Golf and technology

[shortgame]

So watching certain players at Close House last year in the British Masters I noticed many of them pacing out the day's tee markers from the disc that the exact hole length, yardage books are measured from...

Eg. Measured hole is 458. Tee is 6 paces forward. Exact hole being played on the day is 452.

Player then proceeds to consult yardage book, guage wind etc as the exact distances to hazards etc are known. Club selection is made and off they go.

Speaking to a lad I know who played (and finished high up) he mentioned this is part of his process. He's VERY methodical, almost robotic (Langer-esque).

Sure he could look where the tee markers are and guage it's 6 yards up but the process is what counts. Once he's worked that out there is zero doubt and he can move onto the next part of the process...

I'd say this is every bit as important on a course you play every week where it's all too easy to just pick the same club every week.

Sure it's not a recipe for quick play but...

 

[duncan mackie]

So watching certain players at Close House last year in the British Masters I noticed many of them pacing out the day's tee markers from the disc that the exact hole length, yardage books are measured from...

Eg. Measured hole is 458. Tee is 6 paces forward. Exact hole being played on the day is 452.

Player then proceeds to consult yardage book, guage wind etc as the exact distances to hazards etc are known. Club selection is made and off they go.

Speaking to a lad I know who played (and finished high up) he mentioned this is part of his process. He's VERY methodical, almost robotic (Langer-esque).

Sure he could look where the tee markers are and guage it's 6 yards up but the process is what counts. Once he's worked that out there is zero doubt and he can move onto the next part of the process...

I'd say this is every bit as important on a course you play every week where it's all too easy to just pick the same club every week.

Sure it's not a recipe for quick play but...

The important thing is 'a fixed repetitive process, not what the process actually is.

Some have a shorter process, some have a much shorter process (and some take for ever) all to achieve the same thing (complete confidence in the aims and objectives of the shot to be made)

 

[Grant85]

So watching certain players at Close House last year in the British Masters I noticed many of them pacing out the day's tee markers from the disc that the exact hole length, yardage books are measured from...

Eg. Measured hole is 458. Tee is 6 paces forward. Exact hole being played on the day is 452.

Player then proceeds to consult yardage book, guage wind etc as the exact distances to hazards etc are known. Club selection is made and off they go.

Speaking to a lad I know who played (and finished high up) he mentioned this is part of his process. He's VERY methodical, almost robotic (Langer-esque).

Sure he could look where the tee markers are and guage it's 6 yards up but the process is what counts. Once he's worked that out there is zero doubt and he can move onto the next part of the process...

I'd say this is every bit as important on a course you play every week where it's all too easy to just pick the same club every week.

Sure it's not a recipe for quick play but...

I can see why a pro would feel the need to have a perfect yardage. They practice every day. They have launch monitors for their practice sessions and more often than not they can land the ball on a tea towel.

However, I actually think a lot of amateurs would benefit from not having the perfect yardage. i.e. it might encourage them to lay up rather than taking on forced carries and might encourage them to play to the middle of the green rather than getting suckered into taking on a tight pin. Obviously there's a cross over in ability as the low guys who can make several birdies a round will have the skills to play more aggressive golf.

Guy in our medal yesterday shot a net 62, gross 74. Had a look on HDID and he only had 1 birdie (at a short par 4) with all the rest pars and bogeys. He was a 12 handicapper and at that level I would still say you should be trying to play the %age game and try and take out double bogeys at most holes, playing away from hazards, bunkers and no go areas. Probably that guy has shot the best round of his life yesterday and still only had 1 birdie.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I played a fancy course on Thursday. They stated before we went out, 'there are no distance markers on this course'. Distances were on the sprinkler heads, good luck in finding them! All that's needed is a two second look at my watch and then off you go. Better that than wandering around looking for a sprinkler head that has merged in with the grass and surroundings, then walking back to your ball. Properly used these devices speed up play, imo.

 

[shortgame]

The important thing is 'a fixed repetitive process, not what the process actually is.

Some have a shorter process, some have a much shorter process (and some take for ever) all to achieve the same thing (complete confidence in the aims and objectives of the shot to be made)

Precisely. The player in question will be at one end of the spectrum, thing is he absolutely knows what works for him and results prove it

 

[Tashyboy]

I played a fancy course on Thursday. They stated before we went out, 'there are no distance markers on this course'. Distances were on the sprinkler heads, good luck in finding them! All that's needed is a two second look at my watch and then off you go. Better that than wandering around looking for a sprinkler head that has merged in with the grass and surroundings, then walking back to your ball. Properly used these devices speed up play, imo.

LT, did you get the PMs I sent you 👍

 

[shortgame]

I can see why a pro would feel the need to have a perfect yardage. They practice every day. They have launch monitors for their practice sessions and more often than not they can land the ball on a tea towel.

However, I actually think a lot of amateurs would benefit from not having the perfect yardage. i.e. it might encourage them to lay up rather than taking on forced carries and might encourage them to play to the middle of the green rather than getting suckered into taking on a tight pin. Obviously there's a cross over in ability as the low guys who can make several birdies a round will have the skills to play more aggressive golf.

Guy in our medal yesterday shot a net 62, gross 74. Had a look on HDID and he only had 1 birdie (at a short par 4) with all the rest pars and bogeys. He was a 12 handicapper and at that level I would still say you should be trying to play the %age game and try and take out double bogeys at most holes, playing away from hazards, bunkers and no go areas. Probably that guy has shot the best round of his life yesterday and still only had 1 birdie.

Good points, that's the way I try to approach the game. Sometimes I think I'm too conservative as although lots of rounds around buffer I'm not often low enough to have a chance at the W

 

[Tashyboy]

The important thing is 'a fixed repetitive process, not what the process actually is.

Some have a shorter process, some have a much shorter process (and some take for ever) all to achieve the same thing (complete confidence in the aims and objectives of the shot to be made)

Read a book on the physcology of golf, the author said don't go through a routine, go through a " ritual". A routine is boring like getting up and going to bed, a ritual means more, it is important. I kinda get what he was saying.

 

[shortgame]

I played a fancy course on Thursday. They stated before we went out, 'there are no distance markers on this course'. Distances were on the sprinkler heads, good luck in finding them! All that's needed is a two second look at my watch and then off you go. Better that than wandering around looking for a sprinkler head that has merged in with the grass and surroundings, then walking back to your ball. Properly used these devices speed up play, imo.

Absolutely. I have mine all worked out usually well ahead of my turn to play. Some PPs don't check the wind / get a yardage until it's their turn to play. Not so good.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

LT, did you get the PMs I sent you 👍

I did thanks I was out yesterday and for most of this morning which is why I hadn't replied.