20, 40, 60, 80, 100 yards, the scoring zone
What to do:
You'll need your wedges, 5 cones or other makeshift markers and also a partner (it's near impossible to complete this phase without some help). On the driving range, take your markers and place them at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 yards respectively from your hitting spot... you can pace or use a laser to find each distance. Have your partner move to the first cone and prepare to score each shot.
Once you're all set up, hit 2 balls to each distance, attempting to FLY each shot as close to your target as possible. After you hit each shot, have your partner determine how far the shot landed from the target. You'll hit a total of 10 balls. After pacing off the distance, have him record the score. Here's the point system:
Hit on the fly- 3 points
0-9 feet (0-3 paces)- 2 points
9-18 feet (3-6 paces)- 1 point
18-30 feet (6-10 paces)- 0 points
Over 30 feet (over 10 paces)- (-1) point
How I did:
Toughest station by far... scored 9 here.
Good luck... I hope you enjoyed these assessment games. It's fun to do them all at once in 2 hours or so. It's also fine if you do them individually. Repeat this assessment over time and watch it reflect on your scorecard.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Shortgame Assessment #5 Bunker Shot
Sand-shot scoring system
What to do:
We are almost there... the fifth shot you'll be hitting will be a green side sand-shot, as today's title implies. You'll need your sand-wedge, 5-10 balls and preferably a partner to help score each shot. Pick a mid-range green side bunker shot, ideally somewhere around 15 paces, or 45 feet. Make it as straightforward as possible, giving yourself preferred lies in the sand and enough green to allow for a reasonable amount of roll. Once you've found your shot, hit 10 balls, scoring each one based on it's proximity to the hole. Here's the point system:
Hole-out- 3 points
0-6 feet- 2 points
6-12 feet- 1 point
12-15 feet- 0 points
Over 15 feet- (-1) point
Record each shot's score, given it's distance from the pin, then total your points.
How I did:
I scored a 10 on the bunker shot.
What to do:
We are almost there... the fifth shot you'll be hitting will be a green side sand-shot, as today's title implies. You'll need your sand-wedge, 5-10 balls and preferably a partner to help score each shot. Pick a mid-range green side bunker shot, ideally somewhere around 15 paces, or 45 feet. Make it as straightforward as possible, giving yourself preferred lies in the sand and enough green to allow for a reasonable amount of roll. Once you've found your shot, hit 10 balls, scoring each one based on it's proximity to the hole. Here's the point system:
Hole-out- 3 points
0-6 feet- 2 points
6-12 feet- 1 point
12-15 feet- 0 points
Over 15 feet- (-1) point
Record each shot's score, given it's distance from the pin, then total your points.
How I did:
I scored a 10 on the bunker shot.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Shortgame Assessment #4 Pitch Shot
Part 4 of the 6 shot short game assessment, pitching
What to do:
Take 5 golf balls and a wedge to a part of the chipping green with room to hit a 20 yard pitch shot (5 yards of carry and 15 of roll). You will hit a total of 10 shots, attempting to hit each shot as close to the hole as possible. You earn points based on how far each shot comes to rest from the hole. The scoring system is as follows:
Hole-out - 3 points
0-6 feet - 2 points
6-9 feet - 1 point
9-12 feet - 0 points
Over 12 feet - (-1) point
How I did:
My score for pitching was 16.
What to do:
Take 5 golf balls and a wedge to a part of the chipping green with room to hit a 20 yard pitch shot (5 yards of carry and 15 of roll). You will hit a total of 10 shots, attempting to hit each shot as close to the hole as possible. You earn points based on how far each shot comes to rest from the hole. The scoring system is as follows:
Hole-out - 3 points
0-6 feet - 2 points
6-9 feet - 1 point
9-12 feet - 0 points
Over 12 feet - (-1) point
How I did:
My score for pitching was 16.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Shortgame Assessment #3 Chip Shot
Continuation of the Shortgame Assessment, improve and assess your skill level on chip shots
What to do:
You'll be hitting 10 total chip shots, 5 from 40 feet and 5 from 60 feet. Grab the club that you're most comfortable hitting medium length, running chip shots with (I used my sand wedge and 9-iron). At the chipping green, select a hole to which you have room to hit a chip shot from 40 feet (ideally, you should have to carry the ball over 10 feet of fringe, and have 30 feet of green to work with). Once you've selected your 40 foot "chip shot", go ahead and hit 5 chips, trying your best to get each to stop as close to the hole as possible. After each shot, either measure its proximity to the hole yourself, or better yet have a partner measure for you, then assign points based on how far each shot came to rest.. Here is the scoring system:
Holed- 3 points
0-3 feet- 2 points
3-6 feet- 1 point
6-9 feet- 0 points
over 9 feet- (-1 ) point
Once you've calculated your score for the 40-foot chip shot, move on to the 60 foot chip shot. Again, give yourself roughly 10 feet of fringe to fly the ball over and now 50 feet of green to work with. Hit 5 more chips to this hole, and using the same scoring table try to rack up as many points as possible. Once finished, add your points from both distances to get your "total chipping score".
How I did:
10 points on the 40-footer and 9 points on the 60-footer for a TOTAL of 19.
What to do:
You'll be hitting 10 total chip shots, 5 from 40 feet and 5 from 60 feet. Grab the club that you're most comfortable hitting medium length, running chip shots with (I used my sand wedge and 9-iron). At the chipping green, select a hole to which you have room to hit a chip shot from 40 feet (ideally, you should have to carry the ball over 10 feet of fringe, and have 30 feet of green to work with). Once you've selected your 40 foot "chip shot", go ahead and hit 5 chips, trying your best to get each to stop as close to the hole as possible. After each shot, either measure its proximity to the hole yourself, or better yet have a partner measure for you, then assign points based on how far each shot came to rest.. Here is the scoring system:
Holed- 3 points
0-3 feet- 2 points
3-6 feet- 1 point
6-9 feet- 0 points
over 9 feet- (-1 ) point
Once you've calculated your score for the 40-foot chip shot, move on to the 60 foot chip shot. Again, give yourself roughly 10 feet of fringe to fly the ball over and now 50 feet of green to work with. Hit 5 more chips to this hole, and using the same scoring table try to rack up as many points as possible. Once finished, add your points from both distances to get your "total chipping score".
How I did:
10 points on the 40-footer and 9 points on the 60-footer for a TOTAL of 19.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Shortgame Assessment #2 Lag Putt
Sharpen your speed while assessing a critical part of your golf game
What to do:
You'll need your putter, 2 golf balls and a handful of tees. Find a hole with enough green to allow you to hit a 50 foot putt. Pace off 20 ft, 30 ft, 40 ft, and finally 50 feet, marking each distance with a tee. You're going to hit 2 putts from each distance, 8 putts total, measuring the proximity of each putt to the hole, then giving yourself points based on how close each putt came to rest from the cup. The point system is as follows:
Holed-putt = 3 points
0-3 feet = 2 points
3-6 feet = 1 point
6-9 feet = 0 points
over 9 feet = -1 point
Go through it, giving each putt full effort, then total your points to see how you've fared.
How I did:
I scored 15, leaving all but 1 putt within 3 feet.
What to do:
You'll need your putter, 2 golf balls and a handful of tees. Find a hole with enough green to allow you to hit a 50 foot putt. Pace off 20 ft, 30 ft, 40 ft, and finally 50 feet, marking each distance with a tee. You're going to hit 2 putts from each distance, 8 putts total, measuring the proximity of each putt to the hole, then giving yourself points based on how close each putt came to rest from the cup. The point system is as follows:
Holed-putt = 3 points
0-3 feet = 2 points
3-6 feet = 1 point
6-9 feet = 0 points
over 9 feet = -1 point
Go through it, giving each putt full effort, then total your points to see how you've fared.
How I did:
I scored 15, leaving all but 1 putt within 3 feet.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Intro to Shortgame Assessment and #1 Short Putt
Objectively measure and improve your skill for the most critical shots in golf
Intro:
Recently I was made aware of a book entitled You're Not Lifting Your Head, written by Charlie King, a Top 25 Golf Instructor. Contained in its pages is a short-game assessment for the reader to attempt. King took 6 different types shot from 100 yards-and-in and created a scoring game to objectively measure a golfer's skill in the "Red Zone". Based on this score, King claims to be able to predict one's actual handicap. So of course I dove right in...
What to do:
The Author recommends that you have a partner complete the test with you. The main purpose is so he/she can keep score while you focus solely on the shots at hand. It is possible to do it alone, however it's MUCH easier the other way.
Ok, so here are the 6 different types of shot you'll be hitting:
1. Short Putt
2. Lag Putt
3. Chip Shot
4. Pitch Shot
5. Bunker Shot
6. Wedge Shot
Each shot has its own scoring key and detailed explanation, so I'll have to spread this out and give you 1 explanation a day, starting with the Short Putt.
#1 Short Putt
Take 2 golf balls, a handful of tees and your putter and find a hole on the practice green with some break. Place a tees in the ground in a straight line starting at 3 feet, moving to 6, then to 9, and finally 12 feet away. Do the same thing directly opposite the hole, one the other side, placing tees at 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet, marking where you'll be putting from.
You'll hit 2 putts from each tee, alternating the sides of the hole (hit 2 putts from 3 feet, then move to the other side of the hole and hit 2 more putts from 3 feet, then return to your original side, hitting 2 from 6 feet, then moving to the opposite side and hitting 2 more from 6 feet, and so on...). Your objective is to make as many putts as possible, as you'll get points only for a putt that is holed. You'll be hitting 16 total putts (4 from 3 feet, 4 from 6 feet, 4 from 9 feet, and 4 from 12 feet).
Once you've finished up at 12 feet, count how many putts you made. Give yourself 2 points for each putt drained. For instance, if you made a total of 8 putts, you've scored a 16. The maximum score is 32 (16 makes x 2 points = 32 total points). Your actual score will likely be much less than this.
How I did:
I made 9 total putts, scoring an 18. I missed all of the 6 footers, however, so I felt that I underperformed a little. According to Charlie King, 18 is what a 3-handicapper would typically score. (For the detailed scoring/handicap chart rent or buy his book You're Not Lifting Your Head. )
Intro:
Recently I was made aware of a book entitled You're Not Lifting Your Head, written by Charlie King, a Top 25 Golf Instructor. Contained in its pages is a short-game assessment for the reader to attempt. King took 6 different types shot from 100 yards-and-in and created a scoring game to objectively measure a golfer's skill in the "Red Zone". Based on this score, King claims to be able to predict one's actual handicap. So of course I dove right in...
What to do:
The Author recommends that you have a partner complete the test with you. The main purpose is so he/she can keep score while you focus solely on the shots at hand. It is possible to do it alone, however it's MUCH easier the other way.
Ok, so here are the 6 different types of shot you'll be hitting:
1. Short Putt
2. Lag Putt
3. Chip Shot
4. Pitch Shot
5. Bunker Shot
6. Wedge Shot
Each shot has its own scoring key and detailed explanation, so I'll have to spread this out and give you 1 explanation a day, starting with the Short Putt.
#1 Short Putt
Take 2 golf balls, a handful of tees and your putter and find a hole on the practice green with some break. Place a tees in the ground in a straight line starting at 3 feet, moving to 6, then to 9, and finally 12 feet away. Do the same thing directly opposite the hole, one the other side, placing tees at 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet, marking where you'll be putting from.
You'll hit 2 putts from each tee, alternating the sides of the hole (hit 2 putts from 3 feet, then move to the other side of the hole and hit 2 more putts from 3 feet, then return to your original side, hitting 2 from 6 feet, then moving to the opposite side and hitting 2 more from 6 feet, and so on...). Your objective is to make as many putts as possible, as you'll get points only for a putt that is holed. You'll be hitting 16 total putts (4 from 3 feet, 4 from 6 feet, 4 from 9 feet, and 4 from 12 feet).
Once you've finished up at 12 feet, count how many putts you made. Give yourself 2 points for each putt drained. For instance, if you made a total of 8 putts, you've scored a 16. The maximum score is 32 (16 makes x 2 points = 32 total points). Your actual score will likely be much less than this.
How I did:
I made 9 total putts, scoring an 18. I missed all of the 6 footers, however, so I felt that I underperformed a little. According to Charlie King, 18 is what a 3-handicapper would typically score. (For the detailed scoring/handicap chart rent or buy his book You're Not Lifting Your Head. )
Monday, August 6, 2012
Sand Ladder
Hone in your carry distances out of the greenside bunker
What to do:
Bring your sand-wedge and 7 golf balls to a practice sand trap. Give yourself at least 30 yards of room in the direction you will be hitting your shots, and a flat lie in the sand from which to execute. On your first shot try to barely land it outside of the bunker, just barely clearing the lip. With each successive shot, to to carry your ball just past where the previous one came to rest. If you fail to carry the lip on your first shot, start over. If you fail to fly any shot past where the one before came to rest, start over. Once you've finished, successfully executing all shots as desired, pace off the distance from your first ball to your last ball. The shorter the distance, the more precise your shots must have been.
How I did:
Had to start over twice... once I finished the distance from my first ball to the last was 18 paces. I think under 10 is a challenging yet attainable goal.
Scaling:
Beginner- hit only 5 balls
What to do:
Bring your sand-wedge and 7 golf balls to a practice sand trap. Give yourself at least 30 yards of room in the direction you will be hitting your shots, and a flat lie in the sand from which to execute. On your first shot try to barely land it outside of the bunker, just barely clearing the lip. With each successive shot, to to carry your ball just past where the previous one came to rest. If you fail to carry the lip on your first shot, start over. If you fail to fly any shot past where the one before came to rest, start over. Once you've finished, successfully executing all shots as desired, pace off the distance from your first ball to your last ball. The shorter the distance, the more precise your shots must have been.
How I did:
Had to start over twice... once I finished the distance from my first ball to the last was 18 paces. I think under 10 is a challenging yet attainable goal.
Scaling:
Beginner- hit only 5 balls
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