The golf thread - 2019
Discussion
CustardOnChips said:
I don't disagree to a point. But we're not pros.
I haven't seen what I would consider an improvement in the quality of club golf since a pre shot routine because fashionable 10 years or so ago. What I have seen, is rounds taking longer and a ridiculous amount of time spent faffing about before every shot. A pre shot routine doesn't need to take forever. You can analyse the wind, distance, pick a target line and club all whilst walking to the ball. Pull a club, have a practice swing (not 8) if you must and hit the ball. Also. Put your bloody glove on before it's your turn to hit.
The time I've spent watching someone with a high handicap consulting a yardage book or range finder, then deliberate over a club, only to fat/thin/top/shank/hit it OB is crazy. All they are doing is putting pressure on themselves. It adds a significant amount of time to each round when hitting 90 plus shots.
You shouldn't need more than 30/40 seconds to go once it's your turn.
I think everyone’s game would benefit from a simple, repeatable routine before taking the club back. It’s a mental process to clear the clutter that gets in the way, don’t underestimate its importance to playing your best golf. As for your other comments, I’m in complete agreement regarding time wasting, but by the same token I don’t want to run round, I want to play my best game and enjoy it. I haven't seen what I would consider an improvement in the quality of club golf since a pre shot routine because fashionable 10 years or so ago. What I have seen, is rounds taking longer and a ridiculous amount of time spent faffing about before every shot. A pre shot routine doesn't need to take forever. You can analyse the wind, distance, pick a target line and club all whilst walking to the ball. Pull a club, have a practice swing (not 8) if you must and hit the ball. Also. Put your bloody glove on before it's your turn to hit.
The time I've spent watching someone with a high handicap consulting a yardage book or range finder, then deliberate over a club, only to fat/thin/top/shank/hit it OB is crazy. All they are doing is putting pressure on themselves. It adds a significant amount of time to each round when hitting 90 plus shots.
You shouldn't need more than 30/40 seconds to go once it's your turn.
Though I play an exceptionally tight heathland course I don’t lose many balls and figure that time spent hunting for balls or walking back to the tee is the biggest time soak of all.
Blue62 said:
CustardOnChips said:
I don't disagree to a point. But we're not pros.
I haven't seen what I would consider an improvement in the quality of club golf since a pre shot routine because fashionable 10 years or so ago. What I have seen, is rounds taking longer and a ridiculous amount of time spent faffing about before every shot. A pre shot routine doesn't need to take forever. You can analyse the wind, distance, pick a target line and club all whilst walking to the ball. Pull a club, have a practice swing (not 8) if you must and hit the ball. Also. Put your bloody glove on before it's your turn to hit.
The time I've spent watching someone with a high handicap consulting a yardage book or range finder, then deliberate over a club, only to fat/thin/top/shank/hit it OB is crazy. All they are doing is putting pressure on themselves. It adds a significant amount of time to each round when hitting 90 plus shots.
You shouldn't need more than 30/40 seconds to go once it's your turn.
I think everyone’s game would benefit from a simple, repeatable routine before taking the club back. It’s a mental process to clear the clutter that gets in the way, don’t underestimate its importance to playing your best golf. As for your other comments, I’m in complete agreement regarding time wasting, but by the same token I don’t want to run round, I want to play my best game and enjoy it. I haven't seen what I would consider an improvement in the quality of club golf since a pre shot routine because fashionable 10 years or so ago. What I have seen, is rounds taking longer and a ridiculous amount of time spent faffing about before every shot. A pre shot routine doesn't need to take forever. You can analyse the wind, distance, pick a target line and club all whilst walking to the ball. Pull a club, have a practice swing (not 8) if you must and hit the ball. Also. Put your bloody glove on before it's your turn to hit.
The time I've spent watching someone with a high handicap consulting a yardage book or range finder, then deliberate over a club, only to fat/thin/top/shank/hit it OB is crazy. All they are doing is putting pressure on themselves. It adds a significant amount of time to each round when hitting 90 plus shots.
You shouldn't need more than 30/40 seconds to go once it's your turn.
Though I play an exceptionally tight heathland course I don’t lose many balls and figure that time spent hunting for balls or walking back to the tee is the biggest time soak of all.
Think Box and Play Box.
You decide what you're going to do while you're in your Think Box, which is 8 feet behind the ball. You can do this while others are playing. Then you stop thinking about all that when you leave the Think Box to stand in the Play Box which is next to the ball.
In the Play Box all you do is hit golf balls. That's all.
Blue62 said:
I think everyone’s game would benefit from a simple, repeatable routine before taking the club back. It’s a mental process to clear the clutter that gets in the way, don’t underestimate its importance to playing your best golf. As for your other comments, I’m in complete agreement regarding time wasting, but by the same token I don’t want to run round, I want to play my best game and enjoy it.
Though I play an exceptionally tight heathland course I don’t lose many balls and figure that time spent hunting for balls or walking back to the tee is the biggest time soak of all.
If it works for you and doesn't hold anyone up then that is fine. I'm not suggesting you should run round. Far from it. I like a leasurly stroll round the course myself. Though I play an exceptionally tight heathland course I don’t lose many balls and figure that time spent hunting for balls or walking back to the tee is the biggest time soak of all.
I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
A lot of the juniors at our place have ridiculously long pre-shot routines. I think this is a combination of how they've been taught, plus how they see tour players approach their shots.
The R&A have tried to address the issue of slow play through their 'Ready Golf' rule changes.
At our club, the 'old dogs, new tricks' adage has been turned on its head as far as 'Ready Golf' is concerned - we get it (and have changed our games, accordingly), but the kids (in general) seem either unwilling or incapable of embracing the concept.
Ready Golf aside, the pace of play would still be much quicker if players used just a bit of common sense - leaving your bag or trolley where you'll be exiting the green, for instance.
The R&A have tried to address the issue of slow play through their 'Ready Golf' rule changes.
At our club, the 'old dogs, new tricks' adage has been turned on its head as far as 'Ready Golf' is concerned - we get it (and have changed our games, accordingly), but the kids (in general) seem either unwilling or incapable of embracing the concept.
Ready Golf aside, the pace of play would still be much quicker if players used just a bit of common sense - leaving your bag or trolley where you'll be exiting the green, for instance.
CustardOnChips said:
If it works for you and doesn't hold anyone up then that is fine. I'm not suggesting you should run round. Far from it. I like a leasurly stroll round the course myself.
I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
I am honestly not trying to have the last word here, but I very much doubt you'd be aware of your playing partners pre shot routine, if indeed they had one. All I do is get into the box by lining up behind the ball, picking the smallest target I can find (something Hogan did 'back in the day' with his pre shot routine), I line up my feet, club and shoulders to the target, take another look at the target, waggle and go. Since I introduced this process a few years ago (after reading Bob Rotella), I came down from 9 to 7 and now hover between 6 and 7. It may sound silly, but it requires concentration and discipline to do this every time, I play my best golf when I stick to it, just wish I could stick to a routine for putting. I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
CustardOnChips said:
If it works for you and doesn't hold anyone up then that is fine. I'm not suggesting you should run round. Far from it. I like a leasurly stroll round the course myself.
I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
Is that because they play the game well and know what they’re going to and able to do? Not having a pre shot routine is not going to make one a scratch golfer, but a scratch golfer could do without a pre shot routine. I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
It’s a non sequitur.
Blue62 said:
CustardOnChips said:
If it works for you and doesn't hold anyone up then that is fine. I'm not suggesting you should run round. Far from it. I like a leasurly stroll round the course myself.
I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
I am honestly not trying to have the last word here, but I very much doubt you'd be aware of your playing partners pre shot routine, if indeed they had one. All I do is get into the box by lining up behind the ball, picking the smallest target I can find (something Hogan did 'back in the day' with his pre shot routine), I line up my feet, club and shoulders to the target, take another look at the target, waggle and go. Since I introduced this process a few years ago (after reading Bob Rotella), I came down from 9 to 7 and now hover between 6 and 7. It may sound silly, but it requires concentration and discipline to do this every time, I play my best golf when I stick to it, just wish I could stick to a routine for putting. I'm still not convinced that a pre-shot routine doesn't add more in the way of complication to some peoples game.
Back int' day I played off 5. Many of the people I played with were very close to scratch, and a couple had plus handicaps. I don't recall anyone having a pre shot routine.
But, we are each different and what works for one won't for another.
I was always taught to hurry up between shots but to take my time over the ball - has worked pretty well for me over the last 30 years, and I'm frequently round in 3 - 3.5 hours. Even having said that, the 40 seconds in Ready Golf allows plenty of time to get a yardage, pick a club, go through my routine and take my shot.
One thing I don't do however, is take any practice swings. Ever. I find it far too easy to find a practice swing "feels" wrong, then try to make sure I don't get that feeling on the main swing, usually with horrendous results. I'll take a few round the green to get a feel for what I'm doing, but never on full swings.
One thing I don't do however, is take any practice swings. Ever. I find it far too easy to find a practice swing "feels" wrong, then try to make sure I don't get that feeling on the main swing, usually with horrendous results. I'll take a few round the green to get a feel for what I'm doing, but never on full swings.
bodhi said:
One thing I don't do however, is take any practice swings. Ever. I find it far too easy to find a practice swing "feels" wrong, then try to make sure I don't get that feeling on the main swing, usually with horrendous results. I'll take a few round the green to get a feel for what I'm doing, but never on full swings.
same, very very rarely do I have a practice swing.I play with a guy on Saturday AM's, and he will have 3 practice swings on some shots. I get why, BUT if you had 2 practice swings on every shot (no putts) and you hit 85 in your round, that means you will probably have swung the club at least 250 times in a round. Surely that cant help from a fatigue point of view.
round the green on little feel shots its different, but even then I quite often use up the good swing on the practice and duff the real thing....
Pre shot routines don't have to be slow. Look at Rory...20 seconds usually, even quicker on the green. Its a very deliberate routine, but relatively quick.
I'm definitely in the pre shot routine camp but I think it makes me quicker. Mine is all about alignment. Spend 5 seconds or so getting a line between ball and target then stand over the ball and line myself up to that target line. Means I'm confident that I'm ready to go and well set up so with a clear head, swoosh, the ball is away.
I'm definitely in the pre shot routine camp but I think it makes me quicker. Mine is all about alignment. Spend 5 seconds or so getting a line between ball and target then stand over the ball and line myself up to that target line. Means I'm confident that I'm ready to go and well set up so with a clear head, swoosh, the ball is away.
danneth said:
Come to visit the brother for a weeks golf in southern Spain, deffo beats the UK weather.
Quick warm up on the range today, borrowed some clubs from over here so be interesting to see how I get on with them ( m2 driver, m4 irons, epic flash 3 wood)
I may be completely wrong but that looks an awful lot like the driving range at AlcaIdesa. Quick warm up on the range today, borrowed some clubs from over here so be interesting to see how I get on with them ( m2 driver, m4 irons, epic flash 3 wood)
kentlad said:
Played on Saturday, in preparation for Celtic manor next weekend. Suffice to say, had a decent day. 79 gross with a handful of 3 putts. Could have been mid 70’s. Almost guarantees a horror show this coming weekend 
Take your wellies if you're playing the 2010.My mates and i go every year around xmas time for the VIP package deal thing (£99 for breakfast, driving range, round on the 2010 and a 3 course meal afterwards. brilliant deal) and every year it's just as boggy as the previous. Still enjoyable but if there has been any sort of rain leading up to the round expect a lot of squelching!
Noodle1982 said:
Take your wellies if you're playing the 2010.
My mates and i go every year around xmas time for the VIP package deal thing (£99 for breakfast, driving range, round on the 2010 and a 3 course meal afterwards. brilliant deal) and every year it's just as boggy as the previous. Still enjoyable but if there has been any sort of rain leading up to the round expect a lot of squelching!
That’s worth knowing! Cheers! That is a cracking deal tbf! My mates and i go every year around xmas time for the VIP package deal thing (£99 for breakfast, driving range, round on the 2010 and a 3 course meal afterwards. brilliant deal) and every year it's just as boggy as the previous. Still enjoyable but if there has been any sort of rain leading up to the round expect a lot of squelching!
The 2010 is an epic course, but it nearly broke me when I played it. I was in a fourball with me off 8, two friends off 6 and another off scratch. We had a wager before setting out, £5 per birdie and £10 per eagle.
No money changed hands. I had 1 par all day, which I had to chip in for.
To be fair I was swinging my irons horribly that day, and you really have nowhere to hide if you're having a bad day at that place. Definitely worth playing - in fact I want to go again as I have a score to settle - and the experience is second to none outside of St Andrews, but it can be brutal.
No money changed hands. I had 1 par all day, which I had to chip in for.
To be fair I was swinging my irons horribly that day, and you really have nowhere to hide if you're having a bad day at that place. Definitely worth playing - in fact I want to go again as I have a score to settle - and the experience is second to none outside of St Andrews, but it can be brutal.
We played the 2010 and Montgomerie courses back in March.
It's all very well organised with your clubs being taken to the practice range in advance, scheduled pick-ups, etc.
I quite enjoyed the 2010, although I did play reasonably well that day. For me, it's a course which has been ticked off the list, but there are certainly others I rather play before rushing back there.
As for the Montgomerie, never again would I want to traipse around that place - hated it. The entire course feels like an afterthought, set into some scrappy hillsides they had lying around.
It's all very well organised with your clubs being taken to the practice range in advance, scheduled pick-ups, etc.
I quite enjoyed the 2010, although I did play reasonably well that day. For me, it's a course which has been ticked off the list, but there are certainly others I rather play before rushing back there.
As for the Montgomerie, never again would I want to traipse around that place - hated it. The entire course feels like an afterthought, set into some scrappy hillsides they had lying around.
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