Golf Thread 2014 - All Things Golf!

Golf Thread 2014 - All Things Golf!

Author
Discussion

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
Abbott said:
SpeckledJim said:
Put yourself halfway down a long par 4. Due to a little disaster on the tee that we are trying to forget you have only two shots remaining to you in order to score a point on this hole.
I am really enjoying this discussion as clearly I have a lot to learn. I have read Bob Rotella books and have to say the were responsible for dropping me from 24 to a consistent 18. The theme comes back again again to mental management, ie try to ignore the bad shots, concentrate on your target and do not "think about your swing". On top of this there is the choice of shot, you are in the woods, do you play a clever shot or punt it out sideways back to the middle of the fairway. In the scenario you describe, my mind set would be simple, how far is it, what is the lie like, are there any other risk factors - then choose the appropriate club and hit the ball as sweet as possible. I know that everytime I tweek up the grunt factor it goes wrong so there is no point in busting a gut to get on the green. A better shot is to play within my limit and try to leave a simple punt, run and drop in with the trusty 7 iron.
The other thing I try to keep out of my head is how well a around is going. I find this works equally for good and bad days. Play each shot in its own context without the pressure of If I get this it will be my best card etc etc
Forgive me, but I think this shows you are playing Stableford with a strokeplay mentality, which is both unhelpful to your score, and less fun if you like smashing it about.

Stableford grants you licence in some situations to go berserk. Indeed it requires you to. In the above scenario, you have no option but to go for it. 100% commitment to a difficult shot, with no regard to how and where it will go wrong.

Don't shirk that option - enjoy it. It's a luxury that you get in Stableford that you simply don't ever get in strokeplay.

If it works, then you have a putt for a point. If it doesn't work and you duff it or laser the ball back into the woods, then you're still no worse off than if had played 'sensible'.

In the situation above, playing the safe ball for a three is the worst of all Stableford worlds (despite being the best strokeplay strategy).

Your strategy will be your undoing here, regardless of how well you play your stroke, because you're trying to fit 3 pints into a 2 pint pot.

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
As I said, a good debate and no right or wrong answer smile

Jim, some golfers will never be able to play and enjoy medal conditions - Stableford keeps them coming back for more smile


snowy

541 posts

280 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
Interesting debate about medal or stableford scoring systems, during the winter months myself and 9 mates are playing a Murphy’s Stableford competition(best 8 rounds count), this is the first time we have played this format, it certainly makes you concentrate more as you get punished for your bogeys & double bogeys.

Interestingly the scores so far range from -20 to 12



SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
DuncanM said:
As I said, a good debate and no right or wrong answer smile

Jim, some golfers will never be able to play and enjoy medal conditions - Stableford keeps them coming back for more smile
I quite accept that - no issue there.

I'm just trying to illustrate that playing Stableford involves a different set of considerations and strategies to strokeplay.

Keeping track of both games on the same card will harm your chances of scoring well at either. As in my example above - the way to play one game is sometimes completely opposite to the way to play the other.

Same player, same skills, same position on the course, totally different shots required.

Abbott is playing conservatively for a 6 (quite correctly for strokeplay) when his situation dictates that the only return he can possibly get for the hole depends entirely on him getting a 5.

Being alive to that will score a small handful more points a round - no practice required!


DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
DuncanM said:
As I said, a good debate and no right or wrong answer smile

Jim, some golfers will never be able to play and enjoy medal conditions - Stableford keeps them coming back for more smile
I quite accept that - no issue there.

I'm just trying to illustrate that playing Stableford involves a different set of considerations and strategies to strokeplay.

Keeping track of both games on the same card will harm your chances of scoring well at either. As in my example above - the way to play one game is sometimes completely opposite to the way to play the other.

Same player, same skills, same position on the course, totally different shots required.

Abbott is playing conservatively for a 6 (quite correctly for strokeplay) when his situation dictates that the only return he can possibly get for the hole depends entirely on him getting a 5.

Being alive to that will score a small handful more points a round - no practice required!
Sorry Jim, forgot to mention I completely agree with you regarding strategy!

FWIW, I only play strokeplay in my head despite what comp it is. I play to shoot the lowest round possible by only counting how many over par I am, the rest takes care of itself I find.

I am a relative hacker but that is the most enjoyable way to play for me smile


ManFromDelmonte

2,742 posts

179 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
This might be the first time in PH history that two differently opinioned groups have both respected each others views and had a constructive and interesting debate.

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
ManFromDelmonte said:
This might be the first time in PH history that two differently opinioned groups have both respected each others views and had a constructive and interesting debate.
No it isn't. You plonker.

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
PH is great in the right forums I find smile


Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
ManFromDelmonte said:
This might be the first time in PH history that two differently opinioned groups have both respected each others views and had a constructive and interesting debate.
No it isn't. You plonker.
hehe

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
Anyone have any Xmas purchases pending? I am going for a 712U 2 iron from Titleist

Absolutely stunning looking club, and a fitting replacement for my 1 iron smile

recently bought some Stuburt Golf boots to help with my ankles (I am a cripple).

Golf stuff is so sexy, hard not to resist buying stuff ha ha!

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
DuncanM said:
Anyone have any Xmas purchases pending?
Pondering a side-step from Mizuno MP-62 to MP-59 irons. I'm not playing very much and I think a bit more forgiveness will be to my benefit.

A poor contact in cold weather on a long MP-62 feels similar to sticking your right arm elbow-deep down the throat of an electrified cobra full of ice-water.

Not only that, but the MP-59s have titanium bits forged into them, and obviously nobody can play anything approximating good golf without a judicious sprinkling of titanium bits here and there. Crucial.

And not only (not only) that, but Luke Donald used them (before he went rubbish...). So that's also a very good reason to buy.

The money would be much better spent on lessons and practice.


Abbott

2,339 posts

202 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
Best piece of kit I have bought recently was a Garmin S1 watch.
No bells or whistles just the distance to front/Middle/Back of green.
It is very quick to use and accurate enough for my ability to dial in a distance from my irons.
http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/golf-gps-watches/garmi...

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
DuncanM said:
Anyone have any Xmas purchases pending?
Pondering a side-step from Mizuno MP-62 to MP-59 irons. I'm not playing very much and I think a bit more forgiveness will be to my benefit.

A poor contact in cold weather on a long MP-62 feels similar to sticking your right arm elbow-deep down the throat of an electrified cobra full of ice-water.

Not only that, but the MP-59s have titanium bits forged into them, and obviously nobody can play anything approximating good golf without a judicious sprinkling of titanium bits here and there. Crucial.

And not only (not only) that, but Luke Donald used them (before he went rubbish...). So that's also a very good reason to buy.

The money would be much better spent on lessons and practice.

Man maths ftw hehe

You've had a cracking year, why not treat yourself smile


ManFromDelmonte

2,742 posts

179 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
I need replacements for my woods. I upgraded to Mizuno MP-52 irons this year with the DG S300 shafts (as recommended my coach) and it made a big difference to my game. The woods I am currently using (John Daly Hippo 1, 3 and 5) I bought for about £40 from eBay about 15 years ago, they are whippier than Calamity Jane and I don't feel I can swing with any speed without them disappearing up into the ether and generally a bit left too.

They look like this:



My current plan is to get fitted at American Golf but from what I currently understand I hit down too much with my woods so I might try and get that sorted with a few lessons first. The Ping G25 stuff is on my radar at the moment.

The other thing I might do is just by a second hand stiff shafted 10ish degree G25 and see how I get on with it.

Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
ManFromDelmonte said:
I need replacements for my woods. I upgraded to Mizuno MP-52 irons this year with the DG S300 shafts (as recommended my coach) and it made a big difference to my game. The woods I am currently using (John Daly Hippo 1, 3 and 5) I bought for about £40 from eBay about 15 years ago, they are whippier than Calamity Jane and I don't feel I can swing with any speed without them disappearing up into the ether and generally a bit left too.

They look like this:



My current plan is to get fitted at American Golf but from what I currently understand I hit down too much with my woods so I might try and get that sorted with a few lessons first. The Ping G25 stuff is on my radar at the moment.

The other thing I might do is just by a second hand stiff shafted 10ish degree G25 and see how I get on with it.
I've had remarkable results with my G25 woods (not so much the driver, but I'm working on that).

The hybrid and 3 wood have been exceptional.

Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
DuncanM said:
Anyone have any Xmas purchases pending?
Galvin Green winter mitts
A nice thermal zip-top to go under the waterproof (something like the Galvin Green Damon)
New Garmin GPS watch to replace the one I had stolen



DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
ManFromDelmonte said:
I need replacements for my woods. I upgraded to Mizuno MP-52 irons this year with the DG S300 shafts (as recommended my coach) and it made a big difference to my game. The woods I am currently using (John Daly Hippo 1, 3 and 5) I bought for about £40 from eBay about 15 years ago, they are whippier than Calamity Jane and I don't feel I can swing with any speed without them disappearing up into the ether and generally a bit left too.

They look like this:



My current plan is to get fitted at American Golf but from what I currently understand I hit down too much with my woods so I might try and get that sorted with a few lessons first. The Ping G25 stuff is on my radar at the moment.

The other thing I might do is just by a second hand stiff shafted 10ish degree G25 and see how I get on with it.
They are so cool!

Probs not best suited to playing good golf though hehe

HaplessBoyLard

1,546 posts

187 months

Wednesday 19th November 2014
quotequote all
ManFromDelmonte said:
My current plan is to get fitted at American Golf but from what I currently understand I hit down too much with my woods so I might try and get that sorted with a few lessons first. The Ping G25 stuff is on my radar at the moment.
Be a bit careful about getting "fitted" at American golf for clubs. They don't tend to have a full tracking setup or any proper measuring kit. They just seem to wing it a bit. At least my local one does.

Try and find a local pro shop that does lessons and have all the tracking gear. My local charges a few quid for the service, but will supply their clubs with your choice of shaft etc based on the data from their system. With what you pay for golf gear, I think it's worth paying a little extra for a full fitting service to get the right gear.

Edited by HaplessBoyLard on Wednesday 19th November 11:00

ManFromDelmonte

2,742 posts

179 months

Wednesday 19th November 2014
quotequote all
HaplessBoyLard said:
Be a bit careful about getting "fitted" at American golf for clubs. They don't tend to have a full tracking setup or any proper measuring kit. They just seem to wing it a bit. At least my local one does.

Try and find a local pro shop that does lessons and have all the tracking gear. My local charges a few quid for the service, but will supply their clubs with your choice of shaft etc based on the data from their system. With what you pay for golf gear, I think it's worth paying a little extra for a full fitting service to get the right gear.

Edited by HaplessBoyLard on Wednesday 19th November 11:00
The one "nearest" me is the one in New Malden at the World of Golf centre. I believe they have the full kit (Global Play: http://www.globalplaygolf.com/web/home/club-fittin... and have seen people hitting in their fitting room, it all looks pretty hi-tec.

rat840771

2,023 posts

164 months

Wednesday 19th November 2014
quotequote all
DuncanM said:
Anyone have any Xmas purchases pending? I am going for a 712U 2 iron from Titleist

Absolutely stunning looking club, and a fitting replacement for my 1 iron smile

recently bought some Stuburt Golf boots to help with my ankles (I am a cripple).

Golf stuff is so sexy, hard not to resist buying stuff ha ha!
I had a 712u 4 iron and hit it well up the range and you are right, it is a thing of beauty but I just couldn't hit it consistently so sold it to a skilled golfer and went back to hybrids