Sep 29, 2026

Opportunities: Create More Birdie Chances (and Put It All Together)

golf routines golf tips and tricks on the course tournament golf

Getting close beats just getting on

Hitting the green is great. But a 45 footer isn't really a birdie chance.

That's why the Round Report Card tracks opportunities. These are your real birdie looks.

What counts as an opportunity?

An opportunity is any birdie putt from 15 feet or less.

How to fill it out

Had a birdie putt inside 15 feet? Put a dot in the Opportunities box.
Made it? Circle the dot.

At the end of each nine, write how many you made over how many you had. So 1 of 2 looks like 1/2.

What my Anthem rounds showed me

Day one, I hit 14 greens but only had 2 opportunities. I made 1.

Day two, I hit just 9 greens but had 4 opportunities. I made 3!

Fewer greens, more birdie chances. On day two, when I hit the green, I hit it close. That's the whole point of this stat!

One thing to keep in mind

Opportunities depend a lot on the course. Tough greens, tucked pins and long par 4s mean fewer looks. So compare your rounds on the same course when you can.

How to create more opportunities

Know your scoring zone (Part 3) and practice from there.
Dial in your wedge distances so you can attack from 100 yards and in.
Aim for the fat part of the green on tough pins. Birdie chances come from smart targets, not just aggressive ones!

Putting it all together

Over this series we've covered every stat on the card. Here's the full benchmark chart so you can see how you stack up:

Your practice plan in 3 steps

Track 3 to 5 rounds. One round can fool you. A few rounds show you the truth.
Compare to your benchmark. Find the one or two stats furthest from where they should be.
Practice that, and only that. Not what feels good. Not what you're already good at. What the card tells you!

Your score tells you how you did. The Round Report Card tells you why. That's how you get better on purpose.