The Golf Thread - 2016!

[swisstoni]

Blackpuddin said:

Feeling very happy about the game all of a sudden and looking forward to tomorrow's round.

Ah the joy of the magic golf tip! Mine only last one sleep unfortunately.

[DuncanM]

Blackpuddin said:

Looked around YouTube on Monday for a few tips, as you do, and found an old boy on there called Adam Bazalgette from the Scratch Golf Academy.
Found all his videos really nicely done, simple to follow and free of most of the BS the American coaches in particular seem to love. Anyway, as a high-teens handicapper I was particularly interested in this one of his:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNgn_0fADWM
and a couple of others which talk about delofting the club, something I am ashamed to say I had no idea about. What he said made so much sense I thought I may as well give it a go. Scored 39 using this technique including three blobs and didn't grossly mist any ball. Feeling very happy about the game all of a sudden and looking forward to tomorrow's round.
Just need to sort out bunkers, which are still a big issue on our local course, heavy clumpy sand in every one so ball either dies back into the bunker or flies miles across the green, usually into another bunker

If you like that, try Stack And Tilt. Excellent golf book, and pretty much what he's teaching.

[Blackpuddin]

DuncanM said:

Blackpuddin said:

Looked around YouTube on Monday for a few tips, as you do, and found an old boy on there called Adam Bazalgette from the Scratch Golf Academy.
Found all his videos really nicely done, simple to follow and free of most of the BS the American coaches in particular seem to love. Anyway, as a high-teens handicapper I was particularly interested in this one of his:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNgn_0fADWM
and a couple of others which talk about delofting the club, something I am ashamed to say I had no idea about. What he said made so much sense I thought I may as well give it a go. Scored 39 using this technique including three blobs and didn't grossly mist any ball. Feeling very happy about the game all of a sudden and looking forward to tomorrow's round.
Just need to sort out bunkers, which are still a big issue on our local course, heavy clumpy sand in every one so ball either dies back into the bunker or flies miles across the green, usually into another bunker

If you like that, try Stack And Tilt. Excellent golf book, and pretty much what he's teaching.

Thanks for the tip Duncan, I'll get that.

[Blackpuddin]

swisstoni said:

Blackpuddin said:

Feeling very happy about the game all of a sudden and looking forward to tomorrow's round.

Ah the joy of the magic golf tip! Mine only last one sleep unfortunately.

Yes that's my fear, ha ha, funny how you're up one minute and down the next. The other thing of course being getting all the bits of your game working OK at the same time. That never seems to happen.

[JamesNotJim]

Blackpuddin said:

Yes that's my fear, ha ha, funny how you're up one minute and down the next. The other thing of course being getting all the bits of your game working OK at the same time. That never seems to happen.

don't search for the perfect round. You may get 1 a year if your lucky.
Instead manage your round. If you're dogging the driver, drop it for a few holes and get the ball in play even if it's a lot further back. Layup on par4's if you need too, take a little longer to assess your chipping/pitching options, give yourself an extra 30 seconds to read your putts.
I see it all the time, when people start to loose it during a good round. Everything starts to get quick, there decision making goes out the window.
FAIRWAYS AND GREENS all day long, however you can!

[Blackpuddin]

JamesNotJim said:

Blackpuddin said:

Yes that's my fear, ha ha, funny how you're up one minute and down the next. The other thing of course being getting all the bits of your game working OK at the same time. That never seems to happen.

don't search for the perfect round. You may get 1 a year if your lucky.
Instead manage your round. If you're dogging the driver, drop it for a few holes and get the ball in play even if it's a lot further back. Layup on par4's if you need too, take a little longer to assess your chipping/pitching options, give yourself an extra 30 seconds to read your putts.
I see it all the time, when people start to loose it during a good round. Everything starts to get quick, there decision making goes out the window.
FAIRWAYS AND GREENS all day long, however you can!

That's smashing advice James. I've been relying on my 3 iron to get me off the tee and somewhere in play for the second and it's been rewarding me. If I'm feeling good after a few holes I'll give the driver a go on the easier fairways. It all helps to build confidence. I'm hoping that the delofting thing will work for me again tomorrow morning and won't just be a one-round wonder. Really need to get the putting better though. Greens at my place have been hit by some sort of pestilence that has resulted in them looking like the surface of the moon. Even when they're OK though I'm hardly ever a single-putter, even from inside say 8 feet. Two putts is the norm and three not unusual. Going to try overhitting it tomorrow to at least give the ball a chance of going in. As it is, my lack of confidence means I usually end up short. Just need to break out of that cycle.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Wednesday 28th December 21:36

Edited by Blackpuddin on Wednesday 28th December 21:37

[StescoG66]

skyetom said:

StescoG66 said:

I do seem to get a nice arc, but it launches too high, and against the wind (a frequent occurrence playing at Crail!!) it climbs somewhat. Downwind is ace!!

As I say - the strike and feel is great, just need to tweak the ball flight. Have taken a punt on the 8.5 and we will see how it fares. Given my 10.5 is wound back to 9.75 it will make for an interesting experiment. Edit: I can of course put the 8.5 up to 9.25

Thank you for the help and advice. Have a great Christmas and hope we all manage to get a few games under our belts.

Edited by StescoG66 on Saturday 24th December 09:22

If you're in Crail then you should get yourself along to the range at wellsgreen, st andrews or drumoig and test the different shafts on a launch monitor. Then it's the (simple) matter of working out which gives the best combo of clubhead speed and launch angle. You might find that your initial set-up has a bearing on things too and that a small tweak to posture or ball position (for example) will make a dramatic difference to your results.

You're spot on. When my game goes awry it' s my first port of call is posture/set up. I have a tendency to get to low and upright plus shoulders/hips drift open - with catastrophic results (usually a bad bout of j Arthur's!)

[Blackpuddin]

Back to reality yesterday with 27 points , winner posted 44, beautiful day again, it must have reminded me of the seaside as I spent a lot of time in the sand which killed my score. Happy with the hitting though. The delofting is a seminal change.

[JamesNotJim]

Bought a new shaft for my driver last night after having an abysmal range session, only to nail the bloody thing all round. FML! least I know the new shaft works when it arrives as I had it in an older driver a few years ago.

[bodhi]

JamesNotJim said:

Bought a new shaft for my driver last night after having an abysmal range session, only to nail the bloody thing all round. FML! least I know the new shaft works when it arrives as I had it in an older driver a few years ago.

This is becuase golf clubs know when they are about to be replaced/modified, which normally results in one hitting them further than they've ever been hit before, just to make you think twice. The opposite effect can be seen when they're new - go like rockets when they are on trial - then you pay for them, and it all goes horribly wrong

Had my first proper game in a couple of months on Tuesday - haven't really stopped playing over winter, but have moved to the range to work on shortening my backswing and a couple of other things I've been working on in lessons. Apparently my backswing was very similar to John Daly/Phil Mickelson at the end of the season, so the guy who's sorting it out is trying to get things a bit more like Adam Scott.

Must admit it seems to be working pretty well, as, going by Tuesday, it's night and day different, especially off the tee. Most drives were landing on the (right) fairway, iron shots were going exactly where I aimed them, and if I did miss a green I was on the fringe rather than leaving myself a 40 yard pitch to get back. Am over the moon really, only had 3 lessons, and they are already the best 60 quid I've spent on golf in years.

Ended up with an 83, but with frozen ground, temporary greens, an 8 on the 3rd and half a bottle of Scotch consumed on the way round (for warmth, obviously) I was quite proud of that.

Can't wait for the new season now - have decided I'm aiming to get down to 5 from my current 8.5, and if I can grind in this new backswing (shorter, more upright and more solid at the top) I think I will have a pretty decent chance.

[StescoG66]

Do we have the 2017 thread yet?

Edit - found it!!!