2021 Golf Thread

[George001]

What golf handicap do you guys have? I’m not sure what mine is but I average 60-70 for 9 holes, so it’s fairly high. I have been told I need to keep my head down and watch the club head hit the ball.

[OceanStWx]

7 hours ago, George001 said:

What golf handicap do you guys have? I’m not sure what mine is but I average 60-70 for 9 holes, so it’s fairly high. I have been told I need to keep my head down and watch the club head hit the ball.

At my best I had an index of 9.7, which was good for a course handicap of 9. 

I would guess my index is probably north of 15 now though. 

[mreaves]

4 hours ago, OceanStWx said:

At my best I had an index of 9.7, which was good for a course handicap of 9. 

I would guess my index is probably north of 15 now though. 

I’m currently a 15.6 or something like that. At my (lol) “peak” I was a 13. As I’ve mentioned before though, that is almost completely based on 9 hole rounds at my home course. It’s easy to shoot a 41-42 and not be playing particularly well. That adds up to a lot of low to mid 80’s. My handicap doesn’t travel well though. 

[StormSurge]

I'm still waiting to accumulate enough rounds to acquire one. The courses have been too busy lately for me to get some time in. Hopefully after Labor Day it will get easier. I'm assuming high teens.

[George001]

1 hour ago, mreaves said:

I’m currently a 15.6 or something like that. At my (lol) “peak” I was a 13. As I’ve mentioned before though, that is almost completely based on 9 hole rounds at my home course. It’s easy to shoot a 41-42 and not be playing particularly well. That adds up to a lot of low to mid 80’s. My handicap doesn’t travel well though. 

A good way to lower your score is to take a lot of mulligans. That’s what I did the other day, I kept hitting it in the woods and one one hole i took like 4 or 5 mulligans and was able to get a triple bogey instead of a snowman.

[Chrisrotary12]

Currently a 7.0 handicap.

Few tips I like:

1. Have a routine

2. when struggling, just hit it. Get your number, grab club, walk up to ball, one look and go. Stop thinking.

3. if struggling with irons, make it feel like your hitting a big chip shot. Straight back and straight threw. May need an extra club, but as you start making crisper contact, then you can start opening it up.

[kdxken]

1 hour ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

Currently a 7.0 handicap.

Few tips I like:

1. Have a routine

2. when struggling, just hit it. Get your number, grab club, walk up to ball, one look and go. Stop thinking.

3. if struggling with irons, make it feel like your hitting a big chip shot. Straight back and straight threw. May need an extra club, but as you start making crisper contact, then you can start opening it up.

I like number three I'm going to give it a shot.

[kdxken]

12 hours ago, StormSurge said:

I'm still waiting to accumulate enough rounds to acquire one. The courses have been too busy lately for me to get some time in. Hopefully after Labor Day it will get easier. I'm assuming high teens.

Yeah golf is nuts these days.

[Chrisrotary12]

15 minutes ago, kdxken said:

I like number three I'm going to give it a shot.

Number three is my go to. Basically keep the club face square the whole time.

[mreaves]

47 minutes ago, kdxken said:

I like number three I'm going to give it a shot.

 

32 minutes ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

Number three is my go to. Basically keep the club face square the whole time.

Whenever I am in a situation where I need to keep the ball's trajectory low, I do this and often hit pretty good shots.  

[kdxken]

44 minutes ago, mreaves said:

 

Whenever I am in a situation where I need to keep the ball's trajectory low, I do this and often hit pretty good shots.  

Right? Like when you're coming out of the woods and it takes off.

[George001]

5 hours ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

Currently a 7.0 handicap.

Few tips I like:

1. Have a routine

2. when struggling, just hit it. Get your number, grab club, walk up to ball, one look and go. Stop thinking.

3. if struggling with irons, make it feel like your hitting a big chip shot. Straight back and straight threw. May need an extra club, but as you start making crisper contact, then you can start opening it up.

I’ll try #3 that seems like a good tip, something I struggle with is I try to sell out for power and hit the ball as hard as I can. When I do that the ball ends up only dribbling a 10-20 yards or it goes far, but in the woods. I have been trying to increase my distance on my swings because right now my 9 iron goes 130, 7 140, 5 150, ect which isn’t that far. I’ve been experimenting with my swing some to try and find something that will help me hit it farther, but haven’t had much luck yet. I feel like I would be better off just trying to get the basics down and hit the ball straight, in the air, and just make solid contact. I do eventually want to increase my distance but without sacrificing my form, would a better idea for that to go to the gym and start building some muscle, while on the course just focusing on technique and consistency? 

[Chrisrotary12]

57 minutes ago, George001 said:

I’ll try #3 that seems like a good tip, something I struggle with is I try to sell out for power and hit the ball as hard as I can. When I do that the ball ends up only dribbling a 10-20 yards or it goes far, but in the woods. I have been trying to increase my distance on my swings because right now my 9 iron goes 130, 7 140, 5 150, ect which isn’t that far. I’ve been experimenting with my swing some to try and find something that will help me hit it farther, but haven’t had much luck yet. I feel like I would be better off just trying to get the basics down and hit the ball straight, in the air, and just make solid contact. I do eventually want to increase my distance but without sacrificing my form, would a better idea for that to go to the gym and start building some muscle, while on the course just focusing on technique and consistency? 

Worry about hitting it straight and 2 putting.

[OceanStWx]

5 minutes ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

Worry about hitting it straight and 2 putting.

I feel like this is a really important point too. So many people get wrapped up in the 1 putts, but on average the 50/50 make/miss distance for an amateur is 8 ft. Outside of that and you can't expect to make every one. So you're just trying to put a good roll on it and give it a chance but not making a dumb mistake like leaving it 6 ft short or long.

It's counterintuitive but once I stopped trying to make everything I started making more putts. 

[StormSurge]

I just started using the "heads up" putting technique (looking at the hole instead of the ball) and it has helped. Small sample size & I'm sure it's all psychological, but I'll take it.

[QCD17]

1 hour ago, George001 said:

I’ll try #3 that seems like a good tip, something I struggle with is I try to sell out for power and hit the ball as hard as I can. When I do that the ball ends up only dribbling a 10-20 yards or it goes far, but in the woods. I have been trying to increase my distance on my swings because right now my 9 iron goes 130, 7 140, 5 150, ect which isn’t that far. I’ve been experimenting with my swing some to try and find something that will help me hit it farther, but haven’t had much luck yet. I feel like I would be better off just trying to get the basics down and hit the ball straight, in the air, and just make solid contact. I do eventually want to increase my distance but without sacrificing my form, would a better idea for that to go to the gym and start building some muscle, while on the course just focusing on technique and consistency? 

Don't go chasing club head speed or thinking you need muscle to hit it far.  The biggest thing affecting distance and accuracy is how the club face hits the ball at impact.  The faster you swing, the quicker every part of your swing needs to get the club face into alignment at the moment of impact, which is harder to do.  HItting chip shots with all of your clubs, as was previously mentioned, will help to get a feel for what needs to happen to keep it straight.  I spent a whole summer "chipping" with my driver at the range to figure out how to keep it straight and then I just added more height to the backswing and speed.

Another tip...WHERE the club face is hitting the ball at impact is going to affect distance and ball flight.  So you need to understand that where the ball is located in your stance and how high/low you grip the club is going to affect where the club face is at impact.  I like to get a spray can of the powdered athlete's foot stuff and spray it on the club face.  It will leave a white powder on the face.  Then hit a ball and see where the mark is on the club face.  If it's not in the center, then figure out what you need to do to get it in the center at impact. Very helpful for the driver, too.  And it's always fun to get weird stares at the range from people when you start spraying your clubs.

[George001]

4 hours ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

Worry about hitting it straight and 2 putting.

I 4 and 5 put sometimes, my putting definitely needs work. 

[mreaves]

Glad to see Cantlay win today. I’m not sure I like the format for next week, starting the leader out at -10. 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

On 8/18/2021 at 3:43 PM, StormSurge said:

I just started using the "heads up" putting technique (looking at the hole instead of the ball) and it has helped. Small sample size & I'm sure it's all psychological, but I'll take it.

I use it but if I’m outside of 15ft or so I pick a spot before the hole instead. 

[StormSurge]

1 hour ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

I use it but if I’m outside of 15ft or so I pick a spot before the hole instead. 

That makes complete sense. I’ll work that in!

[Chrisrotary12]

17 hours ago, mreaves said:

Glad to see Cantlay win today. I’m not sure I like the format for next week, starting the leader out at -10. 

Eh....they're trying to reward the player who's had the best season, but also make it so that anyone can win. 

[nyrangers1022]

Someone's fired.   An 8 iron set was listed for $149.   For the hell of it I ordered them for that price.  I got emailed a confirmation and receipt. But highly doubt they will ship it.  I'm sure they will offer a refund instead lmao

[nyrangers1022]

After this crossed our path,  I didn't hit one quality shot if my back was turned to the woods or water, even if there was plenty of room behind me lmao

[DavisStraight]

26 minutes ago, nyrangers1022 said:

After this crossed our path,  I didn't hit one quality shot if my back was turned to the woods or water, even if there was plenty of room behind me lmao

Hit my ball near one of those in Myrtle Beach, it was a new Pro V1 but I let him have it and dropped.

[nyrangers1022]

4 hours ago, DavisStraight said:

Hit my ball near one of those in Myrtle Beach, it was a new Pro V1 but I let him have it and dropped.

Those balls always wind up in the water 

[nyrangers1022]

How long has everyone been playing?  This is my 3rd full season.  I do not have a handicap.  But am averaging scores between 90-95.  With occasional high 80s and lowest 86 a few times.  Of course there are crap days where I'm in the 100s.   To me I dont think its bad at all, using off the rack irons, not fitted, and no lessons.  And my natural drive off the tee is a draw that's around 240-275 yards

[DavisStraight]

2 hours ago, nyrangers1022 said:

How long has everyone been playing?  This is my 3rd full season.  I do not have a handicap.  But am averaging scores between 90-95.  With occasional high 80s and lowest 86 a few times.  Of course there are crap days where I'm in the 100s.   To me I dont think its bad at all, using off the rack irons, not fitted, and no lessons.  And my natural drive off the tee is a draw that's around 240-275 yards

That's very good, some depends on the course you play some easier than others but overall very good.

[OceanStWx]

On 9/12/2021 at 4:28 PM, DavisStraight said:

That's very good, some depends on the course you play some easier than others but overall very good.

Yeah I seriously took up the game in 2008 when I got my first "real" job and could afford clubs. The immediate impact of playing semi-regularly was being able to break 100 within the year, but it took my 4 years before I broke 90 and not until the end of my 5th and really 6th seasons when I was consistently between 80-89. 8 years to crack 80.

Two kids later and we grind into the low 90s.

[mreaves]

2 hours ago, OceanStWx said:

Yeah I seriously took up the game in 2008 when I got my first "real" job and could afford clubs. The immediate impact of playing semi-regularly was being able to break 100 within the year, but it took my 4 years before I broke 90 and not until the end of my 5th and really 6th seasons when I was consistently between 80-89. 8 years to crack 80.

Two kids later and we grind into the low 90s.

For the first few months of this season, I "only" played once a week instead of my usual 3 times and I have not been able to get into any semblance of a rhythm.  Since the end of August I've been able to play more and my scores are finally getting back to the low 40's(most of my rounds are 9 holes).  I guess I need consistency to even be mediocre.  

[powderfreak]

Almost pulled off a hole in one this evening.  140 yard 8-iron.  The guys on the next tee box said it looked to lip out, slight change of direction passing the cup.

Looked dead on like it was going in from the tee.