We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Changing my whole approach to a round of golf.

You think for the high handicapper the chances of you smashing a 3wood 170+ straight and onto the green are 5% at best. Very good chance you are going to spay it miles left or right, find a bunker of just fluff it all together. When the chance does present itself and you feel confident with not much trouble about fair enough have a pop but if go for glory every time more often then not its not going to work.
 
Since I started playing conservative, it's amazing how much money I've saved on lost golf balls!

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4
 
dietDrThunder said:
I went back to the bag, got my 8 iron, and took advantage of my very high pitching comfort level, hitting a nice 3/4 pitch swing about 105, leaving me right in the middle, and 35 to go to the front/middle of the green (the safe spot to land it). I chipped up and the ball released nicely, settling about 12 feet from the hole, and I 2-putted for bogie. This stood out in stark contrast to my typical approach, which is to hit my tee shot into the marsh, then hit another one into the creek bed, where I'm looking to get up and down from a terrible lie and a very difficult shot in its own right, for double. This typically ends up as 6...if I double I feel like I escaped.

Bogie is better!

EDIT: I'm talking about the 3rd at Champion's Run, if anyone cares...
Click to expand...

. I have advocated for smarter, safer, etc.. type of play in this thread and in others too and I am all for the logic of it all and do it often. But as I also said I think a happy medium needs to be reached and this may be one of those places to me. Given similar very high risk with a fw or even a long iron (3 or4 perhaps) I would "probably" also lay up and play it to my strengths and what the hole offers me. But from 150? would be a shot on the green that I feel I should be making or should be at least close enough to avoid big trouble. I wont always be successful at it of course but none the less should be attempting to make it.

I know we are all different with our yardages and strengths and weaknesses and over all ability. But one can take this good logic too far. To exaggerate the point, I can probably play just a 6iron, a pw, and putter with nothing else and play my most steady and consistent golf and perhaps even obtain a new PB but what good or fun would that be for me? Limiting mistakes and higher risks and playing a safer/smarter game is a good thing imo but should be a point where as we still must learn, develop and grow.
 
rollin said:
. I have advocated for smarter, safer, etc.. type of play in this thread and in others too and I am all for the logic of it all and do it often. But as I also said I think a happy medium needs to be reached and this may be one of those places to me. Given similar very high risk with a fw or even a long iron (3 or4 perhaps) I would "probably" also lay up and play it to my strengths and what the hole offers me. But from 150? would be a shot on the green that I feel I should be making or should be at least close enough to avoid big trouble. I wont always be successful at it of course but none the less should be attempting to make it.

I know we are all different with our yardages and strengths and weaknesses and over all ability. But one can take this good logic too far. To exaggerate the point, I can probably play just a 6iron, a pw, and putter with nothing else and play my most steady and consistent golf and perhaps even obtain a new PB but what good or fun would that be for me? Limiting mistakes and higher risks and playing a safer/smarter game is a good thing imo but should be a point where as we still must learn, develop and grow.
Click to expand...

The problem on that hole isn't the distance, it's the requirement of pretty much either sticking it in the center of the green, or be in significant trouble. These are pretty much the only two options. I can learn, develop, and grow on the other 17 holes where it isn't such a requirement to hit a perfect tee shot, or pretty much be guaranteed at least double.
 
caribbeanknight said:
I'm curious to see how this works out for you. I have tried this approach to the game before and inevitably I end up shanking the second shot a time or two during the round and end up worse than if I had just gone after the green. Nothing upsets me more than playing it safe and screwing up the "safe" shot.
Click to expand...

While there may be times where you hit the safe shot poorly, it's called a safe shot for a reason. Your odds are dramatically better of hitting it well. Additionally, the damage on a mishit is typically drastically less. With a long club in your hand, you might have under a 20% chance of hitting the green, and if you mishit it, it might go 30 or 40 yards offline. So while occasionally you might get lucky and beat the odds, that's going to be a rare thing.
 
I know we are all different with our yardages and strengths and weaknesses and over all ability. But one can take this good logic too far. To exaggerate the point, I can probably play just a 6iron, a pw, and putter with nothing else and play my most steady and consistent golf and perhaps even obtain a new PB but what good or fun would that be for me? Limiting mistakes and higher risks and playing a safer/smarter game is a good thing imo but should be a point where as we still must learn, develop and grow.
Click to expand...


It all depends on your goals.

If you want to score as low as possible, you'll take the safe route, and save your "development and growth" for the holes that present the opportunity with little risk.

If you want to "develop and grow" despite any adverse impact on your score, you'll play the way you want to play even when the odds are against you.

Neither approach is wrong - one just has to be willing to accept the pluses and minuses of each.
 
dietDrThunder said:
The problem on that hole isn't the distance, it's the requirement of pretty much either sticking it in the center of the green, or be in significant trouble. These are pretty much the only two options. I can learn, develop, and grow on the other 17 holes where it isn't such a requirement to hit a perfect tee shot, or pretty much be guaranteed at least double.
Click to expand...

Understood. My comments towards the situation was more a generalization and probably not fair for this since I don't know the exact hole in specific as you do. I hope it wasn't read as a dictating comment because that wasn't my intent. What you say above I think makes a lot of sense.

wadesworld said:
It all depends on your goals.

If you want to score as low as possible, you'll take the safe route, and save your "development and growth" for the holes that present the opportunity with little risk.

If you want to "develop and grow" despite any adverse impact on your score, you'll play the way you want to play even when the odds are against you.

Neither approach is wrong - one just has to be willing to accept the pluses and minuses of each.[/COLOR]
Click to expand...

well said imo and I do believe as said that enough opportunities to take shots will pop up enough times to develop and grow while playing the safer more humble route. Nothing wrong either way one wishes to play. To each his own. But imo I think there are more people who don't realize how much happier they would be in the end if they began to take the safer or smarter routes if they just tried it more often.
 
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this. I have played 3 rounds of 9 holes using my new approach. It has been interesting to say the least. My first 9 holes was just nasty LoL my putter had gone on strike and I 3 putted almost half the 9 I played. The next two rounds were much better. I kept my head in the game and scored under 50 on both of the last two 9 hole rounds. Playing better approach shots on the par fives actually allowed me to get on two of the three greens in regulation which is a surprise seeing as my whole playing for bogie thing said I should be doing differently.

The two par fives that I made in regulation are normally total blow outs for me. Using my new thinking on the second shot I left the three wood in the bag and took out my 3 hybrid. On both holes I was able to get my 3h out around 125 yards or so to the green. Which is in my comfort zone to go for the green. Amazing what such a little change can do for ones score LoL.
 
I need to do this. I have my impact lesson coming up from the PGA TA set and a fitter helping my out on the range the next day. Probably will break out the Sunday bag, drop in a 5W, 6i, 9i, 56* and my PW and play nine and see how that goes. Maybe only bring my PW and putter when I go to my par 3 course.
 
I started this approach only somewhat recently (about this time last season). I have been playing league and now "AmTour" type events regularly and had most of my success with this philosophy. I went from 50/50 breaking 100 to consistenly shooting in the low/mid 80s (coupled with a swing change).

All in all though this approach coupled with "taking chances" or playing the round/course as it comes should not be ignored.

Agent Jay said:
If you ever get a chance, you should try using just three or four clubs for the entire round. If you really want to see the course in a different way. I have done this before for the challenge as well as the factor of laying up and seeing shots from different spots/farther back. I used a 5 iron off the tee, PW and putter and that was it. You'd be surprised how well you play doing this.
Click to expand...

We are forced to play this route twice a year on one of my leagues. Its good and bad. I usually play 6i/SW/putter because the putter counts as one club. I find myself trying to be much more creative with the 6iron and have had a lot fun in doing so. But my score is never improved vs my full bag rounds. Sometimes they're not far off though, but never been more successful that way.

whiteballs said:
As a high handicap and newer to golf I've really been telling myself to do this more often. I tend to talk myself into taking the high risk/high reward approach thinking theres a chance I can screw up the safe play anyways and I'd pretty much be in the same spot at worst..... really should leave the fairway woods at home one day and see how I score lol
Click to expand...

I'm still living in this boat, but when you are presented with the opportunity MORE you will find yourself executing it more.
 
Interesting thread.........several time a season I will play from the forward tees with my wife, who happens to be my favorite golf "buddy". She can drive her ball 160-170 yards and her iron play is improving as her confidence in her swing improves.

From the forward tees I do not use any woods or hybrids, just 5i-SW and putter. This is a great way for me to focus on my iron game with out clogging my head with trying to hit the 300yd drive or a 195yd approach shot into the green.

It is a great way to practice the lay up shots and the 60yd pitch/chip shots into the green under "real game conditions" and have a lot of fun.
 
rollin said:
Understood. My comments towards the situation was more a generalization and probably not fair for this since I don't know the exact hole in specific as you do. I hope it wasn't read as a dictating comment because that wasn't my intent. What you say above I think makes a lot of sense.
Click to expand...

Oh not at all...I was just expanding on my thought process.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top