Back when I was in college, my parents belonged to a private country club. I was home during the summers and played almost every day. On Saturdays, I played with an older couple who were pretty decent players. There’s a story behind why I started playing with them, but that’s for another time.
The third round we played together I two-putted the ninth hole for par. As I picked my ball out of the hole, the husband jokingly said, “Ho-hum, another par.”
It dawned on me after he said it, I had made nine straight pars.
And he kept saying it after every par I made from that moment on.
It wasn’t that I didn’t make any birdies or bogies. I made a few, but I made a ton of pars.
The phrase has stuck with me ever since. When I’m playing well, I’m making a lot of pars. I even say it to my playing partners sometimes when I’m on the par train.
While the phrase makes it sound like pars are boring, they are not. Pars are good golf.
Sure, everyone loves to hit a shot tight to the hole for a kick in birdie. Crushing a monster drive 300 plus yds. down the fairway thrills crowds at professional tournaments. Hole-in-ones, eagles and birdies erupt into cheers on golf courses all around the world.
Why? Because all of those things are exciting. They get the adrenaline pumping. I mean, who doesn’t want to get a hole-in-one? The ultimate golf shot. One swing. Done. I’ve had three hole-in-ones and, there is nothing more exciting in golf in the moment.
Eagles, birdies, crushed drives, etc. are all exciting, too. As golfers, we want all of these. Most of the time, we want them too much.
Then there’s the hero shot. The shot which needs to fly between two trees three feet apart on a lower-than-normal trajectory to get onto the green. Or trying to carry a water hazard with a perfectly struck 3-wood. More often than not, the ball strikes one of the trees and sails deeper into the trees, and the 3-wood is mishit dumping the ball into the middle of the water. In both cases, a big number goes on the card.
But that one time it works, man, that is exciting. The other times, well, it crushes a round.
The reality is: boring golf is good golf.
Good golf is making pars and avoiding big numbers. A former tour pro friend once told me if he hit a shot into trouble his goal was to figure out the best way to eliminate double bogey because recovering from bogey only took one good hole. Double bogey took two good holes.
In other words, if the best way to avoid a double was to pitch out to the fairway from the trees, he was going to pitch out from the trees every time. Par was still on the table, and double bogey or worse were all but eliminated.
Right now, I can hear a lot of you saying you wish you could make a lot of pars. I get it. But you need to understand double bogeys and worse are your enemies. They destroy scores. You need to make good decisions to help yourself on the course. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary shots and minimize big numbers.
Below are four ways you can score better right now. None of these require lessons or swing thoughts. They are strategies on how to play the game efficiently.
Stop shooting at the pin. The only time most golfers should shoot at the pin is when it is in the center of the green. Center of the green needs to be your target when hitting to the green. Boring, yes, but there is no trouble in the middle of the green.
Play your shot. Whether it’s a fade or a slice, draw or a hook; line up appropriately and play your shot shape. If you hit the ball right to left, line up to the right side of the green or fairway and let the shot shape work to the center of the green or fairway. If you hit the ball left to right, line up to the left side of the green or fairway.
Don’t be a hero. When you hit a ball into trouble, (and you will hit the ball into trouble) get it back in play. Don’t go for the hero shot through the trees or across the water. Get the ball safely back in play. You still might make a big number, but you are reducing the odds of a big number occurring.
Don’t hit at trouble. Aim appropriately to avoid trouble. Hitting into hazards or out of bounds kill rounds. Take them out of play. For instance, if there is out of bounds down the right side of the hole no matter if you fade or draw the ball, aim a little farther left than normal in order to avoid bringing the out of bounds in play.
These four strategies can save a lot of needless extra strokes on the course. They don’t involve lessons or swing changes or new clubs. They aren’t adrenaline producing, but they can improve scoring. There are many other ways to improve scoring, but these are simple ways all golfers can shave a few strokes off their scores. Use them and instead of making doubles, you’re making bogies or even a par or two. Boring maybe, but it is good golf.
Every week my goal is to provide insight into this great game. Sometimes it will be in the form of a personal story. Sometimes it will be like today with thoughts on how to play or practice or train in the gym. I want to help golfers get as much enjoyment from the game as possible. As a former professional, I have had amazing experiences and met amazing people. I currently train golfers in the gym helping them to get stronger, more mobile and faster. If you would like more help, please reach out to me. That’s why I’m here.
Now, be grateful and thankful every time you place a tee in the ground. Enjoy every moment on the course. It is always a privilege to play this great game. So, get out there and go golf!
Couldn't agree more Jon