Effective Scoring System (a golf swing)

"I am looking for consistency.."  That is the comment I hear from most players as we begin a lesson series.  But what is consistency?  Who measures it?  As an instructor my desire is to build an EFFECTIVE SCORING SYSTEM!  Players may confuse this with consistency.

OLD GUY vs. PGA TOUR WANNABE



Think about those players you see at the golf course.  My favorite is the Wannabe PGA Tour Player.  He has all the gear.  He has the look.  Heck, he may even have what looks like a great swing and can hit it 280 on a frozen rope.  Yet whenever he plays in a serious competition he can't break 80.  And he always has an excuse! 

Then there is the Old Guy. The Old Guy shuffles around the course, barely hits it out of his shadow and never shoots north of 78 - there are even some guys like this who consistently shot their age!  Honestly the Old Guy drives me nuts! But I also love 'em!!!!

So what is happening? Simply put the Old Guy has an effective scoring system and the Wannabe Tour Player does not. Even more simply, the Old Guy knows where and how far his golf ball is going! The Wannabe has NO CLUE!

Sure he looks great but can he SCORE?!

(of course he can - that's Ian Poulter, PGA Tour Player and

2012 Ryder Cup Hero)

WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE SCORING SYSTEM?

An effective scoring system begins with a repeatable swing.  Notice I did not say a "good" swing or a "pretty" swing.  Granted the better the swing the better chance it has to become effective.  But I have seen plenty of "good" or "pretty" swings that cannot consistently score.  One of my favorite examples on the PGA Tour is Bruce Lietzke.  Bruce consistently hit a 30 yard slice with his driver.  He never sought to change it or make it "better" instead he allowed for it.  And in return he won 13 PGA Tour events (including the US Senior Open) and cashed checks worth $6.4 million over his career.

Check out this swing of Lietzke...  Notice he is 28 under par for the tournament.  The ball starts left and cuts to the right side of the fairway.  The best part of this video?  Johnny Miller says, "sounds like a recording..."  And that is exactly what it should be.

 

A DETAILED EXAMPLE

Here is a detailed example of an effective scoring system. The following chart is data taken from a 1 handicap player while putting using the Ping Putting App used for IPhones.  The player hit 10 putts from 10 feet and came up with some interesting data. The areas measured were: swing arc (in degrees - a 0 degree path would be straight back and straight through), club face alignment at impact (positive numbers are open, negative numbers are red) and shaft lean at impact (positive numbers are reducing or de-lofting while red is adding loft).

 

 

Swing	Swing Path	Club Face Angle	Shaft Lean
1	2.4	1.2	1.5
2	2	0	1
3	2.1	1.4	1.9
4	2.7	1.1	0.9
5	1.9	1.7	2.6
6	2.7	0	1.9
7	2.7	1.4	0
8	1.3	0.9	0.8
9	3	-0.4	-0.5
10	2.8	0.4	-1
Median	2.7	1.1	1
Average	2.36	0.77	0.91
Spread	1.7	1.3	3.6
Ideal	1.3	0.9	0.8

The critical aspect we look at in terms of a effective scoring system is the spread or the amount of change from swing to swing.  As you can see with this player the path and face angle is ok.  a 1-2 degree spread is not great but is doable.  The critical area is that this player changes the loft of his putter at the moment of impact a unacceptable 3.6 degrees.  That is he can have a forward shaft lean (de-loft) of 2.6 degrees all the way to adding loft of 1 degree.  With a 4 degree putter this GREATLY changes the output of a putt that feels the same to the player and looks the same to the naked eye!!!

This player and I are diligently working on controlling the shaft lean at impact for his putting.  He currently averages 32 putts a round.  I can see him getting to 28-29 average this year.  That is 3-4 strokes for a 1 handicap!

HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE SCORING SYSTEM

 First is to attempt to have a swing that is repeatable.  Yes, the classic improvements of swing technique are important.  But chasing that "perfect swing" can be unobtainable, frustrating and, frankly destructive.  Try this next time on the range:
1) Swing within your self with good tempo and good balance.  No over swinging
2) Be actively observant - observe how the golf ball is reacting.
3) Don't try to make changes to your swing.  Be open to accepting the ball flight, trajectory, and especially the distance.

Second, measure your results.  The next time you have a chance hit 11 shots in a row from the same position.  For example put yourself at 100 yards from the center of a green with your favorite wedge.  Attempt to make the same swing 11 times in a row at 80-85% speed and power.  Do not attempt to reach the green or ht it close to the flag.  Concentrate on making the same motion.  Finally, plot your results.  The best thing to do is to remove the best and worse 5 shots leaving the middle ball.  This is the median and is what you can expect out of this shot.  Say it is 93 yards.  GREAT!  You now have a perfect 93 yard shot!

(notes - please repair all divots and ball marks)

Finally, in my estimation, the biggest issues or problems with building an effective scoring system are:
1) Too much ego - attempting to hit the ball too far or expecting too much out of a shot.
2) Quest for perfection - golf can be destructive when you attempt to become perfect.
3) Unable to actively observe - the definition of insanity is to expect a different result from the same behavior.
If you notice none of these issues relate to physical ability or strength....

If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me via email at john.grothe@gmail.com.
Your friend in golf....
John Grothe, PGA