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How's your game!

Keano

We have an off topic thread and the how did you score but we don't have a thread where we can discuss what we are working on or the general state of your game.

For me I'm working on fixing my OTT - bloody well hard work but I've sort of written off this year in terms of getting the handicap down. I've had 2 lessons so far and my ball striking has improved an awful lot but a long way to go!! :pac:

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dan_ep82

Current Form

The Bad

Lack of practice and the reasons.
I kept up with my range plan but soon realised I was seeing negative results from it. The range I go to is off mats and they are quite harsh on your wrists unless you pick the ball.
Two times I've gone to the range, hitting it well and after 15 minutes of so I start shanking the ball. I can move strike back but its something I have to think of consciously doing.
Thats fine on the range but both times I've brought the same strike to the course and it stops me from playing golf and leaves me just hitting the ball.
It takes 2-3 rounds to get back to where I was so unless I will have to travel further for a grass range so I won't be able to do it as often.

Short Game hasn't been as good since the greens have firmed up.
I'm too used to throwing everything at the flag and seeing it spin,check or just stop dead. Hitting all my landing spots but seeing the ball skid and release past the hole. Need to work on this.

The Good

Getting better off the Tee

Hitting some quality tee shots is letting my go for greens in two. It sounds silly but it's making a big difference.

Weather is improving so I'm just starting to play more and it shows in how comfortable I am on the course.

My putting has improved. I put this down solely to practice at home. I'm having more one putts than ever and this is keeping the score down which is great. Yesterday was an odd day where I made some class putts, liped out on alot and then made some shocking 3 putts but I think they were more mental errors than skill with the day that was in it.

Equipment

Finally got my 3 Iron and it had its first round yesterday. It does what I was expecting, being great off the tee. Being a little longer than my 4 iron it means its a very viable option off the tee instead of the driver. Where I wasn't expecting it to excel is from the fairway but surprisingly its super easy to hit and fills that 210 gap. Its great on some of the longer par4's getting me on the green or pin high.

I also picked up a PuttOut and my pace has been much better.
It also lets me practice for longer before getting bored etc as it's quite tough to get it to stop in the little hole.

Thats bag done now and its just a case of practising and becoming comfortable with all the clubs.

rickis tache

To paraphrase the warden from the shawshank redemption, "it's a miracle, it's disappeared like a fart in the wind"

After a win and 2 rounds in the 30s I developed a slice that if it went any further right it would come full circle.

Any chance of making pierce purcell team is carrying away on that slice too.

Got to get it sorted this week or my list of goals for 2018 will have one less item on it.

FixdePitchmark

Hadn't a clue what Puttout was dan - fair play to your man
simple little idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ7mUIDykcY

dan_ep82

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Hadn't a clue what Puttout was dan - fair play to your man
simple little idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ7mUIDykcY

For such a simple little aid it works very well. The difficulty I think is what keeps you at it for longer where other putting aids I always get bored and give up after a few putts.

Oh get more putts to stop in the hole the more you use it but it’s still not easy by any means.

charlieIRL

Must say I'm happy with my last few rounds, Dromoland in the Boards outing, a casual one Monday in Beech Park and Boards outing on Saturday, especially as i've played no golf really this year so far.
In Dromoland, I struggled getting off the tee for a long time, was very rusty, then something clicked and was nailing drives for the rest of the round. Scrambled great but struggled on the poor greens on the front 9. Much better on the back 9.

In Beech Park, started off well, faded a bit and then got it back at the end. Drove the ball well and approaches were hitting greens. Slightly cold putter cost me a but but overall, was happy.
Saturday in Castlemartyr, I was hitting it well again but unfortunately a cold putter cost me a few shots but am not too concerned, had a bit of a honeymoon period with the new putter where everything dropped so i know the putts are there.

Just to get a bit more consistent and I'll start hammering the handicap.

slingerz

dan_ep82 wrote: »

For such a simple little aid it works very well. The difficulty I think is what keeps you at it for longer where other putting aids I always get bored and give up after a few putts.

Oh get more putts to stop in the hole the more you use it but it’s still not easy by any means.

I've looked at this before and they have a putting matt which would be useful in my current home. Has anyone got this?

FixdePitchmark

Its been fairly erratic the last while weather wise - as we know.

But got out for first competitive round in a while over the weekend. Sun , sun cream - a bit (small bit of roll) - greens with a shine and the ball holding in the air that 1 or 2 seconds more.

Got in the buffer for first time in a year :eek:

Funny thing, haven't played as much as I did last year. Just had a few things going on off the course in real life and the game fell apart.

Feel a bit disappointed with round (could have been low low)- as played best golf in a long long while - with Back to back birds - and lip out for 3 in a row. I felt confident.
I turned 2 over with 2 doubles from 100 yards out on 2 holes. Was mainly bad bunker play. A thing I seem to have slipped on - as was good at them before. Practice simply.

I almost had a hole in 1 on a par 3 - and even if it was just a good shot - I don't remember getting close close to a par 3 in a long time in competition.

I faded a bit at end - but was delighted to walk off a course playing to handicap with ease.

Reached edge of 2 par 5s in 2 - and didn't get a bird - shows that there is a good bit more to come - and easy shots to come.
Had a Gap Wedge into our index 1 - and I seem to have found a bit of distance somewhere. Could be TPI course I did last season. Hopefully.

So, many things in game still poor - and If i could improve them a little , feel a very low round coming.

But - easy to say that - harder to do.

benny79

What TPI course did you do Fix? I have a bit of a interest in doing one of these flirted with it anyway...

Kiith

Haven't had the best of rounds since we started back to the full 18. Had 18 points after 9 holes last week, while playing ok, but fell away on the back 9. I've got 3-4 holes which i just seem to screw up every round (scratched 3 of those 4), and it really affects the rest of my round. It was my first round with the new irons, which feel great, but will take a bit of getting used to.

New driver this weekend, so i'm looking forward to trying it out, as that's somewhere i've been struggling with. Playing the Curragh on Saturday morning, Corballis on Monday morning, and then a 3 day go in Enniscrone next weekend. So plenty of golf in the next 10 days.

rickis tache

Ridiculously inconsistent.
one day driving great next woeful, same with short game.
just looked at scoring of last 5 rounds.
taken best score on a hole over last 5 rounds I had a 1 under 71.
taken worst score 42 over 114.
43 shot difference. madness.

Rikand

Last week in the Sunday competition my long game was atrocious but my short game sensational. I holed every putt.

This week my long game was exceptional but my short game poor. I had 11 birdie putts and didn't get within an asses roar of any of them.

31 points scored in both rounds. So not really sure how my game is

mighty magpie

Driving, chipping, bunkers and putting all at a decent level now and i'd safely say my consistency/execution with some of these would be at a level better than my current handicap which is 5.6.

The problem i'm having now is my irons. I've looked at some trackman stats from last year when the season was in full swing and I can see an average path of -2 and average face of +1. Now i've always been a decent striker of the ball and a fade has been my shot, more often than not I'm taking more club than my playing partners from similar positions.

I've been checking my divots recently and they are miles to the left which is obviously a by product of the swing path and possibly other factors but the annoying thing is I am missing far too many greens from good positions. I feel a good 5/6 handicapper should be maybe hitting 10-13 greens per round, maybe i'm wrong.

A lesson last week with one pro and a fitting with another pro both pulled me up on my weak left hand grip and told me this was the main reason for the face to path being open and resulting in my weak left to right iron shot. I think this may has got slightly worse in my game or developed over the winter without me realising.

Just wondering if many on here have moved from weak left hand to a neutral or strong left hand. Should the right hand move weaker to supplement it? Would better golfers on here have a different grip for a fade vs a draw?

Main things i need to work on - grip, swing path closer to 0 or getting to in/out.

pakman

My game state has a life cycle

Play poorly
Watch Videos on what went wrong
Develop unjustified confidence that I have it all sorted now
Hit the driving range and ignore all bad shots
Repeat

Current Midweek confidence coming from swing changes from lesson actually seeming to come off. Slicing much less on Drives and actually moving ball right to left on iron shots without my usual balloon up in the air flight for the first time ever.

I expect to crash back to earth this weekend mind you.

dan_ep82

I was playing quite well the last few rounds but negative effects from fatigue are showing on the back nines. May look into this if I have the time to make a noticeable difference.

Conditions aren't just quite there so I'd still have a few putts or chips I might not have in better conditions.

Todays (32pts) was full of one pointers thanks to this guy but he shouldn't hang around for long if the past is anything to go by.

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Whiplash85

My game has evolved from last year and become more solid. Ball is in play more, scratches are down. Maybe 1 per round as opposed to 3 last year. I couldn't be happier with my ball striking. Frequently making par 5's in 2 and I have incorporated a draw to my game which is a welcome sight. Last year I could miss both left and right. Now when I miss I know it is left. So you could say I have more control to my game. I can now hit a 3 iron which I couldn't do before and after a winter practicing 50-60 yard pitching which is a distance I frequently am left with (achillies heal previously) I can now produce this shot when needed too. Before I could blade it through the green or try and lift the ball and see it flop a few yards in front of me. Putting is by far the weakest part of my game. I can hit a ball like a 5 handicapper but putt like a 20 handicapper. Now I have tried to leave every putt past the hole. I used to be afraid to hit the putt (terrified of 3 putting) but now I am making sure the ball goes past the hole. I get very twitchy over 3 or 4 foot putts and miss left due to my wrists taking over. It is a source of constant constant frustration. Ironically in ways it has improved the rest of my game as I am more focussed in terms of getting the ball as close to the hole with my wedges.

dan_ep82

Right, 6 games in 8 days. The most golf I've played since last year. Too much to be honest I think as I had 4 rounds one day after another and felt pretty fatigued.

Striking my irons quite well at the minute and finally able to gauge distance with the new clubs (apart from a few outliers )

Up about 1/2 a club so it means it's a little easier on the longer courses. The land angle and apex are actually a little higher than my AP2's so it's just as easy to hold greens.

Short game is OK but could be better, need to get them closer. As the course is 20minutes away I need to set up somewhere at home for this to practice.

Putting is there some days and not the next so I need to schedule some more practice for that. Playing so many different courses/greens meant I wasn't as good at home this week as normal.

Driver is better in that it's longer and has a predictable shape but the amount of shape can vary which is where I struggle.

The other positive/ negative I found from playing so much is that I'm not taking advantage of my speed.

From 180yds I'm hitting 6i all day with a comfortable swing yet I'm scoring higher than some guys who need a 3wood to get that far, some of them even needing a driver. If I'm able to hit a shorter club I should be getting them closer more often and then capitalizing on it.

Speaking of woods, I need to be able to hit this more consistently from tee and fairway. I doesn't see much use as I just use my 3i Utility and I could gain maybe those 15yds more with it bringing more GIR's into play whether from poking it up there after a bad tee shot or a longer safe shot from the tee.

To that end I'm booking 3 lessons with my Club Pro on trackman with some video analysis.
Some of my past lessons I couldn't see or feel the change even though I was told I was making the action. I'm hoping trackman and video will show how much ( or little) I'm changing and trust it more and maybe gain some new insight with a new pro.

I'm hoping I can get some time in those lessons on awkward lies. Time and again I see better players hit really good shots from thick rough,ball above/below feet etc and with all the tips I've read/watched I don't pull them off nearly often enough.

Kiith

My putting has gotten quite good, after i decided to be aggressive every time. No more going short, and i feel confident of putting in anything within 10 feet (don't always do it, just feel like i can). My irons are working well, bar the occasional slice (which i'm trying to figure out). And my driving is awful.

So a mixed bag, which i don't feel is that far away from coming together.

martinkop

Haven't played as much as I'd like this year (bloody weather). But when I have, i have a terrible pull/hook with my irons that causes me all sort of bother. Was out last week and started focusing on a few things. started trying to let the left hand dominate the swing (stop the right hand turning over) and this helped immensely. Hopefully it will continue, this week, as I have a big golf weekend planned!!!!!!

daithi7

mighty magpie wrote: »

Driving, chipping, bunkers and putting all at a decent level now and i'd safely say my consistency/execution with some of these would be at a level better than my current handicap which is 5.6.

The problem i'm having now is my irons. I've looked at some trackman stats from last year when the season was in full swing and I can see an average path of -2 and average face of +1. Now i've always been a decent striker of the ball and a fade has been my shot, more often than not I'm taking more club than my playing partners from similar positions.

I've been checking my divots recently and they are miles to the left which is obviously a by product of the swing path and possibly other factors but the annoying thing is I am missing far too many greens from good positions. I feel a good 5/6 handicapper should be maybe hitting 10-13 greens per round, maybe i'm wrong.

A lesson last week with one pro and a fitting with another pro both pulled me up on my weak left hand grip and told me this was the main reason for the face to path being open and resulting in my weak left to right iron shot. I think this may has got slightly worse in my game or developed over the winter without me realising.

Just wondering if many on here have moved from weak left hand to a neutral or strong left hand. Should the right hand move weaker to supplement it? Would better golfers on here have a different grip for a fade vs a draw?

Main things i need to work on - grip, swing path closer to 0 or getting to in/out.

I'll qualify this practice tip by stating that I am not nearly as good a player as you based on handicaps, I play off~ 12 mostly.

But to help rectify my swing path I've practiced hitting balls on the range, with two parallel clubs (irons) lying on the ground, either side of the ball about 4-6inches apart, pointing at the target.

If your not taking square divots you will glance the clubs on the ground I.e. Normally the inside one, on your follow through.

Keep hitting balls like this with a 3/4 swing to start. When you are no longer glancing the inner club, move to fuller swings. Then narrow the gap a little between the 2 parallel clubs on the ground so you have to even swing straighter again without glancing the clubs on the ground.

This will square your ball striking surprisingly quickly. (1~2 range sessions).

When you're no longer glancing the clubs, move away and hit 5 or 6 off the grass and see if your divots are straight. They should be.

If you revert back to left /pull divots go back to hitting balls from between parallel clubs on the ground. And alternate with hitting balls fun the grass without any irons on the ground to help guide you to a square swing path

Good luck.

Kiith

Left my driver in a friends boot after the Enniscrone trip last week, so i'll be teeing off with my 3 iron (don't have a decent wood) this weekend. Should be interesting

redzerdrog

Club deflects after impact so dont read too much into divots. It is still possible to hit a draw and result in a divot facing left.

charlieIRL

Still playing streaky golf. Played Corballis on Friday with fixdepitchmark. Bladed a few tee shots in the first few holes, for anyone who knows Corballis, I hit my tee shot on the second hole about 10 foot off the ground but it went all the way down into the large hollow on the right in front of the green, I got up and down for the birdie!! Few more poor tee shots and then it kinda clicked, was hitting it with arrow precision. Was on a lot of greens in regulation but my putting was poor. Even though the greens were sanded my putting was still letting me down. Got on a great run on the back 9 and finished only a few over.
Looking forward to getting to play some actual counting competitions for the rest of the summer, roll on next Monday.

Glebee

At last I upgraded my crappy irons to Pings and picked up a new fairway wood.
Starting to hit the ball alot better and most of the time it goes straight.. Even hitting the faiway wood has gotten a lot better, I used never use it but starting to alot more now.
Need to get my finger out and get my three cards submitted for handicap. I never seem to get to play a full 18 these days though, usually 9 or 16.

dan_ep82

Had my lesson after the round today with my new pro.

This is the first of 3 on a trackman I pre paid for. Don't think I would go back to standard lesson after it. Being able to see the numbers and the slo mo video made a huge difference.

Face was slightly closed at address ( like 1-2°) and I was aiming right even when I though I was straight. Over turning the ball the last few games so this was understandable.

Not enough room between me and the ball (not hugely close) so checkpoint is one hand from my stomach to grip.

I've been hooding the takeaway so now I'm feeling like I'm pushing the clubhead and outside my hands back while rolling the club face way open then driving down with my left hand.

Positives.
I'm actually swinging from the inside and no more over the top. 3-6° from the indside. We're hoping to get 2-3° with a more 0° face.

Carry is right where I thought it was, 8i 150-160yds. This helps alot with club selection.

Grip and posture are really good. Swing in general is very good with only some minor stuff needed to work on. He said with my swing and speed I should be much lower and went as far to call me a bandit which was a nice stroke of the ego.

I've 2 more on trackman, one which will be woods only as its really weak part of my game. Then I want to work on more types lies and shapes. A simple punch is something I don't do well enough and I also find it very hard to club off uneven lies. Short game and putting aswell. I'm hoping to knock a few shots off from each area and see how I sit at the end of it.

redzerdrog

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Had my lesson after the round today with my new pro.

This is the first of 3 on a trackman I pre paid for. Don't think I would go back to standard lesson after it. Being able to see the numbers and the slo mo video made a huge difference.

Face was slightly closed at address ( like 1-2°) and I was aiming right even when I though I was straight. Over turning the ball the last few games so this was understandable.

Not enough room between me and the ball (not hugely close) so checkpoint is one hand from my stomach to grip.

I've been hooding the takeaway so now I'm feeling like I'm pushing the clubhead and outside my hands back while rolling the club face way open then driving down with my left hand.

Positives.
I'm actually swinging from the inside and no more over the top. 3-6° from the indside. We're hoping to get 2-3° with a more 0° face.

Carry is right where I thought it was, 8i 150-160yds. This helps alot with club selection.

Grip and posture are really good. Swing in general is very good with only some minor stuff needed to work on. He said with my swing and speed I should be much lower and went as far to call me a bandit which was a nice stroke of the ego.

I've 2 more on trackman, one which will be woods only as its really weak part of my game. Then I want to work on more types lies and shapes. A simple punch is something I don't do well enough and I also find it very hard to club off uneven lies. Short game and putting aswell. I'm hoping to knock a few shots off from each area and see how I sit at the end of it.

Is this in ardee? Mind me asking how much for the 3 lessons and trackman?

dan_ep82

redzerdrog wrote: »

Is this in ardee? Mind me asking how much for the 3 lessons and trackman?

Yep in Ardee.

€100 for the three lessons w/ Trackman

http://briankerleygolf.com/trackman/

charlieIRL

Played in my new clubs open days on Friday and Monday.

Had to go in after 9 holes on Friday due to rain / thunder & lightening just as i was settling into my round. Was ok up to that.

Went out Monday with high hopes, had been playing well enough if a bit streaky, boy did I come back down to earth with a bang. I honestly couldn't hit the ball out of my way, every bit of my game deserted me. I know it was 20 degrees at 10am but that was no excuse, I was shocking bad. I went on a 4 hole run on the back 9 and even after getting the ball off the tee, I got the dreaded "S" words on all next shots on these holes. I lost more balls than i had in the last year it was that bad. I wanted to walk in and apologised several times to my playing partners but fair play to them, the helped me out with what i was doing wrong and finished the last 3 holes ok.

I have been practising a lot on my short game, chips from <60 yards and close to green and a lot of putting and have seen huge improvements but for my dependable driver to desert me is disheartening. Even went back to a 5 iron off the tee to get the ball in play, that didn't work.

Am going to keep going with the short game practice and see about a few lessons for the rest, last time it happened it took the pro to look at 2 swings to see what i was doing wrong and was instantly able to correct it.

2 x 0.1's to start my year, not what i was after especially after the late start.

dan_ep82

Haven't had the time to practice as much as I like so progress is a bit slower than I was hoping for.

Played twice this week. On Thursday I could get away from a bad hook, I just put it down to tiredness and moved on. Signs of better woods from giving them more loft and trusting the path which I used to over correct with face lie/angle.

Played Saturday
Could have played better but still had a few hooks that cost me a few strokes. Otherwise it would have been a low round.
Seeing alot of improvement in my driver and short irons. Better height and distance with the wedges.
Hitting the driver felt easy for the most part, aim right side of fairway and just hit it. Some came back to the middle and some stayed right edge instead of the over turn.

Going to keep working on the action until its bedded in then go back for the next lesson.

slingerz

played with our scratch golfer 3 times in the past week. Like 3 playing lessons being honest. Learned so much from him in terms of shot selection, course management, best lines off tees etc.

Mantis Toboggan

My game is slowly starting to come together. I played very little golf over the winter then had an injury and moved clubs so only really getting into the last 4 weeks. Picked up 4 .1's in that time but there are signs of improvement.

I'm still figuring out the new course and it's a lack of course knowledge which is costing me the most. Wrong club selection and wrong shot types mainly. Need to improve course management and take into account all hazards.

Off 11.2 now but I'm still aiming for single figures before the year is out. Accuracy is key in the new club so I'm still adjusting to that. If I can cut out the silly mistakes and play the percentages it's definitely possible.