Skills challenge conversation

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#1

Figured we should move this to it’s own area…

My overall thought is to create a number of skill related activities that anyone can replicate and keep track of with an overall goal of encouraging people to improve while also hosting some friendly competition.

I’ve gone through some various iterations on both implementation and games in my head… figured I’d lay something out and we could figure out what would be both viable and fun.

Honestly, I think tracking for this could be as simple as a google document… just have people enter scores for the various games and let the database do the work… if you are good at building fancy versions of this, it won’t hurt my feelings.

As for games, I’m sure other people have a ton of different suggestions here… I think it makes sense to keep it to about 5-7 and cover as much as possible.

My suggestions:

6-8 foot putts. Hit 10. Record how many you make. Ideally you would move locations.

20 footers. Hit 9 and record total putts to hole out.

Chipping ladder drill. Start just off the green, have a target 30 feet out. Hit first chip onto the green, next chip past that until you either go short or past the target.

I’m not sure a good 100 yard wedge drill… maybe the same ladder drill but start at 40 yards and end at 100?

Down range stuff I have less ideas… I’d have to dig back into my books. If anyone has one they really like, the only goal is something that is repeatable, produces some sort of score and can be done quickly.

The overall goal would be to have people put in scores every month and we could track progress, build data sets about what correlates to handicap and generally talk shit.

If people participated, I think it would generate value for them (as they had measurable goals to work towards) and be an interesting study into how to improve certain skills (and then see if those skills translate to on course improvement).

That’s my take on a friendly competitive skill driven contest… maybe I went overboard.

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#2

All good practice drills but how would you handicap it?

#3

Honestly, it might take some balance, but maybe just establish a 72 point system and adjust by handicap?

Or just have people establish scores (set a completion date of January 1 or so) and then handicap against that? That way you are comparing your overall improvement against others?

I’m open to suggestions!

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#4

Maybe just compete on percentage improvement.

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#5

I’ve got some decent ones. Will post

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#6

Awesome!

My basic idea is a running thing that people can join (or quit) fairly easily that just keeps running month to month…

But it’s not my forum and the original idea isn’t mine…

I’m up for whatever, just figured I’d lay out what I was thinking.

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#7

Yep. I think each challenge should have a thread and people can post progress

Maybe rotate which challenge is the focus each month

#8

Driving Challenge - 14 Fairways

Play 14 tee shots while imagining the par 4 and par 5’s at your home course (you should hit driver the majority of the time!). Now imagine a 50 yard fairway with a 10 yard buffer on each side (acceptable miss)

  • in fairway = 2 points
  • acceptable miss = 0 points
  • bad miss = negative 3 points

Bad miss constitutes all double crosses and anything outside the 70 yd zone.

Tally them up for your total score

Will range challenge (consecutive shots)

  • 2 driver in fairway
  • 2 hybrid in fairway
  • 2 long (2,3,4 or 5 iron) in fairway
  • 2 100 yard shots on green
  • 2 150 yard shots on green
  • 2 100 yard shots on green

Once you have successfully hit two shots in a row, you move up to next club and are “safe” (don’t have to move back down). The goal is to do this challenge with the minimum amount of golf balls

Flagstick Hunting

Hit two sets of 10 shots at a pin from varying distances from 30-50 yds. Count up how many are inside the length of a pin. The whole concept is to get in the psychological zone of trying to make these shots.

5-5-12 Putting Challenge

Drop two different 5 ft putts and a 12 ft putt around a hole. This represents two par putts (5 ft) and a birdie putt (12 ft). Putt them out, and then repeat twice more (you have now played 9 holes). 3 under would be a perfect score. Even par is a great goal

There you have it… these are my version of range and short game drills. Hope we can combine with some of the other suggestions to get some great skill development going.

In terms of handicapping, I think we just have different flights if people want to think about it that way. Compete against the guys in your handicap range and see how the other flights are completing the skill challenges

Also reviewing this, we probably need a green side bunker challenge :slight_smile:

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#9

Current index of drills to recap:

  • Driving challenge
  • Will’s range challenge
  • Wedge Ladder (60 yd - 100 yd)
  • Flagstick Hunting (distance wedges)
  • Chipping Ladder
  • Putting Ladder
  • Sinks (play nine “par 2” holes with putts of 10 - 20 ft and record your score)
  • 5-5-12 (putting)
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#10

I just got off the phone with @Adamyounggolf and reminded him that he has to get on here and give everyone some challenges!

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#11

Nice! I’d love to help beta test stuff for him.

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#12

What @Craigers said!

#13

Was messing around today a lot from 30 yards and in. My session was going fairly well, it it was after I made my second chip in, in 8 shots that I knew I was playing really well. So I picked up my stuff and went home. Feed my brain the good memories.

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