So I've started playing a little more and have had some quality rounds.  This past weekend I ended up playing a course north of Minneapolis with one of my regular golf friends.  It was an early round getting out at 6:30 am.  I've played this course a couple times in the past and remember it wasn't a tough course but tight off the tee.

I don't think the course is too tight anymore but it is fairly short.  I managed to shoot an 85, best round of the year, with a birdie on the 5th hole.  I didn't drive the ball that great but I really only had one horrible drive.  I was able to hit a few greens and make some pars.  My iron game was good except for two 6 iron shots and one poor wedge shot.

I was reading an article in the lastest Golf Digest that has you assign a 0-4 value to your tee shot.
It all depends on what kind of second shot you leave yourself.  If you are in the rough but have a clear shot at the green with light rough you score that drive 0, if you're in deep rough or have to carry a trap you give the rive a 1.  If you have to pitch out sideways then you give it a 2.  If you hit into a water hazard it's a 3 and OB is a 4.  You then add up the scores and divide by half and that's how many shots you lost because of your tee shots.  

Following this formula I figured I lost 4 shots on my round.  I may have hit only 4 of 14 fairways but I really only lost 4 shots because most of my drives were spots I still had a decent shot at the green.    I did manage to hit 6 of 18 greens in regulation too.  

Using this formula makes a lot more sense and I think can be used to grade you iron shots as well.  I like to keep stats on my golf just to see where I need improvement.  Hitting 4 of 14 fairways would be a horrible percentage but obviously it's not killing my game.  The short game is really the problem.  I need to chip it closer to the hole.