What's most important?

[fundonny]

What's the key stat for your best scores.

[rhh7]

I have only broken 80 twice in my life, both times I one-putted 11 greens.

Geoff Ogilvy is the defending U.S. Open champion, and he says that you simply have to put the ball in the fairway and make a lot of putts.

I think the tee shot is key, because when you start from the center of the fairway, each successive shot becomes easier. You will have more GIR's, your approaches will be closer to the pin, your putts will be fewer.

It's a logical progression. Look at Phil, and I rest my case. A 5-iron off the tee into the middle of the fairway on the 72nd hole last year, and he would be the defending U.S. Open Champion. Lefty snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory again last week, when he failed to put his drive on the 72nd hole into the fairway.

[knickers]

as an amature I would say GIR. You have to give yourself the chance to putt. Putts would be a very close second.

[jvincent]

We've covered this a couple of times and based on the PGA scoring stats the following are a virtual tie for the strongest correlation to low scores.

1. Greens in reg.
2. Putts per round. Note that this is NOT the same as putts per GIR.

[rhh7]

One of the best ways to analyze a difficult hole, is to start on the green and walk back to the tee. This shows you the subtle nuances which the architect uses to trap the unwary. You will note slope, mounds, obstacles. You will mark the best angle for your approach shot, the most desirable landing area for you tee shot.

Let's work backwards. Fewer putts per round are a mathematical function of greens in regulation. Greens in regulation are a mathematical function of hitting the fairway with your tee shot.

Simple, is it not?

[Hacker]

One of the best ways to analyze a difficult hole, is to start on the green and walk back to the tee. This shows you the subtle nuances which the architect uses to trap the unwary. You will note slope, mounds, obstacles. You will mark the best angle for your approach shot, the most desirable landing area for you tee shot.

Let's work backwards. Fewer putts per round are a mathematical function of greens in regulation. Greens in regulation are a mathematical function of hitting the fairway with your tee shot.

Simple, is it not?

I would argue that fewer putts per round are NOT a function of GIRs. If you hit every green in reg and I miss every green in reg I guarantee you that I would have fewer putts for the round if I have an average short game.....I'd have significantly fewer putts for the round if I had a great short game.

IMO - putts/round are more effected by one's short game than they are GIRs....

[rhh7]

ah, well, I'm wrong again!

[jonf]

rhh7, I do agree with the idea that putting it in the fairway is very important to scoring well, but it's all about getting to the GIR. Ogilvy can say its all about hitting fairways because he knows that if he's in the fairway there is very little chance that he will miss the green. However, for an amateur, there are a MILLION ways to miss the green that don't even come into play for the pros. I say the most important stat is definitely GIR, keeping in mind that it is really a combination of other areas.

[TourIQ]

When my son broke the previous 55-year course record with a score of '64' his GIR's were down this game BUT when he chippped to save par or putt for a birdie his longest putt [when he missed a green] was never over 2 feet. On the front 9 he only used 10 putts enroute to a '30'. On the back 9 he even had a dredded 3-putt.

When I realized my goal to 'break 80' I only had 30 putts over 18. One putted 1/3 of the greens, then I shot a '79'.

[Golfbum]

Grip It
Rip It
Go Find It
Get It On The Green
No Worse Than Two Putts
You can have 36 putts per round and still shoot even par. Been there, done that.
You can have 26 putts and still shoot even par. Been there, done that.

Bottom line, if you miss greens you have to be chipping the ball close to the hole. When I had my best summer of golf, when I had my lowest index I was missing greens. However when I did miss a green I would chip the ball within a couple of feet to save par.

It all depends on the type of course you play on too. High Rough, hit fairways. Short Rough, hit it long, short irons to greens.

Not everyone can drive the ball 300 yards. But everyone, and I mean everyone who plays the game of golf can become a better chipper of the golf ball, and a better putter. So for those of us who can not say "I hit it 300+ all day" we have to work on the short game. Heck even the Pros will tell you "From 150 yards in is where we do our scoring"

I know a guy who actually went down to the Champions Q School. He told me that off the tee he was equal to most of the guys trying to qualify. However from 150 in he was not equal, and he did not qualify. Told me the short game was where it was at for those guys.

[Hacker]

ah, well, I'm wrong again!

Nah I wouldn't say that at all...........I think you may be wrong for a 20 capper like me, but for a single digit capper or a scratch golfer your logic probably makes much more sence

[BC MIST]

What's the key stat for your best scores.

While individual results will vary, GIR's and putts per GIR, are most important for me. When thinking of the latter most may think of making more puts for birdies, but having fewer 3 putts is equally important.

While the differences are subtle, slightly fewer greens in '06 (.2) but also fewer PPGIR (1.86 to 1.92) in '06, resulted in a slightly lower scoring average, by .3.

[davevandyk]

i would say GIR is the most important to me. I can usually putt relatively well, not 3-putting often at all. If i can hit 12-14 greens a round i should be able to improve that couple strokes and be consistently low 70s

[ironmaster15213]

If you can hit 70+% GIR, up and downs greater than 50%, and not totally suck at putting you will shoot around par. The longer the course the more you have to hit the fairway to get your GIR. If your a longer hitter and the holes are less than 400 yards you don't have to be in the fairway to score cause you will have a wedge in your hand on your second shot.

[KickerOfElves]

For me it's mostly fairways hit...or to be more accurate "can find ball."

Missing greens doesn't hurt me as badly as being 3 fairways over and lost.

[Gapwedge]

Greens in regulation are a mathematical function of hitting the fairway with your tee shot.

GIR is absolutely essential to scoring. For this, your second shot (par 4) must be in play. While fairway is always preferred, I would take any full shot with a short iron - even in the rough.

Second would be scrambling. Missing the GIR should result in a near-miss. Up and down to save par is key to eliminating bogeys.

Third would be putting.
________
HERBAL SHOP

[sandbagger72]

scrambling is what i chose if you can';t scramble you'll never get anywhere you got to get it together when it falls apart no one has a perfect tournament.

[sandbagger72]

why does it say albatross now beside my name

[Kilroy]

New user title based on your post count.

[Kilroy]

For a mid hcp trying to lower scores, I found hitting fairways made the most difference so far. I expect that for a low handicapper trying to become scratch, GIR would be better, since they already hit most fairways. For a tour player who hits fairways and greens putts per round would be the key to success.

In a nutshell, it all depends on what you need to improve on to score better.

[sweeper]

From the book 'Golf swing secrets... and lies' by Mike Hebron...

"A study at Nebraska's Physics Department shows that a tee shot's average
distance has a direct influence on any golfer ability to shoot par. The shorter
the tee shot, the more strokes would be lost to par on an average length course.

Average Distance Strokes lost to par
160 15
170 12
180 9
190 7
200 5
210 3
220 1

Theodore Jorgensen said "I soon learned that improving ones distance off the tee
and lowering ones score, were often one in the same"