Eliminating Variables from your game. What’s your method?
I have problems with the tee height as well, I'll even see its a little high but still hit it and pop it up but the past couple rounds I've made sure to fix it and its definitely helped my game. Need to start eliminating all of the other variables now..
I thought the thread title read "Eliminating vegetables..." I was coming in here to talk about air fryer wings and say you can tell a Chinese place to leave the broccoli out of the General Tso's chicken.
I mean if you want to talk about air fryer wings... :drool:
For me it was more mental than anything with my setup. Once I got out of my head and was ok with mistakes or errant shots, it freed up my swing and produced less tension. So it's kind of step up and swing, hoping the results are what I am trying to do, if not, go get it and clean up the mess. Same with putting. I want to concentrate on the putt and not "what if i miss" or anything negative.
Et Tu Brute?
Well-known member
You're touching on the problem with what passes as mental-game coaching nowadays. It's all about going through elaborate checklists to make sure you DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE. Well guess what, that's never going to happen. Even the best players in the world hit maybe a handful of shots per round that work out exactly as they intended to do. Tying ourselves up in knots trying to cover every base and eliminate every "variable" is self-defeating.
Even if the Rules and your playing partners would allow you treat preparation for each shot like you were getting ready to cut a diamond, all that paralyzing fear and double checking is simply not compatible with then turning around and making a free and relaxed swing with a clear mind focused only on the target. You can't switch back forth 70 or 80 times a round between a cautious, even superstitious checklist mindset and a creative, athletic golf swing. It's not possible.
1) Tee it high and let it fly. - I'm using blockhead tees so I don't have to think about how high to tee the ball.
2) Oh where oh where did my little ball go?? In the fairway? Good. Lock and load. In the woods? Look for the best escape route available where I can advance the ball - sometimes that's not possible and it's a chip out. For the latter situation I found my hybrids and chipper work really well keeping the ball below the hanging branches.
3) Play the shot you get. Before you take your swing visualize the ball flight, then swing the club.
4) Sometimes I hit **** shots. It's golf.
5) The goal is to avoid putting up big numbers. Look at the course and take what the course allows you. You might be uncomfortable with that 40 yd pitch, but the bunker placement around the green might not allow for an errant 100 yd wedge shot whereas you can play a bump and run from 40 yds.
6) Sometimes the hero shot is the right call.
2) Oh where oh where did my little ball go?? In the fairway? Good. Lock and load. In the woods? Look for the best escape route available where I can advance the ball - sometimes that's not possible and it's a chip out. For the latter situation I found my hybrids and chipper work really well keeping the ball below the hanging branches.
3) Play the shot you get. Before you take your swing visualize the ball flight, then swing the club.
4) Sometimes I hit **** shots. It's golf.
5) The goal is to avoid putting up big numbers. Look at the course and take what the course allows you. You might be uncomfortable with that 40 yd pitch, but the bunker placement around the green might not allow for an errant 100 yd wedge shot whereas you can play a bump and run from 40 yds.
6) Sometimes the hero shot is the right call.
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I’ll have to try these. A lot cheaper than the martini ones I’m using now. I keep losing them ie forgetting to grab it.
-CRW-
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I use marked tees so I can tee the ball the same height every time. I do the same pre-shot routine every time. It’s like 10 seconds, so not slow and I don’t take practice swings unless something is really off.
All my clubs have the same grips, they are all consistent with typical length/lie increments, the irons all swing weight the same, the woods swing weight the same, and the wedges are progressively heavier. I have my lofts/lies checked to ensure they are to my specs.
If it’s a round I’m going to enter into GHIN I will play the same ball the entire round.
All my clubs have the same grips, they are all consistent with typical length/lie increments, the irons all swing weight the same, the woods swing weight the same, and the wedges are progressively heavier. I have my lofts/lies checked to ensure they are to my specs.
If it’s a round I’m going to enter into GHIN I will play the same ball the entire round.
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Thinking about this more today, and the tee is probably still at the top of the list, and now also the grips. This are pretty much the only variable I’ll have going into the Grandaddy that won’t be brand new, so the tees will be making the trip and I’m sticking with my TS1 midsize grips
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When I switched to a fade many years ago, I was able to pretty much eliminate the left side of the course which was a tremendous help. I'm working on playing a predominate draw now and I hope to successfully eliminate the right side.
The other variable I eliminated in my early years was a golf glove.
The other variable I eliminated in my early years was a golf glove.
Rusty Dave
#staffproto
It’s my understanding if you play a draw you are trying to eliminate the left side ( start the ball to the right and draw it into the middle). If you play a fade you take out the right side (start left and ball comes back to the middle). If you miss on either your ball will stay the starting direction and stay away from the opposite side.
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That's exactly opposite of my understanding (and intent) - lol! When I play a fade, I feel like I can hit it hard along the left side and have it fade back; my miss is generally an overcut or a push-cut. If I fail to cut it, the ball will usually fly straight down the left side and I've essentially eliminated a big pull or a duck hook. If I do pull it badly, I'm also able to "save" it with my hands most of the time so that the ball still remains in play somewhere along the left side.
When I start playing a draw, I intend to visualize a wall along the right side where I'll start my ball. Ideally the ball will draw toward the center and my misses will be a larger draw to the left side. What I hope to eliminate is a big block push or even an intended draw that starts right but cuts.
I am with @pattyboy21 with the thinking behind this one - I always thought that if you play a draw you are eliminating the right side of the course as you never need to worry about the ball going right, and vice versa with a fade
Rusty Dave
#staffproto
There’s a ton of info on the web about eliminating one side of the course. If you want to avoid trouble on the right, aim left and play a fade. If your ball goes straight, no harm done. The opposite for a draw. Aim right and draw the ball back to the middle avoiding trouble on the left. If you miss it straight no big deal. Now if you pull hook it all the time or have a massive push slice, that’s a bigger issue and will generally lead to 2 way miss and inconsistent golf.
Now some holes are opposite of this logic. At my home course, you have to play a fade off the tee otherwise you’ll go OB but that fade starts out on a OB line. Otherwise the basic concept of eliminating one side goes with the first paragraph.
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Nicklaus and Hogan often said they adopted a fade to eliminate the left side of the course: https://www.sunriver.com/bucketlistliving/golf-tips-eliminate-one-side-of-the-course
Rusty Dave
#staffproto
Those guys did that because they were hooking it too far left. Playing a fade got rid of that tendency of over hooking.
The whole idea is you start the ball in one direction and shape it back to the middle. That article seems to contradict itself where it talks about starting the ball in the direction and moving it back to the middle. That I agree with but it talks about taking the side out that you start the ball on. What if you hit it straight in that case? Straight pull or push? You’ve now essentially got it to the side you’re supposed to be playing away from. If there’s trouble on that side you’ve got more problems.
The guys from rotary swing explain it pretty well.
www.rotaryswing.com
I’m not saying anyone is wrong. This is what my teaching pros have taught me over the years and works for me. Whatever works for you is great.
The whole idea is you start the ball in one direction and shape it back to the middle. That article seems to contradict itself where it talks about starting the ball in the direction and moving it back to the middle. That I agree with but it talks about taking the side out that you start the ball on. What if you hit it straight in that case? Straight pull or push? You’ve now essentially got it to the side you’re supposed to be playing away from. If there’s trouble on that side you’ve got more problems.
The guys from rotary swing explain it pretty well.
Eliminating the Left Side: 9 Days to Amazing Ball Striking (Day 6) - Rotary Swing
Score Lower by Eliminating the Left Side of the Course! Ben Hogan was arguably the greatest golfer of his era.
www.rotaryswing.com
I’m not saying anyone is wrong. This is what my teaching pros have taught me over the years and works for me. Whatever works for you is great.
kappa1032
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To echo others on this thread, having a consistent pre-shot routine is key for me. On more stressful shots I may forget, catch myself, and start over if it's not too late. May just take a few more seconds of delay but I figure it would waste less time than looking for my ball in the trees or heavy rough for a shot I'm not comfortable with.