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Scoring avg w starter clubs?

• yuppielove 3 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 12:36 PM

  Hey folks,

  I am a cheap *** who hasn't spent  a dime to upgrade equipment despite playing regularly (though I did cash in my member bonus in August for a 230 yd WGT driver). 

  I'm stagnating at about a 68 avg at Kiawah and 71 avg at Bethpage.  I have managed a 63 at Kiawah and a 67 at BP as personal bests.  I feel like I can't improve too much over that, since there are about 10 holes on BP and 6 on Kiawah where I can't stop the ball near the hole (or even get it there).

  Curious as to whether I have significant room to improve with my crappy clubs.  Anyone out there in Master's tier with starters?

  Cheers!

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 12:49 PM

  Yes there is yup-his name is sombod and I would look him up if I were you. He's a master with those clubs and I was astounded at his course management and gameplay. Stayed with me hole for hole and I have all the bells and whistles. In fact, the next time I play him I am going to equip my bag as his is. I'm betting I get smashed. GL

  YJ

   

• Zambrotta 21 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 12:56 PM

  I have the same exact bag as you do with starters and a tour starter driver.  My average is a 70 now, but is usually a 68 overall and has been as low as a 66.  My best score was a 30 on the front nine kiawiah tourney.  It is definitely possible to place in the top ten in both stroke play and closest to the hole tournys with those clubs, you just need to know how to manage them and get accustomed to sticking 20-40 yard appraoch shots close.  Sometimes, fancier isn't always better in my opinion.

  Zambrotta

• stevengarcia 15 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 12:59 PM

  Your numbers seem to be about as good as it can get.  My average is 77 and I f**k up putts all the time.  I probably leave 4-5 birdie putts out there each round.  I just don't have the discipline to stop the meter right on the line for putting.  ON Kiwawh my avg is probably 2-3 over par.  I hate playing BPB because I can't hit half the greens in regulation.

  I do think you have room to improve.  Driving won't help...you'll get an extra 20 yards max.  What you really need, like me, is a putter that is extremely forgiving and accurate, along with the need to have a top notch short game.

  Most posts I've read suggests upgrading the putter first.  The most expensive one is 600 points but I read is the best putter out there - bar none!

  I personally have resisted, thus far, paying to upgrade my clubs.  It won't win you tournaments (and that's where the money is) but only move you closer to the leaders.  And that will make you want to purchase additional equipment, and next thing you know you have spent $40 on a computer game that only provides you a few courses.  I think WGT is in a bind because they want this to take off but probably haven't realized the monetary gains yet.

  Lastly, doesn't it appear next to impossible to post these ridiculously low scores on one-time tournaments?  A Masters player going 15 under on BPB?  I just don't believe it and think there must be some cheating going on or that player works for the company.

• yuppielove 3 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 1:03 PM

  YJ: I looked up sombod and his stats were almost identical to mine, and he doesn't seem to play stroke play much.  How did someone like that become Master?  Just based on closest-to-hole?

  Zam: Thanks, and yes I have managed a couple decent finishes in stroke play in Pro tier.  I had the avg down to 67.8 but it's crept back up recently. I stopped quitting rounds that went sour early, and that's not good for one's avg =)

• stevengarcia 15 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 1:10 PM

  Yuppie:  You are a better player than me, but your driving statistics (with a better driver I believe you said) are freakishly identical to mine. 

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 1:58 PM

  Yup-Sombod got his masters back when the line was higher than it is now. I don't know what the line is now or did I back then. It's been changed since then and is a big secret. Many guesses but nobody knows (not even the shadow.)

  Look at the date a player joined WGT. The master line changed over the summer and it's harder to get it now but before summer you could do it. He plays from the masters tees and shoots par easily so I would say invite him as a friend and hook up on the course.

  As for upgrading what you have without spending  a ton, start with a driver. You'll find a longer driver gets you to a different yardage for your approach shot. You find that all of a sudden you can get close to the pin with clubs you couldn't use with the shorter driver. The game becomes manageable. Go for the putter second only if you've exhausted all your putter's limits. Do you use the 150 ft scale at all? You can quite nicely for putts 16-18 ft, to cite an example.

  Give yourself a break with the expectations-you just started and will only get better by learning what you have first. If you're impatient like me then head on over to the pro shop and break out the caysch.

  Huge good reading in the FAQ-look for a post by Nivlac on putting for one.

  YJ

   

• pillsy 489 Posts

  Wed, Oct 7 2009 5:22 PM

  i reached master with the starter clubs.  it wasn't too enjoyable after that because most of the greens i couldn't reach in regulation with crappy starter clubs.  but i DIDN'T want to pay for upgraded clubs, i wanted to EARN them.  so i did a lot of CTTH and earned enough to upgrade to the R9 driver.  HOLY CRAP!  a whole new game now!  I think i can get top 70 now in most tournaments, can't wait until I EARN a new putter!

• JDB42 11 Posts

  Thu, Oct 8 2009 11:56 AM

  I also reached master tier with starter clubs....just have to manage the course well, accept the fact that a couple of holes are strictly par holes and birding par 3s is a must.  Just would continue to shoot 2 to 3 under on the front 9 at Bethpage until I finally reached master.