Golfers Thread

[peasy23]

Does anyone play with mates who are just so warped by watching pros that it hinders their game. Trying to belt drivers instead of taking an iron off the tee, mocking for using a putter off the green, maxing out a wedge and playing it outrageously high rather than knocking down an iron etc? I think the biggest help to my game was accepting I didn't care how it looked to get a good score on the card.

I think we all see it. If anyone knows the 5th hole at Bishopbriggs it's a short drivable par 4, but is a blind shot with a sloping fairway. It's a very narrow opening to the green and there is probably only an 8-10 yard wide channel that will see a good drive find the green. Anything left will find the rough, anything right will kick right and find the trees on the right. I always (try to!) hit an iron to the top of the hill which leaves you around 100 yards to the middle of the green, and I've played with a few very low handicappers who played it the same way, in fact one of them got an eagle 2 after holing out with his wedge. Played with plenty of mid range handicappers who try to drive it, and I would reckon 90% of them have ended up in the trees on the right, usually with no shot to the green. They end up hacking sideways and toiling to get up and down for par

5 handicapper I played with yesterday only hit driver on the longer par 4s and the two par 5s where you need the extra distance off the tee, he was banging a 4 iron right down the middle on every other hole.

Playing the percentages right makes all the difference.

[pozbaird]

8 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

I think we all see it. If anyone knows the 5th hole at Bishopbriggs it's a short drivable par 4, but is a blind shot with a sloping fairway. It's a very narrow opening to the green and there is probably only an 8-10 yard wide channel that will see a good drive find the green. Anything left will find the rough, anything right will kick right and find the trees on the right. I always (try to!) hit an iron to the top of the hill which leaves you around 100 yards to the middle of the green, and I've played with a few very low handicappers who played it the same way, in fact one of them got an eagle 2 after holing out with his wedge. Played with plenty of mid range handicappers who try to drive it, and I would reckon 90% of them have ended up in the trees on the right, usually with no shot to the green. They end up hacking sideways and toiling to get up and down for par

5 handicapper I played with yesterday only hit driver on the longer par 4s and the two par 5s where you need the extra distance off the tee, he was banging a 4 iron right down the middle on every other hole.

Playing the percentages right makes all the difference.

This will have been mentioned before, but does anyone know guys, who, every time you see them, are sporting a new driver? A test club from the pro shop, an almost brand new driver that a mate gave them to try, or simply just the latest £500 model from Callaway or Taylor Made. I know a couple of guys like that. Every time I get paired with them in a medal, they’re using another different driver from the last time I played with them, or they’re outside the pro shop holding a new weapon of mass destruction which has tape on the face to protect it.... which gets handed back after the round with a ‘nah’ comment to the pro.

Edited June 8, 2020 by pozbaird

[Mr Hahn]

2 hours ago, pozbaird said:

This will have been mentioned before, but does anyone know guys, who, every time you see them, are sporting a new driver? A test club from the pro shop, an almost brand new driver that a mate gave them to try, or simply just the latest £500 model from Callaway or Taylor Made. I know a couple of guys like that. Every time I get paired with them in a medal, they’re using another different driver from the last time I played with them, or they’re outside the pro shop holding a new weapon of mass destruction which has tape on the face to protect it.... which gets handed back after the round with a ‘nah’ comment to the pro.

I will confess that if I had loads of money, I'd love to keep buying new clubs. Maybe every 2 seasons or something. I will caveat this by saying I'd love to do this fully in the knowledge that if I'm shite, it's not the clubs, it's me. I just like shiny new clubs.

As it stands though, I've replaced my whole bag over the past year and a bit and fully intend these to last me 10 years like their predecessors did.

On the "play like pros" posts, one of the best pieces of advise I've heard which has improved my score no end is "Pros hit what they should hit, amateurs hit what they can hit."

Leaving the ego at the door (metaphorical door) is the best thing I ever did for my golf. Learning that, just because you can carry the bunkers with a driver, doesn't mean you should. Hitting an iron to the wide part of the fairway is 9 times out of 10 the better play for me. Really limits disastrous scores.

On a slightly related note, I remember a guy I used to play with when I was a junior who would say he "played with a fade," presumably because Tiger Woods did. Basically he had a slice but would aim miles left so it would end on the fairway. On the one hand, fair play to him for adjusting to his ball flight. On the other hand, this was so far from a controlled, skillfully executed "fade" that it bordered blasphemy and his handicap reflected this.

[pozbaird]

1 hour ago, Mr Hahn said:

I will confess that if I had loads of money, I'd love to keep buying new clubs. Maybe every 2 seasons or something. I will caveat this by saying I'd love to do this fully in the knowledge that if I'm shite, it's not the clubs, it's me. I just like shiny new clubs.

As it stands though, I've replaced my whole bag over the past year and a bit and fully intend these to last me 10 years like their predecessors did.

On the "play like pros" posts, one of the best pieces of advise I've heard which has improved my score no end is "Pros hit what they should hit, amateurs hit what they can hit."

Leaving the ego at the door (metaphorical door) is the best thing I ever did for my golf. Learning that, just because you can carry the bunkers with a driver, doesn't mean you should. Hitting an iron to the wide part of the fairway is 9 times out of 10 the better play for me. Really limits disastrous scores.

On a slightly related note, I remember a guy I used to play with when I was a junior who would say he "played with a fade," presumably because Tiger Woods did. Basically he had a slice but would aim miles left so it would end on the fairway. On the one hand, fair play to him for adjusting to his ball flight. On the other hand, this was so far from a controlled, skillfully executed "fade" that it bordered blasphemy and his handicap reflected this.

The guys I’m talking about are the ones where it has nothing to do with money, it’s a different driver every time you meet them.  A new trial club from the pro, a borrowed driver from a pal... Chasing some unattainable dream where every drive they hit goes 275 yards straight down the middle. I get what you’re saying though, if money was no object, I wouldn’t be playing with a three year old set of £299 Lynx Predator irons.... I’d have a new set of them.

Edited June 8, 2020 by pozbaird

[peasy23]

Bad news from Fife as Charleton Golf Club goes up in flames.

https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-news/huge-blaze-destroys-clubhouse-at-popular-scots-club

Guy I was playing with yesterday is a loss adjuster, and he has been dealing with Macrahanish having their clubhouse replaced after it burned down. They had hoped to be opening in September, but that looks like being delayed until at least November now.

[Distant Doonhamer]

Re the chat about using a driver or not. For me it’s probably the club I hit best so I use driver a lot. With regard to chipping I only ever use loft if essential. Putter or hybrid from off the green a much better option for me.

[JamieT1314]

Ive started using my 7 iron (strong loft) for most shots in and around the green, just treat it like a putter, still not great with it but miles better results than constantly thinning it through the green.
Now i just need to learn to putt.

[die hard doonhamer]

Around the green for me, unless I'm in, or have to go over, a bunker then it's one of 5/6/7 iron and basically putt it.

[peasy23]

When I had lessons, the pro's advice was that if you are just off the green with nothing to go over other than fairway>fringe>green, his recommendation was that a bad putt would never be as wayward as a bad chip. It's worked pretty well for me since taking him up on that.

[die hard doonhamer]

54 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

When I had lessons, the pro's advice was that if you are just off the green with nothing to go over other than fairway>fringe>green, his recommendation was that a bad putt would never be as wayward as a bad chip. It's worked pretty well for me since taking him up on that.

A bad putt is a good chip, generally.

[Tartan Dave]

Interesting reading about how it’s better for amatuers to just use irons off tees (generally). As in the last week or so I’ve been doing just that. Saving a few shots a round for sure and almost always having a putt for par at least. Hitting from fairway makes such a huge difference, my irons tend to be best part of game and my lockdown routine of hitting about 50 wedge shots seems to have made a massive improvement there. My driving went from a horrible slice to a drastic hook so some serious issues that I can take care of by using irons instead. Still get tempted by the driver the odd time, especially on the driveable par 4, but it rarely works

[Distant Doonhamer]

Played again tonight. Solid again. Out in 42 and back in 39 for 81-10=71. Played really well on back nine but frustratingly 3 putted 10 and 16 for bogeys.

 

 

[DigOutYourSoul]

Played about as well as I’ve ever played last night on the back nine. 74-10 net 64(-7) with 4 birdies on the last 11.

I’d also debate the “irons off the tee” logic, I used to be a firm believer in it, and would hit a lot hybrids to fairways and leave myself long shots in to most par 4s. However, I think the strokes gained stats both for pros and amateurs are pretty supportive that the further down you are the lower your scores are likely to be. Statistically over time, a wedge from the rough will outscore a 6 iron from the fairway. Similarly on par 5s used to always be a layer-upper but not almost always just try and get as far down as I can.

This is obviously somewhat dependant on keeping the ball remotely in play but I think I’ve knocked a few shots off my handicap and best rounds by being a lot more aggressive off the tee in the last 18 months.

[lichtie23]

Playing Kingennie this afternoon. It’s just a 9 hole course but the weather looks great for it. First game in an absolute age. Hopefully hit some nice shots and not embarrass myself

[Mark Connolly]

1 hour ago, DigOutYourSoul said:

Played about as well as I’ve ever played last night on the back nine. 74-10 net 64(-7) with 4 birdies on the last 11.

I’d also debate the “irons off the tee” logic, I used to be a firm believer in it, and would hit a lot hybrids to fairways and leave myself long shots in to most par 4s. However, I think the strokes gained stats both for pros and amateurs are pretty supportive that the further down you are the lower your scores are likely to be. Statistically over time, a wedge from the rough will outscore a 6 iron from the fairway. Similarly on par 5s used to always be a layer-upper but not almost always just try and get as far down as I can.

This is obviously somewhat dependant on keeping the ball remotely in play but I think I’ve knocked a few shots off my handicap and best rounds by being a lot more aggressive off the tee in the last 18 months.

There's definitely a balance between "what do i need to hit" and "what do i want to hit". Same with the second shot on a par 5 - do I need to try and murder a 3 wood and leave myself a 20-30 yard pitch, or am I better hitting 2 x 9 iron?

Confidence, arrogance, and thinking you are Seve/Tiger always play a huge part in these decisions!

[DigOutYourSoul]

There's definitely a balance between "what do i need to hit" and "what do i want to hit". Same with the second shot on a par 5 - do I need to try and murder a 3 wood and leave myself a 20-30 yard pitch, or am I better hitting 2 x 9 iron?
Confidence, arrogance, and thinking you are Seve/Tiger always play a huge part in these decisions!

Agree with this, it’s always a balance on decision making.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that according to the stats, your more likely longer term(averaging your scores out over time) to score better hitting 3W/chip than 2x9. However, that’s always going to be situational depending on lie/wind/ability/hole shape etc.

[pozbaird]

The back of the 18th on Cawder’s Keir Course at 6.55am this morning. Was walking past it to get to the 1st tee on the Cawder Course. Had the place to myself. First out at 7.05am. 10c, not a breath of wind, deer running across the second fairway in front of me. Just doesn’t get much better.

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by pozbaird

[Mr Hahn]

9 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

The back of the 18th on Cawder’s Keir Course at 6.55am this morning. Was walking past it to get to the 1st tee on the Cawder Course. Had the place to myself. First out at 7.05am. 10c, not a breath of wind, deer running across the second fairway in front of me. Just doesn’t get much better.

 

That looks glorious, looking a bit cloudy down Glasgow way? 

I've a time at 8:03 this evening to try and get 9 holes in and it's lovely blue skies here atm but the forecast's looking like it might be raining just in time for me to play.

Edit: My work from home room has an east facing window. It does not look so bonny from the other side of the flat 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Mr Hahn

[pozbaird]

Just now, Mr Hahn said:

That looks glorious, looking a bit cloudy down Glasgow way? 

I've a time at 8:03 this evening to try and get 9 holes in and it's lovely blue skies here atm but the forecast's looking like it might be raining just in time for me to play.

Patchy cloud until about 2hrs into the round, then huge black clouds gathered in a manner that threatened an absolute downpour. Never happened, got in without a soaking. Result!

[KnightswoodBear]

1 hour ago, Mark Connolly said:

There's definitely a balance between "what do i need to hit" and "what do i want to hit". Same with the second shot on a par 5 - do I need to try and murder a 3 wood and leave myself a 20-30 yard pitch, or am I better hitting 2 x 9 iron?

Confidence, arrogance, and thinking you are Seve/Tiger always play a huge part in these decisions!

This is absolutely my problem (or one of my many problems).  I played last week for the first time since lockdown began, and unsurprisingly my game was utterly dreadful.  My slice was in full effect and then I started trying to overcompensate and started pulling it straight left.  I keep trying to tell myself that I'm better off the tee with an iron, but I always seem to reach for the hybrid or 3 wood.  Generally the driver stays in the bag as it's so bad any shot I have to aim miles left and the ball is still landing away right and coming down at a right angle to the fairway.

I'm playing again on Thursday evening and I might actually leave all my woods at home and force myself to hit a 5 or 6 iron off most tees and see if I can bring my score down by playing sensibly.  

I've got a lesson with the pro on Saturday.  Looking forward to trying to actually sort my swing out.