The (No) Sixes Challenge

[dennyjones]

Congrats Chris.   That's fantastic!

[iacas]

26 minutes ago, Chris Brooks said:

Finally remembered to post this - had a no sixes round last week at Tobacco Road. Key for me was smarter par 5 play - not trying to be a hero with the second shot, plus I had solid wedge play all day.

Saved my double bogey for the par 3! Shot a 77.

All set!

What par three?

[Chris Brooks]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

All set!

What par three?

Thanks @iacas. It was on number 14, the beautiful return hole over the water.

See all that action around the green? Had a hard-pan sand lie with a lip in front. Thought I could work it out softly but alas bladed it almost into the water across the green. Tough chip from there led to a two putt.

First rule of green-side bunkers and chipping: get the ball on the green... somewhere!

[dman1260]

I've never really given much thought to this topic, but like the idea, so I went back to some old posted scores and realized I had no sixes on my card a couple weekends ago. Shot a very scrappy 74 despite really poor ball striking. 

Conversely, this last weekend I shot 70. Three sixes, all on par 5s, which is kind of silly to think about. Definitely not the normal way to shoot a good round...

Definitely going to keep this though actively on my mind for future rounds, as a scorecard free of sixes means a good round. 

[Chris Brooks]

47 minutes ago, dman1260 said:

 

Conversely, this last weekend I shot 70. Three sixes, all on par 5s, which is kind of silly to think about. Definitely not the normal way to shoot a good round..

 

That’s crazy! One of my overriding goals is to eliminate 6s on par 5s and limit damage to par 3s and 4s. To hear that you shot a 70 with that sort of damage… I’m not sure how to react. Outlier / singularity?

[dman1260]

1 hour ago, Chris Brooks said:

That’s crazy! One of my overriding goals is to eliminate 6s on par 5s and limit damage to par 3s and 4s. To hear that you shot a 70 with that sort of damage… I’m not sure how to react. Outlier / singularity?

I think it's somewhat of an outlier, but my par 5 scoring has not been good relative to my overall game lately. The par 5s at the course I played are also generally 3 shot holes (or maybe 2.5 shot), so it's not like they yield easy scores. Still wouldn't expect to be 3 over on those holes and 5 under on the rest.

I've been making some swing changes so I practice a ton with my short irons / wedges, so those clubs are on much more "on" vs. my longer irons. The changes are starting to flow through to longer clubs, but it's taking its time, so that's also a factor. 

 

[dman1260]

To follow-up on this topic, I've now shot 36 holes in a row without a 6, which is great. However, it doesn't necessarily translate as well to "good" scoring as I would have thought. It definitely ensures I'm shooting ok rounds (few over), but I need more 3s and 4s (on par 5s) to take my game to a higher level.  

One day, I'd love to be good enough to go for no 5s, but that's a ways away. 

[GolfLug]

On 11/2/2021 at 6:41 PM, Chris Brooks said:

Thanks @iacas. It was on number 14, the beautiful return hole over the water.

See all that action around the green? Had a hard-pan sand lie with a lip in front. Thought I could work it out softly but alas bladed it almost into the water across the green. Tough chip from there led to a two putt.

First rule of green-side bunkers and chipping: get the ball on the green... somewhere!

Not sure why this cute little hole has so much bite. It's like Pinehurst area's own version of the Golden Bell. I've played it thrice now and luckily never found water but came away sweating each time.  

Congrats on the no sixes BTW. I'm not a big 'goal' guy but this one will have me doing flips when I eventually do. 

[ChetlovesMer]

Damned near pulled this off yesterday. First hole is a par 5, parred it. 

Second par 5 is hole #6. It's the number one handicap on the course. Hit a decent drive kinda behind a tree on the left. Low punched 3 wood up to about 110 yards out on the right, again blocked by a tree. Hit a decent punched 9 in front of the green. Chipped on, and I was left a 12 footer for par. .... Yeah, I made it. Saved par. 🥳

Birdies on the other 2 par 5's. 

No sixes on the card, 3 over par teeing off on number 18, a 340 yard, par 4. 

My tee-shot was a wicked slice into the trees on the right. Ugh. From there... let's just say it went badly. 💩the bed. Made a 7.

I have had rounds without any sixes. I've recently had 9-hole rounds with no sixes. But I have not yet had an 18 hole round with no sixes since I've been a member of this forum. 2022 awaits. 

 

[reidsou]

Did it again today.  Parred the 3 par 5's uneventfully - two GIR's,  and one easy up and down. 

Overall, 13 pars, 5 bogeys for 76. (Started with 10 pars, so disappointing finish.)

A poor trouble shot and a thin bunker shot, respectively, led to difficult up and downs for bogey 5's on #15 and #16 -  close as I got to a 6. Knowing about this challenge, the 10 foot putt for a 5 on #16 was gratifying.  

[ChetlovesMer]

3 hours ago, reidsou said:

Did it again today.  Parred the 3 par 5's uneventfully - two GIR's,  and one easy up and down. 

Overall, 13 pars, 5 bogeys for 76. (Started with 10 pars, so disappointing finish.)

A poor trouble shot and a thin bunker shot, respectively, led to difficult up and downs for bogey 5's on #15 and #16 -  close as I got to a 6. Knowing about this challenge, the 10 foot putt for a 5 on #16 was gratifying.  

Great job, brother. 

I have to confess I'm envious. I've not been able to pull this off since I've been aware of this thread. 

Congrats again. 

[reidsou]

Another round with no 6's. Two pars and a birdie on the par 5's. Played better than the previous times I did this. Longest putt for a 5 was 2 feet. 

Overall, 1 birdie, 12 pars, and 5 bogeys for 75. Hit 8 GIR. 29 putts. 

Strokes gained was -3.8 driving, -4.5 approach, +0.1 short, and -1.6 putting. 

[ChetlovesMer]

33 minutes ago, reidsou said:

Another round with no 6's. Two pars and a birdie on the par 5's. Played better than the previous times I did this. Longest putt for a 5 was 2 feet. 

Overall, 1 birdie, 12 pars, and 5 bogeys for 75. Hit 8 GIR. 29 putts. 

Strokes gained was -3.8 driving, -4.5 approach, +0.1 short, and -1.6 putting. 

That is a nice round. Congratulations on the no 6's. 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, reidsou said:

Another round with no 6's. Two pars and a birdie on the par 5's. Played better than the previous times I did this. Longest putt for a 5 was 2 feet. 

Overall, 1 birdie, 12 pars, and 5 bogeys for 75. Hit 8 GIR. 29 putts. 

Strokes gained was -3.8 driving, -4.5 approach, +0.1 short, and -1.6 putting. 

Cool. It's just an award given out once, though, as you know. 😄

[ChetlovesMer]

@reidsou, it's time for you to start the "No Fives Challenge". 

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, ChetlovesMer said:

@reidsou, it's time for you to start the "No Fives Challenge". 

The ‘no more than four’ challenge. Otherwise 6s will be cool!

[phillyk]

2 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

@reidsou, it's time for you to start the "No Fives Challenge". 

Interesting. I think I actually have done that at my home course. But, either way, it’d be a good goal. 

[dagolfer18]

I’m claiming the No Sixes Challenge! Shot 78 yesterday, and here’s my hole by hole!

 

      PAR: 4-5-4-3-4-4-3-4-4—35

SCORE: 4-5-5-3-4-5-3-5-5—39

 

      PAR: 4-4-4-4-5-3-4-3-5—36

SCORE: 5-5-5-4-4-4-4-3-5—39

 

A couple of highlights from the round:

•Saved par on the seventh hole after I hit a miraculous flop shot to within two feet.

•Made an 8-footer for bogey on 12 after hooking a drive OB. That proved to be critical.

•After a perfect drive on 14 (short par 5), I had only a 6 iron in. Was on the fringe in two and birdied easily. Almost made the eagle putt!

Nothing super crazy happened during the round, and it was just one of those days you just feel like everything was clicking.