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My Golf Journey in 2021 - Can I get to Scratch?

Chef23 said:
Obviously if you can shave 3 putts per round you will get to scratch right there. In my past when I improved from a 2-4hc to a 0-2 there was no magic my game just tightened up overall. I hit one more fairway, one more green and my short game got better. I got up and down more often and I putted better.

Regarding putting I think the key is reading the green. Back then I improved mine by talking with the best putter I knew about what he did and how he read the green and made sure I gave it my full attention on each hole. I picked an exact spot to roll each putt no matter the length. At your level I would guess that you generally get the ball on the right line and your speed is decent but you don't pick the correct line.

I am not sure how to fix that for you. Frankly it is something that needs to improve for me right now. I have thought about investigating Aimpoint. I have played with a couple of Champions Tour guys that use it and frankly it makes some sense but it is an investment to figure out.

The other thing that sounds intuitive is improving your chipping/short game. If you hit 3 more chips a round closer to the hole you will shave putts off your game.
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This is great input!
 
Good luck, you seem to have a good mental game and that helps alot. Will be following along for sure.
 
Chef23 said:
A couple of more thoughts on my above post:

GIR can be a couple of things. One is regarding your strategy on approach shots. I rarely go right after a flag unless it is in the middle of a green. I play to where my miss will be on the green and try to never short side myself. I also think about where the good miss is to leave the easiest chip.

If your iron play improves and your GIR goes up it may bring hitting more shots closer leading to more birdie opportunities.
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I have seen the combo of improved iron play, which has given me more GIR and closer proximity to the hole. In my last 10 rounds, I have had differentials of 2.2, 1.1, and 1.2. During these three rounds, my GIR were up around 14 and I had some good birdie looks that didn’t drop. These three rounds got me thinking seriously about this goal. What I was seeing is exactly your point. My iron play was as good as it ever has been and some of the greens I missed left me in a very good place to get up and down.
 
Tenputt said:
I have seen the combo of improved iron play, which has given me more GIR and closer proximity to the hole. In my last 10 rounds, I have had differentials of 2.2, 1.1, and 1.2. During these three rounds, my GIR were up around 14 and I had some good birdie looks that didn’t drop. These three rounds got me thinking seriously about this goal. What I was seeing is exactly your point. My iron play was as good as it ever has been and some of the greens I missed left me in a very good place to get up and down.
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When you hit 14 GIR what did you shoot? I would expect that would get you to close to scratch differentials.
 
Chef23 said:
When you hit 14 GIR what did you shoot? I would expect that would get you to close to scratch differentials.
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In the three rounds that I mentioned, I hit 13, 14 and 14 GIR. In all three, I felt I left a good two or three strokes out on the course, so, you are right. If I am hitting 14 GIR, I am going to be right there, if I make some putts and avoid stupid mistakes.
 
I have no doubt you will do it.
 
Tenputt said:
Good points. I have never tried to measure feet of putts made, but I know that it isn’t a lot for me. I am usually a good two putter, but I don’t seem to drop many 20 plus footers. I have been generally very much more aware of proximity to the hole. Arccos tries to track this now. I will say that this entire idea came into my mind after I began using a player cavity iron and it became obvious to me that I was getting more real birdie looks. I don’t know if it was the player cavity profile or if all of a sudden my swing really kicked in, but it is obvious to me that proximity to the hole is much more important than GIR. Obviously, a combo of both is ideal.
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Rooting for you dude, I know if anyone can do it you can.

I think the more GIRs you make takes care of the sand issue as well. just wondering if it's hit it 5 ft closer generally then convert more 15-10' and should play out for you?

I think the 280 yard drives is HUGE advantage already

💪💪 💪 💪 💪
 
How can you say you are not a bomber? I’ve been following your posts in the B21 thread and you absolutely kill the ball. My immediate reaction to the thread title was this: “with the way he gets off the tees of course he can get to scratch.”
 
tequila4kapp said:
How can you say you are not a bomber? I’ve been following your posts in the B21 thread and you absolutely kill the ball. My immediate reaction to the thread title was this: “with the way he gets off the tees of course he can get to scratch.”
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Thanks for the kind words. Keep in mind two things. First, I play at 4000 feet elevation. I say that a lot in my posts so that it won’t misrepresent what I can really do. My 280 yard drives are 255 to 260 at sea level. Second, my driver swing is very efficient, because I naturally launch it high. When I control my spin, I get a very high smash factor. My golf coach says that he shows my videos and numbers to other students all the time to show them what they can do, despite not having huge club speed. When I think of a bomber, I think of all the guys who have 160 plus ball speed. I do appreciate the compliments.
 
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Tenputt said:
Thanks for the kind words. Keep in mind two things. First, I play at 4000 feet elevation. I say that a lot in my posts so that it won’t misrepresent what I can really do. My 280 yard drives are 255 to 260 at see level. Second, my driver swing is very efficient, because I naturally launch it high. When I control my spin, I get a very high smash factor. My golf coach says that he shows my videos and numbers to other students all the time to show them what they can do, despite not having huge club speed. When I think of a bomber, I think of all the guys who have 160 plus ball speed. I do appreciate the compliments.
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I forgot about the elevation. Still, 255 yard drives are above average, even if not bomber range...and that’s not accounting for age. You are doing great.
 
Whats your driver SS?
 
i think you can...and even if you don't quite get to scratch, i'm certain you'll find yourself much improved. good luck.
 
Chef23 said:
4 good rounds out of 20 will get you there. Your handicap is your best 8 now so if you can shoot 4 real strong rounds it should get you pretty close.
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Exactly. It is amazing what even a couple really low scores do to the index.
 
Tenputt said:
Exactly. It is amazing what even a couple really low scores do to the index.
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My index dropped a full stroke which was 25% of my handicap after my last round. It will take me months to shake that out of my handicap.
 
Tenputt said:
I have done some research. Here is sort of the consensus that I see of what it takes to play scratch golf:

Driver distance: 255 yard average I am averaging about 280.
Fairways hit: 53%. For the year, I hit 54%.
GIR: 67%. For the year, I hit 60%, so I need some improvement.
Scrambling: 54%. For the year, I was at 54%
Putting: 30 putts per 18. For the year, I was at 33, so I need major improvement.
Sand saves: 59%. For the year, I was at 42%, so I need some significant improvement.

This all seems about right. If I can improve my putting by about 3 putts per round, improve my GIR a little and improve my bunker play, I think I would be about there. I honestly don’t know how to improve my putting, because I have been stuck about where I am for a couple of years, despite practice through the winter in my home. I am going to figure it out, though.
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I have a story that is very familiar to yours. Age 68 and played to a scratch for over 20 years until I had quadruple bypass heart surgery early in 2018. My handicap went to a 10. I switched to a SPS swing this last March and today I'm a 1 Ghin. I have had 12 rounds under par, shot my age twice, and had my 9th hole in one, the first in over 10 years.

The biggest difference in my game was, and has always been, Greens in Regulation! I now hit on average 12 GIR per round. I really feel that if you improve your iron play into greens and increase your GIR, you will have more birdie putts and get to scratch. How do you hit more GIR....Aim for the middle of more greens!
 
DOCLASER said:
I have a story that is very familiar to yours. Age 68 and played to a scratch for over 20 years until I had quadruple bypass heart surgery early in 2018. My handicap went to a 10. I switched to a SPS swing this last March and today I'm a 1 Ghin. I have had 12 rounds under par, shot my age twice, and had my 9th hole in one, the first in over 10 years.

The biggest difference in my game was, and has always been, Greens in Regulation! I now hit on average 12 GIR per round. I really feel that if you improve your iron play into greens and increase your GIR, you will have more birdie putts and get to scratch. How do you hit more GIR....Aim for the middle of more greens!
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You are a great model for me, although I would prefer to avoid the quad bypass.
 
This is awesome. sending you my encouragement to get at it and reach your goal! Inspiring me to get more focused on my game as well. Cheers!
 
Tenputt said:
You are a great model for me, although I would prefer to avoid the quad bypass.
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by quad bypass I think he meant he started skipping 4 holes to lower the index
 
You got this sir! Can't wait to follow along!
 
Tenputt said:
I have done some research. Here is sort of the consensus that I see of what it takes to play scratch golf:

Driver distance: 255 yard average I am averaging about 280.
Fairways hit: 53%. For the year, I hit 54%.
GIR: 67%. For the year, I hit 60%, so I need some improvement.
Scrambling: 54%. For the year, I was at 54%
Putting: 30 putts per 18. For the year, I was at 33, so I need major improvement.
Sand saves: 59%. For the year, I was at 42%, so I need some significant improvement.

This all seems about right. If I can improve my putting by about 3 putts per round, improve my GIR a little and improve my bunker play, I think I would be about there. I honestly don’t know how to improve my putting, because I have been stuck about where I am for a couple of years, despite practice through the winter in my home. I am going to figure it out, though.
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i'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but putts per round can be misleading. not all putts are created equally, and not all rounds with higher putts should be blamed on the putter. proximity to the hole is a big factor. if you're just barely missing, i'd think about something like triple track. it really can make that much of a difference, taking a small misalignment and getting you perfectly aligned to your intended target. i think you could get that scrambling % even higher. then you're golden!
 
McLovin said:
i'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but putts per round can be misleading. not all putts are created equally, and not all rounds with higher putts should be blamed on the putter. proximity to the hole is a big factor. if you're just barely missing, i'd think about something like triple track. it really can make that much of a difference, taking a small misalignment and getting you perfectly aligned to your intended target. i think you could get that scrambling % even higher. then you're golden!
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Proximity to the hole is becoming one of the biggest stats I follow and seek to improve. Two putting from 15 feet is not the same has having to try to two putt from 60 feet. Also, I play courses that have quite a few multi-tiered greens. If you are on the wrong tier, you likely three putt.
 
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