My Life (Sub 80)

FixdePitchmark · 28-10-2011 11:43PM #1

I'm starting a diary , a journey, a blog.

Call it what you want, but I hope to break 80, on a par 72 course in the next 12 months.

I did it when I was 21 in USA and living on the course, so it is above my current ability. I'm 35, old, aged and crap.

I score about 85 to 90 at the moment.

It may sound like a sad persuit, but, with age I now know that, what you can do in your youth is not allways in your grasp.

I've never had a lesson, I lack time, as, I have two young kids and a wife. Kid now awake, time for bed. The job is a problem too, but i have a job.

Why and what is golf for, I find peace there, I can not explain it.

Life.

THEIRISHMOB · 29-10-2011 09:41AM

What handicap do you play off?
I agree with all you said, golf in a place to find peace.

So called summer golfers bug me. What more could you want then a cold crisp morning where its freezing cold with no wind, even the gentle breeze burns your face it’s so cold, but yet after 18 holes of golf with friends, life is perfect.
Forget bills, jobs, the pressures of life. Life is good, embrace it, enjoy it.

We all need to stop taking life so serious and enjoy all that we do have, because trust me, we all are very lucky.

AldilaMan · 29-10-2011 05:17PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I'm starting a diary , a journey, a blog.

Call it what you want, but I hope to break 80, on a par 72 course in the next 12 months.

I did it when I was 21 in USA and living on the course, so it is above my current ability. I'm 35, old, aged and crap.

I score about 85 to 90 at the moment.

It may sound like a sad persuit, but, with age I now know that, what you can do in your youth is not allways in your grasp.

I've never had a lesson, I lack time, as, I have two young kids and a wife. Kid now awake, time for bed. The job is a problem too, but i have a job.

Why and what is golf for, I find peace there, I can not explain it.

Life.

You're only 35 years young. I took up golf at 40 and now age 50 playing off 10. I've shot plenty of sub 80 rounds and only recently shot my best ever 75. Having small kids interferes with golf committments but they won't always be young and you can keep playing well into you're 70's if you remain healthy.

Best of luck with the pursuit of happiness

FixdePitchmark · 29-10-2011 07:59PM

This is all getting very philosophical and deep.

I had a few drinks in me last night , but it is a serious aim and I'm shooting about 85 , losing balls one to two due to a bad slice.

I know time is on my side, but I guess everybody has a game they think, dream and know they can play. I'm not there now. Everybody has a life, they think, dream and know they can have. I'm very lucky I have.

Having a family and the two kids being so young is a joy. So taking 5, 6 shots off in a year is a big challenge particularly as I can play so little. I'm going to have to be clever with my time.

I play golf mostly on my own and am not a member, thinking of joining, but waiting for the price and place.

I've been waiting around for my friends to take up golf, they are all still playing Football, Gaa, Triathlons, Cycling. I did some of that, as I think Golf is not great to meet young people and can put on the weight too. I went away from golf for about 7 years, played 2 to 3 times per year in that time. The stuff I did in that 7 years is amazing. travelled , marriage, kids.

I think when your kids are very young it is a very important and joyfull time, I had a tough year due to sickness in my family. I'm coming out the other side. In that year when I was on the course on my own , I found peace. I'm saying that Golf was a realse a cleansing of the soul.

Perhaps I'm looking too deep and the answer and my soul is not in the bottom of a hole. But, perhaps it is. It is better than the bottom of a glass.

I never get angry on a course, I love to see the sea and hear the sounds and see the seasons. It is a joy to take time to look at the amazing country we have.

It seems so ridiculous to go on about something like it is life or death, it is only a game , or is it. I think Golf can sometimes take over a life, there is more too life than Golf, but it is a deep part of some people's lives.

Non golfers think I'm a bit mad to be out on my own playing golf, even some golfers do. You are kind of out of place and in the way. Other groups don't like you there, I feel in the way. The other day I was on my own in Portmarnock links, a 3 ball let me through, a four ball did not, between a rock and a hard place. I'm not a loner, so joined up with 3 great lads behind. I've had great moments like that on a course. Totally sound guys play golf, but total idiots too.

The stuff that has gone on in Golf has been an expression of what has gone on in our country , greatness and madness.

Golf Boards ie, is a great place and people share their experience. Perhaps it is not good to share too much online.

I'll drive on, put the kids to bed, I've a job, a house, a great family. The circle of life is almost complete. Thank God or something for that.

FixdePitchmark · 29-10-2011 08:17PM

THEIRISHMOB wrote: »

What handicap do you play off?
I agree with all you said, golf in a place to find peace.

So called summer golfers bug me. What more could you want then a cold crisp morning where its freezing cold with no wind, even the gentle breeze burns your face it’s so cold, but yet after 18 holes of golf with friends, life is perfect.
Forget bills, jobs, the pressures of life. Life is good, embrace it, enjoy it.

We all need to stop taking life so serious and enjoy all that we do have, because trust me, we all are very lucky.

I'll put my hand up , have been a summer golfer for 35 years , but I'm changing , 7 years of help and boards got me there (LOL). Yes was out the other day in Portmarnock and got that red face, strange one, like sun burn.. Any moisturiser recommendations.

irish bloke · 30-10-2011 02:02PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

losing balls one to two due to a bad slice.

Your coming over the top ild say. Most people who slice are. Work on coming from the inside at impact

FixdePitchmark · 30-10-2011 05:06PM

irish bloke wrote: »

Your coming over the top ild say. Most people who slice are. Work on coming from the inside at impact

Thanks Irish Bloke, must not be too bad because does not show up on my irons. More movement with driver for some reason. Looked up this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7UixTZGU3g

CageWager · 01-11-2011 01:18PM

From the time I picked up a golf club as a kid to now Ive encountered a lot of milestones in golf. I never once cared about winning a prize, the handicap was always what I was after. I started off trying to break 100, then 90, 80 and eventually got to break 70. Every time I improved to get my to the next level, they key was my short game. Trust someone who has been there, if you want to shoot in the 70's you must be able to, as bobby jones said "turn 3 shots into 2".

If you have a hall in your house with carpet where you can hit a few short chip shots and putts then do this. Dedicate an hour every night to this. Hone your putting stroke to the point where you miss nothing from 4 feet. Dedicate 90% of your practice time to chipping and putting. this is the secret to playing good golf but most men just want to bang drivers in the range. You need to develop touch and feel around the greens, then you will break that magical 80, its only a matter of time.

k.p.h · 01-11-2011 01:54PM

That's some bum advice tad00, did you just read it off the back of a Dave Pelz book or something ..?

If you have an ace short game, lets say up and down every time and it takes you 4 shots to get to the green. How do you manage to shoot in the 70's ..?

I'm taking the piss a little here

and I know where you are coming from, as a lot of people completely ignore the importance of the short game, but a balanced approach is the only way to go. (Well not 90% anyway)

irish bloke · 01-11-2011 03:07PM

k.p.h wrote: »

That's some bum advice tad00, did you just read it off the back of a Dave Pelz book or something ..?

If you have an ace short game, lets say up and down every time and it takes you 4 shots to get to the green. How do you manage to shoot in the 70's ..?

I'm taking the piss a little here and I know where you are coming from, as a lot of people completely ignore the importance of the short game, but a balanced approach is the only way to go. (Well not 90% anyway)

Im going to have to agree here.

If you spraying it off the tee and fatting/topping mid irons all over the place, it doesn't matter how good you are around the green you will never break 80 not to mind 70.

Of course short game is important but im sure there are plenty of scratch pitch and putt players out there who couldnt even break 90.

FixdePitchmark · 01-11-2011 03:19PM

tad00 wrote: »

From the time I picked up a golf club as a kid to now Ive encountered a lot of milestones in golf. I never once cared about winning a prize, the handicap was always what I was after. I started off trying to break 100, then 90, 80 and eventually got to break 70. Every time I improved to get my to the next level, they key was my short game. Trust someone who has been there, if you want to shoot in the 70's you must be able to, as bobby jones said "turn 3 shots into 2".

If you have a hall in your house with carpet where you can hit a few short chip shots and putts then do this. Dedicate an hour every night to this. Hone your putting stroke to the point where you miss nothing from 4 feet. Dedicate 90% of your practice time to chipping and putting. this is the secret to playing good golf but most men just want to bang drivers in the range. You need to develop touch and feel around the greens, then you will break that magical 80, its only a matter of time.

Thanks Tad00.

I remember doing that as a kid in my dads , playing the carpet. He was so encouraging , he has not been well enough to play these days.

I bought my house in the Celtic Tiger and the wife would kill me if I did chipping on the solid oak, as for the grove in it for the putting, where is Des Kelly when you need him.

I think I'm 85 % on the chipping and putting, have a good feel, playing the game on off for 25 years. I should be in the 70s, but I think I've learnt to respect that score more now, I mean to get from 85 to 80 is that extra game
a week, that practice at the short stuff. You can't do it with what I have been doing, just playing golf. This is my little project now. I'm all ears.

I have a habit of pulling a 4 footer under pressure, This is once or twice a round.

Here is where I am V where I would or need to be.

Shots Lost

So 2 to 3 shots lost on short putts.
2 to 3 shots lost on long putts.
4 to 5 shots lost on drive
2 to 3 shots lost on poor contact on Iron, slight slice or hook
2 to 3 lost on pulling from wedge , or poor direction from 100 yrds.

So 12 to 17 shots lost, Good day to Bad day

72 turn to 84 Very Good day.
72 turns to 89 Bad day.

I've never looked at my game in that way, and I will start taking notes on next round and see where I am more precisely.

I've had great stuff on here, Ball was in wrong place, now off left nipple.
And on here I was told, was coming over top, I am , my hips are moving in the way of the You tube clip i put up.

So two things changed in one week, need to get out and test them now. Or go to the range now. Instead of watching NFL on ESPN, when it is a nice winter day.

Thanks again to all my sub 80 brains.

jay5296 · 01-11-2011 05:34PM

I agree with tad there. try dedicate 80-90% of your game to 100yrds in. I understand all aspects of the game must be practiced but touch about a green needs extra practice. If your off say 12 or less your ball striking would be somewhat consistant off the tee but getting the ball down from the fairway in three shots or less is the real test. But thats golf, theres always room for improvement no matter how well you play. :rolleyes:

k.p.h · 01-11-2011 08:48PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I've never looked at my game in that way, and I will start taking notes on next round and see where I am more precisely.

I think this is the best course of action FdP. It's a bit random saying work on short/long game. I think the best course of action is to address where you loose the most shots first.

Lower handicaps have a habit of saying work on your short game, and rightly so as that's where they tend to loose most of their shots but it's not the same for higher handicaps as they tend to loose most of their shots from full swings.

A really good indication of what it takes to break 80 consistently is the GIR stat. You need to hit 8 approx GIR per round. This coupled with some decent putting and a good scramble rate (40% +) will have you consistently below 80.

jay5296 · 01-11-2011 09:20PM

Theres a couple of good apps around that help you record your stats, fir, gir etc... and a few online. tell you what you need to improve to get you u to scratch!!

FixdePitchmark · 01-11-2011 10:06PM

Got up off me Arse and drove to the Grange Driving Range Portmarnock. I would not have done that four months ago. Nice place , big investment. Went upstairs , you could fall off that place if things were not going well. Was never a big fan of driving ranges, but going with goals now. Nice view across the fields in Malahide and Portmanock, plenty of land not used in North County Dublin. CJ rest in peace.

Ball poistion and hip movment were worked on.

Few stretches , Never would have done that two years ago. A cup of coffee and a (Diet) coke .

Lw ten balls, Pw 5 balls, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4.

Hitting balls well. As I got to about 6 iron you could see that my left to right movment coming more into ball, Worked on hips and position hitting green about 3 out of 5.

Decided to keep lower part of body more stable for back swing , hitting ball well but some straight some 5 to ten yards right of green.

Moved onto 3W, strange left to right but the odd hook in. But only about 5 out of ten would be in fairway

Driver, 27 Balls remaining .

1 good one in first three, then 15 in a row would be bad left to right. In panic making grip strong, Moving feet for draw, can not get ball to not go Right.

Head dropping now, thinking of going back to my 9 iron to get a smile on my face.
Step away have a coke and a think.

Then out of no where I remember a drill from my childhood with a Towel, maybe it was Faldo or Leadbetter.

I try keep my arms close to my body on back swing, Bang straight. Bang Straight. 3 Balls left. Smile returns.

Feels unnatural for me, I'm holding arms too close to body , but a change. a discovery an Eureka.

I drive home, I've made a discovery , I think. I take a deliberate detour to Portmarnock, look at the coast of my childhood, and remember back to the Irish Opens with my Father. My whole life has been spent on this coast.

I pick up some fish for the dinner and hear the Greek tragedy on the radio. Real life is always back with a bang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kp_Hdoxk3k

FixdePitchmark · 01-11-2011 10:27PM

jay5296 wrote: »

I agree with tad there. try dedicate 80-90% of your game to 100yrds in. I understand all aspects of the game must be practiced but touch about a green needs extra practice. If your off say 12 or less your ball striking would be somewhat consistant off the tee but getting the ball down from the fairway in three shots or less is the real test. But thats golf, theres always room for improvement no matter how well you play. :rolleyes:

Would agree that I'm losing scores in here, but I feel I need to get rid of slice, I'm basically hitting a lost ball, in a tree or deep rough from drive. So , will get rid of slice then come into the shorter stuff at end. I think, I can get that right, but I think the basic flaw in my swing is even costing me from 100 yrds.

Thanks lads , all ears.

AldilaMan · 01-11-2011 11:51PM

I played golf for the first 6 or 7 years with a big slice until I decided to address the problem a few years ago. I wanted not just to hit it straight but to draw the ball. I moved from an over the top swing which was obviously drifting outside the ball on the downswing cutting accross the ball, to a flat baseball like swing. (by flat I mean taking the club back along your waist instead of your shoulder). It is very hard to slice the ball with a flat swing as it promotes the club coming back to the ball from the inside. It will produce a draw shape and unfortunately a hook occassionaly. The flatter swing gave me that feeling of tucking in my arms on the downsing so that the club came from the inside. I've now gone back to the more over the top swing because the hook became too prevalent but I've learnt that feeling of getting the club to come from the inside which is key to eliminating the slice.

CageWager · 02-11-2011 03:00AM

k.p.h wrote: »

That's some bum advice tad00, did you just read it off the back of a Dave Pelz book or something ..?

If you have an ace short game, lets say up and down every time and it takes you 4 shots to get to the green. How do you manage to shoot in the 70's ..?

I'm taking the piss a little here and I know where you are coming from, as a lot of people completely ignore the importance of the short game, but a balanced approach is the only way to go. (Well not 90% anyway)

I've been golfing all my life, what I know about the game I havnt learned off the back of a book, Ive learned it in countless hours of very enjoyable practice and play:D

My logic, although you may not agree with me, is very simple. Firstly the guy can shoot 85 so im assuming he isn't taking 4 shots to get up to the green. In an average round you might hit 13 or 14 drives but in the same round you could hit 36+ putts. For many players shooting in the mid 80's easily half of their 85 or so shots will be hit from 100 yards in. This is why I would focus the majority of my practice in that area in the short term.

In the long run obviously as any good golfer will tell you, you should break down every area of your game, make changes and along with proper course management and experience you will become a better golfer. IMO, in the short term an improved short game is a far more valuable to the 85 shooter than an extra 20 yards off the tee or a slightly straighter drive.

If I was playing a match and I could choose to either play a guy with a beautiful Ernie Els swing but who couldnt sink a putt, or a guy who could scramble his way to the green and hole out well im taking on ernie any day:D Just my opinion, just the way I play golf. Im sure my style wont be right for everyone, just thought id throw it out there.

FixdePitchmark · 02-11-2011 10:11AM

tad00 wrote: »

I've been golfing all my life, what I know about the game I havnt learned off the back of a book, Ive learned it in countless hours of very enjoyable practice and play:D

My logic, although you may not agree with me, is very simple. Firstly the guy can shoot 85 so im assuming he isn't taking 4 shots to get up to the green. In an average round you might hit 13 or 14 drives but in the same round you could hit 36+ putts. For many players shooting in the mid 80's easily half of their 85 or so shots will be hit from 100 yards in. This is why I would focus the majority of my practice in that area in the short term.

In the long run obviously as any good golfer will tell you, you should break down every area of your game, make changes and along with proper course management and experience you will become a better golfer. IMO, in the short term an improved short game is a far more valuable to the 85 shooter than an extra 20 yards off the tee or a slightly straighter drive.

If I was playing a match and I could choose to either play a guy with a beautiful Ernie Els swing but who couldnt sink a putt, or a guy who could scramble his way to the green and hole out well im taking on ernie any day:D Just my opinion, just the way I play golf. Im sure my style wont be right for everyone, just thought id throw it out there.

Tadoo, I see where your going, but would like to say I'm in trouble off tee, or lost about three to four times a round. I think this has a mental impact on me too, also 3 off the tee and hitting irons off tees breaks my heart.

bustercherry · 02-11-2011 12:02PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Tadoo, I see where your going, but would like to say I'm in trouble off tee, or lost about three to four times a round. I think this has a mental impact on me too, also 3 off the tee and hitting irons off tees breaks my heart.

I seriously doubt it's possible to shoot low to mid 80's when you are doing that.

k.p.h · 02-11-2011 01:10PM

I know where you are coming from tad and I agree with you to a certain extent, so much is played from close range to ignore it's importance.

I often feel the need to express the importance of the full swing as people don't realize how often us higher handicaps lamp the ball into the ditch. No amount of chipping/putting is going to help when the ball is OB.

Also I am starting to realize more and more how much GIR matters also. But the flips side of that is no one hits every green all the time. I think the moral of the story is all parts of the game are important when trying to lower your scores, while it might be best to focus on where you loose the most shots, but not so much as you don't practice all the area of the game.

FdP - Fair play with noticing you issues with connection. It's a great thing to start working on as it impacts many areas of the swing. Staying connected helps with swing plane, take away, and also improves power. It's best to pay particular attention to the right elbow. It's extreemly important to not let it drift too far behind you. It's a swing killer when it go's off on a tangent. I do it all the time and I tell you it's extreemly messy. :rolleyes:

Just to mention the pitfalls of staying properly connected if you don't have proper fundamentals. If your grip if disconnected/too strong it promotes either a huge push shot or if your hands flip through impact a snap hook. This could lead to you doing the proper movements but seeing poor results because a fundamental is off.

Which brings me back to the importance of fundamentals. You really need to nail these down, without a proper grip and setup all your effort and practice is going to go down the swanny. You must have a unified neutral grip to properly take advantage of all the improvements you are going make in your swing. You also must have a solid balanced setup which is aligned properly.
This is professional golfers first port of call every time they practice, I recently read some Adam Scott article where he mentioned that his grips gradually drifts towards strong and he constantly has to address it. If he has to work that hard at his grip you must presume amateurs like ourselves have to work on it too.

Anyway a good person to look at in regard to staying connected is Westwood, I always though it was very noticeable how he keeps his right elbow from going behind him. All the top pros keep it in front of them except Eamon Darcy but he was talented fecker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAs7v8v6YME

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7S8LyE0HpY

golfnut1 · 02-11-2011 01:35PM

The way I would look at it is. You have to be smart with your practice. Most of us don't have much time to practice so when we do get to practice there is no point hitting 60 yard bunker shots. What I'm getting at is practice smart and efficiently.
Look at what shot are killing you on the course and why. What I mean by why is did you need to play that shot? Were you playing within yourself or were you playing the shot you should instead of the shot you could. Pratice is great. Pratice with good course management now your on your way to low score. If you want to break 80 this is the best tip I can give you. Check the below and use this rule in your next round I think it will help you a lot.
Remember play the shot you can not the shot you think you should.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsbS9eH9ZgQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

FixdePitchmark · 06-11-2011 09:44PM

Got away on the mid term to Knightsbrook Hotel and the Heritage.

Got 13 hole in on Knightsbrook and 15 in on Heritage.

Both courses a bit soft due to rain over last few weeks.

Great deals in both places, Heritage lovely track, both monoliths to the mad years.

Had 8 slices out of 13 on Knightsbrook and only 4 GIR very poor.

Had 7 slices out of 15 on Heritage and 6 GIR played ok.

So losing most my shots from drive and missing about 3 to 4 , 3 to 4 foot puts per round. Horrible.

So did not have full rounds but great to get out and the weather was great . Very very slow in the Heritage, did my head in. Joined up with two nice lads.

So would have been late 80s but hard to judge . Bad scoring but playing great iron shots most of the time. Stuck with the driver as a test. But to score well would just play an iron with stats like that. I played a four iron and 6 iron to 10 ft on the 9th in Heritage, but don't like giving up on the driver.

So goals for the next month:

1) Driver, make up my mind what to do, go to range or a pro, or both.
2) Short puts, practice somewhere. Why am I pulling ? I think I know the answer , practice, but where, I'm not in a club ?.

Lots of work to do, but the days shorten, time is precious.

alxmorgan · 06-11-2011 09:56PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Got away on the mid term to Knightsbrook Hotel and the Heritage.

Got 13 hole in on Knightsbrook and 15 in on Heritage.

Both courses a bit soft due to rain over last few weeks.

Great deals in both places, Heritage lovely track, both monoliths to the mad years.

Had 8 slices out of 13 on Knightsbrook and only 4 GIR very poor.

Had 7 slices out of 15 on Heritage and 6 GIR played ok.

So losing most my shots from drive and missing about 3 to 4 , 3 to 4 foot puts per round. Horrible.

So did not have full rounds but great to get out and the weather was great . Very very slow in the Heritage, did my head in. Joined up with two nice lads.

So would have been late 80s but hard to judge . Bad scoring but playing great iron shots most of the time. Stuck with the driver as a test. But to score well would just play an iron with stats like that. I played a four iron and 6 iron to 10 ft on the 9th in Heritage, but don't like giving up on the driver.

So goals for the next month:

1) Driver, make up my mind what to do, go to range or a pro, or both.
2) Short puts, practice somewhere. Why am I pulling ? I think I know the answer , practice, but where, I'm not in a club ?.

Lots of work to do, but the days shorten, time is precious.

Might be worth considering going for a fitting for the driver.
Could be that the shaft is too flexible for you.

Keano · 06-11-2011 10:10PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Got away on the mid term to Knightsbrook Hotel and the Heritage.

Got 13 hole in on Knightsbrook and 15 in on Heritage.

Both courses a bit soft due to rain over last few weeks.

Great deals in both places, Heritage lovely track, both monoliths to the mad years.

Had 8 slices out of 13 on Knightsbrook and only 4 GIR very poor.

Had 7 slices out of 15 on Heritage and 6 GIR played ok.

So losing most my shots from drive and missing about 3 to 4 , 3 to 4 foot puts per round. Horrible.

So did not have full rounds but great to get out and the weather was great . Very very slow in the Heritage, did my head in. Joined up with two nice lads.

So would have been late 80s but hard to judge . Bad scoring but playing great iron shots most of the time. Stuck with the driver as a test. But to score well would just play an iron with stats like that. I played a four iron and 6 iron to 10 ft on the 9th in Heritage, but don't like giving up on the driver.

So goals for the next month:

1) Driver, make up my mind what to do, go to range or a pro, or both.
2) Short puts, practice somewhere. Why am I pulling ? I think I know the answer , practice, but where, I'm not in a club ?.

Lots of work to do, but the days shorten, time is precious.

Should give it a try. Last time I played the Heritage my driving was so bad but my 3 wood was excellent. Eventually, I decided to play 3 wood off the tee and should have done it sooner. Good golfer's know when a club isn't working and leave it in the bag. Shame I can never take my own advice!

Kace · 06-11-2011 11:11PM

I know where you're coming from there in your quest. I think I would consider enlisting in something similar this year too.

I nearly always have 3-4 blowouts in a round these days - sometimes more. Driving is in the absolute horrors and it's impossible to score from where I put myself. I started a course of lessons about 6 weeks ago and got something to work on re my posture. Went out that weekend and lost 11 balls (yes 11) in a round :eek:

I then got injured and missed the rest of my prepaid lessons (organised through work as part of a group deal). I am hoping to start getting back into it next weekend for a few holes.

Sad part is that I have been as low as 5 hcap at one time and am now 12 and can't play to 18. There certainly is no shortcut to consistency in golf !!!

Good luck with the quest this year !

FixdePitchmark · 07-11-2011 07:34PM

Hit the driving range today. (with my coach , my 5 year old son).

A good laugh with him, but a bit distracting too. It's part of my clever with my time practice, well, clever, but a bit odd.

Was trying to try a few different takeaway routes. Decided to go back straight for about two feet, then come on inside , obviously not straight , but a wide arc inside target line. Then coming inside close to body from there (two feet from ball). This is new for me, Had good results, 3 out of ten slices. Was 8 out of ten last week. So a big day, on my birthday.

As was said here, was concerned over my shaft flex, but too flexible should not be slicing was in my head ?. So had ten drives with my old Big Bertha 2 plus stiff shaft. All going left too right.

When I did the exaggerated takeaway then inside to body from two feet away from ball , I actually hit a few draws, this put a smile on my face, it means I have turned a corner in more ways than one.

Left the Grange Portmarnock happier than I went in and got myself a new Muzino 60 degree 8 bounce. Feeling a bit cocky. But a fall is always a flop away in golf.

The only help I've ever got in golf was my Dad starting off . I now know I'm doing ok, but I'm on my own. Great help on here and You Tube has changed golf. Perhaps you can do it on your own with the net these days ?

I've tended to do most things without help in my life, it's time to grow up widing my arc and my circle, in my golf life.

100 euros for 5 lessons, time to have a think about it.

irish bloke · 07-11-2011 07:55PM

Good to see you making progress but If I was you I would forget about getting a driver fitting and get a lesson first.

Lesson 30 euros, driver and fitting 400 euros.
For all you know your driver and shaft could be perfect for you and it could just be your swing (which I suspect it is).

The thing with not getting a lesson is that you could just be repeating your mistakes over and over again.

Remember practise makes permanent, not perfect....

golfnut1 · 07-11-2011 07:58PM

irish bloke wrote: »

Good to see you making progress but If I was you I would forget about getting a driver fitting and get a lesson first.

Lesson 30 euros, driver and fitting 400 euros.
For all you know your driver and shaft could be perfect for you and it could just be your swing (which I suspect it is).

The thing with not getting a lesson is that you could just be repeating your mistakes over and over again.

Remember practise makes permanent, not perfect....

Yeah have to agree with Irish bloke....a lesson or two is the way to go.

k.p.h · 07-11-2011 08:03PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

100 euros for 5 lessons, time to have a think about it.

Don't even think about it just go for it ...! You know the way you are trying this and that, imagine if someone says to you "learn to do it like this and you are guaranteed to succeed". It will completely take the guesswork out of it and focus you on practicing the technique that will definitely improve you. You should definitely go for it asap, it will help make the most of you range time too.

irish bloke · 07-11-2011 08:14PM

k.p.h wrote: »

You know the way you are trying this and that, imagine if someone says to you "learn to do it like this and you are guaranteed to succeed". It will completely take the guesswork out of it and focus you on practicing the technique that will definitely improve you. You should definitely go for it asap, it will help make the most of you range time too.

Spot on. You need someone to take a look at your individual swing and tell you the area you need to work on.

All these youtube videos are grand but they are only really useful when you know what you need to cure....

Get the lessons....

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