I went over to the Heath today for my usual lunchtime practice session. The Club Captain of Waldringfield (the club I'm joining officially today) was up there hitting balls. He is a really helpful and friendly guy and tries to carefully balance being helpful with useful observations and taking over the role of coach.
Today he made three telling observations, gave one piece of advice and made a significant difference to my ball striking. It was a windy day and my first few shots spun away to the right followed by one that had a nice draw on it. Truth be told the last one was by accident rather than design. I listen carefully to all advice I am given and choose what to accept, what to try and what wouldn't work for me or sounds a bit pointless. Reg was spot on today.
Monday, 15 March 2010
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Balls...
Andy, a very observant chap on the GM forum asked me 'what in the name of chuck dicken's I was doing playing premium balls'. A fair comment given that my profile suggested I was playing brand spanking new Z-Stars and ProV1s. I've actually been playing ProV lake balls waiting for the time my game was solid enough to benefit from premium balls.
I have been toying with what should be my ball of choice when I start playing regularly. I was all set to buy Srixon AD333 when Spinn77 suggested I get Titleist NXT Tour. Now I'm not sure. I don't want to faff about trying a sleeve of each but should I? Or do you recommend one or t'other or knowing what you are like something completely different? ;)
Comments:
Homer
Ball choice is very much a preferred taste and so at your early stage of your golfing career I'd be trying as many as I could. I think if you want a "best of both" ball in terms of distance and spin it is a pretty straight fight between the NXT tour and the AD333. I don't like lake balls as they've been immersed in water and so it will inevitably have some impact on performance depending on how long they were lost before being reclaimed. In my experience you can have two lake balls of the same make and both will perform differently.
FourPutt
Tiger, like you I am new to the game and have gone through this very dilemma. Due to the amount of trees round my place I’m still losing a few balls most rounds and Z Stars started to get expensive. At the moment I’m using Srixon Distance balls, which I can usually get online for about 8 quid a dozen. They might not be fantastic balls spin wise, but I have found that I am not that good that I really notice the difference!
A fat is a fat and a thin is a thin…. the balls don’t make much difference to me at this stage. Maybe you should just be hitting cheapos at the moment too. One guy at my club always says he’ll play with anything, as long as it doesn’t cost him more than £1 per ball.
Tiger
The thing is I don’t really care about distance. What I do care about is performance around the green. Problem is I might have to sell a kidney if I’m losing loads of premium balls in the bushes. I’m going to play a Z-Star on Sunday and if I still have it at the end of the round, I’ll carry on using them. To be honest I’d be disappointed if I did lose it as I’m not wielding any woods and they seem to be the biggest ball losing culprit!
Simon Hutton
I’m using slazenger balls at the moment – pretty cheap really. Do you think around the green it really makes a difference for complete beginners like me?
Like the blog, enjoying the updates!
Tiger
I have noticed a big improvement on my control when I’ve practiced with the three piece and chipped/pitched well. However I’m not consistent or good enough a ball striker to get the most out if a premium ball. I won’t compress it enough either to get extra distance. However, I think you would definitely benefit from playing something like an AD333. The balance is finding a ball that gives you the best performance for your game at an affordable price. I would dearly love to play premiums as when I’m striking the ball well around the green I get a lot of benefit but if I snap hooking into gorse or slicing out of bounds it could get really, really expensive. I’d take homers advice if I were you and try a few sleeves in practice or your local p&p and see what performance you get round the greens. However, the best thing I did for my short game was investing in three lessons to cover putting, chipping and pitching
Simon Hutton
Good advice Tiger, perhaps I’ll stick with my slazengers until they’ve all been lost in bushes and lakes, and then invest in some decent ones after a short game lesson or two with the pro. Cheers!
I have been toying with what should be my ball of choice when I start playing regularly. I was all set to buy Srixon AD333 when Spinn77 suggested I get Titleist NXT Tour. Now I'm not sure. I don't want to faff about trying a sleeve of each but should I? Or do you recommend one or t'other or knowing what you are like something completely different? ;)
Comments:
Homer
Ball choice is very much a preferred taste and so at your early stage of your golfing career I'd be trying as many as I could. I think if you want a "best of both" ball in terms of distance and spin it is a pretty straight fight between the NXT tour and the AD333. I don't like lake balls as they've been immersed in water and so it will inevitably have some impact on performance depending on how long they were lost before being reclaimed. In my experience you can have two lake balls of the same make and both will perform differently.
FourPutt
Tiger, like you I am new to the game and have gone through this very dilemma. Due to the amount of trees round my place I’m still losing a few balls most rounds and Z Stars started to get expensive. At the moment I’m using Srixon Distance balls, which I can usually get online for about 8 quid a dozen. They might not be fantastic balls spin wise, but I have found that I am not that good that I really notice the difference!
A fat is a fat and a thin is a thin…. the balls don’t make much difference to me at this stage. Maybe you should just be hitting cheapos at the moment too. One guy at my club always says he’ll play with anything, as long as it doesn’t cost him more than £1 per ball.
Tiger
The thing is I don’t really care about distance. What I do care about is performance around the green. Problem is I might have to sell a kidney if I’m losing loads of premium balls in the bushes. I’m going to play a Z-Star on Sunday and if I still have it at the end of the round, I’ll carry on using them. To be honest I’d be disappointed if I did lose it as I’m not wielding any woods and they seem to be the biggest ball losing culprit!
Simon Hutton
I’m using slazenger balls at the moment – pretty cheap really. Do you think around the green it really makes a difference for complete beginners like me?
Like the blog, enjoying the updates!
Tiger
I have noticed a big improvement on my control when I’ve practiced with the three piece and chipped/pitched well. However I’m not consistent or good enough a ball striker to get the most out if a premium ball. I won’t compress it enough either to get extra distance. However, I think you would definitely benefit from playing something like an AD333. The balance is finding a ball that gives you the best performance for your game at an affordable price. I would dearly love to play premiums as when I’m striking the ball well around the green I get a lot of benefit but if I snap hooking into gorse or slicing out of bounds it could get really, really expensive. I’d take homers advice if I were you and try a few sleeves in practice or your local p&p and see what performance you get round the greens. However, the best thing I did for my short game was investing in three lessons to cover putting, chipping and pitching
Simon Hutton
Good advice Tiger, perhaps I’ll stick with my slazengers until they’ve all been lost in bushes and lakes, and then invest in some decent ones after a short game lesson or two with the pro. Cheers!
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Long irons are back
Had an extremely productive lesson and range session today. Overhinge has been plaguing my ball striking meaning that more often than not I take a shovel sized divot and send the ball forward just a few feet.
So let's get the technical stuff out of the way. I need to keep the club in hand more preventing the wrist cocking, which is currently making the club go way past horizontal. I've got some exercises to work on which worked well on the range.
What this means in practice is that my swing is slower, shorter and ball striking much improved. It also means that the long irons are back in the bag. It also reinforced the need for me to have someone there to help your swing technique. It was so interesting having him film bits of my swing and show them to me where I thought I was under doing it and was still overdoing it.
I've still got a long way to go but have a full understanding of what a good swing feels like.
Comments:
Simon Hutton
>my swing is slower, shorter and ball striking much improved
I keep getting told that by not only the tutor, but almost every golfer I play with! Knowing it is easy… doing it is not so!
Tiger
Couldn’t agree more – simple in theory seemingly impossible in practice! Good luck with your quest.
So let's get the technical stuff out of the way. I need to keep the club in hand more preventing the wrist cocking, which is currently making the club go way past horizontal. I've got some exercises to work on which worked well on the range.
What this means in practice is that my swing is slower, shorter and ball striking much improved. It also means that the long irons are back in the bag. It also reinforced the need for me to have someone there to help your swing technique. It was so interesting having him film bits of my swing and show them to me where I thought I was under doing it and was still overdoing it.
I've still got a long way to go but have a full understanding of what a good swing feels like.
Comments:
Simon Hutton
>my swing is slower, shorter and ball striking much improved
I keep getting told that by not only the tutor, but almost every golfer I play with! Knowing it is easy… doing it is not so!
Tiger
Couldn’t agree more – simple in theory seemingly impossible in practice! Good luck with your quest.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Conundrum
Good news: the club I'm joining has a reasonably priced standing order option - hurray.
More good news: I'm now aiming to play more golf this month as a result (Harry I hope this makes both you and me happy!)
Conundrum: I now am in a quandary as to what order I prioritise my next purchases.
More good news: I'm now aiming to play more golf this month as a result (Harry I hope this makes both you and me happy!)
Conundrum: I now am in a quandary as to what order I prioritise my next purchases.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Flopping 'eck...
I'm trying to keep things simple and my chipping is slowly improving. Having looked at a recent thread on the GM forum regarding flop shots, I decided to give trying them a miss. Then a new thread emerged where one forumer had given the advice a whirl and it had proved a revelation. He'd just broken 100 so I thought I might as well give it a go on my lunchtime practice session. And stone the crows I struck every single one well. Off they flew miles into the air and landed softly, I was stunned.
Now I still have my issues with distance control, as I have with all my chipping and pitches, but direction was good and no thins. It's a shot that definitely needs work but I can think of at least two holes on my new club track where it will be a handy shot to know. At the moment it's a work in progress to be used on the par 3 course and practice sessions, but it may well make an appearance in competition later this summer.
Huge thanks to nowtfancy and jammydodger (for spurring me on), BrianDamage (for the original thread) and all the other forumers that offered their advice.
Comments:
Swinger
Glad to hear your over coming a ‘fear’ of flop shots mate. If you practise this it can be key in posting a half decent score when the swing is off. It can turn a bogey in to a par and a double in to a single. If your swinging well on the day you probably won’t hit any. You just need to be positive when things are off that you can still give your self a chance from behind that bunker or behind that hedge!!
It takes alot of practise to get good at but time practising this shot is time well spent as it will help bring you touch and feel on for all shots around the green. I do tend to practise this shot more than other chips and pitches and enjoy hitting these shots well on the course. On sunday I hit 3 fairways and about 8 greens in reg and walked off shooting my H/C of 4 after a very bad ball striking round. I wasn’t impressed overall but had some great up and downs and got away with a few really bad apprach shots with some great flop shots, that I enjoyed.
Stick with it mate and it’ll be a useful tool for all your golfing life. Don’t worry if you do catch a few thin mate, it’s all part of the learning process. Out of interest what club are you using for your flop shots?? I use a 60 deg Vokey with 4 deg of bounce on it. The low bounce makes it really easy to open up off tighter lies. If you are going to play flop shots off tighter lies then I would suggest you have a lob wegde with very low bounce like mine otherwise the margin for error is even tighter.
Tiger
Hey Swinger, I love the flop shot especially as there’s minimal roll. Seeing it just stop dead where you were aiming is a great feeling. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lob in the bag so at the moment I’m using my 52 with 8 degrees of bounce. I have to say I have no idea what I’m going to do when I review my bag at the end of May.
I’m currently thinking that I will end up purchasing 16 clubs and then chop and change depending on course and conditions. However, the critical question is what order…in fact I’m going to write a blog post about that now.
Thanks for the support and advice.
Now I still have my issues with distance control, as I have with all my chipping and pitches, but direction was good and no thins. It's a shot that definitely needs work but I can think of at least two holes on my new club track where it will be a handy shot to know. At the moment it's a work in progress to be used on the par 3 course and practice sessions, but it may well make an appearance in competition later this summer.
Huge thanks to nowtfancy and jammydodger (for spurring me on), BrianDamage (for the original thread) and all the other forumers that offered their advice.
Comments:
Swinger
Glad to hear your over coming a ‘fear’ of flop shots mate. If you practise this it can be key in posting a half decent score when the swing is off. It can turn a bogey in to a par and a double in to a single. If your swinging well on the day you probably won’t hit any. You just need to be positive when things are off that you can still give your self a chance from behind that bunker or behind that hedge!!
It takes alot of practise to get good at but time practising this shot is time well spent as it will help bring you touch and feel on for all shots around the green. I do tend to practise this shot more than other chips and pitches and enjoy hitting these shots well on the course. On sunday I hit 3 fairways and about 8 greens in reg and walked off shooting my H/C of 4 after a very bad ball striking round. I wasn’t impressed overall but had some great up and downs and got away with a few really bad apprach shots with some great flop shots, that I enjoyed.
Stick with it mate and it’ll be a useful tool for all your golfing life. Don’t worry if you do catch a few thin mate, it’s all part of the learning process. Out of interest what club are you using for your flop shots?? I use a 60 deg Vokey with 4 deg of bounce on it. The low bounce makes it really easy to open up off tighter lies. If you are going to play flop shots off tighter lies then I would suggest you have a lob wegde with very low bounce like mine otherwise the margin for error is even tighter.
Tiger
Hey Swinger, I love the flop shot especially as there’s minimal roll. Seeing it just stop dead where you were aiming is a great feeling. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lob in the bag so at the moment I’m using my 52 with 8 degrees of bounce. I have to say I have no idea what I’m going to do when I review my bag at the end of May.
I’m currently thinking that I will end up purchasing 16 clubs and then chop and change depending on course and conditions. However, the critical question is what order…in fact I’m going to write a blog post about that now.
Thanks for the support and advice.
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Swing fixes required
Glorious sunny day today, blue skies, not a cloud in sight...fecking freezing! However, despite the winter chill I enjoyed two rounds on the nine hole par three course today. The aim this month is to play on any form of course (as much as possible) in preparation for joining my first golf club in April.
I'm hoping to have a much needed lesson next weekend, but in the interim I'm using my playing time to identify where my problems lie.
I'm hoping to have a much needed lesson next weekend, but in the interim I'm using my playing time to identify where my problems lie.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The unscratchable itch...
I've got a problem now. Up till last week I really enjoyed my lunchtime practice sessions. I've been out in freezing cold and wet conditions honing my short game with numb hands. Problem is I've now tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree and I want more.
The range is no longer as satisfying, the putting practice not as rewarding and the time spent on the heath not as fulfilling. All I want to do is play. Work on my game on the course, with nasty sloping lies and consequences for each and every shot. I want to pitch over water, chip over sand and putt over undulating seas of neat trimmed grass.
I want to stroll through lush parkland, enjoying the company of friends and pitting myself against whatever challenges are thrown my way.
Unfortunately, for the next 28 days and six hours it's an itch I am goIng to struggle to scratch. Thing is that I have finally succumbed the collective wisdom of the masses that a GPS is the way forward. That coupled to my impending subs means that finances are tight and opportunities to play full courses even tighter.
The sun is shining, the birds are singing and this promises to be a long and frustrating month.
Comments:
Hearty Harry
Tiger Tiger, Listen to yourself! Do you really want to stop yourself playing golf for a month? You could really make a lot of progress in the next month by getting out on a full 18 hole course in preparation for being a member. Instead you will have a shiny new GPS that tells you that you are 4,000 or so yards away from the golf course that you should be playing on!
Could you not save up for the GPS instead? There is no collective wisdom as the golfing world is split right down the middle on DMDs!
Tiger
Hey Harry, It’s actually the money for golf club membership that is holding me back from playing this month (I know how ironic)! The DMD is coming next. I’m hoping to get one game on a short course (par 62) and the course I’m joining. Thing is if I had it my way I’d be playing a minimum of 4/5 times!!! Love the image of sitting at home with a DMD measuring the distance to the first green . Unfortunately, I think it’s a necessary evil but once I’m a member you’ll have to drag me off!
The range is no longer as satisfying, the putting practice not as rewarding and the time spent on the heath not as fulfilling. All I want to do is play. Work on my game on the course, with nasty sloping lies and consequences for each and every shot. I want to pitch over water, chip over sand and putt over undulating seas of neat trimmed grass.
I want to stroll through lush parkland, enjoying the company of friends and pitting myself against whatever challenges are thrown my way.
Unfortunately, for the next 28 days and six hours it's an itch I am goIng to struggle to scratch. Thing is that I have finally succumbed the collective wisdom of the masses that a GPS is the way forward. That coupled to my impending subs means that finances are tight and opportunities to play full courses even tighter.
The sun is shining, the birds are singing and this promises to be a long and frustrating month.
Comments:
Hearty Harry
Tiger Tiger, Listen to yourself! Do you really want to stop yourself playing golf for a month? You could really make a lot of progress in the next month by getting out on a full 18 hole course in preparation for being a member. Instead you will have a shiny new GPS that tells you that you are 4,000 or so yards away from the golf course that you should be playing on!
Could you not save up for the GPS instead? There is no collective wisdom as the golfing world is split right down the middle on DMDs!
Tiger
Hey Harry, It’s actually the money for golf club membership that is holding me back from playing this month (I know how ironic)! The DMD is coming next. I’m hoping to get one game on a short course (par 62) and the course I’m joining. Thing is if I had it my way I’d be playing a minimum of 4/5 times!!! Love the image of sitting at home with a DMD measuring the distance to the first green . Unfortunately, I think it’s a necessary evil but once I’m a member you’ll have to drag me off!
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