Realistic Expectations

[onthehunt526]

I struggle with speciality wedges and I mean struggle. And I can't figure out why.... I finally got my hybrids figured out... Now my glaring weakness needs to be worked on. Will I ever get this fixed? Maybe... but I definitely need to slow down and get it under control.

Am I expecting to knock every wedge from 75-100 yards inside of 10 feet? No.

Would I like to be able to hit most greens from aforementioned distance?

Absolutely.

Will I say for right now I hit more greens from 101-150 yards? Yes. And I have the data to back it up.

I hit it plenty far enough (I honestly with consistent drives average 250-260 yards) to consistently shoot in the 70s... But I'm stuck in the 80s and sometimes 90s because of inconsistencies. 

G-Dub thinks I can average 280 yards off the tee without overswinging and keeping my trail arm closer to my body... (Eliminates over the top). But my wedge play needs work. 

On a positive note, I was picking the ball with my irons, now I'm actually taking a divot... And it is ahead of the ball, so I must be doing something right.

[dzclarkcpa]

Interesting topic and very timely for me as I have started working a new instructor. The best part of this is that we are not focused on swing mechanics. After learning that I am not able (or honestly, willing) to spend hours on a range making swing changes, he told me my swing was good enough to get me to my goal. My goal is a consistent 5 HI. I figure if I can become a consistent 5 HI, I will have a few really good rounds and some bad ones, but I think I have set a realistic expectation.

In our first playing lesson, on the first hole, I hit hybrid down the middle, leaving 100 yards to front right pin. Left my wedge about 3 feet short of the green because I hit it fat. After listening to me complain for a few minutes about "always hitting that club fat" he finally asked just what I was so upset about. I have an uphill putt from the fringe and that I probably just talked myself into a bogey instead of looking at it as an easy par from where I left my "bad" shot.

My takeaway from the playing lesson was to think more positive thoughts and to focus on the process of thinking through the shot then executing, without getting hung up on bad "luck" outcomes.

[Shindig]

Yeah, keeping expectations in check is pretty good.  I have that feeling about missed putts now;  it's nice to think when I miss an 8' putt that I only lost half a stroke.  Also accepting that a three-putt can happen from very far away is useful;  I made a bogey on #17 the other day after hitting GIR ... and leaving something like 75' for my birdie putt.  I hit it to I think 6' and missed the par attempt.  These things happen.

The one I felt I had a reasonable expectation was being 80 yards out, my usual "grip down and swing easy" 50 degree, and leaving it thirty yards short and it ended up in a bunker.  That one disappointed me greatly. 

[DaveP043]

9 minutes ago, Shindig said:

The one I felt I had a reasonable expectation was being 80 yards out, my usual "grip down and swing easy" 50 degree, and leaving it thirty yards short and it ended up in a bunker.  That one disappointed me greatly. 

Even when your expectations are completely realistic, sometimes you'll fail to meet them.  That's golf!  

[Braivo]

On 8/31/2017 at 1:22 PM, iacas said:

Realistic expectations speak to the mental game, and are one of the things that people struggle with the most.

Hit a wedge from 90 yards to 12 feet, and you're ticked because it's not a tap-in? Then miss the 12-footer, and walk off the green feeling bad about yourself?

WHY?

You hit a world class wedge shot to 12 feet, and then you had only about a one in three chance of making it… if you're playing on PGA Tour-quality greens.

So rather than feeling good about himself, a lot of golfers will leave that green feeling badly for missing an opportunity… WHY?

It seems, psychologically, we are wired to sense lost opportunities. When is the next time we will have a birdie putt from 12 feet? For most of us, not very soon. 

That being said, what is true in golf is true in life. When we set our expectations in line with reality, or possibly remove expectations altogether, a lot of things fall into place. 

[onthehunt526]

11 hours ago, Braivo said:

It seems, psychologically, we are wired to sense lost opportunities. When is the next time we will have a birdie putt from 12 feet? For most of us, not very soon. 

That being said, what is true in golf is true in life. When we set our expectations in line with reality, or possibly remove expectations altogether, a lot of things fall into place. 

Golf is hard. (First sentence in Lowest Score Wins). When are average golfers going to realize that being even 25 or 30 feet away on average proximity to the hole from 90 yards isn't really terrible. 

It is a very difficult frustrating game, that can be a lot of fun. But then again, I can be hard on myself too.

[Shindig]

Had to reign in expectations yesterday.  On hole 7, I hit a really bad first two shots and had 60 yards to the pin.  I hit my pitch to a foot (and made the putt).  Later in the round, I had another 60' pitch to make and didn't hit it quite as well -- but didn't get down on myself afterward either.

[Killa]

For me, the biggest factor in unrealistic expectations is that I don't actually know what realistic is for anyone. I didn't grow up with golf, didn't watch any golf till last year and when I watch golf nowadays it's usually the last groups of a final round of a major. That means the best of the best in their top form, competing with each other. 

 

So what would help me immensely would be a table of data of pro players and comparing that data that scratch, single hcp and a 10-20 hcp player. 

 

That data would need to state:

1 putt% from 3,6,9,12 feet maybe even longer putts

2 distance from flag from 30, 50,75,100,125, 150 yards out (including GIR%) 

3 driving distance and fairways hit 

 

with that data I could compare myself instantly with all ranges of players and be realistic about it. And maybe the same data for pros when they are practicing (like 20 shots from 100 out in a row)

I mean I thought that a pro sticks a shot from 100 yards out to within a couple of feet if he hits 20 in a row...  

 

[lastings]

56 minutes ago, Killa said:

For me, the biggest factor in unrealistic expectations is that I don't actually know what realistic is for anyone. I didn't grow up with golf, didn't watch any golf till last year and when I watch golf nowadays it's usually the last groups of a final round of a major. That means the best of the best in their top form, competing with each other. 

 

So what would help me immensely would be a table of data of pro players and comparing that data that scratch, single hcp and a 10-20 hcp player. 

 

That data would need to state:

1 putt% from 3,6,9,12 feet maybe even longer putts

2 distance from flag from 30, 50,75,100,125, 150 yards out (including GIR%) 

3 driving distance and fairways hit 

 

with that data I could compare myself instantly with all ranges of players and be realistic about it. And maybe the same data for pros when they are practicing (like 20 shots from 100 out in a row)

I mean I thought that a pro sticks a shot from 100 yards out to within a couple of feet if he hits 20 in a row...  

 

yes, this would be cool data to have. 

[Killa]

And another thing I think is misleading is looking at tour averages regarding approach shots - these numbers are probably skewed in our favor as the pros are attacking the pin often in very tight positions where we won't (or at least shouldn't). I'm pretty sure the % would be higher if they always aimed at the center of the green. 

[iacas]

Look at the gallery. There are a number of things there. Look at the copy of LSW that you have; we also have data in there.