Attempting to play BOGEY GOLF?

[mikpga]

A thought.

A simple challenge I give to my students who are trying to get their scores down the low 90's and high 80's. Play all the par 3's as if they were a par 4. Play all the par 4's as if they were a par 5, and play all the par 5's as if they were a par 6. The problem with a lot of golfers is they simply don't want to play 3 conservative shots on a par 4 when they know they can reach it in two! Take this challenge and see what happens to your score!

[mikpga]

No thoughts or comments from those who can't break 95 consistently?

[dmboak]

Why would you lay up on the second shot on a par 4?

[mrq]

from experience... most of beginners gets high score when they run into trouble. Rather than punch it out or even taking unplayable lie, they try to hit a shot doesn't exist.

 

For me, its all about short game and putting to keep scores down.... challange your students to 2 putts in each hole(don't think about making it on first attempt, just try to keep it close to the hole so you can have easy second putt). That will keep the score down big time.

[taylormadefan]

Setting the bar low is a good way to underachieve.

 

You know better than any of us that breaking 100 and 90 is all about short game. Give them the tools to get up and down and they'll be able to do whatever you need.

 

What good is laying up on a par 4 if you 3 putt once you hit the green?

[SadTrombone]

Between short game and not getting out of trouble when they're in it, most bogey golfers could get down to the low 80s in about a month. Work on nothing but short game for a month and then two or three playing lessons learning about when shots can be hit and when they cant and they'd be in the low 80s.

 

At least that's been my experience...once I learned when I could hit a flop shot and when the plain-jane bump and run was the solution, I stopped making big (er...huge?) numbers. Eliminate double or worse and it's amazing how well you can do.

 

My game plan now is to give myself 18 easy pars. You all know as well as me that with that, I'll miss some greens and get up and down, make a bogey here and there, make a birdie here and there. If I putt well, it's going to be a good day...same with higher handicaps too.

 

-mini

[Irridium]

personally i think its a good idea, its all about consistancy.

 

trying to eliminate bad shots, keep concentration, take pressure off yourself, and work to a goal.

 

when you can shoot every hole 1 over, then you start getting into the rythme that you can hit every hole in par.

 

but all the negative guys are probably all single digit players

[Joe Schmoe]

I don't like it. as a 20 handicap the major stroke costs come from mis-hitting a shot. (Catching one really fat/thin) That can happen with any club for me. So no point in laying up, that would just increase my chances to catch a shot fat/thin. When my scores go low its because i'm chipping it good from just off the green and can make some one putts. And when pitching from a couple yards to 20 yards not getting greedy and trying to pull off the miracle up and in. pop it on the green and 2 putt.

[Young04]

A simple challenge I give to my students who are trying to get their scores down the low 90's and high 80's. Play all the par 3's as if they were a par 4. Play all the par 4's as if they were a par 5, and play all the par 5's as if they were a par 6. The problem with a lot of golfers is they simply don't want to play 3 conservative shots on a par 4 when they know they can reach it in two! Take this challenge and see what happens to your score!

 

i know that you have much more experience with other golfers than i do, but with respect, i'd have to disagree with this. most beginners that i've seen have high scores because they top full shots, duff chips, or blow putts 10 feet by the hole.

 

even if a 25 handicapper hits a perfect layup on a par 4 to their favorite distance, the chances of them missing the green from there are still pretty good.

 

that said, i think that mid handicappers should heed your advice more...if i don't get off the perfect drive on a longer par 4, i don't doubt that i'm much better off laying up to 100 yards, getting on (my chances of missing the green from there are MUCH less than a 25 capper), and walking off with bogey, rather than taking a 5W from the rough for my second.

[brooky333]

As a 25 hcp golfer I agree with Mike.

My bad holes come from a poor or short tee shot a long iron or 5 wood second trying to get back into the hole.

on my home course in last weeks comp I did take the bogey golf option on the long par 4 9th.

a short tee shot left me with a 230 yard second to the green with bunkers across the middle of the fairway at 100 yards from the green.

I laid up with a 7 iron the hit 9 iron to 12 feet for a par put, missed it but knocked it in for a 5

as this is stoke index 3 I got 2 shots on this hole. (a net birdie)

 

brooky333

[againstthegrain]

I find that if I'm willing to accept bogey(once I get out of position on a hole), most of the time will take the huge number off the table and every once in a while I'll get up and down for par.

[mikpga]

This usually isn't a favorite topic to discuss with my students. But I do know from experience, the one's who took the challenge have fired their lowest scores when they stopped attempting to hit the greens in regulation. More times than not, once the student's take this approach, they begin to see more clearly the significance of the short game!

 

Just a thought to stimulate some conversation and possibly think a little differently when we are on the course.

 

Why did Tiger take 3 shots on the 18th at Doral? He's the best player in the world, shouldn't he have gone for the green in regulation?

[Diesel]

i don't see the advantage of thinking that way at all...

 

most times a par 3 playing from the middle tees is usually 130-160 yards... even a 20+ capper can hit a short to middle iron that distance... why on earth would you reccomend them looking at it as a par 4...? you hit the green, you probably make par...

 

i see the positive in playing par 5's as 3 shot holes, but certainly not a par 4 as a 3 shot hole... PUTTING is one thing a high capper probably has trouble with... looking at a par 4 as a 5 and then putting lousy you'll end up with higher scores than normal...

 

just my thoughts...

[brooky333]

i don't see the advantage of thinking that way at all...

 

most times a par 3 playing from the middle tees is usually 130-160 yards... even a 20+ capper can hit a short to middle iron that distance... why on earth would you reccomend them looking at it as a par 4...? you hit the green, you probably make par...

 

i see the positive in playing par 5's as 3 shot holes, but certainly not a par 4 as a 3 shot hole... PUTTING is one thing a high capper probably has trouble with... looking at a par 4 as a 5 and then putting lousy you'll end up with higher scores than normal...

 

just my thoughts...

 

 

Being a 20+ hcp a tight par3 160 -190 yards takes the mid irons out of the equation and you are into 4 or 3 iron hybrid still a difficult shot to hit straight.

so a lay up is a easy 4.

brooky333

[EnglishBob]

As a very new player I know from my experience the chances of me keeping my second shot in the fairway more than triples if i am hitting a shorter iron, If I am pushing myself to reach the green the shot is gonna be in the woods or the nearest hazzard.

 

Seems a sound tactic for a beginner or higher handicap, play conservatively until the skills give a better chance of success on the longer shots.

 

Under teh same guise I find if i use my first putt to set up the second, I have fewer 3 putts than just going for it on the first.

[Sean2]

A simple challenge I give to my students who are trying to get their scores down the low 90's and high 80's. Play all the par 3's as if they were a par 4. Play all the par 4's as if they were a par 5, and play all the par 5's as if they were a par 6. The problem with a lot of golfers is they simply don't want to play 3 conservative shots on a par 4 when they know they can reach it in two! Take this challenge and see what happens to your score!

I have not only layed up on par 4's but long par 3's as well. I give myself a chance for par and bogey at worst. That takes out any big numbers. By playing within myself I have seen my scores drop.

[MikeJohnson]

My suggestion is to play what the course gives you. I play with a guy who can't break 100 and most of his strokes come from bad decisions. I played with him a week ago and he saw me hit a hook around a tree that landed on the green. The next hole he had a horrible lie in the rough with a bush in front of him. I told him to just punch out in the fairway but he opted to try and hit an impossible 20 yard hook around the bush with a 5 wood. Needless to say the ball came out straight and landed in the crap on the opposite side of the fairway. I think he ended up taking an 8 or 9 on that hole when he could have punched out and played for bogey. Good course management will save you a lot of strokes. If he had better course management he would be shooting in the 90's easily.

[MisterMizzy]

I currently play to an 8.5 index. I can honestly say that this strategy is not only best applied by beginners, but lower handicap players can benefit from it as well. Not necessarily laying up on Par 4s, but maybe playing the shorter Par 4s more conservatively. For instance, I played a 322 yard Par 4 the other day, which I tried to go for in one shot, and ultimately ended up in the sand right next to the green pin high. While I was able to get it out of the sand and two putt, I would have had better odds of getting it close by playing a full shot to the green from a comfortable yardage. Low handicaps can also benefit from playing Par 5s as Par 5s instead of trying to reach in 2 when the yardage tempts them. I've noticed just by taking a closer look at most courses that the landing area for a 225-250 yard shot, might be a lot wider than for a 300 yard shot. My new strategy is going to be to play the course the way the architect intended for it to be played. I plan to test the strategy next time out and see if I can't save a couple of strokes.

[pengster1970]

I think it is a great idea, though very difficult to implement, mainly due to the male ego, IMHO. Everyone is trying to make the hero shot and often results in the high score and poor mistakes. With a 4 index, I think bogey golf is not necessarily an easy target - i think it is more the mindset of managing your game, and not bringing doubles/triples onto your scorecard.

[kinneywhat]

I was a 21 handicap last year. I'm a 14.2 index now. Some things that have helped me greatly.....

 

-Accuracy off the tee. Slowed my swing down with my driver and I hit a ton more fairways now, which leads to a better second shot.

-Finding some humility within myself and realizing that, even though trees are 90% air, I should probably just punch out instead of going for the green every time.

-Improvement in my approach shots and chipping; smarter club selection.

-Picking a side to "miss" on. I've never been one to lay up intentionally unless hazards prevent a reasonably safe shot at the green. On longer shots, I'll either pick a side of the green to miss to, since my longer irons and hybrids can be a little eratic sometimes. At least then I'll miss to the safer side/end of the green.

 

I can see where he would suggest playing each hole as a stoke above par, to instill the mentality of playing safe. I guess I just play safe a little different. I go for the distance, but aim one way or another a little more, that way a miss to one side can still leave a descent change to get up and down for par.

 

Now if only I could get my putts down, I'd probably be able to get my handicap into single digits. I agree that most strokes could be shaved around the green...... I tend to average 36 putts per round myself. If I could get that down to 31-32, then I'd be very happy.

[webmstrk9]

mikpga - As you stated, playing the holes in +1 is a good practice as this is more mental than anything else. As Pelz found out in a recent survey he did at an amateur tourney using shotlink on 4 holes was that the 20+ cappers had a larger landing area, meaning, their ball would not be online with their intended target. Knowing this as a 20+ or whatever capper, you should understand that occasionally you'll strike it well, but more than not, you're offline quite a bit. So, the short game is the key for the high and low cappers.

 

BTW - this method does work, the person just needs to realize there is nothing wrong with bogey golf if the score has not been as such. Also

[mikpga]

Good stuff. Male egos are hard to work around. A recent student who played collegiate football, finally broke down and attempted this challenge. He had the ability to advance a 6 iron relatively straight between 150-160. He stuck with that shot off the tee and kept the ball in play and scored his best score ever with a 90 on the course he always play.

[packerfan1]

Ya, as a consistent (and honest) low-mid 90's scorer, my ego definitely costs me a few strokes a round...as does the occasional fat or thin shot.

 

My drives on par 4s and 5s are usually in the fairway or the fringe, or at least on the same hole (not the next fairway as it used to be that way with me), it is the long par 3s that kill me...we have a 213 (raised green) and 204 yarder from the white tees on my home course...and I rarely make par on either hole. If I would just take a 5 iron off the tee on either hole (150 yards for me) I would stand a chance of bogeying each hole with a chip and then putting in 2, rather than making a 5 or even a 6 on those holes. Ego again.

[akanacl]

A simple challenge I give to my students who are trying to get their scores down the low 90's and high 80's. Play all the par 3's as if they were a par 4. Play all the par 4's as if they were a par 5, and play all the par 5's as if they were a par 6. The problem with a lot of golfers is they simply don't want to play 3 conservative shots on a par 4 when they know they can reach it in two! Take this challenge and see what happens to your score!

A nice program came from my first instructor way back when. Play the entire round from 100 yards out. But Par was the target, not boogie. Its where I learned that wedge and putter makes par, irons and putter make birdie.

 

Also a good friend of mine is just starting the game from basically scratch. He's in his 40s, and in very good shape and a fair athlete. Probably about a 25 hdcp right now. The scorecard just kills the guy mentally. If he's laying 3 or 4 on a par four off the green he kinda gives up. See that all the time with high handicappers.

[ebenn]

To add to this discussion. I try to play the bogey game every round. My bogey is a par, mentally, and par is birdie. It really helps keep me in my game when I get ready to do something stupid. Last week I had a shot over water to a green that would have never have held my ball. I hit a safe seven iron to the middle of the fwy...wedge to the green, one put par. Not exciting but effective. And it felt good. Where I mess up my game is in my head. I can go par-par-birde and then 9! I did just this last weekend. I can't seem to keep it together for 18 holes.

 

Any advice? I am presently playing to a 17..but have been shooting mid ninetees or worse lately. There is nothing glaringly wrong with my game other than the usual big slice, missing fwys, and chunking approach shots etc. Things I feel like MENTALLY I can control Make sense?

 

Help!

 

(edited for spelling)

[MikeJohnson]

mikpga, that is a good story. I remember playing one day with my uncle and brother and I couldnt hit my driver for the life of me so I played 6 iron off the tee and from the fairway and then hit my wedge to 6 feet and made birdie. Both my brother and uncle made par going for the green in two. It was hard to pull out 6 iron off the tee on a par 5 but it paid off.

[Shandy G]

Here are some ways I have tried to bring my score down. First off, I just started playing again, my first round was a 120. I tried to evaluate what went wrong. I was hitting my driver awful. I practiced with it, but stopped using it during the game. I started using my 22* Hybrid, which ia a lot more consistent and carried around 210. Thats alone dropped my score by 10-15 strokes. I practice a lot of very short chipping, like from the fringe. I also make myself count to three on my backswing. I found that to be my biggest problem, which is getting out of rhythm and swingging too fast. I played today and one of the guys told me my swing looked like Freddy Couples. That was a huge compliment to me. Slow and steady. I also practice putting, and try to never 3 put. My last round was a 91, but 1 hole cost me shooting in the 80's. The biggest thing wrong with my game is, "ME" and mentally taking myself out of the game. I try very very hard on playing one shot at a time. No matter that situation. So I do like your program for people who have a lot to work on, and little time to do it. I on the other hand evaluate after each round what cost me the most, and then work all week on trying to fix it. So here's what works for me

* Stop using driver, unless you can consistenly hit it.

* Practice short game more than anything

* Try to not 3 put. This isn't as hard as it sounds.

* Take a deep breath and count to ten before hitting.

* Don't ever be afraid to lay up, leave your ego in your car.

* Forget your last hole (My hardest part)

* Stop thinking about the score, think about the shot.

[cyrick]

I was given similar advice a couple of years ago, and it did really help me improve my score. I am now at the next barrier (trying to consistently break 80). It appears most of my strokes are going to need to come off the short game.

 

When I was shooting mid to upper 90s, I was wasting a lot of strokes before I even got close. It seems strange, but if I was 175-200 out, back then I probably had a 20% of getting to the green (and a 50% chance of getting myself into trouble if I tried). 2 short irons could get me close to the hole though. It helped me to gain a lot of confidence from 150 in.

[sandwedge]

I like this idea and have done it on some longer par 4's that I know weren't reachable without a great drive. I have a pretty good short game but my high scores come from getting in trouble off the tee. I play some really tight courses with water on almost every hole and a bad tee shot often results in a penalty stoke being out of bounds or in the water. When I eliminate this by playing an iron off the tee I am usually able to get my 2nd shot to within 50 yards of the green. With a decent pitch I give myself a good chance at a par putt or bogey at worst. The only problem is that sometimes my ego gets in the way and I try to go for it when I know that my chances aren't that good. I think this strategy works well for high handicaps who have a decent short game and don't hit many greens in regulation anyway.

[golfmonke]

I would like to see you play for PAR first. And then after you get into trouble, should you make your priority making no worse than bogey. Bogey's don't ruin rounds, but 7's , 8's and others sure do!