What Would a 20.1 (see post #95) Index Shoot at a Local U.S. Open Qualifier Site?

[JonMA1]

1 hour ago, Killa said:

Oh and I don't really think length has such a major impact on hcp. Especially in the 30 and above hcp class. 

From your perspective it doesn't seem to have as much of an impact because you hit longer than most. So you probably see accuracy as a bigger weakness. Is that correct? But many players who have handicaps north of 20 don't hit as far or as accurately because we're still learning mechanics.

IMO, both distance and accuracy are important in getting to a low HC. 

This is off-topic, but if you haven't read it yet, the following is an interesting thread....

 

[phillyk]

On 6/30/2017 at 9:11 AM, kpaulhus said:

Range finders are allowed these days, as long as they dont have slope. 

 

On 7/1/2017 at 0:39 AM, David in FL said:

Not in the US Open.  I don't know about the qualifiers.  

Just to clear this up.  Range finders are prohibited at all stages of US Open Qualifying (at least as of 2016 when I tried).  Almost everybody will bring the range finder for the practice round and measure every inch of every hole to put it in their yardage book, and then the day of, they'd get the pin sheet with distances on it.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

But many players who have handicaps north of 20 don't hit as far or as accurately because we're still learning mechanics.

Well… most people who are long are long from the start, and most people who are short, are short from the start. Longer hitters know how to generate speed/power. It doesn't have a ton to do with "still learning the mechanics." Even the long guys who slice the hell out of the ball tend to slice it a long ways right away.

[JonMA1]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

Well… most people who are long are long from the start, and most people who are short, are short from the start. Longer hitters know how to generate speed/power. It doesn't have a ton to do with "still learning the mechanics." Even the long guys who slice the hell out of the ball tend to slice it a long ways right away.

Gotcha. That makes sense.

Guess I was going by how much longer I hit now than when I first started. But to your point, I'll never be accused of being a long hitter.

[Killa]

5 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

Gotcha. That makes sense.

Guess I was going by how much longer I hit now than when I first started. But to your point, I'll never be accused of being a long hitter.

That's what I was trying to say from the get go. Most people will never hit a driver 300 yards even if they practice their whole lives. While I would bet pretty much everything I own that Aaron Judge would hit one 300 in a few months of training (not everyone but like 1/10 or 1/20). 

[JonMA1]

7 hours ago, Killa said:

That's what I was trying to say from the get go. Most people will never hit a driver 300 yards even if they practice their whole lives. While I would bet pretty much everything I own that Aaron Judge would hit one 300 in a few months of training (not everyone but like 1/10 or 1/20). 

Ok, I hadn't understood what you were saying, sorry.

I agree, there is only so much room for improvement in distance. There are those who can generate a lot of club head speed because of their athleticism. The rest of us have to make due with what we have.

On the subject of that long par 3, that hole alone would cost me strokes because of my lack of distance. Laying up on a par 3 is a pretty good indication I'm playing from the wrong tees. I've hit exactly one green (out of like 10 attempts) from over 200 yards in the last year and a half - and that didn't require carrying water.

On the long par 5's, my lack of accuracy hurts me (can't bring distance into the discussion because I can't improve on that). I can reach a 550 yd par 5 with driver (220), 3 wood (190 off the deck) and 7i (140). The trick is hitting those 3 shots well enough to stay in play or out of trouble.

Long par 4's kill me because of both a lack of distance and lack of accuracy. Since the distance from my 4i is 170, any par 4 over 390 yards requires a fairway wood for approach. As @MuniGrit and @kpaulhus mentioned, it's tough (not impossible) to hold greens with those clubs. Even when I play from 3300 yards (9 holes), I choose to lay up on many of the par 4's and hope for bogey.

As you and @iacas pointed out, we can't do a lot about hitting longer. I can however, work on my accuracy.

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

Ok, I hadn't understood what you were saying, sorry.

I agree, there is only so much room for improvement in distance. There are those who can generate a lot of club head speed because of their athleticism. The rest of us have to make due with what we have.

On the subject of that long par 3, that hole alone would cost me strokes because of my lack of distance. Laying up on a par 3 is a pretty good indication I'm playing from the wrong tees. I've hit exactly one green (out of like 10 attempts) from over 200 yards in the last year and a half - and that didn't require carrying water.

On the long par 5's, my lack of accuracy hurts me (can't bring distance into the discussion because I can't improve on that). I can reach a 550 yd par 5 with driver (220), 3 wood (190 off the deck) and 7i (140). The trick is hitting those 3 shots well enough to stay in play or out of trouble.

Long par 4's kill me because of both a lack of distance and lack of accuracy. Since the distance from my 4i is 170, any par 4 over 390 yards requires a fairway wood for approach. As @MuniGrit and @kpaulhus mentioned, it's tough (not impossible) to hold greens with those clubs. Even when I play from 3300 yards (9 holes), I choose to lay up on many of the par 4's and hope for bogey.

As you and @iacas pointed out, we can't do a lot about hitting longer. I can however, work on my accuracy.

You touched on it...  The one thing you can do is check the ego at the door and play the tees that are right for you.  I'd gently offer, that a 22 hcp with your length shouldn't be playing 6,600 yard courses.

My club has two courses.  I play the par 71 6,400 yard blues on one, but have moved to the whites on the other, because 6,800 yards is just too much golf course for me to enjoy these days.  Interestingly, my younger, longer hitting buddies have opted to play the whites with me rather than splitting tees.  I suspect that secretly, they're enjoying approaches with a club or two less in their hands too...  

[kpaulhus]

Just to provide an update, the round will happen this Friday 2:30 pm central time. There has been a lot of "talk" today, right @tsdugger ?

[MuniGrit]

On 7/2/2017 at 9:32 PM, Killa said:

That's what I was trying to say from the get go. Most people will never hit a driver 300 yards even if they practice their whole lives. While I would bet pretty much everything I own that Aaron Judge would hit one 300 in a few months of training (not everyone but like 1/10 or 1/20). 

I don't think it would take Judge months to hit one 300.

[tsdugger]

On 7/5/2017 at 4:00 PM, kpaulhus said:

Just to provide an update, the round will happen this Friday 2:30 pm central time. There has been a lot of "talk" today, right @tsdugger ?

Bingo - the chatter has been real this week.

 

I just want to break 100 :)

[cutchemist42]

On 7/2/2017 at 5:37 PM, iacas said:

Well… most people who are long are long from the start, and most people who are short, are short from the start. Longer hitters know how to generate speed/power. It doesn't have a ton to do with "still learning the mechanics." Even the long guys who slice the hell out of the ball tend to slice it a long ways right away.

Not really related, but how much more speed can most slow people learn that you've dealt with? I think I've reached my upper limits, and went from a 7i gameplanning for 140 to now gameplanning that 7i for 175ish over the last winter.

Its why I wish I could just reset all of my club stats on gamegolf from before the 2017 summer.

Edited July 7, 2017 by cutchemist42

[Golfingdad]

47 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

Not really related, but how much more speed can most slow people learn that you've dealt with? I think I've reached my upper limits, and went from a 7i gameplanning for 140 to now gameplanning that 7i for 175ish over the last winter.

Its why I wish I could just reset all of my club stats on gamegolf from before the 2017 summer.

Since it's OT for this thread, you might want to try asking here: 

 

[kpaulhus]

20 index ended up shooting 59-51 for a 110. He made quite a few bogies on the back on some pretty tough holes. 

[David in FL]

40 minutes ago, kpaulhus said:

20 index ended up shooting 59-51 for a 110. He made quite a few bogies on the back on some pretty tough holes. 

And math wins again!  

[MasonAsher2014]

So, do we get a round recap? How long was it? People follow him around? What were the strengths and weaknesses to his game? How much did distance affect him?

[onthehunt526]

What was the course rating and slope rating? If you don't mind me asking.

[kpaulhus]

74.4 142. He had a 12 on a par 4 and a 10 on a par 5. Other than that he was 50-60 yards shorter off the tee and played for double bogey at worst. Took 4 hours and 20 mins. Hit driver on every par 3 and somehow got them to stop on the green. He laid up from 130 on 18 just to be an asshole about it then 3 putted for an 8. 

[Hardspoon]

8 minutes ago, kpaulhus said:

Hit driver on every par 3

Yikes. What were the distances?