Quote Originally Posted by EdmontonGolfer
So if you only hit a 5 yard draw you would shoot 6 over is what you are saying? Maybe I misunderstood, but if not, that's a bit of a ridiculous comment from someone who knows quite a bit about the game.
My comment is not as dumb as you think it is. If my handicap where I play was +6, I would average 64, 8 under par, for the best 10 of my last 20 games.

Handicaps get lower/better, as follows: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6 and so on.

What is ridiculous is the numbers themselves. If better than scratch is +, then worse than scratch is minus. So, to find my net score if I shot a 76 and my handicap is 4, is:
= 76 - (-4)
= 76 + (+4) (add the opposite)
=80 (But it should be 72, right?)

If my handicap was +3 then my net is:
=76 - (+3)
=76 + (-3)
=73 (But it should be 79)

Conclusion? If the RCGA handicap factors were described mathematically correctly, the current plus handicaps would be minuses and the minuses would be plusses. If you doubt my math, check the grade 8 text math text I used with my students.

Thanks, Geoff, but my handicap has risen in the last month from +1 to 1. Why? Yesterday, for example, I was even par for 27 holes, with 5 three putts. Just lovely.

Quote Originally Posted by EdmontonGolfer
Uhhh...It's not that uncommon for someone to shoot in the low 90's with a decent game off the tee. I can count on two hands the number of people who hit the ball straight I play with but can't break 90.
Perhaps we have different definitions of what a decent game off the tee is. If you hit the hardest club in the bag to hit, WITH A 5 YARD DRAW, then one can only assume that with the shorter clubs, you would hit the ball even better. With this kind of ball striking, and if you had, at worst, an average short game and putting, your handicap would be in the 0 range. I have never seen anyone who is a 5 yard drawer, shoot in the 80's, let alone the 90's.

When I play well, I hit the ball straight, but if I could draw the ball a little on each shot, I would likely be in a position to score even better, as a consistent right to left or left to right ball flight, reduces the margin for error. We straight hitters have to aim up the middle, leaving us only a 50% M of E, whereas you drawers can aim up the right side and have almost a 100% M of E. Consistent draw - my winter project.

Left to righters, like Tiger, have an even greater advantage in that a fade is a higher shot that will roll very little upon landing, making it more accurate, which is the opposite to the lower flying draw.