What's it Going to Take?
 

it wasn't until the end of last summer that i consistently started scoring rounds in the upper 70's. it was a major milestone for me and my golf game and something that i have worked towards since really getting into golf about 6 years ago. once i finally broke 80 it seemed like i could/would shoot in the 70's every 4 out of 5 rounds. i feel as though my ball striking is better than it's ever been and i now have confidence in a driver that i've never had before.

i was reading a post about having lessons and JB mentioned that it wasn't until he had a lesson that he really started to score. i think that's a lot of my problem. i can hit fwys and i can hit greens but i just can't score. i don't have the budget for lessons right now but i am also ready to start moving my scores consistently into the mid-lower 70's. my last 5 rounds have been: 79,76,77,77,79. i'm pleased with that don't get me wrong but i'm capable of going lower.

i was reflecting on my round yesterday where i hit 11/14 fwys and 11 or 12 greens, yet i managed only 3 birdies. my first thoughts are that i need to work on my putting, which believe me, i have. so i guess my next thought would be that i'm not using the best putter for me. how important is a putter fitting? what would you do if you were limited in the amount of putters/brands you could demo? what can i be doing to help myself take my scores to the mid-low 70's?

Could it also be that despite hitting greens, you are not really hitting them in the scoring zone? And if you got 3 birdies, that is still fairly strong, so before you look at the scoring, look at the holes that did not fare well. Was it course management?

for yesterday's round, yes it was. i absolutely butchered 2 of the par 5's b/c i was too aggressive. the funny thing is, i actually thought about the laying up to a number thread, haha. i was just hitting ball well yesterday. even in my attempts to go for it i just left myself in spots that you couldn't. it's never good when you double bogey 2 of the par 5's.

but i also know that i'm not the most confident with my current putter. i've worked on tons of speed drills that andy's recommended and i have no doubt that i'm leaving strokes on the green, which sucks.

i've only ever really had an anser style putter and i think i might want to experiment with others. i guess i need to demo, demo, demo, but that's tough due to availability around here.

Its funny you mention that because I played to a number all weekend pretty much and had nothing worse than a par on any par 5s.

I still go back to approach shots being the answer for me usually missing putts. I can hit a lot of greens in regulation, but if I am 25 feet on average, then it does not lead to too much scoring for me.

thanks JB. i'll make a vow to play to a number on all 5's next time i'm out. perhaps that's the biggest difference. my proximity to the hole is not something that i really look hard enough at either. if i can, i'll go at a pin but for the most part i aim for the middle of the green

That was something that I really took for granted a lot up until this last year. I would always go pin hunting rather than try and find a good spot.

This is a great discussion. I shot a 79 back in December and have scored in the low 80's for the past few months but haven't broken 80 this year. TC, what did it take for you to consistently get in the high 70's and break the 80's barrier?

short game, 50 yards and in. i now think that if i've missed a gir that i'm ok. my wedges are my best friends on the golf course. i worked hard on hitting all types of shots. i'm not counfound to one club for greenside shots anymore and that's made the biggest difference.

Maybe at the outing my wedges can talk with your wedges cause mine hate me. Maybe cause I keep wanting to wrap them around a tree. Hmmmmm could be!!!

From what I gather from the discussion is its all about fairways and greens of course. I was chatting with Andy that my weakness is I need to be more accurate in the 110 to 90 yd range. He said take a PW instead of a Gap and swing nice and easy. JB playing the par 5's to a number is a great strategy instead always trying to go for it. My issue is I go for broke and then duff the shot leaving me in bad position.

Also, I heard Haney last night telling Romano. If you want to break 80 there are a few things. No wasted shots, no penalty strokes, no three putts, no double chips.

Great stuff TC and JB.

JB is right about the scoring zone. Picture a large green, if you are looking at a 40' putt and trying to two putt, how is that going to work out? In that case your almost better to be off the green and chipping.

TC: Out of those 11 greens you hit, how many were 3 putts? How were your up and downs as well?

Because I am not long off the tee, many times I do not have a chance at a lot of birdies. its harder hitting 6 iron in than wedge. But I rarely get a penalty stroke even on our water covered FL courses. Playing to a number has really meant for me more birdies because I work hard on my wedge game and usually try to be within 8 feet with my wedges. It has changed my game from going for it.

I even laid up on a long par 4 this weekend to the 85 yard marker. Hit my wedge within 5 feet (missed the putt by the way).

Course management has changed the way I play golf and my scores have started to come down.

3 3 putts dent. got up and down 4 times. the saddest part, all 3 3 putts were from inside 30 feet, ugh!

That is a bit of an issue right there, an easy example if you had 2 putted all of those you would have saved 3 strokes right there, throw in the odd 30' one putt and you have 4 strokes saved. I'm sure you count your total number of putts at the end of the round. If you are putting mid-high 30's in a 70's round, there is a problem.

What is that? I don't think I have had one of those this year! Putting is usually my downfall also. Any coincidence that my lowest scores are the same rounds when I make the most putts? Nope none at all. Over 2 rounds on the weekend I had 37 putts and 39 putts (YUCK)

I understand exactly where you are coming from in all of this TC. I shoot upper 70's, lower 80's consistently and I have a terrible short game. I try to work on it, but all of the practice I put in on the chipping greens never seems to translate. Unfortunately, I should have a ton of chances at birdie, as I am never more than an 8 iron out from the green on my approach shot at my home course, other than on one par 5 which needs a full 3 wood after my drive. I see no reason why I shouldn't be playing par / birdie golf, but I guess that's just the way this game is.

i know man. i only had 31 putts yesterday, which is ok. i think i need to be around 27-29 putts per round on avg to get close to where i want to be. throwing away four strokes on two par 5's is probably what killed my round yesterday.


i still have to ask the question: how important is finding the right putter? what would you recommend as far as demo'ing putters when they aren't really available to you? (these questions aren't directly aimed at dent)

While I'm nowhere near the 70s, are you sure it's the putter? If it's taking you 3 putts from 30' occasionally, and you rarely sink a 30 footer, perhaps your green reading abilities need to be homed in on? Or do you definitely know that you are pushing or pulling those longer putts? Or missing the 4 footer?

As far as demoing, I tried about 30-40 putters before I settled on mine, and I wouldn't have guessed in a million years it would be the one that worked for me. My local shop has probably a selection of about 100 putters though, all different, from almost all of the major companies.

You know my feelings on putters. I would say that buying a putter you absolutely love and feel confidant over will cause you to hit putts you would normally miss. You should come down next weekend for a few rounds and we can go to the PGA Store.