One of the things I’ve been working on is trying to better figure out the parts of the game that matter more to amateurs.
In the 2011 Pro Golf Synopsis, I stated that the on the PGA Tour, the following facets of the game matter in this order of importance:
1. Danger Zone Play
2. Putts Gained
3. Advanced Total Driving
4. Safe Zone Play
5. Short Game Play
6. Birdie Zone Play
7. Clubhead Speed
8. Shots from 225-275 yards
Obviously, there are differences for amateurs. As I noted in the 2011 PGS, amateurs play shorter courses and thus, the yardage gap for the Danger, Safe and Birdie Zones change and get shorter to the hole.
However, I think there are other differences as well, like the order of importance.
My current thinking is that *driving* becomes more important the higher the handicap becomes. I think the differences in where the ball winds up on a ‘good drive’ vs. a ‘bad drive’ is so much different for a 15 handicap than an elite amateur. I think the discrepancy is far larger for a 15 handicap versus a 10 handicap.
One of the things that Tommy Armour talks about in his book ‘How To Play Your Best Golf All of the Time’ is that amateurs should start thinking about hitting shorter irons out of the rough, even if it means that they can’t reach the green. Simply putting the ball in the fairway was Armour’s strategy to get the golfer to shoot lower scores.
I think the rough is not nearly the factor that it once was, but I think Armour was onto something. Whether he recognized it or not, I believe that the higher the handicap, the more trouble the golfer gets into with their driver.
I believe that putting will always be about #2 in order of importance, regardless of handicap. I just believe that driving and Danger Zone play become more or less important depending upon the handicap.
Thus, a 20 handicap may look like this:
1. Advanced Total Driving
2. Putts Gained
3. Safe Zone Play
4. Danger Zone Play
5. Short Game Play
6. Birdie Zone Play
7. Clubhead Speed
8. Fairway wood and Hybrid shots
A 10 handicap may look like this:
1. Advanced Total Driving
2. Putts Gained
3. Danger Zone Play
4. Safe Zone Play
5. Short Game Play
6. Birdie Zone Play
7. Clubhead Speed
8. Fairway wood and Hybrid shots
A 5 handicap may look like this:
1a. Advanced Total Driving
1b. Danger Zone Play
2. Putts Gained
3. Safe Zone Play
4. Short Game Play
5. Birdie Zone Play
6. Clubhead Speed
7. Fairway wood and Hybrid shots
There's no real way to measure it yet. And I still believe that practicing on the driving range with the longest iron in the bag is beneficial to any golfer of any handicap. But, it's something to think about for now.
After reading Wishon's book 'The Search For The Perfect Driver', I can see why amateurs have struggles with the driver. Certainly, their swing is a culprit of the issues. But, not playing enough loft, trying to hit the faux 'hot spot', and being poorly fit for the shaft and length of the club put amateurs behind the 8-ball before they even hit the first tee.
3JACK
Hi Rich,
ReplyDeleteDo you think there's a case to be made for the 18-28 handicappers to simply leave the driver in the bag?
Often when I'm playing in competition with high handicappers, I'm amazed that they continue to use the big stick when they clearly don't have the swing to even remotely utilise it properly. I play off 11, and it's only in the last few weeks that I've felt that my swing was decent enough to take the driver out on the course, and it's actually paying dividends. This is in comparison to a couple of years ago when I tried using a driver, and the frustration and high scores it caused by all the trouble it used to get me into made me leave it at home. I think that decision was a great contributing factor to my reduced handicap.
Since I have focused so much on my iron play, it's a solid part of my game, and in competitions I'd be ripping 5 irons 205 yds down the middle of the fairway, and my playing partners would all be going off with their drivers, occasionally getting lucky, and oftentimes not. But they continued to use the driver, even though it was obvious, to me anyway, that I had a clear advantage just because I was in the fairway off the tee on most holes! On the longer holes, of course, I'd just resign to going for a bogey, and maybe picking up a par.
Sorry for rambling, but I've seen it so often, that it sort of infuriates me. Not because I'm bothered about finding my partner's balls all the time, but because I know they could score so much better if they just left it in the bag (or at home, like I used to). Particularly on some of the shorter courses.
I have a suspicion that because it's so expected to take the driver people feel that they should, and the peer pressure of taking it out on every par 4/5 is too great to resist. When I didn't use a driver, I used to get a LOT of stick from my playing partners (chick-chick-chicken!) when they saw me taking an iron on the tee. It didn't bother me, because I was all about the winning, and when you're holding the cup the gibes are forgotten.
Do you have any thoughts on this?
Also, apologies for being so late to the party on this post. I just subscribed to your blog, and I'm checking out your archives. Great stuff!