Time to dust off the golf swing

[ATL96Steeler]

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.

Driver confidence = better scores for me as well...absolutely...last year was the 1st in quite some time in which rough was a serious factor, almost a hazard at a few courses that only cut the rough once a week...lot of rain last year.

But...if doesn't always translate into GIRs even when I'm playing well, scrambling as always been my strongest point...on the handful of days when I put good driving, and approaching together I'm in the high 70s without much stress.

 

[packerzrule]

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

Yes. Each and every time I go to the range.

Fat lot of good it does me though

 

[TobyTyler]

Yes. Each and every time I go to the range.

Fat lot of good it does me though

Ha ha! Perhaps you should consider a change if its not working.

 

[douggie]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJyHktPxKXo]The Three Stooges' First Golf Swings - YouTube[/ame]

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yes. Each and every time I go to the range.

Fat lot of good it does me though

I think most of us have shortcomings in this game...one thing that's an absolute...whatever level we're at, the game will eventually find our weakest points just like water always finds the path of least resistance an instructor once told me. Another thing he told me...in golf you work to get better, you work to maintain the same game, but no work means you're getting worse.

For the average weekend player like myself...once we can play in the 90s you still have a lot of strokes you can shave without an enormous amount of time and you can be an 80s player. Getting into the 70s consistently I found takes more of a commitment than I can give the game...most of my practice these days is really just keeping me where I am...and I'm really okay with that...for now.

 

[TobyTyler]

I think most of us have shortcomings in this game...one thing that's an absolute...whatever level we're at, the game will eventually find our weakest points just like water always finds the path of least resistance an instructor once told me. Another thing he told me...in golf you work to get better, you work to maintain the same game, but no work means you're getting worse.

For the average weekend player like myself...once we can play in the 90s you still have a lot of strokes you can shave without an enormous amount of time and you can be an 80s player. Getting into the 70s consistently I found takes more of a commitment than I can give the game...most of my practice these days is really just keeping me where I am...and I'm really okay with that...for now.

Golf is one of the few games you don't have to be good at to enjoy. I also found the most difficult barrier to break was 80. Once that became the norm for me, I moved to the low 70s pretty quickly which is where I remain today with an occasional really low score when everything clicks..

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Golf is one of the few games you don't have to be good at to enjoy. I also found the most difficult barrier to break was 80. Once that became the norm for me, I moved to the low 70s pretty quickly which is where I remain today with an occasional really low score when everything clicks..

Yeah, that's true because I've played with many guys that play a lot and can't break 90...but a lot of people quit the game out of frustration too though. I think if you can play bogey golf with a few pars mixed in, you feel like a golfer if that makes any sense...at least I did...in the triple digits I still had fun, but also felt I was just out there to have fun...score didn't matter that much.

Barrier...definitely, breaking 80 just doesn't leave much margin for error. Whenever I do break it, it's a great feeling.

 

[TobyTyler]

Yeah, that's true because I've played with many guys that play a lot and can't break 90...but a lot of people quit the game out of frustration too though. I think if you can play bogey golf with a few pars mixed in, you feel like a golfer if that makes any sense...at least I did...in the triple digits I still had fun, but also felt I was just out there to have fun...score didn't matter that much.

Barrier...definitely, breaking 80 just doesn't leave much margin for error. Whenever I do break it, it's a great feeling.

When you break 80 you are playing better than 90% of all amateur golfers. I loved the game from the start but when it became most satisfying for me was when I learned to make the ball do what I wanted it to do; hook, slice, flight low, etc. I think also being able to hit greens in regulation consistently is very satisfying. I don't worry much when I miss putts because that is all feel for me.

 

[packerzrule]

With this crappy winter we have been having, it would be a miracle if any of the courses opened in April.

At this point, shooting a 3 digit score would be welcome.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

With this crappy winter we have been having, it would be a miracle if any of the courses opened in April.

At this point, shooting a 3 digit score would be welcome.

We had a rough one too (by ATL standards) but I''ve gotten out 4 times in '14 to date...I pity you folk up there in the great lake area...I'd be happy just to be on a damn golf course if I lived up there....NJ was bad enough.

 

[TobyTyler]

With this crappy winter we have been having, it would be a miracle if any of the courses opened in April.

At this point, shooting a 3 digit score would be welcome.

We haven't had an ungolfable day here in Arizona in about a year.

 

[NEhomer]

It's amazing how breaking 80 or breaking 40 for nine holes is right at that perfect cut off.

...and we all know there's more than one stroke difference between 79 and 80 or 39 and 40!

69 and 70 is something we'll have to leave up to Toby!

 

[NEhomer]

It's below zero again here in Southern New England. No chance of any course opening for at least five or six more weeks

 

[TobyTyler]

It's below zero again here in Southern New England. No chance of any course opening for at least five or six more weeks

Oh my gosh, that's cold!

 

[NEhomer]

Yup.

We had a brief warm up last week. I got to use a huge snow bank as a hitting net. I'll retrieve the balls when it thaws down!

 

[TobyTyler]

Yup.

We had a brief warm up last week. I got to use a huge snow bank as a hitting net. I'll retrieve the balls when it thaws down!

Ha ha! That's taking advantage of what is presented to you. I've never heard that one before.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It's amazing how breaking 80 or breaking 40 for nine holes is right at that perfect cut off.

...and we all know there's more than one stroke difference between 79 and 80 or 39 and 40!

69 and 70 is something we'll have to leave up to Toby!

Speak of it...played yesterday...par 36 & 36, and I shot +4 on the front, and +4 on the back 80 on the button...a double on 17th, 348 yd par 4 did serious damage...and I took 3w off the tee because it's a tight driving hole...pushed it right (after turning it over on the previous 3 holes I hit it) punched out of the trees, overswung and chunked an 8i, on in 4 about 20' down hill...burn the edge for a 5.

I knew where I stood on the tee...choked on the 8i badly...nice easy GIR, 2 putt par on 18, but the damage was done.

 

[TobyTyler]

Speak of it...played yesterday...par 36 & 36, and I shot +4 on the front, and +4 on the back 80 on the button...a double on 17th, 348 yd par 4 did serious damage...and I took 3w off the tee because it's a tight driving hole...pushed it right (after turning it over on the previous 3 holes I hit it) punched out of the trees, overswung and chunked an 8i, on in 4 about 20' down hill...burn the edge for a 5.

I knew where I stood on the tee...choked on the 8i badly...nice easy GIR, 2 putt par on 18, but the damage was done.

I hate it when you try and play it smart and it backfires.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I hate it when you try and play it smart and it backfires.

Yes...that was a bad swing with the 3W, trying to be too careful, never released it, but the 8i from the FW was a driving range lie...perfect, tried to hit it, instead of swing thru it. I'll be back on the horse again Sat. mostly likely a different course.

 

[TobyTyler]

Yes...that was a bad swing with the 3W, trying to be too careful, never released it, but the 8i from the FW was a driving range lie...perfect, tried to hit it, instead of swing thru it. I'll be back on the horse again Sat. mostly likely a different course.

That's the thing, by ackowledging that you should play it safe, you are often putting negative thoughts in your head and that usually ends up badly, at least for me it does.

I really, really believe in the "positve thoughts" process that Leadbetter talks about. Think "I'm gonna hit a three wood because I want to hit it in the fairway instead of "I'm gonna hit a three wood so I don't hit in the woods".