That's a nice looking yard. Mine isn't nearly that good looking
Backyard Short Game Practice
Let me think about it. The honorary membership after my donation is much appreciated.
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- #28
Free babysitting once the little one comes too. I haven't asked the babysitter, aka my wife yet, but I'm sure she won't mind adding one more.Let me think about it. The honorary membership after my donation is much appreciated.
Your yard is nicer than most courses I play regularly.
I'd take this time to work on dialing in my short game distances with a variety of shots; chips, pitches, maybe see how quickly you can get flop shots to stop by that swing set.
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- #30
I may need to see about purchasing that field back behind my house. 
Seems like there may be some interest, especially with most ranges being closed. In seriousness, I do dream about that. It's about another 5 acres behind my house, and would allow for most full swing shots. I could have 2 par 3 holes at the least. Get some large nets up like TopGolf. Wow, need to win the lottery now, or find a bunch more people to join my exclusive club.
Seems like there may be some interest, especially with most ranges being closed. In seriousness, I do dream about that. It's about another 5 acres behind my house, and would allow for most full swing shots. I could have 2 par 3 holes at the least. Get some large nets up like TopGolf. Wow, need to win the lottery now, or find a bunch more people to join my exclusive club. 
If I lived near you, I'd join your exclusive club in a heartbeat. Your yard looks nicer than most courses I play! You have a great setup there for playing to the different distances and seeing which club is the most effective/consistent for you to hit them. You should be able to get your short game dialed in nicely.I may need to see about purchasing that field back behind my house.
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- #32
Hey thanks. I'd gladly have you over, and will add you as an honorary member. Cheaper monthly fee. I'm hoping to get it dialed in. Last year I saw improvements, just looking to take the next step.
I played a small 9 hole executive courses that wrapped around part of a driving range. The holes had two sets of tees and played from 60yds to about 190yds. It was pretty cool and seemed like a great retirement type business.
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- #34
My new dream backyard practice area
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Definitely looks like you have plenty of space. I'd just work on the partial swings to different distances.
I'm contemplating building a cage in the backyard to hang a net and hit into.
I'm contemplating building a cage in the backyard to hang a net and hit into.
great yard
What I would do:
1. Set up a full hitting cage towards the rear, 10’ wide X 10’ high x 10’ long
2. At specific yardages (the ones I know I would need at my home course) set up flags, and mow the grass shorter, like in a 20’ wide circle. To act like a “green”
Lastly, pending $, what about a putting green?
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- #37
Thanks for those ideas. A putting green is a great idea, but is out in the future a bit. I'll try to create those greens slowly though, one at a time, to see how the grass responds.
Mark_UK
Legal Alien
Damn! With a backyard like that, I’d never be at the range, and I’d probably be low single figures.
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- #39
Alright been working on my short game in the backyard. I've been hitting a lot of shots just around the yard anywhere from 5 yards to 50 yards, to determine which shots/clubs work the best. I wanted to key in on this <50 yard distance first.
I hit a bunch of shots with my 58* and 54* for these <50 yard shots. I typically use the 58* for these shots. After 2 nights hitting about 50 shots with each, I will now be using my 54* for these. I was more accurate, felt more comfortable, and had less thinned shots, which is my usual miss. I also dont slide under the ball as much from the longer grass. With my 54* I like the somewhat lower ball flight which seemed to be more accurate. Looking forward to implementing this finding onto the course.
Now I'm going to be working shots 50 - 100 yards doing the same comparison between my 54* and 50*.
I hit a bunch of shots with my 58* and 54* for these <50 yard shots. I typically use the 58* for these shots. After 2 nights hitting about 50 shots with each, I will now be using my 54* for these. I was more accurate, felt more comfortable, and had less thinned shots, which is my usual miss. I also dont slide under the ball as much from the longer grass. With my 54* I like the somewhat lower ball flight which seemed to be more accurate. Looking forward to implementing this finding onto the course.
Now I'm going to be working shots 50 - 100 yards doing the same comparison between my 54* and 50*.
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Nice yard.
That area looks large enough to include some "punch shot" practice too. Some extra long "lob shots" ?
Maybe mark off a "skinny" fairway for accuracy practice.
That area looks large enough to include some "punch shot" practice too. Some extra long "lob shots" ?
Maybe mark off a "skinny" fairway for accuracy practice.
Interesting approach to clubbing up. Was it because the smoother swing in a relaxed "let the club work" vs being stronger attack with the high loft? Or is the 58 just a hard club to hit for you in general. I face the 60* full on around the green but not sure how far to take it outside of the specialized work. Also just curious are you using real golf balls? How many have you lost?
Any updates on the mowed down "green" trials?
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- #42
Honestly it was just all about the results. I was more accurate. Some of it might have to do with the club. I have an Old TM 58*, and a much newer Cleveland RTX-3 54*. The feel off the Cleveland was just a lot better for these shots under 50 yards. The Cleveland also seems to get through the taller grass better, but also allows me to hit off short grass with less thin shots. I'm guessing it has to do with the design of the club, and the bounce, but I'd have to do some research to find the differences.
I will still have the 58* for shots right around the green, or when I don't want the ball to run as much. I'm chipping into a fire pit, or just a spot in the yard, so I will have to adjust to the roll out I will see on my 54* vs 58*. It was just a lot easier to get clean contact and keep it on line with the Cleveland.
I have not mowed down the green yet. Rain has been not allowing me to mow as often, so I don't want to take too much grass in one cut. I'll get there hopefully this week though, weather cooperating.
Luchnia
You will never conquer golf.
There are a number of ways you can approach your practice depending on how much you want to spend. I hit off the ground, off mats, and use a chipping net, buckets, florescent marker paint, and flags. The florescent marker paint is used to mark main yardage by painting a circle on the ground at the various flags.
I can easily see those paint circles from any distances. I use a bag ball retriever so I don't have to bend over and pick up 50 balls each time. Picking up hundreds of balls wears me down way more than swinging the clubs hitting them. I also mow the grass much lower in that area to resemble a fairway yet much narrower.
Chipping nets are nice, yet those simple small flags you buy for marking out survey lines are nice and cheap and can be quickly picked up when mowing your lawn. I simply pick up some of those flags at the local lowes and place them ten yards apart up to 100 yards or you could choose to place them farther apart depending on your needs.
I learn each one of my wedges at most all of the distances by different swings 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, etc, with the lob and sand wedge usually being much shorter but higher. I will first practice grouping balls near the flag usually in a small area (hopefully) within ten foot circle around the flag at 30 yards, then move on to 60, then 90, then 100 and so on depending on how much space you have.
It can be challenging, but this has really changed my chipping game and wedge selection around various courses. When I want higher shots, I normally put out my chipping net, or five gallon plastic bucket, and try to hit them higher then into the net, or bucket which is much more difficult than grouping them on the ground around a small flag. Five gallon plastic buckets placed at various yardages can be a great targets if you don't want to invest in a chipping net.
I can easily see those paint circles from any distances. I use a bag ball retriever so I don't have to bend over and pick up 50 balls each time. Picking up hundreds of balls wears me down way more than swinging the clubs hitting them. I also mow the grass much lower in that area to resemble a fairway yet much narrower.
Chipping nets are nice, yet those simple small flags you buy for marking out survey lines are nice and cheap and can be quickly picked up when mowing your lawn. I simply pick up some of those flags at the local lowes and place them ten yards apart up to 100 yards or you could choose to place them farther apart depending on your needs.
I learn each one of my wedges at most all of the distances by different swings 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, etc, with the lob and sand wedge usually being much shorter but higher. I will first practice grouping balls near the flag usually in a small area (hopefully) within ten foot circle around the flag at 30 yards, then move on to 60, then 90, then 100 and so on depending on how much space you have.
It can be challenging, but this has really changed my chipping game and wedge selection around various courses. When I want higher shots, I normally put out my chipping net, or five gallon plastic bucket, and try to hit them higher then into the net, or bucket which is much more difficult than grouping them on the ground around a small flag. Five gallon plastic buckets placed at various yardages can be a great targets if you don't want to invest in a chipping net.
- Thread starter
- #44
Thanks for all those suggestions, really appreciate it!
I’ve found this with my 58 vs 54 too. Much better contact with the 54, so if no ‘hero’ moves are required with additional loft then I’m gonna stick with that one.
What bounce do you have on the two clubs? Perhaps there’s too much bounce on the 58?
bobellis75
Well-known member
dang....I thought I had a big yard...I got nothing compared to that! But I do need to go out with the lob and put in some work out back....
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- #47
I'm not sure, I will have take a look. Bounce wasnt in my golf vocabulary until a year ago or so, so I'm still learning about and trying to understand. This is probably a good point though, and probably has a lot to do with the differences between the two wedges.
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- #48
My Cleveland 54* has the V-MG bounce, which is a Mid-Bounce. I'm honestly not sure what my 58* Taylormade bounce is, but looking at it the shape seems to lean more towards a Low Bounce.
I really think the V-sole of the Cleveland, combined with the Mid-Bounce, is what is working better for me. The V-Sole really gets through all sorts of turf conditions. In my lawn there are spots of thick grass, spots where the grass is a lot shorter, so more like a fairway, and everything in between. I like to throw my balls down and hit it where it lies while practicing. With my 58* I'm really thinking about how I have to swing to make sure it doesn't get caught up. While I think about it a bit with my 54*, I'm not thinking about it as much as just getting solid contact. I can trust the club to get to the ball through whatever is in front of it.
I have the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges with the v-sole. It is very impressive. My specs are:
(loft, dot, sole grind, bounce)
50° •• V-MG 10°
54° • V-LG 8°
58° •• V-MG 9°
I do sometimes wish I had gone for the FG/12° in the 58.
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- #50
Do you have the MB or the CB RTX-3's? I have the Cavity back in the 50*, and honestly I don't like the feel as much as the MB in the 54*.