Forget the power!

[dankiz]

Watching Zach Johnson craft his way to the Open victory, it really made me start to think seriously about my game! I am not a fast swinger by any means, 88-93mph, but I have still got swayed by the manufacturers boasts that distance matters at all costs. It kind of seems like a macho thing these days! I can't afford top branded clubs though so have stuck to my Adams A12 os set and my MD Icon 3 wood. My iron play isn't too bad although I am prone to the odd pull left and my tee shots suffer a slice if I really go for it! I play off 22 but can pop together a reasonable score if all the cogs are whirring on the same day. I can only play once every 2 months however, so rarely see improvement.
Anyway, I played Paultons in Hampshire yesterday and deliberately aimed to pair everything down to the basics. I played a half to 3/4 swing, almost like a mini punch on all shots up to 80 yards or so where I used my normal pitching technique, trying to keep ball in play. Not only did I keep ball in play, I actually found that I was getting very similar distances with roll than if I was trying to belt the ball, purely with good timing.

The end result was:

85 - my best round for 3 years
44 points off 22 or 40 off 18 which I normally play off for ease (not competition)
30 putts

I haven't enjoyed a round so much in ages and it was amazing to stay out of the trees and thick stuff and to constantly have a shot! I know course management is important, but I feel like I learnt something yesterday, I will never hit 300 yard drives, nor do I want to! I want to enjoy the game and with this new tempered technique think I will do!

 

[sawtooth]

I couldn't agree more. I learnt a while ago that a short compact swing is more consistent than a long one looking too eek maximum power. Easier to control and generally more accurate with it too.

As for driving, if the course can take it ie it has a fair amount of forgiveness , then I do try to go long as possible. Its a calculated risk.

With that said I played the Army course last week and its tighter than my old track. (Lovely course btw) Consequently I took 3 W instead of driver on all but a couple of tees.

I still lost a ball but it probably would have been a few more if I used the driver more often. Sometimes you just have to use your loaf and plot your way around.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's all about timing

The power is generated from the swing speed but the path of the ball will come from the path of the club and the rythmn and timing of the swing

Hitting the ball further of the tee is a very good start - it gives you a shorter club into the green which helps the scoring. But keeping the ball in play is the main thing

 

[turkish]

What do you do when you have a 170-180 yard 2nd shot to the green on a par 4? Just try and keep it in play and play short of it? Right now my short game is atrocious so that would probably see me walk away with a 6 and sometimes a 5 but never a par

 

[dankiz]

What do you do when you have a 170-180 yard 2nd shot to the green on a par 4? Just try and keep it in play and play short of it? Right now my short game is atrocious so that would probably see me walk away with a 6 and sometimes a 5 but never a par

Yesterday, I took one more club, ie my 4 hybrid iron as opposed to my 5 and played with the same smooth swing! Actually got close, and played a soft 8 iron chip into green! My short game isn't good either but I tried to keep it simple! I would love to play the deliciously high wedge into green stopping it dead but I don't have that shot in my bag! keeping it simple from now on

 

[woody69]

What do you do when you have a 170-180 yard 2nd shot to the green on a par 4? Just try and keep it in play and play short of it? Right now my short game is atrocious so that would probably see me walk away with a 6 and sometimes a 5 but never a par

Depends on many factors of course, but I'd probably reach for my 5 iron knowing I'm likely to come up short (unless I catch it absolutely flush, which is about a 1 in 20 shot) and leave a short bump and run / pitch up on to the green hoping for a par or bogey at worst 2 putt. Doesn't always happen of course and there is the occasional 3 putt or very bad 5 iron but it's more likely to be a good result than my 4 hybrid. Saying that, if I'm hitting the hybrid well I'll take that instead.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

John Jacobs would say that (for most of us amateurs) you hit the ball further by hitting it better.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

John Jacobs would say that (for most of us amateurs) you hit the ball further by hitting it better.

And he would be right!

Average distance hit by amateurs is a lot lower than our sunday best primarily due to the proportion of duffed shots. Reduce the number of duffs and increase the average even if our longest drives might be 10 - 15 yards shorter than if we try and give it everything we've got in the tank.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm going out in half an hour. I will deliberately try to follow this.

 

[luke123]

I played 9 holes late last night and only used my irons and had a fantastic round I found it improved all of my game because my mind seemed to be in a better place my chipping and putting definitely improved from keeping the ball in play on the fairway and not always chasing my tale so to speak

 

[Beezerk]

John Jacobs would say that (for most of us amateurs) you hit the ball further by hitting it better.

Definitely, I've made a huge effort recently to slow down and incredibly my drives seem to have gained a bit of length, not to mention it keeps it on the fairway. Irons as well, I've lost count of the amount of times recently I've creamed a "steady 9 iron" through the back of the green when generally the distance for this club is just short of the green. Weird.

 

[bladeplayer]

And he would be right!

Average distance hit by amateurs is a lot lower than our sunday best primarily due to the proportion of duffed shots. Reduce the number of duffs and increase the average even if our longest drives might be 10 - 15 yards shorter than if we try and give it everything we've got in the tank.

Dont forget average drives per pro are over 2 holes per round not all par4/ par5 aswell ..

1. www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.101.html
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   The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite ...
   
   
   

 

[duncan mackie]

Dont forget average drives per pro are over 2 holes per round not all par4/ par5 aswell ..

1. www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.101.html
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   The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite ...
   
   
   

And unfortunately it's generally accepted that even this methodology doesn't really reflect what they set out for because the biggest hitters simply don't need to go for out and out distance even on these carefully selected holes!

The shorter hitters may go at it a little more but the big boys will focus on an appropriate target.

In this context gong for it isn't about a thrash - they can all hit it consistently in terms of their distances.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Dont forget average drives per pro are over 2 holes per round not all par4/ par5 aswell ..

1. www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.101.html
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   The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite ...
   
   
   

I didn't realise that, however, I don't think it would meaningfully impact the comparison.

i.e. an amateur is as likely to duff it on the two holes that are being used to calculate the average as they are on any other hole.

Over the course of the season this would still be enough data for a meaningful comparison.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been working hard on a smoother takeaway and slowing the tempo down. The first leads to an improvement in the other and was the subject of my lesson last week. Starting to come and amazing how the distance (and dispersion) improves with fewer moving parts and less effort. Sadly on the course old habits are proving hard to kill and last night I was too quick and snatchy with the hands and played crap. Less is definitely more

 

[t0m]

If I'm on the range or practice my stroke is so far different to a round of golf it could be mistaken for another person

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Well, I had my 9 holes yesterday and deliberately swung softly and kept the swing short and smooth. I played the same ball all 9 holes, a rare event on my course, and was straight over and over again. I may have been 5yds shorter than normal but that was insignificant compared to being straight all of the time.

The trick is mental now, to keep this going and play within myself.

 

[njrose51]

2nd shot 170-180 yards = Hit a 6 or 7 iron! Simple.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

2nd shot 170-180 yards = Hit a 6 or 7 iron! Simple.

What club should I use for my 3rd shot to get it on the green?