The Golf Thread - 2015
Discussion
Boydie88 said:
Well the new irons certainly go further, and it's nice to have a selection of wedges now. They are certainly heavier than the clubs they are replacing so going straight out onto the course with them resulted in a few comical shots to begin with - they're also replacing clubs on which the grip had virtually gone, so I found myself hooking a lot where I was gripping a bit too hard like I've had to get used to thanks to the old ones. Managed a bizarre round of 100. No pars which was annoying, but only one 7 and a crazy number of 6s. Scorecard read 566666566576664554. Putting needs to improve and I need to practice what to do within 50 yards with the new clubs, 20 across the 4 par 3s was poor.
Yeah I think a SLDR would ruin me, I'd just blame everything on the adjustable club! My problem is I'm pretty reluctant to use lessons, I've also got a quite old swing style that I learnt as a kid 20 odd years ago and never seem to have forgotten despite only picking the clubs up again 2 years ago, perhaps a little scared of changing it. Although it would be nice to hit a consistent drive, it's still a long way ahead of what appears the average golfer when I see the number of miss hits others manage on the average round. It's my approach that needs to improve, which I think just needs experience to improve, might be me being stubborn.
These are what the RBZs are replacing http://www.golfalot.com/equipment-reviews/john-let...
If the only thing you're struggling with off the tee is the driver, leave it at home? You'll always be better off 30/40 yards back and in the fairway than losing your ball or hacking out of the thick stuff. A practice method i've used practice approach play is to have a few rounds on a short par 3 course. Great way to learn different shots, you simply take 3/4 balls off the tee but use a different club each time. Try and use your imagination and feel the shots, rather than hitting the club that will go that exact distance. Should help when you get that awkward 'inbetween' shot during a full round.Yeah I think a SLDR would ruin me, I'd just blame everything on the adjustable club! My problem is I'm pretty reluctant to use lessons, I've also got a quite old swing style that I learnt as a kid 20 odd years ago and never seem to have forgotten despite only picking the clubs up again 2 years ago, perhaps a little scared of changing it. Although it would be nice to hit a consistent drive, it's still a long way ahead of what appears the average golfer when I see the number of miss hits others manage on the average round. It's my approach that needs to improve, which I think just needs experience to improve, might be me being stubborn.
These are what the RBZs are replacing http://www.golfalot.com/equipment-reviews/john-let...
Edited by Boydie88 on Monday 13th July 09:21
Horrible round on Saturday. I no idea what the problem was but NOTHING was right off the tee. My approach play however was good. Just as well really as I was playing from some horrible positions around the green.
New wedges are working out well. I scoffed at the idea of a 52 wedge being in my bag. Its a brilliant club.
New wedges are working out well. I scoffed at the idea of a 52 wedge being in my bag. Its a brilliant club.
kentlad said:
If the only thing you're struggling with off the tee is the driver, leave it at home? You'll always be better off 30/40 yards back and in the fairway than losing your ball or hacking out of the thick stuff. A practice method i've used practice approach play is to have a few rounds on a short par 3 course. Great way to learn different shots, you simply take 3/4 balls off the tee but use a different club each time. Try and use your imagination and feel the shots, rather than hitting the club that will go that exact distance. Should help when you get that awkward 'inbetween' shot during a full round.
Nah I'm not really struggling with it, no balls lost off the tee - only 2 big push shots, the rest were pretty good, one, thanks to the hard ground, a good 300 yards as I was hitting in a 6 iron for my second shot on here no more than 20 yards away from the 150 marker, couldn't believe it was my ball when I got up to it...
Sadly I duffed it left then bounced over the green with the 3rd. I like the par 3 tip though, there is a lovely one nearby where the holes range for 60 to 160 yards - but it costs as much as a twilight full 18 on one of the courses on my drive home. Just seem to bottle it when it comes to the actual playing ball and under hit far too much. I was playing behind a couple of people yesterday so often had a few more attempts at playing the same shots around the green and it's comical how better I was without the thought of it being the ball I was scoring with. So much more confident flopping it without the fear of smashing it low over the green.
kentlad said:
Shame about the putting then! Do you ever practice putting? The retirement age Pro at my local range says to me every time i go, every hour on the range should equal two on the putting green! He's probably right!
I do practice, but other than just lining up putts to different holes on the practice green and hitting a few balls to them, I'm clueless as to how to improve. The next lesson I book will be putting. It's really just lag putts I struggle with. Improving my irons to a point where I hit the green a lot more has meant taking on a lot more middle to long distance putts, and I really am guessing a lot of the time when it comes to distance control. I can pick the line of a putt well enough.
HaplessBoyLard said:
It's really just lag putts I struggle with. Improving my irons to a point where I hit the green a lot more has meant taking on a lot more middle to long distance putts, and I really am guessing a lot of the time when it comes to distance control. I can pick the line of a putt well enough.
1. The line and speed you play the ball are linked.2. Next time you're on the putting green, start in the middle and put to get the ball so it come to rest on the fringe. I'll often pick a point about 4-5 feet away and a point about 20-25 feet and I'll hit alternate putts to each fringe. That should be a good test of your distance control without having to also think about accuracy.
Boydie88 said:
kentlad said:
If the only thing you're struggling with off the tee is the driver, leave it at home? You'll always be better off 30/40 yards back and in the fairway than losing your ball or hacking out of the thick stuff. A practice method i've used practice approach play is to have a few rounds on a short par 3 course. Great way to learn different shots, you simply take 3/4 balls off the tee but use a different club each time. Try and use your imagination and feel the shots, rather than hitting the club that will go that exact distance. Should help when you get that awkward 'inbetween' shot during a full round.
Nah I'm not really struggling with it, no balls lost off the tee - only 2 big push shots, the rest were pretty good, one, thanks to the hard ground, a good 300 yards as I was hitting in a 6 iron for my second shot on here no more than 20 yards away from the 150 marker, couldn't believe it was my ball when I got up to it...Sadly I duffed it left then bounced over the green with the 3rd. I like the par 3 tip though, there is a lovely one nearby where the holes range for 60 to 160 yards - but it costs as much as a twilight full 18 on one of the courses on my drive home. Just seem to bottle it when it comes to the actual playing ball and under hit far too much. I was playing behind a couple of people yesterday so often had a few more attempts at playing the same shots around the green and it's comical how better I was without the thought of it being the ball I was scoring with. So much more confident flopping it without the fear of smashing it low over the green.
Then, for the shorter hitters like me, I might go for a 4 iron of the tee, and another long iron to leave a 100 - 120 yard approach. Safer, but of course a shot more. Or a shot less if you end up in the drink!
For swing reasons I've totally left my driver out of the bag until last weekend, as I wanted to focus myself on longer iron play and safer shots. The real reason is of course I just lost my driver swing, embarassingly so...
Then, after not swinging it for nearly a year, on a fun round with my friends, I needed to clear a 160 yard lake. Pulled it out, and did a more controlled swing than usual, and it went high and straight as a die. Funny old game!
Boydie88 said:
Sadly I duffed it left then bounced over the green with the 3rd. I like the par 3 tip though, there is a lovely one nearby where the holes range for 60 to 160 yards - but it costs as much as a twilight full 18 on one of the courses on my drive home. Just seem to bottle it when it comes to the actual playing ball and under hit far too much. I was playing behind a couple of people yesterday so often had a few more attempts at playing the same shots around the green and it's comical how better I was without the thought of it being the ball I was scoring with. So much more confident flopping it without the fear of smashing it low over the green.
Practicing on a par 3 might help then. The more you do something, the more confidence you'll have. It might be the same cost as a twilight round, but you'll concentrate on what you struggle with and practice to improve it. Rather than practicing your whole game and not giving the part that needs work, the time to improve. If you can try and think less about the shot you'll improve. By that i mean visualize and execute which will happen the more you practice and the more confidence you gain. Also, it might be worth looking at your shot selection around the green. This is a great video that I've used myself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjYTSTqLQY
Loft is not always your friend. I always aim to chip the ball so it just lands on the green and rolls out, rather than pitching it by the flag and hoping it stops! IMO the quicker you get the ball rolling on the green, the better.
Jayyylo said:
2. Next time you're on the putting green, start in the middle and put to get the ball so it come to rest on the fringe. I'll often pick a point about 4-5 feet away and a point about 20-25 feet and I'll hit alternate putts to each fringe. That should be a good test of your distance control without having to also think about accuracy.
That sounds like a great drill, might pinch that!JustinP1 said:
That's actually quite a tactical hole design. For the long drivers they can just reach the green, with the risk of dropping it short.
Then, for the shorter hitters like me, I might go for a 4 iron of the tee, and another long iron to leave a 100 - 120 yard approach. Safer, but of course a shot more. Or a shot less if you end up in the drink!
For swing reasons I've totally left my driver out of the bag until last weekend, as I wanted to focus myself on longer iron play and safer shots. The real reason is of course I just lost my driver swing, embarassingly so...
Then, after not swinging it for nearly a year, on a fun round with my friends, I needed to clear a 160 yard lake. Pulled it out, and did a more controlled swing than usual, and it went high and straight as a die. Funny old game!
It's an exceptional course for £15 (twilight midweek) £20 (Twilight weekends) with 2 18 hole courses to choose from.Then, for the shorter hitters like me, I might go for a 4 iron of the tee, and another long iron to leave a 100 - 120 yard approach. Safer, but of course a shot more. Or a shot less if you end up in the drink!
For swing reasons I've totally left my driver out of the bag until last weekend, as I wanted to focus myself on longer iron play and safer shots. The real reason is of course I just lost my driver swing, embarassingly so...
Then, after not swinging it for nearly a year, on a fun round with my friends, I needed to clear a 160 yard lake. Pulled it out, and did a more controlled swing than usual, and it went high and straight as a die. Funny old game!
http://www.beadlowmanor.co.uk/
Previously had complaints about the greens but they're sorting them out. One course more length focussed, the other one more technical. Sadly the majority of the water features have dried up, those streams across the fairway are completely dried out across every hole that has them.
My driver is just as reliable as my irons off the tee it seems, whenever I have the idea of 'playing safe' with an iron, I'll end up duffing it anyway!
It is funny how one day the planets align and you can't do anything wrong off the tee, then the next week it's all different. All part of the fun though, I love it.
Jayyylo said:
1. The line and speed you play the ball are linked.
2. Next time you're on the putting green, start in the middle and put to get the ball so it come to rest on the fringe. I'll often pick a point about 4-5 feet away and a point about 20-25 feet and I'll hit alternate putts to each fringe. That should be a good test of your distance control without having to also think about accuracy.
I don't think I was quite descriptive enough before. I know the line I want to hit the ball on, and usually it's more or less right, but I then under hit it so it dies low and short of the hole a lot of the time, or I just under hit a lot of straight putts. It's always been my weakness. 2. Next time you're on the putting green, start in the middle and put to get the ball so it come to rest on the fringe. I'll often pick a point about 4-5 feet away and a point about 20-25 feet and I'll hit alternate putts to each fringe. That should be a good test of your distance control without having to also think about accuracy.
TBH after heading out and playing a few holes today I feel like I'm on the verge of giving up. I've gone from my tee shots being one of the strengths of my game over the past few months to barely being able to put the ball in play with any confidence. I hooked three balls in the same trees OOB on the 3rd, and I've never been someone who hooks the ball. I'm talking really low hooks here that barely get three feet off the floor.
I played the 4th still absolutely fuming, saw there were 4 groups lined up ahead of me on the 5th and walked off the course. Just an absolute waste of time.
HaplessBoyLard said:
I played the 4th still absolutely fuming, saw there were 4 groups lined up ahead of me on the 5th and walked off the course. Just an absolute waste of time.
I've been there many times, I feel your pain - my handicap's about 24 which is good enough to hit enough shots that make you feel good, but crap enough to be very frustrated when only half of your longer hits are barely OK...I've gone round a good part of the course with nothing longer than an 8 iron simply to try to get back in the groove.
What I do is get a job lot of 100 lake balls from eBay, and literally have 50 in my bag for these moments. Then, as long as no-ones behind you, you can work through the issue with half a dozen (or a dozen...) balls before heading off to pick up the ones that are on the fairway!
JustinP1 said:
I've been there many times, I feel your pain - my handicap's about 24 which is good enough to hit enough shots that make you feel good, but crap enough to be very frustrated when only half of your longer hits are barely OK...
I've gone round a good part of the course with nothing longer than an 8 iron simply to try to get back in the groove.
What I do is get a job lot of 100 lake balls from eBay, and literally have 50 in my bag for these moments. Then, as long as no-ones behind you, you can work through the issue with half a dozen (or a dozen...) balls before heading off to pick up the ones that are on the fairway!
I wouldn't mind if I was still a highish handicap, but I'm playing off an official club handicap of 9! I've gone round a good part of the course with nothing longer than an 8 iron simply to try to get back in the groove.
What I do is get a job lot of 100 lake balls from eBay, and literally have 50 in my bag for these moments. Then, as long as no-ones behind you, you can work through the issue with half a dozen (or a dozen...) balls before heading off to pick up the ones that are on the fairway!
I've played to it in the last week too. I've calmed down now, and after thinking about it, I think I've been playing too much. 4 rounds last week and 275 balls at the range last night. My back and legs are stiff as hell and I don't think I'm swinging as freely as normal. I won't be playing again until at least next Thursday now, so the break will probably be good.
Edited by HaplessBoyLard on Tuesday 14th July 20:16
JustinP1 said:
That's 6 weeks quota of golf for me... if I'm lucky! 
You lucky sod.
I'm on a course at work, and there's always a fair bit of slack time, so I've been out more than normal, but I do normally manage at least one round a week. 2 when I'm on nights. I'd also accrued 90 days leave up to February so I've had weeks on end off. It's no wonder my handicap had come down! You lucky sod.
I've got another 3 weeks off coming up so I'm sure I'll get plenty in then, including a night and 2 rounds at forest of Arden. Anyone been?
I had such a mixed round on Monday. On the front 9 I was ready to walk in after some terrible holes. I started fairly averagely over the first 4 holes then put in a 13 on the 5th! The next holes through to the 8th were fairly poor and 9th was back to being a bit average, shooting a 7.
At the minute I'm playing to 28 handicap which is probably a bit below my average score. I should probably be on low 30's if it was calculated properly.
On the 10th tee I stopped and had a Penguin bar and that seemed to set me off on fine form for the rest of the round. I shot 45 on a 35 par and scored 20 points. That's by far my best score over nine so I'm delighted but a shame it took nine holes to get going.
To put it into perspective, a couple of weeks ago I embarrassed myself by scoring 12 points over 18 holes. At least I know there is potential somewhere if I can keep tapping into it.
At the minute I'm playing to 28 handicap which is probably a bit below my average score. I should probably be on low 30's if it was calculated properly.
On the 10th tee I stopped and had a Penguin bar and that seemed to set me off on fine form for the rest of the round. I shot 45 on a 35 par and scored 20 points. That's by far my best score over nine so I'm delighted but a shame it took nine holes to get going.
To put it into perspective, a couple of weeks ago I embarrassed myself by scoring 12 points over 18 holes. At least I know there is potential somewhere if I can keep tapping into it.
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