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Does Playing Shots Fast Help You?

Canadan

Canadan

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While I do respect honors for birdies and eagles, I tend to just get up to a box, especially at my home club where I know where I want to aim it, and hit quickly. No waiting around, not debating things, one small practice swing, up and hit.

I see a lot of golfers operate differently, thinking through a lot, taking their time, and I decided that'd probably be pretty tough for me to do haha - I'd rather think before I get to a shot more than when I get to it. In fact, my timing is about 90% get a number a grab a club, and 10% in my stance to hit.

What's your standard? How do you like to play?
 
I prefer to walk up and hit. I’ve never been able to pick a line from behind the ball, line up, envision my shot like J Day, take full practice swings then hit. Honestly that drives me a bit nuts like they’re messing around.
 
Depends on the company as far as honors etc. However I don’t do much in the way of pre shot routines etc. Step up and hit..::
 
I prefer to play ready golf. Makes the round faster and much more enjoyable. Play with a couple guys once in a while that I feel like I need to tie a rope to their cart so they keep up.
 
It really depends on the setup, the day, and especially familiarity. It's weird how much of a difference it makes, and how much of a difference it makes in terms of people's perceptions of my process.

Regular course, normal clubs and conditions, it's not that complicated. Or time consuming. New gear or tough conditions I might have to think it a fraction longer. New course is a whole different animal. As someone who goes first a lot I'll try to get to the tee quickly to get the layout and yardages and work through some shot options. It can seem long to some who just don't care, or think about as many things, or more importantly, don't go first. New course and I get to do all that while you're hitting, and all you see is get club and go hit ball. I don't tend to hem and about decisions or waste time once I've decided, but I run the math on approaches and outcomes to make them.

So if you know what you want to do and it's new to me, hit if you want. I don't really care about honors at all.

So playing shots fast.. doesn't help I guess. To answer the question.
 
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I can’t aim consistently at something 200 yards away. I need to pick an intermediate target from behind the ball. Once I’ve got that though, one practice swing typically, then go.
 
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Golfers Anonymous said:
I prefer to walk up and hit. I’ve never been able to pick a line from behind the ball, line up, envision my shot like J Day, take full practice swings then hit. Honestly that drives me a bit nuts like they’re messing around.
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I'd probably hit it backward.
 
At a course I've played before, for the most part I grab a club and go. May grab another depending on distance, but never mull it over too long. Off the tee I'd much rather be first off then wait and 2nd guess anything.

New course might take a bit longer on a few select holes, but for the most part still grab and go.
 
I am one of the fastest players anyone will ever play with.....I can mess up taking forever just as easily/often as when I play fast. I take no practice swings unless I have been waiting a significant amount of time.

In general, playing quick is definitely an important factor in playing well. My best scores (inlcuding PB 66) and most significant victories in competition have been quick rounds i.e. under/about 4:00.
 
I play fast. Sometimes too fast. I’ll rush to take a shot in my perceived down time before another play whos “turn” it should be is ready. Those typically go bad.

that said I need to think less! Such a double edged sword as a striving bogey golfer. I should be more deliberate. But I also am such a feelplayer.
“See shot. Hit shot”. This is the @Wildcat4life way.
 
I like to move quick and it throws people off sometimes on non tee shots. If someone is setting up to their ball and a decent ways away from me, I like to start setting up to my ball so I can hit shortly after them. It backfires more though because people tend to back out of their shot to wait for me, even though they're far away. Maybe I'm the A hole though and throwing them off lol.
 
play fast get up a couple thoughts about the down swing and alignment then go for it...

feel the flow and pull the trigger!

 
Honors don’t matter to me if I’m making the birdie or eagle but I’ll respect others. That said, I’m a big proponent of ready golf and I feel I play better when I’m not thinking as much
 
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mtbloco said:
I play fast. Sometimes too fast. I’ll rush to take a shot in my perceived down time before another play whos “turn” it should be is ready. Those typically go bad.

that said I need to think less! Such a double edged sword as a striving bogey golfer. I should be more deliberate. But I also am such a feelplayer.
“See shot. Hit shot”. This is the @Wildcat4life way.
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no time to talk yourself out of it hahahaha
 
I don't spend a lot of time on courses I have played before and even those where I play not so regularly. I will generally scout the gps pre round and have an idea how I want to play each hole before the round. Really frees me up to just go hit my tee shots. Brand new courses I may look at GPS on most tee shots to understand the landing zones as I get to them.
 
I play shots fast. Not sure if it helps or not, but it seems like the ones I think about too long I always end up miss hitting somehow.
 
Yes.
 
lockstockrye said:
I am one of the fastest players anyone will ever play with.....I can mess up taking forever just as easily/often as when I play fast. I take no practice swings unless I have been waiting a significant amount of time.

In general, playing quick is definitely an important factor in playing well. My best scores (inlcuding PB 66) and most significant victories in competition have been quick rounds i.e. under/about 4:00.
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I used to take practice swings but now the only practice swings I take are if it is an interesting lie on a chip or I am hitting backwards. :ROFLMAO: I had to change my mentality, partially because @lockstockrye called me a headcase, from complaining about slow play to kind of forcing quicker play. I have no problem stepping up and hitting a shot if you are taking forever to play. When I am playing well I can hit a good shot that kind of forces the opponents hand or if I am playing bad I just want to get my score posted and get out of there. I can play quick but there are so many times where I am just stuck out there so I make the best of it more times then not. I don't change my approach.
 
Ready golf for me. I feel like I play on the quicker side, no practice swings (although I probably should figure out something on the tee to get a good feel) and not a lot of hemming and hawing over club selection. I may slide down the bell curve when putting.

I'm not too keen on honors, if you know what you want to do on the tee, go right ahead, even on top of my birdie. It doesn't bother me.

If someone takes my tee when I get my first eagle I'll report back if it bothers me, although likely having another beat to calm down will probably be helpful...
 
I’d welcome stepping on my eagle. At least I did the two times I’ve been in that situation.
 
We don't really play "honors" but if we are playing a 2 man better ball or scramble, we play team with better score hits first.

As for playing fast....dont care for it. I like to take my time and enjoy the round, the people I'm playing with (usually my dad and 2 brothers) and just being out. We spend soooooo much time at work, let's enjoy our time out.
 
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I seem to score better when I play fast so prefer that over slower play any day.
 
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