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Post by linkslover on Jul 18, 2019 3:57:19 GMT -5
I played Great Yarmouth & Caister while I was on holiday last week. It's a links course that goes round, within and through Great Yarmouth race course. The course has been suffering from last year's hot, dry Summer and this year's recent lack of rain too. A lot of fairways and rough have large bare patches and some of the gorse has died. The course is enjoyable, especially the stretch from 7 through to 14 which are among the best stretch of holes I've played. Also managed to play 41 holes for my £40 green fee. Following a two ball who being miserable bastards didn't want me to join them and with having nobody behind me for what turned out to be 6 holes, I played 2 balls. My main ball was played thoughtfully with irons off many tees and punched shots into the wind. I didn't lose my main ball and scored a respectable 31 points considering I'd never played the course and had nobody to give me advice other than my sat nav. My other ball was played using driver off every non par 3. I drove poorly, lost 4 balls and only scored 22.  When I finished the 18th I looked round to see if I could play some more with one ball. There were 7 players on the first so that wasn't an option. The 14th could have been but an old, slow guy was walking up to the green. I looked across to the 9th and saw a man and woman going down the 10th to play their seconds. I thought I could play 9 to 14. Only when I finished the 10th they were still on the 11th tee. So I played the 9th and 10th yet again and also the 14th before going in, my back aching like @!$# and sweating like a twat in the mid 20 Celcius sunshine. Worth it though.  |
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Post by Giraffe72 on Jul 18, 2019 16:06:08 GMT -5
I'm terrible! But I love to play when I get the chance, which unfortunately is only 8-10 times a year. I fully realise that playing that amount of times gives me no chance of ever improving too much. My goal in life is still to be fit enough when I retire that I can have a good 10 years of golfing in me, that would be grand!
Like others on here, I'm decent off the tee although not the biggest hitter and have a bit of a fade. Oddly I seem to be better with my long irons than my short ones off the fairway, 4 iron is my favourite club in the bag. Chipping and putting round the greens is beyond awful, totally clueless! If I 2-putt I celebrate like Ian Poulter! I suppose my average score would be around 100, my best is a 91 I shot last year around a local course, and that was after a 10 on the opening hole (a par 5)!! Easily the best I have ever played from that point on, even holed a few putts and made a very rare birdie!
For me, as long as I have 2 or 3 holes I play well I can forget about the 10's and the lost balls. Who cares about the 3 I put in the lake at 12, I made up and down for par at 17! That kind of thing. And obviously the 19th, I'm always good at that bit.  |
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Post by linkslover on Jul 19, 2019 6:34:21 GMT -5
There are two big key things with amateur golf. One is that you enjoy playing and two is that your enjoyment does not stop other people enjoying their game. Handicaps, who wins and loses and if you play well or not doesn't really matter.
Saying that when I shot a bogey free five under par 64 at my home course and knocking four shots of my best score two and a bit years ago I couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day!
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Post by gamesdecent on Jul 19, 2019 9:00:46 GMT -5
The best tip I ever got was to play what my game actually is and not what I thought my game was supposed to be.
I'm decent off the tee, but I don't swing hard so I usually only hit good drives 230ish, every now and then I'll get one over 250. I have a 3W that's been in my bag since the 1990's and I'll hit low stingers with it from anywhere on the course, under and around trees, out of the rough, etc. It's my comfort club from anywhere up to about 200 yards out. My long irons are awful, pretty much non-existant, so I have a gap from 200 to about 150 where I'm pretty consistent with my short irons to about 120 yards out, then I have a gap from like 120 to about 50 where I'm not very comfortable. My lob wedge is one of my favorite clubs in the bag, and I can always get it high up in the air and land it soft at about 50 yards. Then I have another gap inside 50 yards where my chipping is a disaster. My putting is pretty good comparable to the rest of my game.
So the biggest jump in scoring for me came when I started breaking each hole down into those yardages that I was comfortable at, which are 50, 120-150, and ~200. So on a 500-yard par 5 that I used to just hit the longest club I had until I reached the green, now I go in thinking of it as 200 (3W) + 150 (7I) + 150 (7I) because I'm comfortable hitting those clubs at consistent yardages. A 400 yard par 4 that used to make me try and play a long iron approach is now 200 (3W) + 150 (7I) + 50 (LW). This took my floor up to 2-putt bogies for the most part, whereas before if I kept track of penalty strokes I might have 3-4 triples or worse in a round. It also gives me birdie opps every once in awhile, and I save a lot more pars when my putting is on.
I've still never broken 90 officially but I have shot 42 on a front-9 before falling apart and shooting 49 on the back, so I'm sure it's right around the corner lol.
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tuxtshirt
Caddy
'Cause I like to party.
Posts: 6
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Post by tuxtshirt on Jul 21, 2019 14:01:35 GMT -5
Hey guys, I don't consider myself to be a terrible golfer. I can get around a course without being embarrassing. However, I usually shoot somewhere in the high 90's into the 100's. Mainly due to lost balls and 3-4 putts. I have always been a fairly long hitter. I can get my drives 265-280 carry. 7-iron about 180 with a very high trajectory. More if I really let loose. I believe a big problem with my game, apart from putting, is that I really like being a long hitter and I try to hit the ball as far as I can. That goes for on the tee as well as with irons. If I could swing an easy 6-iron or try to mash a 7-iron, I will usually go with the 7-iron. It just feels more natural for me to swing hard and explode through the ball. I think that stems from playing baseball all my life and my fast-twitch muscles are conditioned to fire that way. Putting is an adventure for me. I think I am fairly good at reading break. But I am just god-awful at reading speed/distance. The one aspect of my game that I am happy with is my short game. You guys that are good golfers, what did you do to get good? Did it just come natural at a young age, did you get lessons to improve. Would like to especially hear from fellow long hitters that actually score well. How do you hit long but still stay within yourself to be accurate? I would like to keep the power I have but find a way to improve accuracy, but if I have to dial it back to gain accuracy, that's fine too. I've just never tried it and it feels weird. Bottom line, I would like to just start a thread for guys to discuss how they play in real life and what they do to get better.You start off by telling us that you take penalty strokes and often 3-putt. I doubt your “swinging hard” is truly your problem unless that is the cause of your penalty strokes. If you can “swing hard” but keep the ball out of trouble you should look to your putting and shot selection. Most experienced amateurs can break 90 simply by avoiding 3 putts and eliminating penalty strokes. Golf is a scoring game. Hit the shots that you know have a likelihood of staying in play and work on your putting. Your lack of speed control on the greens is absolutely the reason you take too many putts. Speed is more important than line. How do you learn speed? Practice on the green until you have a good feel for different length putts. In my opinion, too many people practice putting by taking three balls to the practice green and hitting 5-15 ft putts over and over. Take one ball instead and practice lag putting from various distances. This will give you a much better feel for speed. |
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Post by Art Vandelay on Aug 8, 2019 14:59:34 GMT -5
Full disclosure: IRL I am a 14 handicap. Duffer by any definition.
Way back nearly 20 years ago I hit my best stride. My handicap was 7, mainly because I played on the average 3 times a week for 3 years. Best round back then was an even par 72, securing that with a long putt for par on the last.
Then life got in the way. Frozen shoulder, kids and their activities, working harder at the job. But now I enjoy the game even more, cause I know I used to be good and now I just want to have fun.
Was never a long hitter, but over the years I have become better at keeping the ball in play. Short game comes and goes, but I've always felt that I am a good putter. Even if the numbers don't agree.
Monday's niner was good, 2 bogeys 1 double and 6 pars. 4 over and I was VERY pleased.
Tuesday's round started ominously. Was bragging about my putting (REALLY stooooooopid of me) and promptly 3 putted 3 of the first 4 holes. Managed to rally enough to shoot an 87 albeit with 37 putts.
Playing Friday with folks probably much better than me. Playing Saturday with my daughter. Guess which game I am looking forward to most.
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Post by lessthanbread on Aug 8, 2019 16:27:47 GMT -5
Here's something I found kind of interesting. I still say I am a very poor putter but I have noticed I actually putt better on "tougher" greens. Around where I live, you have an abundance of regular, run-of-the-mill, public courses that I mostly play on. These courses feature medium-slow greens with very little break on most holes. I cannot make a decent putt on these greens to save my life.
Now, when I have gotten the opportunity to play really nice courses that feature faster greens with more undulations, I find my putting game improves. I think it comes down to when playing on greens with more break, the break is more obvious. I can see with my two eyes it's going to break a lot left/right. With flatter greens the break isn't as apparent a lot of the time. And with the speed difference, I think it's much easier for me to control my line and speed when I just have to lightly feather the ball towards the cup rather than feel like I have to hit the ball harder to get it there.
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Post by 15eicheltower9 on Aug 9, 2019 16:52:03 GMT -5
Here's something I found kind of interesting. I still say I am a very poor putter but I have noticed I actually putt better on "tougher" greens. Around where I live, you have an abundance of regular, run-of-the-mill, public courses that I mostly play on. These courses feature medium-slow greens with very little break on most holes. I cannot make a decent putt on these greens to save my life. Now, when I have gotten the opportunity to play really nice courses that feature faster greens with more undulations, I find my putting game improves. I think it comes down to when playing on greens with more break, the break is more obvious. I can see with my two eyes it's going to break a lot left/right. With flatter greens the break isn't as apparent a lot of the time. And with the speed difference, I think it's much easier for me to control my line and speed when I just have to lightly feather the ball towards the cup rather than feel like I have to hit the ball harder to get it there. I don't think it's the break. It's in your mind. When you have a huge undulation you focus on a spot and picture the roll. When you have a small break or flat putt you're focusing on your swing plane and tempo, it's not natural. Case in point, you're evaluating it on a forum. Stop over thinking it. |
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 11, 2019 4:47:29 GMT -5
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Post by Art Vandelay on Aug 11, 2019 7:55:49 GMT -5
Friday's round was fun but not my best. The playing partners were great, the course and weather magnificent. My game was just not quite there. Mostly had to due with my swing plane being too flat and me not recognizing it in time. I did win a closest to the pin and make that putt for my lone birdie.
Saturday was much more enjoyable, probably because I was playing with my daughter which only happens once a year. The course was more familiar and less demanding, and the company and weather was as good as Friday. Remembered the swing plane issue and that helped keep me more consistently in play, had more trouble transitioning from the lightning fast greens of Friday's course to the regular greens. Left a few putts short but did not bother my enjoyment.
Related sidebar: ordered new "preowned" driver and 5 wood to match the 3 wood i have in my bag and like. They arrived yesterday, 5 wood in perfect condition the driver....not so much. Shaft was snapped in half, box looked like it had been used before and had been run over by a semi. In conversations with the seller, he sounds willing to refund me the price of a replacement shaft provided it's at a reasonable cost.
My question is, this is one of the new screw in shafts of recent technology. If I go to the local PGA Tour Superstore will they have a shaft ready to go or will they have to order or assemble one? Head is a TaylorMade SLDR model. Any feedback would be appreciated.
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Post by cephyn on Aug 11, 2019 13:26:22 GMT -5
My short game is really good. I learned to play the game on pitch-n-putt and executive courses. I'm really solid inside 100 yards, considering I don't get to play very often and its been over a decade since my last lessons. But I can't hit anything reliable off the tee. Can't hit drivers, woods, even hybrids cause me trouble. I slice my 5I more often than I hit it straight. The 6I is my first 'reliable' club. I've never come close to breaking 100. My goal this summer was to break 100 but I ended up having a child instead, so that kinda killed the 'summer of golf' plans I had! The last time I got out on the course, I attempted to really focus on course management, since I won't be able to get lessons anytime soon now. I watched a bunch of Golf Sidekick videos about course management and his "Way of the Playa" and Stress Free Golf. I highly recommend. www.youtube.com/channel/UCaeGjmOiTxekbGUDPKhoU-AUsing his tips, I basically only took 6I and sometimes a 5W off the tees and shot a dead-on 100, my best score pretty much ever, not correcting for slope and rating. It was a really awesome moment for me, and I had a ton of fun on the course (for the first time in a while) doing it. My long term goal is basically to be able to reliably play bogey golf. But I desperately need lessons to help me hit the longer clubs and get my ball striking more reliable. I took some video of my swing last night but I can't see what I'm doing wrong, I need a professional! I play a mish-mash of clubs in the bag...3I thru SW I have Callaway X20s. I have a Ping G10 Driver. I have a generic clone Acer XP 3W, 5W and Approach Wedge (which I use for almost everything inside 70 yds and it's awesome). I have clone 2H and 3H, I forget what they're clones of even. And then a heavy 2ball clone putter, which I love. |
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Post by lessthanbread on Aug 11, 2019 15:16:14 GMT -5
Yes Golf Sidekick is awesome! He makes such good videos and has great advice for us high handicappers
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Post by jacobkessler on Aug 11, 2019 16:51:56 GMT -5
 Not all states participated (and not all that participated are listed), but this chart is both interesting and surprising to me. But my State is #1, so ha, take that ‘Murica! By the way, playing for the first time in a few weeks tomorrow. Wish me luck... I’ll need it lol |
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Post by Warwick Todd on Aug 11, 2019 23:49:30 GMT -5
Not all states participated (and not all that participated are listed), but this chart is both interesting and surprising to me. But my State is #1, so ha, take that ‘Murica! By the way, playing for the first time in a few weeks tomorrow. Wish me luck... I’ll need it lol Everyone needs a nickname I can cheekily insult them with - until I come up with something better it’s ‘data’. |
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Post by gopreds66 on Aug 12, 2019 15:40:43 GMT -5
Friday's round was fun but not my best. The playing partners were great, the course and weather magnificent. My game was just not quite there. Mostly had to due with my swing plane being too flat and me not recognizing it in time. I did win a closest to the pin and make that putt for my lone birdie. Saturday was much more enjoyable, probably because I was playing with my daughter which only happens once a year. The course was more familiar and less demanding, and the company and weather was as good as Friday. Remembered the swing plane issue and that helped keep me more consistently in play, had more trouble transitioning from the lightning fast greens of Friday's course to the regular greens. Left a few putts short but did not bother my enjoyment. Related sidebar: ordered new "preowned" driver and 5 wood to match the 3 wood i have in my bag and like. They arrived yesterday, 5 wood in perfect condition the driver....not so much. Shaft was snapped in half, box looked like it had been used before and had been run over by a semi. In conversations with the seller, he sounds willing to refund me the price of a replacement shaft provided it's at a reasonable cost. My question is, this is one of the new screw in shafts of recent technology. If I go to the local PGA Tour Superstore will they have a shaft ready to go or will they have to order or assemble one? Head is a TaylorMade SLDR model. Any feedback would be appreciated. I bought a used SLDR driver about 2 years ago that the owner had put an updated shaft in. I'm no equipment expert, but I would say that most golf equipment stores would have a compatible shaft in stock. |
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