How do they do that?

[Basher]

No disrespect intended to the senior forum members.

Played today against a senior club member.
On the vast majority of the holes he opted for a 3 wood. (Didn't see a driver in his bag)
The guy took a very slow and short backswing then proceeded to cream it down the middle of the fairway with 80% of his tee shots.

Is it experience, rhythm or just good golfing? Needless to say he played me into the ground as his fairway shots were just as good.

 

[TWM]

Yes, as a senior I play with people like these all the time. There are many who can whack the ball a country mile and some, like me, who can't hit it for toffee.

 

[andiritchie]

i play with a old guy and he always says once you played for as long as him you will never lose the slot only the flexabilty he hits the driver like its a hockey stick and hardly misses a fairway and gets a nice lowish 200yard shot out of it

 

[haplesshacker]

Must admit that I've noticed this with 'senior' players. Dire looking swing ( I know mines not great, but I know what it should look like!), but they manage to keep a good h'cap and play to it. Guess that they are just used to what they do and play with it. Ah well, maybe one day.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most of the seniors at my club bounce a drive down the middle, a faiway wood or hybrid down a bit further and then chip on. Most have great putting games and can really chip so I always dread getting drawn against any of our over 60's in competitions and having to give loads of shots

 

[TonyN]

I watched a 4 ball this morning all chipping onto a green. all were roughly 25-50 yards away and everyone left no more than a 6fter. Just ace at the short game the seniors.

 

[haplesshacker]

So us younger players (if you can call 39 young!) just need to put in the same time at the short game that our seniors have, but over a very short perid of time.

Practice, practice, practice.

Problem is I treat every game as though the Masters was at stake.

 

[TonyN]

I used to do that HH, you will destroy your game.

Best thing I find is stop marking cards for a few weeks, forget your scores and just concentrate on your ball striking.

Then once that comes together, just play with the attitude, what I ever I score,I dont care, aslong as I strike well.

Now I go round with the attitude, dont make any doubles, pars are a bonus, birdie is a lucky godsend. Dont beat yor self up if you dont make a par here or there because your not a pro. I used to think, if I can par one hole, why cant I par most... the answer was simply... because I'm not a pro. Now I enjoy my golf alot more with a relaxed attitude, my scores have dropped from 20-25 over par to 10 to 15 over in 2-3 months.

 

[haplesshacker]

TonyN.

I know you're right. I even arrive on a Saturday morning for the weekend stableford and say to myself that it's not important and that it really doesn't matter.

Get to the first hole, and, out comes the 'I can do better', etc. At least I now don't try to play to sratch and now play (in the head anyway) to what my h'cap is.

I'm afraid it's a hang up from the last few years of yacht racing where we expected and were expected to come first everytime. In general we did.

 

[forefortheday]

Spot on Tony been doing that for a month now and what a difference it's made!

I choose my clubs based on what I feel is best not on what my ego says (hit it long aka booming slice) knock it close and then chip on.

Went out on Monday in the late evening sun never hit more than a hybrid played 9 of my local 18 and for the first time in a while I really enjoyed it!

 

[TonyN]

Best advice I have been given is play to your handicap.

What has helped to bring my scores down alot is club selection. Instead pulling out a driver to try leave a wedge in. I now pull out maybe a 4 iron to leave a 7 in.

Or instead of trying to get close to the green on my second shot on the 5's i will take two 7 irons instead of gambling with a wood and a wedge!

If I duff a shot and think, damn my par is gone. I forget about it and concentrate on taking a bogey at worst.