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

[Obee]

Yesterday, my 80 - 140 game was dialed-in. Love these days:

1) 8i from 140 to 2 ft. (birdie)

2) PW from 114 to 3 ft. (birdie)

3) 9i from 132 to extreme back pin to 15 ft. (par)

4) PW from 116 to 6 ft. (par - missed the putt - tons of break)

9) PW from 120 to 15 ft. (par)

10) PW from 118 to 6 ft. (birdie)

14) LW from 74 to 9 ft. (par)

15) GW from 94 to 6 ft. (par - GRRRR!)

18) PW from 115 to 8 ft. (par - GRRR!)

 

[TIM929]

WOW! The ball was lit hot, nice shooting.

 

do you mark on your scorecard the yards/clubs, memorize, or use a made spreadsheet?

[Obee]

I have a stupid good memory for anything that interests me. I can recall ever shot from virtually every round, as long as I do it before I play another round. If I play 36 in a given day, for instance, I will have a hard time separating round one from round two, but if I only play one round, I can tell you with near exact detail every single shot I hit from the round up to a day or two afterwards.

[Hawkeye77]

And that my friends is also an indication of plus/scratch territory possibilities -- proximity and consistency.

[Philomathesq]

I don't know about consistency, by my wife always tells me that proximity is the key to getting it in the hole. ?

[dhc1]

First 9 holes of the year....

1. 120 yards, GIR, 2 putts from 21 ft

2. 180 yards, pitch from 15 yards to pin, 1 putt from 2 feet

3. 95 yards, 2 putt from fringe @ 12 feet

4. 100 yards, GIR, 2 putt from 12 feet

5. 100 yards, GIR, 3 putt(!) from 15 feet

6. 80 yards, GIR, 2 putt from 40 feet

7. 160 yards, GIR, 2 putt from 16 feet

8. 100 yard, 2 putt from fringe @ 14 feet

9. 70 yards, GIR, 2 putt from 14 feet

Not too upset other than the short 3 putt - haven't really worked on putting at all. My actual score from the regular tees however, was quite disappointing......

[Ty_Webb]

Hi David,

I watched the whole thing - awesome stuff. Missed the putt on 14 I think. No video, but your approach on 18 is there twice :)

Very impressive wedge game. My first impression was that you putted well and I think you were about +1.6 strokes gained on the first 9, but -1.1 overall, so lost 2.7 strokes on the back. Roughly speaking. I suspect you lost a little bit on your two chips, maybe 0.7 total, so -1.8 in full around the green. At 2.80 average to hole out, I think total strokes gained you were right around +0.4 (50.4-50), so you gained 2.2 strokes with your wedges. That's a LOT.

I would just add that the two greens you missed that led to the bogeys, you missed those in really bad spots. I very much hesitate to give any advice to someone as good as you are, but I think you might have saved yourself a couple of tenths of a shot if you had gone a little bit more conservative (a yard or so) with the pins close to the edges. 16 in particular I'm not sure you had any realistic shot there outside of holing a 10 footer. That may have been a shot (with the benefit of hindsight) where you were better off trying to make 3 (i.e. hit it 15 feet to the safe side and take your two putts (and occasionally hole out).

This was a fascinating exercise though. I'm dying to try it out myself, but I get on a golf course so infrequently I wouldn't want to not play a full game. One day maybe. 95 yards is my wheelhouse and I don't think I could do anywhere close to as good as you. It's funny though. It does go to show that good scores come from not making bogeys and making it up on the par fives. I'd love to watch the pros do this. Maybe you can get Rickie and co to do it at the Bears Club one day.

[dhc1]

As I think about my 9 holes, I had

6 GIRs (distances of 12, 14, 15, 16, 21, and 40 feet, average of 20 feet)2 from 2 inches off green but within 15 feet1 miss from 5 yards off green (but from 185 yards)No easy birdies unfortunately and no made mid-range putts out of 7.

[James the Hogan Fan]

Well, here we go. I only remembered this on the 4th hole and started from there. All distances between 90-105 yards

4. 60° to 6' and 2 putts, par 3

5. 56° to 25' and 3 putts, bogey 4

6. 56°, miss short, chip to 21 ft, 2 putts, 4

7. 60° to 21' and 2 putts, 3

8. 60° to 18', 2p, 3

9. Miss right, chip to 19', 2 putts, 4

10. 60° to 42' and 2 putts: 3

11. 60/46'/2p: 3

12. Pw (48) to sand from 110yd, sand, 2p, 4.

13. Forgot somehow to do it

14. 130yd 9i to 12', 2 putt 3

15. 60° flyer over green, skull back over into bunker, shank out of bunker onto green 32', 2 putts, 5

16. 60° miss short, chip to 12', 2 putts, 4

17. See 16, but with a sand component, 4

18. 56° to 50' 2 putts, 3.

So on 14 of 18 holes, par for this challenge was 42. I shot 50. There is nothing to indicate I would have done any different on the other holes, so had there been 18/par 54, 62-67 seems about right.

Thoughts: my course has greens that are pretty small in 1 direction and large in another, with lots of elevation. Its 74.5/146 from the tips, but only 6900 yards. Greens are hard and fast, with lots of slope. I had no one-putts during the challenge.

If you miss greens here you must be razor sharp with chipping. Basically you're short-sided wherever you miss, yay! And I have never been that great at lofted shots near the green that need to get down quickly. Last year I played all my golf at a links course and chipped with an 8 iron + putter. Here, with 1-2" rough up to the collar, that's not happening. I'm going to work on this, and also ordered a 64° wedge to see if that'll help at all.

All in all the bright spot was putting. Sure no birdies on the 2 opportunities inside 20', but only a single 3 putt, and some lags from 40-60 ft land to 2-4'. As I play this course more (this was round 7 for me here), I'll only get better.

[trilerian]

Said I would try it, so here it is... I played a round dropping an extra ball at approximately 95yds on each hole. My goal was to shoot 59, I shot 60.

54* to 27', 2 putts for a 3.54* hit slightly heavy, left 10 yds short of green. Knocked a 58* in for a 2.58* to right rough 5 yds out. 58* to 12', 2 putt for a 4.54* to 18', 2 putt for a 3. 54* to a back pin, tried to flight it low, caught it thin and over the green. Short sided and under a tree on the way back. 54* to 15', 2 putts for a 4.Par 3 over the river. Should have played from the women's tee. From the men's, 165 yds. Wind with me, over drew an 8i to the left rough. 58* to 4', 1 putt for a 3. Also played a 58* from 60 yds out of the rough, hit it to 20', 2 putt for a 3. I guess take your pick. 54* into a stiff wind, barely made the front of the green. 50' to the pin. 2 putt for a 3.44* PW to a back pin into a stiff wind, 2/3 swing trying to flight it low. Checked up on the front of the green. 36' to the cup, 2 putt for a 3. 54* shanked off the hosel to the right. Have 50 yds left and have to keep it under 10' due to trees. Chipped a 7i, got too high, caught in trees. Chipped a 7i again to 15'. 2 putt for a 5. Ugh!54* to the front of the green, 36' to the cup, 2 putt for a 3.49* to 22', 2 putt for a 3.58* short right, left it about 20 yds short. 58* again from the rough to 10', 2 putt for a 4.54* to 34', 2 putt for a 3.49* to 50', 2 putt for a 3.From women's tee, 120 yds to front flag. 2/3 PW to 15', 2 putt for a 3.54* hit heavy, ball goes 50 yds. Hit 58* from heavy rough to 22', 2 putt for a 449* from women's tee, 120 yds to flag. Got tangled in leaves, left it 5 yds short of the front. 54* to 6', 1 putt for a 3.54* to the left fringe. 20' to cup, rolled the edge. 1 putt for a 3.

This was very enjoyable and provided a pretty good distraction for my normal ball. I will say by the end of the round I was a bit tired. I was really hoping to break 60, oh well. Looks like I need to work on my wedges a bit more!

[Ty_Webb]

And your adding up. That's 59...

[MountainGoat]

Today's humiliation involved the par-5 17th hole. Next to the 100 yard marker in two. Front pin; 95ish yards...GW. I chalked up a smooth 10. So, that's 8 in from 95. Multiply that by 18, and I would have shot a tidy 144.

[trilerian]

How about that! That’s what I get for adding in my head while typing.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

Wow! I’m happy just to get your 15 foot approaches! I can count on 1 finger the number of holes per round I’m under 5 feet, and those are typically shorter par 5s. Lol

Nice work!

[dhc1]

what would everyone score if they dropped at the following:

85% of Lob wedge distance (so not a full swing)immediately between lob and attack wedge distance In other words, how would you score when between clubs and/or requiring an abbreviated swing?

[Hawkeye77]

Closer would be interesting as well, but that's not this thread. I don't think the intent is to suggest 95 yards is a full swing, just whatever swing you put on the club you use from 95 depending on conditions.

[dhc1]

Fair enough. I was struggling with shorter shot between clubs and thought it would also be a good exercise

[Obee]

I actually love that idea. I will do it next. I do know there are many players who absolutely butcher that distance.

50 to 60 yards is even worse for lots of players.

i'm actually going to do 60 yards. Will start a new thread.

[BB28403]

At 95 with the same club isn’t there a possibility of a lower score than in the poll?

say you hole 1-2 from 95? Not out of the question right ? So that’s 2 strokes if you make 2.

Then you make 9 1 putts. That’s 18 strokes

18 +2 thru 10 holes = 20

Then say we take 3 shots for the other 8 holes = 24

24 + 20 = 44 strokes.

am I missing something? Only had the 1 cup of coffee so far.

[Hawkeye77]

Totally agree it's a great exercise! I was doing it from 60 yards all spring while waiting for the ability to hit from 95 - had my first full fledged two bucket range, short game and putting practice session this morning for 2020 and soreness but no pain (there's a big difference).

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

Didn’t do the on course exercise directly, but had 8 shots within 100 yards the other day.

Of those 8, I was well within 3 shots. Two birdies, one bogey and the rest par for a comfortable 2.875 strokes.

6 of the shots were about 100 yards with the other two 75 and 120 yards. Excellent driving day.

[Forged4ever]

“Useless exercise in my opinion”


So says the 7~ capper???

Ah f**********ck, I adore this place??

Great thread Obes?

I did this back during my first cancer treatments when I rode around with Maddie & my Bro while they Played regular. This was prior to my strokes, so while I was drained physically, I at least had a swing, some touch and didn’t look like I was mid-seizure through impact, lol

She has my golf notebooks with the scores in em as she and Pete’s daughter are presently writing a book with Pete/Sam’s instructional thoughts so I’ll have her find my score and post it up. I was either -3 or -4, I forget.

I do agree with you and @cardoustie regarding guys overestimating the ease of this lil “worthless excercise,” ??. It ain’t as easy as it sounds, especially if you don’t cherry drop?, and have 2-3 guys/gals and make it competitive.

FWIW, when Sam was in town back in the late 1980’s-early 90’s, some early evenings it’d be Sam, Pete, an Asst from the club and myself and we’d ride hole to hole, and we got to take one club, I took my PW, and we’d rotate guys pickin a spot at 100yds, droppin the ball and hittin, and first man in wins .25/man, lol. Seriously, Sam was cheap as sh*t, lol. Winner picked the next shot. There’s nothin to work on your concentration like havin Sam standing 3’ away from ya watching you with the guy who taught him how to swing standing next to him, lolol. The Asst Pro was insignificant??

I never looked at those as “worthless exercises,” lolol

But as a +3.4 at the time(1992-1996), WTF did I know??‍♂️??

Stay Well Brother?
RP

[HiTrajLoSpin]

I did give an alternate option that I thought would be better "in my opinion", but you've chosen to disregard that because I'm just a 7 capper.

[Justsomeguy]

Under.

[nikegal]

Actually, I believe that Richard chose to disregard it because he did not feel an alternate option was necessary as our teacher, Pete Snead, along with his other student and younger brother Sam, used the 18 hole, 100 yards/one club drop drill, which they called the “101 drill,” with us and all of his students, and I have used the same drill for my students for the past 25+ years. I am his fiancée so I’m familiar with his thinking and I know of his respect for David, and not to dismiss a 7~ handicapper, though David is one of the top senior amateurs in the Southern California area and prior to Richard’s health issues, he was a four-time club champion of an extremely competitive Players’ club in town and his last victory prior to getting sick was in the top amateur match-play tournament in south western Pennsylvania, at the age of 52yo, 28 years older than his finals opponent(a 3-time Oakmont club champion). So I believe that his respect for David combined with the fact that the 101 drill was good enough for Pete and Sam Snead, along with Richard and I, not to mention Pete’s former students’ Nathan Smith and Sean Knapp, makes it a super drill for a competitive Player, especially a plus Player. There are a lot of victories tied to the “101 drill,” hahaha :)

 

Regarding Richard’s score when he last played the 101 drill, well, his memory is shot because while he was -4 with two holes to go, and his brother and I were impressed as he had not played in over 2 months, was into his chemo therapy and had had his latest session the day before and while we played our regular game, Richard was hitting his PW(48*) beautifully, and actually missed 2-3 putts that just burnt the edges, and he was not outside of 22’ on a single green through 16, and then he died, coming off his wedge on 17, leaving him just onto the frog hair and 41’ away, which he then 3-putted, which I could not remember his last 3-putt. That put him at ~3 and then he came over his wedge on 18, leaving him about 37-38’ to the pin, and again, he 3-putted. Richard had not had two consecutive 3-putts in the last three seasons of our competing together as mixed BB partners, nor in any tournament that he had played during that time, and he would not bring this up but his oncologist had told him not to hit more than 12-15 balls, and that included putts. As usual, Richard did not think that that applied to him. He will tell you that he was not mentally strong enough that day, but he was sweating on a cool autumn afternoon like it was 90* out. He finished with a 52(~2) which I believe is a 2.89. My last 101 drill score was a 50(2.78). Take care David. I hope that your back is well and you have a healthy season ? Madison

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

I think this illustrates something we all have to improve.

Golf is a really difficult game, because there is so much that needs to come together.

[HiTrajLoSpin]

Madison, thanks for your thoughtful response. David and Richard have forgotten more about golf than I will ever learn. However, sometimes long held beliefs need to be questioned (the ball flight laws pre-Trackman are an example). Having never heard of the 101 drill, my first thought was "does that accurately reflect someone's scoring ability for an actual round of golf?" Thanks for giving me the background and some context for the drill.

[Mitchell]

[Forged4ever]

Good Morning HT?

 

Maybe David though definitely not I, lol. I can’t remember what I had for dinner this past Friday and even back in the day, my memory was suspect, lol. That’s why I started keeping the golf notebooks with Pete in 1976, and then for all of my golf experiences, from practice to tournament rounds to friendly sh*ts & giggle rounds with everyone from Sam to other Pros to Maddie and my Buds.

 

Regarding the drills, that was actually the great thing that I liked about Pete’s teachings and drills, and that was that he had two types, “mechanical” and “competitive,” with both being designed to help you swing without thinking and ingraining that particular thought into your subconscious mind , which is critical for performing under the gun and pressures of competitive golf.

 

The former drills, mechanical, were designed to help one ingrain hand, club and body positions into your subconscious mind and the latter, “competitive” drills, where the 101 drop drill would fall, would be performed while trying to emulate the competitive environment as closely as possible, one, by being done on the course, shooting at a pin on an actual green and secondly, we always tried to have at least one other Player involved and Playing for something, even though the .25/man involved when Sam participated(it was $1/man w/Pete, lol) wasn’t big money, lolol.

 

Your drills sound great! I’m a friggin dinosaur?, am slow to accept change, and besides, since my strokes(2), I refuse to play 101 with either Maddie, my Bro, Nathan or any of my Buds, cuz of my present physical limitations and the fact that due to the tremors, it’s difficult to swing the same way twice, lol. Plus, after spending 32+ years with Pete, and he was their for everything from my first Club to arranging for Madison & I as BB Partners to “allowing” me to ask her out, so I get defensive when anyone questions him, his swing thoughts or drills, lol. Much more so than Madison, lol. She’s the mature one, lol. I’m the same with friends such as David.

 

Thanks for your Classy response and I wish you the best this season?

 

Cheers?

RP

[HiTrajLoSpin]

Hi Richard and David,

One of my buddies likes to say: “good judgment comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgment”. Well, I know from experience that it’s usually a good idea not to immediately post comments, but instead wait awhile and then reread them before actually hitting Submit. Instead however, my own dinosaur brain decided to immediately submit the “useless exercise” comment, which accordingly now falls in the “it seemed like a good idea at the time” category (another of his sayings). 

Obviously, a more appropriate response would have been: “I’m having trouble understanding how that exercise would accurately reflect someone’s scoring ability for an actual round; please help me better understand”. In any case, I hope that you and David can accept my apology; now excuse me while I try to extract my foot from my mouth .