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[BuggeraCup]

As I played my last game of golf for the year yesterday I thought it was time to set some golfing goals for 2009. Inspired by reading the blogs of Styles and Muntz I thought I might do something similar to reach my goals, help keep me motivated and to be able to look back on in the future. I finished the year with an exact handicap of 9.5 and just continually seem to bounce between 9 and 11 without being able to breakthrough to lower numbers. I am 31 with the standard full on, time consuming job, married and we just had our first daughter so time definately isn't limitless. i feel that I can play on average once a week and practise maybe three times a fortnight. My goal is to reach a playing handicap of 5 by the end of 2009 (there, its in writing!) I'll look to post my current stats shortly and also look to post a video of my swing when I get around to it. I look forward to all the comments, suggestions and constructive criticism. Cheers.

[Golf-Guru]

Every time you post, write at the end "I want to play off 5". Not as a signature but physically type it in. Good luck.

[BuggeraCup]

Here are my stats from 2008 which were compiled over the 45 rounds that I played throughout the year with basically a 50-50 split between comp and social rounds. Although they make me look anal, I'm actually far from it and don't get absorbed by the stats while I'm playing. In fact if I'm playing a course that I am quite familiar with then I just recall each shot after the round to compile the numbers and if I don't know the course then I just make simple ticks and crosses on the scorecard at the completion of the hole. I just think that the stats really highlight actual strengths and weaknesses which may be vastly different to your own perceptions of your strengths and problem areas. Score: 82.6 Fairways: 8.2 per round (57.8%) GIR: 7.1 per round (39.0%) Up & Down: 40.3% Sand Save: 16.9% Putts: 32.3 (1 putt: 26.8% / 2 putt: 65.5% / 3 putt: 7.5%) Eagles: 0.1 per round (i.e not many!!!) Birdies: 1.1 per round Pars: 7.9 per round Bogey: 6.9 per round Others: 2.1 per round (i.e too many !!!) Penalties: 1.0 per round Par 3 Avg: 3.47 Par 4 Avg: 4.67 Par 5 Avg: 5.43 Based on those numbers I think I drive the ball very well and also length is not my problem (so to speak) with my drives averaging around 250m I am able to often take 3 wood / 3 iron to ensure I find the fairway. From there though I probably don't hit my irons well enough to take advantage of my driving so the GIR numbers could be improved. My putting numbers aren't great either (but better than they were) and my up and downs and sandies (especially) need to be sharper. Any other thoughts???

[BuggeraCup]

I want to play off 5 Cheers Guru, will do

[SoulmanZ]

how are you scoring up and downs? you up and down 40% of the time but only hit 25% one putts? doesnt really look like you have strengths or weaknesses. all could be better, but nothing is bad enough to focus on to exclusion

[BuggeraCup]

Here are my stats from 2008 which were compiled over the 45 rounds that I played throughout the year with basically a 50-50 split between comp and social rounds. Although they make me look anal, I’m actually far from it and don’t get absorbed by the stats while I’m playing. In fact if I’m playing a course that I am quite familiar with then I just recall each shot after the round to compile the numbers and if I don’t know the course then I just make simple ticks and crosses on the scorecard at the completion of the hole. I just think that the stats really highlight actual strangths and weaknesses which may be vastly different to your own perceptions of your strengths and problem areas.

Score: 82.6
Fairways: 8.2 per round (57.8%)
GIR: 7.1 per round (39.0%)
Up & Down: 40.3%
Sand Save: 16.9%
Putts: 32.3 (1 putt: 26.8% / 2 putt: 65.5% / 3 putt: 7.5%)
Eagles: 0.1 per round (i.e not many!!!)
Birdies: 1.1 per round
Pars: 7.9 per round
Bogey: 6.9 per round
Others: 2.1 per round (i.e too many !!!)
Penalties: 1.0 per round
Par 3 Avg: 3.47
Par 4 Avg: 4.67
Par 5 Avg: 5.43

Based on those numbers I think I drive the ball very well and also length is not my problem (so to speak) with my drives averaging around 250m I am able to often take 3 wood / 3 iron to ensure I find the fairway. From there though I probably don’t hit my irons well enough to take advantage of my driving so the GIR numbers could be improved. My putting numbers aren’t great either (but better than they were) and my up and downs and sandies (especially) need to be sharper.

Any other thoughts???

My best round for the year was a +1, 74 (twice actually, once in a comp) at Gailes and my worst round was a +20, 92 on a windy afternoon up at Pacific Harbour. That was one of only two times that I failed to shoot less than 90 so I think that one of my strengths is my consistency - I very rarely have blow outs. This consistency may also work the other way though and stop me "going low" on a regualr basis.

[BuggeraCup]

how are you scoring up and downs?

you up and down 40% of the time but only hit 25% one putts?

doesnt really look like you have strengths or weaknesses. all could be better, but nothing is bad enough to focus on to exclusion

Hey SoulmanZ I keep stats the same way as the PGA Tour so if the ball is on the fringe then it is a missed green but if I then putt from there it is not counted as a putt. So in this example if I "2 putt" then it is counted as a 1 putt and an up and down. The only thing that I do different is that if I took a penalty during the playing of a hole and my approach shot misses the green but I get up and down with two shots from there then I count that as an up and down. This is probably incorrect as it is an up and down for bogey/double as apposed to salvaging par but still tells me how well my short game is going. Note I only do this if I have taken a penalty during the hole so the stats should only be skewed slightly.

[BuggeraCup]

how are you scoring up and downs?

you up and down 40% of the time but only hit 25% one putts?

doesnt really look like you have strengths or weaknesses. all could be better, but nothing is bad enough to focus on to exclusion

Also note that up and downs are only chipping and pitching and don't include my bunker play as they are recored separately. My bunker play is pretty poor.

[SoulmanZ]

still dont get it, if you hit 40% up and downs it means, according to how you are scoring them that you chip/pitch or putt from the fringe, and then 1 putt so shouldnt you one putt 40% of the time? i also score up and downs for bogey as an up and down

[ShortsTuff]

Looks right to me Souly - 40% of 60% missed greens = 24% 1 putts, plus the odd birdie. Good luck with the mission, Murph.

[BrotherGhecko]

Every time you post, write at the end “I want to play off 5”. Not as a signature but physically type it in.

Good luck.

Even better, try "I WILL PLAY OFF 5!" :)

[BuggeraCup]

Based on the fact that I hit over 7 greens per round and only average 1 birdie per round I also think that my birdie conversion is pretty poor. Once again I think that this may be more a result of not putting my irons close enough as opposed to poor putting. I will play off 5

[BuggeraCup]

Here is a link to my swing with the driver. This is taken at Gainsborough Greens about three weeks ago (I think its on the 8th). There was a decent left to right breeze blowing and the shot was well struck, albeit pushed a fraction, and ended about 250m on the right hand side of the fairway. Forgive my mates talking crap in the background. Murph Driver - rear view i will play off 5

[BuggeraCup]

Here is another view of my swing from side on taken on the next hole. Again solid contact with a nice draw which went about 260m and actually set up a birdie this time. Once again ignore the gay undertones of my mates! Murph Driver - side view I will play off 5

[Styles]

Buggeracup, the very best of luck with your goal. With it written down you have already started moving towards it subconsciously! Looking at your stats I agree with your summary. You drive the ball well but miss too many greens and your putting needs to be two or three shots less per round. Are you currently getting coached? Driving it that well suggests you have a decent action. I see a lot of guys playing off 9 and 10 whose 'good' shots are as good as low single figure or scratch men but their failing is that their putting and short game is not as good and their bad shots are much worse. Get your swing up so we can all see it and say hello to the guy who will be playing off 5 this time next year! I will be playing off two by Easter 2009 and scratch by October 2009