Amateurs Grade Themselves Like Tour Pros (here's what to do instead)

Amateurs Grade Themselves Like Tour Pros (here's what to do instead)

Author: Isaak Ramsey & Hayden Zimmerer | Smarter Golf Practice in Less Time August 7, 2026 Duration: 59:25

Free stats guide: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/comprehensivestats

Get tour level strokes gained data in 30 seconds a hole with Play Ready Golf. Free 7 day trial: https://onelink.to/93ggkv

Code PRGPOD gets you $20 off every year for life.

Tour pros make about half their putts from 8 feet. From 100 yards in the fairway they hit it inside 3 feet 1 time in 25. The standard you grade your golf against does not exist. Not for you. Not for them.

This week we tear up the fake report card most golfers carry in their heads. Where it came from (the broadcast, the Ben Hogan legend, and your own inflated numbers), what breaking 90 actually looks like for a 15 handicap, what a real 68 and a real 63 look like in strokes gained, and a 4 rule grading system that costs nothing and starts working your next round.

Sources named in this episode: Mark Broadie (Columbia, PGA Tour ShotLink), Shot Scope, Arccos and Lou Stagner, Jon Sherman (Practical Golf), Adam Young, Bob Rotella, and the Ben Hogan story as told by Dan Jenkins.

Chapters

0:00 The number that ends the argument

1:35 Mad about a birdie

3:11 Tour averages, 3 feet to 300 yards

6:52 Tiger missed 4 putts in 4 years

10:01 Where the fake report card came from

11:37 Hogan graded himself on 3 shots

15:51 The 24 yards you don't have

17:57 Your handicap is not your average

18:59 The break 90 data dump

21:35 Playing US Open qualifying with tour pros

28:53 A 68 and a 63 in strokes gained

33:04 Shooting a gajillion and smiling

39:49 The new report card

42:27 Grade putts by the second putt

45:03 Steal Hogan's scorecard

48:39 Ambition vs unrealistic expectations

50:48 Why golfers actually quit

51:20 Hayden is coming to Instagram

57:07 Give the scorecard back


There's a common frustration that settles in when you love golf but feel stuck, watching your scores plateau despite your effort. Play Ready Golf is built on a simple, powerful idea: real improvement doesn't require endless hours or expensive gear you might not have. Instead, this podcast digs into practical, actionable strategies that fit into a regular life. You'll hear straightforward conversations about smarter practice, mental approaches that actually work on the course, and how to make the most of your existing game. The focus is always on tangible takeaways-the kind you can try during your next range session or round. It’s for anyone tired of generic advice and ready for a clearer path to lower scores. Each episode feels like a focused chat with a knowledgeable friend who cuts through the noise, all dedicated to helping you play better with what you've already got. Tune in and start transforming the time and resources you already invest into noticeable, satisfying progress on the fairway.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 38

Play Ready Golf | Strokes Gained for the 9 to 5 Golfer
Podcast Episodes
Your Swing Looks Perfect. That's the Problem - Austin Langdale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:36
Get the free cheat sheet: ⁠https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidam⁠Want a practice plan built for your game and your schedule? Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year: ⁠⁠http…
Your Driver Isn't the Problem. Your Aim Is [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:43
Try the app free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD gets you 20 dollars off the annual plan for life: https://onelink.to/93ggkvFree stats guide: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/comprehensivestatsCoaches. PRG Teams is built for hi…
The Best Practice Tool Is in Your Bathroom - Payne Denman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:54
Secrets of the elite Mid-AM: ⁠https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidam⁠Practice smarter with the Play Ready Golf app. 7 days free, code ISAAK takes $20 off the year: https://onelink.to/93ggkvFollow Payne: ⁠htt…
Amateurs Carry 14 Clubs. They Use 10. - Ep. 35 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
Try the app free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD gets you 20 dollars off the annual plan for life : https://onelink.to/93ggkvFree stats guide. Every benchmark from 3 feet to 300 yards, 20 handicap through tour pro : https://play…
He Shot 90. Then He Won the State Am - (ft. Andrew Chapman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year, forever: https://onelink.to/93ggkv Secrets of the mid-am: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidamGet a custom piece from Andrew: andr…
More Practice Made Him Worse - Brett Patterson (Ep. 32) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:38
Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year: https://onelink.to/93ggkvThe Mid-Am Insights PDF. Every lesson from every mid-am we have interviewed, in one download: https://playreadygolf.beeh…
Chipping Was Never About Your Hands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
Want 1 science based practice fix a day for the next 30 days? That is the second link: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/30hacksin30The Play Ready Golf app turns 30 seconds a hole into tour level strokes gained data and…
Scratch Golfers Hit the Same Bad Shots You Do - Ep. 29 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:44
Sick of 1 hole wrecking your whole round? Grab the free Disaster Card. It has the 4 rules on the front and a 3 round leak tracker on the back that shows you exactly where your strokes are going: https://playreadygolf.bee…
Amateurs Aren't Lazy. They Practice Too Hard. - Nate Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:30
Play Ready Golf app: ⁠https://onelink.to/93ggkv⁠Use code PRGPOD for 20 dollars off every year, for life.One science based hack a day for 30 days: ⁠https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/30hacksin30⁠Free 59 minute practice gui…