Checking my Stats.... My #JourneyToBetter

[Michigan Slice]

Last week, I met THP'er Bullfrog in Ohio for a round.
I wanted desperately to play well... I did not, not at all.

I was Defeated, Broken mentally, I honestly never thought my work to improve was going to come to fruition.

Then, I checked my stats, Honestly.
It hurt, it made me admit things were broken that I thought I was decent at.

My last 5 rounds I have scored:
100
95
96
94
96

This, IS improvement considering last year I was shooting high 110's, I want to improve, I am impatient, I thought it would be easier, I really did.
I took lessons throughout the winter, and take followup lessons or "Tune up" lessons if you will.

How can I improve, how can I play smarter, what can I do pre round, and during round to get myself ready to hit that next shot?

Penalties in those rounds I've taken 5,2,4,2,and 3 penalties, but I've putted 42,36,35,36,and 38 times during those rounds.

I've also found a 77-85 yard sweet spot yardage that I feel very comfortable with right now, I just feel I can put it to 10 feet from that yardage.
and I also feel pretty comfortable out to around 125 yards to make a decent approach shot.
My putting numbers HAVE to come down, a soft target is 32 putts, hopefully lower. I considered myself a decent putter, no more!

Practice will concentrate on putting, on short game to give myself closer putts.
Playing thoughts and course management will have me shooting to areas where I have a decent look into the greens, away from danger to cut down on penalties.

Taking my time (without being slow) and not rushing a shot,nor over swinging will be a focus.
If I am not 100% sure, grab that extra club, and make a smoother swing.

My stats tell me where to improve my game, what do your stats tell you?

For those who have traveled from a high handicap to a mid or low handicap, did you keep stats to guide your practice focus?

Looking through scorecards I think I will be keeping track of a couple more things:
Pins missed by 20' or more
Putts missed inside of 5'
Clubs off tee and into greens.

Hopefully the more information I can gather about my current game is helpful for taking my game to that next level!

 

[lightningbolt44]

I LOVE this post.

I track my fairways,GIR,Putts and also recently chip shots. Chip shots is something I have been doing the past few rounds as I have a tendency to chunk chips and I wanted to track just how many strokes I was losing because of it (not an exact science but close enough for me).

 

[Michigan Slice]

I LOVE this post.

I track my fairways,GIR,Putts and also recently chip shots. Chip shots is something I have been doing the past few rounds as I have a tendency to chunk chips and I wanted to track just how many strokes I was losing because of it.

I was tracking FIR, GIR, Penalties and Putts
Going to add: Pins missed by 20' or more
Putts missed inside of 5'
Clubs off tee and into greens.

Should give me a pretty good snapshot of my rounds I think!

 

[arydolphin]

I was tracking FIR, GIR, Penalties and Putts
Going to add: Pins missed by 20' or more
Putts missed inside of 5'
Clubs off tee and into greens.

Should give me a pretty good snapshot of my rounds I think!

I don't think that pins missed by 20' or more makes a lot of sense if you're talking about 20 feet. The #1 guy on the PGA Tour from 125-150 yards has an AVERAGE proximity to the hole of just under 19 feet. For you to expect that you're going to hit it within 20 feet on your approaches is not realistic. Link: http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.339.html

What I track: FIR, GIR, putts, penalty shots.

If you really want to take a deep dive into stats and how to get better, read Every Shot Counts by Mark Broadie. There are multiple charts in there that show average stats for 100 shooters vs 90 shooters vs 80 shooters, etc. Cliffs notes version: if you want to drop your scores, hit more GIR.

 

[Daddio]

I know detailed tracking of stats might be overkill to many Michigan Slice, (wasn't there was a thread a few weeks ago in which many said score was the only stat that mattered?), but I applaud your effort and have always believed there is much power in that information. You will understand YOUR game so much better, define the areas that are killing you, and identify patterns that can lead you to fast and tangible improvement. You've identified short game flaws already, and that's surely the quickest path to lower scores for any high capper.

First, I'll come clean. I've always been a numbers guy and my R&D career was built upon things like designing tests, analyzing data, and developing better ways in many arenas. I enjoy it, it never feels like work, and even 30+ years ago I used programs like Excel as fluently as most use pencils. Soooo, I'm going to go into a little detail here because maybe it'll jog some ideas you might want to try (and improve upon). Besides, your post prompted me to find someone with a 3.5 floppy so I could dig out some of my old data from way back when I was golfing regularly and compare it to what's happening now as I return to golf after about a 20 year layoff. Upon reading your post, something was gnawing at me: it seemed like I was shooting similar 'scores' now but I really didn't feel like I was 'playing' nearly as well or consistently.

The data I've always tracked takes me less than 3 seconds to jot down on each tee box yet provided me so much insight to my game when analyzed. Besides basic course data, like par/length/rating/slope; I break out my FW% and % of misses L and R; GIR % and putts/GH along with % misses L, R, Short, or Over; how reliably my chips, pitches, and green side bunker shots find the green and how many putts it takes me after they do; total putts, penalties, extra full shots needed (dub one or need to chip out), and of course score. I started doing this shortly after I took up golf in the mid 70s (hey, the practice range right next to the Laser Lab I was first assigned at) and watched my cap drop from 32ish to 18ish in less than a year and was trying (unsuccessfully) to achieve single digit within a few more years. I won't bore you with every detail.

As I suspected I'm shooting similar scores 'now' (avg 84.06) to '20+ years ago' (avg'd 84.46) so on with the comparison:
Now = about 2005 to yesterday with about 90% of those 30+ rounds occurring since I really got back into golf this winter. From the list of courses in my 'before' data it looks like it spanned assignments all over the country from about '82-'96 and I have over 200 rounds of golf included in that data set.

The simplest answer to 'why' I'm not playing as well now despite scoring 0.4 strokes per round lower is that I was playing much tougher courses then. The courses I'm scoring 84.06 at now avg to a par of 70.2, play 5995 yd, are rated 68.3, and slope at only 108.2. Before I was posting an average 84.6 on par 71.8 courses averaging 6439 yd, rated 70.4, and sloped 121.2. If all those numbers were reflected as my 10 best of last 20 rounds played, GHIN would index me at 15.8 now (I'm trending at 14.4 currently) and 12.6 back in the day (I was usually between 10.8 and 11.5 then). A secondary answer can be reflected in just how much simpler today's game is with the equipment improvements. I have zero doubt I would've achieved that elusive single digit cap back then playing the new weapons and balls I use now.

Some of the underlying stats are interesting too in that while I miss a few more fairways now, hitting 52.7% vs 56.2% then, I still miss about 28% of fairways to the left just like the good old days. Over swinging and/or getting quick still plagues me. See there's something to hit the range with for me! I used to hit 35% of greens on longer tougher courses with less advanced equipment but now I'm only hitting them at 32%. I never was a good putter on GIR and average 2.03 p/gir now vs a similar 2.04 then. As I expected I had a slightly better overall short game then too, and while now my chips, pitches, and sand shots get on the greens at a 96%, 93%, and 90% respectively, I was about 2% higher on each back then. No real change in my putting ability, whether following short games shots or overall. I'm still about as bad at 33.3 putts/round now and then. What I was better at then is dubbing fewer shots (about 1 less per round) despite playing the tougher tracks back then.

 

[deuce]

Checking my Stats.... My #JourneyToBetter

Cliffs notes version: if you want to drop your scores, hit more GIR.

How do you accomplish that if you are a short hitter?

 

[Michigan Slice]

Cliffs notes version: if you want to drop your scores, hit more GIR.[/QUOTE]
How do you accomplish that if you are a short hitter?[/QUOTE]

Tee it forward.
But I will play where everyone else is for pace of play.

I usually play 6100-6400 and am getting pretty comfy in that yardage range.

 

[dizzyg12]

I don't think that pins missed by 20' or more makes a lot of sense if you're talking about 20 feet. The #1 guy on the PGA Tour from 125-150 yards has an AVERAGE proximity to the hole of just under 19 feet. For you to expect that you're going to hit it within 20 feet on your approaches is not realistic. Link: http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.339.html

What I track: FIR, GIR, putts, penalty shots.

If you really want to take a deep dive into stats and how to get better, read Every Shot Counts by Mark Broadie. There are multiple charts in there that show average stats for 100 shooters vs 90 shooters vs 80 shooters, etc. Cliffs notes version: if you want to drop your scores, hit more GIR.

I track FH, GIR, and Putts. It's quite evident that to better my scores GIR HAS to improve! I'm a shocking 18% this year and it's absolutely killing my scores. Particularly if I have a poor chip to follow or the dreaded double whopper from the bunker.

I've worked a lot in my short game
Chipping just to make up for some of the missed green and it's helped but I really need to nail down the approaches to get more greens. I think a lot if the misses I have are because I try to do too much and go after pins rather than play to the center of the greens. I really need to give myself an opportunity and just play for the centers more often.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[arydolphin]

Cliffs notes version: if you want to drop your scores, hit more GIR.[/QUOTE]
How do you accomplish that if you are a short hitter?[/QUOTE]

Course management: Aim at the center of every green, and if you have a yardage measuring device, play to the yardage that is 5 yards from the back of the green, instead of playing to the pin yardage.

Also, if you're a short hitter, improving your technique and hitting the center of the clubface more will improve your distance. Yes, I realize that's pretty obvious, but it's what I'm working on right now.

 

[deuce]

Checking my Stats.... My #JourneyToBetter

Course management: Aim at the center of every green, and if you have a yardage measuring device, play to the yardage that is 5 yards from the back of the green, instead of playing to the pin yardage.

Also, if you're a short hitter, improving your technique and hitting the center of the clubface more will improve your distance. Yes, I realize that's pretty obvious, but it's what I'm working on right now.

I am still a work in progress, and probably will be for a long time. The first time I broke 100, on a shorter course (5600 yards) I hit 5 GIR and par'd them all. So I can definitely see how it will improve my game. Getting off the tee is killing me. I can get it to go 205 to 215 - as is - and would love to bump that up to 230 to 240 if I could. Been working on my flexibility (I have never been flexible, even back to my college track and field days) but I know technique is what is really holding me back. Trying extra hard to keep that right elbow tucked into my side.

 

[rlew]

Mad respect for this post MS. On a similar journey. Hope yours progresses!

 

[deuce]

For those who have traveled from a high handicap to a mid or low handicap, did you keep stats to guide your practice focus?

Score, FIR (and direction of miss), GIR, putts, sand shots, penalties.

I don't want to bog myself down with recording too much information. There comes a point where you can suffer from paralysis by analysis. My miss of the tee is important to me because it tells me if I'm pulling the ball (easily correctable) or I've started up with bad posture and leaving the club face open, leading to my slice.

 

[Martsy]

I'm in the same boat Michigan Slice, took a 15 lesson package with Golftec over the last 12 months, and my ball striking has improved a ton to me, but score only a little (from shooting over 100, to usually breaking it). My immediate improvement this season is going to be around smarter course management. If the par 4 is 350's or less, an 4 iron off the tee, and then an 8 iron in. Instead of driver, which sometimes I hit 260 down he middle...but guess what? My 90 yard approach is no better (arguably worse) than my 150. So why risk the uncertainty of driver? I'm playing a round this Sunday, and looking at the scorecard, there's only 3 holes i'm going to be using a driver on. Like you, penalty strokes a huge killer to my score, and my goal this year is to play smarter, and knock those out. When I'm shooting 90 consistently, then I'll focus more on other aspects.

 

[rollin]

I don't know how much golf you play but if you went from 110's to consistent mid 90's In one season I'd say you have done pretty darn good for yourself thus far. Many (including me) been at this for very many years and post the same scores you are. The lower you get the harder and more distant the advancement becomes. Improving from 105 to 100 is not the same as improving from 95 to 90 and of course not even close to improving from 90 to 85 and so on. If golf were that easy we'd all be on tour by now.

As a higher capper (like me) you must become better at every part. Get rid of all the errant shots you can from tee to green, and become a more consistent ball striker in general keeping the ball in play, get better at the short game around and on the greens, manage club/shot choices to your strengths and what the hole gives you.

If you are hitting to 10 feet from about 80yrds and hittin greens from 125 in, I'd look at those stats again and if correct for certain I'd play every hole to either one of those yardages and as long as you can putt even half way decently you should do no worse than 90 bogey golf all day. But I would gather there is much more to it than just that. The game is not easy, keep working at all of it, but keep having fun , be patient, make smart shot/club choices, improve on and around the greens. If successful just a little bit with these things there is no reason they are not worth another 5 strokes for the time being.

 

[iSukGolf]

Just started the journey of lessons etc ... Wish there was a good app to track stats that is not a necessarily a GPS app ...

 

[deuce]

Just started the journey of lessons etc ... Wish there was a good app to track stats that is not a necessarily a GPS app ...

I use OOBGolf. I keep score on a card and then enter my stats in after the round.

 

[Spivey]

Just started the journey of lessons etc ... Wish there was a good app to track stats that is not a necessarily a GPS app ...

Great thread -
I use GolfLogix. It tracks stats for free, paid version tracks LOTS of stats.
Since getting back into golf a few years ago, I really keep track of FIR, GIR, penalties, and putts. These can be on the scorecard or in the app.

Stats from the app
Putting - Goal is 33/round. Ave 1.93 putts/hole
FIR - I want 5/7 per 9. Currently 43.9%. Usually I miss right (2:1 R:L ratio).
GIR - 33.6% and rising.
Penalties - ugh. Average 3 penalties per round.

So, there are plenty of areas to improve upon. Just choose one, work on it, and then go to the next one. Easiest place to improve is around/on the green. Just three fewer putts per round, I am a single digit Hcp.

 

[mbowker64]

I believe we are all on a similar journey. I don't generally track my stats, except for putts because I know my biggest obstacle is my head. I have trouble letting go of a bad shot