Edit: What golf club should I buy?.. and some great golf advice from HOOT...

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

A guy playing in front of me this weekend had an 80 degree wedge, spatula is what he called it.

I can't imagine what use that would be, but sounds fun!

Alway carry, unless I am forced to cart. I despise carts. Most holes I've walked in a day is 51.

Don't think I've ever counted an opponents clubs, but I keep my set legit. If I was playing someone for money and noticed he had like 4 hybrids and 5 wedges with a full compliment of woods and irons, I'd probably call him out on it.

Oh man!!!! You played golf last weekend! I am so jealous. I'm just dying to get out and try my new clubs.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by HOOT

I usually carry 17 but don't tell anyone. I'm too lazy to empty my bag or misplace a club so I keep them together but I have two lob wedges, 2 sandwedges and I never use my 3-iron so if I had to be at 14 I could with no effect on my game.

If I was you I would invest in a Gap/Fairway wedge before a lob wedge. If you need to hit a sky shot, once maybe twice a round, just open up your sandwedge a bit along with your stance and you get the same effect.

It would also depend on the type of game you have. What do you normally shoot? How long do you hit your driver, 5 iron, PW?

I usually shoot in the 90's. My two biggest flaws are accuracy in my approach shot to the green (I tend to miss a lot and end up chipping on to the green) and my putting (its amazing how many 3 puts I'll make in a round).

I normally hit my driver about 230 yds (like I said... I'm getting old.. )
I hit my 5 iron about 160 yds
I hit my PW about 100 yds.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I usually shoot in the 90's. My two biggest flaws are accuracy in my approach shot to the green (I tend to miss a lot and end up chipping on to the green) and my putting (its amazing how many 3 puts I'll make in a round).

I normally hit my driver about 230 yds (like I said... I'm getting old.. )
I hit my 5 iron about 160 yds
I hit my PW about 100 yds.

Just curious if you have a 'favorite' spot to miss the green? Left, right, long, short? Or a mixed bag? In a normal 18 hole round how many greens do you regularly hit?

What club or shot type do you normally use when you miss the green to get it towards the hole?

Those distances are actually fine, your a weekend golfer not a PGA professional. As long as you know them and can play within your own game it doesn't matter how far you hit it. I was just curious to see where you might need help in your game with clubs but I stick with my original gap wedge suggestion if getting on the green is where you have difficulties, gives you one extra club in that wedge range so you don't have to try and kill a SW or ease up on a PW.

As for your three putts that usually comes down to one thing and one thing only. Trying to make the putt on those long putts. For any amateur golfer my recommendation is anything over 20ft your goal should be to get it within 3ft of the hole, not in it. If it goes in than bonus but back when I was teaching I would see it far too often that a student would try and make those long putts and in the process would scoot it by 10ft because they were trying so hard to make it. I know it sounds like a weird concept because you always want to make the putts but lagging them close can be your friend and save your 3 putting.

Sorry for all the questions...

[The Goon]

I always carry when possible. That way, at the end of the round when my scorecard is abysmal, I can say, "At least I got some exercise."

There are times when I'm forced to ride, like playing (for example) Stewart Creek, where it would take ten minutes to walk between some holes because of the layout.

[Rerun]

Good questions... I appreciate the advice...

Originally Posted by HOOT

Just curious if you have a 'favorite' spot to miss the green? Left, right, long, short? Or a mixed bag? In a normal 18 hole round how many greens do you regularly hit?

Answer: I usually miss to the right. I would say in 18 holes I hit the green about 6 to 8 times

What club or shot type do you normally use when you miss the green to get it towards the hole?

Answer: On par 4's I am usually using something between a 8 iron and a 5 iron... depending on the distance of the par 4. On par 5's I am usually using a 9 iron or pitching wedge.

Those distances are actually fine, your a weekend golfer not a PGA professional. As long as you know them and can play within your own game it doesn't matter how far you hit it. I was just curious to see where you might need help in your game with clubs but I stick with my original gap wedge suggestion if getting on the green is where you have difficulties, gives you one extra club in that wedge range so you don't have to try and kill a SW or ease up on a PW.

Answer: Yeah... a lot of times I'm too close in to use a full swing on a PW but too far to use a SW. My old LW was used primarily around the greens (after missing them that is).

As for your three putts that usually comes down to one thing and one thing only. Trying to make the putt on those long putts. For any amateur golfer my recommendation is anything over 20ft your goal should be to get it within 3ft of the hole, not in it. If it goes in than bonus but back when I was teaching I would see it far too often that a student would try and make those long putts and in the process would scoot it by 10ft because they were trying so hard to make it. I know it sounds like a weird concept because you always want to make the putts but lagging them close can be your friend and save your 3 putting.

Answer: Yeah... 10ft past the hole.... LOL.... that sounds very familiar...Good advice.

Sorry for all the questions...

[HOOT]

Well it is tough to fix a swing online but your misses to the right are they straight right? Or a slicing to the right?

I'm assuming you are Right handed.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Well it is tough to fix a swing online but your misses to the right are they straight right? Or a slicing to the right?

I'm assuming you are Right handed.

I usually tend to push it right... so its generally straight right (I think it might be an alignment issue.... I'm thinking I'm lined up properly with the green/pin but I'm probably pointed further to the right than I think I am). ... and yes, I am right handed.

I know if I could hit the greens more consistantly I would be a lot less dependent on a lob wedge.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I usually tend to push it right... so its generally straight right (I think it might be an alignment issue.... I'm thinking I'm lined up properly with the green/pin but I'm probably pointed further to the right than I think I am). ... and yes, I am right handed.

I know if I could hit the greens more consistantly I would be a lot less dependent on a lob wedge.

Well even getting on to the green after missing it the lob wedge should almost be your last resort, something you use getting over a bunker, water, no green to work with. Hitting a lob wedge you are bringing too many things into your swing that could get you in more trouble. Where if you took your PW/9I and played the shot like you were putting (just straight arm, make the club to the work not your wrists) you would get better results. The quicker you can get it on the ground (the green) the better chance you have of getting it close as a amateur.

Next time you are on the range check your alignment. Set up to the ball like you normally were going to hit it with your 7-5I and instead of hitting the ball take your club and place it in front of your feet (without moving them obviously) leave it on the ground and step back and see where it is aimed.

If you are looking to the right of where your target was that is an easy fix. When you line up to take your shot, step back and look at the line between your ball and the target (remember you don't always have to shoot it towards the pin, hitting the middle of the green is never a bad idea ). Now that you are behind the ball, have your line, find something a few feet front of the ball that is in that line. Could be a leaf, old divot, whatever it may be just keep your eye on it. Now take your club and align it with that mark a few feet in front of your ball and then get in your stance making sure your feet are parallel to that small target. Now you are trying to align yourself with something just a few feet away not 150 yards, makes it much easier.

Personally once I pick my mark on the ground just in front of the ball I don't even look at the target (green) again after that, just concentrate on hitting the ball over that mark and you will hit more towards the target you want. I really recommend not looking at the green after aligning and worry about your mark because after years of aiming to the right your body/mind will do weird things because it will look/feel weird for you for the first while. Even if you watch professionals, even Tigger Woods, once he is in his stance he never looks at the target(green) but looks a few feet in front of him, doing the same thing.

If you are lined up correctly what it will come down to is where the ball is in your stance. Most likely would mean you would just have to move the ball up (towards your front foot) so when the club comes through it is square, you could just be hitting the ball too 'early' in your swing leaving your club face open that tiny bit to send it to the right.

Things like lagging the putt instead of trying to make everyone, aligning with something a little in front of me and chipping instead of lobbing around the green brought me from a low-80's when I was younger to low-70's now when I play. Hopefully that all made sense, weird to type it out for me, but any questions or more detail let me know.

[Rerun]

Wow HOOT, thats great advice.

I can really see where you're coming from... especially the stuff about lining up your shot with a marker on the ground in front of the ball instead of trying to line up by looking at the green. I know this because I 10 pin bowl and I never look at the pins when I'm throwing my ball. I always aim for one of the marker arrows that are 15 ft in front of the foul line. If I aim by just looking at the pins I will consistently miss my shot every time. I never really thought about doing the same thing in golf. Great advice!

I will also keep in mind the stuff you said about moving the ball up in my stance. For all I know my problem may be an alignment issue or a stance issue or a combination of both. Good stuff! Thanks.

As for working on my chipping by using the pw or 9.... yeah... I know I have to work on that.... I tend to over use my lw because I have better distance control where if I use a 9 or a pw I'm always worried that I will hit my shot short or long. I guess the secret is practice and stroke it more like a putter than an iron, like you said.

[Rerun]

One question HOOT...

When you pick a mark on the ground to use to line your approach shot with, how far away from the ball do you pick a mark? Also, do you do that with every shot?... from the tee box and on the green? When putting I usually aim for the hole if its a straight shot or if there is a break I will aim for a spot a few inches to the right or left of the hole. Do you do this or do you aim for a spot before the hole?
When hitting off the tee box I just aim for a location way down the fairway... and the same goes for hitting off the fairway if I can't make the green from where I lie.


P.S. I've edited the title of this thread to reflect the direction that it has turned and to give praise where praise is due. Thanks HOOT.

[The Goon]

All this golf talk in late December while it's -15 and snowing is making me want to cry.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by The Goon

All this golf talk in late December while it's -15 and snowing is making me want to cry.

Damnit Goon! You just destroyed my fantasy golf game and brought me crashing back to reality. Brrrr.... its cold outside.... Two minutes ago it was 72 deg. F outside and I was making my approach shot to the green...

[Slava]

I'm going to give that a shot this summer as well (great to get advice online to fix your golf game in December, but even better when someone else has the same problem as you and you can use the same answer!)

I have never counted anyones clubs. I know my father in law does though, so I always keep 14 or less. I prefer walking the course for the most part, but like to use a cart for my clubs. Some courses now you have to use a cart....that is fine, but I find walking is a nicer day.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

One question HOOT...

When you pick a mark on the ground to use to line your approach shot with, how far away from the ball do you pick a mark?

There is no one right distance. I usually try and find something within the first 5ft or so but sometimes you aren't that lucky because there may be nothing near your ball in the middle of the fairway or rough.

Remember though this is where you want your ball to start. If you normally hit a little left to right shot you would want to take that into consideration when picking your spot. So for example with the left to right shot you may want to pick a target/mark a little left of the flag to allow that movement.

Also, do you do that with every shot?... from the tee box and on the green?

Tee to green! Every shot you take, even a 20 yard pitch shot to a 550 yard par 5.

Speaking of the tee one thing most people do, just look where the wear is on the tee box, is set up right smack in the middle of the tee box. You are actually making the fairway much smaller this way.

Again this goes to the type of shot type you hit MOST of the time. Being a weekend golfer it can be hard to get a consistent drive but if you hit a Left to Right shot, put your tee on the right side of the tee box. If you hit a Right to Left shot, put your tee on the left side of the tee box.

The concept might seem weird but it actually works because if you hit a left to right shot and put your tee on the right side you are going to have the tendency to aim a bit more left giving you more fairway. Hopefully this ghetto photoshop will make sense.



(This is Elbow Springs Golf Club, I use to work here so that's why I used it as an example. )

Red: Teeing it up in the middle of the tee box and aiming straight down the middle with a shot that moves left to right.
Green: Teeing it up on the right hand side of the tee box and aiming out a little to the left.

See how with the "green" shot how the ball stays in the fairway the whole time. That is the concept I am trying to explain, hopefully the picture helps.

I actually find the side of the tee box I want to hit it from, depending on the shot I want to play (you may not have different shots in your bag, so use your normal shot you normally hit) and then put my tee in the ground right where there is a nice/easy spot to keep my eye on it when I move back to set up.

When putting I usually aim for the hole if its a straight shot or if there is a break I will aim for a spot a few inches to the right or left of the hole. Do you do this or do you aim for a spot before the hole?

First little tip I would give for any golfer having trouble putting is start drawing a line on your ball to help your direction. You would be shocked how off line you actually are after doing this. Again the best in the world use this technique. And it is all within the rules.

I will bend down and putt the ball on the ground with the line going towards the target, before picking up my marker I will step back and look at the line to confirm it is correct. If not fix it, if it is good pick up your marker and get ready to go.

What this does is it takes away one less thing you have to figure out or read. Now that you have your line all perfect all you have to worry is the weight of your putt, not both.

Something like this you can buy at GolfTown for like $5: https://www.hobokengolf.com/zc/images/line-m-up.jpg

Second never aim for the hole, even on the longest or shortest putts. Do you leave a lot of putts short?

On straight putts especially what you want to do is aim where the ball will end up 2ft PAST the hole. Why would you do this? Well it makes sure you are hitting the ball to the hole, not dying right at the lip of the cup or the biggest sin in golf, leaving a putt short. Also if it slips past the hole a 1-2ft is a tap in for almost anyone so not only are you giving the ball a chance to go in, you are not shaking coming back the other way.

Breaking putts are a little harder to explain but the best way to get better results and forget the hole, figure out where you need the ball to 'die' so it will take the break to the hole. This other ghetto photoshop will hopefully explain a little bit more. Assume that this green isn't flat but runs left to right from standing behind the "ball".



Red X: Where most amateurs will aim the ball to play the break and it will usually either go flying past the hole to the left or will be 15ft short on the right.

Green X: Where you should be aiming the putt. Basically pretending or tricking your mind into thinking that spot (Green X) is where you need to putt it and letting the break and gravity do the rest.

Also one of the best things you can do, but the hardest to do for any golfer is keeping your head still and down on putts. Anything less than 8ft you should HEAR it go in the hole not see it. I know we all love enjoying our own shots but if you want to improve you will have to get that out of your system.

I can't remember who said it (old school golfer) but he said something like "Why would I want to watch myself miss the putt, when I can hear it go in?"

P.S. I've edited the title of this thread to reflect the direction that it has turned and to give praise where praise is due. Thanks HOOT.

Ya I kinda took it off-topic a bit...that's not like me, isn't it?

As you can tell I kinda like golf so if you have any more questions or need clarifications let me know. I honestly don't mind.

PS. Would this be a bad time to mention I can golf all year around on the this island?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm going to give that a shot this summer as well (great to get advice online to fix your golf game in December, but even better when someone else has the same problem as you and you can use the same answer!)

I have never counted anyones clubs. I know my father in law does though, so I always keep 14 or less. I prefer walking the course for the most part, but like to use a cart for my clubs. Some courses now you have to use a cart....that is fine, but I find walking is a nicer day.

To tell the truth... I do prefer walking. It gives me more time to think about my next shot and to survey the situation. I get this rushed feeling when I'm playing power cart golf. I also hate the fact that when you have a power cart, on a lot of courses, you are not allowed to drive on the fairway.... therefore you have to park you cart on the path and grab what you think will be the right club(s) and head over to hit your ball. If you make the wrong choice you either have to use the wrong club or run back to the cart for the right one. Its nice when you have your bag and clubs right there with you.... plus, every time I have ever lost a club or a head cover , I've been driving a cart.

But on some courses they won't let you walk or if they do its a tough go because there are so many hills and so much walking involved.

[HOOT]

^^^ For picking clubs in the Power Cart I always pick the club I think I need and then take the club before and after it so I have three clubs with me and don't have to make due or worse rush back to the cart and back to the ball.

If you take three clubs and still don't have the right one just pick it up and throw it.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rerun

This brings up another interesting question...

How many people here regularly...

1. Walk the course and carry their own clubs
2. Walk the course and use a pull/push cart
3. Rent a power cart.

For me, the only time I do #1 is if I'm playing nine holes. I find that carrying my own bag is just too tiring (but then again I usually have way too many clubs and other stuff in it making it quite heavy) ... and I'm old too...

I just got a Clicgear push cart
about 3 weeks before my clubs were stolen last summer. I used it a couple of times and love it. I plan on using it a whole lot more this summer.

As for renting a power cart.... I usually do that if the course is fairly hilly. I hate playing golf on a course where there is a lot of climbing so that by the time I get to the 18th hole I'm just dragging my ass.

I prefer to walk the course and also bought a clicgear cart. It's a great cart that is easy to push and takes away from the wear and tear on the shoulders you get from using a pull cart. I played 68 rounds of golf this past summer and had zero shoulder problems. That cart was the best investment I ever made.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Also one of the best things you can do, but the hardest to do for any golfer is keeping your head still and down on putts. Anything less than 8ft you should HEAR it go in the hole not see it. I know we all love enjoying our own shots but if you want to improve you will have to get that out of your system.

Yeah. Thats a tough one to do. I try to do that but really have to force myself. My problem tends to usually be distance control... usually short more often than not. I will try that trick of pretending the cup 2 ft past where it actually is. Doing this will also probably really help on those uphill puts where 7 times out of 10 I'm usually short.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Dion

I prefer to walk the course and also bought a clicgear cart. It's a great cart that is easy to push and takes away from the wear and tear on the shoulders you get from using a pull cart. I played 68 rounds of golf this past summer and had zero shoulder problems. That cart was the best investment I ever made.

I agree. Thats why I got it too. Way easier on the shoulder than pulling a cart... particularly when you are going uphill. Great product. Pushing is so much easier than pulling.

Plus... if its really hot and sunny out you can put up the umbrella attachment and walk the course in the shade.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Yeah. Thats a tough one to do. I try to do that but really have to force myself. My problem tends to usually be distance control... usually short more often than not. I will try that trick of pretending the cup 2 ft past where it actually is. Doing this will also probably really help on those uphill puts where 7 times out of 10 I'm usually short.

Uphill puts just take the break out of the putt and slam it in the back of the cup. Depending on how big the climb is aim a bit further past the hole and opposite for downhill putts.

The biggest thing is forgetting the hole and concentrating on the spot you need to hit to get it in the hole. It is very rare where you are actually aiming to die it into the hole.

Also on your first time out this season don't try and remember all these things I told you. Go out and practice on the range these things and find a pre-shot routine that works for you. That alone will help you with your overall game and before you know it you won't even be thinking about looking for a spot you will just do it.

I could honestly go on all day about this stuff. We need to do a CP golf tourny!