13 tried and true tips that will really help.
Jul 11, 2015 23:47:18 GMT -5
Doyley, mav78, and 13 more like this
Post by jamesearl13 on Jul 11, 2015 23:47:18 GMT -5
1. The rule of 3 to calculate distance to flag w elevation change.
When facing any elevation change, divide the number of feet the shot is uphill or downhill by 3, if uphill add that many yards to to the flag's distance, if downhill, subtract that many yards.
2. Always take a full swing
Don't ever try to manipulate the distance of your shot by trying to take a 90% swing. Use the loft to trim distance off of a full 100% swing. Don't be afraid to keep a calculator on hand if you are not mathematically gifted. (The only exception here is if you're inside 20 yds w a max lofted lw flop shot.)
3. Use the scout cam to find the right landing area on greens
This seems to go without saying, but I'm amazed at how many people fail to take account of the bounce and roll the ball will take when it hits the green. Take the extra 5 seconds to take a good look at the green before firing in your approach. This really comes into play when using the flop shot near the green. If the hill is sloping back towards you at the flag, take account of the big backspin you'll encounter.
4. Count green grid squares to home in your carry yardage
I've found a real easy method to calculate the precise carry yardage to a spot on the green. Each square of the grid equals 1 yard, and don't count the square in which the flag is located. Really useful when figuring out how far it is to the front of the green.
5. Use draw/fade to neutralize strong crosswinds
I've discovered that going 1 stripe left or right of center on the shot modifier grid will counteract 11 mph of crosswind. Adjust accordingly if wind is slightly stronger or lighter that 11 mph. Be warned though, imparting that much draw/fade will make you mishit really bad if you aren't very precise swinging straight.
6. Focus on your back swing to swing straighter
Until you really have great thumb muscle memory, its really helpful to watch your thumb on the stick when you back swing. If the back swing is straight, the thumb will almost always naturally go straight forward.
7. Hold the controller horizontally flat
Having any vertical tilt will naturally cause your thumb to fade off to the right as you snap forward to hit. You should also make sure your right elbow is not above controller level, or your thumb will push the stick up to the left.
8. Avoid the rough and any hazard at all costs
The extra 20 yards is seldomly worth going for a really tight landing area. As long as you can still make GIR by driving with a shorter club, the extreme difficulty of hitting out of the rough makes the safer shot the best option.
9. Downhill putts break way more than uphill putts
This comes down to the speed the ball. At higher speeds, the ball is affected less by the break. You obviously need to hit it harder, and thus faster, so the ball will break less. i find that you need to aim well outside the cup on downhlers, and should just try and get the speed right to make those putts in the side door.
10. Use your golfer's shoes as a reference point to start equating how far to pull back the putter
Figure out how far the ball will travel on a flat surface with a back swing to the tip of the back foot. (This will be different depending on the green's speed.) Once you have that distance dialed in, you should be able to get your speed right with far greater frequency.
11, Pick the right club when chipping
4-8 yds LW, 8-11 yds SW, 12 yds use a SW w a lower loft, 13 yds use a PW w higher loft, 14-16 yrds PW. It's also worth mentioning that wind 6 mph or higher will push the shot left or right.. Dont forget to take account of the slope, and need to adjust these recommendations if chipping up or downhill. The flagstick is your friend on chips. Don't be afraid to use it as backstop and start holing out your chips.
12. Add loft to your driver to eke out a few extra yards
Most people are unaware that you can get extra distance by using a higher loft when you drive. Really useful in risk/reward scenarios to carry a hazard. Be warned though, doing so will narrow your accuracy cone, so make sure you have a firm grasp on swinging straight before using this tip.
13. Switching to a pitch shot will greatly reduce the winds influence on shots
Pitch shots will not only make dealing with the wind much easier, they add an 80 and 90 yd carry option. Really useful when stuck between the 75 and 95 yard normal shot. Pitch shots also check up real nice after a short roll. Be wary on firm greens though, long pitch shots will bounce very aggressively.
I certainly hope these little pointers help. These are the tricks that I used when I was doing the little tutorial rounds with players. and everyone that participated improved dramatically.
When facing any elevation change, divide the number of feet the shot is uphill or downhill by 3, if uphill add that many yards to to the flag's distance, if downhill, subtract that many yards.
2. Always take a full swing
Don't ever try to manipulate the distance of your shot by trying to take a 90% swing. Use the loft to trim distance off of a full 100% swing. Don't be afraid to keep a calculator on hand if you are not mathematically gifted. (The only exception here is if you're inside 20 yds w a max lofted lw flop shot.)
3. Use the scout cam to find the right landing area on greens
This seems to go without saying, but I'm amazed at how many people fail to take account of the bounce and roll the ball will take when it hits the green. Take the extra 5 seconds to take a good look at the green before firing in your approach. This really comes into play when using the flop shot near the green. If the hill is sloping back towards you at the flag, take account of the big backspin you'll encounter.
4. Count green grid squares to home in your carry yardage
I've found a real easy method to calculate the precise carry yardage to a spot on the green. Each square of the grid equals 1 yard, and don't count the square in which the flag is located. Really useful when figuring out how far it is to the front of the green.
5. Use draw/fade to neutralize strong crosswinds
I've discovered that going 1 stripe left or right of center on the shot modifier grid will counteract 11 mph of crosswind. Adjust accordingly if wind is slightly stronger or lighter that 11 mph. Be warned though, imparting that much draw/fade will make you mishit really bad if you aren't very precise swinging straight.
6. Focus on your back swing to swing straighter
Until you really have great thumb muscle memory, its really helpful to watch your thumb on the stick when you back swing. If the back swing is straight, the thumb will almost always naturally go straight forward.
7. Hold the controller horizontally flat
Having any vertical tilt will naturally cause your thumb to fade off to the right as you snap forward to hit. You should also make sure your right elbow is not above controller level, or your thumb will push the stick up to the left.
8. Avoid the rough and any hazard at all costs
The extra 20 yards is seldomly worth going for a really tight landing area. As long as you can still make GIR by driving with a shorter club, the extreme difficulty of hitting out of the rough makes the safer shot the best option.
9. Downhill putts break way more than uphill putts
This comes down to the speed the ball. At higher speeds, the ball is affected less by the break. You obviously need to hit it harder, and thus faster, so the ball will break less. i find that you need to aim well outside the cup on downhlers, and should just try and get the speed right to make those putts in the side door.
10. Use your golfer's shoes as a reference point to start equating how far to pull back the putter
Figure out how far the ball will travel on a flat surface with a back swing to the tip of the back foot. (This will be different depending on the green's speed.) Once you have that distance dialed in, you should be able to get your speed right with far greater frequency.
11, Pick the right club when chipping
4-8 yds LW, 8-11 yds SW, 12 yds use a SW w a lower loft, 13 yds use a PW w higher loft, 14-16 yrds PW. It's also worth mentioning that wind 6 mph or higher will push the shot left or right.. Dont forget to take account of the slope, and need to adjust these recommendations if chipping up or downhill. The flagstick is your friend on chips. Don't be afraid to use it as backstop and start holing out your chips.
12. Add loft to your driver to eke out a few extra yards
Most people are unaware that you can get extra distance by using a higher loft when you drive. Really useful in risk/reward scenarios to carry a hazard. Be warned though, doing so will narrow your accuracy cone, so make sure you have a firm grasp on swinging straight before using this tip.
13. Switching to a pitch shot will greatly reduce the winds influence on shots
Pitch shots will not only make dealing with the wind much easier, they add an 80 and 90 yd carry option. Really useful when stuck between the 75 and 95 yard normal shot. Pitch shots also check up real nice after a short roll. Be wary on firm greens though, long pitch shots will bounce very aggressively.
I certainly hope these little pointers help. These are the tricks that I used when I was doing the little tutorial rounds with players. and everyone that participated improved dramatically.
