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Top 10 tips for a high handicapper to reduce their handicap

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    #62
    John Divney
    Registered Users Posts: 998 ✭✭✭John Divney


    Tennis is easier because despite the moving ball, our bodies react naturally and sequence a tennis shot far more naturally than a golf swing, we process the information and react, taking out the in between thought process.

    Just like when you throw a ball, you load up properly and throw it in the most
    efficient way for power and accuracy with zero thought, the body knows what to do.

    Most high hc amateur golfers do not sequence, or fire everything in the right order.


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    #63
    nomunnnofun
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭nomunnnofun


    Danny dyers double wrote: »
    Great thread . Iv been playing a year myself and I do love the sport but its killing that I'm not getting any better . Don't get me wrong iv improved a lot since I first picked up a club and have had some good rounds playing off 28 but last few weeks I really feel backwards .

    Only this week I actually learned where my hands should be ( before ball on impact ) and learned about hitting down and not sweeping ball . Went the driving range midweek to practice this . Total disaster but ill stick with it .

    Going to book lesson for Saturday morning so hopefully with some coaching and lots of practice ill start to enjoy the game I love .

    Love this bit. So so true for all of us at some stage.:)


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    #64
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,031 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    alxmorgan wrote: »
    I've gotta side with denis here Greebo
    The reason golf is harder I think is that the ball is stationary and you have time to think about everything.
    We perform best when we react on instinct and fast moving games such as tennis and soccer facilitate this. Golf is the opposite and gives you too much time to think about things (swing thoughts, last hole, next hole, score etc etc)

    I think its why you can hit very good shots at the range when just raking and hitting balls. Apart from the grooving aspect you think less and your central nervous system gets into reactive mode

    Ah the dangers of using someone elses quote out of context.

    What I actually said was
    In my mind golf is no more physically demanding than any other sport, and far less than some.
    Its no harder to hit a golf ball than it is to hit a tennis ball or a football.
    I'm sure you've played other sports, did you think about them the same way you think about golf? I'll bet you didnt, so why are you treating golf differently?
    To me it seems like you are trying to find some physically perfect swing so that you dont have to work on your mental part of golf. There is no perfect swing other than Iron Byron, your mind will always get in the way. Thats why its often far easier to react and score a bicycle kick than it is to take a penalty. Every football in the world can physically score a penalty. Every golfer in the world who has sound fundamentals ("their swing/setup looks right") can hit the ball straight.

    The rest is all in your head.
    The point being, after the fundamentals there is little to be gained by minute analysis of the physical aspects of the swing, especially for an amateur.


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    #65
    downwesht
    Registered Users Posts: 526 ✭✭✭downwesht


    When I said "same ball" I mean the same brand/compression.Some guys use what ever ball comes to hand,ie a soft titleist ...lose it and take out a hard topflite......you can't putt consistently when you do this.Pick a brand that you are comfortable with and stick to it.....worth at least 3 shots off your handiacap!


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    #66
    Someday
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Someday


    downwesht wrote: »
    When I said "same ball" I mean the same brand/compression.Some guys use what ever ball comes to hand,ie a soft titleist ...lose it and take out a hard topflite......you can't putt consistently when you do this.Pick a brand that you are comfortable with and stick to it.....worth at least 3 shots off your handiacap!

    What type of all should I try ? I use all sorts


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    #67
    For Paws
    Closed Accounts Posts: 812 ✭✭✭For Paws


    Someday wrote: »
    What type of all should I try ? I use all sorts

    The ones you can't lose are the best.

    But the trick is always use the same ball, whatever it is.

    Then as you improve & stop losing not being able to re-locate as many, then start investing in the top brands & types.

    Titleist Pro V, Srixon Z-Star etc


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    #68
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Someday wrote: »
    What type of all should I try ? I use all sorts

    High handicappers (including myself) should use balls that don't spin or at least minimise spin. On the basis of 95% of the spin you're going to put on the ball is spin you don't want.

    Happily enough those balls tend to be cheap. For a high handicapper, using expensive balls like proV1s is usually counter-productive, they just make your slice even worse.


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    #69
    Someday
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Someday


    So good second hand nike for the time being ?


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    #70
    alxmorgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭alxmorgan


    Someday wrote: »
    So good second hand nike for the time being ?


    Have a look at eurogolfballsireland.com for Bridgestone e6.
    Cheap, good condition and designed to reduce spin.


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    #71
    ryaner777
    Registered Users Posts: 1,104 ✭✭✭ryaner777


    Someday wrote: »
    So good second hand nike for the time being ?

    Srixon distance balls are only €7.50 per dozen on sportsdirect at the moment. €1 delivery charge.

    I've ordered 3 dozen and had them 4 days later. You'll do well to beat that value for new balls.


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    #72
    Russman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,847 ✭✭✭Russman


    While playing a suitable ball is no doubt a good thing, in my opinion its a very, very minor issue for a high handicapper trying to reduce their handicap.
    Seriously, learn to play the shots & chip and putt better, there's no way around it. Changing ball won't get you from 20 to 19 never mind from 20 to 10.


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    #73
    Someday
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Someday


    Sometimes my drive is low, I bought those 4' tees, I have not tried them but they should make a difference ?


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    #74
    alxmorgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭alxmorgan


    Someday wrote: »
    Sometimes my drive is low, I bought those 4' tees, I have not tried them but they should make a difference ?

    You try the hitting up drill yet ?


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    #75
    Dave147
    Registered Users Posts: 3,235 ✭✭✭Dave147


    Someday wrote: »
    Sometimes my drive is low, I bought those 4' tees, I have not tried them but they should make a difference ?

    4 foot tees are probably a bit too long ;-)


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    #76
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,742 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Someday wrote: »
    So good second hand nike for the time being ?

    Rory is selling.

    Used 20 times.


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    #77
    Panrich
    Registered Users Posts: 3,763 ✭✭✭Panrich


    Interesting thread. I am taking up golf at 50 (am I mad?) but I have played on average of about a round a year for the past 30 years. Never had a handicap so the advice on here is great to see and read. Just joined the local club and plan to play 2-3 times a week.


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    #78
    John Divney
    Registered Users Posts: 998 ✭✭✭John Divney


    Panrich wrote: »
    Interesting thread. I am taking up golf at 50 (am I mad?) but I have played on average of about a round a year for the past 30 years. Never had a handicap so the advice on here is great to see and read. Just joined the local club and plan to play 2-3 times a week.


    No you aren't mad at all. But if take up the Piano it will be called a mid life crisis...


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    #79
    Joeyjoejoe43
    Registered Users Posts: 1,094 ✭✭✭Joeyjoejoe43


    Great thread lads, as a high handicap golfer looking to improve, I can say that my putting and chipping has been costing me roughly 10 shots a round. The rest of my game is actually pretty good, but I am not confident from inside 50 yards or further than 4 feet from the hole, and I have missed my fair share of sub 4 footers too! Some great advise given here, the main advise I will take away is to practice the putting and chipping a lot more, that way I can stand over a 40 yard chip and feel confident.


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    #80
    numbnutz
    Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭numbnutz


    Some of the advice being given here is excellent.I'm repeating some but here's my tuppence worth....
    Practise your chipping and putting to death.I always felt very comfortable in my ability with a wedge in my hand around the green.Its the reason I dropped from 16 to 10.5 in about fourteen months.My putting is still not what it should be but more effort will put pay to that.
    When you have a wedge in your hand at the range find out how far you can consistently hit it without murdering it and always be aiming at something.I could then translate that onto the course when I was short of a green within the distance I could hit a wedge.
    One other thing that worked for me was I stopped taking my bag to the range.It was just driver,six iron and wedge.. nothing else.I started off with working the wedge then six iron then driver.I don't know what it did for me but inside my head I felt better...a rhythm developed.
    Don't get sucked into over analysis of your golf swing the amount of conversations I hear at the range about golf swings is bull**** of the highest order.Try and get your practise swing and your "shot" swing to be as close as possible and always try to make as clean a contact with the ball everytime.
    Practise your chipping and putting again...and again...a confidence will develop and thats half the battle.Whether we like to admit it or not its all in our head most of the time.


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    #81
    PRAF
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭PRAF


    My 3 key tips for losing shots and improving your golf game:

    1. No more 3 putts - practice your lag putting (30, 40, 50 ft) and your short putting (5 feet and in). Become a confident and reliable putter
    2. No more 2 chips - practice your short game aroud the greens (chips, sand shots, pitches, etc.). The priority is to get solid contact and get the ball on the green so that a 2 putt is the worst possible result. Nothing worse in golf than a duffed short game shot
    3. No more penalty shots - develop a 'go to' tee shot that you know you can hit even when the pressure is on, the wind is blowing hard, and there are hazards to avoid on both sides of the fairway. If necessary, sacrifice distance.

    Haven't had time to read every post in this thread so hope I am not repeating anyone!

    My long game was absolutely shocking on Sunday morning but I still got 31 points playing off 10 because of #1 and #2 above. Unfortunatley #3 was beyond me so I lost at least 6 shots as a result!! I'll be hitting the range to work on that this week.


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    #82
    alxmorgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭alxmorgan


    Good video on chipping

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCpkYqF8Ig

    This method is the one that minimises risk. I used to love hitting my LW around greens but risk/reward means you're better off with rule of 12


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    #83
    blue note
    Registered Users Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭blue note


    alxmorgan wrote: »
    Good video on chipping

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCpkYqF8Ig

    This method is the one that minimises risk. I used to love hitting my LW around greens but risk/reward means you're better off with rule of 12

    I actually just don't understand people chipping with a lob wedge or the like and firing it low and hard at the pin and stopping it suddenly. It looks impressive when it comes off, but when it does I don't find the results are all that much closer than someone who runs it up to the hole and I find people duff it / bone it through a green more often.

    Simply, the risk isn't worth the reward (IMHO).


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    #84
    PRAF
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭PRAF


    blue note wrote: »
    I actually just don't understand people chipping with a lob wedge or the like and firing it low and hard at the pin and stopping it suddenly. It looks impressive when it comes off, but when it does I don't find the results are all that much closer than someone who runs it up to the hole and I find people duff it / bone it through a green more often.

    Simply, the risk isn't worth the reward (IMHO).

    I love the simplicity of a 8,9 or PW chip. I like to just put it back in my stance and give it a little brush towards the hole. The old 'bump and run' with the 6 and 7 iron is another great one. I didn't use it for years but am back using it again now. Very low risk and surprisingly good results.

    However, I like to use the same chipping action for every chip. To vary the distance, I have to change the club. I will still use the SW or LW if I need to chip over some heavy rough but only need to chip it about 10-15 feet. I simply do not know any other way of playing that shot with a PW or 9 iron.


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    #85
    Someday
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Someday


    One other thing, which ball should I use ? I am using all types at the moment but I would like to stick to 1 or 2, buy in bulk online to save Cash ! Thanks


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    #86
    Daithio12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 185 ✭✭Daithio12


    Someday wrote: »
    One other thing, which ball should I use ? I am using all types at the moment but I would like to stick to 1 or 2, buy in bulk online to save Cash ! Thanks
    Preferably the round ones of the golfing variety seem to work best.


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    #87
    Someday
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Someday


    Bridgestone e6 seem to suit from my research - American golf have them at 16 euro for 12 ! Best price around


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    #88
    Joeyjoejoe43
    Registered Users Posts: 1,094 ✭✭✭Joeyjoejoe43


    alxmorgan wrote: »
    Good video on chipping

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCpkYqF8Ig

    This method is the one that minimises risk. I used to love hitting my LW around greens but risk/reward means you're better off with rule of 12

    Great stuff mate, loving the idea of this rule of 12, I'll have to hit the putting green and check this out..


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    #89
    Barnaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,679 ✭✭✭Barnaboy


    Joeyjoejoe43 wrote: »
    Great stuff mate, loving the idea of this rule of 12, I'll have to hit the putting green and check this out..

    Great stuff! Never thought of chipping like that before. I will definitely try this at the practice range. Always thought of myself as an alright chipper but often give myself difficult saves.


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    #90
    alxmorgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭alxmorgan


    Barnaboy wrote: »
    Great stuff! Never thought of chipping like that before. I will definitely try this at the practice range. Always thought of myself as an alright chipper but often give myself difficult saves.
    Joeyjoejoe43 wrote:
    Great stuff mate, loving the idea of this rule of 12, I'll have to hit the putting green and check this out..

    Be interested to hear how ye find this method.


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    #91
    PRAF
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭PRAF


    alxmorgan wrote: »
    Be interested to hear how ye find this method.

    Can't access youtube in work. Anyone care to explain what its about?


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