Chart Your Progress

CHART YOUR PROGRESS TO BETTER GOLF

By: Bruce Munch

Head Professional, White River Golf Club, Rochester, Vt.

If you were to go out today and shoot even par, the way the architect designed it, you would hit every par three on your tee shot and two putt, every par four on your second shot and two putt, and every par five on your third shot, and two putt. Out of the 72 strokes you just recorded, 36 were putts. What do you think you should be practicing?? When you add to this statistic, the fact that the best player on tour last year hit only about 75% of greens in regulation, you can see the importance of the short game.

Here is a little tip to help you find out where your game needs help. The next time you go out to play, let someone else keep the team score. Keep a separate scorecard for yourself and mark the first row "score", the second "fairways" the third "greens" and the fourth " putts" After the round total up how many fairways you hit off the tee, how many greens you hit in regulation (1^st shot on par 3’s, 2^nd shot on par 4’s and 3^rd shot on par 5’s) and how many putts you needed. If you have a home computer, keep track of your progress on a spreadsheet. As you build your data base you will be able to have your own tour statistics for fairways, greens in reg, and putts. See how you compare to the best players in the world.

Use this data to direct you to the best use of your practice time. Practicing clubs and shots you do well may be enjoyable, but practicing shots you don’t usually execute well will do wonders for your score. Set aside a portion of each practice session to work on a specific part of your game that has been causing you difficulty. If you determine what shot is causing you the most difficulty, but you have no idea how to execute it, consult you local teaching professional. There is help available.

Here is wishing you Fairways and Greens!!!

Send your questions or comments to: golfpro@vermontel.net