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Trying to Break 100

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Welp ... there was some good today and a lot of awful. Played a little muni in Arlington that we play all the time - Chester W Ditto - and I hadn't played in a month or more. Very rusty. Made triple on the first hole (that's not a bad start - I did get to warm up on the range and was hitting decent but it was mats only). Then the second hole was a catastrophe. Couldn't get off the tee box. Hit two balls in the pond. I blame the Canadian geese - they spooked me (not really but it sounds good). Pretty rough couple of holes but I finally got going on #9 WHEN I MADE A PAR. I then went double bogey, bogey, bogey. So at that point I had a par, double, bogey, bogey. THAT'S AWESOME. I'M ROLLING.

We get to #14 and I hit an incredible tee shot with my 3 wood. Was within a couple of yards of my buddy who hit DRIVER. It's on and I'm rolling now. Then I hit the next shot deep in the woods. Took a drop and hit the next one in the sand. Three to get out. So that's double par. I think took double par on the next FOUR holes. Crazy. Whatever I was doing right was g-o-n-e. Maybe I was fatigued. I don't know. Managed to salvage a bogey 3 to stop the double par train on #18. Seriously?

Shot 125. Oh what might have been. And once again golf shows how she will woo you and then leave you!
 
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BuckeyeMark said:
Welp ... there was some good today and a lot of awful. Played a little muni in Arlington that we play all the time - Chester W Ditto - and I hadn't played in a month or more. Very rusty. Made triple on the first hole (that's not a bad start - I did get to warm up on the range and was hitting decent but it was mats only). Then the second hole was a catastrophe. Couldn't get off the tee box. Hit two balls in the pond. I blame the Canadian geese - they spooked me (not really but it sounds good). Pretty rough couple of holes but I finally got going on #9 WHEN I MADE A PAR. I then went double bogey, bogey, bogey. So at that point I had a par, double, bogey, bogey. THAT'S AWESOME. I'M ROLLING.

We get to #14 and I hit an incredible tee shot with my 3 wood. Was within a couple of yards of my buddy who hit DRIVER. It's on and I'm rolling now. Then I hit the next shot deep in the woods. Took a drop and hit the next one in the sand. Three to get out. So that's double par. I think took double par on the next FOUR holes. Crazy. Whatever I was doing right was g-o-n-e. Maybe I was fatigued. I don't know. Managed to salvage a bogey 3 to stop the double par train on #18. Seriously?

Shot 125. Oh what might have been. And once again golf shows how she will woo you and then leave you!
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After an outing like that, all you can do is forget it. I ripped a 121 a couple of weeks ago, and just put it behind me. Remember that 3W, and dump the rest.
P.S. Damn you Canadian geese!! (waving fist at the air)
 
Practicing putts is about to hit overdrive. Last 3 rounds would have been sub-95 rounds if I eliminate the 3-putt on EVERY HOLE...
 
Boston_golfer said:
Practicing putts is about to hit overdrive. Last 3 rounds would have been sub-95 rounds if I eliminate the 3-putt on EVERY HOLE...
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Ouch. Time for the "Make 100 3-footers" drill?
All kidding aside, did you have a chance to hit the putting green before your round? I've been trying to get to the course about 30 minutes early to just putt to get a feel for the green speeds. I can't say it has helped yet, but I'm going to keep at it and try to make it a habit. My routine is only hit 3 footers for the first 10 minutes, then move out a couple of feet for about 10 putts, the move out to 20 to get a good lag stroke. Hope some of this helps.
 
Boston_golfer said:
Practicing putts is about to hit overdrive. Last 3 rounds would have been sub-95 rounds if I eliminate the 3-putt on EVERY HOLE...
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Have you taken a putting lesson? If not, I would highly recommend it.

My putting took a big leap forward this year when I worked with a pro and we solidified my stroke. I step up to anything 8-feet and in with confidence I'm going to make it, and quite often, I do. That confidence comes from a solid stroke I can repeat.

Most people who struggle badly with putting have mechanics which PREVENT them from putting well. I have a guy I play with in tournaments that is the poster child for this. He's in the military and is a big, muscular guy. I've seen him hit drives 320. His iron game is good enough he's almost always on the green in regulation. And then almost without fail, he 3 or 4 putts. With poor posture, no real center point, and a lot of wrist action there's absolutely no way he can have any consistency putting. He's guessing on every stroke how far it's going to go. With one putting lesson he could literally drop 5 or more strokes off his game. Make sure you're not in the same boat. You can practice all you want, but if you do it with an unsound stroke, you're not going to go anywhere.
 
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And....in addition to all the advice you are going to get on putting...since this IS THP....you need a new putter. LOL
 
Shot a 51 today. I rarely hit in the 50's for my nine hole rounds but I did this morning. I was hitting my irons solid, and my driver was alright (57% FIR) but I was pulling a lot and getting myself into trouble. Two shots to get out of the bunker on my first hole cost me a par there, and I never recovered. Took one penalty, but also had to punch a couple of shots on other holes, so the round suffered. I really need to become more accurate with my irons, and the short game needs some work. A couple bad chips cost me strokes too.
 
That sounds like my standard round. I just don't have the game to overcome poor shots.

Edit: strike "poor shots" replace with "mistakes".
 
Hamfist said:
That sounds like my standard round. I just don't have the game to overcome poor shots.
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It's all short game woes for me. Take my first hole (Par 5) for example. Decent drive left me dead center in the fairway. Hit a solid 4H that stayed in the fairway and 74 yards off the green. Hit a full shot SW (might be my first problem) that leaked right and into the bunker. Two shots to get out, had to chip on because my second sand shot went over the green, and then one putt. So I went from best case scenario of birdie to a double bogey all within 75 yards of the pin. Next hole, hit it pin high but left of the green. I had 20 feet to the pin. Chip off the toe sends it off the front of the green, and two putts later I wind up with bogey. With the exception of one bad hole #16 where I played army golf after pulling my drive into the trees 85 yards away from the tee box, I put myself in good position with my first and second shots, but coughed up my lunch with anything below my DW. Maybe I just really need to NOT pull my SW/LW from my bag for full-swing use.
 
I need to review the train wreck of yesterday better but I think my second shot was what led to the double par train that I couldn't stop. I'm driving 3W good and looking at yardage to see 225+ or so. So I'm pulling 4H because I'm going to smack it up there close. And on #9 it worked. Got it there and then got up and down for a par. SCHWEEEET! I love you 4H. But after that ... not so much. That 4 H was all over the place. Next round I'm going to second shot with the mentality of "What will put me 100 yards from the green?" instead of "What puts me on the green?" That 4H isn't going to get it on the green anyway - I don't hit it 200 yards. So there WILL BE wedge shot. Granted, if I hit it great it may be a 25 yard wedge shot but it's still another stroke. So why not hit a club I hit well and leave me a PW from 90? That's what I need to do better with - managing my expectations, and hitting clubs I can consistently hit well.
 
I have a friend who refuses to hit anything but 3W off the tee for any hole shorter than 350. when I asked him why, he said because he was more comfortable hitting 150 to the pin than 125-ish.
 
Hamfist said:
I have a friend who refuses to hit anything but 3W off the tee for any hole shorter than 350. when I asked him why, he said because he was more comfortable hitting 150 to the pin than 125-ish.
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The one club I feel most comfortable with is my 9 iron. I know that almost without fail it will be 100 yards every time. I do my best to try and play to that, but I still get that Superman mentality and try to go for long 4s and par 5s in two, which almost always ends in leaving me a 40-60 yard shot that I chunk. Just one more little thing I need to work on to be able to consistently shoot lower scores.
 
ForeOnFour said:
The one club I feel most comfortable with is my 9 iron. I know that almost without fail it will be 100 yards every time. I do my best to try and play to that, but I still get that Superman mentality and try to go for long 4s and par 5s in two, which almost always ends in leaving me a 40-60 yard shot that I chunk. Just one more little thing I need to work on to be able to consistently shoot lower scores.
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Ah, the "Go for it!!" devil on one shoulder, and the "You ain't Rory." angel on the other.
 
Good morning! Question: Do you guys find yourselves doing the "one wedge for all short shots" (Pelz) or do you use different wedges from let's say 50 yards out? I'm finding I'm using my 56* for most of my 50 and in shots nowadays, just adjusting the opening of the face/length of swing.
 
Y'all need to quit working so much and start posting more. Feelin' kinda lonely in here.
 
Hamfist said:
Good morning! Question: Do you guys find yourselves doing the "one wedge for all short shots" (Pelz) or do you use different wedges from let's say 50 yards out? I'm finding I'm using my 56* for most of my 50 and in shots nowadays, just adjusting the opening of the face/length of swing.
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For me, it depends. I am much more comfortable bump and running when I'm inside 60 yards, and my 8i seems to do the trick for me most times. If the green is elevated, I aim to hit the upslope with some force, let it bounce and roll up onto the green. If there is a greenside bunker between me and the green and I'm around 40-60 yards out, I'll grab my 58 degree and half/full swing it and hope to have it land and stop. My 54 degree wedge doesn't like me to do much with it other than use it for sand shots, which is also a duty the 58 takes ... so I tend to leave the 54 in the bag when it comes to short shots..
 
deuce said:
For me, it depends. I am much more comfortable bump and running when I'm inside 60 yards, and my 8i seems to do the trick for me most times. If the green is elevated, I aim to hit the upslope with some force, let it bounce and roll up onto the green. If there is a greenside bunker between me and the green and I'm around 40-60 yards out, I'll grab my 58 degree and half/full swing it and hope to have it land and stop. My 54 degree wedge doesn't like me to do much with it other than use it for sand shots, which is also a duty the 58 takes ... so I tend to leave the 54 in the bag when it comes to short shots..
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Oddly enough, I feel opposite a lot of my peers in the fact I feel more nervous over a long bump-and-run than a high shot. I don't try enough of the bump & run enough to make an informed decision on whether it would be a better shot for me, scoring/consistency-wise.

Edit: I too, have a club (lob wedge) that holds a grudge against me. I don't know what I did to piss it off, but it sure is mad.
 
Hamfist said:
Oddly enough, I feel opposite a lot of my peers in the fact I feel more nervous over a long bump-and-run than a high shot. I don't try enough of the bump & run enough to make an informed decision on whether it would be a better shot for me, scoring/consistency-wise.
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I used to feel the same way, until I realized (actually pointed out to me) that keeping the ball on the ground results in fewer opportunities for things to go awry. Yeah, you can wind up short if you don't hit it with enough gusto, but you're usually still on target. Things got much better when I took short game lessons. Some of them have stuck (going back for more) but it takes a lot of practice.
 
deuce said:
I used to feel the same way, until I realized (actually pointed out to me) that keeping the ball on the ground results in fewer opportunities for things to go awry. Yeah, you can wind up short if you don't hit it with enough gusto, but you're usually still on target. Things got much better when I took short game lessons. Some of them have stuck (going back for more) but it takes a lot of practice.
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My teacher is of the same opinion. I think it was also stated by...Palmer, maybe? The thing that is tough around here is finding a place the will let you practice various types of chip shots onto the practice green. Damn near every one has the "No Chipping" sign up. And I'd not want to bust it out on the course when I'm playing for a score.
 
Hamfist said:
And I'd not want to bust it out on the course when I'm playing for a score.
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I tend to play really early during the week. Actually, I walk the course before it opens so there is no one around. If I find myself in a position to chip/pitch, I may drop a couple extras after I hit my game ball to see if I can get closer. Finding places to practice this shot is difficult though, so I try to either do it really early, or after closing when there is no threat of anyone playing through. Establishing a rapport with the grounds crew/club pro helps in that regard.
 
deuce said:
I tend to play really early during the week. Actually, I walk the course before it opens so there is no one around. If I find myself in a position to chip/pitch, I may drop a couple extras after I hit my game ball to see if I can get closer. Finding places to practice this shot is difficult though, so I try to either do it really early, or after closing when there is no threat of anyone playing through. Establishing a rapport with the grounds crew/club pro helps in that regard.
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Looks like I'm off to schmooze/grease some palms! LOL.
 
DUDE! You guys are thinking this way more than I am - "I am hitting this to get it to run up the green if it's got a down slope or the grain is against me and it's Tuesday afternoon and the relative humidity is 60% or less." I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SOLID CONTACT OVER HERE!

And yes, I rely on my PW way too much. I hit it for everything. In Tuesday's round (#dumpsterfire) that was one of the bright spots. I hit my D wedge more and did not scull it across the green as much (like I do when I hit PW for everything).
 
BuckeyeMark said:
DUDE! You guys are thinking this way more than I am - "I am hitting this to get it to run up the green if it's got a down slope or the grain is against me and it's Tuesday afternoon and the relative humidity is 60% or less." I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SOLID CONTACT OVER HERE!

And yes, I rely on my PW way too much. I hit it for everything. In Tuesday's round (#dumpsterfire) that was one of the bright spots. I hit my D wedge more and did not scull it across the green as much (like I do when I hit PW for everything).
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Lulz @ #dumpsterfire. Gotta love the Cleveland humor.
 
deuce said:
I tend to play really early during the week. Actually, I walk the course before it opens so there is no one around. If I find myself in a position to chip/pitch, I may drop a couple extras after I hit my game ball to see if I can get closer. Finding places to practice this shot is difficult though, so I try to either do it really early, or after closing when there is no threat of anyone playing through. Establishing a rapport with the grounds crew/club pro helps in that regard.
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I do the same. 2-3 times a week I will be there at 6:30 ready to tee off when the course opens. On weekdays I have enough time for 5-7 holes and don't keep track of score. I will try to keep one "gamer" and then hit multiple other balls. My range is mats only so the extra practice really helps when the weekend rolls around and I keep score.
 
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