[Golf] The game you hate to love.

TheCanMan

Last year for my birthday, my wife got me a set of clubs as a not-so-subtle hint that I needed to get my ass off the couch and get some physical activity into my life. I've only gotten out for a round a handful of times, but I really can't get enough of it. I've even started watching it on TV. My wife has pretty much forbid me from putting on The Golf Channel unless she's not paying attention.

Over the weekend I went out and played my 3rd round and really surprised myself driving on the front 9. I was dead straight and driving about 230yds on most of the holes. Drove the green on a 231yrd Par3 and two putted for par. One of the two guys I was playing with (who's probably played more golf in the past month than I have in my life) said it might have been the best drive he's ever seen on that hole.

But I pretty much lost my swing on the back 9 though. I'm thinking it was mainly due to fatigue. I could feel my legs getting tired, and my grip wasn't nearly as reliable. And even on the front 9, I still shot in the low 50s because my short game is an abomination. My biggest problem is making good contact without a tee. I think I'm too afraid to hit it too fat, so I end up topping it or I lose my form cause I'm worrying so much about not making good contact which just leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, let's talk about golf. What are some of your favorite drills? Is that any particular thing I can practice to correct my contact issue, or do I just need to go out and hit a million balls until I'm more confident in myself? Are there any instructional books/videos out there that I'd be a fool not to check out?

Basically, help me stop spending more on lost balls than on greens fees.

webguy20

Get professional instruction, you're new, and you don't have engrained bad habits yet. It will cost a bit of money but a few lessons with a pro will save you so much heartache down the line.

Also he can make sure the clubs you have are fitting you correctly. Having clubs a little too long or short can throw all sorts of wrenches into your game.

Tylanthus

I play to a 6 handicap... and I got addicted basically for the same reason you did 5 years ago Something to get me off my butt and active.

I don't have any drills to share, but regarding fatigue I do have a couple tips:

1) Stay nourished. Slowly eat a Cliff Bar or two throughout a round.
2) Stay hydrated. I carry a water bottle and drink basically the whole round (fill up again at water stations or at the turn).
3) Stick to a routine. Find something that works for you on each shot. Don't waver from it.

When I first started playing I would start to falter around hole 12. Fatigue sets in and even if you don't feel it in your legs, it will present itself by mental mistakes and lazy uncommitted swings.

Having a routine and taking care of your body will go a long way.

a5ehren

Agreed to 1 & 2. I still suck really bad (~25 HCP), but I can definitely see a noticeable difference in my play after I eat a snack. Even still, I start making lazy/bad swings around hole 16, so I should probably switch to bars or some other kind of continuing nutrition.

lordrel

Just want to echo a few sentiments. Take a lesson. Even one lesson, just to get a few of the mechanics down. My game improved immensely just from one. I didn't take more simply because I didn't have the time to devote to getting better. I only play maybe 3 or 4 times a year right now. Fatigue is a big issue with me too. I run out of gas before I run out of holes, and my game suffers. At this point, don't worry too much about your score. My first time out I shot like 135, but had fun. Many golfers never break 100. When I was playing more regularly, I managed to get below 90 once or twice. Now, since I'm back to infrequent, my scores hover around 100. I play for fun, though. If there is anything I can stress to beginning golfers is to play more for fun. If you get stressed or down about your game, then you stop having fun.
If you go to the driving range, work on the middle clubs more than the driver. You aren't going to use the driver on every hole, and even then it's just once (hopefully). Your five iron is going to cost or earn you strokes much more often.
One thing my lesson told me that helped with hitting the ball without a tee. If you can't hit the big ball (the earth), how do you expect to hit the little one?

TheCanMan

Yeah, I think I'll definitely be taking a lesson or two. But I'll probably end up waiting until early next season. Don't see myself playing much in cold weather (I'm in Jersey).

The other thing I'm really looking at doing is changing up some of my clubs. I'm not about to replace my new set of irons, but the other three clubs I have are all hand-me-downs and seem like a prime target for an update. Right now I'm using a Titleist 983 (forget if it's the E or K) 9.5° driver. So I'm guessing that if I pick up a newer 430cc+ and up my loft to 10.5° or 11° (which I've read from a few different sources is what most people should probably be using), that'll help me out a bit. And I probably have the absolute least confidence with my Steelhead III 3W, so I'm thinking about picking up a hybrid or two of some sort. I haven't been playing nearly long enough to justify dropping a couple hundred bucks on them, but I've been looking at placed like Golfsmith and I should be able to find something used for pretty damn cheap. None of that's going to help my iron-play, but at this point I'll take all the help I can get.

Djeet

My favorite drill is to chip onto the practice green, though I should be putting more I spend more time doing this waiting for the tee box to clear. I also practice chipping with all the irons and putting from the rough with some of the shorter irons. Another one is putting from 1 ft, then take it out another foot, then another, til I've built up confidence at 10 ft or less; repeat drill by putting across different breaks (downhill is pretty brutal for me). I like to chip around in the back yard for accuracy; I might have 3 or 4 buckets strewn around the backyard to give several targets. You can pick up wiffle golf balls so you can take up to full swings without sending the ball very far and any spin you impart becomes very apparent, though it's not nearly as satisfying as going to the range. I don't think there's any secret to hitting right off the deck other than committing to the swing and not moving your head (head movement being an indicator that your upper body is moving towards/away from the ball). When I hit the range I usually putt for the first 20 minutes and then spend half my bucket on wedges and the 8/9 iron. The only instructional book I ever read was Hogan's Five Lessons, though I'll cop to looking through Golf Digest regularly to try out new drills. There are plenty of instructional materials out there, but if you're going to go self taught just try not to over-complicate it.

As a beginner I probably wouldn't sink too much into a driver right now. If you're itching to buy do you have a gap wedge?

Lanchester

My family are big golfers, so I end up playing 3-4 times a year around holidays with them. I have your problem as well, I either hit on top of the ball, or get a good chunk of dirt before the ball.

I'm not sure if they still have these available (I would assume they do), but I know they use to have wiffle type golf balls. You could get a bunch of those and practice in your yard without fear of the ball actually going somewhere and doing damage.

The only thing that really can fix the problem of not making good contact is practice. Get your swing down by practice, practice, practice.

El Mucho

I bought the book Ben Hogan's 5 fundamentals of Golf, and it did wonders for my ball striking. I recommend it, I got it for $5 off of amazon.

Movitz

My best advice would be to just get out and hit a million balls like you said, you need to get that muscle memory to keep your swing constant. But get a few lessons every now and then so you don't grind in a swing with lots of errors because it is a mess to get rid of once it is stuck.

I eat loads of bananas out on the course because I get tired quickly otherwise, we don't really have golf cars in Europe in general but I guess you don't drive around either if you do if for the exercise. So eat and drink often, it really helps to keep the blood sugar levels constant.

And I wouldn't bother with new equipment, it won't really improve your game enough to warrant the expense. I've been playing since I was a kid (so like 20 years?) without any fancy new fad-of-the year clubs. If I were you I'd wait until maybe a hcp of 20 or so and then invest in a good set of clubs that you can use for many years. Upgrading now in the beginning probably won't matter that much since you haven't really gotten the hang of your playstyle.

TheCanMan

Brining something to keep hydrated and to snack on sounds like a really good idea.

The reason I'm thinking of trying a new (used) driver is the the club head size. My drives are either absolutely perfect, or I'm spraying the ball all over the course. I figure adding 100cc to my driver can only make it more forgiving, right? There's absolutely no way I'd go drop $200 or $300 on a new one, but they've got a bunch of them on Golfsmith.com for $40 or $50. And there's one right down the road from me so I can (hopefully) go try them out first.

As for picking up a 3H or a 4H, I'm a little more hesitant. I'm under the impression that people typically find them easier to hit than fairway woods or long irons. Is that generally correct? I just don't have any confidence at all in my 3W. So I'm kinda looking for something to replace it, but I've never swung a hybrid so I really don't have any idea if I'll feel any better with it.

Conroy Bumpas

this i know sounds a bit silly. but i used to just carry my bag with 12 clubs in and stuff. coz i though it would be a bit more excersise for me etc.

and after 9 holes i started to get really bad, just as my mates where pretty much walming up. so i got a trolly and really stoped my sholders getting tired.

as soon as you get tired you dont swing properly without evan realiseing it sometimes

Djeet

Well the reason why I counselled against spending on a driver is that for beginners, inclusion of a driver does not usually result in a lower score. Beginners tend to spray a lot with the driver, though maybe you've just got the knack of it. Usually the longer the stick, the harder it is to hit straight. I don't carry a driver, my longest being my 1W. Hybrids are supposed to be easier to hit than true woods (because you hit more "down" on them like an iron, rather than sweep like a wood/driver), but I actually hit a lot better with my classic woods (they're 30+ year old beautiful wood jobbies with hand windings and actual screws) than my hybrids so I often don't use my hybrids.

The only reason I suggested a gap wedge, is that in modern iron sets there's often a gap of 10-12 degrees of loft between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge. I don't think you necessarily need one right now, it was more a concession to the desire to blow some dough on equipment.

Also hitting the green in regulation leaves 2 putts to make par. That means if you're shooting par half your shots are putts. Something to consider when you're practicing to lower your score.

TheCanMan

Yeah, my iron set came with a pitching wedge and a gap wedge but not sand or lob wedges. I've been using my gap as a pseudo-sand wedge so far. And since the sand at the courses I've played is fairly firm and not incredibly deep, I think it's been fine so far.

I guess this last time out the whole driver thing could have just been a fluke, but (at least on the front nine) it was by far my best club. Of the 7 driver tee shots, 5 of them were pretty much as perfect as I could hope for. But the other two ended up on the wrong fairways. I was thinking that with a (relatively) much larger head, those misses might not be so catastrophic. Although I'm perfectly willing to admit that the sexiness of these 460cc drivers might be playing a subconscious role in my thought process. :winky:

The point about putting is well taken. I'm definitely going to be spending more time on the chip & putt than the range for the foreseeable future. When you're at home, where do you practice putting? The lawn is way too long. Is carpet a reasonable approximation for the green?

Djeet

My lawn is more like heavy rough than anything else, so I don't get to practice putting much at home; though I'd imagine you could jury rig something on your lawn/floor with a roll of synthetic turf. I do most of my practice putting at muni golf course putting greens (costs nothing) or the short game area at the driving range (GolfSmith mainly).

Tylanthus

It's the indian not the arrow... a forgiving modern driver will maybe gain you a stroke or two per 18 holes coming from a Titleist 983k. But golf is like 60% fashion show. I buy new clubs, shoes, cloths, rain gear, etc all the time lol.

Now is a great time to peruse the used racks at golfsmith. But beware, the current trend for drivers is "Distance > all". That basically means that the new Burner you purchase is going to be more forgiving because of the 460cc head, but the club will likely play 46'' long, the shaft is going to be ~10+ grams lighter, and all that forgiveness will go to waste because of the extra club head speed you gained along the way. You'd lose the same amount of balls but maybe pick up 5 yards of distance. Your "catastrophic" miss is going to be more catastrophic... but those good ones are going to be down the fairway a little bit further.

Depending on your budget, I'd get rid of the Steelhead and pick up a ~20 degree hybrid. Don't bother with a Wedge. The modern sets come with ~53 degree wedges that work just fine in the sand. Then spend the next couple hundred bucks on lessons, a good carry bag, and some used golf balls.

TheCanMan

Ah, I hadn't figured I'd gain club head speed moving to a much larger head. That's not really what I was hoping to hear. I guess light-weight material technology has really come a long way in the past 10 years. Thanks for the heads-up.

TheCanMan

Does the opinion on getting a new driver change if instead of a 983k I actually have a 975D? That's a 260cc head.

And I'm looking at buying some books. I just ordered Hogan's "Five Lessons". Is Leadbetter's "Fundamentals of Hogan" considered more of a compliment to Five Lessons, or a replacement? And I'm seeing a lot of good reviews of Dave Pelz's books. Anyone know if they're something a newbie would benefit from reading?

Tylanthus

If I were just starting out, I'd find a used R9 460 on ebay and just give it a shot. Probably a stiff flex REAX, Motore, or something similar (those will be easiest to find).

Buying clubs, cloths, and shoes can be just as satisfying as paying greens fees. I say go for it. (I bought a new driver today...lol)

As for books... Hogan's book is great but it's DENSE in comparison to some more contemporary books. My favorite book was Tiger's original "How I play golf". No opinion on Pelz or Leadbetter, sorry.

Forkes

The biggest thing that helped me with my game - keep your eye on the ball.

I found that when I was swinging, I was pulling my head up to see where the ball was going, before I had even hit it, which led to some rather terrible shots. Now I just make sure I have a buddy with me, and tell them to follow it for me. I go through the full swing while looking at the spot my ball is/was. It's helped me with striking, and with control.

If your short game is terrible, go play a round where you aren't scoring, at least not for real. And play with only your irons. Play the same iron until you get comfortable with it, and then switch. Personally, I don't use either my 1W or 3W, and rarely use my 3 iron or 5 iron. I drive, then use my 7 or 9 to get to the green. And let me tell you, I have become a surgeon with my 9 iron.

As far as hybrids go, the limited experience I have with them has been positive. They strike much easier on the fairway, and much cleaner. If you are apprehensive about buying one, ask to try one out. The pro shop at your local course should have a demo for you to use. Couldn't hurt to ask.

Movitz

Djeet wrote:

Well the reason why I counselled against spending on a driver is that for beginners, inclusion of a driver does not usually result in a lower score. Beginners tend to spray a lot with the driver, though maybe you've just got the knack of it. Usually the longer the stick, the harder it is to hit straight. I don't carry a driver, my longest being my 1W. Hybrids are supposed to be easier to hit than true woods (because you hit more "down" on them like an iron, rather than sweep like a wood/driver), but I actually hit a lot better with my classic woods (they're 30+ year old beautiful wood jobbies with hand windings and actual screws) than my hybrids so I often don't use my hybrids.

The only reason I suggested a gap wedge, is that in modern iron sets there's often a gap of 10-12 degrees of loft between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge. I don't think you necessarily need one right now, it was more a concession to the desire to blow some dough on equipment.

Also hitting the green in regulation leaves 2 putts to make par. That means if you're shooting par half your shots are putts. Something to consider when you're practicing to lower your score.

This post is full of all kinds of wisdom. I almost never use my driver but instead I tee up with my 3 wood. I lose a few yards in length but the fact that I consistently put the shot somewhat in the middle of the fairway at a very well defined distance is, to me, much more worth it and makes it easier to plan which iron to use for the green shot afterwards. I mostly play it safe and try to plan ahead instead of taking chances. Everyone is different and so on.

And if you want to improve quickly, the place to do it is definitely around the green. Learn how to chip for a one-put afterwards and you'll save a lot of shots. It's more fun to put cash down on a driver because, honestly, hitting things is fun as hell. But your game will gain more from getting putter that you love or a gap wedge. Nine irons are too close to the pitching wedge to really be worth that spot in the bag so I've just removed mine and rely on my 9 or sand wedge for shorter shots. I've also removed my 3 and 4 iron because I can't hit anything with them and instead I carry a 5 wood for length from the fairway/rough (works wonders for fairway bunkers as well actually).

tldr: Hit a million balls, play around a bit and find a setup that suits you.

Ed: Oh you have a gap wedge already, disregard that then.

Tylanthus

Instead of benching your driver you might consider working hard on developing a "go to shot" for the tee. If you tend to hit huge blocks to the right... slow down and develop a 75% swing that starts down the left side and fades back into play.

Everyone needs a go to shot. First tee jitters, scary tee shots, and when you're 4th to go in a 4 man scramble and everyone duffed their drive... these moments are all too common. A 75% driver swing is way easier to play than a full 3 wood.

TheCanMan

Instead of starting a new thread, I'm just going to necro my old one.

I'll looking to add two clubs to my bag and wanted to get some opinions. Right now I'm carrying a D, 3W, 4I-9I, 44.5* PW, 49.5* GW, & a Putter. I'm definitely adding at least one more wedge (heavily leaning towards a 55* or 56* low-bounce SW). But I'm really not sure which way I want to go for the other one.

I think I'm going to go with either a 60* LW or a 4H, but I really don't know what would be more useful. I'm driving ~235yds, so I'm using a long iron for my second shot at least a few time per round, and being able to go to a 4H (which should theoretically be easier to hit) seems pretty useful. But my med-range game isn't that great, so I find myself having to chip on from just off the green fairly often (but I don't have any feel for how much having a 60* will help over just the 55*).

What's everyone think?

a5ehren

I'd say a 54*-55* and a 4H sounds good.

I'd hesitate to go straight from a 49.5* to a 56*. Seems like a large gap.

My bag goes 45* PW, 52* W, 57.5* SW (this doesn't really count since I never play it off of turf), to 60* LW. I find the 52* has far more utility in my game, but YMMV.

I'd definitely add another long club before adding a 60* LW, though. The LW is a real bitch to get the hang of and is only useful for a handful of shots - I have to use my 52* around the green to hit with any consistency.

TheCanMan

Yeah, I'm probably going to go with a 55*, but unlike you I do intend to use it off the turf as well as sand. I'm not very comfortable at all hitting my 49.5* from around the green, but I think if I can take a fuller swing I'll be more confident (which is also the reason I was contemplating getting a 60*, too). I agree going all the way to a 56* seems like a big jump, but if I'm not getting a 60* I was thinking it might be useful to add the extra degree of loft to my most lofted club.

davidsdurions

I recently added a 2H. I have a similar setup and sounds like abilities that you have. The 2H has been a dream for me, if I'm nervous about a drive, I pull the 2H. If I still have a ways to go from the fairway to the green, 2H is the answer. It's straight and true for me. Seems like a 2H would fill a gap you have between the 3W and 4I. Just my two cents.

TheCanMan

davidsdurions wrote: »

I recently added a 2H. I have a similar setup and sounds like abilities that you have. The 2H has been a dream for me, if I'm nervous about a drive, I pull the 2H. If I still have a ways to go from the fairway to the green, 2H is the answer. It's straight and true for me. Seems like a 2H would fill a gap you have between the 3W and 4I. Just my two cents.

Wait, so a 2H fills that gap? I was assuming a 4H would do that, which is why I was considering it. Still not sure if I want to go with 2 more wedges or not, but if I go with a hybrid the role you described is exactly what I'd want it for.

davidsdurions

Yeah, the lower numbers on the hybrids will have less loft and more distance (hopefully, in theory).

ToddJewell

Drove the green on a 231yrd Par3 and two putted for par.

You are playing the wrong tees if you just started out and are on a 230 yard par 3. Don't be "that guy" -- tee it up from the box behind the women's.

The different boxes will put you in a better position to score well. It's the difference between using a driver on a par 3 and a 6 iron. On a par 4 you are looking at your approach shot being a mid iron instead of a hybrid.

*or I can realize the first post is really old... same still applies. If you are not a single digit handicap, move up.*

TheCanMan

ToddJewell wrote: »

Drove the green on a 231yrd Par3 and two putted for par.

You are playing the wrong tees if you just started out and are on a 230 yard par 3. Don't be "that guy" -- tee it up from the box behind the women's.

The different boxes will put you in a better position to score well. It's the difference between using a driver on a par 3 and a 6 iron. On a par 4 you are looking at your approach shot being a mid iron instead of a hybrid.

*or I can realize the first post is really old... same still applies. If you are not a single digit handicap, move up.*

We were playing from the white tees. So I guess I could have moved up a box (the gold tee was still 211yrds), but it's not like my amateur ass was trying to be a tough guy and play from the blues.

ToddJewell

I hate courses like that ... you shouldn't be having to use your woods to reach a green on a par 3. You want to know why courses are losing attendance? Because the common people like us can't reach the freaking greens from normal tee boxes. Pros can hit their 6 iron 225+ yards, most amateurs cannot. When you watch a tournament -- the approach shots that the pros are hitting [unless they are getting on the green in 2 on a par 5] are short to mid irons. The game should translate so it is nearly that for those of us who suck as well, but courses have just gotten longer and longer and they move us back even further. 480+ yard par 4's? thanks... that helps me learn the game when I can't get close to the hole in two unless I get some lucky rolls.

oh and putting ... f you flat stick.

TheCanMan

ToddJewell wrote: »

I hate courses like that ... you shouldn't be having to use your woods to reach a green on a par 3. You want to know why courses are losing attendance? Because the common people like us can't reach the freaking greens from normal tee boxes. Pros can hit their 6 iron 225+ yards, most amateurs cannot. When you watch a tournament -- the approach shots that the pros are hitting [unless they are getting on the green in 2 on a par 5] are short to mid irons. The game should translate so it is nearly that for those of us who suck as well, but courses have just gotten longer and longer and they move us back even further. 480+ yard par 4's? thanks... that helps me learn the game when I can't get close to the hole in two unless I get some lucky rolls.

To be fair to the course, that was the longest Par 3 they had (and it was downhill the whole way although I have no idea what the total elevation drop was). The other 3's (from the white tees) are 153, 143, & 112. You know what annoys me even more than a long Par 3 in the middle of a round (the one we've been talking about is hole #7)? The course I just played last weekend...a round that I didn't get a chance to warm-up first...started you off on #1 with a 562yrd (from the white tees!) Par 5. What kind of sadistic asshole designs a course to start with that kind of hole?!? I was trying to crush my driver and ended up behind a row of pine trees in the middle of a clover field. I ended up shooting a 9. That's a friggin' great way to start off a round.

ToddJewell wrote: »

oh and putting ... f you flat stick.

If I was still using quotes in my sig, this would have easily made it.