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Post by elementz on Mar 16, 2012 14:20:09 GMT -4
Sound like me...best 97....worst 114....I didn't keep track but my avg was probably 106ish...heck....played a round at one course and shot a 111....went back two weeks later and shot that 97...go figure Hoping to put in more practice and play more rounds this season...I have a few new things to try out. If you are scoring up in that range then it is likely just a lot of dumb shots (high risk-small reward) that you play through the run of a game. It is pretty easy to minimize those dumb shots by playing a little more conservative ... lay up to the water instead of trying to fly it ... hit an iron on your second shot on the par fives instead of fairway wood to keep the ball in the fairway ... chip the ball out of the woods and into the fairway instead of trying to go direct to the green. Most high handicappers simply swing too hard at the ball ... they overflex the club and don't come through square at the ball because of it. Slow your swing down ... swing a little easier ... but make a full swing with a good follow through. A trick a pro told me to do when I was younger and swinging too hard ... play a few rounds in your sneakers ... no spikes ... and you'll tend to swing a little easier for fear of slipping. It worked for me. Dropped my handicap from 13 to 8 by just slowing my swing. Practicing your short game a little goes a long way too. I felt that my course management went pretty well last year. The 2 years prior to that, I was trying to be the hero and play those high risk high reward shots that I see the pros do on tv...that doesn't work for me. My short game is actually pretty good (wedges)....anything 100 yards and in (especially 50 yards) and I am really confident in my shot (can't tuck it in close but usually on the green at least)...but my putting has let me down a lot...something I really worked on in my basement this year. I don't tend to use my driver as I have a wicked slice so it's either a 3w/5w off the tee. I can be pretty accurate but my distance is poor....probably 200-220 on a really good day....same as my irons, can't hit them as long as I like...so usually on a mid-length par 4...it takes me about 4 shots just to get on the green then throw in a 2 putt and I am writing down a double. Just like any other hacker, I have my good (95-99), average (100-107) and bad 108+...pretty inconsistant and depends on the course that I play. A lot of it is mental for me as well....I don't throw my clubs in the lake or bend my 7i against a tree but I can't let a bad shot go and it will carry over to my next shot. One of my many goals this year is to focus on my current shot. Although I haven't played a lot, I love the game even after a bad round...having fun, enjoying nature, getting some exercise with my buds is what it's all about....but of course I am looking forward to that day when it just clicks....hopefully this year.
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Post by jimmy on Mar 16, 2012 14:36:17 GMT -4
If you are scoring up in that range then it is likely just a lot of dumb shots (high risk-small reward) that you play through the run of a game. It is pretty easy to minimize those dumb shots by playing a little more conservative ... lay up to the water instead of trying to fly it ... hit an iron on your second shot on the par fives instead of fairway wood to keep the ball in the fairway ... chip the ball out of the woods and into the fairway instead of trying to go direct to the green. Most high handicappers simply swing too hard at the ball ... they overflex the club and don't come through square at the ball because of it. Slow your swing down ... swing a little easier ... but make a full swing with a good follow through. BORING! Nobody talks about the great layup they had on that par 4... they talk about that time they drove the green on that par 4 But do they mention that they were hitting 5 off the tee after losing their first two attempts OB?
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Post by catnut on Mar 16, 2012 14:39:56 GMT -4
So that's what's Tiger's problem. Steve, give him a call!
One of my problems is club selection. I have what I call the fear of overshooting the green. More than half the time, I will leave it short of the green by about 10-15 feet and with a bad chip shot, it doesn't take long to hit a double or triple bogey.
I'm like Elementz, I still enjoy the game even with all the frustrations, the worse one being losing balls just on the side of the fairway.
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Post by bois on Mar 16, 2012 14:44:38 GMT -4
I used to get very angry when a round would go sideways... almost never happens now
I love the game too much to care too much about the final result anymore..... getting out of the house a couple times a week for 5 hours and a few brews and alotta laughs..... that's what it's all about now
tho I would love to someday have that round of your life once again..... but i've broken 70..... shot par in tournaments.. got a hole in one..... as a recreational golfer it's unrealistic to expect much more than that in your golf life
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Post by CrazyJoeDavola on Mar 16, 2012 14:44:41 GMT -4
So that's what's Tiger's problem. Steve, give him a call! One of my problems is club selection. I have what I call the fear of overshooting the green. More than half the time, I will leave it short of the green by about 10-15 feet and with a bad chip shot, it doesn't take long to hit a double or triple bogey. I'm like Elementz, I still enjoy the game even with all the frustrations, the worse one being losing balls just on the side of the fairway. lol I have stood in many open grassy areas, cursing about how I could lose a ball that went right into this wide open area. Its not fair. I understand the giant slice off the tee - RIP ball. But those ones where you just miss, hurt the most lol.
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Post by catnut on Mar 16, 2012 15:09:04 GMT -4
I really enjoy those great shots like driving the green on 310 yard par 4 (missed the eagle by inches) uphill and against the wind ... I mean downhill and with the wind.
But I will always remember more the funny shots I made, especially the first years I played in Pokemouche.
Like the time I hit the only tree in the middle of the fairway head on from 10-15 yards. I know it was head on because I had to dive to avoid being decked by my own ball. My next shot was about 100 yards further than that one from the hole.
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Post by SteveUL on Mar 16, 2012 15:56:29 GMT -4
I used to get very angry when a round would go sideways... almost never happens now I love the game too much to care too much about the final result anymore..... getting out of the house a couple times a week for 5 hours and a few brews and alotta laughs..... that's what it's all about now tho I would love to someday have that round of your life once again..... but i've broken 70..... shot par in tournaments.. got a hole in one..... as a recreational golfer it's unrealistic to expect much more than that in your golf life I was -2 on the 18th tee once ... choked with a double ... nothing but bad thoughts in my head on that hole ... still have never broken par. I have two aces ... one was in a club tournament that cost me about $180 ... but we won the tourny (me and my Father). My greatest moment was playing in the 2nd to last group on Sunday in the Parsboro Open ... paired with Jim Baxter ... also doubled the final hole that day too (choked ... counting my score on the 18th tee again) ... but played very well in amongst the pros and in heavy rain. I don't play much anymore ... I find it too consuming ... too addictive. I'd be out there everyday playing and/or practicing ... and that takes away from work/family and other parts of life. When I go out now I struggle to break 90 ... and I find it frustrating knowing that I can play so much better than I do. I just get out for industry scrambles now ... swing hard at a few ... drink some beer ... have a steak.
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Post by CrazyJoeDavola on Mar 16, 2012 18:39:06 GMT -4
Golf is funny because I`ve heard it alot, and seen it mentioned a couple times in this thread now - that people don`t play it as much because they simply can`t play ENOUGH to be as good as they expect. Many people who played alot maybe a decade ago and were peaking, find it frustrating to play casually. It`s a game that needs a lot of time and money to get really good at. For me, I will probably never have a "peak" lol so I enjoy the casual aspect of it - exercise, friends, sun - and hitting those few great shots that keep you coming back for more.
But if I had the money and time (ie rich or retired lol) I would probably golf alot. Its just not practical at this point in life.
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Post by Penguins23® on Mar 18, 2012 21:44:26 GMT -4
Unfortunately we won't be able to find a time and place that will be great for everyone so not everyone interested will be able to attend so we'll just aim to please as many people as we can.
As much as I love PEI's golf courses, the Truro idea is a good one. Close for most people here they don't charge you 40 bucks for wanting to leave Nova Scotia.
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Post by Porkchop on Mar 19, 2012 18:19:50 GMT -4
I don't have the same itch I did last year, but I'm still looking forward to it. Being my 3rd year golfing, my goal for this year is to consistently get in the low 90's and 80's. Last year I started horrible, then settled down, and shot a personal best 81 at one point, but had trouble getting even close to that again. Made some adjustments late last year, and looking forward to getting back out there again. start slow, and leave your big clubs at home, when you go practice. I start on the range each spring with a 56* wedge and hit about 1500 balls with that, before I even go to another club. That is the club I use from about 110 yards and in. Once you get that one working the way you want, then move up to the next one, leaving the long ones to the last. I have played in the mid to high 60's plenty in the last few years, averaging around par, with bad rounds in the high 70's.(had a couple horrible touraments in there, but we won't talk about that..lol) handicap hovers between 0 and 3 depending on the time of year........I was a career 5 or 6 handi, until I learned that the short game is where it's at. Even during the season, when I go to the range to practice, I will hit a full large bucket with my wedge, then use a second bucket on the rest of the bag. practice practice practice........I'd say if you don't have time to practice much, when you do, work on the short game.
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Post by Porkchop on Mar 19, 2012 18:23:10 GMT -4
If you are scoring up in that range then it is likely just a lot of dumb shots (high risk-small reward) that you play through the run of a game. It is pretty easy to minimize those dumb shots by playing a little more conservative ... lay up to the water instead of trying to fly it ... hit an iron on your second shot on the par fives instead of fairway wood to keep the ball in the fairway ... chip the ball out of the woods and into the fairway instead of trying to go direct to the green. Most high handicappers simply swing too hard at the ball ... they overflex the club and don't come through square at the ball because of it. Slow your swing down ... swing a little easier ... but make a full swing with a good follow through. BORING! Nobody talks about the great layup they had on that par 4... they talk about that time they drove the green on that par 4 they will talk about the 68 on the scorecard, more than the 86 though. Short game!!
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Post by Porkchop on Mar 19, 2012 18:30:41 GMT -4
So that's what's Tiger's problem. Steve, give him a call! One of my problems is club selection. I have what I call the fear of overshooting the green. More than half the time, I will leave it short of the green by about 10-15 feet and with a bad chip shot, it doesn't take long to hit a double or triple bogey. I'm like Elementz, I still enjoy the game even with all the frustrations, the worse one being losing balls just on the side of the fairway. Phil Mickelson had some great advice on club selection. He mentioned that a problem most amateurs have is not being able to get pin high on most shots and coming up short. His advice for fixing that was, select the club that when you know you hit it perfect, will put you on the back fringe. Then he said, how often do we actually hit it perfect...lol. Most times that shot will end up in the center of the green.....and if you do hit it perfect, all you got is a chip shot from the back fringe.
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Post by Penguins23® on Mar 19, 2012 21:36:01 GMT -4
I was wondering how long it would take for the QMJHL Maritimes Division club pro to make an appearance to this thread. Welcome to the 2012 Golf Thread Porkchop!
I heard a rumor that my course was opening tomorrow. I might have to try and sneak in a 9 after work sometime this week!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2012 22:01:39 GMT -4
Has this course been brought up yet? cabotlinks.com/I hear Cabot is gonna be a beauty. Opens close to Canada day (18 holes) Can't for the Bell Bay, Highland, Cabot swing I expect to make this year! Good golf all around
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Post by elementz on Mar 19, 2012 22:11:55 GMT -4
I was wondering how long it would take for the QMJHL Maritimes Division club pro to make an appearance to this thread. Welcome to the 2012 Golf Thread Porkchop! I heard a rumor that my course was opening tomorrow. I might have to try and sneak in a 9 after work sometime this week! Damn, I might have to do the same...
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