Baldyeagle
Assistant Pro
Keep hitting that many practice balls and you'll soon be a huge hitter with a torn rotator-cuff
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PGA Pro Q+A: Ask Our Expert For Advice On Improving Your Golf Game ⛳
Naughty clubs
- Thread starter timgolfy
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HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
WTF is a rotator-cuff?
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
Tim i admire your dedication,i believe the only way to get better is practice,and then more practice,and getting a swing that you can repeat over and over again.But i must agree with some of the others in certain areas.Hitting hundreds of golf balls off a flat mat doesnt really resemble the lies you get on a golf course,every shot can be different.Do us all a favour put 3 cards in get yourself a handicap and come and join us at a forum meet,i for one would definately play a round with you.
Baldyeagle
Assistant Pro
It's the bit in your shoulder that holds your arm in its socket & thank your lucky stars you've never heard of it because if you over-do the practice stuff it rips (kept me off the course for 4 months).
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
Thanks, I figured something I'd never heard of might be quite painful and serious
Homer, why are you getting so upset that I won't conform to your specific views on practice? I've posted my plan of action and all you do is criticise it. What is your plan of action (other than to pass responsibility for your swing onto your pro)?
As for the "no regular experience on the course", how much you you play on course? And how much more is that than I play on course?
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
I may be remembering things that aren't there but I thought Tim has said that he usually plays on a course once or twice a week (which a lot of people would be very happy with) and plays a short course, often dropping lots of balls on different lies anything up to 50yds from the green.
Sounds like plenty of 'real' golf and short game practice to me.
Either I'm seeing things that aren't there, or lots of other people only read the long hitting stuff.
Sounds like plenty of 'real' golf and short game practice to me.
Either I'm seeing things that aren't there, or lots of other people only read the long hitting stuff.
29 full rounds in 2011 to date and a lot of those in competitive golf. Two more tomorrow and Monday. Oh and that is with a handicap to try and defend. How many times have you tried to do that so far. Oh sorry I forgot - no handicap
I don't pass any responsibility back to my pro. I have lessons, I practice, I take it onto the course (interesting bit that) and it either works or I go back and practice and try again on the course (can you see a pattern here - one word keeps coming up - begins with c - give you a clue - a word where golf is played)
BTW it is a forum and so its an exchange of views. I think your way is flawed - simple. I don't think you'll get to low single figures let alone scratch hitting way too many balls and not honing your craft on the course. Nothing personal just a point of view.
So you spend all that time playing yet you're getting worse? Have you considered playing less and practicing more?
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
Practicing more? Homer? There's a reason his nickname at the club is "The Pro" and the practice ground is jokingly named after him and that's not because he never uses it.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
I may be remembering things that aren't there but I thought Tim has said that he usually plays on a course once or twice a week (which a lot of people would be very happy with) and plays a short course, often dropping lots of balls on different lies anything up to 50yds from the green.
Sounds like plenty of 'real' golf and short game practice to me.
Either I'm seeing things that aren't there, or lots of other people only read the long hitting stuff.
No he did say that Region, but about 8 weeks ago he also said he had only ever played on a full course once.
The thing I find difficult with Tim is that he contradicts himself all the time, the only consistent message is that he hits it a mile, everything else is contradiction after contradiction which makes him difficult to take seriously
By his own admissions he's getting worse. He used to be a Cat I golfer, now he's at 13. Why is that? Wrong type of practice? Too short off the tee?
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Oh Timbo - this one really shows how little you understand about our game.
How much practice time do you think a Tour Pro puts in week after week?
They'll play a blinding first round at the Uzbekistan Open or wherever, shooting 6/7 under par.
Then they go out the next day and have a nightmare round, shoot 80 and miss the Cut.
Why?
He plays, he practices, he plays well, he plays badly.
That is Golf, there's no logic to it. One day it works, the next it doesn't.
In addition, like it or not, we reach a plateau, that point where you are just not going to get any better, indeed the only way is getting worse. No matter how much you practice and beat balls. Look at Vijay. Once at the top of the game, Major winner and supreme practicer. He's getting worse.
You also need to remember that not everyone has time to practice and play as much as they'd like. Given the choice of 3 hours on the range or 3 hours on the course then my GPS is charged and ready to go. Golf at our level is about enjoyment. If you enjoy the range more than the course then that's your choice. Don't dismiss other's choices because they're different to yours.
I have never had an issue with your quest for maximum clubhead speed and 300+ yard drives. If that's what floats your boat then that's up to you. Yes, some the replies to your posts have been a little over the top but then yours have too. You reject any notion that what you do is wrong and reject any notion that anyone else could be right.
If you want to be a range Monkey that's fine, just let other people enjoy their version of Golf without being told they're lesser Golfers because they can't drive the ball as far as you.
Okay - I think we're getting to the nub of the issue.
My aim is to be as good a golfer as I can be. My target is scratch. I have plenty of time to practice and plenty of motivation. I enjoy practice and am physically able.
Now, on this thread I've posted my plan of action:
#1 Groove a consistent, accurate, powerful swing
#2 Practice all types of shots on the short course
#3 Test those skills on the big course
Homer's gang: "That's wrong. Get on the big course and play as much as possible."
Timgoly: "Why has that helped you shoot better scores?"
Homer's gang: "No, I'm getting worse."
My aim is to be as good a golfer as I can be. My target is scratch. I have plenty of time to practice and plenty of motivation. I enjoy practice and am physically able.
Now, on this thread I've posted my plan of action:
#1 Groove a consistent, accurate, powerful swing
#2 Practice all types of shots on the short course
#3 Test those skills on the big course
Homer's gang: "That's wrong. Get on the big course and play as much as possible."
Timgoly: "Why has that helped you shoot better scores?"
Homer's gang: "No, I'm getting worse."
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
There's nothing wrong with that at all. Do it your way - I honestly hope it works.
But if you're not listening, why are you talking?
Did you read the piece above about Vijay...?
Not saying Homer's like Vijay but getting worse comes to us all in the end, no matter how hard you try.
What are you going to do when you hit that point. Practice more in a vain attempt to regain what is lost or enjoy what you have...?
Imurg's gang - whatever the hell that's supposed mean - says Range and Course makes a better experienced player - are you not able to do both?
But if you're not listening, why are you talking?
Did you read the piece above about Vijay...?
Not saying Homer's like Vijay but getting worse comes to us all in the end, no matter how hard you try.
What are you going to do when you hit that point. Practice more in a vain attempt to regain what is lost or enjoy what you have...?
Imurg's gang - whatever the hell that's supposed mean - says Range and Course makes a better experienced player - are you not able to do both?
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
Tim,the three points you have made for yourself are fine,and they are definately ways of getting your handicap down,and i genuinly hope you achieve your goals,you could be that one in a million.
The one thing that you need to do is stop alienating people,i know its not all your doing,but until you change your attitude you wont get the support of everyone.I for one enjoy your posts and as you can see they are very popular,however its for the wrong reason.People read your posts to see if they have turned into a "slag off" and in all cases so far they have.
Cat 1 aged 16 in 1982
Gave up the game
Came back and was playing to 8 until 2000 when gave up again (to look after ill parents)
Came back in 2005 with no lessons or practice - got down to 12 again
2005-2011 been between 11 and 13
Hardly a fall from grace of cataclysmic proportions. Yes I do get some stick for using the practice ground at the club but the majority of that time has been honing my game from 100 yards and and compressed into the last few weeks since I had my short game lesson.
Once again you go on about length. It isn't a pre-requisite. In fact we have a +1 England player and former County Captain and I am not far behind him. The difference is from 100 yards he is rarely more than 6-15 feet from any pin and should he miss a green will get down in two 8/10 times.
I'd love to get back dow to single figure (9) again and realistically could. My short game has been in meltdown (and well documented here and on my blog) and is only now getting better. Ask those that have played with me (Hawkeye gets a close up most weekends) and they will say the quality of the strike is pretty good and it is the inability to post a score (too many wasted shots - bad short game) holding me back.
You whinge on here of people making assumptions about you and then do exactly the same thing to others. I'm afraid you can't have it both ways matey.
Okay, let's call a truce. I'll stop winding everyone up and only ask sensible questions from now on.
My first sensible question to Homer (a serious question, not a wind up). Your short game:
1. With all the course play you have, why is it now only just starting to get better? Surely this would have been one of the strongest parts of your game?
2. Why do you so reliant on a short game? Are you missing too many greens? Is your approach play inaccurate? Is this caused (seriously) by a lack of distance off the tee which then leaves more difficult approach shots? Are you just not as accurate with your irons as you think you are?
My first sensible question to Homer (a serious question, not a wind up). Your short game:
1. With all the course play you have, why is it now only just starting to get better? Surely this would have been one of the strongest parts of your game?
2. Why do you so reliant on a short game? Are you missing too many greens? Is your approach play inaccurate? Is this caused (seriously) by a lack of distance off the tee which then leaves more difficult approach shots? Are you just not as accurate with your irons as you think you are?
chris661
Money List Winner
Change your stupid signature then
My short game went into meltdown with loads of thins and duffs. I know the technique but it got inside my head to the point where I almost had chipping yips and had zero confidence over the ball for fear of hitting another bad one.
That in turn then puts pressure on you to hit the green to start with so you don't have to chip. That works back further to the tee shot and a greater reliance to hit a fairway and give yourself a greater opportunity to hit the green with the second.
In the end it was all mental. I've had a lesson now and changed to the Linear method as taught by a GM Top 25 coach called Gary Smith and featured in last months mag. Very simple with a few changes from the long held method of chipping and it is starting to work. Coming from such a depth it'll take time to get proficient and CONFIDENT but it is a work in progress and things are moving on.
Until the last 15 months my short game was my strength. I don't know why it went off so much but why do golfers get the yips even pros? My driving was always my weakness. Not because of length but because I had a tendency to spray a few. I've had to work much harder on keeping it straight(er) and although I still tend to suffer a card busting poor one it is much better.
According to SS2 my all time GIR figure is 37% which I don't think is too bad for a club golfer and is well below the handicap target the system sets. It is down at 25% for this season which is still level to the 13 handicap default on the programme but goes back to the issues in the first paragraph
I honestly believe once I get the short game somewhere near a standard of most average club golfers I'll be able to save shots and the scores will improve. You can't score without it and it is the cause (most of the time) of playing so badly. Of course I can have days where I can't keep it in the same postcode but that's golf. It is very close to coming together. Also, I've always been very much a confidence player and so once it clicks, it usually lights the fuse and I'll go mad for a few weeks and have some seriously good spell before peaking and dropping off again. Would I prefer a level of consistency - probably but it's always been that way in whatever sport I play.
That in turn then puts pressure on you to hit the green to start with so you don't have to chip. That works back further to the tee shot and a greater reliance to hit a fairway and give yourself a greater opportunity to hit the green with the second.
In the end it was all mental. I've had a lesson now and changed to the Linear method as taught by a GM Top 25 coach called Gary Smith and featured in last months mag. Very simple with a few changes from the long held method of chipping and it is starting to work. Coming from such a depth it'll take time to get proficient and CONFIDENT but it is a work in progress and things are moving on.
Until the last 15 months my short game was my strength. I don't know why it went off so much but why do golfers get the yips even pros? My driving was always my weakness. Not because of length but because I had a tendency to spray a few. I've had to work much harder on keeping it straight(er) and although I still tend to suffer a card busting poor one it is much better.
According to SS2 my all time GIR figure is 37% which I don't think is too bad for a club golfer and is well below the handicap target the system sets. It is down at 25% for this season which is still level to the 13 handicap default on the programme but goes back to the issues in the first paragraph
I honestly believe once I get the short game somewhere near a standard of most average club golfers I'll be able to save shots and the scores will improve. You can't score without it and it is the cause (most of the time) of playing so badly. Of course I can have days where I can't keep it in the same postcode but that's golf. It is very close to coming together. Also, I've always been very much a confidence player and so once it clicks, it usually lights the fuse and I'll go mad for a few weeks and have some seriously good spell before peaking and dropping off again. Would I prefer a level of consistency - probably but it's always been that way in whatever sport I play.
