When I was a single-digit player, of course I hit pretty good shots more often than not. But the key to scoring was knowing my iron distances.

I hit my 7-iron 142 yards. I wasn’t a long hitter but a consistent one. I got right around 142 every time I got the club squarely on the ball. I knew my distance for all the other irons, too.

That gave me the freedom to adjust, depending on the shot conditions. I could take a few yards off the 7, or maybe play a 6 instead for that distance.

That’s what let me hit greens (i.e., not be short all the time) and often get the ball hole-high. That’s a real key to scoring, and you can’t do it if you don’t know your distances.

Go to a place where there is a launch monitor you can use and figure this out for your irons (wedge distances are another story). Having this information and learning how to use it will change you, as Johnny Miller says, from a golfer to a player.