A golf question........

[Smirking_Saint]

...... To all our experts out there.

 

I have been playing about a year now, but don't play regularly enough TBH, probably all in all played about 12-14 rounds of golf.

 

I think i am quite a long hitter, i always out hit most of the guys that play off around 10-15 HC when i hit them right and tend to take this p*ss when i out hit their drivers with my 3 wood.

 

So... I can hit an Iron pretty straight and generally hit them to their average lengths if you get me (9 iron about 120-150 yardish)

 

And i am pretty good with a 3 wood (generally what i tee off with) and hit 200 yards plus normally and straight.

 

Then i think to myself, surely i can hit it further with a Driver, but whenever i get it out of the bag it tends to end up launched into a bush somewhere, i tend to always draw it ? (to the right ?) but can't get it sorted, i have spent ages at the driving range, slowing the club speed down, and up again working on the timing, but i just can't get it.

 

I have had lessons so my grip and swing tends to be ok, where am i going wrong, should i just never bother with a driver until i get the HC down ?

 

I am sh*te at putting aswell.

[Weston Super Saint]

First off, hitting it to the right is a slice

 

Secondly, slicing the ball is quite common, especially for right handers.

 

Finally, this could be for a multitude of reasons and you will only find out which one is affecting you by having a few lessons with a good teaching pro. I wonder what Will Fox is up to these days

 

But, if you can hit the ball 200-250 yds with a 3 wood, I'd take the driver out of the bag and leave it at home

[Smirking_Saint]

First off, hitting it to the right is a slice

 

Secondly, slicing the ball is quite common, especially for right handers.

 

Finally, this could be for a multitude of reasons and you will only find out which one is affecting you by having a few lessons with a good teaching pro. I wonder what Will Fox is up to these days

 

But, if you can hit the ball 200-250 yds with a 3 wood, I'd take the driver out of the bag and leave it at home

 

Yeah, i was pacing it out today (played this evening) and was hitting about 200 yards uphill with it and around 220-240 yards flat.

 

If you know the rose bowl well i hit the trees at the back (directly in front) from the first tee yellow pins.

 

Don't think will would help me out after our little episode but i may get a few lessons, extra yardage is always pretty good.

 

What am i doing when i hit a slice then ?? People say i cut across but don't get how it can change so dramatically between 3 wood and driver

 

Cheers for the advice anyways.

[richie]

My advice to you is dont take advice from anyone except the coach!!

 

Most advice is ****** and wont help you. Do what you coach says even if it feels strange. If it feels strange it means you are doing as he says. Dont slip back into your old swing if the coach has made a few changes here and there, even if you are having amare with it. If yuo go back to doing what you were doing before the lesson you have wasted £45!!

 

Sounds like you are hitting fairly well.

 

ps sort the putting out as it will kill your scores. Its the easiest thing to improve to bring scores down quickly.

 

 

Thats my advice

[Saint in Paradise]

Send a PM to St will .......Oh:blush:

[dubai_phil]

As WSS says above leave the driver at home. So you MAY get an extra 20 or 30 yards but it messes your positional play. If youa re leaving the ball shorter then simply spend your range time making sure you can nail 3 through to 5 Irons OR get your 3 wood & 5 wood working off the fairway.

 

Have a golf lesson every 6 months and it will completely screw your game for 4 months before it becomes second nature - the MINUTE you start to think about your swing you are ruined.

 

Over the years the following have been causes of my slices according to experts

 

My grip is too far behind the ball, in front of the ball, too high on the shaft, too low. The club head angle is too flat too lofted. I'm breaking my wrists too early, too late, not at all. I am pausing at the top of the swing, I'm not pausing (Actually try that on the range at the top of the back swing mentally say AND before you start the down swing). The ball is too far forward in the stance, too far back, my feet are pointing left, pointing right, I'm too close to the ball, not standing upright enough...

 

Fact is after playing regularly for 15 years down here I solved it by

 

Using a 3 Wood for about 7 years, then using a 2 Hybrid and eventually now using a Driver. Henrik Stenson isn't a bad golfer and he hardly ever uses his driver!

 

In reality, the slice is all about timing being a micro second out at contact with the ball caused by any one of those faults. Eventually it starts to work and then you get into a whole heap of new problem area. Nowadays I will pull a drive, snap hook a drive and slice a drive. But on the other 11 or so Par 4/5's I'll nail it, but it took time

 

Golf is really about putting and chipping worry about THAT in the early days.

[saint_stevo]

the reason you slice the driver and not the 3 wood (probably fade that though, right?) is because the driver is longer, and has less loft, thus being less forgiving.

 

i am just getting back into the old golf game since the operation etc, and have been surprisingly decent. Was off 7 pre operation and seem to still play to around the same standard now. First 9 holes back at the County with the Asst Pro (who happens to be one of my best mates), double bogey at the 1st and then 6pars, 1 birdie and 1 bogey. Pretty sweet. Played Paultons last night as well, +8 for the front 9 (!!!) and then level back 9.

 

Smirker, what loft and what flex is your driver?

[skintsaint]

only time i really slice off using a driver is when I try and smash the ball into the next century.

[GenevaSaint]

Golf is really about putting and chipping worry about THAT in the early days.

 

First thing my coach told me Phil! Especially the putting side of things. Putter, the most under practiced club in the bag, but the one you use the most.

[Gingeletiss]

If you're slicing it, you are hitting the ball 'outside/in'. You need to be hitting through a line closer to your right foot, and aiming as if you would hit the ball to the right of your aim.

 

That said, listen to your coach, otherwise you will be confused.

[Smirking_Saint]

the reason you slice the driver and not the 3 wood (probably fade that though, right?) is because the driver is longer, and has less loft, thus being less forgiving.

 

i am just getting back into the old golf game since the operation etc, and have been surprisingly decent. Was off 7 pre operation and seem to still play to around the same standard now. First 9 holes back at the County with the Asst Pro (who happens to be one of my best mates), double bogey at the 1st and then 6pars, 1 birdie and 1 bogey. Pretty sweet. Played Paultons last night as well, +8 for the front 9 (!!!) and then level back 9.

 

Smirker, what loft and what flex is your driver?

 

Driver is 9.5" i think, no idea what flex.

 

And yes the 3 wood has a slight fade but not much, all in all it flies pretty straight.

 

I have read about head spead (giggidy) and how some drivers don't give you enough loft on lower head speeds etc, but didn't realise this would effect the slicing etc.

[Huffton]

 

I am sh*te at putting aswell.

 

'Drive for show, putt for dough'. Smashing it for miles off the tee is all well and good but if you can't get it in the hole then you may as well stick to the driving range. Work on your short game relentlessly, the driving will come.

[derry]

You may need a stiffer shaft on the driver. I fade and draw the ball it just needs a different set up. fading slightly weaker grip to avoid double cross. The correct shaft flex to suit your clubhead speed is absolutely essential. See a club maker or visit a manufacturer fitting centre. Taylormade charge £60 for irons/woods check at Basingstoke.

[Lord Duckhunter]

 

 

 

 

 

I am sh*te at putting aswell.

 

 

Tell me about it.I'm ok with the longer one's but the short ones kill me.

 

My old Man is an ok golfer he plays off about 14 and that's not bad for a bloke in his 70's. He goes mad with me over my putting. Tells me it's the cheapest and easist thing to practise, just practise on the carpet at home (provided you dont have wood flooring). I just find it so boring, just want to get up the range or on the course and smash the crap out of the ball. Problem is all my mates know I'm hopeless at putting, so thers a lack of gimme's when we play.

 

I remember winning a charity day with 41 points (which is far from bandit country) and 3 putting on about 9 greens. In the bar after I was getting stick from the other 3 in my 4 ball, for being a bandit because I should have ended up with about 50 points had I putted like everyone else. My Brother in law shut them up by saying "putting is as much part of the game as driving, had he driven badly and got 41 points, nobody would have said a thing, what the difference?"

[saint_stevo]

Driver is 9.5" i think, no idea what flex.

 

And yes the 3 wood has a slight fade but not much, all in all it flies pretty straight.

 

I have read about head spead (giggidy) and how some drivers don't give you enough loft on lower head speeds etc, but didn't realise this would effect the slicing etc.

 

If you swing quickly you will need a stiffer shaft. Also, only single figured handicappers should have anything with less than a 10* driver. Get a 10.5 with a stiff shaft, and see how you go. Even better, get it custom fit at a pro shop somewhere.

 

Played this morning at the county, greens were terrible. 40 for 9 holes FFS

[Glasgow_Saint]

Grip the driver further down the grip and when addressing the ball ensure the weight is 70/30 towards the back foot. Position the ball towards your front toe (just inside) and look to hit the ball on the inside (almost as if you want to strike the ball out to the right) if you can get the right rotation in your wrists then you will soon loose the slice.

 

The slice is caused by the out to in swing, try going to the range and placing a plastic cup 4-5cm's to the right of the ball.....then try and focus on the attack on the in to out. If you hit the cup you know you've gone on the outside! Out to in swing is going to cause slice and shanks..........

[saint_stevo]

Ah the shank. Nothing better

[Redondo Saint]

Good advice so far!

 

The short game is where you lower your scores. Chipping and putting is what I have to work on the most.

 

See if you can borrow a 10.5 driver as this may help, and try altering your grip a little by moving your right hand round a little more to the right (if you have a slice)

[derry]

All the top manufacturers have fitting centres. It should be noted that there are literally thousands of shafts and each manufacturer has different criteria so X S R S L of different makers have different flexes. There are different tip stiffnesses, kickpoints and shaft weights. Clubs have different swing weights, grip sizes and lofts for identical club numbers. The lengths and lie angles of clubs are matched to the golfers physique so clubs bought off the shelf or second hand could be totally unsuitable. Puring of graphite shafts line up the spline of the shafts to stop irregular flexing (graphite shafts are manufactured from a sheet rolled and pressed), steel shafts don't have this problem. As for drivers the new high trajectory drivers of 12/13 degrees are excellent. Get a set of clubs that fit. Balls are also important and are matched to swing speeds for optimum performance. Max spin for short irons, min spin for high clubhead speed with the driver. Top professionals use low loft drivers, have high clubhead speeds and minimum spin whilst creating terrific spin with the irons using one type of ball.

[Ponty]

Golf question:

 

When a player gets on the green, but will possibly impede the other player's shot, he removes the ball and puts down a marker. The question is; when he removes the marker and replaces the ball, does it need to be the exact same ball or can it be any legal ball, even one by a different manufacturer?

[derry]

It has to be the same ball replaced on the exact spot it was lifted from.

[Ponty]

Yeah, that's what I thought.... Cheers.

[Wade Garrett]

I don't think custom fitting is going to stop your slice. You're hitting across the ball, and this could be for a multitude of reasons - set-up, grip, posture, hitting over the top, swinging too quickly.....

 

The only way to sort it out is to get the fundamentals right. Go and see a different pro, and start again from scratch. Once you've cracked that your enjoyment from the game will increase tenfold.

[derry]

I don't think custom fitting is going to stop your slice. You're hitting across the ball, and this could be for a multitude of reasons - set-up, grip, posture, hitting over the top, swinging too quickly.....

 

The only way to sort it out is to get the fundamentals right. Go and see a different pro, and start again from scratch. Once you've cracked that your enjoyment from the game will increase tenfold.

 

The first thing is to have the right equipment fitted then have the lessons. As the skill element improves the fitting process may well need to be carried out again as posture will change.

 

If the equipment is unsuitable even the best players will struggle.

[saint_stevo]

Smirker, try this-

 

Go to the range, stand with your feet aiming way right, so if you hit it straight you would **** the wooden board and make a racket. Grab a 6iron and without changing your aim, try to hit the ball without hitting the wood, roll your wrists, and having to approach the ball from a shallower swing plane. Do this for about 15-20 balls, and it should give you the feeling of the kind of swing path required to hook the thing, and work back from there.

 

Also, buy one of these and sit of an evening holding it, your hands are the only thing that attach you to the club, so having a decent grip is imperative

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLF-Training-GRIP-Teach-yourself-proper-grip-NEW-/140334469777?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Golf_Accessories&hash=item20ac961291.

[Smirking_Saint]

Cheers for the advice everyone.

 

The only thing i am thinking though, is if my grip etc was wrong then surely this would show through my other clubs aswell ? Not just the driver ?

 

What i might do is keep with the woods and irons for societies etc and practice with the driver at the range and when knocking around with the lads.

 

Where is the best place to practice putting ? I noticed that Hedge End range you have to be a member, i wonder if they would let me knock about on the one at the rose bowl ?

[saint_stevo]

Cheers for the advice everyone.

 

The only thing i am thinking though, is if my grip etc was wrong then surely this would show through my other clubs aswell ? Not just the driver ?

 

What i might do is keep with the woods and irons for societies etc and practice with the driver at the range and when knocking around with the lads.

 

Where is the best place to practice putting ? I noticed that Hedge End range you have to be a member, i wonder if they would let me knock about on the one at the rose bowl ?

 

Yeah just roll up to the county and use the putting green, they won't have a problem with it at all, and you know Shaun so it will be fine.

 

I guess you still fade your longer irons? 3+4 especially? It is just all accentuated with the big stick

[Smirking_Saint]

Yeah just roll up to the county and use the putting green, they won't have a problem with it at all, and you know Shaun so it will be fine.

 

I guess you still fade your longer irons? 3+4 especially? It is just all accentuated with the big stick

 

Not too bad actually mate, a little sometimes but not too bad.

 

I usually hit my Irons pretty true.

 

That reminds me Shaun still owes me a couple of lessons.

 

As for the greens at the county, they were pretty good Fri, excuses IMO.

[Marsdinho]

Tip: Take an extra pair of trousers, In case you get a hole on one.

[saint_stevo]

Socks?

[mcjwills]

...... I am sh*te at putting aswell.

 

'Drive for show, putt for dough'. Smashing it for miles off the tee is all well and good but if you can't get it in the hole then you may as well stick to the driving range. Work on your short game relentlessly, the driving will come.

 

This is the only way to improve your game until you really get good, you will find that knocking it down the middle at less distance, and using a slightly longer iron to get it to the green is just as good as a big drive and a short iron if you can not putt for poo. If you get to the green in 2 and take 3 to putt that's the same five strokes as the hacker that takes 4 strokes to get to the green but has honed his putting and sinks it in one on the green. More shots are lost on the green than anywhere else.

[hamster]

Assuming that Smirker doesn't mind me jumping in:

 

I'm playing 9 at Otterbourne tomorrow and although I play purely for fun my game has nose-dived over the past month. I strted using my woods and think that this is where I have lost my way after reading comments above.

 

Thanks for the advice on here and I am going to experiment with the irons and plan to arrive early to have a play on the putting green. Having said that the practice green is pretty flat compared to one or two of the real ones up there.

 

It's only after applying the logical thinking that the penny drops; I've taken 6 or 7 putts on one or two holes, the more frustrated I get the worse I get, any tips for relaxing and getting 'in the zone' would be appreciated.

 

NB

 

Due to early start for work tomorrow I shall be able to arrive at least half an hour before the others for the game. How best should I use this time?

[Smirking_Saint]

Assuming that Smirker doesn't mind me jumping in:

 

I'm playing 9 at Otterbourne tomorrow and although I play purely for fun my game has nose-dived over the past month. I strted using my woods and think that this is where I have lost my way after reading comments above.

 

Thanks for the advice on here and I am going to experiment with the irons and plan to arrive early to have a play on the putting green. Having said that the practice green is pretty flat compared to one or two of the real ones up there.

 

It's only after applying the logical thinking that the penny drops; I've taken 6 or 7 putts on one or two holes, the more frustrated I get the worse I get, any tips for relaxing and getting 'in the zone' would be appreciated.

 

NB

 

Due to early start for work tomorrow I shall be able to arrive at least half an hour before the others for the game. How best should I use this time?

 

No probs hammy me old mucker,

 

I am crappy putting aswell, usually take 3 from the green, pretty much every green. Everyone has told me though don't aim for the hole as such, aim for around a foot radius around it, it takes the pressure off a little and essentially you are playing for the gimme.

 

As for the time, depending on how much you have, hit about 50 balls on the range to get the swing right and then have a knock around on the practice green. Thats what i do..............not that it ever works.

[hamster]

Cheers Mr S.

 

I almost cracked 50 (a 50 and a 51) when I dusted the clubs off a couple of months back then it all went downhill, I simply feel that I'm gonna fail before I hit the ball sometimes and tense up so much that I resort to just blindly swinging at the darned thing. I know it's the wrong approach but I hate to go through the set up all over when people are watching (and waiting).

 

PMT I guess. I also factor in that when we (work buds) started again we were gonna have a kind of handicap system but they (the better of the crap players, as we all are tbh) since decided that it would be worked out purely on actual scores and hence I am probably about 3rd bottom of the works league. I think that dented my aspirations a tad and perhaps at the back of my mind is a sort of 'sod it' resentment. actually, now that i think about it I am itching to get out there tomorrow and kick their 'air-shots don't count if hamster don't spot 'em, rule-changing, charlatans. That's what they are; a bunch of charlatans and I is gonna whoop there sorry arses. This time tomoz i shall be sat here with a celebratory Guinness with a smile from ear to ear. BRING IT ON. GRRRRR!!!!

[dubai_phil]

Cheers Mr S.

 

I almost cracked 50 (a 50 and a 51) when I dusted the clubs off a couple of months back then it all went downhill, I simply feel that I'm gonna fail before I hit the ball sometimes and tense up so much that I resort to just blindly swinging at the darned thing. I know it's the wrong approach but I hate to go through the set up all over when people are watching (and waiting).

 

PMT I guess. I also factor in that when we (work buds) started again we were gonna have a kind of handicap system but they (the better of the crap players, as we all are tbh) since decided that it would be worked out purely on actual scores and hence I am probably about 3rd bottom of the works league. I think that dented my aspirations a tad and perhaps at the back of my mind is a sort of 'sod it' resentment. actually, now that i think about it I am itching to get out there tomorrow and kick their 'air-shots don't count if hamster don't spot 'em, rule-changing, charlatans. That's what they are; a bunch of charlatans and I is gonna whoop there sorry arses. This time tomoz i shall be sat here with a celebratory Guinness with a smile from ear to ear. BRING IT ON. GRRRRR!!!!

 

Two tips Hammie

 

1) Golf is not a game of perfect by Dr Bob Rotella. Took it on a holiday to Portugal and it totally changed my golf. In simple terms walk up hit ball end of.

 

2) Go watch a European Tour event for 4 days. I'm lucky enough to be involved in the ones down here. I've seen Jimenez on a par 3 take 5 from 10 feet away. Els 3 putt from 4 feet, Els, McGinley and others hit a 3 wood lying dead centre in the fairway 50 yards. I've seen Tiger hack into the desert and when Rory won last year I saw him slice it into the same trees us hackers think it would be impossible to go into

 

The prefect shot happens once or twice a round. Getting to understand that makes you understand you're just gonna score a 94 instead of a 92 when you hit a bad shot.

 

Last September I played in the US the first 8 holes - actual par on everyone. My mate told me what my stableford points score was ( I play off 24) last hole double bogey and that was as close as I got to a par for the rest of the round.

 

Everyone makes a bad shot all the time (Hell even Justin Rose 3 putted twice yesterday) the ONLY thing everyone else is thinking is thank fook that wasn't me

 

Good golf is in the head

[hamster]

"Good golf is in the head"

 

Cheers gaffer, I feel much more positive already, partly through analysing it all sat here away from the course as after a game i have also started blocking it out, and partly from reading tit-bits on here.

 

Last week I played with one of the girls who is quite good for 10p a hole (that's big bucks for us poor public sector bunch) and I remember now that it only cost me 40p, so maybe all is not lost.

 

Another positive is that I haven't been in the sand for 3 weeks which I am retrospecively please about.

 

What would people say is a good way of marking a scorecard to see where one's game is at it's worst? I sometimes hit a god tee short and make a note of the club used, then next time around use the same club and fluff it.

 

Golf's not a sport anyway so perhaps I should go back to marbles, now where did i leave my marbles?

[dubai_phil]

"Good golf is in the head"

 

Cheers gaffer, I feel much more positive already, partly through analysing it all sat here away from the course as after a game i have also started blocking it out, and partly from reading tit-bits on here.

 

Last week I played with one of the girls who is quite good for 10p a hole (that's big bucks for us poor public sector bunch) and I remember now that it only cost me 40p, so maybe all is not lost.

 

Another positive is that I haven't been in the sand for 3 weeks which I am retrospecively please about.

 

What would people say is a good way of marking a scorecard to see where one's game is at it's worst? I sometimes hit a god tee short and make a note of the club used, then next time around use the same club and fluff it.

 

Golf's not a sport anyway so perhaps I should go back to marbles, now where did i leave my marbles?

 

Start by not scoring the strokes you take. Use Stableford points. A par 5 for a 24 handicapper can suddenly become a par 7 and you can be on the green with 4 reasonably hit 6 irons, 3 putts and bingo - Par. The brain then picks a different mode.

 

As for writing it down - NO WAY - that makes you THINK about what you are doing. At the MOST you should just note "Greens hit in regulation or number of putts per round" what you will find is thinking makes you think in your swing and flub.

[Smirking_Saint]

I think every sport is in the head, actually hell everything in life is in the head IMO. I think there is a reason that all the top sportsmen are c*cky b*llocks and all the best strikers Etc are confident c*cky B*stards.

 

I was taught that at a young age and it has stuck with me, whenever i play football in my head i am the best player on that pitch, whenever 1 on 1 i am going to score, it is no coincedence that my worst form in football was when i wasn't thinking like this, you hit a bad patch and you start thinking negative, the real 'sport' is overcoming this.

 

It is hard in something new mind, i find it hard in golf but i am starting to get a bit of confidence and confident thoughts in my head and my game is getting better IMO.

 

There was a small paragraph that i have always remembered in life when things get bad and i think it can be used everywhere. That is.

 

'If you are driving a car, and you lose control towards a wall. If you only focus on the wall, your going to hit the wall. If you look for a way around the wall, and try to miss the wall, you are far more likely to avoid the wall' Essentially try and focus on the positive as your only going to do, what you focus on.

 

Anyways, now i have finished all that b*llocks i will go back to trying to visualise me sinking a putt from 30 yards.

[saint_stevo]

putts are measured in feet. Moron.

 

Divide your scorecard's up lads, that's what i did when i was hacking my way round in the 90's, and it shows where you need to work on your game.

 

Put your score in the left column (markers column) and then in the remaining columns on the right of it have the following headings-

 

FH (fairways hit) GIR (greens in regulation, i.e on in 1 on par3, 2 for par 4, 3 for par 5 etc) PUTTS (er, how many putts)

 

 

At the end of the round, tally up how many of each, (obviously fairways is probably out of 14/15 rather than 18)

 

This gives you an idea of what you need to work on, and where you drop shots. If you miss the green in regulation and then 3 putt, thats a double straight away, and your chipping and putting needs some work, or if you miss the fairway, then miss the green in reg, your driving is getting you in trouble so head to the range etc...... Soon enough a pattern emerges (try it for 3 or so rounds) and you have something to work on, and if you do it again say a 2 months later you can see if there is improvment.

[Smirking_Saint]

I think every sport is in the head, actually hell everything in life is in the head IMO. I think there is a reason that all the top sportsmen are c*cky b*llocks and all the best strikers Etc are confident c*cky B*stards.

 

I was taught that at a young age and it has stuck with me, whenever i play football in my head i am the best player on that pitch, whenever 1 on 1 i am going to score, it is no coincedence that my worst form in football was when i wasn't thinking like this, you hit a bad patch and you start thinking negative, the real 'sport' is overcoming this.

 

It is hard in something new mind, i find it hard in golf but i am starting to get a bit of confidence and confident thoughts in my head and my game is getting better IMO.

 

There was a small paragraph that i have always remembered in life when things get bad and i think it can be used everywhere. That is.

 

'If you are driving a car, and you lose control towards a wall. If you only focus on the wall, your going to hit the wall. If you look for a way around the wall, and try to miss the wall, you are far more likely to avoid the wall' Essentially try and focus on the positive as your only going to do, what you focus on.

 

Anyways, now i have finished all that b*llocks i will go back to trying to visualise me sinking a putt from 30 yards.

 

That was pretty philisophical for a monday night

[hamster]

Righto people, firsatly thanks for getting my mind 'in the zone' last night I actually did drift off to sleep visualising the game. Woke up early and was thinking about the game, staff meeting, I told the others that I was gonna beat them up and before we left for the course i reminded them that I was gonna beat them, just so that they had no doubt as to what i intended doing to them.

 

By most standards I was not 'on fire' but for me (and them losers) I was unstoppable.

 

Really enjoyed the whole 9 holes and didn't lose a single ball (found 4 whilst searching for their's though). Only went in the rough once which I recovered fairly well. Putted 3 on each hole apart from a 4 and a 2 so average 3 putts which was as big a suprprise to me as it was to them. Used my SW to chip onto the greens which I thought made my chips look quite measured and impressive and switcehd to shorter tee's which stopped me sky'ing my tee shots. I left my Woods in the boot and I won, I did it, I kicked their arses. pity I won;t be at the morning brief to rub their noses in it, but that will keep, fear not.

 

Tried to work out my score using the Stableford method and I made my score 9, bearing in mind that I used the max handicap which I am nowhere actually near to yet, is that any good? Thde others weren't keen on me working out there scores this way but I did sense a little bit of sour grapes which I never realised before but sour grapes don;t taste that bad to me.

 

I accept that I am crap at this stupid game but I am in love with it. I'm itching to get out there again and may even get up before midday on Thursday and get out there again by myslef.

 

Best advice i took with me was to concentrate on the short game and putting, I got there early and putted for about a quarter of an hour which really settled me and I could even see an improvement. I know this because usually I am too shy to practice putting in front of others but tonight I was ruthless and put some lovely balls away, even from distance.

 

Thanks all.

[saint_stevo]

9 stableford points?!?!?! not sure you worked that out properly.....

 

what is your h'cap, and how many over for the 9 holes?

 

Stableford point-

 

Others= 0pts

Net Bogey= 1pt

Net Par= 2pts

Net Birdie= 3pts

Net Eagle- 4pts

 

Chipping with just a SW is not ideal btw...........but if it worked, meh

[saint_stevo]

Perhaps a Stevo, smirker and Hamster 9 holes one evening?

 

 

 

 

If hamster dresses properly

[hamster]

9 stableford points?!?!?! not sure you worked that out properly.....

 

what is your h'cap, and how many over for the 9 holes?

 

Stableford point-

 

Others= 0pts

Net Bogey= 1pt

Net Par= 2pts

Net Birdie= 3pts

Net Eagle- 4pts

 

Chipping with just a SW is not ideal btw...........but if it worked, meh

 

My handicap would have to the max as I really am not v good and have only ever played 9 holes, guess that would equate to 14 for a 9-hole?

 

I used the scoring system from Wiki to work it out ie:

par 4 + 2 (my h/c) = 6 - I hit 5 = a score of 3? Y/N?

par 3 + 1 (my h/c) = 4 - I hit 6 = a score of 0? Y/N?

 

What's with all this golf clobber mallarkey anyway, does it improve your stroke? I might stretch to a pair of slacks but draw the line at anything paisley or tartan-like.

[hamster]

btw, tha SW use was intentional to overcome my fear of using it. My thinking is that if I can hit the ball soundly with that one, the PW will come easier, just my own little experiment.

 

btw how do I keep from hitting the ball with the front of the the club and sending it whizzing along the ground when I want it to go up in the air? Happened twice todauy and almost cost me the game.

[saint_stevo]

you work out stableford the way i put above. Max h'cap for a bloke is 28. so if you were 14 over par for 9 holes, you would get 18pts.......

 

Just no jeans, football shirts. Trousers must be tailored and shirts must have a collar

[hamster]

you work out stableford the way i put above. Max h'cap for a bloke is 28. so if you were 14 over par for 9 holes, you would get 18pts.......

 

I gave myslef a shot on each hole and 2 shots on the indexed holes 1 - 6.

 

Why are you thinking I got it wrong s-s, I scored a zero on 4 holes and a 3, two 2's and two 1's. It's not important a sI was scoring for myself what is important and please believe me I am a very modest chap, but I won on what I think you pringle boys call stroke play. Please don't ruin my good day by overanalysing it, I'm sure dubai phil will have words of encouragement for me...

 

anyhow, fag, beer, bed in that order

 

nighty night.

 

xx's

[Smirking_Saint]

Perhaps a Stevo, smirker and Hamster 9 holes one evening?

 

 

 

 

If hamster dresses properly

 

If we played stapleford i would drag you all over the course

[saint_stevo]

If we played stapleford i would drag you all over the course

 

why is this?

 

and its Stable, not staple

[Smirking_Saint]

why is this?

 

and its Stable, not staple

 

Staple then.

 

Merely because i would insist you played off of 6, and i play off of 28