Golf Thread
- Thread starter Andr3w
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Shot my joint PB in Saturdays fine weather. 7 over 78 with an eagle 2! Happy that I have hit form coming into the golfing season.
Not extended but I run mine 1/2 inch longer, it may not seem much but i can tell instantly if a club is stock length just by holding it. That and everything gets thinned
Well my first full round back was traumatic 
Played Forest Pines down near Scunthorpe, beautiful course but rather challenging for someone who hasn't tackled a real course in over 4 years. My iron play was beautiful again, a few duffers but in the main hitting my 7 about 150-180 straight as a die and my wedges and other irons didn't let me down either.
As I feared though my putting was horrendous again, though I was getting my eye in by the end and my driving was truly a car crash to behold
I shot 36 over but I'm strangely happy for my first round in 4 years. If my putting had been sensible you could have probably knocked 10 off that and if my tee shots had been better probably amother half dozen. Plenty to work on but great to be back in the groove, long way to get back to my 18/20 handicap of 5 years ago
Playing some course near Ramsgate on Thursday afternoon though the name escapes me at the moment.
Played Forest Pines down near Scunthorpe, beautiful course but rather challenging for someone who hasn't tackled a real course in over 4 years. My iron play was beautiful again, a few duffers but in the main hitting my 7 about 150-180 straight as a die and my wedges and other irons didn't let me down either.
As I feared though my putting was horrendous again, though I was getting my eye in by the end and my driving was truly a car crash to behold
I shot 36 over but I'm strangely happy for my first round in 4 years. If my putting had been sensible you could have probably knocked 10 off that and if my tee shots had been better probably amother half dozen. Plenty to work on but great to be back in the groove, long way to get back to my 18/20 handicap of 5 years ago
Playing some course near Ramsgate on Thursday afternoon though the name escapes me at the moment.
Soldato
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- 22 Mar 2007
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Are you hitting driver off the tee? Have you thought about swapping the driver out for something like a hybrid or a low iron, or possibly a fairway wood if you're comfortable hitting them? I went through a really rough patch with my driver and the potential distance gain from it wasn't worth the trade-off in accuracy that I was experiencing. I dropped down to hybrid and just played it safe off the tee until I'd had some more practice on the range and had a lesson focussing on the driver. Okay, I lost 60-70 yards off the tee, but at least I was consistently keeping the ball in play and normally on the fairway.
My biggest weakness currently is my chipping. I can normally two-putt most holes, but I have a serious problem with either thinning chips and sending them over the green and sometimes out of bounds, or being so scared of thinning them that I don't hit them far enough. It's something I need to work at on the practice green.
My biggest weakness currently is my chipping. I can normally two-putt most holes, but I have a serious problem with either thinning chips and sending them over the green and sometimes out of bounds, or being so scared of thinning them that I don't hit them far enough. It's something I need to work at on the practice green.
My woods are no better it's been that long to be honest.
I'm half tempted to play an iron off the tee as if I can get 150-200 off the tee with my iron I can be on most greens for 2 (or thereabouts) which should help things.
Alternatively I'm just thinking of plodding on with my driver as ultimately it needs to happen so it's pointless to avoid tackling the issue.
Managed to get out of work early so travelling now and playing some course near Frimley in an hour, should help
I'm half tempted to play an iron off the tee as if I can get 150-200 off the tee with my iron I can be on most greens for 2 (or thereabouts) which should help things.
Alternatively I'm just thinking of plodding on with my driver as ultimately it needs to happen so it's pointless to avoid tackling the issue.
Managed to get out of work early so travelling now and playing some course near Frimley in an hour, should help
Well I played Forest Ridge course down in Frimley today, beautiful course, lovely play round the trees, some great elevations and really picturesque holes.
Massive improvement from yesterday, went round in 26 over as opposed to 36 which was a huge improvement on a pretty challenging course. Probably my smartest move was sacking off the driver after the first few holes (it was tragic again) and I was playing a 6 for 150-200 most tee shots. My putting was still ropey at times but improved markedly from yesterday too.
Best part was we went up the 18th with my mate 1 shot up on me thanks to the handicap, I putted for the draw but went a few inches right so lost by one shot.
Next round Thursday though I doubt I'll improbe by 10 shots again
Massive improvement from yesterday, went round in 26 over as opposed to 36 which was a huge improvement on a pretty challenging course. Probably my smartest move was sacking off the driver after the first few holes (it was tragic again) and I was playing a 6 for 150-200 most tee shots. My putting was still ropey at times but improved markedly from yesterday too.
Best part was we went up the 18th with my mate 1 shot up on me thanks to the handicap, I putted for the draw but went a few inches right so lost by one shot.
Next round Thursday though I doubt I'll improbe by 10 shots again
Soldato
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- 22 Mar 2007
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Well I played Forest Ridge course down in Frimley today, beautiful course, lovely play round the trees, some great elevations and really picturesque holes.
Massive improvement from yesterday, went round in 26 over as opposed to 36 which was a huge improvement on a pretty challenging course. Probably my smartest move was sacking off the driver after the first few holes (it was tragic again) and I was playing a 6 for 150-200 most tee shots. My putting was still ropey at times but improved markedly from yesterday too.
Best part was we went up the 18th with my mate 1 shot up on me thanks to the handicap, I putted for the draw but went a few inches right so lost by one shot.
Next round Thursday though I doubt I'll improbe by 10 shots again
Good work. I think dropping the driver was a sensible play. So many people get caught up in how far they can hit the ball, but you really only need to be worrying about distance once you've got some consistent accuracy. Plus, during the round isn't the time to focus on improving with a particular club, just set up a drill on the range and see if you can improve your driver accuracy there.
When you're on the range, what I'd do is pick two noticeable targets about 100 yards away that are about your average fairway apart, and try to keep your drives between the two targets. That will help replicate hitting the driver out on the course, and I guarantee you'll improve. Also, if it's a technique problem, get a lesson or check out some youtube videos on using the driver.
It's definitely technique.
The lad I play with is decent and he was trying to help from what he was saying it's how I address the ball essentially. I default try to play the shot like an iron with nasty consequences, I vaguely know where I'm going wrong so I'm going to try some self help on the range and if it doesnt improbe I'll get a few lessons.
The lad I play with is decent and he was trying to help from what he was saying it's how I address the ball essentially. I default try to play the shot like an iron with nasty consequences, I vaguely know where I'm going wrong so I'm going to try some self help on the range and if it doesnt improbe I'll get a few lessons.
Soldato
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- 22 Mar 2007
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I'm playing one of my local courses tomorrow afternoon, Canford Magna. It's only my third round this year so it will be interesting to see how it goes. I've been working on technique and improving my swing a lot on the range and I'm hoping it pays off.
Well today was a complete abortion 
Everything I tried went horribly wrong and pretty much every single shot was sliced right. I have no idea why and bar the odd shot I was absolutly God awful. I still actually scored ok all considered and had some great holes (two of them birdies) but in general it was such a frustrating round.
Got round in 30 but that was distorted by the odd great hole and a round like today makes me remember why I packed in for a few years
In retrospect thought first few rounds in 4 years and I shot 36, 26 and 30 so whilst anything but great I suppose my reintroduction to the game could have been a lot worse.
Couple of rounds planned for next week and hopefully today was just one of those rounds so I can crack on.
Everything I tried went horribly wrong and pretty much every single shot was sliced right. I have no idea why and bar the odd shot I was absolutly God awful. I still actually scored ok all considered and had some great holes (two of them birdies) but in general it was such a frustrating round.
Got round in 30 but that was distorted by the odd great hole and a round like today makes me remember why I packed in for a few years
In retrospect thought first few rounds in 4 years and I shot 36, 26 and 30 so whilst anything but great I suppose my reintroduction to the game could have been a lot worse.
Couple of rounds planned for next week and hopefully today was just one of those rounds so I can crack on.
Been fitted up for a new driver this week, tried the Callaway 815, the Titleist 915 and the Cobra FlyZ+.
Went to a local fitter with Trackman (amazing bit of kit) hit balls with my existing 15 year old driver, then went onto the new guns and straight away was hitting further.
Tweaked shafts weight, length, stiffness and out of the 3 the FlyZ+ was the most consistent dispersion and hitting the ball around the 220 make carry with a 95 mph swing.
Out of the other 2 clubs the 815 was longest +230 carry but had no real control over the ball as such, the 915 was a mix of the 815 and the FlyZ+ , bit better dispersion but similar distance to the FlyZ+.
Ended up with the FlyZ+ with 1 inch lopped off the end to make it 45 and 60 gram Matrix stiff shaft.
Should be here early next week and cant wait to game it and start work on raising my swing mph
Went to a local fitter with Trackman (amazing bit of kit) hit balls with my existing 15 year old driver, then went onto the new guns and straight away was hitting further.
Tweaked shafts weight, length, stiffness and out of the 3 the FlyZ+ was the most consistent dispersion and hitting the ball around the 220 make carry with a 95 mph swing.
Out of the other 2 clubs the 815 was longest +230 carry but had no real control over the ball as such, the 915 was a mix of the 815 and the FlyZ+ , bit better dispersion but similar distance to the FlyZ+.
Ended up with the FlyZ+ with 1 inch lopped off the end to make it 45 and 60 gram Matrix stiff shaft.
Should be here early next week and cant wait to game it and start work on raising my swing mph
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Well today was a complete abortion
Everything I tried went horribly wrong and pretty much every single shot was sliced right. I have no idea why and bar the odd shot I was absolutly God awful. I still actually scored ok all considered and had some great holes (two of them birdies) but in general it was such a frustrating round.
Got round in 30 but that was distorted by the odd great hole and a round like today makes me remember why I packed in for a few years
In retrospect thought first few rounds in 4 years and I shot 36, 26 and 30 so whilst anything but great I suppose my reintroduction to the game could have been a lot worse.
Couple of rounds planned for next week and hopefully today was just one of those rounds so I can crack on.
Get yourself a lesson to have a look, it's possible that your swing has developed some bad habits - happened to me last year and I was slicing a lot of shots. Turned out I was coming over the top and needed to twist from my hips and shoulders more.
Is that place even open? suprised its not still water logged
Managed 39 points with 4 blobs and 2 x 1 pointers at Ganton. God the greens were quick, putted 15ft off the green from ten foot on the SI2 hole!
Off to Pestana Gramacho in Portugal on Thursday with the lads until Monday. Also playing Pinta Do Silva which is next door. £1000 for a 4 bed villa for 4 nights with unlimited golf.
Off to Pestana Gramacho in Portugal on Thursday with the lads until Monday. Also playing Pinta Do Silva which is next door. £1000 for a 4 bed villa for 4 nights with unlimited golf.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2007
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I ended up playing Christchurch golf club down at Iford in the end, but I was unaware of problems with Canford Magna, what's wrong there?
I played really well and feel like my swing has come on leaps and bounds since last year. I finished with a 92 and apart from triple-bogeying one hole I managed to be pretty consistent. My only ongoing issue is that I don't get much loft with my chipping around the green, meaning that sometimes I run it further than I mean to.
Supposed to be playing the Newcaste United Golf Course Friday but I'm getting the feeling both the lads im supposed to be playing with are going to drop out as they've both started humming and hawing this week already which I won't be impressed about!
Working away so half tempted to get a round on the par 3 down here tomorrow/Thursday for some practice.
Working away so half tempted to get a round on the par 3 down here tomorrow/Thursday for some practice.
Tell me guys, do you warm up on the range before you go out? Really only been back into my golf this last 12 months but find that if I don't 50 balls first, I can pretty much write off my front 9. 11 shots difference between my front and back 9s today.