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

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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
Practice Is Cheaper Than Golf. That's the Trap. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Amateurs Practice Too Much. They Play Too Little. - Nate Gahman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:34
The App (use code PRGPOD): https://onelink.to/93ggkvNate's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_gahman/Identify over outcome: https://www.id-outcome.com/Last year an insurance agent with 2 kids walked into the Georg…
You Are Almost As Straight As Scheffler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Use code PRGPOD for $20 off your first year. Link below for a free 7-day trial.https://onelink.to/93ggkvYour driver pattern is almost the same width as Scottie Scheffler's. About 5 yards apart.You don't have a swing prob…
More Practice Won't Lower Your Scores. Less Will. - Jon Weiss Jr. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:42
House of Hope of The Pee Dee: https://hofh.org/Play Ready Golf 7-Day Trial (use code "PRGPOD): ⁠https://onelink.to/93ggkv⁠Most golfers grind for hours and never drop a shot. Jon Weiss does the opposite. He runs a 50-empl…
Amateurs Aren't Bad Putters. They're Bad From 150. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:49
Try the Play Ready Golf app free for 7 days. Use code PRGPOD at checkout for $20 off your annual plan for life: https://onelink.to/93ggkvGrab the free stat tracker and proximity benchmarks PDF mentioned in the episode: h…
He Just Made a PGA Tour Cut. ft. Connor Doyal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:55
Connor Doyal is a 26 year old caddy at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. He almost never goes to the range. 3 weeks ago he won the Terra Cotta Invitational against a stacked junior field. Last week he Monday qualified i…
The Approach Shot Lie Costing Amateurs 3 Strokes A Round [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:22
App: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6752723937 Most amateurs think they know how far they hit their irons. The Arccos data says they don't. The average 20 handicap thinks their 5 iron flies 187 yards. The actual median car…
74 Million Shots Prove You're Not a Bad Putter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:25
You watched four days of the Masters and decided your putting is broken. It's not.74 million shots say amateur golfers miss more than 60% of putts from 8 feet. Tour pros miss 3 out of 4 from 15 feet. A scratch golfer mis…