How's your game!

slingerz

My game is non existant. Havent been able to play since October with a back injury and no sign of a return in sight.

Heart breaking to look out at the lovely weather and not be able to hit a ball

mighty magpie

Not going great but haven't been putting in the practice to merit good play.

Have invested in new driver - cobra f9, 3 wood - g410 and 3 wedges - RTX4 replacing clubs that all were bought in 2013. Struggling to find the middle with driver, everything out towards the toe with an in to out path already so a big hook instead of the draw i'm looking. I have the weight forward on this so i might tinker with the club to get weight back for more foregiveness if my strike isn't as consistence as it should be.

A lot of practice needed to bed in new clubs.

Have hit a few balls with new wedges and strike seems to be just off centre but towards heel this time, clubs feel great.

Weather looks brilliant rest of week so planning 18 on saturday and sunday.

dan_ep82

mighty magpie wrote: »

Not going great but haven't been putting in the practice to merit good play.

Have invested in new driver - cobra f9, 3 wood - g410 and 3 wedges - RTX4 replacing clubs that all were bought in 2013. Struggling to find the middle with driver, everything out towards the toe with an out to in path already so a big hook instead of the draw i'm looking. I have the weight forward on this so i might tinker with the club to get weight back for more foregiveness if my strike isn't as consistence as it should be.

A lot of practice needed to bed in new clubs.

Have hit a few balls with new wedges and strike seems to be just off centre but towards heel this time, clubs feel great.

Weather looks brilliant rest of week so planning 18 on saturday and sunday.

Were you fitted on any of them?


I always tend to be towards the toe with my wedges, wondering if flattening them out a bit to match my irons would help move strike back to center.


F9 looks interesting, especially at the price.

mighty magpie

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Were you fitted on any of them?


I always tend to be towards the toe with my wedges, wondering if flattening them out a bit to match my irons would help move strike back to center.


F9 looks interesting, especially at the price.

Fitted for everything, was impressed with the selection of shafts available through all the clubs i tested. Spent £900 but had a few vouchers, birthday gifts (£) and saved for a good while.

F9 beat everything for me on a mixture of ball speed/spin/dispersion. Tested all drivers except TS2 and TS3. G410 was very close but as you say the F9 price was very appealing.

I'm not too educated in club fitting but would imagine iron and wedge lies should be similar.

pakman

Current form is great but wondering how much of it is down to being able to place.

I've had three competitive rounds including Boards Athy where even playing meh in the second and third I have had 43, 35, and 37 points in consecutive weeks.

I love a nice bit of grass beneath the ball and not sure if being able to place is what's giving me the edge and that it will disappear when its back to qualifying. I do feel like I have focused in my driver a good bit though and removed wild shots so that's got to be contributing too.

We will see this weekend I suppose provided it stays dry.

RoadRunner

pakman wrote: »

how much of it is down to being able to place.

Our place went back to qualifying (placing on fairway only) for the first medal of the year last week. Scoring nosedived!

pakman

RoadRunner wrote: »

Our place went back to qualifying (placing on fairway only) for the first medal of the year last week. Scoring nosedived!

It think a lot of it could be psychological but I do know plenty of high handicappers who say they prefer the rough a lot of the time as the fairway's shorter grass is intimidating.

spacecoyote

pakman wrote: »

It think a lot of it could be psychological but I do know plenty of high handicappers who say they prefer the rough a lot of the time as the fairway's shorter grass is intimidating.

I'd say it makes a massive difference in general. I've played with multiple guys over winter who were able to place the ball well up in the rough who were hitting driver off the deck. There is no way they're able to take on shots like that once the placing is gone

dan_ep82

Lesson today and 18 holes in the weekly open as the weather was too good not too.

Lesson was really good.
Pro got me to move the ball forward and touch to start. I had it centre/just back of centre. Something I struggle with from time to time. He gave me an easy way to check on the range so I will be checking that more often.

Issue with my wedges/irons on distance are what I thought, loft through impact. My hands were level to behind the head through impact so that was what I worked on mainly. I could sometimes turn it over through impact aswell giving me a bit of a pull.

What I find great about Brian is he shows me how to recognize what gave me the bad shot and the ability to change it. If I hit a heavy shot on course I know its because I was letting my hands get behind again, if its a pull I'm flipping through impact. Playing lesson soon and a formal lesson in 2 weeks too.

So I played a very slow 18 ( 4.45hrs :mad: ) and while I did struggle at times and hit a few wild ones I definitly have my yardage back. Flew the first few greens and had to start clubbing down.

Driver was very hit and miss which was something I was expecting but still frustrating. I will work on this, not willing to lose the shots the good driving gave me.

Putting was s**te. The greens were running much faster but some of my start lines were pretty bad. 3-4 chances at easy birides missed.

Chipping was great from a technical stand point I'm glad to say, just need to adjust and not throw it all the way with the greens firming up or loft up and spin it.

Low lights
4 biride chances missed from inside 10ft
Hitting a good drive only to rip it out of bounds with an 8i off an uphill lie.

Highlights
Dropping a ball after pulling the 8i and sticking to to about 4yds for 150yds on a n average strike.

Hitting it to 6ft from 195yds with a baby fade 3i. Normally need a draw to see that yardage.

So, all in all very happy with the days progress, felt like I really gained from getting my yardages back and the pro has me confident I won't be long at the HC I'm at.

davegilly

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Dropping a ball after pulling the 8i and sticking to to about 4ft for 150yds on a n average strike.

Do you mind if I ask what handicap you are and also approx what age? Reason I ask is you mentioned above that you are lofting through impact and losing distance. I don't loft at all and a perfect strike for me on a 7iron would barely reach 150 yds. I'm off 20 and mid 40's. I can't get the ball to go any further and I'm wondering how I can manage this? My driver swing speed is 95mph also!

dan_ep82

davegilly wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask what handicap you are and also approx what age? Reason I ask is you mentioned above that you are lofting through impact and losing distance. I don't loft at all and a perfect strike for me on a 7iron would barely reach 150 yds. I'm off 20 and mid 40's. I can't get the ball to go any further and I'm wondering how I can manage this? My driver swing speed is 95mph also!

19/18.6 and 30 this year. Pretty fit, job involves alot of heavy lifting etc.


Average SS is about 100mph and 105 or so if I go after it. 6 iron is about 87-90mph


My lofts might be stronger than yours. I play with some guys who can drive it as far or further than me but I need less club with irons. Some of them use an easier swing with their irons or just don't hit them as well.


Could be a number of things really, a pro could tell you if your losing efficeny in one or two swings.



I'm liable to hit some shockers ( less as of late) but when I hit an iron well my numbers are pretty good efficeny wise.

* I should mention I didn't see my "lofted" shots as going to high, they just seemed to drop out of the air even well struck. Only after the lesson did I see the way they pushed forward so much more.

dan_ep82

Happy enough with how I'm playing lately.

I finally got the lesson I was meant to take in Feb. in July. Generally he was very happy with how decent the swing is looking considering the break.
My aim was off, I had my feet and shoulders pointing at the target leaving it very hard to do anything but come slightly over the top again. Other than that he just wants my right elbow keeping tighter to my body on the back swing. I'll be honest, with the local range closed down for good the nearest one is over 35 minutes away and I haven't got near one since. I feel like it's just throwing money away by not drilling the swing but I'm hoping to have more time now Headfort has opened the range again.

So my irons, woods and driver are going really decent at the minute. With some more practice I can see them tightening up even more.

My short game is nowhere near where it was pre lockdown. I was on another streak of chip ins (6 in as many rounds) before the break and I've had one since the golf came back. I'm leaving them close enough to be makeable but not the usual tap in's I'm used to. Late last year I changed my wedges as the 60° was pretty worn and I think I made a mistake.
My old wedges were 54° 12 Bounce and 60° 8 Bounce. New ones are 56° 8 bounce and 60° 12 bounce. I just can't strike my 60 ( main chipping club) as well as I usually do. I can get the strike on the 56 but I just don't have the same control I have from the experience of using the 60 for so long. The 56 is also short of yardage I need it for, I do need a 54 I think

Got a small cut to 15.9 in a singles at the new course but I think I'm still on the way down. I don't think 13/14 this year is out of the question this year if I can get two good 9's together.

redzerdrog

I have never been so frustrated than on the course today, it was a painful experience!

I have mostly played with a fade and recently found the bad shot (slice) particularly difficult on a left to right wind so I bit the bullet and took a couple of lessons.

Immediately the instructor nailed what was going on. Pretty much early extension and coming over the top. Worked on bringing club around body more than up and down which I could immediately see the difference. The next week worked more in posture and the difference/improvements weren't as noticeable and still struggling with it a bit.

Finally got to try things out on the course and played 9 holes Saturday there was some good and some bad but workable.

Today on the other hand was the most frustrating round of golf I have ever played. Every single shot pulled left!!!
I'd try hit it straight and would pull it straight left. Id aim right and pull/hook it even further left. I'd aim for a fade and hit it straight left. Horrible horrible day of golf.

Don't even want to play this weekend now until I can get to range. Bought Adam Youngs strike plan so think I will work on strike and ground contact over next couple of weeks as head is wrecked with swing

dan_ep82

Thats normally how it goes, I'd go back now when you can for the follow up lesson and have the pro straighten it out.

coillcam

redzerdrog wrote: »

...
Today on the other hand was the most frustrating round of golf I have ever played. Every single shot pulled left!!!
I'd try hit it straight and would pull it straight left. Id aim right and pull/hook it even further left. I'd aim for a fade and hit it straight left. Horrible horrible day of golf....

I have the same problem as someone who's only playing 6 months. Had a few lessons and started to drive better and hit mid irons with less frequent slices. After lockdown all muscle memory was gone. I couldn't hit anything longer than 9i without a huge slice and couldn't figure it out.

Got a lesson with the local pro and he corrected the basics (AGAIN). He gave me a stronger grip and fixed my shoulders/starting position - my shoulders were pointing significantly to the left and I didn't realise this at all. Suddenly everything straightens up miraculously as I've squared up appropriately. I do over compensate and pull hook a couple of shots a round, especially on the last few holes when I'm tired.

The other thing he did was put me on pressure plates and videoed my drives. Essentially I was pivoting perfectly on the spot with zero weight transfer on all shots. This is fine for dancing or ice skating apparently but not golf :pac:. So he started encouraging me to lift my front heel and load the back leg. Then use a wider shallower swing before transferring through to the front leg. My ball speed is up and my timing is better too. Combining this with the grip/posture correction has added around 20-30 yards carry on my drive, the trajectory is a lot flatter and straighter with reduced spin. Average was about 210 and now I'm regularly 230+. Measured one 250+ carry at the weekend (slight downwind and downhill). I actually "lost the ball" and dropped another as I couldn't find it 30 yards back. Stumbled over it on the way to the hole .

My 5i and 6i are the main problems at the moment though. Struggling with making good contact and slicing quite a few. My pro said to keep working on them at the range and it will come right. I'll probably go for another lesson in January.

Looking for recommendations or for practicing short game/chipping at home.The main problem is the lack daylight so I don't get out and I'll just play at the weekend if I get a tee time. Any suggestions?

spacecoyote

redzerdrog wrote: »

I have never been so frustrated than on the course today, it was a painful experience!

I have mostly played with a fade and recently found the bad shot (slice) particularly difficult on a left to right wind so I bit the bullet and took a couple of lessons.

Immediately the instructor nailed what was going on. Pretty much early extension and coming over the top. Worked on bringing club around body more than up and down which I could immediately see the difference. The next week worked more in posture and the difference/improvements weren't as noticeable and still struggling with it a bit.

Finally got to try things out on the course and played 9 holes Saturday there was some good and some bad but workable.

Today on the other hand was the most frustrating round of golf I have ever played. Every single shot pulled left!!!
I'd try hit it straight and would pull it straight left. Id aim right and pull/hook it even further left. I'd aim for a fade and hit it straight left. Horrible horrible day of golf.

Don't even want to play this weekend now until I can get to range. Bought Adam Youngs strike plan so think I will work on strike and ground contact over next couple of weeks as head is wrecked with swing

I think that a straight pull can be a big issue for people trying to move from an out to in...it certainly was for me and pro explained it well.

Your normal swing, say you swing 6 degrees out to in, but you're club face is 5 degrees open to the the path, so you end up hitting left but the open face causes the fade back to centre.

If you're working on better path and face control, then your risk is, you get your face control right and get neutral to the path, but you're still swinging out to in, so you hit a straight pull.

So you could just need a pro to look at your path again

redzerdrog

Yeh makes sense and I seem to learn better by actually seeing those numbers for myself so might book a lesson with trackman to have a look.

Only problem is current lad doest use trackman.

I have been for 3 lesson with him. Would people stick with or go elsewhere to have trackman lesson and see data even though with a different instructor?

spacecoyote

redzerdrog wrote: »

Yeh makes sense and I seem to learn better by actually seeing those numbers for myself so might book a lesson with trackman to have a look.

Only problem is current lad doest use trackman.

I have been for 3 lesson with him. Would people stick with or go elsewhere to have trackman lesson and see data even though with a different instructor?

If you dont fancy working with another pro, somewhere like the GUI academy in Carton will let you book Trackman range sessions I believe?

benny79

spacecoyote wrote: »

If you dont fancy working with another pro, somewhere like the GUI academy in Carton will let you book Trackman range sessions I believe?

Think the Spawell driving range does this as well now.

spacecoyote

benny79 wrote: »

Think the Spawell driving range does this as well now.

Really? I know they have the Topgolf bays upstairs, but not the same as trackman in terms of information.

I dont think they have a trackman set up there but a few of the pros that teach there do have trackman themselves which they use for teaching

benny79

spacecoyote wrote: »

Really? I know they have the Topgolf bays upstairs, but not the same as trackman in terms of information.

I dont think they have a trackman set up there but a few of the pros that teach there do have trackman themselves which they use for teaching

whats top golf? I definitely know you can rent out a machine and presumed it was trackman. I could be wrong though. I know some of the Pros have it there. I presumed they just had a bay like the ones in St Andrews. Trackman, screen to the side and you just turn it on and work away. Obviously the spawell be charging for this. It was free in the range in St Andrews

But I haven't been up there since its been taking over. Its was always a very expensive range to be honest.

The_Kew_Tour

Got my first back to back Birdies today at the new club I joined this year.

Got 1 more so was thrilled. Off 12 now but not a great player to get Birdies.

If I can get my short game in shape and if can try work on my physical side I hope be playing off single figures next year

blue note

What do people reckon? If I remember correctly at the end of the last lockdown I felt it was coming together. Once the break set in and I'd had time to mull over my game I'd satisfied myself that I had my problems sussed and I'd be playing very well when we get back. But I've lost that confidence over the last while. Now I'm fearful that when I'm trying to look for a positive at the end of my round it will be that at least my carry bag isn't as heavy as it was when I started. I think now my game is in a bad place.

Where do other people think they are at now? Any confidence going back?

spacecoyote

blue note wrote: »

What do people reckon? If I remember correctly at the end of the last lockdown I felt it was coming together. Once the break set in and I'd had time to mull over my game I'd satisfied myself that I had my problems sussed and I'd be playing very well when we get back. But I've lost that confidence over the last while. Now I'm fearful that when I'm trying to look for a positive at the end of my round it will be that at least my carry bag isn't as heavy as it was when I started. I think now my game is in a bad place.

Where do other people think they are at now? Any confidence going back?

Literally have no idea to be honest. Only really had one decent round last year, and nothing beyond that.

Haven't properly hit a ball in about 6 months at this point. Likelihood is, driver will probably be ok, irons, lots of fat hits, short game ultra rusty, putting mediocre at best

Scott Tenorman

I’ve lost over 2 stone since I last hit a golf ball and I have no idea how this is going to go when I go back. Balance could be off, distances could be different or I could be better. Just don’t know.

Looking forward to getting to the range for a few sessions.

pinkdoubleeagle

New set of MP20's and Callaway Wedges to try out so can't wait

DuckSlice

Scott Tenorman wrote: »

I’ve lost over 2 stone since I last hit a golf ball and I have no idea how this is going to go when I go back. Balance could be off, distances could be different or I could be better. Just don’t know.

Looking forward to getting to the range for a few sessions.

In my experience weight loss had zero negative effects on my golf.

fred funk }{

Scott Tenorman wrote: »

I’ve lost over 2 stone since I last hit a golf ball and I have no idea how this is going to go when I go back. Balance could be off, distances could be different or I could be better. Just don’t know.

Looking forward to getting to the range for a few sessions.

Have you bulked up too?

I say that because I hit the gym hard years ago and I totally lost my swing. I obviously changed physically and my swing was off. Fortunately I don't have the problem of too much muscle these days...lol.

Kiith

Last year was when is started to come together for me, but that was due to regular golf and practice, so no idea what to expect.

Scott Tenorman

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Have you bulked up too?

I say that because I hit the gym hard years ago and I totally lost my swing. I obviously changed physically and my swing was off. Fortunately I don't have the problem of too much muscle these days...lol.

It’s mainly running and cycling I did with a little bit of dumbells and rowing thrown in so not really bulked up