Ok well, go practice then! 
Ha, I’m on it… have made some changes. Need to do some speed drills and work on two putting more
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Had 188 into a par 5 today, slightly downhill to green, slightly downwind, slight downhill
Iie. Pin was in back left in a shallow finger of the green. I probably could have got a full 8 iron there, but I felt like I would have had to swing hard. Took an “armpit to armpit” 7 iron, aimed at the middle of the green (had to catch myself from aiming at pin). Hit it solid, great flight, pulled it, but because I had aimed at middle, I hit the green and had about 25 feet for eagle. Two putted for birdie. If I had aimed at pin I would have missed the green to the left and short sided myself and the birdie would have been much harder to snag. This forum is already saving me strokes!
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The “ Aim for the Middle of the Green Always” strategy is too basic for a golfer who can break 90.
Often the middle of the green is Way too close to H2O, a deep bunker, a steep drop off or OB. Aiming for the middle of the “Safe Zone” is a better thought.
Yeah, I’m thinking “know your outs” might be a better overall thought process…
I should map that out for myself… long is dead on most of the holes on my home course, and few have bunkers in front… a couple have brutal false fronts…
Hmm… seems like a good review for me to do before I start playing again.
Good point. I suppose the best short hand phrase I can come up with is “Aim for the center of YOUR green” with your green taking into account the areas of risk and your shot dispersion. The key point being that the pin is not your target (it may just coincidentally be in your target zone).
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Yeah, I started this topic because I tried and failed to apply center of the green as a strategy…focusing on managing my misses makes a ton more sense for me.
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I tell you the best thing that worked for me was to play more at my local 9-hole course that has tiny greens. Even better, at least 2 or 3 misses on most greens will be absolutely dead… or wet. 
Lately, when I play in a competition at a proper course, my circle of expectation on my approach shots has become a lot smaller and I am missing it a lot less in the wrong place.
I think it can be a good idea to get creative in golf so our habits don’t get in the way of proper decision making.
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I have claimed to my buddies no less than 20 times that I am convinced if there were no flags at all I would probably score better because I would naturally play more conservative. Do I have any data to back this up? Absolutely not, but its a fun way to try to picture a hole going into it.
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Yeah, I’ve been thinking about changing the way I keep score during rounds and splitting putting from everything else… par 36 for both… drive home the commitment to hitting greens and focus on making sure I don’t three putt.
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I have had this exact conversation with my buddies multiple times as well. Yet, I still cant get myself to commit to hitting to the center of the green for an entire round.
I know it will likely improve my scores. But I am out there to have fun and to me that is playing super aggressive. I dont play in tournaments or anything, and if I did, my mindset would change.
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Thanks for the comment. Always good to remember that golf is supposed to be fun, so everyone should play how it will give them the most enjoyment, at least for the majority of rounds.
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I love this notion. I’m going to check out DECADE, i’ve never heard of it.
100%. Everyone has fun playing the game differently. I have fun playing conservative as well. But man its tough to beat the feel of pulling off a difficult shot when it actually happens.
I know what you mean. Good scoring golf is often pretty boring golf. Keep it in play, hit greens, even if its not right at the flag, 2-putts for par. If you get a wedge, or a center pin, maybe you hit a couple close, maybe make a birdie or two. No excitement, no drama, just low scores.
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Video is excellent… this forum is going to cost me some money!!!
Once I get the green light for golf, I’m going to do nlg and then try decade at the beginning of next season…
I agree that smart golf is boring golf and wrapping a 3 wood around a tree and onto the green is more fun… but I’m tired of shooting in the eighties.
I really want to post a 72 at my home course… I think I had everything working until my back injury.
When my driver is going I have less than 150 in to the majority of greens, and I think with better wedge play and better tactics my scores will drop… learning to two putt will also help!
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I think both are equally as fun and enjoyable. If I am playing poor I usually start to play more aggressive and try to have fun and enjoy the round from the tough shots I hope to pull off.
On the other hand, I do play boring when i am playing well. Hell some rounds it might be a mix of both for me, I never know until I am out there.
Edit: Deep down I know I should play more conservative more often and save the fun aggressive shots for scrambles or rounds with my buddies who hardly ever play.
Oh yeah, have to have fun out there… though I remember the first time I took out the sldr as a demo…
It was perfect for me… first 10 holes I was crushing the ball… 11th hole needed a big draw, which isn’t my normal swing… snap hooked it into a tree, ruined a good round and couldn’t hit the driver the rest of the round…
Though I remember that round better than I remember the solid mid 70 rounds I’ve put up on the same course.
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Isn’t if funny how that always seems to be the case?