Trying To Break 90 Club

[mtbloco]

Recently every time I play, breaking 90 seems to get further and further away. I know I'm asking a lot of myself because I'm consciously trying to alter my swing path. but somethings are getting better, interspersed between some crazy erratic golf. Yesterday I was fortunate to get out and play some golf. I shot a 50/49. so Im back on the correct side of 100. I can not read a green anymore. New to me progressive lensed glasses, are distorting the green so much that I was 100% wrong on the direction of the break, more often that correct.

@robrandalgz has been on me about my alignment issues. When I pushed one way right, he couldn't hold back any more and exclaimed you hit that right where you were set up for. In my confusion I sat my club down along my foot line....stepped back....and finally saw how right he was. After that I started watching the other guys set up on the tee and identify a aim point for their feet down range. I then used that point to align myself to instead of the "proper target". Boy did that change some things for me.

I actually managed to hit some greens from distance. The highlight for me was after 2 horrible swings, I found myself 190 yards out from the green on a par 4. I've never been able to hit my 5i, but based on the few times I have, this was the correct club to use. I used that new to me and correct method of alignment. Even with the ball slightly below my feet. I striped a perfect shot right at the pin. It felt like butter. I launched that 5i 192 yards (arrcos). It hit and held the green, coming to rest 11 ft from the pin! I can't stop thinking about that shot. I manage to 2 putt and smiled at that bogey!

I finished the round with a Par on 18. Hit the fairway followed up with an PW to a GIR. I blew the manageable 12 foot put leaving a 5 footer that I made for par. But that 5i is still the shot I am replaying today.

 

[BigMac]

86 today, but it took a miraculous recovery on the back nine. I was +12 on the front and figured I was headed for a mid/high 90s score, then I finally woke up and shot +2 on the back. On Saturday I shot a 97, on a much more difficult course that I haven't played in a couple years, had nothing good going on that day.

 

[30mm danger close]

Recently every time I play, breaking 90 seems to get further and further away. I know I'm asking a lot of myself because I'm consciously trying to alter my swing path. but somethings are getting better, interspersed between some crazy erratic golf. Yesterday I was fortunate to get out and play some golf. I shot a 50/49. so Im back on the correct side of 100. I can not read a green anymore. New to me progressive lensed glasses, are distorting the green so much that I was 100% wrong on the direction of the break, more often that correct.

@robrandalgz has been on me about my alignment issues. When I pushed one way right, he couldn't hold back any more and exclaimed you hit that right where you were set up for. In my confusion I sat my club down along my foot line....stepped back....and finally saw how right he was. After that I started watching the other guys set up on the tee and identify a aim point for their feet down range. I then used that point to align myself to instead of the "proper target". Boy did that change some things for me.

I actually managed to hit some greens from distance. The highlight for me was after 2 horrible swings, I found myself 190 yards out from the green on a par 4. I've never been able to hit my 5i, but based on the few times I have, this was the correct club to use. I used that new to me and correct method of alignment. Even with the ball slightly below my feet. I striped a perfect shot right at the pin. It felt like butter. I launched that 5i 192 yards (arrcos). It hit and held the green, coming to rest 11 ft from the pin! I can't stop thinking about that shot. I manage to 2 putt and smiled at that bogey!

I finished the round with a Par on 18. Hit the fairway followed up with an PW to a GIR. I blew the manageable 12 foot put leaving a 5 footer that I made for par. But that 5i is still the shot I am replaying today.

It’s great when things start clicking, isn’t it? It makes you want to get back out there again and again. Sometimes all it takes is someone to say a little something and it makes all the difference in your game. Hopefully, this leads to more GIR’s, birdies and Pars, as well as lower scores!

 

[DataDude]

I was trying to find this thread the other day as I was near a breakthrough during the winter as I reworked my swing. The last 2 weeks have been major breakthroughs for me. My last 3 rounds in a row have been sub-90 with an 85, 82, & 86. The 82 I had 10 1 putts which really propels a round forward!!!

 

[30mm danger close]

I’ve been so close to breaking 90 lately that I’m starting to get frustrated with myself and game play towards the end. I feel my body tiring and making poor swings (mostly chunk shots) the last few holes. The contact isn’t there and my swings are lackluster. I know that’s not the only thing bringing my score down - there are the 3-putts and water/OB that add strokes as well. I’m trying to play smarter golf and trying to be mindful of course management. Knowing that a driver isn’t the best in all holes for me and that my hybrid or even 5i is the safer play on narrower fairways lined with trees. That forward distance is the ultimate goal, but not if it’s going to add a stroke or put me in a position that’s worse off than before. Here are two different rounds from the same course and same score - just different aspects of the game working or not.

 

[robrandalgz]

Finally broke 90 for the first time this season. Just barely came under with an 89 but I'll take it!

 

[BigMac]

Finally broke 90 for the first time this season. Just barely came under with an 89 but I'll take it!

I shot an 89 on Friday also. Last 5 rounds at my home course have been 86, 93, 86, 91, 89. So teetering right on the 90 line, bouncing up and down around it.

 

[mtbloco]

When I sat down to update my Arccos putting stats, I realized that I miss counted my score Thursday. I seemed to have double counted a hole. Each time I added up the front 9. I wasn’t happy with my round at that point and a “53” felt right. Turns out it was actually a 47.

I’m really going to have to block the 8 & 7 I tookon the back 9. Because it would have meant breaking 90 for the first time.

Still a 47/45 is as close as I’ve been to the feat.

 

[tucsoncacti]

Had someone I work with invite me to play continental GC in Scottsdale. Nice little executive course with 6 par 4's and the rest par 3's. I actually needed this because I wanted to work on my irons which are a complete sh!t show. Also just needed to get out. They had great social distancing rules and everyone was following them, which was good to see. Par 60, and I shot a 74, which was below bogey golf. (That's always my end goal)

So about my iron play. I made a change mid round that helped tremendously and wanted to get some feed back from my breaking 90s friends to see what you think about this.....

When I last played with the Az group first of March. I was topping balls or just flat out chunking them. We are talking 8-5 iron. I would get a proper hit every now and then, but never really knew what I exactly did right. It took me a few days post round, grabbed a club in my garage and started swinging. I dawned on me I was swaying my whole body back during my back swing instead of keeping my left foot planted more. So yay I think I figured out my flaw.

Fast forward to today, I get to the course a little early get a small bucket of balls, work on keeping my front foot forward, 60% pressure, don't sway backwards. It seemed to work for the most part, and was getting much better contact. Round starts, and the worm burners, and topped balls immediately come back. I felt like I was doing the proper steps, but it was like I had the yips. Front 9 ends and head to the back nine. Hole 10 is a par 4......

Tee off was a miss hit left, I take a hybrid, get it to the middle of the fairway 100 yards out. Pull my pitching wedge. When playing 9 iron and in my feet are much closer together, I for sure do not have the same stance as a 7 iron. Anyways I flush the pitching wedge to within a few feet of the hole, and my only thought was.....why don't I play my PW stance the same way with a 7 iron? I mean at this point WTF do I have to lose. The rest of the round I played all my irons the same way as I would play a 9 iron or PW, all hits were 100% better. Fairway.....off the tee. Did not matter, they were center of club, great flight.

So does anyone else do this? Was my feet to wide apart creating some kind of odd swing path that made me somehow puil up my club and top balls all the time. I mean every video you watch regarding iron play it talks about feet position depending on the iron you play. For now I guess I am sticking to one position and seeing where this road takes me.

 

[BigMac]

91 yesterday, 83 today. The see-saw continues...

I was playing pretty well (for me, anyways) today, but more importantly I was playing smart. Hole #6 on our course is my nemesis - a dogleg left around water, #1 handicap hole on the course. Most of the time I may as well just write a triple (net double) on the card and play the hole just for practice. I've been drawing/hooking my driver into the water almost every time lately, so today on the first tee I told the other guys "If I walk up to the sixth tee with a driver in my hand, hit me upside the head and take it away from me!". I teed off with my 5H instead, hit a nice 190 yard shot leaving me 135 to the green. Came up just short, chipped on and two-putted for a bogey (net par). Just little stuff like that all day that made the difference. Not shooting for low scores, but shooting to avoid high scores.

 

[mtbloco]

So today was one of those days. I was on fire on the range warming up. I was just stroking the ball. problem clubs were even working. Normally that is doom for me on course. I started out hitting the ball ok. Started nearly bogey golf save one penalty on my second shot of #1. I just left it a little right form 160 Yards and it bounced back into the water. I took two triples on 4 and 6. I could have gone into a dark place at this point. But something happened. I don't want to explain it, but i certainly want to live in the place that happend starting on #7. The next 7 holes would be the greatest run of golf I've ever played. I got two lucky kicks out of bunkers and desert, but clean contact had me nearly hole a 60* wedge for eagle on this par 5. I narrowly missed the 17 ft putt for birdie, but that tap in par started something....

I pared FOUR holes in a row! on 11 I fatted my second and flew my third over the green. But "saved" a double bogey. I then duck hooked my tee shot on the par 3 12th, but a great lob wedge let me save a bogey. Then the unthinkable...I pared the par 5 13th. Seven holes 3 over par. That is just crazy golf to me. I ended up with a 97. taking 6 penalties on the explosion holes. But that run was just amazing! really stoked to get back out and play again.

 

[tucsoncacti]

I have had a few runs like that. I had a ten hole run (8-17) of +1. I was draining insane putts, and chipped in two holes for pars. I mean it was to a point where I actually thought it could be a dream. I got to 18 needing a par to break 40, and walked off the green with a lovely 8. I think I shot an 88 that day.

 

[BigMac]

I have had a few runs like that. I had a ten hole run (8-17) of +1. I was draining insane putts, and chipped in two holes for pars. I mean it was to a point where I actually thought it could be a dream. I got to 18 needing a par to break 40, and walked off the green with a lovely 8. I think I shot an 88 that day.

I was +2 for a ten hole stretch on Saturday (4-13), then went +5 in the next 4 holes (bogey, double, bogey, bogey) to blow it up. It sure feels good when you're on that run though, doesn't it???

 

[mtbloco]

I was +2 for a ten hole stretch on Saturday (4-13), then went +5 in the next 4 holes (bogey, double, bogey, bogey) to blow it up. It sure feels good when you're on that run though, doesn't it???

Yes it did. Now to repeat a run like that more often.

 

[Mr Moke]

Had someone I work with invite me to play continental GC in Scottsdale. Nice little executive course with 6 par 4's and the rest par 3's. I actually needed this because I wanted to work on my irons which are a complete sh!t show. Also just needed to get out. They had great social distancing rules and everyone was following them, which was good to see. Par 60, and I shot a 74, which was below bogey golf. (That's always my end goal)

So about my iron play. I made a change mid round that helped tremendously and wanted to get some feed back from my breaking 90s friends to see what you think about this.....

When I last played with the Az group first of March. I was topping balls or just flat out chunking them. We are talking 8-5 iron. I would get a proper hit every now and then, but never really knew what I exactly did right. It took me a few days post round, grabbed a club in my garage and started swinging. I dawned on me I was swaying my whole body back during my back swing instead of keeping my left foot planted more. So yay I think I figured out my flaw.

Fast forward to today, I get to the course a little early get a small bucket of balls, work on keeping my front foot forward, 60% pressure, don't sway backwards. It seemed to work for the most part, and was getting much better contact. Round starts, and the worm burners, and topped balls immediately come back. I felt like I was doing the proper steps, but it was like I had the yips. Front 9 ends and head to the back nine. Hole 10 is a par 4......

Tee off was a miss hit left, I take a hybrid, get it to the middle of the fairway 100 yards out. Pull my pitching wedge. When playing 9 iron and in my feet are much closer together, I for sure do not have the same stance as a 7 iron. Anyways I flush the pitching wedge to within a few feet of the hole, and my only thought was.....why don't I play my PW stance the same way with a 7 iron? I mean at this point WTF do I have to lose. The rest of the round I played all my irons the same way as I would play a 9 iron or PW, all hits were 100% better. Fairway.....off the tee. Did not matter, they were center of club, great flight.

So does anyone else do this? Was my feet to wide apart creating some kind of odd swing path that made me somehow puil up my club and top balls all the time. I mean every video you watch regarding iron play it talks about feet position depending on the iron you play. For now I guess I am sticking to one position and seeing where this road takes me.

I think you’re on to something, several years ago narrowing my stance was one of the changes that elevated my game. I think it promoted more shoulder turn and less sway. There is a loss of stability but it seems that’s not that harmful as long as I lose my balance forward.

 

[mtbloco]

Had someone I work with invite me to play continental GC in Scottsdale. Nice little executive course with 6 par 4's and the rest par 3's. I actually needed this because I wanted to work on my irons which are a complete sh!t show. Also just needed to get out. They had great social distancing rules and everyone was following them, which was good to see. Par 60, and I shot a 74, which was below bogey golf. (That's always my end goal)

So about my iron play. I made a change mid round that helped tremendously and wanted to get some feed back from my breaking 90s friends to see what you think about this.....

When I last played with the Az group first of March. I was topping balls or just flat out chunking them. We are talking 8-5 iron. I would get a proper hit every now and then, but never really knew what I exactly did right. It took me a few days post round, grabbed a club in my garage and started swinging. I dawned on me I was swaying my whole body back during my back swing instead of keeping my left foot planted more. So yay I think I figured out my flaw.

Fast forward to today, I get to the course a little early get a small bucket of balls, work on keeping my front foot forward, 60% pressure, don't sway backwards. It seemed to work for the most part, and was getting much better contact. Round starts, and the worm burners, and topped balls immediately come back. I felt like I was doing the proper steps, but it was like I had the yips. Front 9 ends and head to the back nine. Hole 10 is a par 4......

Tee off was a miss hit left, I take a hybrid, get it to the middle of the fairway 100 yards out. Pull my pitching wedge. When playing 9 iron and in my feet are much closer together, I for sure do not have the same stance as a 7 iron. Anyways I flush the pitching wedge to within a few feet of the hole, and my only thought was.....why don't I play my PW stance the same way with a 7 iron? I mean at this point WTF do I have to lose. The rest of the round I played all my irons the same way as I would play a 9 iron or PW, all hits were 100% better. Fairway.....off the tee. Did not matter, they were center of club, great flight.

So does anyone else do this? Was my feet to wide apart creating some kind of odd swing path that made me somehow puil up my club and top balls all the time. I mean every video you watch regarding iron play it talks about feet position depending on the iron you play. For now I guess I am sticking to one position and seeing where this road takes me.

First I play Conti form time to time. good place to work on irons. I don't mind the shaggy greens, because I view this place as the perfect afternoon round with beers course.
I do not play with a wide stance. I try to keep my feet close to shoulder width for all full swings. I only change it for certain pitch/chips.

 

[tucsoncacti]

First I play Conti form time to time. good place to work on irons. I don't mind the shaggy greens, because I view this place as the perfect afternoon round with beers course.
I do not play with a wide stance. I try to keep my feet close to shoulder width for all full swings. I only change it for certain pitch/chips.

@Mr Moke and @mtbloco so last night I decided to grab a 7 iron and get into what I thought was a proper stance (for me) and then grabbed my driver.

I really feel stupid right now. I know this will help in the future, but I have no clue how I missed this. Its a bit sad really.

 

[BigMac]

83 Saturday, back up to 91 today. Dug myself a hole on the front nine going double/triple on two holes, and couldn't work any magic to save myself after that. Two doubles on the back nine didn't help anything either - just an inconsistent day. On the plus side, only 29 putts and I managed to scramble on a few holes and limit the damage to no more than bogey.

It doesn't help matters that our rough is brutal right now. A lot of weeds that they're not taking care of and the Bermuda is real clumpy. When your ball rolls down into a flat spot between the thick Bermuda clumps it's almost like being in a hole, hard to make solid contact. Not a good thing if you're not hitting fairways.

 

[chile]

I guess this is the new goal now...not sure how it's gonna go since i'll be playing less now. guess I gotta get better and smarter really quick

 

[BigMac]

89 today, the see-saw continues.

 

[xThor]

Struggled mightily off the tee on the back nine to finish with a 96. I feel really strong 120 and in, but sitting on 4 at 100 out just doesn’t work.

 

[tucsoncacti]

89 today, the see-saw continues.

What was the good and the bad?

 

[BigMac]

What was the good and the bad?

The bad was going double/triple bogey on the last two holes to screw up what would have otherwise been a score I would've been happy with. Hadn't done it all day, but all of a sudden I hit several shots off the toe and had them rocket almost straight right into ugly lies (one resulted in an unplayable drop).

Good was that I started off with a birdie, so I guess what came after that was payback for being so insolent toward the golf gods, lol. Hit driver decently most of the day and had 31 putts, with seven 1-putts and only two 3-jacks.

[ETA:] When I look at the big picture lately, I'm not unhappy with how I'm playing overall. I just can't shake those couple blow-up holes that ruin my scores.

 

[Hamfist]

Had someone I work with invite me to play continental GC in Scottsdale. Nice little executive course with 6 par 4's and the rest par 3's. I actually needed this because I wanted to work on my irons which are a complete sh!t show. Also just needed to get out. They had great social distancing rules and everyone was following them, which was good to see. Par 60, and I shot a 74, which was below bogey golf. (That's always my end goal)

So about my iron play. I made a change mid round that helped tremendously and wanted to get some feed back from my breaking 90s friends to see what you think about this.....

When I last played with the Az group first of March. I was topping balls or just flat out chunking them. We are talking 8-5 iron. I would get a proper hit every now and then, but never really knew what I exactly did right. It took me a few days post round, grabbed a club in my garage and started swinging. I dawned on me I was swaying my whole body back during my back swing instead of keeping my left foot planted more. So yay I think I figured out my flaw.

Fast forward to today, I get to the course a little early get a small bucket of balls, work on keeping my front foot forward, 60% pressure, don't sway backwards. It seemed to work for the most part, and was getting much better contact. Round starts, and the worm burners, and topped balls immediately come back. I felt like I was doing the proper steps, but it was like I had the yips. Front 9 ends and head to the back nine. Hole 10 is a par 4......

Tee off was a miss hit left, I take a hybrid, get it to the middle of the fairway 100 yards out. Pull my pitching wedge. When playing 9 iron and in my feet are much closer together, I for sure do not have the same stance as a 7 iron. Anyways I flush the pitching wedge to within a few feet of the hole, and my only thought was.....why don't I play my PW stance the same way with a 7 iron? I mean at this point WTF do I have to lose. The rest of the round I played all my irons the same way as I would play a 9 iron or PW, all hits were 100% better. Fairway.....off the tee. Did not matter, they were center of club, great flight.

So does anyone else do this? Was my feet to wide apart creating some kind of odd swing path that made me somehow puil up my club and top balls all the time. I mean every video you watch regarding iron play it talks about feet position depending on the iron you play. For now I guess I am sticking to one position and seeing where this road takes me.

I have narrowed my stance a good bit and am hitting the ball better. As noted below, I'm of the opinion it promotes a nice hip turn.

 

[Luchnia]

I have narrowed my stance a good bit and am hitting the ball better. As noted below, I'm of the opinion it promotes a nice hip turn.

When you mention a narrow stance, how narrow? Some guys are wider than shoulders and others right at shoulder width. Some can even be narrower, but normally that doesn't work as well except with shorter wedge shots. My buddy says I have too wide a stance, but when I narrow it up, my overall play suffers some.