WARNING: Heavy Analyzation Below

Before reading this post you're going to want to put your thinking cap on.


If you don't want to read some in depth golf talk, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog ignore this post.

Since the beginning of this blog, I've tried to write about my golf tournaments. It's not easy to explain a round of golf and it's tough for the reader to understand what I mean when I say, "I hit the ball well today." During my drive from Waterloo, IA to Marshall, MN I came up with 2 stats that I'll start using.

The first stat deals with putting. It's very simple to follow. If you 2 putt every green, you'll finish with 36 putts. So the first stat will be how many putts I have during a round. The baseline for a good putting day or a bad putting day is 30 putts. It'd be very tough to say I putted well when the number is 31 or more.

The second stat is more complicated and this is where you really need the thinking cap. This stat will focus on ballstriking. That includes everything that is not a putt. Most golf courses par is 72. Putting is allotted for 36 of the 72 shots. That leaves 36 shots not coming from the putter. If a golf course has par of 71, than 35 shots are left for ballstriking. A good ballstriking day would consist of 36 shots (that is 1 shot one every par 3, 2 on every par 4, and 3 on every par 5). Actually finishing with 36 "swings" would a be a very good ballstriking day so I'll say the baseline for a good ballstriking day in 40 shots. Having 40 shots means you hit around 14 greens in regulation and any day where you have 14 birdie putts leaves me a good chance to score well.

Now for a few examples

When I shot my 62 at the State Open here were my stats:
Ballstriking - 36 (I hit an extra shot on a par 3 and a par 4, but I reached two par 5's in two shots)
Putting - 26
Add those two numbers up and you get 62.

This past Sunday in Waterloo, IA I shot a 4-under 68:
Ballstriking - 37 (An extra shot on two par 4's, but reached one par 5 in two shots)
Putting - 30
Penalty Shot - 1 ( I had to take an unplayable lie)
Add 'em up and get 68.

Finally, today in Marshall, MN where the course is a par 71 (36 putts and 35 ballstrikes for baseline):
Ballstriking - 37
Putting - 33
That adds up to a 1-under par 70.


I'm done explaining. Hopefully I explained it good enough, but I doubt that I did. Send me a note if something is really confusing you and I'll try and clear it up. I think this will be an easier way to tell you how my game is performing.

Neil