Time to dust off the golf swing

[night]

330RSX...definitely not the cheapest ball you can play.

As I mentioned...everything was so soft here LY that I played Noodles ($12-$13 per dz) for most of the year with no problems. Around the greens, I bump-n-run as much as possible, but short sided shots you need spin...On firmer greens Noodles were not as good for getting the ball to stop near the cup. That's really what got me looking for more spin.

On chipping and putting practice I use my my game balls instead of the range balls so I know how they will respond...Try a sleeve 1st maybe and see how you like them.

I try to use my game balls for that as well too since at most places the range and practice greens are separated. Most of my practice will likely be off of a mat in the middle of a soccer field in a park about a block away from my house. I have a chipping net I bought off of Amazon to shoot at which is pretty nice.

 

[packerzrule]

Most of my practice will likely be off of a mat in the middle of a soccer field in a park about a block away from my house

Is that the field located off of Drexel?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Lol...the ball comes back when you miss!

To anyone not breaking 100 after a couple of years of trying you need to 1) check your course management...don't try a miracle recovery out of the woods. Remember you just hit it there and it was up on a fucking peg then, now it's in the sticks and leaves. Punch it back out AND do it carefully. A ball that doesn't get all the way clear or that goes all the way through into shit on the other side won't help you. 2) chip and putt, chip and putt, chip and putt. This entire game is 4ft putts. Make those and you're maximizing your scoring potential.

I look at my good friend whose struggling to break a 100 consistently right now and he does exactly what you're saying you can't do...compounds mistakes and he routinely turns bogey into double or worse. When you're in trouble off the tee you MUST get out of trouble with your next shot.

What's so strange about his game is he has a decent golf swing, if you saw him on video you'd think he's an 80s player. He can make par on 2 or 3 holes in row then, boom, dble, quad, triple, mostly from mental mistakes.

 

[TobyTyler]

Lol...the ball comes back when you miss!

To anyone not breaking 100 after a couple of years of trying you need to 1) check your course management...don't try a miracle recovery out of the woods. Remember you just hit it there and it was up on a fucking peg then, now it's in the sticks and leaves. Punch it back out AND do it carefully. A ball that doesn't get all the way clear or that goes all the way through into shit on the other side won't help you. 2) chip and putt, chip and putt, chip and putt. This entire game is 4ft putts. Make those and you're maximizing your scoring potential.

I heard Zach Johnson say once that he'd like to see every amateur play nine holes hitting one more club than they think they should hit one every shot (six instead of a seven for example) and try to miss every putt on the high side of the hole. Then compare that to their normal 9 hole score and he said they'd all score much better

 

[NEhomer]

He may have something there but put 500 people and a grandstand behind every hole and I'll over club too!

 

[TobyTyler]

He may have something there but put 500 people and a grandstand behind every hole and I'll over club too!

I think it goes along with Mickelson's theory that amateurs usually think the can hit a club farter than they really can and don't play enough break on their putts.

 

[night]

Is that the field located off of Drexel?

Ramsey I think (but I'm bad with remember street names).

 

[night]

*remembering.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I heard Zach Johnson say once that he'd like to see every amateur play nine holes hitting one more club than they think they should hit one every shot (six instead of a seven for example) and try to miss every putt on the high side of the hole. Then compare that to their normal 9 hole score and he said they'd all score much better

Sounds like good advice for breaking 90.

Most the guys I see struggling to break a 100 are hitting it more sideways, taking drops, chunking approach shots, chunking/skulling chips, THEN 3 jacking once they get on.

 

[NEhomer]

Another one of the basic things that hold those cats back is trying to hit the ball up into the air. That just causes the bottom of the swing to occur too far behind the ball and they fat and blade shots all day. When I've been able to convince someone that you hit down into the ball to make it go up, they usually have this colossal eureka!

 

[R.J. MacReady]

For the amateur, chipping is everything. The best thing I was taught was to know the exact spot I wanted to land the ball to get it to roll to the hole.

 

[TobyTyler]

Sounds like good advice for breaking 90.

Most the guys I see struggling to break a 100 are hitting it more sideways, taking drops, chunking approach shots, chunking/skulling chips, THEN 3 jacking once they get on.

We made the mistake of going out at noon on President's Day and we were behind three groups of 4 just like that. Guys who looked like they'd never picked up a club before. It was excrutiating.

 

[TobyTyler]

Another one of the basic things that hold those cats back is trying to hit the ball up into the air. That just causes the bottom of the swing to occur too far behind the ball and they fat and blade shots all day. When I've been able to convince someone that you hit down into the ball to make it go up, they usually have this colossal eureka!

Golf is certainly not intuitive, is it?

 

[TobyTyler]

For the amateur, chipping is everything. The best thing I was taught was to know the exact spot I wanted to land the ball to get it to roll to the hole.

And its probably the easiest area to improve in. Problem is no one wants to put in the practice required because its boring. Most guys only get a few opportunities to practice so they choose to bomb it with the driver instead of working on the scoring shots. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes.

 

[packerzrule]

My routine is to take 5-6 shots with my PW, then onto my 9 and so on through the driver. Then, I try to simulate a 4-5 hole scenario. Driver, then short iron, driver, fairway metal, wedge, etc.

Finally, I reserve the last dozen or so balls for my 56 and 60 degree wedges.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

And its probably the easiest area to improve in. Problem is no one wants to put in the practice required because its boring. Most guys only get a few opportunities to practice so they choose to bomb it with the driver instead of working on the scoring shots. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes.

It is the easiest to get consistent with. I'm definitely guilty in season when I'm playing frequently, but my kids are no longer kids so I have practice time...there are many days in the winter months when I don't hit any full shots...just 30 yds and in, bunker play, putting. I don't always hit it tight (inside 4') obviously, but rarely ever do I face a short game short that I've never practiced.

Assuming an okay lie, if I miss the green with some 8 paces or more of green to work with I'm most likely going to have a decent putt...the question is what am I putting for?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

My routine is to take 5-6 shots with my PW, then onto my 9 and so on through the driver. Then, I try to simulate a 4-5 hole scenario. Driver, then short iron, driver, fairway metal, wedge, etc.

Finally, I reserve the last dozen or so balls for my 56 and 60 degree wedges.

If I'm just hitting balls...it depends....some days I may hit the whole bucket with my 4 wedges...60/56/52/48...that's the strongest part of my game 125 and in....the weakest is 180 to 140 yds...I know I need a lot more work with the mid irons this year to improve my GIR.

I don't hit many drivers/3woods...about 3 balls each unless they're going sideways too much I might hit a few more.

 

[TobyTyler]

My routine is to take 5-6 shots with my PW, then onto my 9 and so on through the driver. Then, I try to simulate a 4-5 hole scenario. Driver, then short iron, driver, fairway metal, wedge, etc.

Finally, I reserve the last dozen or so balls for my 56 and 60 degree wedges.

That's a very disciplined approach. Are you able to stick with it consistently?

 

[TobyTyler]

If I'm just hitting balls...it depends....some days I may hit the whole bucket with my 4 wedges...60/56/52/48...that's the strongest part of my game 125 and in....the weakest is 180 to 140 yds...I know I need a lot more work with the mid irons this year to improve my GIR.

I don't hit many drivers/3woods...about 3 balls each unless they're going sideways too much I might hit a few more.

The driver is such a huge part of my game that I practice it the most. If I drive the ball well, I will generally score well. A second shot from the fairway is much easier than one from the rough. Plus, I think its a confidence thing. When I drive well, I hit my irons well also. Not sure I subscribe to the old adage "drive for show, putt for dough". It seems, for me at least, that the driver sets up everything.

 

[NEhomer]

Me too Toby. On our nine hole tract, if I hit all seven drives, I pretty much will break 40.