We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Stresses on your game... and what are you going to do about it?

Michigan Slice

Michigan Slice

This Guy Cant dance...
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
21,279
Reaction score
86
Location
Merrill, MI
Handicap
23.3
OK, I hope I can convey my thoughts here well enough to get my point across.

While playing the other day, (and other times as well) I got to thinking that my driver distance is pretty bad,horrible actually.
I was anywhere from probably 190-210 with the driver, and while most were still in play (other than when i tried to kill it) I just feel like this lack of distance was simply putting too much stress on the rest of my game.

I was playing catch up the moment by tee ball landed. Many times hitting 3w or 3H for my second shot. I was playing blue tees at around 6500 yds which #1 is too far for me, but If I had another 25-35 yards I think that distance would be somewhat manageable.
I cleaned up my game on my final 9 of the day and posted a 48 for that nine.

So here it is, What are the stresses in your game, and what drills, or practices, or simply thoughts are you going to do to improve it?

Myself, I need more driver distance, and right now my instructor is dealing with a severe house fire, but should be back shortly.
In the mean time, this is what I will be doing to improve this area of my game:

-75 swings/day with my skillz gold flex (orange whip knockoff)
-50 swings/day with a weighted 5 iron
-50 swings/day with a driver shaft (no driver head attached)
-work on setup to help make better contact
-Range time
-Loft up
- weight transfer drills
- stretching hoping to gain even more flexibility
-Getting in to my instructor when he is available


Doing this, I hope to take some stress off my game, to be hitting 7i or less into greens, and the feeling of having par 4 greens reachable in regulation, instead of planning on hitting the par 4 greens in 3 and playing for bogey.

I WILL get this done!

So, what is stressing your game and what are you doing about it?
 
Last edited:
Not going lower.
Started a rebuild with lessons.
 
I have major short game problems that cause mental stress. I recently unlocked some of my chipping issues to the point that practice isn't a waste of time, but it's still bad. 10 percent of the time, my putting is otherworldly. 90 percent of the time, it's horrible.

My main putting problem is distance control. I have a long stroke which is sometimes hard to control. I am working on a shorter stroke with more acceleration.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk.
 
Wishing my lessons over the winter focused more on Driver than they did, My iron play is way way ahead of where it was last year.
My iron contact is very much improved IMO, and even my driver is much more in play than it was last year. (last year averaged 1.4 FIR, this year 6.8)

I really want to continue with my instructor I had last winter, but I feel I'm sort of wasting time, and need someone/something now!
How useful would you guys think my solutions would be? or offer other ideas?
 
Hooks. Big time hook issue the last few weeks with the woods, driver especially. Had a lesson this weekend, and doing some alignment and grip work at the range to get it sorted. Seeing some progress already.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
 
I should also say that I am mentally weak on the course. I am easily distracted, generally in a hurry, and don't deal with success well. When I am playing well, I have a tendency to expect something bad to happen. When things are not going well, I deal with it a lot better than when things are going well. I am good at damage control.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk.
 
good thread.

Right now it is driver distance. I have been coming over the top so in trying to fix that I was slapping at the ball... Trying to ingrain the proper action now so hopefully I can get this fixed and start working on all the other things wrong with my game.
 
Short irons. Always short irons. I'll play thru it.
 
Erky said:
I have major short game problems that cause mental stress. I recently unlocked some of my chipping issues to the point that practice isn't a waste of time, but it's still bad.
Click to expand...

I can fix this for you in 10 minutes this weekend.
 
JB said:
I can fix this for you in 10 minutes this weekend.
Click to expand...


I wish I would have asked you for some flop shot advise in Lake Charles... Been trying it with limited success, I find if I just open up step in and hit it I have better success, but wouldn't mind more help in the area,for those times when I have a bunker or other hazard to carry.
 
Short sided chips, typically within 5-10 yards of the pin. Unbelievable how bad I am from real close to the hole. At this point, I'd rather be 40 yards away than 10 yards short sided. I either need to A) Stop getting short sided, or B) Learn how to chip in those situations.
 
Michigan Slice said:
I wish I would have asked you for some flop shot advise in Lake Charles... Been trying it with limited success, I find if I just open up step in and hit it I have better success, but wouldn't mind more help in the area,for those times when I have a bunker or other hazard to carry.
Click to expand...

#indy!
 
Michigan Slice said:
I wish I would have asked you for some flop shot advise in Lake Charles... Been trying it with limited success, I find if I just open up step in and hit it I have better success, but wouldn't mind more help in the area,for those times when I have a bunker or other hazard to carry.
Click to expand...

1st piece of advice. Stop trying to hit it.
Its a high risk shot that far too many amateur golfers waste strokes on.
 
Michigan Slice said:
OK, I hope I can convey my thoughts here well enough to get my point across.

While playing the other day, (and other times as well) I got to thinking that my driver distance is pretty bad,horrible actually.
I was anywhere from probably 190-210 with the driver, and while most were still in play (other than when i tried to kill it) I just feel like this lack of distance was simply putting too much stress on the rest of my game.

I was playing catch up the moment by tee ball landed. Many times hitting 3w or 3H for my second shot. I was playing blue tees at around 6500 yds which #1 is too far for me, but If I had another 25-35 yards I think that distance would be somewhat manageable.
I cleaned up my game on my final 9 of the day and posted a 48 for that nine.

So here it is, What are the stresses in your game, and what drills, or practices, or simply thoughts are you going to do to improve it?

Myself, I need more driver distance, and right now my instructor is dealing with a severe house fire, but should be back shortly.
In the mean time, this is what I will be doing to improve this area of my game:

-75 swings/day with my skillz gold flex (orange whip knockoff)
-50 swings/day with a weighted 5 iron
-50 swings/day with a driver shaft (no driver head attached)
-work on setup to help make better contact
-Range time
-Loft up
- weight transfer drills
- stretching hoping to gain even more flexibility
-Getting in to my instructor when he is available


Doing this, I hope to take some stress off my game, to be hitting 7i or less into greens, and the feeling of having par 4 greens reachable in regulation, instead of planning on hitting the par 4 greens in 3 and playing for bogey.

I WILL get this done!

So, what is stressing your game and what are you doing about it?
Click to expand...

What's wrong with moving up a tee box. When you are able to score in the 70's from there move back a tee box. Distance may be your biggest problem (mine too BTW) but if you can't score from moving up you have other problems as well. Don't try to play above your skill level. This should help you build confidence as well.
 
Good contact with irons, and 50 yards in are my stresses. I think I can FINALLY cross slicing off that list.

I am working on just doing short 9-3 swings to make crisp contact, not worrying about trying to hammer the ball. I'm also taking time to make sure I'm set up and aligned properly. With wedges, I'm working on trying to figure out what my yardages are with each club, but my swing isn't really *mine* yet so it's still a bit of a crapshoot.

Short game I am still chipping/pitching around the yard, and I'm going to make a point to go to the range that has a short game area so I can really work on chipping and putting. It's more out of the way for me, but in the end the ability to work on everything around the green will be worth it.
 
I have terrible GIR numbers. That ends up putting a lot of pressure on my short game and worse, pressure on me mentally. I have returned to my instructor for a lesson series. That's my plan.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
majBC said:
What's wrong with moving up a tee box. When you are able to score in the 70's from there move back a tee box. Distance may be your biggest problem (mine too BTW) but if you can't score from moving up you have other problems as well. Don't try to play above your skill level. This should help you build confidence as well.
Click to expand...

I totally agree, but when playing with others I usually just play the tees they do, unless they play the tips, then I speak up and say that's too much for me lets play up a tee.

Friday, in my league which will be played at an easy course ( and one I'm very familiar with) it is par 35 and short 2685 yds. I fully expect to shoot around 42-44, maybe less.
 
Driver accuracy is my main problem. If I can sort that out I can figure out how bad the rest of my game is. Right now it is too hard to tell.

Example: when you get almost no greens in regulation, chipping gets a workout, but do you really know a lot about your putting? I got a glimpse of mine when I did hit a GIR. I 3 putted.
 
JB said:
1st piece of advice. Stop trying to hit it.
Its a high risk shot that far too many amateur golfers waste strokes on.
Click to expand...

So, I take it when stuck behind a hazard, to a short sided pin, to aim for center of green?
I can 100% agree with that but, to do the same when faced with a tiered green or other possibilities to leave myself with a potential 3 putt?

I am reasonably comfortable using bounce on my wedges, and stay away from flop shots. I bump and run or...... Chutt when I can.
 
Michigan Slice said:
I totally agree, but when playing with others I usually just play the tees they do, unless they play the tips, then I speak up and say that's too much for me lets play up a tee.

Friday, in my league which will be played at an easy course ( and one I'm very familiar with) it is par 35 and short 2685 yds. I fully expect to shoot around 42-44, maybe less.
Click to expand...

I would just move up a tee when playing with your buddies. It takes no more time and you will have much more fun and maybe some of your buddies will move up too after seeing your better scores. It should help you mentally stay with your game as making a putt for par or bogie is much more important to you than say making an 8 vs a 9. This should take pressure off your game, but I have a hunch you are going to find out your scores are still higher than you like and give you plenty to work on to get better without overwhelming you.
 
My biggest stress right now is not being able to block out the lawn mowers at my home course. They are huge ride-ons that need muffler repairs. They run around all day like a go-kart track doing laps around the golfers. I don't know what to do about it. I love challenge so I wait when I see them coming around again to tee off just so I can try not focusing on them.

I think it makes me mad because I haven't even mowed my lawn yet and they have mowed all day all 5 times I've been there this year. There are weeds growing in the sand-traps. Sticks and branches under the trees. Garbage cans flowing over with beer bottles from the weekend all week long and yet they ride around with their earmuffs on oblivious to the fact people might enjoy some peace and quiet.


This is a 9-hole course. There are 18 hole courses nearby where I have never seen a single mower on the course and they look fantastic.
 
Michigan Slice said:
So, I take it when stuck behind a hazard, to a short sided pin, to aim for center of green?
I can 100% agree with that but, to do the same when faced with a tiered green or other possibilities to leave myself with a potential 3 putt?

I am reasonably comfortable using bounce on my wedges, and stay away from flop shots. I bump and run or...... Chutt when I can.
Click to expand...

You are talking about a very small percentage of shots and even then I am not sure.
Practicing a shot at your level that you should only have to use once every few rounds will not change your game in my opinion.
Get that full swing worked out and the rest will fall into place. Love seeing you go at this MS.
 
Michigan Slice said:
So, I take it when stuck behind a hazard, to a short sided pin, to aim for center of green?
I can 100% agree with that but, to do the same when faced with a tiered green or other possibilities to leave myself with a potential 3 putt?

I am reasonably comfortable using bounce on my wedges, and stay away from flop shots. I bump and run or...... Chutt when I can.
Click to expand...


It's a shot you need to have so practice it and learn to trust it when it's time. I'm a high handicapper that often misses to the wrong side of the green. My scores would be even higher if I couldn't pull off the flop shot.
 
JB, THP and playing with players of all levels really pushes me to want more out of myself.

I do not expect to be Canadan or Freddie, but I would like to hang. I have good golf in me, I can make decent shots, it stringing 3-4 together hole after hole...

I truly believe I will continue to improve, and will continue to work towards that goal.

I personally think I am way ahead of where I was at this time last year, and cant wait to see where this year takes me!


NOW, on with the thread!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top