Great 9 holes, funny stats

[Lemonhead]

I went out this afternoon to walk 9 and practice. Was playing alone and enjoying the day. Ended up shooting my lowest 9 hole score of +2. Now comes the funny stats:

Fairways Hit: 1
GIR: 1
Putts: 12

My drive was either pulled or faded off the fairway. Had a couple of tough scrambles, but usually it was 1-5 yds off the fairway. Second shot was good but just a bit off. My chipping was on! I chipped everything to a within 2ft except for 2 holes and I 2-putted those for the 2 bogeys.

I've been working on distance with my driver and it's gotten a bit wilder. Distance is coming up but the inconsistency is putting a lot of pressure on the rest of my game. I'm never going to be a 300yd driver, but I think I can be a 250-260 consistently.

I recently switched to the reverse overlap grip on my putter and have really been rolling the ball well. Having problems with speed control here and there but accuracy is much better.

Oh well, I'm glad it's not the type of strokes that count, just the number.

Lemonhead

 

[Sandpiper3]

Congrats on the good number Lemonhead.

 

[JEFF4i]

That's awesome Lemon! A scrambler has a massive advantage out there on the course, so long as he doesn't rely on it.

 

[Lemonhead]

Thanks, guys. My first big drop in scoring was learning how to keep it on the fairway. While I learned how to swing correctly, it kept me in the 90's. Now that I'm working on distance I'm back on the fringes with my drive. However, I can get the ball where I want it with my irons. Having to learn the short game made my chipping one of my stronger elements.

I feel that by Spring I should have my driver accuracy back with more distance on it and more distance on my irons. My plan is to play in the City tournament this summer if I get my game right. I already know what I'm doing to cause my drive to go offline so I believe I'll be able to fix it.

Lemonhead

 

[JEFF4i]

Accuracy is very important, but also think outside the box. When I shot my lowest score I only mhit about 40% of fairways, but, since the course was short, I decided that I rather be 40 out with a wedge, then 100 out in the fairway-also a wedge, but I can be deadly 40 and in.

 

[Lemonhead]

I know what you mean. I like being 100 out. 20-60 out is a touch shot to get it on and stopped (at least for me). 100 out and I can stick it pretty regularly. Inside 20 and I can get it right near the hole.

Because I don't hit it a country mile, I have to work on my long irons. It used to be that from 150 out I could stick it. Lately, I've been comfortable from 170 and be confident that I'm going to hit the green or be on the fringe. The funny thing about yesterday was how often I ended up just on the fringe or maybe 3 yards off the green (really windy so some shots just drifted).

I've never believed in a "all accuracy" neither do I believe in an "all distance" philosophy. Since I don't think that 300yd drives are in my future, I have to, as we say in the South, "run with what you brung to the track". So, for me it's a medium drive (240-260) with a long to mid-iron to the green and a strong chip/pitch game for the misreads or off shots. I can't see, when playing from the tip, a drive and a wedge for me.

On the other side of yesterday, the course is pretty open and doesn't punish off-fairway drives. Other courses I play would have just crushed me (trees, marshes, grass up to your knees). I'll still take it, though.

Lemonhead

 

[demon]

I love scrambling, but would rather be on the fairway. I think scrambling helps improve your game overall. I love it when you get yourself into trouble and make a fantastic shot to recop.

 

[Lemonhead]

That's what made the stats so odd - there really wasn't any "miracle" shots. I was off the fairway a bit, off the green, a bit and then just chipped it close. No 30ft putts for par. It was one of those situations, where if you looked at the card and the numbers, you would assume that I had to have just made a ton of hail mary shots - but no.

Lemonhead

 

[JEFF4i]

Well, scrambling can also include just getting it close for par. In other words, lots of up and downs.

How far do you drive? What's the length of the course you play? When do the irons start feeling uncomfortable, which irons, that is?

 

[Bama Duffer]

Congrats on the great round. Those quirky rounds do happen. I shot my best round in years last summer (84) and what I remember most is having to punch out of the trees about 7 times. I just had good looks through the trees and my punch shots ended up on the green or the fringe.

That's not the way I like to play, though. I'd rather have a boring round of fairway, green, two-putt, fairway, green, two-putt.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Ok Lemonhead, i have a stat for you. Yesterday playing, hit 14/14 fairways being at least 250 off the tee every time. Still ended up shooting 79... My irons were everywhere and the ball lipped out sooo many times.

That was a long round...

 

[Lemonhead]

To answer Jeff first: If I get it 250 on my drive I'm really happy. I'm about 230 consistently. I'm very comfortable with all of my irons. Hate my 3w though I am on speaking terms with my 5w. Course isn't that long. Maxes out at a 123 slope so it's not hard (a 1925 Donald Ross design) although #4 is a butt-kicker.

Sandpiper: Two things I've noticed: 1) It really isn't the best driver that scores low and 2) it's the second shot that really counts (for both par 4s and 5s). The bad drivers who can hit the long and mid irons well will get on or around the green. The guys who are great drivers but flub the second shot will end up with a long third shot and a high score.

Putting is what putting is, but you have to end up on the green in Reg or +1 with a tap-in to score low. A couple of weeks ago, I went out on the same course and with the mindset or "I'm playing for eagle on every par 4". So I attacked the flag on every 2nd shot. I really was trying to get it in the hole from 150 or so out. I wanted to see how my game changed with that mindset. My putting was off - lipped cup a bunch - but I did end up really close to the flag quite often. It was more along the lines of playing for birdie to make more pars. I was playing for eagle to make birdies. I would have scored really low if I putted better, but that wasn't what I was working on - it was making very clean 2nd shots - so I wasn't upset. It was a fun way of playing because just getting on the green but off line from the hole would have counted as a mistake (bad alignment). Like I said, it was fun and good practice.

Lemonhead

 

[Sandpiper3]

Sandpiper: Two things I've noticed: 1) It really isn't the best driver that scores low and 2) it's the second shot that really counts (for both par 4s and 5s). The bad drivers who can hit the long and mid irons well will get on or around the green. The guys who are great drivers but flub the second shot will end up with a long third shot and a high score.
Lemonhead

Agreed. Today was a lot of the same with my driver, but i hit a lot more girs. You wouldnt know it to watch me as i was visibly irritated by my play, although i was getting agitated by the pars i was making, so at least i wasnt back tracking. Funny thing i found though, the worst two pars i made, i came right back the next hole and made birdies Decent 73 today.

 

[Jules150]

Agreed. Today was a lot of the same with my driver, but i hit a lot more girs. You wouldnt know it to watch me as i was visibly irritated by my play, although i was getting agitated by the pars i was making, so at least i wasnt back tracking. Funny thing i found though, the worst two pars i made, i came right back the next hole and made birdies Decent 73 today.

Theres no snow out on the courses? That'd be crazy if you played in the snow. Everytime i vist my family up in canada in the winter theres 3-4 feet of snow. But thats Quebec...maybe its different in bc?

 

[Lemonhead]

Great job 'piper. Today was Daddy-Daughter day so it was me and the girls. I'm planning on playing tomorrow if the weather holds up.

Another thing I've noticed is the confidence issue. When I was in my slump, I was thinking "just try and not screw up" and would approach the ball apprehensively. As I moved out of my slump, I began thinking "I'm going to put the ball right there...." and would attack. It makes a big difference to step up to the ball unconcerned about making a bad shot and only thinking about which shot I want to hit.

We'll see if the good times continue to roll tomorrow....

Lemonhead