First time playing on a golf course this weekend

[Jaff]

Hi all...

After a few weeks of practicing on the golf range and reading the tips on this forum, I ventured onto a golf coarse for the first time this weekend (9 hole, Par3, Fairlop Waters, London), a total of 1167 yds.

I intended to focus on tee-to-green shots and probably played a bit too hurriedly (especially on the green) as i was conscious of (probably too conscious of) other players/groups coming up behind me.

If you'll allow me to indulge myself, here's a rough overview of the tee-to-green shots:-

1ST HOLE (129 YDS): SW off tee reaching 104 yds; 60° wedge to green
2ND (90 YDS): SW high into heart of green... my best shot of the day!
3RD (215 YDS): Hybrid 4 sliced into river! Played another, hit it fat! I'll stick to 6i next time
4TH (112 YDS): SW got me to within 20 yds of flag
5TH (160 YDS): 8i reached 130 yds; 60° wedge just over back of green
6TH (103 YDS): Poor SW reached 85 yds, still on fairway; 60° wedge to green
7TH (137 YDS): PW reached 119 yds into rough; two shots to green
8TH (125 YDS): PW reached 100 yds into semi-rough; 60° wedge to green
9TH (96 YDS): SW pin-high but into bunker; SW out

All in all i was reasonably pleased with myself. Hopefully i can work on taking more time over my shots next time.

Thanks for reading this.

 

[madandra]

The thing that smacks me in the face is that your clubbing is all wrong. On the 1st you hit an SW when even a scratch golfer would have played PW or a wee 9.

3RD (215 YDS): Hybrid 4 sliced into river! Played another, hit it fat! I'll stick to 6i next time

215yds with a 6 iron is assault. Try and swing within yourself. I bet the shot of your round with a 6 iron WOULD hit the heart of the green but lets be honest ... How often do we hit the shot of our round? 90/1 .. thats the odds and you wouldn't put your last £ on that horse would you?


Well done on doing the 9 holes but what you need to do NOW is get 50 balls and a big bit of grass somewhere and hit 20 SW's and forget the 5 best and 5 worst as this will give you an average for that club. WRITE IT DOWN !!!! Do this thru the bag and you will knock 7 shots off your next round.

 

[brendy]

Why were you using sand wedges and pitching wedges for 130 yard shots after hitting an 8i 130?
Forget about 130yd pws either altogether or at least until you know how far you can hit them consistantly. Sounds like you had a fun time! Yesterday I was hitting 150 yd 5 irons and 160 yd 8 irons but not as a matter of "look at me" more to do with the necessities of the shot, the 5 irom was into the wind with little room for error so the 5 iron was a lower trajectory shot that I could ease up on a litle and not worry about a 8/7 iron ballooning. then the 160yd 8 iron was a high shot into a small green with a crosswind.
Moral of the story is hit what you need to hit, not what you can hit the hardest.

 

[madandra]

As you can see I play off 11 and I am sure better players than me would struggle with a 60° wedge. The most I use is 56 due to the fact there is eff all tall enough to warrant a slash with a chunky fish slice on a shaft. I have owned one in the past but every time I used it I dug out a Celtic scarf from the fairway much to the greenkeepers annoyance. I vowed never to be lured into the landscape gardening side of golf again.

 

[Junior]

Nice one mate, one thing you forget to mention is how your putting was?? This is the aspect of the game that will save you the most shots.

The posters above are right. Work out how far you hit each club, and unless there is OOB at the back of the green take 1 club more on each shot.

 

[brendy]

lol mandara, I have a mizuno 60 but it really is a "time and place" club, Its got virtually no bounce (4 degrees iirc) and is great for wet compacted bunkers and the occasional shot where no other club will do (left handed upturned face or max lift in minimum space sound familiar???). Otherwise its time to think what shot will get you there in the least fuss, clear run at the green from 70 yards does not mean sw as your distance has to be perfect, if its short its never going to bounce up to the flag where a well judged 7,8 or 9 iron will give you a bit more bounce and roll should you come up short with your carry.

 

[Jaff]

Thanks guys, for the input. I agree that I got my club choices a bit mixed up... beginner's nerves I guess. I'll take your advice on board.

On the range I comfortably average 130yds with the 8i, 100 yds with the PW and 85 yds with SW. I suppose i didn't always keep this in mind out on the course.

I played the SW and PW from the grass, without using a tee. The SW yardage on the 1st hole seems a bit long... it was probably nearer 90 yds.

I quite enjoy using the 60° wedge... at the range I often practice dropping the ball into a bunker 40-50yds away with good success. I need to build up my set of clubs; I don't have a 9i and neglected to take my 7i and 6i out with me.

Thanks too for the tip about trying "1 club more on each shot" and a "well judged 7, 8 or 9 iron" in place of a SW etc.

By the way, I was using Donnay International titanium golf balls.

 

[brendy]

Another tip, all free too!!!
From bunkers, if you have more than 30 yards to the green, ie a fairway bunker or just a rogue one thats well back, dont be scared to try using the pitching wedge and 9 iron as it takes less effort to hit 50 yards etc than a sandwedge would, unless of course, there is a huge lip to the bunker. Sandwedges really should only bne used when you have no other option as they are unpredictable coming out of the sand and if you get any sort of spin from sand/tight lie then itll not continue to a stop in a straight line.

 

[HTL]

"I quite enjoy using the 60° wedge... at the range I often practice dropping the ball into a bunker 40-50yds away with good success"

Exactly what i do with my 64 degree wedge, also quite handy to use in bunkers with lips like Mick Jagger.
Do not understand why more people don't carry a 60 degree wedge around, excellent spin on greens and easy to do.

 

[Lloydy84]

The highest loft i use is 56, in answer to your question htl, it's probably because, like me, people will open the face of their 56 and play a flop shot if the occasion arises that they need mayor loft and spin.

 

[viscount17]

I succumbed to the lure of the 64, simply because I hadn't learned to get a SW up quickly enough.
The 64 is now in cupboard. I could loft it, but usually far too short.

The other question is, of course, if you carry a 64 what do you leave out?

 

[clubchamp07]

I love using my 60 wedge But i will never try and hit a full shot with it. I only use it to get over a tight bunker with the pin tucked close behind it.
I know where Brendy is coming from and he like me loves to make shots.
there is nothing better than to stand up on a par 3 with a 5 or 6 iron in ur hand and ur playing mates hitting 9's or wedges I love trying to make shots, thats the thing that excites me about golf.
I also have a 56 and sometimes I hit it fat and move it 20 yards of other times I rib it and the fucker runs forever. These wedges are very hard to control unless u know what ur doing with them.
I'm off out soon for a round, I'm looking forward to it because I played rubbish at the weekend.

 

[madandra]

I love using my 60 wedge But i will never try and hit a full shot with it.

I agree CC .... BUT you are off of 2. Would you have used it if it was say ... 22?

I use mine from course to course and have left it in the boot more often than not this year. I think a 'newbie' should try and master a 54 or 56 THEN have a pop with the 60.

 

[BunkerMentality123]

I carry both a 56 and 60 degree wedge, and really like both of them. My 56 is what I use for anything around the 85yd mark, any thing more and I try to conjure something up with my PW (although not always successfully, but you can't fault me for trying!)

The 60 degree is great for quickly getting the ball in the air around the green and stops really well but I could count on one hand the number of times it comes out of the bag in a round.

Keep up the good work, and well done for getting out on the course, pretty soon you too will be hooked by all things golf.

 

[brendy]

the 60 degree and higher wedges are escape tools, not golf clubs in my eyes. they are like carrying a left handed 9 iron in your bag, you are only going to use them when you are totally stuck and a penalty drop isnt a 100% necessary option.

 

[madandra]

I agree but Jaff used his on 4 of his 9 holes. For a beginner I think it would be more efficient if he had a 54-56.

Let me ask you this guys;

You are 40 yds short of the green with no trouble in front of you and the pin 2/3rds on ..... what do you hit?

I would opt for my 48' wedge and pop it onto the front edge so it will check up and release. I see so many people flying a 60-64 wedge miles in the air for no reason at all and if fluffed it goes downtown. Use it if you need to carry something but only then should it see the light of day.

I here endeth my sermon on lob wedges (the devils spawn)

 

[BunkerMentality123]

I'd probably hit a little 7 or 8 iron and run it in actually. If there's no trouble in front a little chip and run is always favourite with me.

Any magazine article will tell you the more times yr playing flop shops and flying the ball in the more chance you have of cocking it up.

 

[brendy]

I'd probably hit a little 7 or 8 iron and run it in actually. If there's no trouble in front a little chip and run is always favourite with me.

Any magazine article will tell you the more times yr playing flop shops and flying the ball in the more chance you have of cocking it up.

Exactly my sentiments, most pro golfers will agree that you keep the ball in the air as little as possible when around the greens.

 

[HTL]

Running a 7 - 8 iron up is safer, but playing a flop shot and trying to spin the ball back is so much more fun
A 64 degree wedge is also excellent for golf keep ups, when bored waiting for people to clear the green or the Mrs has Eastenders on etc.
At the moment i got a 54 and 64 degree wedge in the bag, often also use my PW to run the ball up and will continue to do so when the mood takes me, i get bored playing the same shot over and over.

 

[John_Findlay]

I used to own (and sometimes carry) FIVE wedges!

The 47 degree one that came with my set, and 52, 56, 60 and 64 degree ones. Blame Dave Pelz!

I'm down to 3 now:- 47, 54 and 58. That's plenty. The others went on e-bay and I now have room in the bag for my 5 wood, 2 and 3 irons again.

Rarely even use the 58 degree wedge, except from bunkers or to get over them and the short game is improving for it.

I never take a full swing with my 58 degree wedge. Even decent golfers are gonna skull them 80 yards over a green sometimes when playing 60 yard shots. As Madandra says, just bump a 7,8,9 or wedge onto the green. You're not gonna "overclub" by 80 yards.

If I need to play a 90 yarder which stops quickly then it's a punched 47 degree wedge back in the stance nowadays. Comes in low, straight and stops in two bounces, even on links greens. Used to be scared stiff of these shots with the loftier clubs in my hand.