Re: Almost there......!

Great stuff Nicole.

The short game must be really hot to get those sub 30 pprs.

I'm developing a nice hook as well - sadly its not deliberate

Look forward to hearing about more imprtovement over your summer.


Robin

Re: Almost there......!

Are you still using Clearkeys?

Re: Almost there......!

Hi Charles,

Not really. Having said this though, I am only having one swing key during the round and I am accepting of the result.

In the past few months I have really focused on my short game. A majority of my practice has been target towards it.

I've been committed to a handful of nights per week using the reflection of the windows, checking my grip, posture and swing. Trying to get the perspective of feel v real.

During comp rounds I have been committed to my short game and to training the tempo of my swing for my long shots.

The latter I have done due to an article in the Aust Golf Digest October Edition (Appleby on cover). In the instruction section there is an article on training your tempo. Keeps me focused too during the round. I have found it quite rewarding.

One thing I will add is that over the past two or three weeks, I have been truly committed to the putting line. Once I've chosen it - I have pulled the trigger. There would be only three putts I have not been happy with over this period.

Two in the round where I shot 8 over. Those two putts I missed were makeable - within 6 feet. I wasn't committed and I missed.

One in the round where I shot 9 over. A tricky putt, within a foot and a half. Again I wasn't committed. This time I actually got up and walked to the hole before I had finished the stroke. IDIOT!!!!! Well I actually didn't say that....

Re: Almost there......!

Probably in the wrong area this thread but, oh well.

Today I had 38 points with 4 three putts and hit 7 fairways...

It's coming. Got a lesson this Friday - looking forward to it...

Thanks for reading...

Re: Almost there......!

I am glad to hear that things are going well.

I think Clearkeys is a great concept, but I found that I couldn't use it. It appears to me that it requires a certain mind set, and I don't think my mind is set yet. :-) It sounds to me from your posts that you have extracted the important parts of Clearkeys. One thing to remember is that the 32-ball drill is not the only method of "ingraining" or developing the "subconscious swing" - check my blog "pyramid routine" which describes my method of altering my swing in a very short time span.

Keep up the good work.
Charles

Re: Almost there......!

Good job. If it will help you figure things out, below is how I analyze my score.


I begin with par for the course. I'll assume you played your +8 and +9 on par 70. Adjust for actual. I count 36 putts for par. All other strokes are off the green. So:

70 - 36 = 34 strokes off the green for par

Actual score:

(70 + 8) - 28 = 50 off green
50 - 34 = 16 actual errors off the green

Errors could be anything. A second chip, a missed approach or missed fairway depending on where it lands. The resulting shots are the cost of those mistakes. Also, count any putts over two on any hole as an error. So, for your +8 round, unless you 3 putted you'd have made 16 errors off the green. Since you made 28 putts instead of the par 36, you recovered 8 strokes. Bear in mind that the maximum number of strokes you can recover on the green is 18 by making 18 putts in one round. Although you can recover more by chipping it in from off the green disregard this for now.

After all that, I ask if I've made any multiple chips or pitches to get on the green or to recover. For instance, on a par 3, I sent the ball in the green side bunker and took 4 strokes to get out. Already, that's 4 errors. 1 that got me in the bunker, 3 strokes too many to get out. Even then I got it out but not on the green. Chipped back on. I finished with an 8 for the hole. Making 5 errors in total. The point here is that with this method of counting errors, I know precisely what I must practice. In this case, I must practice the short bunker shot. We may think that I should also practice the 150 yard approach but that error was a mistake in judgment, not in execution. I hit that 8i perfectly in line with the pin. 10 yards short.


Good job on your progress.

Re: Almost there......!

Thanks Martin,

I would say at the moment it is obviously off the tee that is the issue. In my stats I do not include par 3's.

I will say that focusing on my tempo is helping plenty.

I generally collate fairways hit, shots within 30m and putts. My goal for putting is less than 30 per round.

As I say I am really close...

Re: Almost there......!

Find Martin's Error Count theory interesting.

Whilst I haven't thought it right through as yet, presumably your handicap reflects your average error rate over time.

Given my 15 handicap, if I was to make 15 errors in a round, I would post a nett par 72 round on my home par 72 course.

Have a stroke round this Saturday and I'll be keeping an alternate scorecard with my stats for the day (F/Ways, Greens & Putts) and it will be interesting to compare the error count to my handicap nett score.

Oh and Nickers, the one swing thought I use is "Swing Easy"......

Its working for me...

Cheers

Re: Almost there......!

I think it's a matter of perspective. 27 putts is pro level. It usually gives them around 5 under or something close. This means they still make errors even though they are the best in the world. For them though, the errors are almost never about the short game.

Re: Almost there......!

Yes Martin, I agree there...

The stats recorded for the PGA tour for the just completed 2007 Season show that very few Pros hit 14 fairways and 18 greens in any given round......

2007 PGATour leader in fairways hit was Jose Coceres who averaged just over 75% or between 10 & 11 faiways hit per round.

2007 PGATour leader in GIR was one Tiger Woods who averaged just over 71% of greens hit or between 12 to 13 of 18 per round.

And finally, 2007PGA Tour leader for putts per green was Tim Clark with just over 1.72 putts per green. NB, this figure is for all 18 holes, regardless of whether he hit it in reg or not.

Just as an aside Tiger was 4th on the putts per green list which to me confirms more than anything that its the short game greens and putts which dictate scoring more than anything else...

Bubba Watson led driving distance and finished 107th in the world, 66th on the money list.

The rhetorical question from this is, WHY do so many amateur & weekend golfers spend so much time at the range practicing with Driver...??? It is OBVIOUSLY NOT where you score......!!!

Cheers
Craig

Re: Almost there......!

Martin - One thing to keep in mind is the player's club distances. One of the regular playing partners is over 80 years old and an exceptional tee shot for him is 160yds. With ~380yd par 4s he is unlikely to get on in two, par5s he can with luck get on in 4. So when people are counting their errors (I really like the idea) they should make sure that they are adjusting for their current ability.

Re: Almost there......!

"The rhetorical question from this is, WHY do so many amateur & weekend golfers spend so much time at the range practicing with Driver...??? It is OBVIOUSLY NOT where you score......!!!"

have to agree scraggs
last night at the range i took 3 wedges and a 6iron
all around me all i could hear was drivers being sliced!

Re: Almost there......!

"The rhetorical question from this is, WHY do so many amateur & weekend golfers spend so much time at the range practicing with Driver...??? It is OBVIOUSLY NOT where you score......!!!"

I agree and disagree with you on this point. The short game is obviously important but if you are not hitting the fairways in the first place you are unlikley to be scoring well.

Back to the range now to hit a few more drives .

Re: Almost there......!

hi Gassim
but if your not hitting the fairways the you will need a good short game to get out the rough. even tiger has problems with his driver.
cheers
bill