5 Tips To ELIMINATE Blow-Up Holes And Lower Your Scores!

[@iandickson8494]

I played at my home course this morning. I made the decision to try and follow the advice in your video. I was also using a driver tip from another channel. Both worked far better than i could ever have imagined. I matched my lowest round ever, I refused a couple of hero shots and on a par 3 where i cleared the green by 20 yards I chose to pitch onto the easiest part of the green rather than risk pitching over a bank and catching the down slope. This was the 15th hole so i was trying to avoid a double as to that point I hadn't had any, I holed the putt for my par !. Then went par bogey par for my first ever round without a double bogey or higher. My playing partners said they'd never seen me hit the ball so consistently. Par 72, shot 10 over 82 off my 16 HC. Thanks.

[@Dooguk]

The straightest club in my bag varies from round to round. 😉

[@thescoringmethod]

But what’s your go to club that you can trust the most. Mine is my 2 hybrid / driving iron.

[@joshuadooley181]

Legendary answer

[@airbob11]

​@@thescoringmethod54 degree

[@edge21str]

Trusty rusty 7 iron.

[@Melted_Butter]

And it’s usually the putter!

[@keithhundt1479]

Absolutely fantastic lesson. I wish I had it yesterday. Had 3 blowup holes and cost me a win. I’ll be ready next week.

[@stuartjames2483]

Brilliant advice, I'm 52 and a 3 handicap, i dont hit the ball miles 250-270 off the tee with driver. I always work the hole backwards to play to 150 yards from the green, anything over 400 yards i struggled, so i practiced my long irons and hybrids and look to get anywhere on the green or within chipping distance looking for the best miss. Ego kills scores no doubt

[@thescoringmethod]

Very wise words and actions. I hope everyone is reading your comment. As often high handicap golfers think a 3 handicap would take more risk.

[@stuartjames2483]

@@thescoringmethod I play with a few high handicappers and it amazes me how they go for the driver everytime, even on short, sort of 330 yard par 4s. Either it goes in the cabbage or they are left in between very lofted clubs, then the comment is "should have been shorter because I don't like hitting 3 quarter shots with such lofted clubs" and so on. Generally speaking the amateur low handicappers game is not built on a string of birdies, it's built on resilience hitting fairways or just off, hitting greens or just off, missing in the right place, a solid chipping game and no more than 2 putts. Not everything goes to plan all the time, but hey that's golf and why we play this infuriating game, just when you think you've got it, the golfing gods take it away again 😅 love it

[@bigskygeneration4474]

I go one step further and play from the pin back; and I aim for about 130 yards out so i can use short irons. If the pin is in front i want to be closer to the green so i can plant a wedge shot. If the pin is in back i can be farther back as i plan on using the roll out of a mid iron. I only worry about left or right side of i am close enough or i know the green is going to roll it that way from the middle. I live on a 136 slope golf course, some holes with 180 yd or 200 yd carry over a gully and traps. The 7th is an "island green" but sitting on top of a hoodoo. (That's a fun wind hole to figure out). But per the video, some days this par 4 is a 5 and if i happen to get it up and down that's great. I'm 63+ now and my 280 yd days are behind me.

[@888Longball]

Our No.1 handicap hole is a par 5. Many players take a driver and lose their ball off the tee, even though the second shot is a lay-up. I recently started playing a 6 iron and then laying up with an 8. No more blow-ups here! Having noted this change, I shot my handicap score (86) yesterday with 2 triples and a double. I have more work to do!

[@thescoringmethod]

Words of wisdoms and action to match.

[@michaelbarton5169]

Many great concepts; thanks for those practical reality tips that really take off the pressure, supporting a free swing each time. I think my favorite tip for where my game is at right now is the "you play 18 par-3's" with a few of the holes needing some initial shots to get to your primary focus of the par-3. Since you're used to a par-3 every hole, it not only makes the approach plus a 2-putt to get up and down a normal thing, but it also smooths out the nerves for your actual par-3's. Thanks for these mindset tips. After all, the toughest drive for us to conquer is the distance between our ears. Happy to have discovered your channel. 👍👍

[@thescoringmethod]

Thank you for the great insights a positive comments.

[@YourBoySB]

Good advice. Bad golf course management and ego are card killers. I struggle with both and went from a 10 to a 15 since last spring.

[@Revel214]

I have been trying this for awhile now and what I have found is that if you take 3 shots to get to at least 50 -70 yds to the green, I better be SURE I can get it close to the hole on that 4th stroke, otherwise, I may need 3 putts and still end up with a 7 or 8. So many times lately, I have a great, straight tee shot with the driver and still end up with a 6 or 7. It really comes down to managing our ego, expectations, and not listening or worrying about our partners laughing at us for hitting it 150 off the tee with an iron. Love golfing single because you can play smart, conservative golf without the haters noise all round. Thanks for your video.

[@thescoringmethod]

Got to take the haters. Intending they start to show the love.

[@briandillard3809]

What I did this past weekend was make all the 400 yard par 4s 375 yards. I move up in the tee box. Hit a 200- 220 shot off the tee in play. I play with hybrids on the approach shot. I do have a 8, 9, and SW iron. Bogey golf.

[@Revel214]

@@briandillard3809 thanks for your approach to this very hard game. Bogey golf is totally fine for me as well. Last weekend in my shotgun league I dropped 6 pars, 5 bogey’s, 4 double bogey’s, and the rest of the holes I ran into trouble - woods and water - and got a 7 on one and a snowman on another. If I could eliminate those two crazy high holes each round I would be so relieved-I did win $25 on a par 3 closest to the hole so that was fun.

[@keithdavis1763]

Thanks reminding me to take a look of the hole & have plan for each hole knowing my wedge game is my strong point

[@thescoringmethod]

Have a strong wedge game makes golf so much more enjoyable.

[@phillipismay3585]

Great video Excellent thoughts an process from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺....Golf Sidekick would love you too I'm sure

[@thescoringmethod]

Will be in Melbourne on October 18th running a Scoring Method Golf school would love to have you join us.

[@binder315]

As a 25 handicap, thank you!

[@MichaelOConnor-is9ue]

When I was a young golfer of 12 years old, I couldn’t break 90. My father took all of the clubs out of my bag that were longer than a 6 iron, and said go play 18 holes. I went out and shot an 84. I learned that distance is not necessarily your friend. My dispersion with my longer clubs became problematic and actually hurt my game. I have now been playing for 61 years, and still struggle with my ego. Not hitting a driver on longer par 4’s or par 5’s is the smart shot, not the ego shot. I’m 68 years old and play to a 7 hdcp. I have been as low as a 4, but now my main struggle is not hitting the ball as far as I used to. I started playing with the intention to lay up to 100 yards,even when I’m only 210 yds out on a par five for my second shot . My personal stats showed me that I had a better chance of making a birdie by laying up to 100 yds, than going for the green. It was incredibly difficult to hit a gap wedge to 100 yds and try to score from there. The difficulty was always my ego. Take your ego out of the game, and play like a pro. I started charting my rounds using the USGA hdcp system. My scorecard contains my score on each hole, hit fairways,or an arrow showing the direction of the miss, hit greens or the direction of the miss left, right, long or short. And number of putts, noting the putts that didn’t reach the hole. It showed me my tendency of misses on each shot. The information in this video is pure gold. Listen to this man,and your scores will drop. Keep it in the short grass..

[@lkae4]

For lay-up shots off the tee, I recommend adding a knock-down driver to your quiver. Much more forgiving than long iron, fairway, hybrid or mini-driver. I average 244.5 off the tee, my knock-down driver goes 215 to 230.

[@MadLicha]

Last tip is brilliant

[@danielhammettsr8385]

Outstanding advice.

[@thescoringmethod]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@EMo5ive]

I used to play golf 25 years ago every summer, all summer, in high school. At my best I would shoot 48-ish on 9 holes, so I guess that's 95 - 100, or roughly a 28 handicap. All that to say I've recently got back in the game and am pretty terrible. Shot 112 last week. Pretty sure I lost the most balls I can ever remember, LOL. Anyways, I watched this video two days ago and finally played 9 holes today. Knocked 5-shots off of my score! Shot a 51, ha. Roll that forward for 18 holes and that'd be 10 shots better, simply by playing more to my skill level and applying some course management...who would have thought it was that easy! Haha. Kept my driver in the bag, with my longest club being an 11 wood (5 iron equivalent) which is probably the best club in my bag. Biggest problem for me now is simply duffing and/or topping shots that go like 50 yards...still better than being OB with my driver! Hopefully those will come with time. Your tips worked great! 👍

[@toadamine]

I've been golfing for three months and my wedge dispersion is about ten to 40 foot circle depending on range.... from 100 yards were talking about a 40 foot circle with the PW.....

[@thescoringmethod]

Looking for 10% so 100 yards would be 10 yards so if you can have less than a 30 ft putt your winning.

[@toadamine]

@@thescoringmethod I just dinged the 3 foot round metal target at the range three times in ten shots... it's at 50 yards I'm money woth my wedges... it's my long irons, especially the 6!, im much better eith any ither iron than my 6... and fairway woods are wild also, i dont even use obe anymore... i have a 3 hybrid instead of a 3 wood... im not very good with it either but better than fairways... I'm OK with a driver... not great but usually on the fairway about 200-230yds

[@Weshopwizard]

Why do you always gotta bring up the 18 handicaps?!? IM NOT BEING DEFENSIVE. LOL!! Great video and info. Gonna start implementing this.

[@thescoringmethod]

Got help the average golfer. Just doing my part

[@jayzechab]

Did you try the shot pattern app to plan your rounds? Shows dispersion very clearly ;)

[@thescoringmethod]

I do not but would love to know the one you use.

[@jayzechab]

@@thescoringmethod “Shot Pattern” is the name of the app

[@Richard-d1u5s]

If you look up the history of the word Bogey it originally ment the word to describe what an ordinary golfer should score on each hole one more than par

[@generations-now]

Great video

[@thescoringmethod]

Glad to hear you liked it. Be sure to subscribe to the channel.

[@lindakilgore2298]

@thescoringmethod I would be further ahead if I played my 5 iron for most of the game. I often wonder why I torture myself using the other clubs in my bag 😁

[@thescoringmethod]

Commit to it give it a real go and see what happens.

[@gunneronfire]

He told me everything I already knew and I still blow up!

[@thescoringmethod]

🤣 have to do it not just know it. P

[@generations-now]

“You might not be that good.” For real!

[@ericm7572]

good advice

[@thescoringmethod]

Glad you liked it.

[@johnmiller7682]

The number one way to eliminate blow up holes is to play smart. If you hit into the trees and have a choice between chipping directly onto the fairway or going between trees and advancing the ball much much farther. Most people will opt to advance the ball. After all, you're thinking you need to make up for that bad shot. Hitting through trees is not the way to do it. The same goes for bunker shots. If you're in a fairway bunker, don't try and advance the ball. Just get it back out to the fairway. How many times have people hit into a fairway bunker, then try to advance the ball, only to wind up in the same bunker, another bunker, the rough, or any number of bad locations? All because they're trying to hit the hero shot.

[@joeidaho5938]

For the level of people you're talking to here.....getting to 100 yds is not likely to get anyone to score...or rarely. Most will not hit the green from 100 yds. They might get it close....and have to chip on for a possible bogey putt...and a likely dbl bogey. On a par 4, it really does help to get at least within about 50 yds of the green...if one wants to have a decent chance at bogey...and hopefully within about 10 yds to really increase the chance of a par putt going in. If you;re talking to those fine with constant dbl bogeys, then your advice is fine. That amounts to a score of 108, on a regular course.

[@TripodianTT]

Totally agree. Long iron long iron 100 yards out, miss green, miss up and down. Seems more likely to double now right? And if you can hit a 2 hybrid straight enough for this advice to make sense then why not driver? Who are these utterly utterly wild drivers who hit arrows with mid and long irons? It's hole dependent. Where is the trouble. Driver can be SAFER than a hybrid on some holes. Generic advice is nonsense imo.

[@joeidaho5938]

@@TripodianTT Agree....and there are definitely holes where driver is clearly safe....and better than an iron off the tee. This stuff often being peddled is hyper safe golf....that gets people nowhere, in regard to real improvement. Gotta think through each particular situation.

[@outdooraf]

Confidentiality is key

[@frankp2371]

I feel too much pressure to play conservative in a foursome with better players. Riding in a cart with someone and adding an extra stop to their game every hole, I think they’d look at me sideways. I play on full public courses always with a foursome behind me. Sometimes 2 foursomes on each hole if it’s an outing. I think the pressure and feeling rushed is my main problem, not so much my swing. This kind of play seems better fit for lightly populated areas or private clubs? Happy to be wrong.

[@chrismcmanus1485]

I just learned that many low and mid handicap players actually play slower than higher handicap players. One more stop in play versus two minutes looking for an errant shot is, IMO a faster way to play.

[@jabman549]

5:00 ....that's hilarious

[@thescoringmethod]

Got to have a little fun golf is meant to be a game 😃

[@thecorrean2411]

I know what I need to do I just can’t stop doing it. Stop topping the ball. Stop the random slice into the woods. Stop swinging so steep you take a 5” deep divot and the ball goes 30 feet. Other than that I’m good.

[@kayoss662]

I was wondering where that driver that flew through my kitchen window came from.

[@thescoringmethod]

My bad

[@user_1664]

Three putts or missed putts from 4 ft and under , i only hit driver 230 ish and hybrid 5 175 but usually can manage to be greenside in two and 4 ft or under in 3 , Breaks my bloody heart .. I can practice them and sink every one but on the green and in play i just miss . Im good from distance too , just not from close in . 17 hcp , hit every fairway ( mostly) hit irons crisp and chip like its nothing at all , putt great from 20 but terrible from 4 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@thescoringmethod]

Work on making 10 from 10 around the hole from 3 ft it will train you how to putt under pressure.

[@tubero911]

If that 4-footer is your 2nd putt on the green then perhaps your focus should be on lag putting, to leave a 2-footer. And 230 off the tee is longer than the average male amateur golfer tbh. If that’s total distance, that’s probably a 90mph swing speed.

[@user_1664]

Bloody stupid game anyway .

[@chazzmccloud36]

My biggest issue is everything inside of that 100 yard range. If I had a nickel for every time I followed up a great tee shot with half a dozen chunks and comically bad putts.

[@timrobinson6893]

Me too; now I play 9 iron on everything from 100 down to 5 yards off the green. Some days, I get 10 one putts, because I'm consistent with my one good club. Leave the lob wedges at home.

[@aARoNShep25]

Holy crap, so that means…. With my handicap (I started 3 months ago) that mostly all the holes I’ve played I’ve either par’d or just bogey’d…. I like it - how do I figure out my handicap?

[@geoffcohen613]

Handicap is calculated on best 8 /20 gross scores.

[@aARoNShep25]

@@geoffcohen613 I have too start keeping better track of my scores 🤦‍♂️ thank you sir!

[@danielcorrigan6998]

Yeah but that’s confusing for most people. If you get a double just say double…. Even if you play off 20. New players don’t really need a handicap imo. Just try to snag a couple pars here and there and don’t lose your ball.

[@aARoNShep25]

@@danielcorrigan6998 thanks

[@JM-te2jn]

Use the eraser!

[@scottm1390]

I might not be that good? Let me assure you, I am definitely not that good.

[@JJ_Khailha]

Try camomile.

[@and16942]

I understand the sentiment but this doesn’t help my mid handicap game. My driver goes 270 on the fly. Next club down is a 5 wood that’s getting me 250. Yes the dispersion on my 5wood is a bit tighter than my driver but I’d rather have 1 to 2 clubs less for my approach even if it’s off the fairway. There’s also no guarantee that my “straighter club” flys straight. Let’s say Im on a 420 yard hole. No roll out just carry numbers. Driver will leave me 150 in, which is a hard 9 iron or an easy 8. 5 wood leaves me 170 in. Which is a 7iron. I’m more confident getting the ball within 20 feet with the 8 or 9iron. 7iron will open up the 30ft + range with a smaller chance to get below 20’. Since my problem is on the greens (and most amateurs) proximity to hole is a huge factor in bringing my handicap down. Also, most amateurs will play a lateral drop off the tee for lost balls. Very rarely will they take a provisional. Depending on how bad the shot is, I’d rather take a lateral that’s 20 yards further up with the driver.

[@geoffcohen613]

In stroke comp, should always hit a provisional ball. Some tournaments and clubs do not take the stroke and distance rule(lateral drop). Fact provisional balls slways go straight, very rarely does a provisional ball end up in hazard or in bunker.

[@and16942]

@@geoffcohen613 in competition yes, play a provisional. But as amateurs, just take the lateral to help pace of play. Nearly all the clubs around me would recommend that. I’ve been stuck behind somebody that took 3 off the tee… not laying 3. He played 3 provisionals all sliced right into the woods AND THEN played the lateral anyway.

[@7th_CAV_Trooper]

To avoid blow up holes I stop counting strokes after my ball touches the green.

[@keithgrainger8797]

You'll never get better playing to a handicap

[@generations-now]

My goal is bogey golf.

[@arielluna4399]

👏👏👍

[@MikeJackson690]

I'm insulted KZbin recommended this to me. 👀📝

[@orikoru]

I do not understand this notion of 'using your handicap'. If you only aim to make bogeys then how are you ever going to lower that handicap? If you lay-up when you didn't really need to, then you now need to play the hole perfectly to avoid a double bogey. I prefer to aim for par, and my shot on the hole is to cover the mistake I'm likely to make. i.e. a chunked approach or a three-putt. Of course I agree with not taking on silly shots that have a low chance of success, but if you *can* reach a long par 4 in two then that should be the aim, surely? And if your tee shot isn't ideal you reassess.

[@thescoringmethod]

So the concept is is that when people get on difficult holes, they try and play for par instead of play for bogey which would give them a net par. This thing leads to blow up holes. It’s amazing over the past 20 years how many peoples game I’ve seen improve by just showing them this concept. I find it a better players get the more they think they need to be aggressive and truly it’s just about removing and double bogies and blow holes that will get you consistently into the 70s

[@user-kz2yt5ow7r]

Hit better shots 😂

[@billmalec]

Oh Lord, not just a hand talker but a manic hand talker. New record. 32 seconds before stopping the video. ✓ Don't recommend channel

[@thescoringmethod]

Sorry you don’t like the Channle. What’s a hand talker ? Always wanting to learn.