Taking up Golf

[Mr Pies]

Relative newbie coming back to golf after 10 years here chaps, I'm after some advice.

Iron wise, I'm looking at a second hand set of Ping G15's or some Taylormade burner 2.0's, anyone got any experience of either?

Also can anyone recommend me a decent putter please?

[R1gtr]

Mr Pies said:

Relative newbie coming back to golf after 10 years here chaps, I'm after some advice.

Iron wise, I'm looking at a second hand set of Ping G15's or some Taylormade burner 2.0's, anyone got any experience of either?

Also can anyone recommend me a decent putter please?

Both decent enough sets, you should get into a pro shop and try them out, see which ones you like the feel off and which you strike best.
Sounds like you after game improvement irons, look at offerings also from Mizuno, Calloway, Nike, Cleveland and Wilson.

Putters are all personal taste, again see what feels best to you.

[Skii]

I have something of a revelation on Saturday, I returned to the game last year and despite hitting a bucket of balls nearly every weekend since I've been unable to develop any distance out of my shots, (unable to reach the 150 yard marker with a 6 iron ) - all down to an inability to develop lag and clubhead speed.

Then last week I saw this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYEb_yzCXE

After rehearsing this move on the downswing all week I made it down to the range on Saturday and the results were startling, 7 iron was landing on or after the 150 marker and I could swear one of my 5 iron shots nearly reached the back of the 200 yard range.

Finally it feels like I'm getting somewhere !

[GTO-3R]

I wouldn't get too wristy like he does though as that will cause inconsistency.

[Boydie88]

http://www.swingbyswing.com/courses/united-kingdom...

Played this yesterday. First full size 18 since starting golf again a few months ago. Very hard work.

Shot 112 but there were times when balls were lost in the thick rough just a few feet off the fairway and we were not going to go back and re take shots as it was just a friendly a round so just a drop and +1 from where everyone agreed the ball roughly was. The course had so many blind shots too, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I lost 10 balls, but found 4.

My approach game and greens were excellent (3 putted only twice), long irons were average and tee shots were truly awful - which annoyed me as I had been driving excellently at the range and on the few holes that allow it on the local 9 hole par 4 course.

With the drives, a good 70% were sliced and none ever hooked - anyone know what could cause this? Ball too central when addressing it?

Edited by Boydie88 on Monday 17th June 13:04

[anonymous-user]

Skii said:

I have something of a revelation on Saturday, I returned to the game last year and despite hitting a bucket of balls nearly every weekend since I've been unable to develop any distance out of my shots, (unable to reach the 150 yard marker with a 6 iron ) - all down to an inability to develop lag and clubhead speed.

Then last week I saw this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYEb_yzCXE

After rehearsing this move on the downswing all week I made it down to the range on Saturday and the results were startling, 7 iron was landing on or after the 150 marker and I could swear one of my 5 iron shots nearly reached the back of the 200 yard range.

Finally it feels like I'm getting somewhere !

Not so sure its a method I'd like to try and keep repeating, but interesting idea.

I assume from your description that you're "casting" the wrist early in the downswing?

I found this "pre-set" method from an old Faldo/Leadbetter video really helped me. The setting of the wrist angle at address really felt like it gave me a firm feel in the left hand/arm on the back-swing and subsequently holding the angle by pulling with the left hand on the downswing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHCGNT-hPw

Another good drill I found to keep the right wrist angle....well more to find out where the right wrist was coming through....is to lightly hold a range ball between thumb and first finger. Take as normal an address position as you can, with the right hand angled as if holding a club behind a ball on the ground and attempt to make as natural a swing as you can. Let the left arm rotate with the body or hold it across your chest towards your right shoulder.

On the downswing the ball will try to release at the point of maximum velocity, generally where you release the wrist angle. The idea is to try and throw the ball down the target line. If you release the wrist/ball to early, the ball will go right of the target line, into the floor by your feet, or if released too late, it will go left of the target line (or into the bay behind you!! I have done this!).

I wouldn't use to try and refine your release point, but more to figure where it's coming through.

[simoid]

Mr Pies said:

Relative newbie coming back to golf after 10 years here chaps, I'm after some advice.

Iron wise, I'm looking at a second hand set of Ping G15's or some Taylormade burner 2.0's, anyone got any experience of either?

Also can anyone recommend me a decent putter please?

I've got Burner Tours - would recommend them.

As for putters, I've always been an Odyssey man myself. Switch between 2-ball and a traditional blade depending on how I'm feeling.

[Skii]

djstevec said:

Not so sure its a method I'd like to try and keep repeating, but interesting idea.

I assume from your description that you're "casting" the wrist early in the downswing?

I found this "pre-set" method from an old Faldo/Leadbetter video really helped me. The setting of the wrist angle at address really felt like it gave me a firm feel in the left hand/arm on the back-swing and subsequently holding the angle by pulling with the left hand on the downswing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHCGNT-hPw

Another good drill I found to keep the right wrist angle....well more to find out where the right wrist was coming through....is to lightly hold a range ball between thumb and first finger. Take as normal an address position as you can, with the right hand angled as if holding a club behind a ball on the ground and attempt to make as natural a swing as you can. Let the left arm rotate with the body or hold it across your chest towards your right shoulder.

On the downswing the ball will try to release at the point of maximum velocity, generally where you release the wrist angle. The idea is to try and throw the ball down the target line. If you release the wrist/ball to early, the ball will go right of the target line, into the floor by your feet, or if released too late, it will go left of the target line (or into the bay behind you!! I have done this!).

I wouldn't use to try and refine your release point, but more to figure where it's coming through.

Cheers Steve

Yep - I'm a 'caster' and everything I was trying was throwing the club out too early, I tried an early wrist set on the backswing which had the added bonus of reducing my overswing, but that journey back down always resulted in coming over the top and scooping at impact, I couldn't get the feeling of the club dropping into the slot and lagging behind.

The best way I can describe this method is like cracking a whip, the hands drop at the top of the backswing maximising the lag and holding it until the last possible moment, the only think I need to watch is that I'm not cupping my wrist during this. They call it 'float loading' - right now I'm calling it 30 extra yards

A good example here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pagun6qCtyI

[OscarIndia]

Played golf in the Alps last week, half the course closed as it had snowed two weeks ago and was still saturated in places.
Probably hit the best shot of my life on a 300m Par 4(330yds to front of green) Pin was middle of the green so the drive was @ 345yds to finish within a metre of the hole! Pressure putt for the eagle, I can't remember the other 44 holes...!

[dxbtiger]

OscarIndia said:

Played golf in the Alps last week, half the course closed as it had snowed two weeks ago and was still saturated in places.
Probably hit the best shot of my life on a 300m Par 4(330yds to front of green) Pin was middle of the green so the drive was @ 345yds to finish within a metre of the hole! Pressure putt for the eagle, I can't remember the other 44 holes...!

Did you make it?!

[simoid]

dxbtiger said:

Did you make it?!

...or the one coming back for birdie?

[OscarIndia]

I made it! Bit of pressure as my mother has recently taken up golf, it was the first time she has played with me. She now thinks I am awesome...
shame I now play off 15 otherwise in her eyes I would be challenging Tiger Wooods. Mothers, don't you just love them!

[dxbtiger]

OscarIndia said:

I made it! Bit of pressure as my mother has recently taken up golf, it was the first time she has played with me. She now thinks I am awesome...
shame I now play off 15 otherwise in her eyes I would be challenging Tiger Wooods. Mothers, don't you just love them!

Sounds familiar, the one and only time I played with mine I played like a dog and she was still amazed.

Bless them all.

[timlongs]

Been getting back into golf after a 6 year absence, shot my best ever score yesterday, 11 over. Was only 2 over on the back 9!

I think my new custom fit Ping G25s and Cobra driver played a part, was playing with 15 year old clubs that were too small for me before I got them!

[anonymous-user]

Skii said:

Cheers Steve

Yep - I'm a 'caster' and everything I was trying was throwing the club out too early, I tried an early wrist set on the backswing which had the added bonus of reducing my overswing, but that journey back down always resulted in coming over the top and scooping at impact, I couldn't get the feeling of the club dropping into the slot and lagging behind.

The best way I can describe this method is like cracking a whip, the hands drop at the top of the backswing maximising the lag and holding it until the last possible moment, the only think I need to watch is that I'm not cupping my wrist during this. They call it 'float loading' - right now I'm calling it 30 extra yards

A good example here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pagun6qCtyI

Interesting video and theory, can see the advantage to a higher handicapper looking for distance, but the timing and co-ordination required to get the club on plane on the downswing and time the release at impact, I think would lead to more inconsistency.

Would like to see that swing along the ball-target line to see how that technique follows the swing plane, but at the end of the day, if it works for you and you can repeat it with better consistency....then it works!

A lot of times when I've seen my mates "cast" on the downswing, it's basically down to a couple of things. Most common was collapsing the left arm and bending at the elbow. So as the arm straightened out on the downswing, the momentum created there caused the casting of the wrist. The left arm/elbow collapse was generally due to over-swinging and thinking "the further I swing the club, the further I'll hit the ball!". Take a look at Sandy Lyle's or Ronan Rafferty's back-swing, they barely got their hands above shoulder level, but kept a dead straight left arm which they could pull down and through with, which would create that lag.

Another reason was essentially just not completing the back-swing before trying to smash the ball out the range!! If you can get the proper synchronised rotation of shoulders/spine/hips on the back-swing, to "load" up the back muscles by creating as big a differential between the turn of the shoulders and the turn of the hips, the un-winding from that position will almost automatically give you "lag" on the downswing as the hands catch up at impact.

TBHJ, I don't think I have the hand speed or coordination to be consistent with that float load method.

[Mr Pies]

simoid said:

I've got Burner Tours - would recommend them.

As for putters, I've always been an Odyssey man myself. Switch between 2-ball and a traditional blade depending on how I'm feeling.

Excuse my virginity but what is a "2-ball"?

[eightseventhree]

Mr Pies said:

Excuse my virginity but what is a "2-ball"?

[Sukh13]

Thought I would do a what is in the bag:



Bag
Srixon staff bag
Driver
Titleist 910D2 10.5 with Kai'li Stiff flex
Fairway wood
Titleist 910F 17 with Kai'li Stiff flex
Hybrid
Titleist 910H 21 with Kai'li Stiff flex
Irons
Mizuno MX25
Wedges
Mizuno MPR 52/56/60
Putter
Cleveland Classic no. 4
Ball
Wilson Staff Dx3

[toastybase]

Sale on here including shoes which were mentioned earlier on in the thread.

http://www.golfposer.com/p/45/sale#Filters[Collect...

Does anyone know the difference with spikes or 'astro' studs and which is better if any of the two?

[spikeyhead]

toastybase said:

Sale on here including shoes which were mentioned earlier on in the thread.

http://www.golfposer.com/p/45/sale#Filters[Collect...

Does anyone know the difference with spikes or 'astro' studs and which is better if any of the two?

A lot of courses have banned spikes as there is the potential to damage a green if you turn your foot whilst walking. They do offer far better grip on a wet greasy bank but in the dry I've found no difference.