What Would You Shoot if You Dropped a Ball at 95 Yards COF on Every Hole at Your Home Course?

[Obee]

Another thread where we were discussing "strokes gained" and other statistical data got me thinking about this. Tour average from 95 yards in the fairway to get down is 2.8 strokes, so they would average 50 to 51 (3 to 4 under par) for 18 holes. Doesn't seem that low when you think about it. What would you score from 95 yards, center of the fairway, (or tee box on par 3's, but no teeing up the ball) if you did that? And what is your handicap?

Obviously lots of factors here related to conditions and green complex difficulty, pin positions, and putting ability(!) but it's a fun little diversion. Another way to think about this is to think of the times you've played an executive course where the holes are all 80 to 120 yards.

I'm going to do this exercise at my home course over the weekend. I will drop the ball at 95 yards and play in from there. If you are going to do this exercise, please drop the ball in the fairway, do not place. Also, please record your distance to the hole after your shot and whether you hit the green or fringe or missed the green. So: GIR, 11 ft. or something like that. And if you can't/won't do 18, do at least 9 holes.

[nitram]

I'm your huckleberry Obee.

-0.6 here and I've actually done this a few times around the early part of the year to get in the groove so to speak. There are days where I could get up and down on 9 holes and there have been days where I couldn't do it at all. What it reveals to me is two fold. Being in the fairway is important to scoring well although this goes against most modern golf strategy. Secondly, putting well from inside 12 ft. is critical. Not so much that you make every one of them but more so that you eliminate the 3-jack. Great poll and topic brother.

[QuigleyDU]

hitting 2 from 95 yards on every hole? Including par 5s?

I would probably shoot par or a couple under..

[Obee]

Keep in mind, the poll is really asking: For one round, at your course, what would you shoot. I'm hoping people will actually document and we'll see what happens.

I'm going to vote that I will shoot 49 - 51 when I do the exercise. Doesn't mean that I would average that over an entire year, but that's what I'm going to put down as my vote. I'm then going to actually video document and we'll see how it goes. :-)

 

[SNIPERBBB]

Probably about even. There's some awkward downhill, uphill, sidehill lies on my course and some really skinny greens. One particular green you have to hit a perfect shot to get even a wedge to hold. Plus it has a severe sidehill lie at that yardage that makes it hard to not miss left which is just dead.

 

Been playing senior tees for our money game and other than par 5s, I'm basically doing this in real life now. The pars aren't much longer, anywhere from 110-130 out on all of em except for #1 which gives me a 200 yard approach still...too wet. Been 73-76 for three rounds this way. Bad drives lead to penalties or chunk outs

[Philomathesq]

I've got a near automatic 100 yard shot with my 58* that I can replicate over and over and I know I can make 95 yards work. Assuming I two putt everything (which, with my putting, is about right), I think I'd be right about 54. Chances are I'd get lucky on a few holes and one putt, and be my normal self and three putt a few holes.

[dcmidnight]

I'm a 7 and going to vote 52-54. Choking down on my 50* is my 98 yard shot and it will usually sit right there. I love that wedge and its a great shot for me to hit.

So shooting even/54 would mean say up and down 4 times, on and two puts 10 times and 4 times taking a 4?

 

I'd be comfortable with that.

[scooterhd2]

Im guessing averaging about 3.25 as putting is the weakest part of my game right now. I'll see as many 3 putts as 1 putts, so 2 strokes on the green seems about right. Wont get on in one every single time.

[LeoLeo99]

You're hitting 1 from 95 yards.

 

 

[cardoustie]

par is 54

All shots will be with a 54 or 59 degree wedge. Trying to think how many greens I'd miss???

I'm mostly going to shoot -1 to +1 at a stock 72 / 120 rated course.

At my club .. 4 over … the greens are small. tilted and fast, can't be pin high or long or up and down requires Mickelson level magic

I know when I play small par 3 courses like Cane Patch in Myrtle Beach I am always under par

 

[Hawkeye77]

I hope to know soon. With my elbow recovery coming along a bit I'm now right at a comfort level of 50 yards out with my 54 degree wedge just as of last weekend. I'd say I'm around the pro average from 95 when I hit from 50 right now, lol, just a little sore and definitely rusty. Gradually working from the hole backward and not hitting "full" shots with either of the wedges I can use right now. When I can hit from 95 I'll be so excited I will definitely keep track. Meantime, getting the practice I can tolerate from 50 and in and trying to get out every day, so I have high hopes for my short game!

[BiggErn]

Assuming I’m hitting 2 from 95 yards probably 4-6 under.

[ThinkingPlus]

I am currently around +1 (women's). I think I misunderstood the question. I put down 64 - 66 assuming that our shot from 95 yards was to get on in regulation. You meant that starting par was essentially 54 and we are playing 18 - 95 yard holes. Stupid me, will re-vote.

Can't re-vote, but mine would be 49 - 51. My average score at my course is around 74 and I don't get on par 5s in two for easy birds (layout makes that really hard despite the short holes). I shouldn't have more than a bogey a round. Should be able to scrape up 4 or 5 birds. Maybe being too optimistic.

 

[cardoustie]

What is the PGA proximity avg from 100 yards ?

I looked at Bay Hill and 76th in the field was 17 feet .. and that is for under 100 yards. These are +5 cappers

You have to think even a scratch might miss 3 greens

I feel like people are thinking they will go lower than actual

[juststeve]

Looks like Obee is asking about 18 95 yard par threes back to back... We have some tough green complexes at my home course so from 95 yards 18 times I would be pleased with any average under 3 shots per hole. So perhaps 50 to 54 total strokes.

 

Steve

[Barfolomew]

Obee this is the 64 million dollar question!

 

Cause everyone wants to hit it further with driver but they need to focus on 100 yards and in as you still aint gonna shoot under par if you can't get up and down from 95 yards lol.... and 95 yards from the short stuff is a gift!

 

I once heard Daly say its from a 100 yards and in.... made a big impact on me because if anyone knows the value of distance vs short game skills its him.... If guys like Luke Donald said it would mean very little in comparison lol

 

[SNIPERBBB]

I think if you look at our money game right now a playing senior/ladies tees at 5100 yards and compare scores from last summer played at 5900 to 6200. Scores arent much different except for the one or two guys that are wedge masters.

 

Of course right now are course is pretty soggy and the greens werent receptive

[Ri_Redneck]

I'm basing my vote on the condition that the greens are relatively flat. You throw in some serious undulations and it would be different. Hcp is 8.

BT

[Obee]

Please reply if you are going to actually attempt this at your course. I put this in the Instruction & Academy section on purpose, as I would like this to evolve into a discussion about better wedge play once we get a bit of data.

Like one of the posters earlier, I do believe that most people overestimate their ability to score from wedge distance. Many (especially relatively good players) tend to completely forget the times they fat one into a deep bunker; pull one to 45 feet and then 3-jack; Come up short (or go long) in moderate to deep rough and fail to get up and down, etc.

Should be an interesting exercise.

[Obee]

I'm actually going to do this late today after work. Taking the wife, who will video. I will give a quick commentary on where the pin is before every shot.

[dcmidnight]

I plan on doing this in the next week, will probably have to do it at the end of the day and may have to break it up over two days.

[dmecca2]

I would guess the repetitive nature of this challenge would make it easier for better players. While I may not average this well over the course of a year, I'm thinking I could get at least 6 or 7 up and down out of 18 with no bogeys.

[SNIPERBBB]

I will be trying this when I can play and the course is empty

[b.mattay]

With the way this exercise is laid out, definitely more than 4 under. Getting to hit the same shot 18 times in a row is like a range session! Will try it when courses open (which is probably 2 months away here).

[SNIPERBBB]

 

That's the thing ..it's not the same shot unless you play an ultra boring and flat course

[Obee]

I think you will be surprised. It's not as easy as you think, because even though the distance is the same, wind, pin position, lie, etc. are NOT always the same. If possible, try not to necessarily look for the flattest spot on the fairway, almost a "random" spot (could be slightly uphill, downhill, sidehill, etc.) Try to approximate reality and definitely drop the ball, do not place.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

Rules clarification for the challenge...our par 3s don't have fairways, just thick rough? I think the shortest ladies tee to a par 3 is 110 middle

[HiTrajLoSpin]

Useless exercise, in my opinion, because you're using the same club on every approach shot. Therefore, it doesn't come close to testing how someone would score if given their optimum approach position on every hole. It would be more meaningful to: 1) par 3s, tee off using a different club each time (must be 9-iron or more) from a distance corresponding to the selected club , 2) par 4s, place the ball in the fairway where you would hit your optimum drive, 3) par 5s, place the ball in the fairway where you would hit your optimum drive and layup shot (must be at least, say 75 yards, from the center of the green).

[dhc1]

Interesting.

What i used to do every year was to play the course at exactly 1/2 the member's distance on the card (so for a 6400 course, we'd have 3200 yards). Each hole, we'd tee it up at half the distance: 450 yard hole number one, we'd tee up at 225.

I just missed breaking par (71) as I took a max 7 on a short par three where i spun three balls off the green into a yellow hazard.....

I voted 55 - will try later this as well.

[SNIPERBBB]

You would not necessarily use the same club on each shot unless youre playing a flat course and all pins in the middle. Plus the point of the excercise is to see how well you can score from 95 yards. Not the optimum approach. I can tell you that at my course, theres a lot of spots where 95 yards is no mans land because your either tempting water to get to that spot or the sidehill/downhill lie gives huge skullage/chunkage/pullage possibilities.