2019 goals

[jasonfish11]

So we've done this every year so far.

For me my goal is nothing.

That 96 I shot in the last round really killed all of my motivation to "play golf." Maybe I'm 12-18 months behind beef in the "learning" curve but I have no desire to go and attempt to post a score anymore. I enjoy hitting balls on my computer and trying to figure out how to limit side spin. Don't judge me because I quit caring about getting the damn ball in the hole. I'm sure I'll make it out to a course a few times this year, but I really don't care what happens at this point. I just like smacking balls into a net.

[MattF]

Now that I have a membership to a course, my goal is to play at least once a week and sometimes twice...walking as much as possible.

[GBOGEY]

1. Maintain handicap under 7 - usually goes up to 7.5 at some point during season
2. Achieve average differential of 8.0 - basically a stroke better than last 3 years
3. Play at least one bucket list course - have several potential trips in discussion that could make this happen
4. Secondary goal is to lose +5 pounds which will help my ability to play consistently.

[legitimatebeef]

Don't judge me because I quit caring about getting the damn ball in the hole. I'm sure I'll make it out to a course a few times this year, but I really don't care what happens at this point.

[Duke of Hazards]

3 rounds a month
break 80

[gpickin]

Beat my best score 85
Bring handicap down below 18 again
FIR over 50%

[DougE]

Average for:
Greenside Sand Saves over 33% (Up and down from greenside bunkers only, whether to save par, bogey or otherwise. Presently about 25%.)
Greens in Regulation from blue tees 52% (presently at around 47%.)
Up and downs inside 20 yards, around 50%

Meet those goals and handicap should take care of itself; maybe drop a stroke or two lower than what it is today.

Lofty, but possible with practice and commitment (and no injuries).

[GBOGEY]

Funny Doug you took the opposite approach from me - I've decided the goal is the score regardless of how I get there. Yes, are things like FW % that help make my scores happen but I'm trying to not let my failures on one piece of the pie distract me. Different strokes for different folks.

[GBOGEY]

1. Maintain handicap under 7 - usually goes up to 7.5 at some point during season
2. Achieve average differential of 8.1 - basically a stroke better than last 3 years
3. Play at least one bucket list course - have several potential trips in discussion that could make this happen
4. Secondary goal is to lose +5 pounds which will help my ability to play consistently.

So Saturday was the 20th round I posted this year (I only keep stats on rounds I post - for the record I have 25 non posted rounds mostly due to solo rounds or winter muddy conditions). Based upon my schedule this year I expect to post between 40-50 rounds, so this is close to the midpoint, and since I block off my stats in 20 round increments its time for a mid-year check up.

For the most part my goals are going well. My handicap sits at 6.2, hasn't been above 6.5 and has dipped into the 5's twice. I have solid plans for two potential bucket list courses this year and yes I am five pounds lighter which has helped my play.

But I'm totally frustrated by efforts to lower by average differential and by Saturday's experience. Going into Saturday my average was 8.1. I was playing a gentle course which is long enough to make going really low hard, but quite frankly has little threats to push me above 80. I thought I had 8.2 or better wrapped up.

Of course I responded with my 2nd worst round of the year. Four unplayable drives (highest of the year), a bladed pitch, only 3 of 9 on wedge approaches including a quasi shank. Disaster - ended the 20 round period at 8.4.

My problems are pretty clear - my driving is the best it has ever been even after Saturday, my ball striking is generally ok, putting great (tip of the hat to the new Scotty). But my wedge approaches and chipping is the worst it has ever been and I can't figure out why. My scrambling is the worst it has been as I can't seem to control chipping / runout distances. And wedge approaches - not only am I missing right and left, but the shanks have showed up multiple times.

Unfortunately, the wedge play and chipping are new problems to me. Most of what ails me has happened before, but these things are totally new and used to be the strengths of my game. The other problem is right now the problems are so erratic that I don't believe that a lesson is going to help. So as a golfer who admittedly is too serious about his game, not very happy right now.

[bkuehn1952]

If you are hitting a lot more greens, that results in less "practice" of the short game during a regular or practice round. Rather than start missing greens, which is something I might do, maybe just up the short game practice a bit more to make up for your not using those skills quite as often in a round of golf.

[jasonfish11]

If you are hitting a lot more greens, that results in less "practice" of the short game during a regular or practice round. Rather than start missing greens, which is something I might do, maybe just up the short game practice a bit more to make up for your not using those skills quite as often in a round of golf.

I've done that in practice rounds, intentionally aim for bunkers or run offs. You still get the practice of hitting full irons, if you are hitting them well you are now putting yourself in bad spots to practice your short game. So it's kind of a win/win. "Man I hit that iron so well I put it in that 500sq ft bunker. That's such a smaller target than the 5000sq ft green, when I'm done with this practice crap hitting greens will be super easy."

[GBOGEY]

If you are hitting a lot more greens, that results in less "practice" of the short game during a regular or practice round. Rather than start missing greens, which is something I might do, maybe just up the short game practice a bit more to make up for your not using those skills quite as often in a round of golf.

I'm hitting greens but really at the same pace. Where I seem to be improving is birdies and DB's - I used to average 1.2 birdies a round and 1.7 DBs, right now both are equal at 1.5. The issue is that I'm missing greens more with wedges, from 50-125 yards out, and not scrambling as well. I probably do need more practice but my practice facility isn't as conducive as I had in NJ and quite frankly I don't want to give up playing time to practice. And the shanking thing is very disturbing.

[GBOGEY]

So I forced myself to the range last night instead of playing 9 (which was made easier by the 3-5 inches of rain we got from Barry). Hit about 100 balls, less than 10 were full swing, so 90 balls all wedges, pitches, and chips from 5-125 yds. Mostly straight wedge shots, no shanks and only 1 blade, which I could certainly live with if this could translate to the course. Not sure what was different although I was being very careful with both my setup and trying not to get wristy with my shots. My biggest issue is that with chips and pitches I think I'm hitting the ball too clean and its flying a bit too far - that's been the problem with a lot of shot game misses as well. I've been working on swinging with both body rotation and not just arms - seems to be working but I have to adjust.

BTW - the range I went too used to be sort of run down. It recently introduced top tracer technology - think of having a video behind you like on the PGA tour broadcasts. Pretty cool - not sure how accurate it was and it was using range balls that weren't the best, but still pretty cool and useful from a practice standpoint.

[jasonfish11]

BTW - the range I went too used to be sort of run down. It recently introduced top tracer technology - think of having a video behind you like on the PGA tour broadcasts. Pretty cool - not sure how accurate it was and it was using range balls that weren't the best, but still pretty cool and useful from a practice standpoint.

That's awesome.

My guess is it's way more accurate than you think, and if you really think your wedge game is off just keep hitting wedges on that thing.

My favorite practice on my simulator is a wedge ladder.

I try to hit the the following yardages in order. I have to get w/in 3 yards +/- this yardage to go onto the next. Then I count how many balls did it take me to go through that routine.

50, 60, 70, 80, 75, 65, 55

Then if that somehow got too easy I would turn it into this...
50, 75, 60, 80, 55, 70, 65

So I'm not just having to barely increase/decrease distance.

It's a fun drill when you have something that accurately measures distance, and if you keep doing it your wedge game will drastically improve.

[GBOGEY]

That's awesome.

My guess is it's way more accurate than you think, and if you really think your wedge game is off just keep hitting wedges on that thing.

My favorite practice on my simulator is a wedge ladder.

I forgot we had Mr. Home Simulator. You are probably right in that it is more accurate. Where I doubted it was these are clearly range balls and not necessarily new ones - one of the reasons I wrote this range off before I heard about their new tech toys. There were a couple of times I thought my contact was really right and the results were not what was expected - I'm reasonably sure that the balls could have played a role in this although the Indian could be blamed as well. Also, the monitor told you ball flight and total distance - it was quite muddy and there was very little roll and it was saying that most of my shots were sticking - not sure what it was measuring?

How much difference do you see on your setup from different balls?

[jasonfish11]

So I basically dont see too much difference between balls. That being said I don't hit range balls on it because they would tear up the netting.

I do think range balls would have a much bigger impact than the difference between a MGC4 and a PROv1. I think range balls would likely spin substantially less than a premium ball, and therefore I would expect wedges to go further with range balls.

But grain of salt, I have no evidence to support this.

[GBOGEY]

Range balls definitely don't go as far - particularly for longer shots - I think it is driven more by the core than the cover. I also have always felt that they don't stop as quick because they spin less, so I always judge shots on where they land not where it ends up. These seemed to be stopping quickly according to the monitor so it made me wonder what the simulator was measuring. Part of my concern about the range balls was consistency from one ball to another - just looking at some of the balls you would guess that there would be several yards difference on similar strikes.

Or it could be the Indian.

[jasonfish11]

Range balls definitely don't go as far - particularly for longer shots - I think it is driven more by the core than the cover. I also have always felt that they don't stop as quick because they spin less, so I always judge shots on where they land not where it ends up. These seemed to be stopping quickly according to the monitor so it made me wonder what the simulator was measuring. Part of my concern about the range balls was consistency from one ball to another - just looking at some of the balls you would guess that there would be several yards difference on similar strikes.

Or it could be the Indian.

I would guess over 100 random range balls that there is less than 5% difference in performance from the best to worst ball. Now obviously if one has massive damage, like a lawn mower slice in it, I wouldn't count it because it will have a much more substantial performance issue. That said I would think there would be a substantial performance difference between a standard range ball and a prov1.

As for what the monitor tracks, that will depend on what type of monitor it is.

The only company I've seen that is marketing to ranges is Trackman, but that system costs $30k+ so if you don't think they would have spent that then it's something else. If it is trackman though it will basically track the ball all the way until it stops the radar has been upgraded to be able to pick up bouncing balls and identify them as the ball you hit therefore getting accurate post landing information.

If it's some system other than trackman, my guess is that the "roll out" is just a calculation based on some standard ground firmness, and launch characteristics (spin rate, ball speed, launch angle, and wind speed). So that obviously wouldn't give perfectly accurate information post impact, but none the less it should be pretty close unless they just got some wack job flight monitor like optishot.

[GBOGEY]

If it's some system other than trackman, my guess is that the "roll out" is just a calculation based on some standard ground firmness, and launch characteristics (spin rate, ball speed, launch angle, and wind speed). So that obviously wouldn't give perfectly accurate information post impact, but none the less it should be pretty close unless they just got some wack job flight monitor like optishot.

You are probably right that the roll out is likely a calculation - still skeptical on that part. But the system is Toptracer - you can google it. It's what they use for the camera shots on PGA tour events. I'm guessing the range version is a little less sophisticated, but I'm sure the range version is good enough for us amateurs. Anyway, check it out if you have the chance. It's a great range enhancer.

[GBOGEY]

So I went back to the range tonight. Roll out is definitely a calculation. I think it's pretty cool and accurate, except for the range ball situation - there were a few instances when there were some unusual results that in all likelihood were the beat up ball, no the Indian. Still cool and fun technology.

[jasonfish11]

So I went back to the range tonight. Roll out is definitely a calculation. I think it's pretty cool and accurate, except for the range ball situation - there were a few instances when there were some unusual results that in all likelihood were the beat up ball, no the Indian. Still cool and fun technology.

One option. If no one is on the range you could always hit normal balls and then just go pick them up. Obviously if the range balls are the same color as your normal balls this becomes very difficult.

[GBOGEY]

I think the next time you have a chance to stop by a range, you need to pocket 2 balls - 1 in good shape and 1 really worn and do some testing for us.

[DougE]

Better option on JFish's idea. If you're like me, you have a bucket of "found" balls sitting in your garage. I have thousands of them. Pick out some of the better ones to use/donate before you head to the range. Then just hit those and leave them out there for the picker. This way you won't be pissing off management, who might think you are trying to get around buying another bucket when they see you picking up balls. And, you won't have to wait for the range to be free from other golfers.

[jasonfish11]

I think the next time you have a chance to stop by a range, you need to pocket 2 balls - 1 in good shape and 1 really worn and do some testing for us.

So are we assuming my swing is consistent enough to get reliable data to determine the difference between range balls and normal balls?

[GBOGEY]

Hit a 2019 goal with a bucket list course yesterday and today - check out Gamble Sands:

https://www.gamblesands.com/

Truly plays like a Scottish links course in the WA desert - all fescue, balls run for miles, lots of unique slopes and bunkers. Even had 20 mph winds for a good part of the day. Only issue is we walked as the pro told us it was long but doable - it's like a 7 mile walk - I think my TN course is 4.5. Totally worn out so we are riding today, but one of the most break taking scenery I have seen on a course. I will try to post pictures.