Forget shot shaping

[Sweep]

There is no substitute for straight! Having watched the LPGA last night and Imbee Park knock it round with an awful swing but bullet straight - and I mean straight - I am convinced this is true. It was like a procession. Every drive was 250 yards down the middle. When I say middle, they were exactly in the centre of the fairway. Next shot dead straight into the middle of the green and can she putt!!! I think she missed 2 GIR all day. Utterly boring golf, but would I like to be bored playing golf like that! I have to say, the course looked pretty easy and I would like to see her do that round my track with uneven lies and undulating greens, but the other girls couldn't match her.

 

[dufferman]

As a high handicapper, I have always thought like this. Playing the courses I play, which aren't exactly Augusta standard, means that as long as you can hit the ball straight, you can play to par (not that I do that). I really believe that shot shaping is for the top 1% on the top tours... or those on their way there.

 

[FairwayDodger]

As a high handicapper, I have always thought like this. Playing the courses I play, which aren't exactly Augusta standard, means that as long as you can hit the ball straight, you can play to par (not that I do that). I really believe that shot shaping is for the top 1% on the top tours... or those on their way there.

Medal on Saturday, 15th hole, I hit a drive straight down the middle. Fairway slopes left though so you really need to pitch on the right side. My ball kicked left and ended up in the first cut of rough but totally blocked out from the green by a large tree. Seven iron would go over the tree but not reach the green. Choice was chip out to the fairway and leave a wedge to the green or bend one round the tree. I hit a great draw with 5 iron and ended up making birdie... Plus the best memory of a pretty poor round!

It's useful to be able to shape shots even if we'd rather not have to!

 

[rickg]

It's useful to be able to shape shots even if we'd rather not have to!

+1 :thup:

 

[dufferman]

Medal on Saturday, 15th hole, I hit a drive straight down the middle. Fairway slopes left though so you really need to pitch on the right side. My ball kicked left and ended up in the first cut of rough but totally blocked out from the green by a large tree. Seven iron would go over the tree but not reach the green. Choice was chip out to the fairway and leave a wedge to the green or bend one round the tree. I hit a great draw with 5 iron and ended up making birdie... Plus the best memory of a pretty poor round!

It's useful to be able to shape shots even if we'd rather not have to!

I agree with you - but for 'par' golf, if you can hit it straight, then you're very likely to be able to get round the course on par! Also, hitting it straight, to me, means if you need to be on the right hand side of the fairway, you hit it straight and aim right...

 

[Lump]

The ladies games are all about accuracy. They don't have the length so put an absolute premium on hitting fairways and greens.
I watched it friday/saturday. Jodi ewart Stadoff was hitting everything down the middle and just as long as a very good club golfer. Very impressive to watch. I love watching the ladies play, effortless swings in mini skirts... whats there to complain about.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

There is no substitute for straight! Having watched the LPGA last night and Imbee Park knock it round with an awful swing but bullet straight - and I mean straight - I am convinced this is true. It was like a procession. Every drive was 250 yards down the middle. When I say middle, they were exactly in the centre of the fairway. Next shot dead straight into the middle of the green and can she putt!!! I think she missed 2 GIR all day. Utterly boring golf, but would I like to be bored playing golf like that! I have to say, the course looked pretty easy and I would like to see her do that round my track with uneven lies and undulating greens, but the other girls couldn't match her.

Shot shaping is lost on 99.9% of club golfers IMHO. Until you can get to a point where you can hit a consistent shot time after time after time, there is absolutly no point trying to work the ball this way and that.

The pros will work the ball left or right depending on various factors because they are trying to get the ball either on the right part of the fairway or close to the pin. For most of us, that is way beyond our level or requirements.

Personally I'm very one dimensional, I have a shot which is on the whole pretty stright and I go round the course playing to that shot. I hear a lot of people talking about "seeing the shot" they want to play but I look at it from the perspective of my stock shot. If, for example, I can't get to the right of a green for some reason because that's not the way my shot flies, I'll go for the left. If I need to hit a fade with my driver to keep it from running through the fairway, I'll hit 3W. 99 times out of 100 you are better off playing the shot you know you can play than one you are hoping to play.

Very occasionally I will try to hit a fade or a draw but only if the result if I get it wrong doesn't land me in too much trouble. For example, if I'm too far right on our 14th and need to hit a fade to get to the green, I might give it a go as I know if I don't get the fade, I'm no worse off than if I layed up. Give me the same shot on the 7th where not getting the fade puts me in a hazard, I'm reverting to type and playing my usual game.

Lets face it, most of us can shape the shot both ways, we just don't know which way any given shot is going, so what makes us think we can shape the right shot when it's needed? Playing within your ability is the best way to play.

 

[bluewolf]

Don't think i've ever hit a "straight" shot. The trick is to know which way its going to move and play with it, or learn to hit it both ways... Unless you're one of those golfer who plays with a 50 yard fade and has to drive it 250 yards to carry 200.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Shaping shots is great...it's very useful, as fairway Dodger suggests, for fighting winds/slopes etc, and it's fun to try. Get on the range and practice hitting shots around imaginary trees in different directions and at different heights. If you can keep doing it you may find it helps when on the course.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Shaping shots is great...it's very useful, as fairway Dodger suggests, for fighting winds/slopes etc, and it's fun to try. Get on the range and practice hitting shots around imaginary trees in different directions and at different heights. If you can keep doing it you may find it helps when on the course.

Fun maybe but I'd suggest time at the range for most club golfers is better spent learning a consistent shot

 

[patricks148]

I don't think you have to be able to shape the ball but around some courses its very helpful, esp Links.

Mind you, i'm struggling to shape anything at the moment with my new game improvement irons, they just want to go staight

 

[garyinderry]

hitting it straight is alot easier said than done. im pretty sure i can work a ball both ways when required with irons. thats no really a problem. hitting it straight is something i struggle with.

to move the ball either way ive prob adopted a load of swing faults to allow me to do this. the thing is, i know what shot shape these faults give me!

 

[Val]

My preference would be to be able to hit a consistant straight shot with no shape, playing at Machrihanish yesterday with my natural shape being a cut a left to right cross wind was a nightmare on the back 9.

 

[Neddy]

For me shot shaping is only relevant for very good amateurs and pros.

I want to hit the ball solid repeatably. If it goes straight, draws 5 yards or fades 5 yards i'm really not bothered. As long as it gets me where i want to be....which is fairways and greens.

 

[patricks148]

My preference would be to be able to hit a consistant straight shot with no shape, playing at Machrihanish yesterday with my natural shape being a cut a left to right cross wind was a nightmare on the back 9.

Thats not a cut dear boy, thats called a slice

 

[Val]

Thats not a cut dear boy, thats called a slice

Call it what you like, it is what it is

 

[garyinderry]

For me shot shaping is only relevant for very good amateurs and pros.

QUOTE]


completely disagree! how do you think that guys with mid to low handicaps scramble pars and bogeys when they put themselves out of positon off the tee. most are able in some way to hit punchy low hooks or high fades to get themselves back somewhere near the green.

 

[timchump]

agree with a lot of other on this thread, to be able to shape a shot is for low handicappers and pro's

i can hook and slice it on command but for example to specifically hit a 15-25 yard fade from 180 yards out into a green is beyond my skill level, probably wouldn't stop me trying though

 

[Neddy]

For me shot shaping is only relevant for very good amateurs and pros.

QUOTE]


completely disagree! how do you think that guys with mid to low handicaps scramble pars and bogeys when they put themselves out of positon off the tee. most are able in some way to hit punchy low hooks or high fades to get themselves back somewhere near the green.

First of all by very good amateurs i meant single figure handicappers and above.

My attitude is very simple. Learn to strike the ball cleanly and accurately on a consistent basis. THEN worry about drawing/fading on command.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

For me shot shaping is only relevant for very good amateurs and pros.

QUOTE]


completely disagree! how do you think that guys with mid to low handicaps scramble pars and bogeys when they put themselves out of positon off the tee. most are able in some way to hit punchy low hooks or high fades to get themselves back somewhere near the green.

I wouldn't bet on that. I'd say most will try, but I'd put money on the fact they fail more often than they succeed. My way of scrambling pars and bogeys is by getting the ball as close to the green as I can with my normal shot and playing from there.

Sometimes getting to the fairway involves bunting one under some branches with my 5W but I don't consider that shot shaping.