SirShives
Undecided
Putting, putting, and putting. In that order.
What part of your game needs the most work?
I didn't track stats very much in 2019, but my weaknesses are all pretty close. The fulls swing produces more penalties, but weakness with the rest of the game doesn't allow for much in the way of making up for a blow-up hole. When the full swing gets me close to the green in regulation, there are too many bogeys and double bogeys due to a poor short game, and even hitting a GIR can often bring about too many 3 putts.
Off the tee, probably a combination of making a good swing and picking the right club to start the hole.
Long irons is what I’ve struggled with most this year. I’m hoping to combat that and find something that works better at the ECPC. A UT iron or maybe some type of AMT shafts could help with this, but I’m gonna let the fitter do their magic on this one
Iron play for sure. After yesterday I’d say I’m going in the wrong direction. However I think it was really due to lack of concentration. I need to get back to hitting balls on the range a little more often.
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Jim, I would have love to seen you in the your prime! You would have been the one putting a Walmart between my ball and your ball!
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Apex pros until the 6 iron and the hybrids! I am looking forward to seeing what you come home with!
Apex Pros are certainly high on my list for current offerings...but I also am curious as to what could be coming out in 2020 that may trump the pros
As far as the hybrids, I have not been fond of Callaway hybrids of old but the super hybird 5w or UT could all be possibilities!!
I'm going through the same thing. I'm past my prime. I still remember all the long drives with a touch of draw, all the approach shots stiff to the pin. I laid off golf for 15 years and am just now coming back. I reject the idea that I can't play well because I'm nearing 70. I've been going through a swing rebuild and it's working. Not as long or accurate as I used to be but I think I can get a reasonable performance going again though. And if true to form, my putting will be my struggle.... again.
My greenside chipping is what is needing the most work for me. I will sometimes hit a nice chip, get it up and hit the green. Other times I will hit it thin and the ball will over shoot green. Then, other times I will get the ball up, but it will go maybe 10 yards vs 30 that is needed.
I am pretty happy with my short game for the most part, but it could always improve.
For me it would be iron play. I would like to hit more GIR.
Man it’s hard for me to say right now. The past year I’ve been all over the place due to illness and medication (and sometimes stupidly having a few drinks while on said meds-realized those two don’t mix as one had about the effect of 3-4 with the meds).
Long term, short game. Prior to this year I hit the ball far enough I could eat alive my normal 6000-6600 yard courses. I very seldom had full shots into most par 4’s and other than a couple par 5’s that have defenses I could reach all of them pretty easily.
I fail to get up and down way too often. I probably average being 10ft maybe more from chips 10 yards or less off the green. I need to halve that to give myself at least a better than 50% chance to make the putt. I’m also a terrible green reader, terrible.
What kills me though is I’m a very good putter. I make a lot of long putts on courses I know well and know the breaks, even more if I can get a good read in a scramble format. But there’s times I’ll look at a 15ft putt and have no clue if it goes right or left. I’d rather a big breaker than a subtle 6” break. So leaving myself 10+ feet, my odds of getting up and down are slim unless I know the course very well.
This year I just couldn’t make center contact. Irons weren’t terrible but driver I was terrible. I was comingin too steep and therefore unable to clear. The few I hit decent contact wise just didn’t go anywhere compared to what I was used to. Now with the accident, I’m gonna have to retool my swing totally once I heal completely. But I look forward to the challenge and will take whatever I’ve got and make the best of it. I just wanna be able to be out there again.
I think I’m going to retire from my coaching duties so I’ll have more of a golf season. Prior I’d usually get only have 3-5 rounds and maybe a range session or two prior to July. I’ll have to see if my little guy is ok with it, but it’ll be nice to double the length of my season. St least somewhat.
Long term, short game. Prior to this year I hit the ball far enough I could eat alive my normal 6000-6600 yard courses. I very seldom had full shots into most par 4’s and other than a couple par 5’s that have defenses I could reach all of them pretty easily.
I fail to get up and down way too often. I probably average being 10ft maybe more from chips 10 yards or less off the green. I need to halve that to give myself at least a better than 50% chance to make the putt. I’m also a terrible green reader, terrible.
What kills me though is I’m a very good putter. I make a lot of long putts on courses I know well and know the breaks, even more if I can get a good read in a scramble format. But there’s times I’ll look at a 15ft putt and have no clue if it goes right or left. I’d rather a big breaker than a subtle 6” break. So leaving myself 10+ feet, my odds of getting up and down are slim unless I know the course very well.
This year I just couldn’t make center contact. Irons weren’t terrible but driver I was terrible. I was comingin too steep and therefore unable to clear. The few I hit decent contact wise just didn’t go anywhere compared to what I was used to. Now with the accident, I’m gonna have to retool my swing totally once I heal completely. But I look forward to the challenge and will take whatever I’ve got and make the best of it. I just wanna be able to be out there again.
I think I’m going to retire from my coaching duties so I’ll have more of a golf season. Prior I’d usually get only have 3-5 rounds and maybe a range session or two prior to July. I’ll have to see if my little guy is ok with it, but it’ll be nice to double the length of my season. St least somewhat.
Man! I wish I was a good putter like you. I have moments of brilliance and other times, I'm just clueless and stupid. I can't tell you how many times I've putted from 20 - 30 feet for Eagle and had to settle for a par. Or even worse, on a par 4 in regulation and left with bogey. Those REALLLLLLLYYYY piss me off.
I've highlighted the important part above. You really need to take this opportunity, after you recover and make it an advantage for your golf swing. This is the perfect time to re-tool and make it better than ever and sturdy/consistent. I'm going through a total rebuild now and can tell you, once it starts clicking, it is ALL worth it. I wish you the best! Just think about Ben Hogan and what he did in 1950 after his horrible car crash the year before. You can do it!
150 and in. gotta dial that in with the wedge game
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crazygolfnut
Let's have fun out there!
Need to figure out how to lower my wedges. I tend to hit them high.
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At my age, reading greens a little more accurately would help.
It's not that I can't read them. It's because I can no longer see the little things that would help me to get that "sharper" view, that woulld help my putting.
One of my practice routines is actually reading greens. This is especially true for me when I am on practice greens I am not familiar with.
It's not that I can't read them. It's because I can no longer see the little things that would help me to get that "sharper" view, that woulld help my putting.
One of my practice routines is actually reading greens. This is especially true for me when I am on practice greens I am not familiar with.
I'm old and I know it. So I hit from the shorter tees, no tips for me. I putt as good or better than most of my buddies, so that isn't the issue either. It's those chunks and tops and sh-ks in the fairway or rough (unforced layups, I call 'em) that kill my game. Usually costs me two extra shots each hole when it happens. I know that I don't have a consistent swing, but I can't seem to shake it. Practice time just isn't enough.
That’s the thing, due to my green reading i most certainly am not a great putter. I only am decent when I know the line. If I know the line I’m very good at puting it on that line. But since I don’t see subtle breaks worth a darn I’m not good.
But you are right, my excitement to figure out what I’ve got and get back out there is the key thing. I’ve adjusted better to the medicine now and it doesn’t impact me as bad as it did and the illness is much better controlled and it seems like I’m winning (I don’t wanna get too optimistic, but it’s looking better). At any rate, retool once I’m able to swing on the sim later this winter and hopefully know what I’m working with. Really want some better consistency this year even if I’m not as good after the retool.
1) Driving - good distance, but seem to have a dual miss which makes it extremely difficult to play. If I had only one miss I could play it.
2) Approach shots from 100 to 150 yds. I miss too many of these to one side of the green or the other. I need to work on accuracy.
3) Green reading improved drastically when I got fitted for prisms in my glasses. I'm an adequate putter.
4) Pitching and chipping is adequate, not great. I don't have the attention span to stand and chip for hours like some people I know.
2) Approach shots from 100 to 150 yds. I miss too many of these to one side of the green or the other. I need to work on accuracy.
3) Green reading improved drastically when I got fitted for prisms in my glasses. I'm an adequate putter.
4) Pitching and chipping is adequate, not great. I don't have the attention span to stand and chip for hours like some people I know.
I'm going through the same thing. I'm past my prime. I still remember all the long drives with a touch of draw, all the approach shots stiff to the pin. I laid off golf for 15 years and am just now coming back. I reject the idea that I can't play well because I'm nearing 70. I've been going through a swing rebuild and it's working. Not as long or accurate as I used to be but I think I can get a reasonable performance going again though. And if true to form, my putting will be my struggle.... again.
Today we played from 6,200 and when I drove the ball well it was completely doable, 2nd round with the new irons so a bit undecided on club selection but when I put a decent swing on the ball I hit a lot of greens or just off. The putter was pretty cold today so left 6-7 on the greens a couple them were birdie tries which jacked up the score but it was a fun round on a new course with Ethan and Bryan both former or just vacationing THPer's
AS long as I stay in the 6,000-6,300 range it is then on the putter to make or break the round.
That is kind of you to say, but I never really had a prime so to speak. Starting golfing pretty regular at around 40 so never had the joy of young guy power.
It was a pleasure watching you work your way around Coure de Alene and I am not sure I ever saw a weakness in your short game....or any part of it.
Cool! That'll be my story, once my groove fully returns. Leaving strokes on the green. At the moment I get streaky for a few shots, then it leaves me, until it shows up again. Example from years ago... I shot 79 one round at one of the PGA National courses, sounds ok until you know that was including 39 putts. LOL!!!
My last two rounds this year were at 6,413 and 6,358. The yardage was fine. I could probably b comfortable at 6,500 - 6,600 as long as it isn't all the par 3's at 230-250 yds. I would struggle back at my old yardages of 6,800 - 7,100 though. That would be too much now.
Approach irons are definitely my weakness. I can hit the ball down the middle, blade an 8 iron over the green into the crap and take a double. If it didn’t seemingly happen every round, maybe it wouldn’t be such an issue! I have also been known to pull my 7 iron 30 yards and take a triple. I need to get my irons under control...
Wedge approaches. Always. They're not terrible or anything, but it drives me insane when I can regularly put something from 175 within birdie range, and put a 90 yard sand wedge within... that exact same birdie range. I always feel like I need to be closer on them. Always. And I do need to be.
My driving has 'required' more work recently though.
My driving has 'required' more work recently though.