Bogey Golfers Only (Index 16-22) / Breaking 90 Topic

[rkim291968]

If you can work on your 150 yrd iron, GIR is cake on this hole. The 3rd LZ  is no wider than the green itself, but receptive to running a slightly short shot up on the green.

Play your first 2 as planned, but go for the GIR! If you miss, chip it close and one putt.

Are you sandbagging on this thread?

[rkim291968]

Finally, Dave Pelz did a study on the percentage of putts made on the PGA tour:  3 Feet: 83%;   6 Feet: 55%;  10 Feet: 33%;  15 Feet:   17%;   25 Feet: 10%.  With this in mind, it goes to reason that the average golfer makes an even lower percentage of putts than a PGA pro.  So, for me, on any putt longer than 10 feet my goal is to see how close I can roll the putt to the hole.  Sometimes the ball will even fall in the cup, but more times than not, I have a tap-in and avoided the dreaded three putt.

You made a lot of good points, thanks.   If I were to add ... putting can be easily improved just spending a few minutes at home, range, etc..   I have been averaging 32 putts per round which is good for a bogey golfer.   Here's how I've got there.

A page out of How To Break 80 article, I practiced making a 5 footer 10 in a row.   If I miss one, I start over again.    I do that until I make 10 in a row.  Sometimes it takes 2 minutes but mostly, it took upwards of 30 minutes at the beginning.    I did similar thing on lag putting.   I practiced 10 putts in a row, one just a little longer than the previous putt.   If a putt goes shorter than the previous one, I start over again.   These will reduce 3 putting a hole.

On a flat kitchen floor, I practice making 10 footers.   I set up a bottle and tried to hit it 80% of the time.  You'd get more mileage by making the target smaller.   This helped me with soft touch (for those steep downhill putt).

On carpet, I practice hitting a 25 footer, 35 balls at a time.  This helps making a long straight putt.   I can hit the hole about 50 - 60% from that distance if I can read the green correctly and that's a BIG if.  With all these practice regimen, the only thing I am missing is how to read the green accurately.   Some days, I can read it well.  On most days, I can't.  I think it is holding me back in reducing my total putts to below 30.   At one point, I've got it to 30.5 but that was with playing a lot of slow green courses.

[Lihu]

Yardage is Red 505, White 546, Blue 569. Altitude 5100ft.

The rough before the first ditch starts about 245 from the middle tee. Fairway is decently wide here, but the rough is long thick and heavy. Use whatever club to stop short of the end of the landing zone. Attempting to cross the ditch from the tee really holds no advantage as GIR still requires 2 iron shots.

Not sure about my distances, I would need to find my distances at 5100 feet elevation. I guess that translates to about 8% more distances for my current fall conditions (68F to 85F for us in So. Cal.).

If so, I would play something like a 19 degree hybrid (So. Cal. at 400 foot elevation 200 to 210 yards carry and 10-20 roll off the tee?) from the center tees (242). If it gets me to the edge of the first LZ, then a 7i/6i for the second. If it gets me to the end of the second LZ then a 8i/7i for the green.

There is a big if with the tee shot landing accurately. The second shot is more manageable, but could also land me in the rough.

Finally the 8i/7i is slightly more predictable, if I am not in the rough. An 8i might land me short at the end of the second LZ but closer to the front of the green.

Life of a Bogey. I wonder if the lower handicappers are looking at our strategies with awe?

[PaneraiMan]

Been playing for over a year and watching a lot of golf videos on you tube and golf channel and golf tournaments on golf channel. Lately I am I. 90s. I am 34 and have a lot of time to improve

[dfreuter415]

On carpet, I practice hitting a 25 footer, 35 balls at a time.  This helps making a long straight putt.

We used to have a plaid carpet in our game room. It was wonderful for stroking the ball on the proper line - especially the short putts. Then my wife had a solid color carpet installed. My short putting has never recovered.

[billchao]

Strategy for this hole, bogey buddies?

Tee to end of 1st LZ, mid iron (160 or so) to end of 2nd LZ, mid iron to green. Distance control a must, long hitters are suckered here daily. Get out of the landing zones and you are in a world of trouble.

Strategy on this hole is straightforward. The design actually severely limits what your options are, so it's actually pretty boring from a creativity standpoint. That said, proper execution is obviously going to determine what you score, but only a fool would think they can get there in two. It's not a risk vs. reward situation.

[CR McDivot]

Not sure about my distances, I would need to find my distances at 5100 feet elevation. I guess that translates to about 8% more distances for my current fall conditions (68F to 85F for us in So. Cal.).

If so, I would play something like a 19 degree hybrid (So. Cal. at 400 foot elevation 200 to 210 yards carry and 10-20 roll off the tee?) from the center tees (242). If it gets me to the edge of the first LZ, then a 7i/6i for the second. If it gets me to the end of the second LZ then a 8i/7i for the green.

There is a big if with the tee shot landing accurately. The second shot is more manageable, but could also land me in the rough.

Finally the 8i/7i is slightly more predictable, if I am not in the rough. An 8i might land me short at the end of the second LZ but closer to the front of the green.

Life of a Bogey. I wonder if the lower handicappers are looking at our strategies with awe?

This particular hole prioritizes accuracy and distance control. The tee shot is not too long for the bogey golfer, and the landing area is generous, but severely tempts the long hitter to try for 2 to the green (and severely punishes the overly aggressive). Play her as she was made to be played and a par is not beyond the reach of the average player.

I play the old lofts in irons (blades yet, but that's all we had when I began playing). Sweet when I am in the groove. Tend to be more accurate in both distance and dispersion with the irons, but I am working on fairway woods also. I have tried several hybrids and feel I am better off with 4 or 5 woods and long irons. Tempted to try Wilson's 19.5 Fybrid bridge club as it seems more like a smallish 4 wood.

[JCRuzanski]

I see it here as get there in 3, probably 4, two putts. On the tee I'd probably hit driver, pull hooks lately... attempt to get out with my 16°... screw that up... miss third into green... flub the pitch... twice... then three putt... so... 8ish.

[CR McDivot]

Strategy on this hole is straightforward. The design actually severely limits what your options are, so it's actually pretty boring from a creativity standpoint. That said, proper execution is obviously going to determine what you score, but only a fool would think they can get there in two. It's not a risk vs. reward situation.

I am sure a single digit HC can often make the green in 2, but would be sticking his/her neck out.

[JCRuzanski]

Really I should play it 5,5,7... two putt for par...

[CR McDivot]

I see it here as get there in 3, probably 4, two putts. On the tee I'd probably hit driver, pull hooks lately... attempt to get out with my 16°... screw that up... miss third into green... flub the pitch... twice... then three putt... so... 8ish.

Oh come on...

Where's you confidence (or sense of adventure)?

[CR McDivot]

Really I should play it 5,5,7... two putt for par...

The 150 marker is about 5 yrds short of the end of # 2 landing zone. But you know your distances better than anyone.

[JCRuzanski]

looking at it quickly... 175, 175, 150 assuming I'm playing from the forward tees.

[JCRuzanski]

Confidence in my woods has really been shot... never have I ever pulled a drive left... currently battling the pull hooks for the first time. [quote name="CR McDivot" url="/t/70872/bogey-golfer-only-thread-handicap-index-from-16-22-what-are-you-going-through-working-on-sob-stories/60#post_916668"] Oh come on... Where's you confidence (or sense of adventure)? [/quote]

[CR McDivot]

Are you sandbagging on this thread?

NO WAY!

Although my posted HC is not official, it is calculated per USGA formula. Last 20 rounds from 89 - 101.

[billchao]

The tee shot is not too long for the bogey golfer, and the landing area is generous, but severely tempts the long hitter to try for 2 to the green (and severely punishes the overly aggressive).

That's my point: it really shouldn't, that's probably why these long hitters have high handicaps. I'm a pretty long hitter, but 540+ from the whites? C'mon, I gotta hit two great drivers in a row to reach that in two. You crank one 300 and you're still 240 out. That's not being tempted, that's just being stupid.

I am sure a single digit HC can often make the green in 2, but would be sticking his/her neck out.

I'm not really sure handicap and distance are related like that. I'm fairly certain the single digits would play this exactly as we all stated, which is why they're single digits.

[CR McDivot]

That's my point: it really shouldn't, that's probably why these long hitters have high handicaps. I'm a pretty long hitter, but 540+ from the whites? C'mon, I gotta hit two great drivers in a row to reach that in two. You crank one 300 and you're still 240 out. That's not being tempted, that's just being stupid.

I'm not really sure handicap and distance are related like that. I'm fairly certain the single digits would play this exactly as we all stated, which is why they're single digits.

I didn't say it would be easy. Note also that in the spoiler "long hitters are suckered here daily".

This course generally has firm and fast fairways, and a few very good players (of whom I am not one). The senior league boasts several guys who can clean both our clocks.

Wait till I post some of our par 4 challenges.

BTW - this course is rated...

Tee Name	USGA Course Rating (18)	Slope Rating (18)	Front (9)	Back (9)	Bogey Rating (18)	Gender
Blue	71.3	123	35.5 / 124	35.8 / 122	94.1	M
White	69.5	120	34.4 / 121	35.1 / 119	91.8	M
Red	66.7	115	32.9 / 115	33.8 / 114	88	M
White	75.2	137	37.1 / 131	38.1 / 142	107.3	F
Red	71.6	129	35.4 / 123	36.2 / 134	101.9	F

Not a terribly tough course, but fun and challenging for the average Joe. Bogey ratings seem pretty accurate to me.

[billchao]

Quote:

I didn't say it would be easy. Note also that in the spoiler "long hitters are suckered here daily".

Yea, I saw that. I'm just saying, those guys aren't long hitters who are suckered. They're suckers who happen to hit the ball far. The hole is designed to be played in three.