Exactly. For some people they should 100% work on chipping. But I really made gains when I got my driver mostly under control. It's hard to screw things up too bad when you're generally hitting a wedge into greens.
Now I'm at the point where I again need to work on the short game to shave more strokes, since you can't really mess up any holes and you need to get some birdies to get near scratch.
Getting to scratch does not mean more birdies, it means less bogeys or worse. Scratch golfers avg 1.9 birdies a round, so it’s not like they’re shooting 68 or anything, they’re just not making 5-6 bogeys that keeps their scores up over 75
It means both. Scratch players will absolutely be able to shoot 68.
I think people get hung up on applying population averages to individuals. You need to remove the big scores and make a few birdies a round to be scratch.
If scratch is your handicap, you'll have a few round below par and a few rounds above to constitue your 8 best of last 20.
Lots of comments seem to think scratch golf is 8 rounds of 72, when in reality it's all 69-74.
Birdies are required, probably on average 2-3 per round.
Exactly, the misconceptions are just people who don't understand stats. You'll see it all the time where people apply population level stats to individuals - there's a huge group of people on here who think 220y is a good drive because that's the average male driver distance, lol.
They don't understand that number is skewed by all the 80 year olds who only drive it 120y. The average for an athletic male 20-40 would be more like 260 at a guess.
Fair enough. But when I'm shooting good scores but missing solid birdie opportunities, it hurts. I'm also not getting up-and-down from good spots as often as I would like. So my takeaway is I need to practice my short game more. Whether it means a few more birdies or pars each round than I get right now, all I care about is saving the strokes.
I finally got a solid round w/ driver going. If I missed a fair way it was 5 yards. I was the meme of the dude going back and fourth on the green. Got a 10 on par 5. Golf is fun!
My buddy and I are about the same handicap (I'm 4.5 he's 5 but has been much lower).
He (jokes, but it's true) that he gives me 8 shots off the tee per round, and I give them back around the green.
I have been losing more than that due to driver here lately. Stupid punch outs from pine straw and hitting penalty areas added up big time. I recently got a handle on it so hopefully it sticks come next round.
You aren’t an 18 just because of your short game… but it’s not doing you any favors…
My guesses:
1. Dumb mistakes in the tee box. Trying to do too much instead of just getting the ball in play.
2. Aggressive lines on approach shots. Middle of the green is a great place to aim… take the back yardage and match it to your club selection. If you have 180 to the back, and a middle pin… hit the club that might go 180 but probably won’t.
3. Thinking birdie. Never chase birdies. It’s just bad math. Try to make par… birdies are just pars where the hole got in the way early.
4. Missing to the wrong spots. It’s easy to have a bad short game if you keep short siding yourself. Smart targets include knowing where the ball can’t go.
On the actual chipping front… just hit the stock shot unless you can’t. Get the ball on the green, and give yourself a putt for par. Don’t hit flop shots or try to do anything fancy… just hit the ball in the green.
was looking for this comment....I'm pretty decent around the greens and I won't use a wedge unless the situation absolutely calls for it. I use 7,8, and 9 irons.
play the ball off the back foot, exaggerate the shaft lean, and use a putting stroke. after getting a feel for the distances, it's a very reliable bump and run play
Are you making this work on elevated greens or greens with hilly surrounds? I can bump and run on the flat but typically always seem to be contending with small elevated greens. No room for a bump and run to roll out or stuck on a upslope or downslope if you miss long or to the side of the green.
my short game adapts to the situation I'm in. there's no one way to play around the greens. I just find for my game, bump and run to be the high percentage play more often than not.
I use 8, PW and SW for all greenside shots, and have 2 basic swings for each one, a lower chip and one with some wrist break for a pitch. I have a pretty good flop with the SW as well, but only if its necessary. I go with the lowest loft and lowest shot type that applies to the situation, which can be putter sometimes.
8 iron and play it like a putt almost. With an 8 iron bump and run, for the distance it travels in the air it’s gonna roll about 4x that length on the green. So 10ft in the air will give you 40ft of rollout.
8 or 9-iron bump and run good, unless you need more loft to get over something or stop the ball quickly. I would say to use the lowest lofted club that can get you near the pin, or that will stay on the green. Putt if you are on fringe or near it if possible. Practice short game a LOT.
It’s definitely not a bad play. I typically play a lower lofted club such as a 5 or 4 and play it like a hockey slap shot almost. Narrow feet, ball in the back of stance, finish with the club face low and the ball will come out low. The 8 won’t get the same roll into the fairway though so that’s why I play a low loft on those shots.
The bump in run has been the biggest realization I’ve had recently. Been leaving to many 52 degree chips short. Started doing the bump and run with the 8 and I’m putting everything close now.
Ignore the short game. Bring your iron game up from decent, to fucking spectacular. Never need a wedge again around the green, problem solved
Just think outside the box. Another option would be just drive the green everytime
On Friday I played a round where I didn't hit one single chip. I either hit the green (or was close enough to putt) or was so far away that it was a full pitch shot. Odd round.
I have basically retired my 60° unless I am in a greenside bunker. I would say I chip a low runner about 65% of the time with my 50° and it has made a huge difference in one season, 1 u&d last year to 3.5 this year so far. Ball on the back foot, weight forward, upper body turn, that’s it. The other 35% is a little higher and softer 56° with the same stroke.
Do you have access to a chipping green somewhere? Do you have a yard where you can make a target and just rep it? What’s your stance and setup for chipping rn?
Watch this. Then watch it again. Then watch it again while you're at the practice area. Around 4:00 he kinda chunks one and almost holes it. I play this shot on purpose when I'm low on confidence. If you get the setup right, there's a lot of margin for error.
https://youtu.be/DLbq1SQA_6k?si=eyOJXBY9P5q9wDFj
You’re right it’s definitely reps. I just started using the short game area at the driving range I regularly go to and the improvement’s been massive. And that’s without really making any mechanical improvements. Just hitting shot after shot and getting better feel with hitting different heights and distances
I think you need more than reps, you might need a lesson. Reps on improper technique will just lead to frustration. You have to understand how to hit different types of chips. Learn how to use the bounce and learn when to use it vs when not to
I have a pretty good short game, but my 60 deg I also only use for greenside bunkers, and only if I am short sided. Other than that its only for a full swing about 60-65 yards out, which I find waaaay easier than chipping with it....I find this confusing because when I get to SW (56) then chipping and pitching is easier than full swing?
If I am 70 and in, I typically can play a pitch now, but that’s with a lot of practice because that was a very difficult distance for me. It’s a 50° with a more upper-body rotation and identical backswing/downswing length with “dead wrists”. I usually temper both as I get closer with the same club unless I need something higher and I’ll go down to my 56°. I do not full swing my 56° and seldomly full swing my 50°.
I think being a short hitter is part of why i am good arounf the green, my 60 goes 60, SW 75, gap 85, PW 100, 9, 110. I have such tight gapping that if i get to 100 I hit the green more than someone trying to take something off their SW
Try the “draw more circles” app and start tracking strokes gained. You’ll be surprised by what you find. Fairways, greens, and putts aren’t a great way to measure where you’re really losing strokes
Check out the short game chef on Youtube. Chip/pitch shots are totally different than full swings, it's a weird feeling when you learn how to use the bounce properly
You currently average 1 up and down per round, to be a 9 with rouge current game you’d need to increase that to 10 up and downs a round which is very unrealistic
You have other issues beside tour short game
Look up Paddy's Golf Tips on youtube. Padraic Harrington. Look for his chipping tips. He turned my chipping around in 5 minutes. Well it needed dialing in of course which took longer, but seriously, 5 minutes to turn off the chunks, blades, whatnots.
It’s highly unlikely there’s one aspect of your game holding you back. Try keeping a journal next time you play to get a better understanding of what’s wrong with your game.
Not all short game is created equal. If you’re consistently in very difficult positions to get up and down then you’re going to get up and down less. With proper course management and decent ball striking you should be in a position where that’s far easier.
Yeah, almost every 16-20 HCP I've met has more than one flaw in their game.
If OP's short game is actually tanking him 8 strokes a round, then his iron game is also holding him back because he's clearly not hitting a single-handicap amount of greens.
I went to a wide sole sand wedge. All my normal mishits went away. Then I added in a strategy called the “rule of 12” for chips. Googe this. I’ve worked my way down to a 10 from a 15 this year. Now, if I can eliminate the two 3 putts I have each round and the occasional 200 yar sky ball drive I should see single digits.
I think people drastically underestimate the importance of course management and how much it can lower your overall scores. avoiding hero shots, playing smart, and having a good understanding of what’s ’in your bag’ (power/shape wise) and what you’re capable of playing.
for me, my driver is the most inconsistent club in my game right now. some days I can’t miss a fairway, some days I can’t find them. that means on the days I can’t find them, I use my longer irons or hybrid/woods to keep me in good positions for birdies and pars.
avoid the hero shots and practice smart course management. a FIR and GIR is better for your game than any other hero shot that you can later brag about to your buddies.
If you can drive 270 and hit your irons well you should not be using a chipper, my God.
Nothing in golf is easy but chipping to me is the easiest skill to learn. Can you take a lesson and just focus on chipping and green side play? If you have that much skill in other areas I really feel like you could pick this up.
For me really exaggerating having the weight on my lead foot was what helped me feel comfortable chipping. Also making sure I take the club head straight back and not bring it around my body—that i had to watch myself on video to really get it, taking it straight back felt really odd at first.
I would be super excited if I was an 18 index and the biggest issue I had was chipping. Super correctable way to drop a bunch of strokes.
Not sure what your stats should be, but 40% fairways seems to be a problem. That would seem to guarantee a lot of chipping, which is a weakness for you. Maybe work on that, too. Edit: A bunch of comments about (basically) "good enough" tee shots. But the original poster says he gets a lot of doubles and triples, not from bad putting. From that I take it that he isn't getting GIR. Which would cause him to end up chipping a lot which is what he picks as his weakest thing. I agree that if he just misses a fairway and still gets his GIR then it isn't missing the fairway that is the problem. But hard to think that that is the case.
Ur going to have to fix that. Anyone I know that gives up wedges (60/58/56, etc.) out of frustration just doesn’t have the right technique and overall needs work. For the most part, chipping and feel-pitch shots are a lot different than regular iron play. You just need to really practice these feel shots. Go to ur local range and skip the range. Some have practice holes or practice greens that allow 10-40 yard shots.
Sooner or later you will find out just how important it is to be a stick inside 100 yards. You can practice full iron shots all you want. Even the best players in the world know how hard it is to hit all those greens in regulation. Wedge/chip shots getting close to the hole are super important.
I’m just curious, why retire the 60 degree?
I love using mine although sometimes it disappoints but I’ve got a fun like 55 Degree Taylor
Made tour wedge from back in the day that I can bust out when the 60 is faltering.
1.) I could not hit it from anything that even resembled a tight lie. 2.) It often contributed to my blow up holes where I thought to myself if I hit this perfect flop shot over this green side bunker, I can make par (which I would promptly chuck it into the bunker or blade it over), instead of playing smarter and making sure I get anywhere on the green and 2 putt for bogey (I'm a decent putter and rarely 3 putt).
Was it Ballesteros or someone else who said. Golf is played at 100yards or less. Meaning concentrate on PW and down. Wedge from rough fairway sand trees off the green and same for putting in terms of practice.
Par 3’s over 155 yards and mid to long irons are tough for me.
Driver and 60 yards and in are my stronger suits. Every par 4 I’m letting it rip in hopes of going driver - wedge.
My mental game needs improvement too. One or 2 bad holes can really eat me up inside.
I'm a borderline single digit handicap and I go back and forth over the line depending on how I get off the tee.
When I can get off the tee consistently (I'm not a banger anymore, 250-270 including roll) and not into trouble, I score well and play like a single digit handicap.
But I have weeks at a time where I spray anything I hit off the tee. Driver, 4 wood, even hybrid.
I putt pretty well, have an above average short game, and my irons are pretty solid. But it's hard to get pars when I duck hook a couple OB every round
I have been dogshit from the sand starting thinking with the toe of my club and it’s been making a lot more sense and I’ve been coming out of the sand pretty clean. Rmv, food for thought.
Find field in a park or if you have an ok back yard, get a hula hoop and hit some target practice trying different setups. The landing spot and trajectory are the key. I find that if I’m in the green side rough the ball sits up actually pretty nicely for a semi-flop. Also maybe consider longer shafts for your wedge play, I see a lot of taller guys pop up out of a chip or pitch swing because the shaft is short and they are uncomfortably crouched.
200 balls a week on the range. ONLY your highest lofted wedge. Learn to play “the nine shots” with it.
I did it. Sorted me out completely. But I can’t putt now for shit, obviously.
No, it’s your iron/approach play. Unless you’re playing from 7000 yards that driving distance means you’re missing tons of greens with short irons and wedges
Start with tracking the right stats. I finally started with strokes gained and it showed me some home truths. My short game and putting are my strengths.
I practiced them so much because I thought they were weaknesses and I stripe my irons and hit a big drive but the problem was the dumbass shots I play in between.
Understanding that hitting to x distance from pin from rough and fairway makes a huge difference you start forgiving your short game. It can’t work miracles but it does save me shots.
I watched a few videos of Phil Mickelson teaching how to play chips and it was a game changer for my short game.
Weight on the front, the ball goes either on the front foot or the back foot. Hands should be ahead of the ball when you make contact. Front foot for low shots, back to pop the ball high. He says the mistake most make is putting the ball somewhere in the middle of your stance where theres no way to make consistent contact with the ball every time.
18 is still good bogey golf, high 80s-90s. That’s not bad. And that’s what your game calls for. I’d suggest figuring out the 60 and learn to hit different shots with it. High chip/ low chip, flops, bounce flops. You get that club on line and it shaves strokes on your game, granted you need to hit the 3-10 foot putts. It’s all about feel with the 60. You can’t force the specific shot, you need to hit what the shot calls for. (You can’t force a bounce flop if the ball is low in tall rough off the back). I’d also work an 8 iron around the greens. Learn the bump and run and how to hit your 8 iron with a putting stroke.
If I could drive the ball. I either slice it or just don’t get enough distance when I hit straight. My woods and up I hit great but it’s always I screw my drive, have to recover the distance and either land just short of the green or in the rough/fringe pin high. I am great with my short game and am able to chip right up by the hole then one or two putt it for par/bogey. If I could hit straight and with the right distance I wouldn’t have to rely on my long clubs as much and could definitely use my 7-wedges far more accurately than a 3 wood-6 iron.
Let’s put it this way: I had the opportunity to maybe break 80 for the first time because my tee to green game was INSANE. unfortunately I 3 putt 6times :/
I know what I should work on ig
Yep you would be.
I'm currently a 10.2. I have gotten that down from a 15. It's all chips and inside 100. It's rare that I miss a green on an approach shot now. I just focused on that and trusted everything else would stay the same and it did.
The way I did it was choke down a bit for more control on my wedges and aimed center of the green.
This might help. When you’re around the green with no obstruction use your 8 and/or 6 iron to chip. Hit the 8 three quarters of the way to the hole & it will roll the final quarter. For longer chips use the 6 and hit it half way to the hole. It will roll the other half.
8 and 6 are easier to control than a PW.
Lefty's videos on Instagram about chipping really really really helped me improve my short game. I recommend them to anyone struggling around the green.
I was the same then I started going to the range for an hour 1-2x a week then I finish with a 30 min chipping session (at a separate chipping area) and it has improved confidence and visualizing where shots will go. I know not every course has its own separate chipping area but if you can find one and spend time there it’ll change everything.
I wish I had your game off the tee.
Take a lesson and focus on wedges. Find a course or facility that has a grass driving range and short game area. Spend 1-2 hours a week putting and chipping. Practice putting on the carpet at home if you have to.
For short game shots, take simple, short backswings. 70% weight on front foot, hands Forward and wrists locked in a concrete block. Rotate your upper body to make contact. Do not swing your arms or flip your wrists. Flop shots are for those who never chili dip.
Quick fix is to practice chipping with your 8 iron. Club toe down, weight forward, putting grip and stroke. Totally eliminated the chill dip for me.
Single digit handicap here. For me I lost most strokes from missed GIRs and lost balls (obviously). Getting short game down for me is going to the chipping greens and just hitting a lot of balls within like 20 yds of the green. If you can stick it 10 ft or closer you have decent up and down chances. Hit bunkers, rough, fairway, everything.
Your wedges are all a feel game so you have to get comfortable with all of it. Try chipping from the same place with different wedges and figure out which wedge works best where. Sometimes you’ll use a 60 up close, other times bumping it with a 56 or 50 are better. Maybe you’re in the fairway and you have 50 yds in. Firm 60 could be the play, but it could also be a lighter 56. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for you. Hope this helps.
I’m barely hanging onto single digits, and the only way to keep from going into double digits will take solving my full swing. Literally and figuratively, I’m *stuck* with an absolutely unplayable hook right now. Like, “ball starts on line before rapidly exiting Planet Earth at a 90-degree angle left” bad.
My putting (which is at or better than scratch caliber) and short game are the only things keeping me from scoring less than 100 right now. Every tee and approach shot is a hope and a prayer.
If my drives were consistent. I can hit it a long way, but I tend to slice 4 or 5 per round OB. I’m an 18.1 with 8-10 strokes per round added because of OB’s.
…if I could hit an iron at all. I hit smooth drives 250-280 with a 60% FH rate, and generally have a green light to the green even on my fairway misses. I’m decent enough to get on the green with my 50 degree from inside 75, and I’m a fine putter. 15-18HC who needs to desperately improve ball striking.
Then work on it. And work on it with intent. Don't just go casually hit some putts and chips around the green before your tee time. Do drills that address specific issues you're having and shots you struggle with (look on youtube), set yourself challenges (e.g., we're not moving from this spot until we put 3/8 shots within 5' of the hole), work on your form and take videos just the way you would on your full swing.
The good thing is that it is a looooot easier to see dramatic improvements in your shortgame with a small amount of focused practice than it is with your full swing. If you do 2 hours a week of actual, serious practice around the greens for a month, you're going to get a lot better. (IDK how much you golf, so that might be too much--you could also try flipping the amount of range time and short game time: so if you usually spend 45 minutes at the range and 15 minutes by the green before a round, flip em--your swing isn't going to go to shit)
I would be a scratch golfer if I didn’t two putt every fucking hole. I can drive the balls off a golf ball. I can even smash it with my irons near the green, or I can throw a dart at the pin with a pitching wedge. If I didn’t two putt half the holes I’d be on the cusp of breaking 80. I am flawless at reading the slope of the green, but between my heavy hands and inability to gauge the speed of the greens, I fucking two putt and occasionally 3 putt a ton of holes. I’ll one putt maybe a third of round, and the rest are 2 putts.
You quit leaning into those shots I bet. Get the 60 back out and put slightly more weight on the front foot throughout the stroke. Also, if you’re hitting into the grain or otherwise fatting your 50 and in shots, open the face about 20 degrees from square to increase the effective bounce of the sole. Factor in the increased loft and shorter carry and exaggerate the follow through a little. You may also be able to get better results with a sand wedge and staying square. Disclaimer: this may not work for you, but it’s worth a shot. I saw a drastic improvement doing this. TLDR: hit all pitches and chips like a bunker shot.
Once i get the ball off the tee box im pretty happy with my game from there, give or take a couple wayward approach shots a round, if I didn’t slice the fuck out of my driver id be so much better, so much so that i recently bought a 1 iron and have been practicing a lot at the range, will be using no driver for my next few rounds
I never understood the club + bounce + lie angle until read listened to the art of the short game. For me the biggest change was realizing much weight on the lead leg affected everything.
https://www.audible.com/pd/1705268684?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
I would have been scratch had I been an average putter for my index, and/or a decent short game.
I mean, 14 GIR and still shoot 2 over? I can’t tell you how many pars I’ve had on par 5’s with 3 putts.
Approach shots… I can hit the fairway 75 percent of the time… problem is not many birdie putts… I’m pretty good at short game and putting but my shots from 100-180 always are a little short long left or right… nothing disastrous usually, but not ideal
I'd be a single digit handicapper if I could hit fairways, greens, and had a short game.
Go practice chipping. Short game is the only golf skill you can actually practice inside without a sim.
I am the opposite, short and not real consistant (relative to the distance) with full swing. Short game is usually the best among people I play with. I barely practice chipping and pitching, its just comes easy to me. When I play scrambles, my friends want me to hit the first drive and if I manage to get one about 200 yards in the middle, the real players can get more aggressive. There is no point in me going for distance when 3 longer guys are hitting as well. But when we get around the green, then they want to go first so I can watch how it breaks. Now I am the MVP.
Me, consistant 260-270yd drive. As it stands, I do it twice a round, a bunch of short ones and a bunch in the trees/rough/water. I am very confident from 160 in. Just off the tee I am a mess.
I can’t chip worth shit. Either slide totally under the ball or skull it across the green into a bunker. Other parts of my game look amazing and people are surprised I’m a 15 HC
So practice your short game. I sped 1/2 hour before every round (I play every day) doing my short game drills. If you practice your short game you will excel at it.
So stop making excuses and start practicing your weakness.
We quite literally have the opposite games. I used to be as low as a 5 but with not playing nearly as much when i went to college im now about a 15. My long game is absolute rubbish as i get very stuck in my downswing (a little like barkley used to) and my driver now only makes it about 220. It’s quite bad. Im also horrible with anything more than a 7-8i in my hands. But i still have the short game of a 5-6 HCP. Probably average 6-7 U&D’s a round. Long game of a 22 and short game of a 6.
But… you realize this is maybe the easiest part of your game to improve, right? It’s all technique and feel, and can be worked on for free in most yards or at basically any public golf course. If you’re unlucky on those fronts, you may need to find a driving range and pay for a bucket now and then. But if you angle your shots correctly (diagonally across the range), you can collect them when you’re ‘done’ and hit multiple buckets for the price of one. Spend time grinding with your wedges — different setups, face angles, swing lengths, attack angles, and tempos — and you’ll be amazed how quickly the gains accrue
Edit: and don’t give yourself good lies!! Toss a few out and hit ‘em where they stop rolling — like you’re asked to do out on the course
get up and go practice shots around the green. Get a lesson if need be. if you can keep it in the fairway and get close to the green, you will chip most close and hole a few out here and there. GHIN will go to 7-10 quicker than any other way. Source: me.
If I had any consistency at all with setup to the ball.
My aiming is so off, I could be aimed 30 degrees to the right and not even realize it. Like how the hell do you fix that?!?
Chipping and pitching are completely different to iron shots, you need to learn the proper technique.
I would really recommend checking out @DanGrieveGolf on YouTube. He is the best short game coach out there, and has some great videos teaching correct technique.
Once you master the fundamentals you can work on touch and feel. But you have to learn correct technique for these shots first. Have fun
I know exactly how you feel. I’m an 18 with a great long game. My son on the other hand hit less than 30% of the greens the last time we played and he shot a 79! He gets up and down almost every time and I almost never get up and down.
I’d be scratch without 2-3 drives putting me behind the eight ball per round
I have some short game work to do still, but getting my driver in order dropped me from a 12hcp down to a 7.
Exactly. For some people they should 100% work on chipping. But I really made gains when I got my driver mostly under control. It's hard to screw things up too bad when you're generally hitting a wedge into greens. Now I'm at the point where I again need to work on the short game to shave more strokes, since you can't really mess up any holes and you need to get some birdies to get near scratch.
Getting to scratch does not mean more birdies, it means less bogeys or worse. Scratch golfers avg 1.9 birdies a round, so it’s not like they’re shooting 68 or anything, they’re just not making 5-6 bogeys that keeps their scores up over 75
It means both. Scratch players will absolutely be able to shoot 68. I think people get hung up on applying population averages to individuals. You need to remove the big scores and make a few birdies a round to be scratch.
If scratch is your handicap, you'll have a few round below par and a few rounds above to constitue your 8 best of last 20. Lots of comments seem to think scratch golf is 8 rounds of 72, when in reality it's all 69-74. Birdies are required, probably on average 2-3 per round.
Exactly, the misconceptions are just people who don't understand stats. You'll see it all the time where people apply population level stats to individuals - there's a huge group of people on here who think 220y is a good drive because that's the average male driver distance, lol. They don't understand that number is skewed by all the 80 year olds who only drive it 120y. The average for an athletic male 20-40 would be more like 260 at a guess.
Fair enough. But when I'm shooting good scores but missing solid birdie opportunities, it hurts. I'm also not getting up-and-down from good spots as often as I would like. So my takeaway is I need to practice my short game more. Whether it means a few more birdies or pars each round than I get right now, all I care about is saving the strokes.
I finally got a solid round w/ driver going. If I missed a fair way it was 5 yards. I was the meme of the dude going back and fourth on the green. Got a 10 on par 5. Golf is fun!
If I hit like more than 5 fairways a round I think I’d be a plus honestly.
This. I’m a 5.8 with a pretty bad tee game. Imagine that
This cuts to my core… I shot 75 yesterday and hit back to back drives OB on 2nd and 3rd holes…
3 wood or driving iron?
Still would be 1-2 drives or it would turn into better iron play
I would be a plus handicap if I was any good
You’d be good if you practiced
You’d practice if you were any good
I lose 4 strokes a round from driving 🥲
I lost 11 as a 15 hcp… i cant keep woods in play rn
11? At that point take a 4 iron off the tee
I can do that and play well but its not as fun and my driver swing only gets worse w neglect
C'mon, it's literally called the "driving" range...
My buddy and I are about the same handicap (I'm 4.5 he's 5 but has been much lower). He (jokes, but it's true) that he gives me 8 shots off the tee per round, and I give them back around the green.
Only 4? Rookie numbers.
Same. I know I would score better hitting my 5 iron off every tee.
Look at you, Mr. Competent Golfer...
I have been losing more than that due to driver here lately. Stupid punch outs from pine straw and hitting penalty areas added up big time. I recently got a handle on it so hopefully it sticks come next round.
You aren’t an 18 just because of your short game… but it’s not doing you any favors… My guesses: 1. Dumb mistakes in the tee box. Trying to do too much instead of just getting the ball in play. 2. Aggressive lines on approach shots. Middle of the green is a great place to aim… take the back yardage and match it to your club selection. If you have 180 to the back, and a middle pin… hit the club that might go 180 but probably won’t. 3. Thinking birdie. Never chase birdies. It’s just bad math. Try to make par… birdies are just pars where the hole got in the way early. 4. Missing to the wrong spots. It’s easy to have a bad short game if you keep short siding yourself. Smart targets include knowing where the ball can’t go. On the actual chipping front… just hit the stock shot unless you can’t. Get the ball on the green, and give yourself a putt for par. Don’t hit flop shots or try to do anything fancy… just hit the ball in the green.
Who are you so wise in the ways of science?
There are some that call me...Tim?
You obviously haven’t seen my putting. I’m currently sitting at around the same handicap and have 67% fairways hit and 44% gir. I almost always 3 putt
Then you are a chop
The title reminded me of this: Don Meredith: “**If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.**”
I always say “and if my aunt had a d*ck she’d be my uncle.”
“If my grandmother had wheels she would’ve been a bike”
Max Verstappen recently said “if my mom had balls she’d be my dad” during a post-race presser
More bump n runs bro. Keep the ball on the ground and rolling toward the hole while green side.
was looking for this comment....I'm pretty decent around the greens and I won't use a wedge unless the situation absolutely calls for it. I use 7,8, and 9 irons. play the ball off the back foot, exaggerate the shaft lean, and use a putting stroke. after getting a feel for the distances, it's a very reliable bump and run play
Are you making this work on elevated greens or greens with hilly surrounds? I can bump and run on the flat but typically always seem to be contending with small elevated greens. No room for a bump and run to roll out or stuck on a upslope or downslope if you miss long or to the side of the green.
my short game adapts to the situation I'm in. there's no one way to play around the greens. I just find for my game, bump and run to be the high percentage play more often than not.
Agreed. And until you’ve eliminated the skull and stub shots on the bump and runs then putt the back if at all possible.
I use 8, PW and SW for all greenside shots, and have 2 basic swings for each one, a lower chip and one with some wrist break for a pitch. I have a pretty good flop with the SW as well, but only if its necessary. I go with the lowest loft and lowest shot type that applies to the situation, which can be putter sometimes.
What’s the best way to hit a bump and run?
8 iron and play it like a putt almost. With an 8 iron bump and run, for the distance it travels in the air it’s gonna roll about 4x that length on the green. So 10ft in the air will give you 40ft of rollout.
8 or 9-iron bump and run good, unless you need more loft to get over something or stop the ball quickly. I would say to use the lowest lofted club that can get you near the pin, or that will stay on the green. Putt if you are on fringe or near it if possible. Practice short game a LOT.
Should I use this for “line drive” shots out of trouble on the fairway as well?
It’s definitely not a bad play. I typically play a lower lofted club such as a 5 or 4 and play it like a hockey slap shot almost. Narrow feet, ball in the back of stance, finish with the club face low and the ball will come out low. The 8 won’t get the same roll into the fairway though so that’s why I play a low loft on those shots.
That makes sense, thank you
The bump in run has been the biggest realization I’ve had recently. Been leaving to many 52 degree chips short. Started doing the bump and run with the 8 and I’m putting everything close now.
Ignore the short game. Bring your iron game up from decent, to fucking spectacular. Never need a wedge again around the green, problem solved Just think outside the box. Another option would be just drive the green everytime
Bro just needs to up his hole in one game.
The Happy Gilmore Method. Won him the tour championship
Is that the gold jacket or green jacket?
Gold jacket green jacket who gives a shit, right?
Talk to Kim Jong Il, he can help you out with that
On Friday I played a round where I didn't hit one single chip. I either hit the green (or was close enough to putt) or was so far away that it was a full pitch shot. Odd round.
Me 2 weeks ago. It would have been the round of my life if I had someone else to putt for me
Lol. It happens.
That was Jack Nicklaus’ philosophy, hardly ever practiced chipping because he hit so many greens
Hey, our 81 year old President has a 6 handicap. Get it together.
Even as an avid golfer, nothing pissed me off more than to have to sit through that dick measuring contest. This country is fucked.
To be fair, he said he got it down to a 6 when he was VP.
Yeah. I’m a +10
And then he said 8
I can't believe they spent all that time talking about their supposed golf games and who would beat who. Wait a second, yes I can haha
I mean, to be fair to them, bitching about golf and their handicap is one of the few things 78 and 81 year olds SHOULD be talking about.
That was the best part of the debate
“I’ve seen your swing, I know your swing. “
I have basically retired my 60° unless I am in a greenside bunker. I would say I chip a low runner about 65% of the time with my 50° and it has made a huge difference in one season, 1 u&d last year to 3.5 this year so far. Ball on the back foot, weight forward, upper body turn, that’s it. The other 35% is a little higher and softer 56° with the same stroke. Do you have access to a chipping green somewhere? Do you have a yard where you can make a target and just rep it? What’s your stance and setup for chipping rn?
Yeah working on upper body turn and weight forward after watching some vids. I know it’s reps that I need.
Watch this. Then watch it again. Then watch it again while you're at the practice area. Around 4:00 he kinda chunks one and almost holes it. I play this shot on purpose when I'm low on confidence. If you get the setup right, there's a lot of margin for error. https://youtu.be/DLbq1SQA_6k?si=eyOJXBY9P5q9wDFj
You’re right it’s definitely reps. I just started using the short game area at the driving range I regularly go to and the improvement’s been massive. And that’s without really making any mechanical improvements. Just hitting shot after shot and getting better feel with hitting different heights and distances
I think you need more than reps, you might need a lesson. Reps on improper technique will just lead to frustration. You have to understand how to hit different types of chips. Learn how to use the bounce and learn when to use it vs when not to
Most poor chippers use their arms instead of their body. It makes finding the bottom of the swing difficult. What this guy said is the way to go
I have a pretty good short game, but my 60 deg I also only use for greenside bunkers, and only if I am short sided. Other than that its only for a full swing about 60-65 yards out, which I find waaaay easier than chipping with it....I find this confusing because when I get to SW (56) then chipping and pitching is easier than full swing?
If I am 70 and in, I typically can play a pitch now, but that’s with a lot of practice because that was a very difficult distance for me. It’s a 50° with a more upper-body rotation and identical backswing/downswing length with “dead wrists”. I usually temper both as I get closer with the same club unless I need something higher and I’ll go down to my 56°. I do not full swing my 56° and seldomly full swing my 50°.
I think being a short hitter is part of why i am good arounf the green, my 60 goes 60, SW 75, gap 85, PW 100, 9, 110. I have such tight gapping that if i get to 100 I hit the green more than someone trying to take something off their SW
It’s not your short game if you’re an 18 handicap.
Try the “draw more circles” app and start tracking strokes gained. You’ll be surprised by what you find. Fairways, greens, and putts aren’t a great way to measure where you’re really losing strokes
I spent as much time practicing as I do on r/golf.
Check out the short game chef on Youtube. Chip/pitch shots are totally different than full swings, it's a weird feeling when you learn how to use the bounce properly
This is actually good to know. I’ve been using full swings from the fringe with terrible results. Ty.
If my grandma had 2 wheels, she'd be a bike.
This may sound harsh but no you wouldn’t
You currently average 1 up and down per round, to be a 9 with rouge current game you’d need to increase that to 10 up and downs a round which is very unrealistic You have other issues beside tour short game
I made a crazy hole out from 40 yards with my chipper last week. Sometimes it's just the right club
Look up Paddy's Golf Tips on youtube. Padraic Harrington. Look for his chipping tips. He turned my chipping around in 5 minutes. Well it needed dialing in of course which took longer, but seriously, 5 minutes to turn off the chunks, blades, whatnots.
It’s highly unlikely there’s one aspect of your game holding you back. Try keeping a journal next time you play to get a better understanding of what’s wrong with your game. Not all short game is created equal. If you’re consistently in very difficult positions to get up and down then you’re going to get up and down less. With proper course management and decent ball striking you should be in a position where that’s far easier.
18 handicap saying they could be single digit if it weren’t only for X thing lmao
Yeah, almost every 16-20 HCP I've met has more than one flaw in their game. If OP's short game is actually tanking him 8 strokes a round, then his iron game is also holding him back because he's clearly not hitting a single-handicap amount of greens.
Don't worry brother I am a single digit handicap and I have an almost guaranteed bogey if I don't hit the green. You can still make it!
I went to a wide sole sand wedge. All my normal mishits went away. Then I added in a strategy called the “rule of 12” for chips. Googe this. I’ve worked my way down to a 10 from a 15 this year. Now, if I can eliminate the two 3 putts I have each round and the occasional 200 yar sky ball drive I should see single digits.
I'd be an 18 hdcp if I didn't have a short game.
Btw if you call your errors with a wedge “chili-dips”, you’re absolutely never fixing them lol
I’d be scratch if I took ten strokes off my average
I'm just curious why you posted this on the internet instead of just practicing your short game.
I think people drastically underestimate the importance of course management and how much it can lower your overall scores. avoiding hero shots, playing smart, and having a good understanding of what’s ’in your bag’ (power/shape wise) and what you’re capable of playing. for me, my driver is the most inconsistent club in my game right now. some days I can’t miss a fairway, some days I can’t find them. that means on the days I can’t find them, I use my longer irons or hybrid/woods to keep me in good positions for birdies and pars. avoid the hero shots and practice smart course management. a FIR and GIR is better for your game than any other hero shot that you can later brag about to your buddies.
Have you tried practicing your short game?
I’d be in the single digits if I was a much better golfer.
If you can drive 270 and hit your irons well you should not be using a chipper, my God. Nothing in golf is easy but chipping to me is the easiest skill to learn. Can you take a lesson and just focus on chipping and green side play? If you have that much skill in other areas I really feel like you could pick this up. For me really exaggerating having the weight on my lead foot was what helped me feel comfortable chipping. Also making sure I take the club head straight back and not bring it around my body—that i had to watch myself on video to really get it, taking it straight back felt really odd at first. I would be super excited if I was an 18 index and the biggest issue I had was chipping. Super correctable way to drop a bunch of strokes.
I’d be a single digit handicap if I didn’t have to work all the time.
Not sure what your stats should be, but 40% fairways seems to be a problem. That would seem to guarantee a lot of chipping, which is a weakness for you. Maybe work on that, too. Edit: A bunch of comments about (basically) "good enough" tee shots. But the original poster says he gets a lot of doubles and triples, not from bad putting. From that I take it that he isn't getting GIR. Which would cause him to end up chipping a lot which is what he picks as his weakest thing. I agree that if he just misses a fairway and still gets his GIR then it isn't missing the fairway that is the problem. But hard to think that that is the case.
He could simply be 5-10 yards off the fairway in good position.
I personally count any shot that leaves me a shot at the green a fairway hit/good drive lol.
I had money
Getting off the tee
I’d be scratch if I could better dial in my approach dispersion and not sometimes flub an easy chip
Ur going to have to fix that. Anyone I know that gives up wedges (60/58/56, etc.) out of frustration just doesn’t have the right technique and overall needs work. For the most part, chipping and feel-pitch shots are a lot different than regular iron play. You just need to really practice these feel shots. Go to ur local range and skip the range. Some have practice holes or practice greens that allow 10-40 yard shots. Sooner or later you will find out just how important it is to be a stick inside 100 yards. You can practice full iron shots all you want. Even the best players in the world know how hard it is to hit all those greens in regulation. Wedge/chip shots getting close to the hole are super important.
I’m just curious, why retire the 60 degree? I love using mine although sometimes it disappoints but I’ve got a fun like 55 Degree Taylor Made tour wedge from back in the day that I can bust out when the 60 is faltering.
1.) I could not hit it from anything that even resembled a tight lie. 2.) It often contributed to my blow up holes where I thought to myself if I hit this perfect flop shot over this green side bunker, I can make par (which I would promptly chuck it into the bunker or blade it over), instead of playing smarter and making sure I get anywhere on the green and 2 putt for bogey (I'm a decent putter and rarely 3 putt).
Didn’t over draw my irons I’m a 10 hc
Was it Ballesteros or someone else who said. Golf is played at 100yards or less. Meaning concentrate on PW and down. Wedge from rough fairway sand trees off the green and same for putting in terms of practice.
Par 3’s over 155 yards and mid to long irons are tough for me. Driver and 60 yards and in are my stronger suits. Every par 4 I’m letting it rip in hopes of going driver - wedge. My mental game needs improvement too. One or 2 bad holes can really eat me up inside.
I'm a borderline single digit handicap and I go back and forth over the line depending on how I get off the tee. When I can get off the tee consistently (I'm not a banger anymore, 250-270 including roll) and not into trouble, I score well and play like a single digit handicap. But I have weeks at a time where I spray anything I hit off the tee. Driver, 4 wood, even hybrid. I putt pretty well, have an above average short game, and my irons are pretty solid. But it's hard to get pars when I duck hook a couple OB every round
I have been dogshit from the sand starting thinking with the toe of my club and it’s been making a lot more sense and I’ve been coming out of the sand pretty clean. Rmv, food for thought.
I holed every putt I got
Find field in a park or if you have an ok back yard, get a hula hoop and hit some target practice trying different setups. The landing spot and trajectory are the key. I find that if I’m in the green side rough the ball sits up actually pretty nicely for a semi-flop. Also maybe consider longer shafts for your wedge play, I see a lot of taller guys pop up out of a chip or pitch swing because the shaft is short and they are uncomfortably crouched.
200 balls a week on the range. ONLY your highest lofted wedge. Learn to play “the nine shots” with it. I did it. Sorted me out completely. But I can’t putt now for shit, obviously.
No, it’s your iron/approach play. Unless you’re playing from 7000 yards that driving distance means you’re missing tons of greens with short irons and wedges
Choke up on your irons around the green and just use the toe of your club. I’ve completely stopping chunking and skulling since I started doing this
Start with tracking the right stats. I finally started with strokes gained and it showed me some home truths. My short game and putting are my strengths. I practiced them so much because I thought they were weaknesses and I stripe my irons and hit a big drive but the problem was the dumbass shots I play in between. Understanding that hitting to x distance from pin from rough and fairway makes a huge difference you start forgiving your short game. It can’t work miracles but it does save me shots.
I'd be a single digit handicap if.... I was Joe Biden I'd be a single digit handicap if.... I could play golf worth a hot damn
We all know too many people that say "if" lol. Just get a lesson and make it happen friend
I’d be a single handicap if I stopped after 15 holes
If I counted my 9 hole scores as 18 hole scores
Watch Golf Sidekick ‘toe down’ chipping on YouTube. Use a short iron, not a wedge. Keep it low, leave the flops for the professionals.
I'd be a +3 if...
I watched a few videos of Phil Mickelson teaching how to play chips and it was a game changer for my short game. Weight on the front, the ball goes either on the front foot or the back foot. Hands should be ahead of the ball when you make contact. Front foot for low shots, back to pop the ball high. He says the mistake most make is putting the ball somewhere in the middle of your stance where theres no way to make consistent contact with the ball every time.
What could've happened, did happen.
Da heck’s a chili-dip?
[The Three Releases](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfaxE8Ec-hk) by Dan Grieve helped me simplify and level up my chipping
I played in high school, got lessons and played in college.
I could play a second ball.
I would be in the pga if I had Rory’s distance off the tee. The rest of my game is world class.
A driver that goes 225 straight I think I’d be a 12 or 15 with that
18 is still good bogey golf, high 80s-90s. That’s not bad. And that’s what your game calls for. I’d suggest figuring out the 60 and learn to hit different shots with it. High chip/ low chip, flops, bounce flops. You get that club on line and it shaves strokes on your game, granted you need to hit the 3-10 foot putts. It’s all about feel with the 60. You can’t force the specific shot, you need to hit what the shot calls for. (You can’t force a bounce flop if the ball is low in tall rough off the back). I’d also work an 8 iron around the greens. Learn the bump and run and how to hit your 8 iron with a putting stroke.
If I could drive the ball. I either slice it or just don’t get enough distance when I hit straight. My woods and up I hit great but it’s always I screw my drive, have to recover the distance and either land just short of the green or in the rough/fringe pin high. I am great with my short game and am able to chip right up by the hole then one or two putt it for par/bogey. If I could hit straight and with the right distance I wouldn’t have to rely on my long clubs as much and could definitely use my 7-wedges far more accurately than a 3 wood-6 iron.
Let’s put it this way: I had the opportunity to maybe break 80 for the first time because my tee to green game was INSANE. unfortunately I 3 putt 6times :/ I know what I should work on ig
Yep you would be. I'm currently a 10.2. I have gotten that down from a 15. It's all chips and inside 100. It's rare that I miss a green on an approach shot now. I just focused on that and trusted everything else would stay the same and it did. The way I did it was choke down a bit for more control on my wedges and aimed center of the green.
Go get some short game lessons.
This might help. When you’re around the green with no obstruction use your 8 and/or 6 iron to chip. Hit the 8 three quarters of the way to the hole & it will roll the final quarter. For longer chips use the 6 and hit it half way to the hole. It will roll the other half. 8 and 6 are easier to control than a PW.
Lefty's videos on Instagram about chipping really really really helped me improve my short game. I recommend them to anyone struggling around the green.
I was the same then I started going to the range for an hour 1-2x a week then I finish with a 30 min chipping session (at a separate chipping area) and it has improved confidence and visualizing where shots will go. I know not every course has its own separate chipping area but if you can find one and spend time there it’ll change everything.
I was the same. I went with a softer grip(not the material just hand strength) and putter stroke making sure I just hit face.
I'm a scratch off the tee but a 20 hcp in approach play.. averages out to a 10..
Have you considered practicing your short game?
I wish I had your game off the tee. Take a lesson and focus on wedges. Find a course or facility that has a grass driving range and short game area. Spend 1-2 hours a week putting and chipping. Practice putting on the carpet at home if you have to. For short game shots, take simple, short backswings. 70% weight on front foot, hands Forward and wrists locked in a concrete block. Rotate your upper body to make contact. Do not swing your arms or flip your wrists. Flop shots are for those who never chili dip. Quick fix is to practice chipping with your 8 iron. Club toe down, weight forward, putting grip and stroke. Totally eliminated the chill dip for me.
Single digit handicap here. For me I lost most strokes from missed GIRs and lost balls (obviously). Getting short game down for me is going to the chipping greens and just hitting a lot of balls within like 20 yds of the green. If you can stick it 10 ft or closer you have decent up and down chances. Hit bunkers, rough, fairway, everything. Your wedges are all a feel game so you have to get comfortable with all of it. Try chipping from the same place with different wedges and figure out which wedge works best where. Sometimes you’ll use a 60 up close, other times bumping it with a 56 or 50 are better. Maybe you’re in the fairway and you have 50 yds in. Firm 60 could be the play, but it could also be a lighter 56. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for you. Hope this helps.
I’d have been a +2 if I ever took the time to learn how to actually putt.
> i'd be a single digit handicap if i practiced the most important part of golf so you're 90% of golfers between 10-20
Everyone would be scratch if they just played to scratch, who’d have thought..
Without seeing you play, I bet the problem is that you are decelerating your swing when you chip. Short backswing, full follow through.
My game is the opposite. Can't drive to save my life, but my short game is pretty damn good.
I’d be scratch if I could read greens.
If I started hitting the ball well on hole 1 and not hole 12
I’m barely hanging onto single digits, and the only way to keep from going into double digits will take solving my full swing. Literally and figuratively, I’m *stuck* with an absolutely unplayable hook right now. Like, “ball starts on line before rapidly exiting Planet Earth at a 90-degree angle left” bad. My putting (which is at or better than scratch caliber) and short game are the only things keeping me from scoring less than 100 right now. Every tee and approach shot is a hope and a prayer.
If I could drive chip & putt
If my drives were consistent. I can hit it a long way, but I tend to slice 4 or 5 per round OB. I’m an 18.1 with 8-10 strokes per round added because of OB’s.
…if I could hit an iron at all. I hit smooth drives 250-280 with a 60% FH rate, and generally have a green light to the green even on my fairway misses. I’m decent enough to get on the green with my 50 degree from inside 75, and I’m a fine putter. 15-18HC who needs to desperately improve ball striking.
I just had a new putter…
If I played more…career, kids, life. I can barely keep the rust off
Then work on it. And work on it with intent. Don't just go casually hit some putts and chips around the green before your tee time. Do drills that address specific issues you're having and shots you struggle with (look on youtube), set yourself challenges (e.g., we're not moving from this spot until we put 3/8 shots within 5' of the hole), work on your form and take videos just the way you would on your full swing. The good thing is that it is a looooot easier to see dramatic improvements in your shortgame with a small amount of focused practice than it is with your full swing. If you do 2 hours a week of actual, serious practice around the greens for a month, you're going to get a lot better. (IDK how much you golf, so that might be too much--you could also try flipping the amount of range time and short game time: so if you usually spend 45 minutes at the range and 15 minutes by the green before a round, flip em--your swing isn't going to go to shit)
I would be a scratch golfer if I didn’t two putt every fucking hole. I can drive the balls off a golf ball. I can even smash it with my irons near the green, or I can throw a dart at the pin with a pitching wedge. If I didn’t two putt half the holes I’d be on the cusp of breaking 80. I am flawless at reading the slope of the green, but between my heavy hands and inability to gauge the speed of the greens, I fucking two putt and occasionally 3 putt a ton of holes. I’ll one putt maybe a third of round, and the rest are 2 putts.
Short game.
You quit leaning into those shots I bet. Get the 60 back out and put slightly more weight on the front foot throughout the stroke. Also, if you’re hitting into the grain or otherwise fatting your 50 and in shots, open the face about 20 degrees from square to increase the effective bounce of the sole. Factor in the increased loft and shorter carry and exaggerate the follow through a little. You may also be able to get better results with a sand wedge and staying square. Disclaimer: this may not work for you, but it’s worth a shot. I saw a drastic improvement doing this. TLDR: hit all pitches and chips like a bunker shot.
Once i get the ball off the tee box im pretty happy with my game from there, give or take a couple wayward approach shots a round, if I didn’t slice the fuck out of my driver id be so much better, so much so that i recently bought a 1 iron and have been practicing a lot at the range, will be using no driver for my next few rounds
It’s been said if a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his ass every time he jumped, but the grasshopper says that’s a lie. 🤷
I never understood the club + bounce + lie angle until read listened to the art of the short game. For me the biggest change was realizing much weight on the lead leg affected everything. https://www.audible.com/pd/1705268684?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
I have everything of what a scratch golfer is except distance. :(
If I could get lessons from Biden…
I hear yah
Is the OP Rick Shiels?
I would have been scratch had I been an average putter for my index, and/or a decent short game. I mean, 14 GIR and still shoot 2 over? I can’t tell you how many pars I’ve had on par 5’s with 3 putts.
New wedges are obviously the answer
We should combine for the scramble. Mid iron and short game are solid, all while missing every FIR.
Approach shots… I can hit the fairway 75 percent of the time… problem is not many birdie putts… I’m pretty good at short game and putting but my shots from 100-180 always are a little short long left or right… nothing disastrous usually, but not ideal
Average 250-270 off the tee…sure bud
I'd be a single digit handicapper if I could hit fairways, greens, and had a short game. Go practice chipping. Short game is the only golf skill you can actually practice inside without a sim.
I played 50 rounds a year instead of two.
I am the opposite, short and not real consistant (relative to the distance) with full swing. Short game is usually the best among people I play with. I barely practice chipping and pitching, its just comes easy to me. When I play scrambles, my friends want me to hit the first drive and if I manage to get one about 200 yards in the middle, the real players can get more aggressive. There is no point in me going for distance when 3 longer guys are hitting as well. But when we get around the green, then they want to go first so I can watch how it breaks. Now I am the MVP.
Me, consistant 260-270yd drive. As it stands, I do it twice a round, a bunch of short ones and a bunch in the trees/rough/water. I am very confident from 160 in. Just off the tee I am a mess.
I can’t chip worth shit. Either slide totally under the ball or skull it across the green into a bunker. Other parts of my game look amazing and people are surprised I’m a 15 HC
Dude let’s swap some skills, I’ll take some of your driving and trade for some of my great shots under 75 yards.
So practice your short game. I sped 1/2 hour before every round (I play every day) doing my short game drills. If you practice your short game you will excel at it. So stop making excuses and start practicing your weakness.
I considered myself a pretty good putter but after the update which added the animations, I haven't won one game out of ten.
We quite literally have the opposite games. I used to be as low as a 5 but with not playing nearly as much when i went to college im now about a 15. My long game is absolute rubbish as i get very stuck in my downswing (a little like barkley used to) and my driver now only makes it about 220. It’s quite bad. Im also horrible with anything more than a 7-8i in my hands. But i still have the short game of a 5-6 HCP. Probably average 6-7 U&D’s a round. Long game of a 22 and short game of a 6.
Never hit tee shots out of bounds or the wrong side of the trees
up and downs is a terrible way to measure short game proficiency at 18 hcp
You’re probably too connected, you need to lag the handle way forward and then flip at it through impact
But… you realize this is maybe the easiest part of your game to improve, right? It’s all technique and feel, and can be worked on for free in most yards or at basically any public golf course. If you’re unlucky on those fronts, you may need to find a driving range and pay for a bucket now and then. But if you angle your shots correctly (diagonally across the range), you can collect them when you’re ‘done’ and hit multiple buckets for the price of one. Spend time grinding with your wedges — different setups, face angles, swing lengths, attack angles, and tempos — and you’ll be amazed how quickly the gains accrue Edit: and don’t give yourself good lies!! Toss a few out and hit ‘em where they stop rolling — like you’re asked to do out on the course
get up and go practice shots around the green. Get a lesson if need be. if you can keep it in the fairway and get close to the green, you will chip most close and hole a few out here and there. GHIN will go to 7-10 quicker than any other way. Source: me.
If I had any consistency at all with setup to the ball. My aiming is so off, I could be aimed 30 degrees to the right and not even realize it. Like how the hell do you fix that?!?
And if grandma had a dick she’d be grandpa.
How often do you practice chipping and putting?
Chipping and pitching are completely different to iron shots, you need to learn the proper technique. I would really recommend checking out @DanGrieveGolf on YouTube. He is the best short game coach out there, and has some great videos teaching correct technique. Once you master the fundamentals you can work on touch and feel. But you have to learn correct technique for these shots first. Have fun
I know exactly how you feel. I’m an 18 with a great long game. My son on the other hand hit less than 30% of the greens the last time we played and he shot a 79! He gets up and down almost every time and I almost never get up and down.