Trying to Break 100

[tehuti]

Shot 95 on a short par 70 that I haven’t played since the 1990’s. I don’t count it toward my breaking 100 goal since it’s only 5,096 yards. But it still felt good.


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[JonMA1]

I don’t count it toward my breaking 100 goal since it’s only 5,096 yards.

That's a regulation course. Count it.

My home course is just over 5,000 from the whites but has a higher rating/slope than the 6,000 yard tees from other courses I play.

 

[OITW]

Shot matching 95s back to back earlier this week, was happy to break 100 just didn’t have it and those were grind it out numbers

 

[fistfullofbeer]

Shot 95 on a short par 70 that I haven’t played since the 1990’s. I don’t count it toward my breaking 100 goal since it’s only 5,096 yards. But it still felt good.


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A 95 is a 95. Yeah, the course rating would play a role in how it affects your handicap but don't let that take away from a sub-100 score. Its still a par-70 course.

 

[dthrog00]

I haven’t really been working at improving for a good long while, but I went out and shot a 98 today on a course that I wasn’t familiar with. The bulk of the credit goes to the fact that I had zero penalties.

After topping my three wood from the tee on the first two holes I switched to my Ping Crossover. That club was money for me, both from the tee and the fairway. I was surprised by my results as I haven’t really used it much.

I had three pars and a birdie, and my worst hole was a triple (I had two of them). This was probably the best round I’ve ever played. I don’t think I’ve ever gone without a snowman or higher before.

Nice job, feels good doesn't it?

Dave

 

[ntanygd760]

Sorry for the rant, but hybrid vs iron...

Everyone says amateur golfers are saved by hybrids instead of those pesky hard to hit long irons. I have very weak lofted irons as I'm playing off a 48* pitching wedge and the 4 and 5 irons in my set are manageable at 24* and 28* respectively. I took the proverbial wisdom today and put the 25* hybrid in the bag instead of the 4 iron. I rarely need this yardage.

I was on the 7th hole with a merciless wind that was blowing left-to-right and hard in my face. My drive was pushed right by the wind, but was playable and ended up in an ok lie. I had 139 left to the pin and figured I had 1.5-2 club wind that I was working against. Long is jail on this hole as you'd be OB in someone's back yard. Left and right misses are not as big of a deal and misses short are fine.

I decide to pull the 25* hybrid (typically 155 club as I'm not a bomber) and aim for the left sand trap. My vision is the ball starts over the trap with a high-ish flight and then with my normal fade and the wind would probably end up on the right hand side of the green pin high. I take my swing and am dumb founded as I watch the ball take off as I've managed to thin it somehow and the ball is headed dead left and not curving. It lands just left of the sand trap, hits a hill, and bounds halfway towards the 8th tee.

I make my way over to the ball and laser the pin at 44 yards away and basically pin high. I hit my pitch but it ends up a little bit short, hits the hill and takes a bad bounce, and ends up on the first cut on the other side of the green. I end up making double.

Did the hybrid actually help me here?

I clearly mishit the ball and the hybrid did preserve ball speed on the miss which is what they are supposed to do, but it ended up 44 yards left! What would happen with that same swing and the 4 iron? I don't think I've ever hit a 4 iron pull that went dead left. I probably would have thinned it curving to the right and end up short of the pin with a vanilla short game shot and likely bogey. I doubt I would have made double from such a position.

If someone just can't get the long irons in the air then I absolutely get it the hybrid is better. But, if you can get an ok trajectory where should the transition happen? Arguably for me, since I rarely have forced carries over water, that the left/right iron accuracy is better as hybrid misses will just go farther into the junk.

How about you?

Dave

Big picture though. I imagine it helps more than it hurts.

 

[thommo.sx]

Shot 95 on a short par 70 that I haven’t played since the 1990’s. I don’t count it toward my breaking 100 goal since it’s only 5,096 yards. But it still felt good.

Take it.

Or, if you feel a bit cheaty about taking it because its short, play it again, and only play hybrid or iron off the tee. See how it plays from your normal distance away from the green.

 

[thommo.sx]

It makes me wonder for mid-hybrids (25*) like this where the transition is for who it helps and how much it helps their score.

Dave

I found it's swings and roundabouts, as the irons are flat faced rather than roll-and-bulged like hybrids. Theoretically starting less offline in the first place, but also less compensatory gearing back to target.

I am definitely pro hybrid for most players overall, on a larger sample size, I'd guess that the help hybrids give is overall more beneficial.

 

[r80rew]

So a poor day today and shot 105. After last weeks round I really felt like had turned a corner and was going to consistently come under 100. Today I made 4 pars but the 7 & 8’s were back on the score card.

 

[JonMA1]

So a poor day today and shot 105. After last weeks round I really felt like had turned a corner and was going to consistently come under 100. Today I made 4 pars but the 7 & 8’s were back on the score card.

Chances are you are improving. Don’t let one or two rounds convince you otherwise. Improvement is rarely a linear progression. Those who play at whatever level you desire would likely tell you the same thing.

 

[tehuti]

Weird practice round today. I got to play solo this morning on my home course. It was way too hot, but I wanted to play. Started out with no warmup and had my usual results on the first 3 holes 6-8-8. Then I settled down a bit.

Although I hit some really good shots today I still seem to have one or two bad shots on most holes. So I expected to finish in my usual range of 95-102 for this par 68 course.

Totaled up at the end and I had 45-45/90. My best score. Not patting myself on the back because it was just a casual practice round. But I didn’t think I was doing that well. Strange.


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[dthrog00]

I'm following up on the 4 iron vs 4 hybrid question with data collected with the original Mevo.

The 4 iron and 4 hybrid shots were collected with 5 shots then rotate until complete. The goal distance is 155 carry + roll.

The 4 iron is the Maltby TE forged and has a loft of 24*.

4I

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		107.2	81.9	1.31	147.9	18.3	5798	76′4″	5.5
2		107	79.7	1.34	152.8	20.3	4318	81′1″	5.6
3		106.7	79.8	1.34	149.3	20.2	5214	82′6″	5.6
4		109.3	79.7	1.37	157.6	18.4	3964	74′5″	5.5
5		108.7	79.9	1.36	157.1	18.9	3815	75′1″	5.5
6		101.3	83.1	1.22	138.1	16.7	4469	56′6″	4.8
7		105.5	82.1	1.29	145.4	17.6	5379	69′3″	5.3
8		104.4	82.6	1.26	148	17.6	3151	59′2″	4.9
9		104.1	82.2	1.27	146.5	19.6	4379	73′	5.3
10		106.7	80.8	1.32	150.9	18.4	4431	72′1″	5.4
11		104	83.4	1.25	149	19.2	3221	66′3″	5.1
12		107.3	82.6	1.3	150.6	18.4	4955	74′7″	5.5
13		104.2	81.4	1.28	148.2	18.4	3371	63′10″	5
14		103.2	82	1.26	140	19.1	6087	73′3″	5.3
15		105.2	81.7	1.29	150.3	20.1	3971	75′8″	5.4
16		105.5	80.6	1.31	148.8	18.6	4388	70′11″	5.3
17		108.4	81.4	1.33	151.6	19.4	5378	82′5″	5.7
18		102.2	82.4	1.24	137.7	16.7	5662	60′9″	5
19		106.3	80.4	1.32	151.9	18	3624	66′6″	5.2
20		106.5	82.6	1.29	149	18.5	4997	73′12″	5.4
Avg		105.7	81.5	1.3	148.5	18.6	4529	71′5″	5.3
Dev		2.1	1.1	0.04	5.1	1	856	7′2″	0.2

The 4 hybrid is a Titleist 816 H1 25* that I have set to A2 (stock loft and upright).

4 Hybrid

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		113.9	78.2	1.46	158.3	18.7	6228	91′4″	6
2		113.2	76.9	1.47	162.5	18.8	4812	86′10″	5.9
3		109.6	77.6	1.41	151.4	21.2	6118	93′11″	5.9
4		105.9	75.8	1.4	142.8	20.1	7070	83′5″	5.6
5		108.9	75.1	1.45	157.5	20.2	4027	82′9″	5.7
6		104	76.5	1.36	146	22.7	4761	87′3″	5.7
7		109.9	78.5	1.4	153.5	19.5	5662	86′6″	5.8
8		112.7	75.3	1.5	163.7	18.7	4202	82′10″	5.7
9		113.9	78.2	1.46	155.7	18.5	7126	91′9″	6
10		114.9	77.9	1.48	167	16.3	4105	74′2″	5.6
11		114	77	1.48	164.2	19.1	4766	89′2″	5.9
12		106.9	77.4	1.38	154.8	22.1	3822	87′2″	5.7
13		111.6	75.8	1.47	154.3	18.2	6260	84′9″	5.8
14		111.8	77	1.45	161.1	20	4530	88′11″	5.9
15		112.8	79.7	1.41	158.8	17.5	5470	81′10″	5.7
Avg		110.9	77.1	1.44	156.8	19.5	5264	86′2″	5.8
Dev		3.2	1.3	0.04	6.5	1.6	1062	4′9″	0.1

Finally, the Maltby TE forged 5 iron that is 28* of loft and I consider to be my 145 yard club.

5I

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		105.6	78.8	1.34	146.2	22.3	5575	90′3″	5.8
2		104.5	78.8	1.33	142.8	21.7	6087	86′4″	5.7
3		98.1	79.2	1.24	133.4	19.9	4914	65′7″	5
4		106.2	80.2	1.33	150.8	21.4	4530	84′11″	5.7
5		102.9	79.8	1.29	143.3	23.4	4914	88′5″	5.7
6		104.9	80.2	1.31	149.6	20.8	4083	78′8″	5.5
7		103.5	79.6	1.3	143.1	21.9	5348	84′1″	5.6
8		98.8	78.6	1.26	132.1	19.1	6005	65′5″	5.1
9		104.4	79.2	1.32	146.7	20.9	4715	80′2″	5.5
10		104.5	79.1	1.32	142.5	21.3	6228	84′11″	5.6
Avg		103.3	79.4	1.3	143	21.3	5240	80′10″	5.5
Dev		2.6	0.5	0.03	5.8	1.1	688	8′4″	0.3

Conclusions:

5 iron: It did what it was supposed to do. I deleted 2 misses worse than the data set. The 132.1 and 133.4 shots were not good strikes but I thought were representative of what I may see on the course. The average is 143 and would roll out on softish midwestern greens to just a bit more than 145. The base line is correct.

4 iron: I deleted 4 shots to get 20 usable ones. 2 were very thin (launching 6 degrees lower) and 2 were mishit/heavy. The good ones are going 148+ (16 out of 24) and would roll out to the 155 range. There are 2 shots less than 140 that were not well struck and the 71'5"max height is lowish. 81.5 mph swing speed is pretty good for me.

4 hybrid: I did not delete any of these shots to get 15 usable ones. There are 2 strikes that were not very good (142.8, 146) and a couple that went way too long which would be concerning. This club as is would play more like a 160 club than 155. I'd need to either loft up or try to optimize a 27 degree 816H1 if I wanted it to hit a 155 gap.

It appears neither the 4 iron or 4 hybrid are great options to gap next to the 5 iron. The hybrid goes too long so I think the 4 iron is a better option despite its warts.

What do you think?

Dave

 

[Turtlerancher]

I'm following up on the 4 iron vs 4 hybrid question with data collected with the original Mevo.

The 4 iron and 4 hybrid shots were collected with 5 shots then rotate until complete. The goal distance is 155 carry + roll.

The 4 iron is the Maltby TE forged and has a loft of 24*.

4I

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		107.2	81.9	1.31	147.9	18.3	5798	76′4″	5.5
2		107	79.7	1.34	152.8	20.3	4318	81′1″	5.6
3		106.7	79.8	1.34	149.3	20.2	5214	82′6″	5.6
4		109.3	79.7	1.37	157.6	18.4	3964	74′5″	5.5
5		108.7	79.9	1.36	157.1	18.9	3815	75′1″	5.5
6		101.3	83.1	1.22	138.1	16.7	4469	56′6″	4.8
7		105.5	82.1	1.29	145.4	17.6	5379	69′3″	5.3
8		104.4	82.6	1.26	148	17.6	3151	59′2″	4.9
9		104.1	82.2	1.27	146.5	19.6	4379	73′	5.3
10		106.7	80.8	1.32	150.9	18.4	4431	72′1″	5.4
11		104	83.4	1.25	149	19.2	3221	66′3″	5.1
12		107.3	82.6	1.3	150.6	18.4	4955	74′7″	5.5
13		104.2	81.4	1.28	148.2	18.4	3371	63′10″	5
14		103.2	82	1.26	140	19.1	6087	73′3″	5.3
15		105.2	81.7	1.29	150.3	20.1	3971	75′8″	5.4
16		105.5	80.6	1.31	148.8	18.6	4388	70′11″	5.3
17		108.4	81.4	1.33	151.6	19.4	5378	82′5″	5.7
18		102.2	82.4	1.24	137.7	16.7	5662	60′9″	5
19		106.3	80.4	1.32	151.9	18	3624	66′6″	5.2
20		106.5	82.6	1.29	149	18.5	4997	73′12″	5.4
Avg		105.7	81.5	1.3	148.5	18.6	4529	71′5″	5.3
Dev		2.1	1.1	0.04	5.1	1	856	7′2″	0.2

The 4 hybrid is a Titleist 816 H1 25* that I have set to A2 (stock loft and upright).

4 Hybrid

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		113.9	78.2	1.46	158.3	18.7	6228	91′4″	6
2		113.2	76.9	1.47	162.5	18.8	4812	86′10″	5.9
3		109.6	77.6	1.41	151.4	21.2	6118	93′11″	5.9
4		105.9	75.8	1.4	142.8	20.1	7070	83′5″	5.6
5		108.9	75.1	1.45	157.5	20.2	4027	82′9″	5.7
6		104	76.5	1.36	146	22.7	4761	87′3″	5.7
7		109.9	78.5	1.4	153.5	19.5	5662	86′6″	5.8
8		112.7	75.3	1.5	163.7	18.7	4202	82′10″	5.7
9		113.9	78.2	1.46	155.7	18.5	7126	91′9″	6
10		114.9	77.9	1.48	167	16.3	4105	74′2″	5.6
11		114	77	1.48	164.2	19.1	4766	89′2″	5.9
12		106.9	77.4	1.38	154.8	22.1	3822	87′2″	5.7
13		111.6	75.8	1.47	154.3	18.2	6260	84′9″	5.8
14		111.8	77	1.45	161.1	20	4530	88′11″	5.9
15		112.8	79.7	1.41	158.8	17.5	5470	81′10″	5.7
Avg		110.9	77.1	1.44	156.8	19.5	5264	86′2″	5.8
Dev		3.2	1.3	0.04	6.5	1.6	1062	4′9″	0.1

Finally, the Maltby TE forged 5 iron that is 28* of loft and I consider to be my 145 yard club.

5I

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		105.6	78.8	1.34	146.2	22.3	5575	90′3″	5.8
2		104.5	78.8	1.33	142.8	21.7	6087	86′4″	5.7
3		98.1	79.2	1.24	133.4	19.9	4914	65′7″	5
4		106.2	80.2	1.33	150.8	21.4	4530	84′11″	5.7
5		102.9	79.8	1.29	143.3	23.4	4914	88′5″	5.7
6		104.9	80.2	1.31	149.6	20.8	4083	78′8″	5.5
7		103.5	79.6	1.3	143.1	21.9	5348	84′1″	5.6
8		98.8	78.6	1.26	132.1	19.1	6005	65′5″	5.1
9		104.4	79.2	1.32	146.7	20.9	4715	80′2″	5.5
10		104.5	79.1	1.32	142.5	21.3	6228	84′11″	5.6
Avg		103.3	79.4	1.3	143	21.3	5240	80′10″	5.5
Dev		2.6	0.5	0.03	5.8	1.1	688	8′4″	0.3

Conclusions:

What do you think?

Dave

Just looking at the data and numbers, you need to figure out a club that gives you a smash factor like the hybrid. Your swinging that with good efficiency. Don't hesitate to look for a similar hybrid. I'm bagging a 3,4,and 5 hybrid and my highest iron is a 6. YMMV

 

[thommo.sx]

4 iron: I deleted 4 shots to get 20 usable ones.

4 hybrid: I did not delete any of these shots to get 15 usable ones.

Think of these percentages when you're on the course, not data gathering. That would be my concern.

We all play differently, though. I wouldn't have the minerals to bag a normal 5i, let alone a 4i.

 

[Joshnoble01]

Shot a 101 on a really tough course. 130 slope. Could have easily been a 95-96 just by slowing down and taking a breath. Missed two 2 footers by not lining up. Missed another 4 footer for the same reason. Tried to play out from behind a tree in a bush instead of just taking a penalty and distance and hitting from a clean lie. Just dumb stuff.

 

[dthrog00]

Just looking at the data and numbers, you need to figure out a club that gives you a smash factor like the hybrid. Your swinging that with good efficiency. Don't hesitate to look for a similar hybrid. I'm bagging a 3,4,and 5 hybrid and my highest iron is a 6. YMMV

I think something is wrong with the swing speed measurement of either the hybrid or the irons. It's not logical that 38" and 38.5" irons would have a faster swing speed than a 39.5" hybrid.

Think of these percentages when you're on the course, not data gathering. That would be my concern.

We all play differently, though. I wouldn't have the minerals to bag a normal 5i, let alone a 4i.

I think you're right!

The courses I play most often don't have much trouble in front of the green. Miss left/right and short then you may be in a bunker, but if it is straight and short you're safe. Long goes OB on many of the holes as the primary course is build in a residential area.

I think I'm going to play the 27* hybrid next to the 5 iron.

Dave

 

[JonMA1]

What do you think?

I used the same logic you're using when I had to decide between the 4h and 4i. It came down to which offered the least variation. In my case, it was the hybrid. I could on occasions hit the 4i longer, but duffed it far more often than I did the hybrid. Neither was great, but I went with the lesser of the two evils.

 

[dthrog00]

It's been a very slow process, but I made it to 2,000 posts!

Dave

 

[mtbloco]

I moved to the breaking 90 thread once my 10 round average dropped to 97. After a string of swing issues, my average is back up to 100.
I pulled the muscles in between my shoulder blades. So decided that since it was still stupid hot here, it would be prudent to take a few weeks off and refrain from swinging a club.
My next league match is scheduled for the 20th at an amazing course. No way I’m missing that.
Hopefully I can hold out long enough to only try to play once in the run up to that day.

 

[Hamfist]

I haven’t really been working at improving for a good long while, but I went out and shot a 98 today on a course that I wasn’t familiar with. The bulk of the credit goes to the fact that I had zero penalties.

After topping my three wood from the tee on the first two holes I switched to my Ping Crossover. That club was money for me, both from the tee and the fairway. I was surprised by my results as I haven’t really used it much.

I had three pars and a birdie, and my worst hole was a triple (I had two of them). This was probably the best round I’ve ever played. I don’t think I’ve ever gone without a snowman or higher before.

Right on!

 

[Hamfist]

I think something is wrong with the swing speed measurement of either the hybrid or the irons. It's not logical that 38" and 38.5" irons would have a faster swing speed than a 39.5" hybrid.



I think you're right!

The courses I play most often don't have much trouble in front of the green. Miss left/right and short then you may be in a bunker, but if it is straight and short you're safe. Long goes OB on many of the holes as the primary course is build in a residential area.

I think I'm going to play the 27* hybrid next to the 5 iron.

Dave

I think that since you smash factor is really good with the hybrid, it’s a good club for you an your swing. Loft it up a few degrees, and game it. Alternatively, choke down on it an inch, that should take 7-10 yards off it.

 

[charley48]

Did the hybrid actually help me here?

I clearly mishit the ball and the hybrid did preserve ball speed on the miss which is what they are supposed to do, but it ended up 44 yards left! What would happen with that same swing and the 4 iron? I don't think I've ever hit a 4 iron pull that went dead left. I probably would have thinned it curving to the right and end up short of the pin with a vanilla short game shot and likely bogey. I doubt I would have made double from such a position.

If someone just can't get the long irons in the air then I absolutely get it the hybrid is better. But, if you can get an ok trajectory where should the transition happen? Arguably for me, since I rarely have forced carries over water, that the left/right iron accuracy is better as hybrid misses will just go farther into the junk.

How about you?

Dave

Hitting long irons and/or hybrids is probably the most difficult part of the game for me. I have a tendency to hit too fat or too thin when I try not to hit too fat. I will say this, if I hit a little too much behind the ball with an iron its going to be a short chunk shot with a big divot.

The hybrid doesn't dig into the grass as much and goes further. The club head bounces off the surface and still hits the ball. Typically turning a 180 yard shot into a 140-150 yard shot, as opposed to a 50 yard chunk with the iron. At least its that way with me. If it happens on a par 5 I can still get there in 3. If its a chunked iron shot it will take 4 to get there.

Of course there is always the danger of the surface turning the club face and causing a hook or slice. The life of a high handicapper I suppose.

 

[thommo.sx]

Had a totally mad +21 (92) today. I feel like I played both better and worse than that.

Better - short game was pretty good. Chipped in twice, and sank 2 putts of over 20 foot from the fringe, for 3 gross pars and a gross birdie.

Worse - I was abysmal off the tee today, only the alt tee club 16° hybrid working nicely. Got myself in some right old scrapes, but crucially took medicine where deserved. (Apart from one carry over water, where I proper Tin Cupped it.) All of which means I was +22 for 14 holes, which isn't exactly great.

Only a game though, isn't it?

 

[dthrog00]

14 HC is good golf Thommo. Everyone has their off days!

Dave

 

[thommo.sx]

14 HC is good golf Thommo. Everyone has their off days!

Dave

Yeah, just one of those rounds.