- Lou Stagner Golf
- Posts
- Lou Stagner's Newsletter #119
Today’s issue is brought to you by Arccos Golf:
Arccos is running a HUGE Black Friday Sale.
30% off PLUS an extra 15% off when you use the code DATALOU15.
Get Arccos here.
And also brought to you by SkyTrak Golf:
Save up to $1000 on a SkyTrak Launch Monitor.
For the best price, use code GOLFSALE
Get a SkyTrak launch monitor here.
Weekly Quiz!
To see the correct answer, click the “CONTINUE” button at the bottom of the next page.
Good luck! 😀
The typical scratch player will make 8 or more bogeys (or worse) in what percent of their rounds? |
Why Your Irons Matter So Much
You’ve probably had this round:
– Drove it pretty good.
– Didn’t chip it terribly.
– Putted OK.
…and still wrote a number on the card you didn’t like.
Very often, that number you didn’t like lives in your approach game.
What “Down-in-4” Really Tells Us
The chart below shows how often golfers of different handicaps, playing from the fairway, get the ball into the hole in 4 shots or fewer from various distances.
“Down-in-4” isn’t about stuffing it to 5 feet. From many of the distances, getting down in 4 is about keeping disaster off the scorecard. You’re limiting doubles and worse… which is critical if you want your handicap to move in the right direction.
Think of “down-in-4” this way:
You hit an approach from the fairway.
However it turns out, green, fringe, rough, bunker, you then have three more swings to get the ball in the hole and avoid the big number.
The better you are with your approach play, the more often that happens.
How the Gap Blows Up With Distance
Here are the down-in-4 percentages from the fairway:
From 50–60 yards:
Everyone is pretty good. Scratch sits at 99%, a 20-handicap is still at 92%. The gap is only 7 percent.
From 150–160 yards:
Scratch at 97%, the 20-handicap has dropped to 69%. Now the gap is 28 points.
From 240–250 yards:
Scratch hangs in at 87%. The 20-handicap? Just 38%. That’s a 49-point gap!
Same fairway, same hole, very different worlds.
Distance doesn’t just make the shot harder, it magnifies the difference in skill.
What You Can Do
Your scoring is tightly tied to how often you hit (or get near) the green in regulation.
Spend time practicing your approach play.
Find a good coach to help you do this.
If you are weak at the longer end of the bag, strongly consider trying hybrids and/or higher lofted fairway woods (even you low index players!).
Being “near” a green in regulation is far better than the the disastrous big miss. Don’t beat yourself up when you miss a green!
If you want lower scores, you need to hit (or be near) more greens and keep doubles off the card, and that starts with better, smarter approach play.
For everyone celebrating, I hope you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Finally...
Advertise your business to 35,000+ readers of this newsletter.
Shop Arccos Golf here. (Use code DATALOU15 to save 15%)
Join Team Titleist here.
Shop StrackaLine Green Books here. (Use code DATALOU15 to save 15%)
Listen to the “Hack it Out Golf” podcast on Apple or Spotify.
Submit ideas or feedback here.
Have a great week!
