Ten years ago, when I was playing my best, I had a 9 handicap. Now, I’m 74 years old, with health problems, and the game I played back then is a distant memory. So I have adapted. But that’s another post.
What I want to tell you today that you don’t have to hit the ball out of sight to score well. For recreational golfers, there are other things that are much more important than distance. Let me get right to the point. These are the distances that got me into single-digit golf:
Driver (total) – 235
(remaining distances are carry only)
2-hybrid – 200
3-hybrid – 187
4-hybrid – 174
5-iron – 158
6-iron – 150
7-iron – 142
8-iron – 132
9-iron – 122
PW – 113
What got me into single digits with these rather unimpressive distances was:
hitting the ball very straight,
being a very good chipper,
being a very good aproach putter,
knowing how to hit off any unusual lie you can name,
playing shots I could hit, not ones somebody way better than me would hit,
hitting the ball to high-value targets,
thinking only of the next shot; leaving behind everything else, good or bad.
Distance is nice to have, but each of us can hit the ball only so far. The trick is to develop a game around the distance you have, not the distance you want.
Your “what got me into single digits” list looks good, Bob. The only problem with it is that such an achievement involves PRACTICE — which I seem to be unwilling to fit into my schedule.
So, at my age now, I’ve become resigned to be a “low-ish double digits” golfer. However, we all have our singularly good days — which keep us coming back. I had one recently where I shot just under my age — assisted by my one-and-only hole-in-one.
Now, my main focus is on the FUN of playing the game of golf. Fun — and being sure to observe the beauty of Mother Nature when I’m out on the course. Her natural wonders help offset my golf blunders!