FiR + GiR + 2 putts = par: The simple formula

Well at least in theory, but in application little snags jump up and bite us. This season I am really focusing on using the formula as a mental approach to each shot. So far it has helped me stay centered on each hole and shot, by contrast to how my mind usually works during a round. Typically I play my round worrying about making pars, then a bogey happens the I start pressing to make a birdie to make up for that bogey so on and so forth till towards the end I am pressing to make pars to make up for the double bogeys, and save the round at straight bogey. It's kind of a downward mental spiral.

Now the question come up of what if I miss a fairway? Obviously the lie has to be assessed, if there is a line and the lie is favorable, go for it. If there is even a slight element that makes going for it a difficult shot, I have been adjusting my thought to be a reset, by removing the "in regulation" from the formula. I convert it to "fairway + green + 2 putts". What I am really trying to negate with this is my nemesis... the Double Bogey.

So far this mental approach has really helped with my game this season. Mostly it's kept me more relaxed and pressing less. I read on here another idea of playing to the 150 marker then to the green. I am going to add that thought to my plan next round out see if that also helps the focus.

Anyway thanks for reading!

Sounds like a solid plan. The 150 has become my new goal this season.

Add MIDDLE of the green to your equation - no pin hunting

Wakit300 said:

Add MIDDLE of the green to your equation - no pin hunting

Click to expand...

This is almost always a smart move. I hit way more greens on the occasions I can get it through my thick skull.

I have been trying for the 150 marker for my approach shots and that has helped me tremendously.

Wakit300 said:

Add MIDDLE of the green to your equation - no pin hunting

Click to expand...

Yep! The only time I really go pin hunting is when I am in PW or shorter range.

Its great plan in theory. My problem tends to be that the ball does't go in the direction that I want it to go. I need a formula for that, but I guess my swing coach is working that for me now.

Drive + Good approach = GIR + 2 putts = par
3 crappy shots + putt = par

Earlier this season I discovered that TWO crappy shots + a putt can make Birdie. (hooked tee shot through the woods onto adjacent fairway + thinned 56 (I should have hit a GW) which landed short and bounced up and stopped 5' from the hole + 1 putt)

InTheRough said:

Drive + Good approach = GIR + 2 putts = par
3 crappy shots + putt = par

Earlier this season I discovered that TWO crappy shots + a putt can make Birdie. (hooked tee shot through the woods onto adjacent fairway + thinned 56 (I should have hit a GW) which landed short and bounced up and stopped 5' from the hole + 1 putt)

Click to expand...

Golf is funny that way...if you're a good putter, you can get away with some ugly ball striking.
I always try to play to 110 yards. - a comfortable distance for me. 70 yards is also good.
I also don't chase par very often. Bogie is a good score for me. So I don't sweat the occasional poor shot. And making par after a couple of poor ball striking efforts is like finding a C-Note in the laundry!

YetiLooper said:

Well at least in theory, but in application little snags jump up and bite us. This season I am really focusing on using the formula as a mental approach to each shot. So far it has helped me stay centered on each hole and shot, by contrast to how my mind usually works during a round. Typically I play my round worrying about making pars, then a bogey happens the I start pressing to make a birdie to make up for that bogey so on and so forth till towards the end I am pressing to make pars to make up for the double bogeys, and save the round at straight bogey. It's kind of a downward mental spiral.

Now the question come up of what if I miss a fairway? Obviously the lie has to be assessed, if there is a line and the lie is favorable, go for it. If there is even a slight element that makes going for it a difficult shot, I have been adjusting my thought to be a reset, by removing the "in regulation" from the formula. I convert it to "fairway + green + 2 putts". What I am really trying to negate with this is my nemesis... the Double Bogey.

So far this mental approach has really helped with my game this season. Mostly it's kept me more relaxed and pressing less. I read on here another idea of playing to the 150 marker then to the green. I am going to add that thought to my plan next round out see if that also helps the focus.

Anyway thanks for reading!

Click to expand...

To me it depends on how good your short game is. Like myself, I have a terrible shortgame, so if I have a bad lie and it would take a good shot just to get green side I lay up to like a 100, because I feel I have just as good of chance of getting up and in there as I do around the green. And in that scenario I'm making bogey at worse, where as I bring big numbers into play trying to go for it. Now if I had a good short game I would go for the green every time as long as there weren't any hazards around it.

That feeling we put on ourselves which causes us to press is horrible. I know it all to well. I play for the 150 or less yardarge more times than not and it has pretty much eliminated the BLOW UP hole from my game. I sometimes obsess over how many GIR and FIR I have at the end of the round but have to check myself and remember that you don't have to explain the par or birdie on the scorecard. There's only room for a number, not an explanation! I hit my 3wood and 2hybrid fairly straight and with good distance for most of the courses I play. I usually look at the yardage and ask myself, "what will leave me with 150 or less". For me it takes the stress out of the game for the most part. I don't shoot even par with this method but to me I think it's better for my game then hitting driver every hole and having to rely on the short game so much.

Wakit300 said:

Add MIDDLE of the green to your equation - no pin hunting

Click to expand...

So true!
It's remarkable how many of my bogeys are simply the result of pin-hunting gone bad. Miss the edge of the green by a yard or two on the pinside in the thick rough up here and it's officially bogey time. You'd think by now I'd know better...

I go pin hunting way too often. I challenge holes, like when I shot my 89 I was hitting 4 on the par 4 9th trying to get out with a bogey, and was 25 yds over a bunker with about 8 feet of green between the bunker and flag and 50 feet on the other side. So I hit a lob shot in that 8 ft zone and holed it for a par. Now my coach said he would have had me hit into the 50 yd zone if I was having a really good round to play it safe just in case I dumped it in the bunker, but on pace for a 46 if I bogeyed the hole is not a really good round. Really good rounds are relative.

I'll plan my shot sometimes to land just on the other side of the bunker crest and roll onto the green. With my LW I can do that.

My balloons are caused by overdraws into the woods. Well they're not really overdraws. I found out I might not be lined up properly. I found out this week I need prisms in my glasses. Maybe I'm not lining up to the right enough to hit a push draw?

But here's another score killer: Par 5: GUR + 4 putts = bogey.

2 out of 3 FIR percentage would be good for top 40 on the tour and a 2 out of 3 GIR would be good for top 80. Even the best players in the world don't shoot super high percentages with these measurables and I would assume most 80's & 90's weekend golfers don't come close to 50% in either category. I know I don't.

Probably in the minority here but I tend to do better evaluating each hole individually and relating it to my own individual strengths. For example if the potential penalty for a bad drive is relatively low I will absolutely pull driver and hit the ball as close to the green as possible. A gap wedge from the rough over some overhanging tree branches is still a much better shot for me (and most golfers including tour players) than a 7-iron is from the fairway. Reading the book Every Shot Counts was quite an eye opener and really helped me learn what parts of my game truly contributed to better scoring.

I just look at "stats" differently now and for instance understand 34 putts in a round might be pretty solid putting for me or it might not. If I missed a bunch of greens but was chipping/pitching well that day the 34 putts could easily mean I left quite a few strokes out there and missed the opportunity to post a good number.

For most mid-cappers just hitting two really solid shots per hole (could be drive, approach, chip or putt) would improve scores quite a bit. Putting bad shots behind me and focusing on making the next shot a good one that keeps me in the hole is much more important to me than a GIR% my game or talent level can't reasonably attain.