How can you complain about your score?

I was at a the course today doing some practicing on the putting green. I spend a lot of time practicing putting, for the obvious reason of lowering my score but I also really enjoy it. I put on my headphones and I can putt for hours. So I run into my buddies at the course and they were at the Driving range pounding out large bucket after large bucket. And I am sure no one will find it shocking that all they were hitting were their Drivers. These guys always talk about wanting to score better, they cry like babies after every round because "they are better then what the score card shows" but the only kind of practice they do is hitting their Drivers. How can anyone honestly complain about shooting high scores when they don't even practice putting, or any part of the short game for that matter. Just had to rant about that one. I feel better now.

I pretty much never practice driver, and I still suck.

I just moved and there is a driving range 5 minute bike ride from my house (which is awesome). however it only goes to about 220 yards, so that leaves out my driver and 3 wood. However they have a bunker to a chipping green, and a putting green with about 8 pins on it, so I am forced to practice my short game a lot more now

A reply from over the pond.

Short game is where you score so that's the area to work on.

My routine is fairly set I warm up with a few wedges then work the bag like I'm playing a round i.e. Driver, mid iron and a chip followed by 30 mins on the putting green. Works for me and stops that driver and another driver followed by another driver. Today I will do my usual but the I want to get some feel from 25 yards in so I will do that before going on the putting green.

I think it all depends on your handicap and what you are good/bad at. I work on whatever needs working on whether its wedges, chipping, putting, driver, irons, just whatever needs help. I think a 30 handicapper could use to sit out there and pound some drivers. They probably need to work on making solid contact, picking up a little extra distance, and keeping the ball between the trees. If someone can move it 250 or so and fairly straight then that person doesnt need to pound drivers but find ways to get better in other areas. To me, its all relative to what you need to work on. Maybe those guys really are decent but hit a couple drivers in the woods or ob a round and make some big numbers.

I agree that you cant shoot 65 without having a somewhat hot putter but not many people are going to shoot 85 with 43 putts.

I never practice putting, and I'm a very good putter. I've seen guys who never go to the driving range that can hit the ball 300 down the middle. (this, alas, is not me) I regularly play with a guy who could probably drop the ball into 3 foot circle from a greenside bunker every time, but he never practices his short game.

Let's not assume that everyone needs to do the same thing to get better.

I putt reasonably well most of the time, but practice would do me no harm. I need to shorten, re-weight and regrip my putter, also. I trimmed an inch off and didn't change the swingweight and I'm not really happy about that.

That said, I spend a lot of time lately working on the driver because it's the club costing me the most strokes. If I'm on the green, I'm probably going to two-putt, which is respectable for a 12 index, IMHO. But being in the trees off the tee adds strokes.

Focus where the flaws are. Sounds like your buddies aren't doing that, but as long as you're taking their money does that really bother you?

Better putting = Better scores.


That's just my opinion.

I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play

[quote name='mikeharris23' timestamp='1392703548' post='8692247']
I just moved and there is a driving range 5 minute bike ride from my house (which is awesome). however it only goes to about 220 yards, so that leaves out my driver and 3 wood. However they have a bunker to a chipping green, and a putting green with about 8 pins on it, so I am forced to practice my short game a lot more now
[/quote]

I moved to a course that doesn't allow woods on the driving range because of limited length. Best thing that ever happened to my game.

IMO the most important part of putting is confidence, once you have the foundation, obviously practice helps and builds confidence...

[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.

It is easy to complain about your score, just not easy to do something about it. Most people don't want to put the work in.Work is not easy, complaining is

Next question

[quote name='Graymulligan' timestamp='1392740081' post='8694017']
I never practice putting, and I'm a very good putter. I've seen guys who never go to the driving range that can hit the ball 300 down the middle. (this, alas, is not me) I regularly play with a guy who could probably drop the ball into 3 foot circle from a greenside bunker every time, but he never practices his short game.

Let's not assume that everyone needs to do the same thing to get better.
[/quote]

This!

It's dependent on what their weaknesses are. My short game seems to be the better part of my game. Driving was by far my main weakness and i'd regularly be hitting 3 off the tee which was making my score terrible obviously. If i get a 100 bucket of balls i'll still hit roughly 60 with my driver and the rest mixed between 5 iron - wedges.

I almost never practice. I play 2 times a month and I have maintained a 3.8 handicap pretty easily. The only thing I do is putt for about 10min before I tee off. Take a few practice swings on #1 tee to get the back all popped and the muscles loose and go. I don't get what people are doing on the range for 2 hours and the putting green for 2 hours and then go out and shoot 126. And overthink every single thing. I take about .5 seconds to hit a shot. I decide the club, decide the swing, line it up and go.

If I had the time to dedicate 4 hours 2/3 times a week practicing I'd be a +3 by now. I was scratch back in college but even then I didn't practice a ton, I played a ton. My home course didn't have a range. I chipped around my yard and putted before/after rounds. Built a solid short game, length came natural. But I'd rather go play 18 for 4 hours than practive for 4 hours.

[quote name='markheardjr' timestamp='1392748883' post='8695109']
I almost never practice. I play 2 times a month and I have maintained a 3.8 handicap pretty easily. The only thing I do is putt for about 10min before I tee off. Take a few practice swings on #1 tee to get the back all popped and the muscles loose and go. I don't get what people are doing on the range for 2 hours and the putting green for 2 hours and then go out and shoot 126. And overthink every single thing. I take about .5 seconds to hit a shot. I decide the club, decide the swing, line it up and go.

If I had the time to dedicate 4 hours 2/3 times a week practicing I'd be a +3 by now. I was scratch back in college but even then I didn't practice a ton, I played a ton. My home course didn't have a range. I chipped around my yard and putted before/after rounds. Built a solid short game, length came natural. But I'd rather go play 18 for 4 hours than practive for 4 hours.
[/quote]

I'd be on the range for 2 hours to shoot a 126 because if I wasn't that 126 would turn into a 156 real fast. Not everyone has the ability to never practice and be a single digit. I practice a ton and play a ton and have put work into getting to a 15. That was depressing to type

[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392747071' post='8694873']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.
[/quote]

TaterTot
Your stats provided are better than the best on tour !!! Pro's can't average 75% of fairways hit ... and 15 feet is impossible for approaches

[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392749604' post='8695189']
[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392747071' post='8694873']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.
[/quote]

TaterTot
Your stats provided are better than the best on tour !!! Pro's can average 75% of fairways and 15 feet is impossible for approaches
[/quote]

Nothing is impossible my friend. Nothing.

Obviously I won't get to 15 feet, and I'm not cutting 3 strokes off my putting, but those are my goals and what I'm working towards. It's the journey.

And I generally hit about 12 of the 16 fairways at my course ... you may notice the 250 average is MUCH shorter than any pros, though. Consistency comes at a price.

There is this theory that high caps only pound driver. Blah. If that is what they need, who cares. And if they pound away at driver and don't need it, then keep taking their money on the course.

[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392749848' post='8695215']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392749604' post='8695189']
[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392747071' post='8694873']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.
[/quote]

TaterTot
Your stats provided are better than the best on tour !!! Pro's can average 75% of fairways and 15 feet is impossible for approaches
[/quote]

Nothing is impossible my friend. Nothing.

Obviously I won't get to 15 feet, and I'm not cutting 3 strokes off my putting, but those are my goals and what I'm working towards. It's the journey.

And I generally hit about 12 of the 16 fairways at my course ... you may notice the 250 average is MUCH shorter than any pros, though. Consistency comes at a price.
[/quote]

You sound like my playing partner. He averages between 240-260 yards but he genuinly hits 13-14 fairways a round. Consistency comes at a price indeed, but he seems happy with sacrificing distance for accuracy and it works for him.

[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392749848' post='8695215']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392749604' post='8695189']
[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392747071' post='8694873']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.
[/quote]

TaterTot
Your stats provided are better than the best on tour !!! Pro's can average 75% of fairways and 15 feet is impossible for approaches
[/quote]

Nothing is impossible my friend. Nothing.

Obviously I won't get to 15 feet, and I'm not cutting 3 strokes off my putting, but those are my goals and what I'm working towards. It's the journey.

And I generally hit about 12 of the 16 fairways at my course ... you may notice the 250 average is MUCH shorter than any pros, though. Consistency comes at a price.
[/quote]

How many GIR are you hitting? Serious question.

I believe people will complain about their scores no matter what.

When they shoot in the 90s they will complain. When they break into the 80s they will complain. When they break into the 70s they will complain.

Sure, a lot of golfers go to the range and simply hit driver, which can be a mistake, unless that's what you really need to work on. However, every facet of the game is important: off the tee, putting, short game, etc.

A wise golfer will understand where he is most lacking and focus on that, while not neglecting the other areas.

So, to say to someone that you MUST work on this part of your golf game is a bit misleading. For example, "everyone" says to work on your short game. Well, if you already have a decent short game, but have a lousy long game, perhaps working on your long game will serve you better.

Most of us think "we're better than what the score card
shows". Part of what motivates us.

Big difference between hitting balls and practicing. Be it putter, driver, or whatever, you need to know what you're working on and how to achieve it. People whine all the time about not getting better, but a lot of them honestly don't know how to succeed. Even if you practice the areas you suck at, general luck will allow you to have good and bad days, but you may actually be ingraining bad habits!!!

I used to spend so much time putting that I could make practically any putt on the practice green at my home course. Didn't really translate to results on the course though since I was so used to it that I actually started to ignore my routine!!! Putting down a metal yardstick to learn how to roll the ball straight for 10 minutes a day helped a lot more.

Where's Richie Hunt ? I thought it was proven recently that long game was more important than short game in scoring

Tater - I believe you can do the fairway numbers you quote. What is your cap? I've played with other very straight and not that long hitters in my day
Not trying to be an arse, this is just a good debate

Proximity to the hole is a different animal. I am always amazed at how far the tour guys are from the hole. The averages are much higher than you'd think

And your fifteen feet goal is a good one but unless you play off a +6, or are on some sort of tour, it can't be done (unless your drives are beside the green on all the par 4's)

I recall one gent with a post on here not long ago telling us that he always hits it to four feet. That was a Stat !!!

People don't differentiate between practicing and playing.

If Jack Nicklaus couldn't find the fairway on a given round he'd hit a 3W and leave the big stick in the bag. But, again, most folks don't play for score, they play for ego. So, no matter where the driver tee shot goes, it comes out again on every non-Par 3 hole. And the adventures in the trees or deep rough is played over and over for 18 holes. When playing, it is almost easy to par or bogey at worst with a 5 wood off the tees.

Ernie Els used to start every pre-round practice session with his putting practice. Why? Because the putting tempo sets the tone for the other clubs. We amateurs usually do just the opposite.

The PGA Tour head teaching pro says to start the pre-round practice time with 1/4 wedges, then 1/2 wedges, then 3/4 wedges, then move up the iron ladder. Why? To cement solid ball contact and tempo before jumping to bigger clubs. And, he preaches not to move up from 1/4 wedge to 1/2 wedge until the ball contact is solid. Amateurs, again, do just the opposite.

So, as in most things in life, we are usually our own worst enemy.

there will always be a woulda, coulda and shoulda..... I stopped dating them a long time ago when I met reality.

Jack Pearsall does not complain about his score.
Seldom keeps it officially.

I am Jack's smirking revenge.

[quote name='ctmason_98' timestamp='1392751969' post='8695487']
[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392749848' post='8695215']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392749604' post='8695189']
[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1392747071' post='8694873']
[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1392746572' post='8694805']
I say BETTER DRIVING = BETTER SCORES

You can't score when your tee ball is out of play
[/quote]

Obviously, if you're hitting balls OB you need to work on driving.

As long as a I can hit about 250 and hit 75% of my fairways and no penalty strokes, I'm OK. I'm not going to spend a lot of time practicing for an extra 5-10 yards and 1 more fairway hit a round.

But, if I can get my average approach from 25 to 15 feet, or cut 3 strokes off my putting, that's where my score is going to improve.
[/quote]

TaterTot
Your stats provided are better than the best on tour !!! Pro's can average 75% of fairways and 15 feet is impossible for approaches
[/quote]

Nothing is impossible my friend. Nothing.

Obviously I won't get to 15 feet, and I'm not cutting 3 strokes off my putting, but those are my goals and what I'm working towards. It's the journey.

And I generally hit about 12 of the 16 fairways at my course ... you may notice the 250 average is MUCH shorter than any pros, though. Consistency comes at a price.
[/quote]

How many GIR are you hitting? Serious question.
[/quote]

About 2/3s. I generally shoot 72-76, no penalty strokes, 34 putts a round.