How To Play On Poor Quality Greens...all advise welcome

[3PuttCharlie]

It's our club champs next weekend and our course is still in poor condition from all the 'adverse weather', seems we had a lot of rain then we had a lot of sunshine and it was the wrong type on both occasions. ( And Yes... I know the GK's have a tough job )

Anyway if you try to fly a shot all the way to land on the greens the ball bounces as if it had landed on concrete and goes through the back.

If you try to lay up instead and have the ball chase up the apron there's a 50/50 chance it will stop short of the green, or take a jag left or right...leaving you cursing and looking like a muppet

It gets even worse when putting, they're so slow for me that if I have a putt of 20 foot or more I feel like I need to break my wrists in my putting stroke to get the ball to the hole.

The only plus point is it's the same for everyone....

but how to manage the course...how would you play it?

cheers

 

[rickg]

Make sure your groves are always clean......are they worn? Use a premium ball, eg proV1.... With the weather we are having, there shouldn't be too many greens out there that won't take a proper spinning shot with the right ball.....
Try a heavier putter on the slow greens...or stick some lead weight on.

 

[3PuttCharlie]

My clubs are still like new, plenty of life in them, I'm using Srixon ZStar XV and I have a fairly high flight, but still no joy for me...

 

[My_HarrisTweed_Cap]

It's our club champs next weekend and our course is still in poor condition from all the 'adverse weather', seems we had a lot of rain then we had a lot of sunshine and it was the wrong type on both occasions. ( And Yes... I know the GK's have a tough job )

Anyway if you try to fly a shot all the way to land on the greens the ball bounces as if it had landed on concrete and goes through the back.

If you try to lay up instead and have the ball chase up the apron there's a 50/50 chance it will stop short of the green, or take a jag left or right...leaving you cursing and looking like a muppet

It gets even worse when putting, they're so slow for me that if I have a putt of 20 foot or more I feel like I need to break my wrists in my putting stroke to get the ball to the hole.

The only plus point is it's the same for everyone....

but how to manage the course...how would you play it?

cheers

That bit I highlighted is the bit to remember and get it into your head. Everyone will struggle but if you accept is beforehand and go out with a positive attitude it'll make a difference.


Gary Player tells a story that is similar. When he was starting out he played at a competition where the greens were running poorly and slow. All the pro's were moaning and making excuses. Player piped up "I love playing on this type of green."

Someone replied to him "You said that last week when the greens were too fast!"

Player replied "exactly"!!!!

 

[3PuttCharlie]

Good shout - Thanks

 

[MizunoMike]

A lesson for most Amateur golfers, you all need to learn to squeeze the ball into the ground as this creates spin. Most amateur golfers hit the ball on the up hence they get no control when they hit the green.

To be good you need to understand how to control the ball not just hit the ball.

 

[CMAC]

A lesson for most Amateur golfers, you all need to learn to squeeze the ball into the ground as this creates spin.

Oh dear!

 

[Tommo21]

A lesson for most Amateur golfers, you all need to learn to squeeze the ball into the ground as this creates spin. Most amateur golfers hit the ball on the up hence they get no control when they hit the green.

To be good you need to understand how to control the ball not just hit the ball.

Is the right answer. Easy said but right.

Oh, whats the problem with slow greens. If they're hard, a slow surface should help.

 

[Foxholer]

A lesson for most Amateur golfers, you all need to learn to squeeze the ball into the ground as this creates spin. Most amateur golfers hit the ball on the up hence they get no control when they hit the green.

You keep believing that! It seems to work for you - and is a good thought!

But both statements are tosh! 'Oh dear' indeed Darth!

To be good you need to understand how to control the ball not just hit the ball.

This I agree with!

 

[duncan mackie]

agree with Foxy

agree with Mr Harris TC

disagree with Rick!!!

when you are experiencing large variation in how the balls reacting to spin on landing the best solution is to reduce the spin to remove the potential for variation. Switch to a Bridgestone e6 or Srixon Soft Feel (as examples of balls that do the same thing but feel different - pick preferred feel) and just play for the roll.

if you are going to lay up then hit a lower trajectory shot - not just a shorter shot. Again this will give more consistency on landing.

both these steps are designed to make you feel as though you are doing something constructive to overcome what you perceive as problem conditions; and work as much on the mental level as anything. Changing ball will also provide a modicum of support for a different approach to putting on much slower greens - you will think about distance more on every putt because you know you are playing a different ball.

 

[3PuttCharlie]

Turns out I am better suited to playing on a good course with well maintained greens...no real surprise there.

I played Wrag Barn in Wiltshire yesterday and what a joy. No more guessing where to land the ball - I was able to aim for the pin, and the shots I hit well stayed on the green, even getting some back spin on some shots.

And the putting was a joy - no bobbles, no bumps, just take aim, trust your swing and watch the ball travel smoothly along the path I'd picked. - I even made a few putts

It made the whole game so much more enjoyable, so much so I have decided to end my membership at my current club and I'm going to join somewhere else.

Thanks for all the feedback

 

[JustOne]

I played Wrag Barn in Wiltshire yesterday and what a joy. No more guessing where to land the ball - I was able to aim for the pin, and the shots I hit well stayed on the green, even getting some back spin on some shots.

And the putting was a joy - no bobbles, no bumps, just take aim, trust your swing and watch the ball travel smoothly along the path I'd picked. - I even made a few putts

Sounds like my kinda course!! I hate rock hard greens unless they are meant to be rock hard (eg: links golf where you can't stop the ball on the green).

 

[thecraw's ghost]

Sounds like my kinda course!! I hate rock hard greens unless they are meant to be rock hard (eg: links golf where you can't stop the ball on the green).

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Reported your club to Health & Safety yet?

 

[bladeplayer]

A lesson for most Amateur golfers, you all need to learn to squeeze the ball into the ground as this creates spin. Most amateur golfers hit the ball on the up hence they get no control when they hit the green.

To be good you need to understand how to control the ball not just hit the ball.

Think i need a game of golf with you Mike , thanks for the tip tho , struggling with that part of game

 

[bladeplayer]

You keep believing that! It seems to work for you - and is a good thought!

But both statements are tosh! 'Oh dear' indeed Darth!



!

Oh ?

 

[JustOne]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Reported your club to Health & Safety yet?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Not yet.

 

[jp5]

Seems to be a lot of bad feeling on this forum lately, unfortunate.

 

[Foxholer]

Oh ?

Check out this vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf0HrGBtO-c

Possibly not the best example, but certainly show the fallacy.

Hitting down - 36 secs.

Ball certainly doesn't get 'compressed' (50 secs)

Divot after ball, so club certainly travelled donard after strike.

Still a good thought though.


As for hitting up on the ball, unless teed, hitting up on a ball that is flat on the ground would require every shot to be thinned, topped or hit fat, not just occasional ones - which can be caused by other faults, even with a downward/compressing attack!

 

[bladeplayer]

Check out this vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf0HrGBtO-c

Possibly not the best example, but certainly show the fallacy.

Hitting down - 36 secs.

Ball certainly doesn't get 'compressed' (50 secs)

Divot after ball, so club certainly travelled donard after strike.

Still a good thought though.


As for hitting up on the ball, unless teed, hitting up on a ball that is flat on the ground would require every shot to be thinned, topped or hit fat, not just occasional ones - which can be caused by other faults, even with a downward/compressing attack!

Will do , thanks for the help

 

[harpo_72]

At my club we have a bit of the bouncing on stuff but the greens are fast. I generally laser the front and look at the flag and what I have to work with. I generally know my carries and thus can make a relatively good call with the wind. Down wind will always be a bit of a struggle, you have to look at which factor you can negate, so can I reduce the wind affect, yes by playing low, can I reduce roll, yes by playing more loft and more aggressively ( swing speed generates spin as well as a good contact - so hit less club and hit it hard, or open it up and hit it hard). However playing low and killing spin by playing gentle is easier and will give you more success.

If I am honest I like a receptive green, hitting shots all over the pin is great fun, it also IMO ( don't get offended!) is a sign of a good golfer, duffing them in and them trundling up close is not ... It's lucky. I learnt my game on the links and I love to play little escape shots that use the geography but these are intended.