"Can You Really Improve 9 Or More Strokes On The Golf Course?"
If You Have A PLAN -- Yes You Can!!
If You Have A PLAN -- Yes You Can!!
The Golfer’s age old question is “what is the simplest, most effective way for me to improve my golf scores." It’s a brilliant question – so I’m going to give you a brilliant answer!
Let's start by talking about last week’s Nationwide Tour Event in Idaho – Hunter Haas won by scoring an impressive 4 round score of 21 under par. These 4 rounds included a 2nd round 64. So, I’d like to focus on his 64 as it could help you to understand how you could also start to improve your scores.
So to start out, I will bore you with a few stats so that you can see how impressive this score is, however I then want to help you to relate this to your golf game so that you can make your own PLAN for what you need to work on in your golf game.
To shoot the 64: Average Driver – 334 yards; Fairways Hit – 10; Greens – 11; Putts – 23
Now, for most Golfers, the goal isn’t to score 64 for 18 holes. It may be to break 100, 90 or 80 – with some single digit Golfers wanting to shoot par. So hitting a golf ball 334 yards … isn’t necessary.
However, since most of our articles discuss your golf swing – let’s talk about something a little different this week. Let’s focus on the 23 putts. As amazing as it is to hit the golf ball 334 yards – the average Golfer has almost as much chance of having 23 putts for 18 holes as they do of hitting the golf ball 334 yards!
And for the Golfer that doesn’t believe me - 23 putts equals 13 – 1 putts and 5 – 2 putts … yes, 13 – 1 putts! Or to put it in an even more direct way -- when’s the last time that you had 6 – 1 putts? 13 – 1 putts might not be as awe inspiring as standing there and watching someone hit the golf ball 334 yards – however, it is just as skillful.
And although GMS believes that the first place to improve your golf score is to first improve your Driver – which is counter to the old myth of having to first improve your short game for better scores - let’s talk about how improving your putting just a little bit has the "potential" for producing better results.
On the surface – if you improved your putting – you should improve your scores. But we’re dealing with reality. And in reality – improved putting doesn’t always translate into better scores. Because if you’re inconsistent with your Driver on most holes and often taking penalties and punching out of the trees – who cares how well you putt. By the time you get to the back 9 holes – you’re so tired and frustrated from playing out of the trees … golf isn’t fun anymore by the time you get to the green. So regardless of how much better your putting stroke is – “who cares if I two putt? It’ll just be another double bogey because I can’t keep my Driver in play!”
However, I want to speak about these 23 putts because there are Golfers that average twice as many putts per round. I’m not saying that there are millions of Golfers that do so – although 46 putts would be equivalent to a Golfer having 8 holes where they 2 putt and 10 holes where they 3 putt. And to say that that doesn’t happen often is to say that Tiger didn’t … well never mind, I’ll keep my mouth shut.
Now, for the Golfer that says “I’m a pretty good putter. I hardly ever 3 putt.” I would say that this qualifies that Golfer as usually having between 38 and 41 putts. In my mind and my experience with Golfers, the phrase ‘hardly ever” means that they 3 putt between 2 to 5 times every 18 holes. And whenever I have heard that comment – and I have heard it more times than I can count – I have found that this Golfer’s average score is usually between 93 and 105.
So let’s do some mathematics for this 93 to 105 Golfer. Yet, because of the space available for me to write, I have to limit this example to only this scoring range. But if you’re in another scoring range – I’m sure you can make the necessary adjustments to personalize this information.
If the Golfer’s average score is 97 and that Golfer has 39 putts per round (15 – 2 putts and 3 – 3 putts) – that would mean that if they somehow brought their putts down to 23 for one magical round of golf … then they would end up with a score of 81.
Wait, is that correct. Let me check my math. 39 putts minus 23 putts is 16 strokes less. And if the Golfer was averaging a score of 97 – and we took those 16 surplus putts of their score – that would mean an 81. Hmmmm, that gets me thinking. Does that get you thinking?
It gets me thinking that although you might never have 23 putts for 18 holes, if you we able to improve from 39 putts to a more reasonable 30 putts – that would mean that you have now scored 88. 97 minus 9 less putts equals 88!
And yes, I still believe my statement above about having to also improve your Driver so that you can become more accurate and gain distance. And yes, it is of extreme importance for you to have a PLAN for the golf course so that you can go around the 18 holes playing to your Strengths and away from your Weaknesses. However, there is potential for many Golfers to improve 9 strokes by going from 39 putts to 30 putts.
Now let’s talk about your Driver -
Most of the time you play golf – you’ll have 14 Drives per 18 holes. And staying in that 93 to 105 scoring level – we have found that most of these Golfers lose 2 to 4 Golf balls per round (into the trees or water) with their tee shots. And, in addition, these same Golfers also put themselves in bad positions behind trees and bushes where they have to “waste” a shot another 2 to 4 times per round.
So to make it easy – let’s say this Golfer loses 3 golf balls and has to “waste” 3 golf shots punching out. That would be a fair number …. wouldn’t you agree? 8 pretty good drives and 6 bad drives?
Now, let’s say you can improve just half of those 6 bad drives – so that now you only have 3 bad drives. Would you be satisfied? Well, you should. Because if you did and you improved your putting like I spoke about above (39 putts to 30 putts) – you now have improved from a Golfer that frequently scores 97 to a Golfer that frequently scores 85!
Now, get this: only improving your Driver won’t help your scores much. And only improving your putter won’t help you much. But improving both at the same time can produce incredible results! For example: the improvement you see in your Driver has you feeling good about your game, plus the added distance you hit the golf ball allows easier, more accurate irons to the green. But you continually miss putts. What starts to happen as your round continues? The missed putts start to wear on you and it starts affecting your entire game.
But, if you improved both your Driver and your putting, now since you’re feeling good about your game while standing on the green, plus you’re an improved putter – this translates into better golf scores!
The key is that you need to know these stats to be able to work on improving them.
Do you have a PLAN for improvement? Or are you still Monkeying around?
The Monkey just keeps doing the ‘same old, same old’ and their scores continue to be the ‘same old, same old’
The Player has a PLAN
Go ahead, come to GMS and learn to become a Player
Regards,
Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life
www.GolfMadeSimple.com
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Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.
Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)
Our 3-Day Program Includes:
• 3-days of 6+ hours of Golf Instruction each day
• 9-holes of On-Course Instruction each day
• Your Class Limited to only 4-Golfers
• A take home PLAN for continuous Improvement
• Instructor for Life Program
• The GMS Player Page on the Golf Made Simple Website
• 3-nights Accommodations
• 9-holes of Golf after class each day
• Lunch in the clubhouse each day
• And most importantly you'll be hitting the ball better!
GMS has locations in:
Florida: St. Augustine -- Boca Raton -- Tampa -- Amelia Island
California: Palm Springs/La Quinta -- Lake Tahoe
Arizona: Phoenix
Europe: Sotogrande, Spain
Colorado: Denver
Virginia: Washington DC area
Wisconsin: Lake Geneva
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“I Broke 80 For The First Time!"
From High 90's And 100+ To 78!
From High 90's And 100+ To 78!
Alex, I broke 80 for the first time. When I attended my GMS session I was continuously in the high nineties with an occasional 100+ thrown in.
In my 60s and playing the 6,300 yd tees, I shot a 78 at a local course. I told everyone I didn't want to know how well I was doing going into the last 9 holes. I was just determined to do my best. On the last hole, I stuck to my plan, laid back away from all the trouble, and made par. I actually made par on the last 4 holes).
Regards,
Marty K – Norfolk, Virginia – Sent September 14th, 2010
Attended Boca Raton location on December 26th to 28th, 2008
Share Your Golf Made Simple Testimonials | Click Here
Dear Marc,
I attended the GMS program in La Quinta, California 6 months ago with your Instructor, Sam Burge. At that time I was a 7.8 index. I am now playing to a 4.3 index.
I would have to say that much of that improvement is related to the GMS-related instruction I received from Sam. Of particular benefit are the putting drills – as this area is where the game is won/lost at the level I am (pretty) consistently playing at.
Thanks and congratulations on your continuing success as a business and in creating value and better golf for your clients.
Fraser D – British West Indies - Sent September 15th, 2010
Attended La Quinta, California location on April 1st to 3rd, 2010
Golf Schools by Golf Made Simple, Inc.
Contact info:
1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)
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La Quinta + GMS = WOW!!
As we move out of September and into October, I need to ask this question: Is it possible that there is a better place to be in November than in La Quinta, California?
With the mornings starting out around 62 degrees (17 Celsius) and going up to the average High temperature of 80 degrees (27 Celsius) and most likely not a single cloud in the sky – it’s easy to understand why the Hollywood elite made Palm Springs/La Quinta their winter getaway.
In November, GMS opens our 4th season in The Desert and our 2nd season at the beautiful SilverRock Resort Golf Club. As the jokes goes around the GMS office when someone asks “how do you select your locations” – ‘We select locations based on where Marc likes to vacation/holiday.’
Thus, GMS opened our first location in La Quinta 4 years ago starting with the Trilogy Golf Club – which hosted the PGA Tour’s Skins Game 4 times. And although we loved Trilogy – when we had the opportunity to move our program to SilverRock … we couldn’t turn that offer down!
SilverRock hosts the PGA Tour’s Bob Hope Classic each January!
We have fallen in love with SilverRock and according to the reviews we have received from our Golfers that attended GMS this past year in La Quinta – our Golfers feel the same way. And as you look at the photos I have included – I’m sure you can start to see why everyone loves our La Quinta location at SilverRock!
November in La Quinta? It may be something you might want to consider.
So, basically, if you're looking for GMS in Paradise - our La Quinta, California location is the best!
For dates and information on all of our GMS locations – go to our Rates and Dates web page by clicking here or give me a call.
Alexandria - Director
Golf Made Simple, Inc.
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1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada)
001.904.460.8355 (International)
10 Important Aspects Your 3-Day Program Includes:
- 3 DAYS WITH 6+ HOURS OF INSTRUCTION EACH DAY - Improve your golf swing with the GMS Drills that have helped 1,000's
- 9-HOLES OF ON-COURSE INSTRUCTION EACH DAY - A critical part of the day!
- YOUR CLASS LIMITED TO ONLY 4 GOLFERS
- A PLAN FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT - Learn how to practice effectively, as opposed to just hitting golf balls
- THE INSTRUCTOR FOR LIFE PROGRAM - Your follow-up program to further insure continued improvement
- THE GMS ONLINE PLAYER PAGE - Have online access to all GMS Drills used during your program
- 3-NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS - If you have your own accommodations, we also offer commuter pricing
- 9 ADDITIONAL HOLES OF GOLF EACH DAY
- LUNCH IN THE CLUBHOUSE EACH DAY - Rest, eat, refresh, get ready for the afternoon session
- HIT THE GOLF BALL MORE SOLID THAN EVER! - Read about the improvement of other Golfers!
GMS has locations in:
Florida: St. Augustine -- Boca Raton -- Tampa -- Amelia Island
California: Palm Springs/La Quinta -- Lake Tahoe
Arizona: Phoenix
Europe: Sotogrande, Spain
Colorado: Denver
Virginia: Washington DC area
Wisconsin: Lake Geneva
