Golf Thread

Another round today, it went ok, bit meh. Scored 121, for the easy course that's a bit poor but not my worse. I hit some absolutely lovely shots though, they felt gooood :p

Also re-inforced a habit I seem to have gained of the ball curving towards the right, as in it goes off the club in the right direction then starts curving to the right. Pretty sure it's the club face being open at the point of contact but could do with fixing that :p

That also lead to my first hole fun, drive went right and I went to use a 6 Iron to get over some trees but didn't hit it cleanly (second shot of the day with no real warmup, not a great surprise) so it went into the trees, saw it from the other side so headed in to get the ball and got utterly ripped to shreds by some brambles, as in several scratches deep enough to bleed decently... Nobody told me golf was dangerous! :cry:
 
Played a club comp today, shot 81 with a course calculated handicap of 21, so net 60. I was joint first with a net 60 score, but won on countback, as had a 40 back 9, vs a 43.
Won it against about 20 odd others. Apparently get a trophy and my name on the wall for this one, so very chuffed with the win.
My first singles club win, so my new swing changes have really helped over the last month. Game is finally coming together at the tail end of the season. Last 7 of my submitted cards have all been my best. :)
 
MarkA said:
Played a club comp today, shot 81 with a course calculated handicap of 21, so net 60. I was joint first with a net 60 score, but won on countback, as had a 40 back 9, vs a 43.
Won it against about 20 odd others. Apparently get a trophy and my name on the wall for this one, so very chuffed with the win.
My first singles club win, so my new swing changes have really helped over the last month. Game is finally coming together at the tail end of the season. Last 7 of my submitted cards have all been my best. :)
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Brilliant stuff. But be prepared for a MASSIVE cut this week on your handicap
Congrats man
 
Does anyone have any specific cues for moving the hips at stages throughout a swing? I swear, I might as well have fused joints for all the good there doing me, especially in my up swing. I can't visualize or feel my hips turning without throwing my general line off. I feel like it's getting there and I hit some belters, but when I record myself my left foot lifts on the up indicating that I'm jus not moving enough through the hips.
 
For me, moving my hips is all part of the backswing triggers. The follow through comes thanks to moving them back in the backswing. Luckily I don't have to think about it anymore and it just happens.
But definitely have a big hip movement triggered at the start of the backswing and your body should automatically come through in the downswing.

Alternatively, try without a ball, but... what I've tried before and it helps to get the feel, is to have a swing forward where you take your club forward to parallel to the floor, move your hips forward as part of that, then take a smooth swing backwards into your backswing with those hips moving freely back. Then initiate your downswing.

Sorry if its confusing, but I found it very helpful to get a smooth transition with my hips moving.
 
MarkA said:
Played a club comp today, shot 81 with a course calculated handicap of 21, so net 60. I was joint first with a net 60 score, but won on countback, as had a 40 back 9, vs a 43.
Won it against about 20 odd others. Apparently get a trophy and my name on the wall for this one, so very chuffed with the win.
My first singles club win, so my new swing changes have really helped over the last month. Game is finally coming together at the tail end of the season. Last 7 of my submitted cards have all been my best. :)
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great stuff - but holy cow - Net 60.... You'd be run out of the club at my place with that score!!! :cry: :cry: :cry:

Big slash in handicap coming for you - well done.
 
ArcticHeron said:
Does anyone have any specific cues for moving the hips at stages throughout a swing? I swear, I might as well have fused joints for all the good there doing me, especially in my up swing. I can't visualize or feel my hips turning without throwing my general line off. I feel like it's getting there and I hit some belters, but when I record myself my left foot lifts on the up indicating that I'm jus not moving enough through the hips.
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Is this "self diagnosed" swing issues or something a pro has told you.

Honestly - Get a couple of lessons.... Trying to solve one issue, will likely cause problems elsewhere....
 
Thanks gents, it's a par 66 course so not a super good score for a proper course and the course isn't in great condition, although it's better than I've played over a whole 18 holes before.
My mate who was winning text me and told me his score before I got all the way around, when I got to the 18th, the nerves kicked in... Pars and Bogeys up until then and hit a triple on the last hole :cry: :cry:
 
booyaka said:
Is this "self diagnosed" swing issues or something a pro has told you.

Honestly - Get a couple of lessons.... Trying to solve one issue, will likely cause problems elsewhere....
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Something my teacher has told me to try and feel out. It was towards the end of my first lesson so didn't get much chance to elaborate. My next one is in a few weeks time so just looking for pointers on that specifically until then.
 
ArcticHeron said:
Something my teacher has told me to try and feel out. It was towards the end of my first lesson so didn't get much chance to elaborate. My next one is in a few weeks time so just looking for pointers on that specifically until then.
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Fair enough - For me, personally, I need as little in my swing thoughts as possible. My mate talks about his hips/ knee flex/ clearing his left side etc etc - I'm like "how do you even swing the club with all that going on"

Grip check, club back on the inside and slightly shut - that's it for me...Nothing else in my head when I swing.
 
Firstly I'm no expert but my two cents :p

I've only been playing golf for ~2 months but about a month ago I started a group swing lesson on a Monday afternoon, not long got back from this weeks.

I'd agree with booyaka to some extent, I can't concentrate/think about all the different bits of the swing we cover in the lessons whilst actually playing, I keep that to the lessons/range sessions but at the same time doing that kinda feeds into the swing when I'm out on the course.

The left/front foot or heel lifting came up again actually and according to the coach that's not so much hips as moving too much weight backwards, he keeps going on about aiming for 65% on the back foot at the top of the backswing (through to then 100% on the front foot at the end of the swing), and generally it does feel like if my front foot is lifting at the heel I'm going too far back with my weight.
 
I'd have to disagree a little with the heel lifting being a problem.
2 reasons,
1. All the long drivers like Bryson and Kyle Berkshire all lift their heel when loading their trailing side.
2. As long as you get back on your right side early, it's not a problem ("early" being as you reach the top of your backswing). What you don't want to happen is that you move/drift away from being centered over the ball.

There's way more things to concentrate on in golf than worry about a little heel lift, which is probably giving you a little more power when you first start out, as all the muscles involved become more and more efficient at swinging the clubs over time.
I think the main thing at the early stage, is to do what you can to find a 'feel' that helps you pull off a repetitive swing. One you can do over and over without much thought. Don't worry what it looks like, but try to get as repetitive as you can, as far as you can.
 
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Thanks for the pointers guys.

He did stress that it wasn't necessarily a huge issue, more that he wanted me to try being less stiff throughout my swing in general and that moving my hips a touch is one of the easier ways of doing so.
 
So played yesterday morning before my night shift.

Started with a quadruple bogey 9 on the opening hole followed by 5 pars. Then, for whatever reason, my game turned horrible. Ended up walking off after 13 holes as I just couldn't hit anything. Topping the ball, shanking my irons, slicing my driver. you name it, I had it. Thought it was best to walk off rather than destroy my whole mindset.

Back to the range tomorrow and then a game Friday and Sunday. Lets hope I sort these fixes out pronto :eek:
 
I remember playing with my dad when I was younger. He was the most hot and cold player I've ever known. Never had lessons but played all of his life. Could almost play scratch one week then fall to pieces the next. Never once did I see him loose his rag or let bad play bleed into his game, he'd always just walk up to his next shot and play it with the exact same tempo and mindset. He just loved being out on the course and even now with arther in his hands, he'll abandon almost anything to come play.

Madness really. I always strive to emulate him but it's bloody difficult. He's one of the reasons I quit when I was younger I think. His composure would just annoy me whereas now I just marvel at it :cry:
 
I'm sure you'll be fine @magicroundabout
I went out today with some mates on a difficult undulated links course, with bunkers deeper than me.
I shot 100.

I felt so restricted with 4 layers on, with wet hands from the rain and as cold as could be on the top of a mountain in Wales. Driving was especially difficult, just couldn't get to top of my backswing without the clothes twisting and restricting me.
Next time I'll probably take a few layers off and play with my under armour and a waterproof thin Ping jacket I have. Today, I had on my under armour, think polo shirt, Under Armour jacket, Ping waterproofs. Possibly a little too much, although it was nice and cosy lol.

Next lesson, will definitely be learning how to get out of deep deep bunkers, my angles of attack are just all wrong I think. I know the basics, just my implementation is wrong no doubt.
 
MarkA said:
I'm sure you'll be fine @magicroundabout
I went out today with some mates on a difficult undulated links course, with bunkers deeper than me.
I shot 100.

I felt so restricted with 4 layers on, with wet hands from the rain and as cold as could be on the top of a mountain in Wales. Driving was especially difficult, just couldn't get to top of my backswing without the clothes twisting and restricting me.
Next time I'll probably take a few layers off and play with my under armour and a waterproof thin Ping jacket I have. Today, I had on my under armour, think polo shirt, Under Armour jacket, Ping waterproofs. Possibly a little too much, although it was nice and cosy lol.

Next lesson, will definitely be learning how to get out of deep deep bunkers, my angles of attack are just all wrong I think. I know the basics, just my implementation is wrong no doubt.
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My personal take on bunkers is open the face so it's literally facing the sky and swing hard across the ball. Never had an issue - Most of the time people trying to get out of bunkers simply don't swing hard enough, they try and chip it out/half swing.

Going high and long is way better than leaving it in the bunker....

Open the face, even MORE than you think, swing hard and aim to hit about an inch behind the ball with a full swing. 58/60 degree wedge. Honestly, people just don't swing hard enough.
 
Thanks @booyaka this is exactly what I'm already doing.
I think i'm swinging down too much on it, which is different from how I normally swing.
I need to think of it like a full on chip shot I think.

At the moment, I'm taking wayy too much sand from behind the ball and my club, even though is open almost 90 degrees, I'm still digging down too much. If I flatten it all out, I should be good.
I'll need to find somewhere to test this theory.
 
MarkA said:
Thanks @booyaka this is exactly what I'm already doing.
I think i'm swinging down too much on it, which is different from how I normally swing.
I need to think of it like a full on chip shot I think.

At the moment, I'm taking wayy too much sand from behind the ball and my club, even though is open almost 90 degrees, I'm still digging down too much. If I flatten it all out, I should be good.
I'll need to find somewhere to test this theory.
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Worth considering the "bounce" on the club you use in the bunker....

The club should effectively "bounce" out of the sand - I open up my stance and swing across the line which shallows it out a bit. But like I say - watching playing partners who struggle in bunkers, they just don't swing hard enough most of the time.
 
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