P&P newbie

dardoz

Hi guys,

I'm just starting to play pitch n putt and I've been told commandoes are the best ball I can get for it.

Does anyone know where I can buy these?

Mister Sifter

why is a commando considered so good for P&P?

it was always the **** ball when i was growing up. I'm pretty sure i have a few of them tucked away in the garage somewhere tho.

dardoz

a friend of mine who played p&p for years in school told me they were the best because they are very soft for for p&p they are suitable cos they dont bounce far.

is there a better alternative?

colm-ccfc84

I played competitively for a few years. Best balls, imo, are commandos official and player. I think you can only get the normal commandos in shops though, should be fine for starting off.

Trampas

Commandos are the play.

I have played all ireland finals.

dardoz

does any1 know where in south dublin i could get them?

Trampas

Last place I know was clearys but that was a long time ago

BrianD3

I always assumed Commandos were just crap golf balls, then I heard about their usefulness for P+P. Are they specially made for P+P?

Have also heard some funny stories about boiling your balls in a kettle to make them stickier and deader

Apparently Criterions and Apollos are good too and a 20+ year old ball may be so soft and dead that it is better than a new ball.

Davidth88

The commando is the best ball , most P+P clubs sell them I think?

I play at Elm Hall they used to do one with their name on the side.

Most of us in the P+P soc will use the same ball for some years , the older it is the better ( or so it seems ) it's like an old friend

I also play golf, I wouldn't use these for golf they would be about as much use as a chocolate teapot !

Trampas

BrianD3 wrote:

Have also heard some funny stories about boiling your balls in a kettle to make them stickier and deader

Supposely it is. You need to put some salt in the water also

It is illegal though.

Mister Sifter

is there standard par on a pitch and putt hole? like par 2 or par 3??

ShriekingSheet

i prefare using bean-bags

not a lot of distance and difficult to get true roll out them but they stop dead

dardoz

should i use a commando on a par 3 golf course...or not.

ShriekingSheet

dardoz wrote:

should i use a commando on a par 3 golf course...or not.

Man, if your just starting out just use whatever golf ball you can find. I wouldn't bother with commandos because they're hard to get and really only make a difference to more skilled pitch and putters. Plus if you do go to play golf down the line you won't have to adjust to a different ball. Commandos are a smaller size than normal golf balls.

Wigertoods

Dardoz
if your only starting to play the game then the commandos being sold at the moment will do just fine.As your game gets better you may need a ball which will give better feel and touch.

As for the comments stating that commandos are the best ball for p&p well that's a matter of opinion.At present I would say there are more people playing with prov1 on the p&p circuit then with the orig commando.
The game of p&p (and golf ball technology) has evolved quite a lot in the past number of years and the more skilled players believe the feel and touch of softer golf balls is far more superior to that of hitting a lump of rubber.

dardoz

Well, just in case any1's interested in the noobs progress. I have played twice now, both times on Pucks Castle.

On Saturday morning I just went round the front 9 in +20.

Yesterday evening I went around the full 18 in +20

I was playing yesterday with a m8 whos decent though. It made me realise how bad my swing is. I think I need a few lessons. Does any1 know if the guy giving lessons in Stepaside par3/golf range is any good?

Wigertoods

That's some improvement in just a few days.
keep it up dardoz.

dardoz

I'm off for another game this evening. I'm not expecting an improvement on +20 though. I had a fair few lucky shots in that round. And god knows how I avoided all the trees and bushes.

If I could get around +25 this evening I'd be happy enough.

I ordered some clubs online last night. Got them for €150 on ebay.

dardoz

well for the first time today I realised why a friend of mine quit playing golf because he found it so frustrating.

After starting well and going around the opening 9 on Pucks in +9 I was ecstatic. Then it all fell apart. 2 out of bounds tee shots down the back 9 contributed to a finishing score of +23.

I know I said I would be happy if I got better than +25, but after a good front 9......god I could shoot myself. ARGGHHH!!! this game can make you bloody angry!!

dardoz

and it only gets worse. I shot +25 today.

Was with a friend whos quite good today. He basically started me swinging the club properly. The reason my tee shots were soo bad was cos i was basically locking my wrists and elbows when i swung which meant i had very little backswing and follow through. So I changed to what he was showing me to do. And true enough, my tee shots were going much further but it feels so unnatural when you've never done it before.

What frustrated me most though was that he wanted me to stay lose and use the same swing on my chip ons. I can't judge the weight of the shot at all like I was doing before with a small swing with my arms locked.

On Monday after shooting a lucky +20 I was beginning to think golf wasn't as hard as I had first believed. Boy was I wrong!

Mister Sifter

I'd say this will be probably be the hardest time as a golfer. Sounds as though you're doing well though, and you certaintly seem keen which is great!

Your mate seems to have given you good advice. Don't worry, persevere and keep practicing what he's told you and you'll notice the difference in no time.

Unfortunately golf doesn't really get much less frustrating. No matter what level you get to it still seems to infuriate at times!!:D

Keep giving us updates though, good to hear how you are getting on!

dardoz

can some1 clear this up 4 me. As I said my friend told me loosen my wrists for my chip shots too. I just thought...ok, he must know better than me.

Then 2nit I was browsing ebay and found this chipping aid to stop you bending your wrists.

Now I'm really confused.

Ebay link

Wigertoods

Bending of the wrists for chip shots leads to inconsistent ball striking.
Try to use the same stroke for chipping as you would for putting,the only difference being the club your using of course.The arms and wrists should move as one.

dardoz

thats what I was doing and my m8 told me not to :eek:

he told me swing the same as I would a tee shot...obviously with a smaller swing tho

Mister Sifter

what length of shot are you talking about dardoz?

dardoz

only like 20 yards

dardoz

went for another game on Monday after a break since Thursday. I seem to be getting worse now, getting over confident when i hit a few good holes, then going for too much power off the longer tee shots and screwing up.

Did the front 9 in +10 but then blew it hitting +20 on the back 9.

Whats worse is the guy I just paid €150 on ebay for some clubs has gone awol and won't reply to my messages as to where the hell my new clubs are...

Is it a sign god? am i not supposed to play golf?

Wigertoods

Stick with it.The fact that you are going out to play on a regular basis means that you have the interest.You will get better.Think of all the good shots you play in each round and try to repeat that stroke each time until it becomes second nature to you.

dardoz

Well, its a momentous day in my short golf career

Today, I hit my first birdie. And I had to hole a 12 foot putt to get it.

Hole No.4 on Puck's Castle, I LOVE YOU

Mister Sifter

Haha... congratulations dardoz!! I can't remember my first birdie... but i'd say you'll long remember that one. How long was the hole?

dardoz

ah it was only a par 3, 104 yards. but it will live long in my memory.

I've played 8 rounds in the last 4 weeks since I started. It's about time I managed something decent. All went downhill after that though. I finished on +29

dardoz

Another mini milestone on Friday evening. I hit my best round yet of +16.

Played again this morning and hit +23 with a couple of drops. It feels good to be getting a little more consistent.