| If you want to improve, you need to keep | | | | shots? Maybe it does with only your longer clubs. |
| records of the shots you make. Golfers I know | | | | When you miss a green, where does the ball |
| keep complicated records as they play, but a | | | | usually end up? Right, left, short? |
| simpler set describes the important things about | | | | Look at your list and note the easy ones you just |
| your game and doesn't distract you from what | | | | plain missed. Most often, these will be short shots. |
| you're really trying to do - play golf. | | | | That happens because you haven't practiced |
| As you play, write down these three things on | | | | them enough for your best to come out when |
| your scorecard for each hole: the number of full | | | | there's only one chance to get it right. If you find |
| swings, the number of short shots, and the | | | | a particular shot that's weak, make it your top |
| number of putts. Make a note of penalty strokes | | | | priority the next time you go to the range. |
| and recovery shots, but don't include them into | | | | Note bad decisions. Either you hit the wrong shot, |
| your counts. They show up as the difference | | | | or hit the right shot, but with the wrong club. |
| between your score for the hole and the sum of | | | | These mistakes come from a lack of experience. |
| the three shot categories you wrote down. | | | | Write down what you did, what you should have |
| Ideally, the number of full swings would total 36, | | | | done, and remember it, to avoid making that |
| and the number of short shots plus putts would | | | | mistake again. I'll bet you can find at least three |
| also total 36. Do think of, and work on, your | | | | shots per side you didn't need to lose that had |
| short game and your putting together. | | | | little to do with deficient shotmaking skills. You can |
| If either of these totals is 40 or less, that part of | | | | improve that much just by becoming a better |
| the game is going well for you by recreational | | | | thinker. |
| standards. A total of 45 or more shows that you | | | | Finally, note the shots that didn't come out well |
| need work on the practice tee or around the | | | | because your concentration wasn't sharp. Notice |
| green. If one of the numbers is consistently higher | | | | where in the round they occurred. After a few |
| than the other, this tells you what part of your | | | | rounds you might find there is a pattern of your |
| game needs the most work. | | | | concentration faltering around holes 6-8, for |
| You can analyze these three numbers more | | | | example, or after you've had a few bad holes. Do |
| deeply by looking at each hole. The number of full | | | | what you have to to fix that, but you might find |
| shots on a hole should equal par minus two. If | | | | that just going through this analysis will help you |
| you're taking more than that, is it because you're | | | | concentrate better the next time you play. |
| missing fairways or hitting bad shots from the | | | | Putting? To get a detailed record, during the round |
| fairway? | | | | record the length in feet of every putt you hit. |
| Greens in regulation? Count the number of holes | | | | With a little practice you'll learn to do this without |
| with no short shot and the number of full shots | | | | slowing down play for the rest of the group. |
| equals par minus two. | | | | Divide the total length of all the putts you hit in |
| There should be no more than one short shot per | | | | the round by the length of all putts hit after the |
| hole. If there are several, that shows your short | | | | first putt on each green. A quotient of 10 or |
| shots aren't hitting the green. Short shots plus | | | | higher is good putting. |
| putts shouldn't total more than three, and a few | | | | Example: On the first three greens, you had putts |
| twos would be nice to see. You don't want to see | | | | of 23 and 2 feet, 8 feet, and 47, 6, and 1 foot - |
| more than one three-putt green per side. | | | | a two-putt green, a one-putt green, and a |
| Up and downs? Count the number of holes with a | | | | three-putt green. The total length of all putts is 87 |
| short shot and one putt. | | | | feet. The total length of all putts after a first putt |
| Once you get home, write down every stroke, | | | | is 9 feet (2+0+6+1). The ratio is 87 divided by 9, |
| including those recovery shots and penalty | | | | or 9.67. If you had made that 6-footer, the ratio |
| strokes. Here is where you can put in all the detail | | | | would have been 10.75. Darn those three-putt |
| you want. | | | | greens! |
| Does the ball tend to the right or left on your full | | | | |