The Mental side and percentage Golf.

Reading some of the other Threads about the Mental side of the game and asking what is Percentage Golf I thought we could discuss ways to SAVE shots out on the course.

How many of you take 7's or worse on par 4's that are under 400yds long?

How many of you take 9's or worse on par 5's over 530yds long?

If you do, WHY?

A lot of guys think that you MUST hit a Driver on all holes other than a par 3. A par 5 is played with Driver, 3wood and what ever is left, be it a pitch or a Short Iron.

On another Thread some of you were saying that you hit 6 & 7irons 180-190yds, but still had Hcp's into the 20's.

WHATS MY POINT?

A 360yd par 4 is out of reach to most so why hit Driver when two 67irons would do the trick. With the Driver having the straightest face and the least easy of your clubs to control you could easily end up with a 6 or 7.

On a par 5 why try and hit your Driver, then 3wood as hard as you can to get close the green (some times) when you could easily hit two 5irons and an 8iron onto the green (most times).

Once you start to think of Keeping your Ball "In Play" at all times and selecting a club that will do that "Most" of the time, your scores will tumble.

Tour Pro's play "Negative Golf" or "Attacking Golf". The Negative Golf is where you pick which side of the hole is the best to miss, leaving you with a shot that YOU can cope with next. The Tour Pro will only miss a few times but Amateurs can miss every time. Imagine, miss a green right when the pin is on the left and there is no bunkers on the right means no real problems. Miss on the left with bunkers on that side and the pin also on that side and you see the problems that could come your way (along with a 8 or 9).

I have the Brain of a Tour Pro even though my body won't allow me to do it anymore, and you will be amazed how you can improve your game by simply talking about how to play around a course. 

It definitely makes sense David and this is something that John has been trying to drum into me for a while now.

It is much better to take two irons and hit the green MOST of the time rather than take a fairway wood and hit the green SOME of the time (in fact never).

The message is there in me and I am a one to point this out to others however still need to act on this very sound advice myself

Another quality thread topic David sound advise which should stem across the full hcp range,as we sometimes forget we can't hit the ball amazing everytime one tee's up.

I gave a youngster at my club a snippet of your previous wisdom,It cost me a fiver in the end but worth it,Thanks,keep them coming.

Dave,

Charge him a Tenner next time you give him advice then.

The idea of two 7irons on a hole is for the ones where you can take a big number by trying to hit Driver and not as it may have come across as ALL HOLES under 360yds. Sorry for that folks.

All good advice but the urge to pull out that driver knowing that you can hit a decent drive once in a while is strong...!

I'm going to try this on my next round once I get the first couple of holes out of the way and know how my driving is shaping up.  Fingers crossed........

:D

Good post David.

This is how i think my way round the course.

• TEE SHOT .When hitting my drive I think where to put the ball (not just down the middle) but the best position to attack the flag or where I would like to hit my second shot but avoiding all hazzards either going over or short of them.

• F/W SHOT . If I miss the green I think of the best place to leave it for an up and down,or where I leave to my approach on the green.(left,right,short or long to leave the easiest putt)

• BESIDE THE GREEN. Chipping beside the green,if I run this past the hole will that leave me a left to right putt or am I better leaving it short so I have an uphill right to left.

• TEMPRAMENT , after hitting a bad shot almost everyone hangs their head in shame not thinking about next shot and just whacks it just through complacency, my worst point

What was your weakest part of your game David Lythgoe (sorry gets complicated when two David's are posting)

Putting Martin,

I was and still am very Hot & Cold. I will go round with 36 putts and will shoot level because I hit all greens in Reg. I once shot a 73 (+1) with 40 putts.

BTW, my nickname is "The Lyth" so use that if you want. There are too many Davids on here.

David

On my post on how i think, anything you can add would be appreciated no charge of course.

To add to your post Martin,

Urm!

Only thing I can think of now is. TEE SHOT- If you move the Ball naturally RtoL or LtoR don't fight it because it actually makes your Target Area wider.

Paul

What i was trying to say is concentrate and focus on every shot you play,even after a bad one. Think of the shot you are trying to play and imagine the ball in the air.