How's your game!

scubapro

galwaylad14 wrote: »

ball well back, hands well forward, use the lowest lofted club you can for the situation your in. Virtually impossible to fluff a chip if you follow those 3 steps.

May work for some but not all, the further back the steeper you are into the ball, a model for digging, everybody is different and really need to find their own ball position, for me just a smidge right of centre as long as my sternum is just.ahead of the ball, in saying that my chipping is fantastic on the chipping green and practice rounds but in competition is sh1t.

scubapro

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Got out today, back was still gave me a few twinges but overall not bad.

Started strong but got a phone call on the 4th that ruined the game for about 6 holes, then came back on form.

Some pars,alot of bogeys and some triples when I had a meltdown.

Putting really let me down but my driving and irons were in decent nick considering. Wedge work was pretty decent, just not up to as good as I wanted it. Back on the putting green it is.

Why did you answer the phone during a round?

Rikand

scubapro wrote: »

Why did you answer the phone during a round?

If you;re not meant to be on the golf course, you always answer the phone - so her indoors doesn't get suspicious

dan_ep82

scubapro wrote: »

Why did you answer the phone during a round?

Forgot to turn it to silent and didn't want to disturb anyone else so ran off the fairway to answer it. Should have just hung up and bared the wrath when I got home

Ben1977

13 holes last night chipping improved greatly. Rikand thanks for the practice tip. Managed to do it on the one foot and the contact was really good. So a bit of light at the end of the tunnel!!!

judosean2005

Not playing too bad lately.
Playing off 22.
Last 10-12 rounds ive scored between 32-39 points.
Hoping to get down to 18 this year.anyone any idea if thts possible?

Driving is solid. Irons good although they are short(8 iron=130 yards) and putting is super.
Problem lately is from 70 down.
Chipping and distance control is poor.

denishurley

That's highly possible if your scoring has been that consistent. I went from 22 to 17 in the space of a month last year.

Does your club have a practice ground? If so, I'd recommend going there (or even a local GAA/soccer pitch if you could get away with it) and putting alignment rods (or any sticks) down at 10-yard intervals from 30-80 and seeing which shots work for which distances.

Mantis Toboggan

I'm probably playing the best I've ever played even though I've really only started playing this year.

I've joined a club and they have me off 18 but realistically I'm probably around 24. My goal is to stay at 18 until the end of the year and to be playing off 10 within 3 years.

Off the tee is my strength, rarely end up in trouble although I'm not able to get my drives past 220 metres for some reason.

It's from 50 yards and in is where I'm losing most shots. Most greens are 3 putts atleast. The putter and my sand wedge are the most hated clubs in the bag. Can't seem to get any sort of feel around the greens. I'm more comfortable hitting 100 metre approach shot than 30 metre pitch.

Really is frustrating.

Rikand

Buddy Holly wrote: »

I'm probably playing the best I've ever played even though I've really only started playing this year.

I've joined a club and they have me off 18 but realistically I'm probably around 24. My goal is to stay at 18 until the end of the year and to be playing off 10 within 3 years.

Off the tee is my strength, rarely end up in trouble although I'm not able to get my drives past 220 metres for some reason.

It's from 50 yards and in is where I'm losing most shots. Most greens are 3 putts atleast. The putter and my sand wedge are the most hated clubs in the bag. Can't seem to get any sort of feel around the greens. I'm more comfortable hitting 100 metre approach shot than 30 metre pitch.

Really is frustrating.

10 is very achievable!

220 metres is more than far enough!

instead of using your sandwedge from 50 yards and in, maybe try and pitch and run an 8 iron instead. Sandwedge is one of the more difficult clubs to chip/pitch with. Chipping with a straighter faced club will give you much better results in the long run.

Good luck in your quest for 10

Played today for the first time in years. Brutal stuff altogether. Shot 115. Terrible. My only saving grace was my putting, one and two putted 16 of the 18. I dread to think what my score would have been if I didn't have that going for me. Hitting a horrible slice on a lot of my drives. Tried compensating for that by aiming to the left off the tee but whenever I do that it goes straight as a dye. Thinks its an issue with my feet or my hip movement but will probably take a bit of work to put right. My irons were hit and miss, some nice striking and some horrible wayward scuffed shots.

All in all still as frustrating a sport as I remember from my youth but I enjoyed myself today so am gonna sign up for membership and put in some hard long hours over the coming months.

thelostboys23

Lrsson and the range this week before a game saturday. Driving the ball very well with new 3 wood after lesson and irons are good too - that is on the range though I hope I play somewhat decent sat moening

Mantis Toboggan

Rikand wrote: »

10 is very achievable!

220 metres is more than far enough!

instead of using your sandwedge from 50 yards and in, maybe try and pitch and run an 8 iron instead. Sandwedge is one of the more difficult clubs to chip/pitch with. Chipping with a straighter faced club will give you much better results in the long run.

Good luck in your quest for 10

Cheers for the tips mate

Keano

First time in 4 weeks on the course since my first lesson of the year.

Awful stuff. Nearly killed fellas putting on a green when I shanked/mi**** one off the tee box about 20 yards right. It was very embarrassing

dan_ep82

Out on the range today after a quick nine.

Worked on aim and alignment as I felt I was swinging across myself. Turns out I was and started coming over the top again.

After a couple of balls they came back on line with another club to help with alignment on the ground.

Hitting the irons really well in the end.

The new 19 Deg hybrid I got I now love. Good distance from the rough and super distance from better lies so its replacing my 5wood.

Going to keep the focus on the irons and woods on the range and work on the putting and chipping/wedges around the greens

irishred95

hello everybody! first time poster. mad into golf. first time playing in a few months. driving was surprisingly good and everything else went good but putting was diabolical. trip to the putting green might be a good call

galwaylad14

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Out on the range today after a quick nine.

Worked on aim and alignment as I felt I was swinging across myself. Turns out I was and started coming over the top again.

After a couple of balls they came back on line with another club to help with alignment on the ground.

Hitting the irons really well in the end.

The new 19 Deg hybrid I got I now love. Good distance from the rough and super distance from better lies so its replacing my 5wood.

Going to keep the focus on the irons and woods on the range and work on the putting and chipping/wedges around the greens

The Hybrids are great clubs, everyone should have one. So easy to hit from bad lies and a great option for second shots on par 5's etc.

Alignment is so important and it's so easy to drift into bad habits, sometimes it can be amazing when you actually lay a club on the ground how far left/right you've been aiming without even realising it.

galwaylad14

After not playing great stuff for the last month I played 10 holes this evening and played very nicely. Level Par, 8 out of 10 greens hit, 2 birds and 2 dropped shots. Really had the bit of confidence back with my ball striking and could very easily have been a couple of under. Just trying to keep it up now is the thing (as always!)

gonko

I am back into golf after maybe 2 years away. Was at the range a few times last week and played 2 rounds (par 3) and shot 71 and 71. :rolleyes:

On each round I had maybe 2 drop shots due to a nasty shank, sorted now I think lol.

Overall on the second round I feel I played better, even though the score says different. My short game is good, landing little chips near the flag with decent regularity. Going to try hit a full size course this weekend. Time to hit the range and practice a few hits with the big dog. My irons 3-9 are all good and hit clean and carry distance.

My plans is to develop consistency with fairway woods from tee and off the deck and gain more confidence hitting the dog. But, I did hit a few drives last week and they carried around 230ish and were straight enough. Just a matter of replicating it all on a course and not put pressure on myself.
I shank the occasional ball but Im working on it.

Danny dyers double

Played 9 holes last night . First time playing play as it lies and if I'm honest I really found it difficult , maybe because I'm so use to placing the ball it's something I'll just have to get used to.

My short game needs plenty of work because I feel I'm hitting the ball quite well , So lots of work ahead

dan_ep82

Danny dyers double wrote: »

Played 9 holes last night . First time playing play as it lies and if I'm honest I really found it difficult , maybe because I'm so use to placing the ball it's something I'll just have to get used to.

I have/had the exact same problem as you, started during winter rules so not really used to tight lies ( or bunkers for that matter)

Half of my iron shots on the practice range now are from very tight lies, it helped me a good bit

Wombatman

dan_ep82 wrote: »

I have/had the exact same problem as you, started during winter rules so not really used to tight lies ( or bunkers for that matter)

Half of my iron shots on the practice range now are from very tight lies, it helped me a good bit

It was more the roll out the wrecked my head last week. Greens firm as car parks so longer irons and chips were landing in the right place for winter but rolling to the back or over the back of the green in some cases. Time to club down again from winter and adjust LZ targets for chips.

Wombatman

First handicap reduction ever. Yeah baby.

FixdePitchmark

So the best ever week of golf courses last week - an adventure, loved it.
Entered into it playing the best golf I ever played - then suddenly , an old friend came back , my OTT swing. particularly on Driver.

Bad timing - but - I can't be complaining. Not many get to play golf every day for 5 days straight.

Got news I won my first ever class 1 with a GUI handicap. So , as always with me - up and down.

But feel I can get back quicker now, just 20 minutes with a pro and feel at end of it - I'd have ball back in play.

Other thing - changed bounce on a sand wedge , as I didn't have a real Sandwedge for bunkers - but I use a S/W a good bit from 100 - 115 yards , didn't think such a small change would make such a big difference on tight lies.

Beginning to question if this was wise - as I play a good bit on very tight lies. You test , you learn. This has cost me a good few embarrassing shots :P

So - going to spend a small bit of time at swing again. I just need to let club fall a bit - I really struggle in transition. Too much of a rush.

alxmorgan

On 12.5 since last winter. So played 2 qualifying rounds this year, both in buffer, bookended by a non-qualifying and a casual round, both of which would have got me cut :rolleyes:

Had 38 pts Sat. Sloppy start with 3 bogeys but then 6 pars in a row.
Got sloppy again at start of back 9 but settled down after that.

So I still feel I have the game in there but just need to bring it out with a card in my hand !!

On the plus side my two buffer round had putts of 39/38 but back to 31 on Sat after making some adjustments so hopefully that is a good sign.

thelostboys23

I am finally seeing some improvement in my game from the changes that were made as a result of a few lessons.

Was driving the ball straight and long and irons were very good - only problem is that it was at the range. Had played a few rounds with new grip, swing, stance etc and would go from the sublime to ridiculous in the space of two shots and was getting very frustrated. Took a few weeks off to focus on implementing the changes and I seem to have turbed a corner. Cant wait to get out on the course this weekend.

Whats peoples take on transferring range form to course?

Ben1977

Finally took my own advice and went for a lesson on chipping. 2 problems - sternum was just behind ball and I was hitting at the ball. Hit one fat chip within the hour lesson. Pro said just to keep it simple. Have been spending a hour each evening just trying to release to the target. Seems good contact, ball and then a brush of the grass. Need to fine tune the distance control now.

spacecoyote

thelostboys23 wrote: »

I am finally seeing some improvement in my game from the changes that were made as a result of a few lessons.

Was driving the ball straight and long and irons were very good - only problem is that it was at the range. Had played a few rounds with new grip, swing, stance etc and would go from the sublime to ridiculous in the space of two shots and was getting very frustrated. Took a few weeks off to focus on implementing the changes and I seem to have turbed a corner. Cant wait to get out on the course this weekend.

Whats peoples take on transferring range form to course?

can sometimes be difficult all right as on the range it's easy to slot into a rhythm hitting balls well & you don't have that rhythm on the course. Plus there are actual consequences to a bad shot on the course!

Maybe when you are on the range, if you are happy with your swing, get a smaller bucket of balls & do your full pre shot routine for each shot to try get the feel of how things will go on the course.

Or to add another level to that, play some imaginary holes on the range, say a 400 par 4, you hit drive first, then play your next shot from what would be the resulting position, so if you hit your drive straight & 250yrds, your next shot is a 150yrd approach to a target on the range. If you hook your drive way right, then you have to play a low punch out from under the "trees" to get back in play, etc etc...

thelostboys23

spacecoyote wrote: »

can sometimes be difficult all right as on the range it's easy to slot into a rhythm hitting balls well & you don't have that rhythm on the course. Plus there are actual consequences to a bad shot on the course!

Maybe when you are on the range, if you are happy with your swing, get a smaller bucket of balls & do your full pre shot routine for each shot to try get the feel of how things will go on the course.

Or to add another level to that, play some imaginary holes on the range, say a 400 par 4, you hit drive first, then play your next shot from what would be the resulting position, so if you hit your drive straight & 250yrds, your next shot is a 150yrd approach to a target on the range. If you hook your drive way right, then you have to play a low punch out from under the "trees" to get back in play, etc etc...

Thanks thats actually great advice I think will do that its a good way of approaching practice in the range.

Have been trying to slow down my shots in the range and actually stepping back from each shot rather than blasting through the basket in record time and it seems to have helped also.

Usual playing partners were away so hopefully I can play well when we get back into it :-)

Senna

Games in good shape, driving better, New(ish) set of forgiving irons have help enormously, using my brain lately while chipping, bump and runs when ever I can, only used the 58 wedge once last round. Putting is ok but greens are very inconsistent this time of year, aim is good but speed needs work.

Was out playing Letterkeny this evening, ive played it hundreds of times but today was my first time in over a year, it's funny how you forget how to play a course. Went around net par so was delighted even with all the mistakes.

TrapperChamonix

Much greater effort in the early part of this year. Time spent playing and practicing by end of April is 65hrs in 2014 v's 26 in 2013 and 12 in 2012.

Over the winter I've been working on
- distance control under 100yds, particularly the 9o'clock position.
- mid distance punch
- Driving I'm still working on eliminating my fade and more importantly my big slice and while generally much better, I'm still prone to loosing one out to the right when under pressure.

But my biggest problem is one of concentration and focus. I played the back 9 on Tuesday in 41 and on Sunday night had a similar score on front 9. But I'm not replicating in competition.
I feel I'm getting better but having played with Kevin, Hunter and Fix, I see that I need to work more on punch shots and especially the accuracy of my mid irons.

I am in competition to keep ahead of my 14yr old sons handicap. In 2013 he started the year at 28 and I was 18. By the end of the year he had dropped to 18 while I was at 14.
In 2014 he's already won a men's competition and closed one more shot to 17 over Easter. I'll need to drop 3 or more shots to keep ahead of him by the end of this summer.