Golf!!!2!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

Anyone here tried a belly putter? I've realized that I need to sink more putts to get my scores down. Maybe someone here has one and I could borrow it for a few rounds if you've given up on it?

I used 3 putters this year and a talk with my pro suggested I work on my lag putts. Not putting the ball in the cup per say but getting it real close. Once I got that mastered I began to sink more putts and am down to an average of no more than 2 putts per hole with maybe a couple of 3's per round. that alone got my handi -cap down a few points. Now if I could only hit straight drives consistantly

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

I used 3 putters this year and a talk with my pro suggested I work on my lag putts. Not putting the ball in the cup per say but getting it real close. Once I got that mastered I began to sink more putts and am down to an average of no more than 2 putts per hole with maybe a couple of 3's per round. that alone got my handi -cap down a few points. Now if I could only hit straight drives consistantly

It's always something!

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Dion

I used 3 putters this year and a talk with my pro suggested I work on my lag putts. Not putting the ball in the cup per say but getting it real close. Once I got that mastered I began to sink more putts and am down to an average of no more than 2 putts per hole with maybe a couple of 3's per round. that alone got my handi -cap down a few points. Now if I could only hit straight drives consistantly

Putting has been one thing I have religiously tracked (honestly at that) over the past few seasons. Given that putting is about 1/3 of my score I figured that would be the single biggest item that would make an difference. My goal is to average 2 putts/hole and I am pretty consistently at that mark. Part of it is I've worked pretty hard at it but I will also admit much has to do with the fact my iron game sucks so I do not hit many greens on my approach shots. As a result I am chipping almost every hole and as a result am probably getting the ball closer to the hole (shorter putts) than if I could actually hit a GIR. So my putting and my iron game tend to work opposite to each other. Poor irons = shorter putts = better putts/hole. Better irons=longer putts= more putts/hole.

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by Dion

I used 3 putters this year and a talk with my pro suggested I work on my lag putts. Not putting the ball in the cup per say but getting it real close. Once I got that mastered I began to sink more putts and am down to an average of no more than 2 putts per hole with maybe a couple of 3's per round. that alone got my handi -cap down a few points. Now if I could only hit straight drives consistantly

I'm living here right now. Started to get better with my longer shots and as a result I'm on the green in regulation much more often than before. However, I'm not used to long puts since I used to just hit it close to the green and chip on much closer. My mantra for anything over about 10 feet is to just put it close enough to make on the second shot - often that means I avoid playing too much break and learn from how the ball breaks on the first putt. Results are slowly coming.

[core_upt]

So with Fall Golf quickly upon us, leaves are going to be the main hazard.
It's super frustrating hitting an OK shot to the edge of a fairway, or first cut, that should be easily found. Only to end up lost in any number of fallen leaves.



Do you guys take a drop (stroke) for a ball lost that should be found in normal conditions?

Any courses that have less deciduous trees? My fall list: Blue Devil, GlenEagles, Collicut Siding.

[GomerPile]

I love all this chatter on how people are always trying to improve. It is one of the great aspects of golf. I have tried something new this year, as I have always been a decent putter of the ball, I needed a new metric. I count my own personal Ticks, hoping for 9 a side and 18 total - which would mean I am playing well.

A tick is made up of either a Fairway hit and or a GIR. So up to 2 ticks per hole. My course has 5 Par 3's for a maximum of 31 ticks. As you cant hit a fairway on a par 3.

For me - it has been a fun way to look back at a score that maybe you had a couple of blow-up holes and say "Hmm I actually had 17 ticks, in general, I played pretty well". It has helped me stay more positive on my game and getting more into each shot.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by core_upt

So with Fall Golf quickly upon us, leaves are going to be the main hazard.

It's super frustrating hitting an OK shot to the edge of a fairway, or first cut, that should be easily found. Only to end up lost in any number of fallen leaves.

Do you guys take a drop (stroke) for a ball lost that should be found in normal conditions?

Any courses that have less deciduous trees? My fall list: Blue Devil, GlenEagles, Collicut Siding.

Bright red balls (Callaway or Volvik) are easy to find in the rough. I keep a dozen in my bag during the leaf season.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

Bright red balls (Callaway or Volvik) are easy to find in the rough. I keep a dozen in my bag during the leaf season.

I just hit down the fairway, but I guess we all have our preferences!

Also, balls are surprisingly easy to find in the sand...

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by GomerPile

My course has 5 Par 3's for a maximum of 31 ticks. As you cant hit a fairway on a par 3.

Oh hell yeah you can. I do it all the time, and never leave myself more than a 100 yard approach.

[Rutuu]

Responding to the players that keep stats.

I track my rounds with Stableford scoring. It tosses out the bad holes and keeps you interested with the good ones. I prefer it for partner games as well over match/skins/stroke.

Give it a whirl...a 36+ day feels great even if you card a Gordie Howe.

[jayswin]

My feelings on keeping score are that it's up to the individual and how they perceive what golf is to them. I think serious golfers have to remember that 80% of golfers are trying to get better so they can have fun and not get frustrated a few times a summer with friends and family, not score into tournaments or join a tour.

If you're trying to get really good and you play tournaments so you need to know where you're at, don't get too judgy or frustrated with a guy not counting his missed shank off the first tee as 3 strokes, therefore destroying any chance of enjoying his round before he leaves the first tee.

[jayswin]

Now when it's the guys that actually claim to be really good, and tell tales of great rounds or tournament finishes and then they're suddenly going "OKAY, that tree is bull****, I should not have to play that!!", then yeah, it's really annoying.

[jayswin]

For me, it kind of goes like this (and I'm getting towards no cheating at all, but need to balance frustration with progress as we're all doing this to have fun, right?)


Real score
- Well hit ball but slices in the water
- blow a bunker shot
- crappy lie just off the fairway (tree, bush etc), if I have to chip out 20 yards, so be it


Still not counting all the time
- get to a round after work, straight to first tee cold, bad first drive lost (nope, not yet, that's still too soul destroying)
- Really poor shape courses with awful off fairway conditions, place ball to nearest semi hittable spot
- horrid, concrete sand, try once and if it doesn't work hit from beside the sand

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

Give it a whirl...a 36+ day feels great even if you card a Gordie Howe.

That made me laugh!

The guys I play with refer to it as "The German" or "The Nazi."

Singleton. Deuce. Three Amigos. Quattro. Nickle. Ugly. Hockey stick. Snowman. The German. Moose. Horney Moose. Ruler. Anything greater than a dozen = Clubs are on ebay.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

I just hit down the fairway, but I guess we all have our preferences!

Also, balls are surprisingly easy to find in the sand...

When leaves are covering the fairways it's often hard to find your ball when a leaf is covering it

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by jayswin

For me, it kind of goes like this (and I'm getting towards no cheating at all, but need to balance frustration with progress as we're all doing this to have fun, right?)


Real score
- Well hit ball but slices in the water
- blow a bunker shot
- crappy lie just off the fairway (tree, bush etc), if I have to chip out 20 yards, so be it


Still not counting all the time
- get to a round after work, straight to first tee cold, bad first drive lost (nope, not yet, that's still too soul destroying)
- Really poor shape courses with awful off fairway conditions, place ball to nearest semi hittable spot
- horrid, concrete sand, try once and if it doesn't work hit from beside the sand

I think those are all reasonable things. When I play with friends (even for money) a lot of those things are how we go by. The last 2 especially we sort of feel like golf should be played as it was designed.. Playable sand.. grass in the fairway.. and what not.

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by jayswin

My feelings on keeping score are that it's up to the individual and how they perceive what golf is to them. I think serious golfers have to remember that 80% of golfers are trying to get better so they can have fun and not get frustrated a few times a summer with friends and family, not score into tournaments or join a tour.

If you're trying to get really good and you play tournaments so you need to know where you're at, don't get too judgy or frustrated with a guy not counting his missed shank off the first tee as 3 strokes, therefore destroying any chance of enjoying his round before he leaves the first tee.

I've taken this approach lately - who cares how others play the game especially since it doesn't affect you. Ten mulligans - sure! Five foot gimmies - have at it! We are all out there to have fun anyway. It's very freeing to be honest.

[Tron_fdc]

The day I card more than a 10 on a hole (even if it took me 15) is the day I quit golf.

My game has made some SERIOUS improvements the last few years, but at the start of my "journey" if I couldn't cheat at golf I wouldn't play. 2 mullys per 9, liberal gimmes, single stroke penalties, foot wedges, you name it. If I actually played 100% to the rules as a garbage golfer I would finish in the 170's and promptly quit playing.

I've found that as I get better and better I take far less liberties (if any) while I play.

[8sPOT]

I chose to play by the rules, maybe because I played in tourneys as a junior. It sort of just stuck with me. I honestly wouldn't be bothered if I got a 9 or a 10, and I do sometimes.


Oddly enough the thing that irks me is guys put their score on the scorecard as if they're entering into the computer for their handicap. In other words, depending on their handicap they maybe cant take more than a double bogey when entering your round. So if they got an 8 on a par 4 they write 6 on the scorecard. Bothers me more than it should.

At the end of the day, golf should be fun. A lot of people take mulligans, dont count strokes, use the foot wedge etc, but if they're learning, having fun, getting some exercise then who cares.

[2ArmBands]

Depends on your situation I think. If you are playing say regular mens league, Club Championships, maintaining a handicap... it only makes sense to play by the rules.

There are a lot of 15 or so handicaps at our course that constantly complain about never placing and winning money on mens nights. Some of whom I have played with and I watch them take the same liberties over and over again. Lots of gimmes, stroke and distance for OB, the list goes on... They pretty much never shoot their handicap during any league or club event because they are driving down their handicaps during regular play. For some reason, their handicap on Golf Canada and how low it is ...is most important

Our Mens League is pretty simple...if you shoot your cap your likely in the money every week. Which is how it should be especially with them tightening it to best 8 of 20 rounds this year.