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Do any of you have pro-like distance and trajectory, but shoot to a 35 handicap?

Jackal

Jackal

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Just wondering. When I'm golfing with my Father in Law and his buddies, they always remark about my irons and driver trajectory and distance.

Some that don't know me will ask "Are you a scratch golfer". My reply is "You'll be scratching your head about how lousy I am".:D


They will say if they had my irons and woods distance, with their short game, they could shoot a 65.

It used to be that I thought the more you played, the feel will come to you for short game.

Back in my 30's, and able to play 18 or 27 holes 3 times a week, I was better.

Now right at 50, with a wife and son, we do good to get a 9 hole round 2 times a week.

We have 16 clean acres we can practice on. Five acres are mowed, with golf flags at 250 and 100 yards.

This practice almost every day helps.

I've come to realize that if 35 foot chips are your problem, get 35 foot from the flag, and chip til you can feel what power you need.

This has helped me tremendously. A week ago I shot a 43 on 9 holes, making shots that seemed like a dream.

Btw, my driver carries about 250-270 depending on temp. and fairway firmness. My 5 iron is about 195-205 carry. All of my shots are a mile high?

We played about 5 weeks ago, and the older guys saw me hit on a 190 yard par-4.

There was a large oak tree in the middle of the fairway. They teed off with woods and all went around the tree.

I hit a 5 iron that flew over the tree, and landed about 7 foot past the green. I thought they were gonna clap over my tee shot.

Then when I chipped over the green, back up and 2 putted, they said "keep practicing".

It kind of embarassed me into practicing these exact short shots that give me problems.

Sorry for the long post. Just wondered, if anyone else is/was in the same situation.

Thanks,

Jack
 
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Do any of you have pro-like distance and trajectory, but shoot to a 35 handicap?

One can be long but there is so much more to the game. Not only the short game and putting as you mention but also the mid range game, good management, playing to your strengths, and the most important thing of all imo is the ability to do it all consistently on a consistent basis hole after hole round after round.

To be honest imo, outside of driver and perhaps 3wood I don't think the rest really matters much for being "pro-like" distance. Of course one does require some good distance and cant be too short but there is a reason we have different clubs. What I mean is if you think about it, the driver is actually the "only" club in the bag that is meant to be hit as far as we can. All other clubs are only used because we don't need to be as long as the next longest club. It doesn't matter if one hits over that tree with a 5iron yet another does it with a 4 and/or perhaps another does it with a 6iron. It imo is all about the one who is going to do it successfully most often on a consistent basis or "just as importantly" it may be about the one who may take a different route and decide not go over the tree but consistently end up with the best scores on that hole regardless.
 
I'm in this boat. But my issue is consistency. Sometimes I hit the ball really well, sometimes I hit it really poorly. Especially the driver as it almost always accounts for penalties in a round. My short game and putting is hit or miss too. I'm still hopeful that playing much more often while still practicing regularly will improve my consistency over time.

And since you brought up your 5 iron tee shot, I drove a 336 yard par 4 green at the Dallas Cowboys Club during the UST event. The green was sloped and my ball rolled off the green a few feet. I still chipped poorly leaving myself 30 feet for the putt and two-putted for par. It was such a waste of distance. I ended shooting a 104 (103 ESC) that day.
 
Yes. More short game practice. Either you have the feel or you don't. If you don't, you better practice the technique.
 
I have absolutely nothing pro-like in my arsenal, besides the name "pro" on my XRP irons hahaha
 
I definitely have pro-like distance and trajectory. It is nice, but none of that matters if you can't repeat it. I struggle with consistency, as my swing is a little unorthodox. I tend to get a little steep. I usually hover in the mid 80's, but dip into the high 70's every now and again.
 
I shoot about 30 hdcp and can stop a 5 iron on a green from over 200 yards (sometimes), though I cannot even imagine a 295 yard 5 iron. You gotta remember that when playing with older people that they have played their whole lives and know their swing pretty well. While it may be short, it's consistent and they are comfortable with not going for it. By narrowing the target range they become even more consistent.
 
Wait. Did I read that right? 295 carry with a 5i?
 
Pros are short game magicians, it's hard to get a feel for hard good they are watching on TV.
 
LPGA-like SS and distances, but the ball ... goes... all... over... the... course......... and then there's the short game stuff.
 
I actually think I have more of the opposite problem.

Don't hit it super far and have been dealing with a really bad snap hook that gets worse as my club gets longer but I can generally recover pretty well and my short game is fairly solid (although it could be a bit more consistent)

If you saw me hit driver you'd think I was a 30+ handicap most days.
 
I will never have pro like distance and trajectory off the tee. HOWEVER...... I CAN achieve above average results with the proper application of short game practice. I'm gonna focus there for the rest of my life. The tee game is 18 strokes (minimum) anyway right? :act-up:
 
I know a lot of people that can hit the ball long. Very few that can shoot par.
 
Johnny mojo said:
I will never have pro like distance and trajectory off the tee. HOWEVER...... I CAN achieve above average results with the proper application of short game practice. I'm gonna focus there for the rest of my life. The tee game is 18 strokes (minimum) anyway right? :act-up:
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I'm with you JM. My good scoring comes when I am spot on from 100 yards in. I don't hit anything that anybody would consider long with any of my clubs and do not get even close to extraordinary height from my driver or irons.
 
It's not pro-like, but I'm long enough. And yeah, I think the short game is the difference between me being a 10 handicap and a 5.
 
Jman said:
I have absolutely nothing pro-like in my arsenal, besides the name "pro" on my XRP irons hahaha
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I feel your pain. Nothing "pro-like" in my game. It all comes down to short game and putting.
 
I don't have big distance at all. 150 yd 7i for me, if I carry my driver 250 I'm doing awesome. I want to try and pick up some more distance, but I fear losing my consistency - which is pretty decent tee to green. I need to keep working the short game to keep going lower - on the way down!
 
Yes, I hit the ball a long way and hit my irons very high. I'm lucky in that when one aspect of my game is off another is able to compensate. My short game saves me over and over again yet ask me how much power I need to hit a 40 yard shot etc, no idea, I'm pure feel.
 
I guess it a reverse thing. While I was envious of their game from 10 foot off of the green to the hole, they were wanting my tee shot.

They did say they never make it to a par 5 green in 2, and seldom 3.

But, it works.

Jack
 
Jackal said:
I guess it a reverse thing. While I was envious of their game from 10 foot off of the green to the hole, they were wanting my tee shot.

They did say they never make it to a par 5 green in 2, and seldom 3.

But, it works.

Jack
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So what's your plan for getting better from 50 yards in?
 
SaffaClint said:
Yes, I hit the ball a long way and hit my irons very high. I'm lucky in that when one aspect of my game is off another is able to compensate. My short game saves me over and over again yet ask me how much power I need to hit a 40 yard shot etc, no idea, I'm pure feel.
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That "bolded" statement above is funny.
Because for most people (those not even near as good as you) they would say "when one part of my game works another falls apart" LOL
 
I don't have the distance or trajectory of a pro and am not a 35hcp. If you have the distance and trajectory of a pro and are a 35 you are either picking out only the great shots to classify your dist/traj as pro like or are playing the wrong tees. I could be wrong it's just my opinion.
 
greggdrews said:
I don't have the distance or trajectory of a pro and am not a 35hcp. If you have the distance and trajectory of a pro and are a 35 you are either picking out only the great shots to classify your dist/traj as pro like or are playing the wrong tees. I could be wrong it's just my opinion.
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He said pro-like distance/trajectory, not pro-like direction. BIG difference.
 
I'm not a big hitter ; but occasionally hitting more draws this year has netted me a few drives that feel proesque or Internet golferesque. Amazing how far that ball runs when you play a firm course
 
rollin said:
That "bolded" statement above is funny.
Because for most people (those not even near as good as you) they would say "when one part of my game works another falls apart" LOL
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(Off topic) but love your avatar . That was the era of golf celebrity i loved .. Can never replace that man
 
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