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Golf tips and tricks we use.

Den60

Den60

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Don't know if there has ever been a thread like this before. What are some things you do on the course to aid in shot selection, bunker play, putting, chipping? One I use, and that I've never seen anyone else I've played with use, has to do with selecting enough loft to clear a tree (or trees). I will step on the club face with the shaft pointed in the direction of the shot. If the shaft points over the tree then I know I have the correct loft. I don't do this behind the ball, just somewhere close that seems to be on the same level as my shot. Obviously you cannot use this technique where grounding the club is not allowed.
 
Hey that's a cool tip.

What I'm working on is a slower tempo with my swing.

I usually like to play intuitively, meaning I assess the situation and it just comes to me what club and technique I use.
 
Here is one that has nothing to do with the game itself but your apparel. For those that ride, they probably notice their right pocket gets dirty and they assume its something in there. Its actually not, but usually the steering wheel or the black arm rests.

Grab something to cover it like a steering wheel cover and stay clean.
 
theoverswinger said:
Hey that's a cool tip.

What I'm working on is a slower tempo with my swing.

I usually like to play intuitively, meaning I assess the situation and it just comes to me what club and technique I use.
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Yeah, saw this tip years ago on TV. May have been Trevino.
 
Always use one more club when hitting over water, don't know why (maybe heavier air over the water) but it works.

When hitting an iron out of long grass rough, open the club face slightly at address so when the club gets into the grass just short of hitting the ball, the grass will wrap around the hosel and turn the club face to toe'd in hooking the face. Opening the face slightly at address allows the grass to turn the club, making the club face square.
 
Mach2 said:
Always use one more club when hitting over water, don't know why (maybe heavier air over the water) but it works.

When hitting an iron out of long grass rough, open the club face slightly at address so when the club gets into the grass just short of hitting the ball, the grass will wrap around the hosel and turn the club face to toe'd in hooking the face. Opening the face slightly at address allows the grass to turn the club, making the club face square.
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I'll have to try opening the face in the rough and see if it works for me. I typically will pull and extra club over water but I do that because I want to make an nice, easy swing and don't want to worry if I have enough carry (this is for shots where the water is in front of the green). I can't think of a course I've played where the water I'm going over isn't right in front of the green.
 
Den60 said:
I'll have to try opening the face in the rough and see if it works for me. I typically will pull and extra club over water but I do that because I want to make an nice, easy swing and don't want to worry if I have enough carry (this is for shots where the water is in front of the green). I can't think of a course I've played where the water I'm going over isn't right in front of the green.
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I overclub all the time. I'm in a scoring game, not trying to hit the career 7-iron.
 
Everyone thinks they know how far they hit their clubs but a lot of times they remember the ones they nuked and fall far short of the green on approach.
Take a day on a simulator and catalog carry and total distances on every club. Throw out the lows and highs and write them down on something you can laminate and hang on your bag. Refer to the chart for the entire round, live and die by those numbers. You will be shocked at how many times you are hole high.
So many higher HP player wind up a club short. This seems like an overly simple tip but it pays huge dividends. And don't worry about your buddies ribbing you about not knowing your distances in your head. Just giggle when you lighten their wallet at rounds end.
Also do this again as the year progresses, because our swing changes and so do our distances.
 
Popeye said:
Everyone thinks they know how far they hit their clubs but a lot of times they remember the ones they nuked and fall far short of the green on approach.
Take a day on a simulator and catalog carry and total distances on every club. Throw out the lows and highs and write them down on something you can laminate and hang on your bag. Refer to the chart for the entire round, live and die by those numbers. You will be shocked at how many times you are hole high.
So many higher HP player wind up a club short. This seems like an overly simple tip but it pays huge dividends. And don't worry about your buddies ribbing you about not knowing your distances in your head. Just giggle when you lighten their wallet at rounds end.
Also do this again as the year progresses, because our swing changes and so do our distances.
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This is why something like arccos is so useful. Gives you real distances for each club while playing, and averages over the course of multiple rounds. Now, the casual golfer is neither going to buy arccos nor make a catalog of club distances from simulators. But those that truly want to get better or perform at a higher level, I think your advice is solid there.
 
tpluff said:
This is why something like arccos is so useful. Gives you real distances for each club while playing, and averages over the course of multiple rounds. Now, the casual golfer is neither going to buy arccos nor make a catalog of club distances from simulators. But those that truly want to get better or perform at a higher level, I think your advice is solid there.
Click to expand...

I think Arccos would really help me in this aspect. Too bad it costs almost as much as my clubs.
 
Den60 said:
Don't know if there has ever been a thread like this before. What are some things you do on the course to aid in shot selection, bunker play, putting, chipping? One I use, and that I've never seen anyone else I've played with use, has to do with selecting enough loft to clear a tree (or trees). I will step on the club face with the shaft pointed in the direction of the shot. If the shaft points over the tree then I know I have the correct loft. I don't do this behind the ball, just somewhere close that seems to be on the same level as my shot. Obviously you cannot use this technique where grounding the club is not allowed.
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty cool. never really thought of it. And I assume you have luck with it or you wouldn't do it. However (and excuse me for being technical but I love the whole physics part of it) I don't believe the ball leaves the club at exactly the angle you mention. Club path, angle of attack, spin rate, center of gravity, lie angle, I believe all factor in towards ball launch but none the less I still think that's a pretty cool idea. Normally I just get a feel for whether or not a given iron will get over a tree and as long as not a mishit I am pretty good at judging that just by looking. After so many years of ball striking (even if not real good at golf) one does get to know their ball flight on decently hit to well hit irons. However its when a tree near the green has to be cleared from afar that becomes hard to judge. Like lets say a 7iron away and coming in from the side of a holes layout that requires the 7iron to clear a tree that's close to the green while ball is on its descent. Hopefully theres enough green to hit to a different spot or it may just mean laying up a little with a shorter club to the apron instead. Ahhh, the decisions we must make in this life we chose :)
 
rollin said:
I think that's pretty cool. never really thought of it. And I assume you have luck with it or you wouldn't do it. However (and excuse me for being technical but I love the whole physics part of it) I don't believe the ball leaves the club at exactly the angle you mention. Club path, angle of attack, spin rate, center of gravity, lie angle, I believe all factor in towards ball launch but none the less I still think that's a pretty cool idea. Normally I just get a feel for whether or not a given iron will get over a tree and as long as not a mishit I am pretty good at judging that just by looking. After so many years of ball striking (even if not real good at golf) one does get to know their ball flight on decently hit to well hit irons. However its when a tree near the green has to be cleared from afar that becomes hard to judge. Like lets say a 7iron away and coming in from the side of a holes layout that requires the 7iron to clear a tree that's close to the green while ball is on its descent. Hopefully theres enough green to hit to a different spot or it may just mean laying up a little with a shorter club to the apron instead. Ahhh, the decisions we must make in this life we chose :)
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I find it works for me but only use it when the tree is within the area where the ball won't reach its apex. If it is close (barely clearing the tree) I will take more loft. Two rounds ago I hit a nice drive on a par 4 but went left a bit putting me behind a very large tree with about 118 to the hole, green a bit elevated. Needed a 9I for distance but wasn't sure it would get me over the tree. I'd say the tree was a bit closer than midway to the hole, I should have used my rangefinder to check the tree but didn't think of that at the time. Hitting anything but over the tree and I would be off the green unless I tried a punch shot which is always iffy for me. I can't draw the ball enough or with enough consistency to shape a shot around something like this. Used this procedure and it said I would clear it. Hit the shot and cleared the tree pretty much were the club told me it would and my ball mark was about 2 feet short and 5 feet left of the pin. Unfortunately the greens weren't holding and the ball rolled 5 yards past. Had to putt through an area that had been plugged and sanded but still got in in two for a par. I look back at that hole and consider it well played on my part and this little trick helped me select the correct club though with the greens not holding I could have gone have choked down a bit on it.

I should add, I use this often (unfortunately) and I can't recall it ever failing to work as long as I make good contact with the ball. Often it tells me I have to layup. My cart partner likes to challenge trees and he hits more of them than a woodpecker.
 
When trying to determine slope, look at the edge of the green. The area(s) that has a browner shade is where the water drains.
 
Putts tend to break towards drainage.
 
Know where to miss.
 
On freshly cut greens, where you can see the mowing pattern. The darker green lines you see are mowed/grass leaning towards you, you're putting into the grain (just a bit slower) the lighter white/green is mowed away from you, you're putting with the grain and it should be bit faster.
 
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Down to brown, dark slow, light fast. Got it. Thanks, guys.
 
When you have a side hill lie where the ball is above your feet, aim to the right of your target and make a flatter swing.
The lie and swing will make your ball go back to the left with a draw. The flatter swing prevents you from hitting it fat.

That's what I do anyway!
 
Another one is when I have trouble getting good contact with the ball and my ball seems to fly off to the right.
Usually, it's not the clubface being left wide open but actually my clubhead totally closing at impact which is causing a hosel rocket to the right.

Put the ball further back in my stance and voila, solid contact again!
 
Den60 said:
Don't know if there has ever been a thread like this before. What are some things you do on the course to aid in shot selection, bunker play, putting, chipping? One I use, and that I've never seen anyone else I've played with use, has to do with selecting enough loft to clear a tree (or trees). I will step on the club face with the shaft pointed in the direction of the shot. If the shaft points over the tree then I know I have the correct loft. I don't do this behind the ball, just somewhere close that seems to be on the same level as my shot. Obviously you cannot use this technique where grounding the club is not allowed.
Click to expand...

I've used this for a long time - first learned about it back in the 80's. Use judgement with it though and give yourself a margin for error. It's not an exact science. If you play GI irons with a very wide sole, then the error may be greater because the shaft will lie flatter when the back of the clubhead is pressed against the ground. It will get you in the ball park though.

It's gotten me out of a lot of trouble over the years - even on a shot where I have to keep the ball low enough to get under a branch, but high enough to get over the tree 30 yards ahead. I've surprised my buddies more than once with a shot that was planned with this method.
 
Because the cup has edges it is easier to see the slope of the green with it than by looking at the grass, which is a constant surface. Walk around the hole looking at the edges to see which sides are higher and which sides are lower. This tells you how the putt breaks at the hole.


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Walk the length of your putt from the ball to the hole and back. You can feel the slope of the greens in your feet.


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When I have a lot of danger around the green on a par three, I will tee up the ball about an inch higher and swing at it like I would a driver. I get the high flight with very little roll. Actually have a decent success rate with it.
 
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