Trying to Break 100

[Annhl8rX]

Yeah, I figured that was the case. I guess the next question is when you have a wayward drive into the trees, what IS your thought? Mine is usually "What is the perfect balance of getting out safely and going as far up the fairway as I can?" A lot of times I find myself making the mistake of erring more towards "up the fairway" than "safely out". Especially when my drive is only in the rough.

That’s exactly what I’m thinking as well. Occasionally if I’m really in the trees I’ll just try the “chip out sideways” approach to get back into the fairway. I almost always screw that up one way or another. In fact, most times I try to do what would be considered the smart play I fail horribly. Most of that probably has to do with how uncomfortable I am with partial swings. No matter how much I practice them, I just can’t find a feel.

 

[chile]

I think a big part of my journey breaking 100 was that I quit thinking I needed to recoup the distance I lost off bad shots...once I accepted that getting back into a playable spot, be it fairway or rough, I had a better chance to score better...

 

[BigMac]

I think a big part of my journey breaking 100 was that I quit thinking I needed to recoup the distance I lost off bad shots...once I accepted that getting back into a playable spot, be it fairway or rough, I had a better chance to score better...

It's a hard lesson to learn, but the recovery shot will help your score a lot more often than the low-percentage hero shot. I had two of them today after errant drives on par 5s - salvaged a one-putt par from one and a two-putt bogey from the other. If I had tried the hero shots, they both could have easily been doubles or triples.

 

[charley48]

My thought on the tee: “Hit it in the middle of the fairway.”
My thought from the middle of the fairway: “Get it closer to the green.”
My thought from closer to the green: “Get it on the green.”
My thought from on the green: “Sink this putt.”
My thought from next to the cup: “I’ll take that tap in for a bogey.”

Two things I used to be real bad with. Trying too hard to be a good golfer and negativity when I'm not a good golfer. When I accepted that I am who I am I started to enjoy it more. When I stopped being so negative about my game it started to improve. Confidence is half the battle. Believe you will do it and you have a better chance than if you believe you won't do it. When I played baseball I made more outs than hits but I always thought I'd get a hit when I stepped up to the plate. I was usually one of the top hitters on the team. I wish I had that confidence in my golf game. I'm working on it though.

 

[Annhl8rX]

I went to the range today since I won’t be able to play this weekend and had very similar results to what I’ve been experiencing lately. By focusing on just a couple of the things my instructor has me working on (keeping my left arm straight and following through), I’m getting much better, more consistent contact with my irons and wedges.

My current headache is that with anything longer than an iron, the difference between a straight shot and a massive slice is imperceptible to me. I may play my next round with irons only and see how things go. Usually if I can keep the ball in play and moving forward I have a chance at double digits. Right now going irons only is probably my best chance at doing that.

 

[tehuti]

I think a big part of my journey breaking 100 was that I quit thinking I needed to recoup the distance I lost off bad shots...once I accepted that getting back into a playable spot, be it fairway or rough, I had a better chance to score better...

I am slowly adopting that approach myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hamfist]

That’s exactly what I’m thinking as well. Occasionally if I’m really in the trees I’ll just try the “chip out sideways” approach to get back into the fairway. I almost always screw that up one way or another. In fact, most times I try to do what would be considered the smart play I fail horribly. Most of that probably has to do with how uncomfortable I am with partial swings. No matter how much I practice them, I just can’t find a feel.

What are you using? For most of my tree shots, I'm using my 3-wood, choked up, in the back of the stance, and just hitting a slap shot with it to roll it out.

 

[Hamfist]

I went to the range today since I won’t be able to play this weekend and had very similar results to what I’ve been experiencing lately. By focusing on just a couple of the things my instructor has me working on (keeping my left arm straight and following through), I’m getting much better, more consistent contact with my irons and wedges.

My current headache is that with anything longer than an iron, the difference between a straight shot and a massive slice is imperceptible to me. I may play my next round with irons only and see how things go. Usually if I can keep the ball in play and moving forward I have a chance at double digits. Right now going irons only is probably my best chance at doing that.

Do it! Irons only will keep you out of the troubles. As many wise people on YouTube have said, for a high capper, it's all about limiting the mistakes that lead to big numbers.

 

[charley48]

What are you using? For most of my tree shots, I'm using my 3-wood, choked up, in the back of the stance, and just hitting a slap shot with it to roll it out.

I used to keep an old 12 degree driver in my bag that I called my tree club. Hitting it off the deck it wouldn't get higher than a couple feet off the ground. It was good for those low runners that had a long way to go. But I started to hit behind the ball to much and eventually broke the head off. So now I use a 3 hybrid. I pretty much swing like a putt but much harder. I always spend some extra time with that shot at the range and now its working pretty good. One time it stayed low beneath the over hanging branches and rolled over 150 yards down the fairway.

 

[charley48]

Ok, so lately I've been talking about how much farther I'm hitting the driver. Well, I might have found something that can help me hit even further. At the range yesterday morning I was next to a guy that was obviously a very good golfer. We got to talking about the driver. He noticed I didn't really have any spine tilt on the driver at address. So I started tilting it and I noticed the ball seemed like it was going further.

Sometimes it would hit the ground behind the ball so he told me to tilt a little less. And I started hitting very solid. The only issue was hitting left. Some were nice and straight and some were too far left. Not one was a fade right. He told me to keep practicing and try to make adjustments like aiming to the right.

I've had a problem with my alignment. Quite a few times when I hit left and someone is standing behind me they say "You hit right where you were lined up". I try to use alignment sticks but it makes me feel off balance for some reason when I hit the ball. Maybe I just need to keep practicing with them till it feels more comfortable.

 

[Hamfist]

I used to keep an old 12 degree driver in my bag that I called my tree club. Hitting it off the deck it wouldn't get higher than a couple feet off the ground. It was good for those low runners that had a long way to go. But I started to hit behind the ball to much and eventually broke the head off. So now I use a 3 hybrid. I pretty much swing like a putt but much harder. I always spend some extra time with that shot at the range and now its working pretty good. One time it stayed low beneath the over hanging branches and rolled over 150 yards down the fairway.

I've had some low rockets that made good distance down the fairway. Some made good distance across the fairway to put me in the rough over there. such is my game.

 

[Hamfist]

So, Saturday, I played a big-boy course, got paired with a couple of big-hitting youngsters, and got my teeth kicked in by the course. I did make some nice shots, but took a 58 on the front, and kind of made the back a practice round. C'est la vie.

Sunday, I went out on to my "Heals all wounds" course, and shot a 93, with 2 birdies, and two pars. One of the birdies and the pars were legit, one par 3 where I took a mulligan, was not legit. Had three 7s to balance that out, but overall it was a good, "get back in the saddle" round.

 

[[snow]]

Weird day. Swing didn't feel well connected at all, from range to the course.
Had a few great shots, but also a few... high hooks? Overdone draws? Either way, i think our fairways are wide enough, but god help you if you're right or left of them.
Didn't get the whole front 9 in today, knee felt wonky walking off of 6 and i took a shortcut down the 9th.

Chipping is doing pretty well, and i feel confident within around 40m of the green, but from there to a full SW i'm freewheeling.
Need to get some putting work in the next few times i go out. Tomorrow is a rest day. Forced by storm/rain, but feels like i need it, too.

Signed up for my first HC-relevant round since resuming golf. 10 days left, lots of work to be done, but here goes lol.

 

[Annhl8rX]

What are you using? For most of my tree shots, I'm using my 3-wood, choked up, in the back of the stance, and just hitting a slap shot with it to roll it out.

I roll with a hybrid most of the time.

 

[Hamfist]

I roll with a hybrid most of the time.

What are the misses? Not rolling it far enough? Spraying it left and right?

 

[charley48]

I've had some low rockets that made good distance down the fairway. Some made good distance across the fairway to put me in the rough over there. such is my game.

I spend time on that shot every time I go to the range. I've gotten much more accurate hitting where I want to. Before, if a tree was a certain distance I would just aim right for it. I never hit it. Until a few weeks ago. There was this one tall palm tree about 40 yards in front me. It was directly in line with the flag. I had to keep it low so like I always did I aimed right for it. I hit it dead center. At that point I realized I can hit where I aim it on those shots now.

 

[Hamfist]

I spend time on that shot every time I go to the range. I've gotten much more accurate hitting where I want to. Before, if a tree was a certain distance I would just aim right for it. I never hit it. Until a few weeks ago. There was this one tall palm tree about 40 yards in front me. It was directly in line with the flag. I had to keep it low so like I always did I aimed right for it. I hit it dead center. At that point I realized I can hit where I aim it on those shots now.

I'm about 80% getting it into the fairway from the trees. It's an occasional shot into the opposite rough, though. the other 20% is usually just not getting any loft on the ball and it stops in the rough just outside the tree line.

 

[charley48]

I'm about 80% getting it into the fairway from the trees. It's an occasional shot into the opposite rough, though. the other 20% is usually just not getting any loft on the ball and it stops in the rough just outside the tree line.

Its a shot I always spend time working on at the range. I can't tell you how many times those situations led to breakdown holes. I find that if I focus on keeping the club head pointed directly at the target it goes pretty straight. I just line up like I'm putting but further from the ball. I keep my arms outstretched straight and swing like a putt but much harder. I stop the follow through with the club head pointed at the target.

It almost always stays low about 3 or 4 feet off the ground and with the hybrid it can pick up speed pretty good. I tried the back foot method on the 6 iron but I tend to dig down to much making it go higher. By having the ball slightly left of center for my swing it seems to be the right spot. I have things that work for me that probably wouldn't be recommended. Like my driver swing. But I found a way to make it work. The driver is still my most consistent club.

Now if I could only figure out how the be more consistent on the irons. Right now that is my downfall. A good shot one time a shank the next.

 

[JonMA1]

Had a Doctor's appointment this morning so I took the whole day off work and tried to walk 18 before the forecasted torrential downpour started. Stayed dry until the 18th when the skies opened up. I got soaked but it was great to get out after 3+ weeks of family obligations allowed for only one other round.

49/45 94. The course is not listed on the Grint but it's a very easy 9 hole course and the hdcp diff was probably upper 20's.

Everything felt like bogey golf other than my putting today. Made clean contact on all but a couple full swings. Starting lines were good, got the expected distance and then some and the game felt as in-control as it can be at my skill level. The short game was not as good as it has been all year but still good enough to scramble for a few pars and even a birdie. Fun round!

 

[Hamfist]

Had a Doctor's appointment this morning and tried to walk 18 before the forecasted torrential downpour started. Stayed dry until the 18th when the skies opened up. I got soaked but it was great to get out after 3+ weeks of family obligations allowed for only one other round.

49/45 94. The course is not listed on the Grint but it's a very easy 9 hole course and the hdcp diff was probably upper 20's.

Everything felt like bogey golf other than my putting today. Made clean contact on all but a couple full swings. Starting lines were good, got the expected distance and then some and the game felt as in-control as it can be at my skill level. The short game was not as good as it has been all year but still good enough to scramble for a few pars and even a birdie. Fun round!

Right on! Glad to hear you had a good time/round. Sometimes an easy course is just what the doctor ordered for your confidence.

 

[JonMA1]

Right on! Glad to hear you had a good time/round. Sometimes an easy course is just what the doctor ordered for your confidence.

Agreed. And the easiest of courses can still present challenges. There were a couple of punch-outs, some pitches over a bunker, etc. I think what makes this course easy is the amount of room around the greens. There was a lot less worrying about losing a ball on an approach shot.

Every time I play this course I feel like it's the best $20 I've ever spent.

 

[Grins]

I see this all the time too. I was playing with a high handicap player the other day. We both chunked our tee shots pretty badly and had pretty sketchy lies. I hit an 8-iron. He hit a 5-wood. I pitched on with my third and two-putted for bogey. After badly topping his first attempt, he sliced his second attempt into the lake. After a drop, he hit onto the edge of the green and 3-putted for an eight.

I think this is one area where higher HC players struggle. I think they (we) have trouble realizing how difficult some lies can make the next shot, and sometimes the only real option is use a short club and advance the ball into the fairway. I've been burned too many times by trying to hit FW wood from a bad lie. I'm starting to get smart & use 7-9 iron and get the ball up and into the fairway for my next shot. Granted, I don't always pull off the safe shot, but the odds are in my favor vs trying a more difficult "longer" shot.

I won't argue that high cappers make poor decisions, but I believe execution trumps everything.

Sometimes you can't really execute what you think you should. I see this all the time with my high HC golfing buddies. If you want to call it strategy, I guess we could. I think assessing the lie, the slope of the ground, the wind, where is a "good miss" location, etc....that's a lot of stuff to think about. From my experience, most of us higher HC players start to default to the "swing as hard as I can with the club that I can hit to the green - if everything goes well" strategy.

I think that's what the doctor & others are trying to point out - higher HC players often have unrealistic expectations and not a realistic view of how difficult some shots can be, just based on lie, slope of ground, etc. (and regardless of course layout)

 

[JonMA1]

I think that's what the doctor & others are trying to point out - higher HC players often have unrealistic expectations and not a realistic view of how difficult some shots can be, just based on lie, slope of ground, etc. (and regardless of course layout)

Have to agree 100% with you on this, @Grins. I have what may be an over-inflated opinion of my decision-making abilities, but I will admit this is an area where I will make poor choices.

When the ball is above my feet, conventional wisdom says we have to play it to hook or pull left (righty). I'll either over or under compensate on a pretty regular basis. That's not an execution issue, it's a lack of skill or knowledge. So in that instance, it can be a poor choice to try the shot when there's too much trouble around. Advancing the ball to level ground might be the better decision.

 

[Annhl8rX]

What are the misses? Not rolling it far enough? Spraying it left and right?

Yes

 

[Hamfist]

I think this is one area where higher HC players struggle. I think they (we) have trouble realizing how difficult some lies can make the next shot, and sometimes the only real option is use a short club and advance the ball into the fairway. I've been burned too many times by trying to hit FW wood from a bad lie. I'm starting to get smart & use 7-9 iron and get the ball up and into the fairway for my next shot. Granted, I don't always pull off the safe shot, but the odds are in my favor vs trying a more difficult "longer" shot.



Sometimes you can't really execute what you think you should. I see this all the time with my high HC golfing buddies. If you want to call it strategy, I guess we could. I think assessing the lie, the slope of the ground, the wind, where is a "good miss" location, etc....that's a lot of stuff to think about. From my experience, most of us higher HC players start to default to the "swing as hard as I can with the club that I can hit to the green - if everything goes well" strategy.

I think that's what the doctor & others are trying to point out - higher HC players often have unrealistic expectations and not a realistic view of how difficult some shots can be, just based on lie, slope of ground, etc. (and regardless of course layout)

I felt your side eye as you were typing this, lol.