The (No) Sixes Challenge

[iacas]

After a year or two of coaching my college golf team, I came up with a challenge for them, as they would make too many stupid mistakes on the par fives in particular, and on too many par fours trying to hit a hero shot when they got into trouble.

The challenge? It's simple: don't make a six (or higher).

Despite many, many rounds in the 70s or low 80s, and 75 rounds played in total, we have still only had about seven successfully completed rounds.

I almost never have a six. Greater than half of my rounds are played without a six. I'll take a bogey on a par four, and I rarely bogey par fives. I understand my Shot Zones, the Penalty Buffer, and Decision Maps.

So, let's have this topic stand as an ongoing one. When you complete a round successfully without a six (or higher), post here and tell us about it.

P.S. If you're an 18 handicap index or higher, you can post if you complete the "Seven Challenge." That means no sevens or higher.

[alleztom]

This is an amazing idea - haven't done it yet but a new focus for the weekend. If this post is out of line (i.e. the thread is reserved for those who achieve it) feel free to delete.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, alleztom said:

This is an amazing idea - haven't done it yet but a new focus for the weekend. If this post is out of line (i.e. the thread is reserved for those who achieve it) feel free to delete.

Nah. It’s fine to bump it in the meantime. Especially the first time you read it. Then you can follow it or subscribe to notifications in it.

It’s also fine to post in it when you come close but lose the Six Challenge on the last hole or in an excruciating fashion or something.

[Ty_Webb]

I just went back over the 21 rounds for which I have readily available statistics and 5 of them I have no worse than a 5. 2 of them I had only one 6 or worse and one of those was a triple bogey 7 on the last hole at Bethpage Black. That one was quite painful.

This is a great idea by the way. Back when I was playing regularly and reasonably well, I had two goals for myself. One was no doubles. The other was no bogeys in the first 6 holes. So basically I would play pretty safe through 6 holes. Middle of the greens and whatnot and if I could get through 6 without a bogey, then I knew I was playing well and could start being a little more aggressive. My home course at the time started off with a short par 5 and a short par 4. 3 and 4 were not too hard, but then 5 and 6 were quite tough holes, so it wasn't easy, but if I could achieve my two goals I pretty much invariably shot a good score. 

Nowadays I don't play regularly enough to achieve these goals hardly ever. I should really focus on it more. I think the no bogeys in the first 6 was a good goal, because it was quite a high bar to set for myself and that in itself had a positive effect on my golf.

[woodzie264]

Wow - this will be tough

[Popeye]

This is a good idea! Fraid I am going to have to do it as a 'no 7's'. My last scorecard shows I managed this on my last round although there was a few Mulligan's involved!

[David in FL]

14 minutes ago, woodzie264 said:

Wow - this will be tough

Yep, and reminded me of this thread...

While not exactly the same, it's close.  It's tougher than it might sound, even for better players.

Good challenge.

 

15 minutes ago, Popeye said:

.....I managed this on my last round although there was a few Mulligan's involved!

Then you didn't "manage it"....  

[woodzie264]

23 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Yep, and reminded me of this thread...

While not exactly the same, it's close.  It's tougher than it might sound, even for better players.

agreed - good memory

[GolfLug]

Two weeks ago I shot 76 (par 70) with no 6s for the very first time in a long long time. Did make 7 bogeys (and 1 birdie) - none on the two par 5s. They were pretty much all failure to get a one putt after nGIRs and bunkers and three 3-putts on freshly aerated greens. 

What stood out to me most to me after reflecting on the round is I had:

1) Zero penalties off the tee. Some really good drives but wasn't creaming it all day or anything. Had plenty of drives in the rough and 1 in the trees but no replays/un-playables, etc.

2) Did not stub/flub any nGIR chip/pitches (have gotten better in last 2 months but up until then I was good for at least two crappers). Have focused on 'Quickie Pitching Video' technique and using the bounce. No hero/wow chipping seems to be necessary.

Strategy going forward is to do shot selection aimed exclusively to get an nGIR (consider GIR a bonus) at all costs on 160 yards and over approach shots by using aiming point as the center of the tree frame. 

Yesterday, I had 2 OB drives on par 4s so ended up getting two 6s. But the strategy helped in shooting a very acceptable 81. 

[cutchemist42]

Really interesting. Looking back at the last "normal" course Ive played, i missed this by 3. I would say 2 could have been prevented easier.(4putted, duffed ngir chip that went 3 feet)

Hitting tee shot OB will kill this, which it did for me.

[Ty_Webb]

11 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

Hitting tee shot OB will kill this, which it did for me.

I think this is part of the point. You shouldn't really be aiming your tee shots anywhere that OB is a risk more than maybe 5% of the time. You really shouldn't hit it OB very often at all. 

[billchao]

I feel like this is out of reach for me, given my swing. Maybe if I get really conservative off the tee I might have a chance, but even my all-time low round of 82 last year had three 6s in it and I only hit driver six times (I looked it up). Two of those 6s are directly related to the driver, though.

Now I'm curious to see if I can do it with the season winding down. I've been hitting driver a lot more this year and something in the back of my mind always told me it's not the best way for me to score low.

3 hours ago, Ty_Webb said:

I think this is part of the point. You shouldn't really be aiming your tee shots anywhere that OB is a risk more than maybe 5% of the time. You really shouldn't hit it OB very often at all. 

Unfortunately that doesn't work for my swing because I randomly return my club 10° open at impact. I already aim down the left side as it is, which actually punishes my good strikes that draw slightly. Hard to aim when there's just not enough real estate to account for my miss.

[No Mulligans]

I spend most of my time playing a nearby (to me) executive course.  Four par 4's the rest par 3's.  For that course I think I'll make it a 5 challenge.

Edited October 3, 2017 by No Mulligans

[dennyjones]

I tried today at my home course.   I shot an 88 which for me is about average here.   With 2 penalties and too many 3 putts, it wasn't going to happen.    The goal is attainable and I will persevere.

[iacas]

I may make this an actual challenge (with a winnable award thing).

[Lihu]

Just now, iacas said:

I may make this an actual challenge (with a winnable award thing).

Yeah, it sounds pretty tough.

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, iacas said:

I may make this an actual challenge (with a winnable award thing).

I did.

https://thesandtrap.com/awards/category/5-challenges/

[Jack Watson]

This would be difficult for me last round par 72 I had one on the front and two on the back on the way to 78.

I don't keep stats but my feeling is I'd rather face a par three than a five as long as it's 175 or under.  I MAY BE unique in that haha.

I may really suck at par fives...