Golfers Thread

[Just a bairn]

I have a question hopefully somebody can answer. Quite recently, the distance from my short irons has been hampered a bit. The problem is from my PW down to about my 7 iron. The flight and height for these are all perfect, but its the distance that's hurting me. On average, I'm hitting my PW about 140 yards. The problem is, I find my distance is almost exactly the same when I move up to my 9, 8 and 7(although not so much with this). Effectively, it feels like I'm carrying two clubs there is no real point in using. Of course it may be difficult to answer without knowing what my swing is like, but does anybody have any solutions? I was thinking it was perhaps the problem with my stance. I usually play my PW, 9 and 8 ever so slightly back in my stance with my 7 in the middle.

All answers appreciated.

[Davis Love III]

Really enjoyed it again though. Going to go round again later in the week, maybe tomorrow or on Wednesday afternoon.

The main thing is your enjoying it! With a bit of enthusiasm, progression becomes far easier! I fully agree with what The Phoenix is saying about the way to play bunker shots, and in fact, deceleration is the common failure in all chip and pitch shots. But that''ll improve with more practice and when you gain more confidence.

Here's a little clip from Jack Nicklaus explaining the simple rules to abide by, that we can all do, and will really help with your game! Get the simple bits right, then you'll really progress!

Years ago I tempered my natural tendency to slice with one simple change to my grip - I moved my right hand slightly further round anti clockwise on the grip. This should have the effect of closing the clubface on impact (a slice occurs with an open clubface). A bit of experimentation should tell you when you've got it about right.

Jack Nicklaus endorses your simple solution to changing the shape of the shot by moving the face slightly!

I have a question hopefully somebody can answer. Quite recently, the distance from my short irons has been hampered a bit. The problem is from my PW down to about my 7 iron. The flight and height for these are all perfect, but its the distance that's hurting me. On average, I'm hitting my PW about 140 yards. The problem is, I find my distance is almost exactly the same when I move up to my 9, 8 and 7(although not so much with this). Effectively, it feels like I'm carrying two clubs there is no real point in using. Of course it may be difficult to answer without knowing what my swing is like, but does anybody have any solutions? I was thinking it was perhaps the problem with my stance. I usually play my PW, 9 and 8 ever so slightly back in my stance with my 7 in the middle.

All answers appreciated.

Firstly, 140 yards with a PW is pretty impressive! I too think the problem could be with your stance. You should, when going for a full out shot on level ground, play your wedge from the middle of your feet, and then move progressively forward in your stance as you go through the irons up to the driver. (Which should be around your front foot) Playing clubs especially those with less loft further back in your stance kills the distance that they could generate.

I'd try out hitting some balls with your wedge in the position your 7 iron has been, then move forward as you go through the bag. The fact that your flight is perfect would suggest that your swing plane is pretty good, so you're just hitting the wrong type of shot with your ball positon slightly off. Minor changes will make amajor difference!

Edited April 22, 2011 by Davis Love III

[Just a bairn]

The main thing is your enjoying it! With a bit of enthusiasm, progression becomes far easier! I fully agree with what The Phoenix is saying about the way to play bunker shots, and in fact, deceleration is the common failure in all chip and pitch shots. But that''ll improve with more practice and when you gain more confidence.

Here's a little clip from Jack Nicklaus explaining the simple rules to abide by, that we can all do, and will really help with your game! Get the simple bits right, then you'll really progress!

Jack Nicklaus endorses your simple solution to changing the shape of the shot by moving the face slightly!

Firstly, 140 yards with a PW is pretty impressive! I too think the problem could be with your stance. You should, when going for a full out shot on level ground, play your wedge from the middle of your feet, and then move progressively forward in your stance as you go through the irons up to the driver. (Which should be around your front foot) Playing clubs especially those with less loft further back in your stance kills the distance that they could generate.

I'd try out hitting some balls with your wedge in the position your 7 iron has been, then move forward as you go through the bag. The fact that your flight is perfect would suggest that your swing plane is pretty good, so you're just hitting the wrong type of shot with your ball positon slightly off. Minor changes will make amajor difference!

Thanks, for that. I suppose it's no coincidence that the problem almost stops when I move up to my 7. And once I'm down to my 6,5 and 4 the problem completely dissappears as I generally hit them further foward in my stance.

Do you know much about where you should be hitting the ball with rescue clubs? I've generally been sticking to slightly foward in my stance, but not as far as I would with the 3W or driver. My rescue is probably my favourite club in the bag, but always looking to improve with it.

[Davis Love III]

Do you know much about where you should be hitting the ball with rescue clubs? I've generally been sticking to slightly foward in my stance, but not as far as I would with the 3W or driver. My rescue is probably my favourite club in the bag, but always looking to improve with it.

It sounds like you're playing your Rescue from where you should be in your stance. Remember, Rescue's are supposed to be a replacement for long irons, so I would always play a Hybrid club from around the exact same spot in my stance as I would the long iron that it has replaced.

As an indicator, how far forward in the stance you play your rescue will further depend on what Loft it is. Anything around a 18° should be played in the most forward, position, as you would for 1/2 Iron, up to a 30°, which is effectively a 7 Wood. But it only requires a minor difference in position

Rescue's are fantastic!

Edited April 23, 2011 by Davis Love III

[Gaz]

I'm actually choking on a game but my student status only allows me to play Grangemouth on Monday to Fridays from 10am to 4pm, and not public holidays.

I think I'm playing Falkirk on Tuesday with my father-in-law - should be good

[Just a bairn]

It sounds like you're playing your Rescue from where you should be in your stance. Remember, Rescue's are supposed to be a replacement for long irons, so I would always play a Hybrid club from around the exact same spot in my stance as I would the long iron that it has replaced.

As an indicator, how far forward in the stance you play your rescue will further depend on what Loft it is. Anything around a 18° should be played in the most forward, position, as you would for 1/2 Iron, up to a 30°, which is effectively a 7 Wood. But it only requires a minor difference in position

Rescue's are fantastic!

Tried all of the changes you suggested when I played a few holes last night. What a difference!

[ScottyD10]

Anyone got any tips to improve my putting? Because i am losing so many shots on the greens when i could be scoring pretty decent scores.

I dont currently have a handicap because i have never entered a tournament yet. My lowest score is currently a 79 on what was a par 70 at the time (Thornton GC).

[Guest The Phoenix]

Anyone got any tips to improve my putting?

Depends what the problem is?

Weight or line (or both!)?

[ScottyD10]

Depends what the problem is?

Weight or line (or both!)?

Weight is the main problem, my long putts are shocking!

But generally both can problematic.

[tigerton]

Weight is the main problem, my long putts are shocking!

But generally both can problematic.

Best thing is practice tbh. If possible, find the largest green on your course late in the evening, place a bunch of balls around the green and try and two putt them all. Helps if you use the same type of ball, ie all proV1's etc. Switiching between different balls can be very detrimental. Getting a green to yourself is easy at my course, may not be elsewhere though.

[ScottyD10]

Best thing is practice tbh. If possible, find the largest green on your course late in the evening, place a bunch of balls around the green and try and two putt them all. Helps if you use the same type of ball, ie all proV1's etc. Switiching between different balls can be very detrimental. Getting a green to yourself is easy at my course, may not be elsewhere though.

Thanks, will see if it helps. And i would agree that practice is the best way, but its not something that I've been able to do alot of over the past months, but tbh my putting was poor before the long lay off anyway ha!

[mid-table]

Weight is the main problem, my long putts are shocking!

But generally both can problematic.

Shorten your backswing. This will make sure you accelerate through the ball. One of the most common causes of poor distance putting is decelerating through the ball.

Also, keep your backswing low to the ground. This will ensure you are hitting up on the ball, generating topspin, which will give you much more consistency with distance than hitting the ball at the trough of the swing arc.

[Gaz]

I'm still plugging away guys, although I'm still not very good

Played Falkirk yesterday with my paw-in-law and shot a 134. Grangemouth today was a 135.

I have a question which perhaps you golfing chaps could help me with.

As I said earlier on the thread, I am terrible at driving. My drives, without exception, either go about four feet off of the ground and then slice wildly to the right, or go about a foot off of the ground before plummeting and rolling along the rough. Sometimes they don't even make it past the ladies' tee! I've tried the suggestions given above but I'm not really getting anywhere.

My fiancee's sister got me some lessons for my Christmas which I've just booked but they're not until September. So, here's my question:

My paw-in-law remarked yesterday that the degree of my driver is very low - it's 9.5-degrees. He was quite shocked by this (he gave me the clubs as he had gotten them cheap from a friend of his, but had never used them) and explained that his driver was a 10.5-degree driver - but most beginners he knows started out with something even higher, like an 11- or 12-degree driver. He even suggested that perhaps I should skip using a driver just now and invest in a cheap 3-wood, with a loft of about 15-degrees - his reasoning is that I should still be able to get a decent distance, the ball should at least rise more than four feet off of the ground and, with more backswing, there will be less sidespin.

What's people's thoughts on this? I'm not exaggerating when I say that if I could drive well - not powerfully, but accurately - I could take at least one or two shots off of every par 4 or 5. Most of the time it's taking me two or three shots to get to where I would want to land from my tee shot.

[Cowshed Chris]

I'm still plugging away guys, although I'm still not very good

Played Falkirk yesterday with my paw-in-law and shot a 134. Grangemouth today was a 135.

I have a question which perhaps you golfing chaps could help me with.

As I said earlier on the thread, I am terrible at driving. My drives, without exception, either go about four feet off of the ground and then slice wildly to the right, or go about a foot off of the ground before plummeting and rolling along the rough. Sometimes they don't even make it past the ladies' tee! I've tried the suggestions given above but I'm not really getting anywhere.

My fiancee's sister got me some lessons for my Christmas which I've just booked but they're not until September. So, here's my question:

My paw-in-law remarked yesterday that the degree of my driver is very low - it's 9.5-degrees. He was quite shocked by this (he gave me the clubs as he had gotten them cheap from a friend of his, but had never used them) and explained that his driver was a 10.5-degree driver - but most beginners he knows started out with something even higher, like an 11- or 12-degree driver. He even suggested that perhaps I should skip using a driver just now and invest in a cheap 3-wood, with a loft of about 15-degrees - his reasoning is that I should still be able to get a decent distance, the ball should at least rise more than four feet off of the ground and, with more backswing, there will be less sidespin.

What's people's thoughts on this? I'm not exaggerating when I say that if I could drive well - not powerfully, but accurately - I could take at least one or two shots off of every par 4 or 5. Most of the time it's taking me two or three shots to get to where I would want to land from my tee shot.

Gaz, I'd suggest this is sound advice. I'm sure I read somewhere that beginners should start with a 11 degree driver, or a three-wood - as you've suggested. Remember, a well-hit 3 wood will go miles further than a poorly hit driver. I dunno if it'll be of use to you but if you're looking for a cheap 3 wood I'd consider a Callaway Steelhead Plus. An older club (2004 i think) so you'll find them for about £30, light and easy to hit.

On another note, considering investing in a new driver.... the Callaway Diablo Edge has taken my fancy. Anybody have any experience with this club?

[Gaz]

Well, I've just bought myself a cheap three-wood. I'm under no illusions that it's a brilliant club (it cost me £15) but I'm going to play the nine holes at Brucefields tomorrow and we'll see how it goes. My best score there for the nine holes is 63 so far.

[Cowshed Chris]

Well, I've just bought myself a cheap three-wood. I'm under no illusions that it's a brilliant club (it cost me £15) but I'm going to play the nine holes at Brucefields tomorrow and we'll see how it goes. My best score there for the nine holes is 63 so far.

What did you get Gaz?

[Guest The Phoenix]

Gaz, only idiots or geniuses at golf use a 9.5 degree driver.

It's also actually a myth the lower the loft the further you will hit the ball.

I use a 10.5 degree and I have a controlled fade rather than the pronounced slice that I get if I try to use a straighter faced driver.

[Fudge]

Gaz, only idiots or geniuses at golf use a 9.5 degree driver.

I used a 9 degree driver. I'll let you work out which of the two I was

[Cowshed Chris]

Gaz, only idiots or geniuses at golf use a 9.5 degree driver.

It's also actually a myth the lower the loft the further you will hit the ball.

I use a 10.5 degree and I have a controlled fade rather than the pronounced slice that I get if I try to use a straighter faced driver.

Wouldnt agree with that mate... I was using a 10.5 degree driver before and whenever it was windy (90% of the time) the ball got caught in the wind and went nowhere. Invested in a 9 degree and while I still hit the ball higher than I would like, it certainly benefited my game.

[Dindeleux]

My main problem in golf is keeping my mind positive/clear when playing.......mostly through my backswing. When I pull the club back and wee voice in my head go's "Oh no". Also, I tend to overthink the full game too much.

Any idea how to conquer this simply?