[Steve Kline]

The quote feature is not working for me, but I like Steve W.'s response. Understanding the architecture in reference to your abilities in general and your abilities that day is what will create lower scores for you on average. I understand how to play golf (which is understanding how to beat that hole using strategy) so much better than I did 20 years ago when I was playing college golf. If only I knew then what I know now.

Also, I don't think the original question was about overall low scores, just how to get your lower scores. Of course, for almost all of us there is inconsistency in our games day to day. Otherwise we'd be on tour. But, given your inconsistencies, the best way to lower scores is to understand how your game interacts with the course and how that dictates what you need to do. Perhaps a lay up on a long par 3 would bring your scoring average on that hole down. Perhaps playing a long par 4 as a three shot hole would bring your average down. Knowing when to take more or less club than might be necessary to a green given a hole location on the green's design. Most of aren't willing to do that or don't think about it.

[Alex Miller]

1.   Decent length (for you) and accuracy off the tee Length is really secondary here.
2.   Overall good ball-striking and hitting it close with scoring clubs
3.   Superior putting and converting when opportunities present themseleves
4.   Getting up and down
5.   Avoiding OB, lost balls and water hazards (shouldn't be an issue if the top 4 are covered)
6.   Favorable conditioning
7.   Understanding and navigating the golf course's architecture


Top 2 really, though playing less frequently means that my putting does suffer a little bit. Understanding the architecture is something I will focus on anyway, but when you're on you're on. I am no tour pro, but there's a reason they step up and hit driver fearlessly and shoot at flags! It's all about opportunity, and making putts doesn't mean a ton if they're for par or bogey. I'm not worried about 3-putting if I hit the green, so I'll take the GIRs (w/proximity) over a hot putter most of the time.

[Andrew Buck]

The quote feature is not working for me, but I like Steve W.'s response. Understanding the architecture in reference to your abilities in general and your abilities that day is what will create lower scores for you on average. I understand how to play golf (which is understanding how to beat that hole using strategy) so much better than I did 20 years ago when I was playing college golf. If only I knew then what I know now.

Also, I don't think the original question was about overall low scores, just how to get your lower scores. Of course, for almost all of us there is inconsistency in our games day to day. Otherwise we'd be on tour. But, given your inconsistencies, the best way to lower scores is to understand how your game interacts with the course and how that dictates what you need to do. Perhaps a lay up on a long par 3 would bring your scoring average on that hole down. Perhaps playing a long par 4 as a three shot hole would bring your average down. Knowing when to take more or less club than might be necessary to a green given a hole location on the green's design. Most of aren't willing to do that or don't think about it.

I agree with much of what you're saying, and I also agree that I understand the game much better than 20 years ago when I played college golf.  Yet, I don't really score lower now, due to execution.

But as to the extent of the original question

"Which of the following is critical in significantly bettering your handicap on a given day (please rank from most to least)?"'

For me, the days I'm going to outplay my handicap and go out and shoot in the 60's are the days I'm accurate off the tee and making putts.  Perfectly understanding and following the architecture will aid, but if I'm not executing the shots, I'm still unlikely to score at my handicap that day.  It may prevent me from going to high.  

[Terry Lavin]

I'll identify five:

1.  Hitting fairways.  If I hit ten or more, I'm likely to have a very satisfying day.
2.  Hitting fairway woods and utility clubs well into greens.  If I do this, that means I'm hitting the tougher holes in regulation, which always adds up to a satisfying day.
3.  Putting well.  This means no three putts.  If I do that and make several one-putts, then I'll be in good shape.
4.  Missing in the proper spots.  As a ten handicapper, this is as important as the aforementioned factors.
5.  Good bunker play, particularly from the greenside bunkers.  This is a weakness for me, so it really helps if I come through with a reasonable amount of success.

[Carl Nichols]

The quote feature is not working for me, but I like Steve W.'s response. Understanding the architecture in reference to your abilities in general and your abilities that day is what will create lower scores for you on average. I understand how to play golf (which is understanding how to beat that hole using strategy) so much better than I did 20 years ago when I was playing college golf. If only I knew then what I know now.

Also, I don't think the original question was about overall low scores, just how to get your lower scores. Of course, for almost all of us there is inconsistency in our games day to day. Otherwise we'd be on tour. But, given your inconsistencies, the best way to lower scores is to understand how your game interacts with the course and how that dictates what you need to do. Perhaps a lay up on a long par 3 would bring your scoring average on that hole down. Perhaps playing a long par 4 as a three shot hole would bring your average down. Knowing when to take more or less club than might be necessary to a green given a hole location on the green's design. Most of aren't willing to do that or don't think about it.

I agree with much of what you're saying, and I also agree that I understand the game much better than 20 years ago when I played college golf.  Yet, I don't really score lower now, due to execution.

But as to the extent of the original question

"Which of the following is critical in significantly bettering your handicap on a given day (please rank from most to least)?"'

For me, the days I'm going to outplay my handicap and go out and shoot in the 60's are the days I'm accurate off the tee and making putts.  Perfectly understanding and following the architecture will aid, but if I'm not executing the shots, I'm still unlikely to score at my handicap that day.  It may prevent me from going to high.  

I agree--it just happens to be the case that for me, it's chipping/pitching that makes a difference.  Even if I play each hole super smartly, with an understanding of the architecture, always making sure I miss greens on the proper side, etc., etc., none of that matters if I have the short-game yips, because I'm still going to make bogeys and doubles when I should be making pars.  

[J_ Crisham]

Hit more fairways, miss greens short, stay below the hole with approach and recovery shots, more sand saves, no 3 putts. The key to posting a good number at Beverly is to keep the doubles off the card- there are so few birdie holes to get strokes back on.

[Doug Siebert]

Pretty much comes down to one thing for me.  Basically just hitting tee shots where I can play a reasonably normal approach - length isn't a problem for me, and the degree of accuracy/inaccuracy is much less important than the situation I find myself in - I'm probably nearly as likely to par a hole from the wrong fairway as from position A.  I can't remember which holes, but the first time I played Turnberry I played two holes going in the opposite direction from each other's fairways, and birdied them both.  Sometimes if you're going to miss the fairway, it is better to really miss the fairway!

All the rest of that stuff about putting, getting up and down and so on will turn a good day into a great one, or can turn a bad day into a decent one, but the days when I'm hitting my drives in the trees and leaving myself with a best case outcome of "knock it somewhere in the vicinity of the green and hope for the up and down" are always going to be a struggle.  Even if my short game and putter are on fire, you can't rely on that to bail you out for an entire round.  Usually it buys you an even par through six or seven holes, and just when you fool yourself into thinking you're doing pretty well, you start making the bogeys you deserve.

[Matthew Petersen]

- Superior putting
- Getting up and down around the greens
- Avoiding OB, lost balls and water hazards

It really just comes down to these factors, and that second one is very largely a factor of the first.

The course doesn't make that much of a difference to me, typically. I'm a pretty steady player, mostly pars and bogeys so what can really swing my score is making some putts for birdie or par saves, or those rounds where I'm really crooked and piling up penalty shots, so that double+ becomes a factor.

That said, I have always felt I'm pretty good at reading the architecture, even if it's in a very basic way. It's always weird to play with people who hit driver off of every tee, even if you tell them the fairway runs around, narrows, or whatever. Knowing where to miss is another key and even on a course I'm not super familiar with I probably have a bit of an advantage since I spend the time to study course aerials, yardage books, etc even before I play--that can help you to know that maybe you really don't want to miss right on a hole where it's a little blind, for example.

[Pete_Pittock]

1. Focus in the moment, then

Superior putting
Good decision making
Good ball striking
Recovery around greens

I've only had one great round in the last five years, at Santa Maria GC in CA, a compact acreage course with many parallel holes.  Playing the first hole I hit good drver, three wood, wedge to about 10-12 ft below the hole. When I got to the green it was excellently maintained poa, which is my best putting surface. Birdie. From then on it was autopilot, looking at the architecture. noting future holes and trouble/advantage spots on them, upcoming hole locations, focusing on staying below the hole as they were pretty standard raised back, slightly hunped greens

[Bill_McBride]

1. Focus in the moment, then

Superior putting
Good decision making
Good ball striking
Recovery around greens

I've only had one great round in the last five years, at Santa Maria GC in CA, a compact acreage course with many parallel holes.  Playing the first hole I hit good drver, three wood, wedge to about 10-12 ft below the hole. When I got to the green it was excellently maintained poa, which is my best putting surface. Birdie. From then on it was autopilot, looking at the architecture. noting future holes and trouble/advantage spots on them, upcoming hole locations, focusing on staying below the hole as they were pretty standard raised back, slightly hunped greens

I recall one recent round of superior putting and solid ball striking.   

[Steve Lang]

   Having fun talking with friends, calling shot, focusing on shot, breathing, making shot, rinse mind, repeat

[Mac Plumart]

I tiered them, from most important for me to least.  For starters, I need to keep it in play and sink some putts.  So, those two are in my first tier.


Avoiding OB, lost balls and water hazards
Superior putting

Getting up and down around the greens
Recoveries

Overall good ball-striking
Decent length (for you) and accuracy off the tee

Avoiding courses that are ill-suited for your game
Understanding and navigating the golf course's architecture
Favorable conditioning

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