20 pts - How do you allocate them to the areas of your game?

[cj3ap2]

My reasoning on the importance of the drive is, lets see someone score good continually while spraying their tee shots all offer the course. It would really make for a long day IMO.

That's a good and fair philosophy. And one I don't disagree with at all.

My philosophy however revolves around the short game. good short game saves golf rounds. You're not going to hit every fairway, you're not going to hit every green so I feel that it's not well spent to maximize practice time on those areas where even the most proficient players in those skills are still going to be inconsistant in those areas; since those things are always going to be inconsistant, I want to become proficient in the skill (short game) that can save those areas. You can hit the ball a mile and in the fairway all day but if you can't make a 10 footer, or you can't get up and down when you miss a green, what good is it?

Ultimately I think we need to define the parameters. By spending little time on tee shots and approach shots, does that mean I'll be way short and in the rough on every tee shot and miss every green by 15 yards? If that's the case then that's certainly no way to play golf, no amount of short game prowess would save me. However if by spending less time on tee shots and irons i'm going to hit 4 fairways instead of 7 or 8, and hit 7 greens instead of 13, well then I'll take that in exchange for a wonderful and confident short game.

 

[IceyShanks]

Great thread idea:

1) Getting off the tee - 8

• Distance - 5
• Accuracy - 3

2) Approachs - 5

• Accuracy - 2
• Distance Control - 3

3) Greenside scrambling - 2

• Creativity - 1
• Touch - 1

4) Putting - 5

• Distance control - 1
• Accuracy 8 feet and in - 4

 

[golfinFF]

1) Getting off the tee - 5

• Distance - 2
• Accuracy - 3

2) Approachs - 6

• Accuracy - 3
• Distance Control - 3

3) Greenside scrambling - 4

• Creativity - 2
• Touch - 2

4) Putting - 5

• Distance control - 2
• Accuracy 8 feet and in - 3

I believe finding the fairway or close to it is important to start off the hole right, playing from the woods or another fairway never leads to a good score. hitting approaches accurately will cut down on scrambling from terrible spots.
scrambling i think you need a good mix of creativity and touch. Putting distance control is only important if you can make those short putts

 

[Lynchburg14]

Cool Thread, here is what I got.

1) Getting off the tee - 6

• Distance - 2
• Accuracy - 4

2) Approaches - 8

• Accuracy - 4
• Distance Control- 4

3) Greenside scrambling - 2

• Creativity - 0
• Touch - 2

4) Putting - 4

• Distance control -3
• Accuracy 8 feet and in - 1

My logic is that I want ok distance off the tee but being straight is better. I give most of my points to approach shots. My feeling is that if I can hit the green in two then I can just two putt all day and that is good enough for me. Greenside scrambling not to big on as long as I can get out of the bunker on the first time I am happy. As for putting it is all about distance control. Aim for my 1foot box all day and I am a happy two putter.

 

[jmatt]

I wish I knew how many points was "best in the world" or "barely competent"...regardless:

1) Getting off the tee - 6

• Distance -4
• Accuracy -2

2) Approachs - 4

• Accuracy -2
• Distance Control -2

3) Greenside scrambling -4

• Creativity -1
• Touch -3

4) Putting -6

• Distance control -2
• Accuracy 8 feet and in -4

Get off the tee long, take the occasional wayward shot (It's worked for Phil, right?). Approaches would be middlin', from greenside I'd rather do a few things well than demonstrate 30 different shots.
And putting. I almost went 1/5 for putting, but that might not always leave my second within 8 feet. I forget the exact number, but I think PGA players make about 50% from 9'. Make me laserlike from 8', I'll take that.

Admittedly, this is a touch unbalanced. When it works, you'd overpower the course. Days you spray the long balls wouldn't be as much fun.