. The reason being is because being able to hit quality shots will lead to better scores. Could I stick with how I currently hit the ball and score lower than I will in the short term while working on my swing? Sure, but there will be a plateau on how well I can do counting on my compensations and timing. If I improve the quality of my shots the plateau of how well I can score will be much better.

[Jason Smith]

I'd say everyone would rather hit more flush shots than lower scores, mainly because he two mostly go hand in hand.

[Valleygolfer]

8 hours ago, billchao said:

Maybe it's just me, but my tee shots can suck so much that it's hard to enjoy hitting a 200 yard approach to 15' or something because I'm still putting for 6.

The only shots I know for certain I enjoy regardless of score are the ones I execute exactly as I envision, perfectly placing a shot through a tight window and curving it just right or something. Usually that has to do with being jn trouble to begin with.

If I was was to go back to a round like that, it would be those shots that salvaged the round. Having a round of missed greens but most of the shots were all well hit and pin high is a great round for me regardless of the score . I am still riding high on 5 iron shot I hit a couple of weeks ago. I missed the green but it was one of the best shots I have ever hit. Point is, I enjoy performing just bit more than scoring.....now I just need to feel the same way about putting.

[DaveP043]

I enjoy individual good shots, but I'd say I enjoy shooting low scores more.  One is a very short-term thing, the other is the aggregate of several hours of effort.  Ultimately, golf is either defined by your score in medal play, or by winning or losing a match in match play.  If its only about hitting a few pure golf shots, you can stay on the range and do that.  And hitting pure golf shots is only one of the tools you use to shoot low scores.  I prefer the total game to the individual success.  Of course, the more good shots you hit, and the fewer bad shots, the lower your score will eventually be.

[iacas]

I went through a period before I turned pro where every iron I hit was a tiny bit thin. Handicap went from 3.x to 1.4. Thin shots go far and pretty straight, after all.

I hated just about every minute of it.

[Valleygolfer]

5 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I enjoy individual good shots, but I'd say I enjoy shooting low scores more.  One is a very short-term thing, the other is the aggregate of several hours of effort.  Ultimately, golf is either defined by your score in medal play, or by winning or losing a match in match play.  If its only about hitting a few pure golf shots, you can stay on the range and do that.  And hitting pure golf shots is only one of the tools you use to shoot low scores.  I prefer the total game to the individual success.  Of course, the more good shots you hit, and the fewer bad shots, the lower your score will eventually be.

It is not necessarily "pure" shots but a majority of good contact shots, with some stand outs, that fly correct distance....regardless of score. I can be happy with that. However, I would expect better scores and if I didn't score well, it would wear on me after a while. Like I said, I like shooting lower but enjoy the shot making process a bit better. This probably explains why I tend to forget to practice putting or get bored doing it quickly.

[Lihu]

13 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

After evaluating my game, I seem to enjoy biomechanical perfection over low scores. I know I am probably far from perfection but I am moving towards it. After a day of golf, although I appreciate a low score, my memories of the day are that of the few flush shots I hit during the round.

I can only gather this is the (selective of course) perfectionist in me. Anyone else on the same page?

This pretty much sums it up for me.

You never really know how good are the greens, but if you hit well enough it feels "good enough". Getting out of trouble is just as fun as making fairway-greens.