See the shot or don't see it ?

[Paul77]

After watching a number of short game vids with Seve in them he went on about seeing the shot, and playing it before it was even hit. He says that if he can't see the shot, he has no shot and plays the safety.

I kind of know what he means. If I'm standing over the ball, I can generally get a feeling for where I want to put it and more often than not it ends up there. However, if I'm second guessing over the ball I tend to mess it up. My scrambling percentage on GG has gone up to 12% so I think my short game is getting better, however, second shots into greens I do find this problem.

What is the safety play when you can't see the shot? Do you see more of the shots the more you play?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

After watching a number of short game vids with Seve in them he went on about seeing the shot, and playing it before it was even hit. He says that if he can't see the shot, he has no shot and plays the safety.

I kind of know what he means. If I'm standing over the ball, I can generally get a feeling for where I want to put it and more often than not it ends up there. However, if I'm second guessing over the ball I tend to mess it up. My scrambling percentage on GG has gone up to 12% so I think my short game is getting better, however, second shots into greens I do find this problem.

What is the safety play when you can't see the shot? Do you see more of the shots the more you play?

I know what you're saying. My driving is around 44% and my GIR about 14% and I often struggle to pick a target on the tee or playing into the green. It seems easier the closer in to the gree you get as it becomes more like reading a putt and therefore easier to see a line and trust it

 

[freddielong]

I think when Seve says he can see the shot he means he can see a shot he can focus on and is confident he could play. If your head is still discussing options whilst over the ball then you haven't seen the shot.
You need to work this into your pre shot routine, your pre shot routine is the most important part of playing good golf.

 

[jamielaing]

After watching a number of short game vids with Seve in them he went on about seeing the shot, and playing it before it was even hit. He says that if he can't see the shot, he has no shot and plays the safety.

I kind of know what he means. If I'm standing over the ball, I can generally get a feeling for where I want to put it and more often than not it ends up there. However, if I'm second guessing over the ball I tend to mess it up. My scrambling percentage on GG has gone up to 12% so I think my short game is getting better, however, second shots into greens I do find this problem.

What is the safety play when you can't see the shot? Do you see more of the shots the more you play?

This is all about making your decision on what you are going to do. If you have your shot firmly in your head then you can commit to it with confidence. If you are second guessing then you are much more likely to get caught between the two and fluff it.

With longer shots you should generally be able to see what you want to do and then commit to it. If you can't you are looking for the 'good miss'. For example leaving yourself an uphill chip rather than a down hill one or missing on the side with no bunkers.

I think of seeing the shot as having a complete description of how the ball is going to go in my head. For example I will draw this 7 iron against the wind which will keep the flight straight and the ball will drop 6 foot short of the green. The draw will make it run up to the flag and it will finish within 6 foot. This description helps you commit to the shot with the idea being that when I miss it will be 12 foot away. If you miss when thinking 'hit the green' you miss to bunkers, water etc.

That's the principle as I understand and apply it. Remember Ben Hogan said he only ever hit a few great shots a round all others were good misses.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Imagination and visualisation is mostly all you need for any shot but especially for short game stuff. However, the imagination needs fuel and practicing the short game with as many clubs as possible will give you this. The more you play the more natural it will feel and you'll end up walking up to the short seeing it before you've even selected a club.

Assuming you are talking about the short game, I always think keeping the ball low and running is the safe play and use it unashamedly.

 

[Paul77]

Good advice guys cheers. I think it can apply to loads of parts of the game. If I have confidence in the shot, I'm rarely wrong. If my feet are above the ball I just feel totally uneasy and hate the shot before I've even hit it. No matter if I come up on the grip. There's a lot of that thing. Ball above or below the feet on my course. Just sets you off on a downer for the shot.

I just find it mental how I can just see the shot sometimes and crack it clean for it to land near or where I wanted it. A part of the game I guess. That's why we keep going

 

[garyinderry]

The imagination part is simple. You should see some of the shots I imagine.

 

[jamielaing]

Good advice guys cheers. I think it can apply to loads of parts of the game. If I have confidence in the shot, I'm rarely wrong. If my feet are above the ball I just feel totally uneasy and hate the shot before I've even hit it. No matter if I come up on the grip. There's a lot of that thing. Ball above or below the feet on my course. Just sets you off on a downer for the shot.

I just find it mental how I can just see the shot sometimes and crack it clean for it to land near or where I wanted it. A part of the game I guess. That's why we keep going

Last season I had 5 or 6 rounds in a row where everything was going well and I didn't even have to think about my shot. The decision was made almost instantly and I just swung with natural confidence and the shot came off. Best feeling I have ever had. Sometimes you need to imagine and see the shot and make your confidence that way but when it's on my god is it a good feeling!

 

[Paul77]

The imagination part is simple. You should see some of the shots I imagine.

Yes of course. Most of the time I do see what I want to do with it. It's just a fair few uphill into the sun shots in the morning that tend to just block me out.

Last season I had 5 or 6 rounds in a row where everything was going well and I didn't even have to think about my shot. The decision was made almost instantly and I just swung with natural confidence and the shot came off. Best feeling I have ever had. Sometimes you need to imagine and see the shot and make your confidence that way but when it's on my god is it a good feeling!

It would be nice if that feeling stayed with us once it's been attained lol It tends to flutter about a bit in the wind.

 

[Alex1975]

I am working on my short game hard at the moment and predominantly working on imagination and visualization, although not playing any golf. It is astonishing the shots you can play when you spend a moment acting out the shot in your head. I now have a pretty strict routine around a chip and short pitch shot and its great fun!

I would love to get some of this into my mid and long game but as Homer mentioned, I find it harder the further I get from the green.

 

[Paul77]

The imagination part is simple. You should see some of the shots I imagine.

Last season I had 5 or 6 rounds in a row where everything was going well and I didn't even have to think about my shot. The decision was made almost instantly and I just swung with natural confidence and the shot came off. Best feeling I have ever had. Sometimes you need to imagine and see the shot and make your confidence that way but when it's on my god is it a good feeling!

Yeah it's great to practice it when you can on the real course you play. Getting used to all the course has to throw at you definately helps. Long game, like you say is fifferent once you get used to things closer to the green. That "I'll just throw it up there close" suddenly turns into, "I go right here, I don't have a shot in". It's amazing the things you learn each time you play.

 

[Curls]

That "I'll just throw it up there close" suddenly turns into, "I go right here, I don't have a shot in"

That's why they say you should play a hole backwards, stand on the green and look back at where you do and don't want to be, then next time you're on the tee focus on a specific point on the fairway you want to land it. From the tee box pick a point in the far distance (tree top, building) that intersects that point, it's that you should align with. You should also know where on the course you can see pins on other greens, for instance the approach to our 16th is blind, but you have a good view of the green from the 2nd fairway, so can clock the pin position properly. Similarly our 13th is a short dogleg and you cant see the green from the tee, but you can see it standing on the 4th tee box, so if the pin is on the right you know you need to be very left for a good approach. This sort of course awareness/mamangement is so important, but doesn't really get taught (and can't be learned on a range).

 

[Paul77]

Indeed a fair few points. A lot of our flags on the front nine can't be seen. It's just guess work with yardages. In fact I think there's about 6 holes that you can see the flag on, but just see the top of the flag and not pin placement

 

[garyinderry]

That's why they say you should play a hole backwards, stand on the green and look back at where you do and don't want to be, then next time you're on the tee focus on a specific point on the fairway you want to land it. From the tee box pick a point in the far distance (tree top, building) that intersects that point, it's that you should align with. You should also know where on the course you can see pins on other greens, for instance the approach to our 16th is blind, but you have a good view of the green from the 2nd fairway, so can clock the pin position properly. Similarly our 13th is a short dogleg and you cant see the green from the tee, but you can see it standing on the 4th tee box, so if the pin is on the right you know you need to be very left for a good approach. This sort of course awareness/mamangement is so important, but doesn't really get taught (and can't be learned on a range).

Before I even get to the car park I have already clocked where the pin is on our dog leg 9th.

 

[Curls]

Before I even get to the car park I have already clocked where the pin is on our dog leg 9th.

Nice!

 

[User 105]

I tend to try and visualize exactly what the ball is going to do before I hit it for any shot. Drive, iron, Chip, putt etc.

I try and get an "Video" in my head of the flight (fade, draw, high, low etc) where it will land, how it will roll etc.

My practice swings will be to generate that shot then as I step over the ball it's the shot rather than the swing I have in my head.

Of course, that never works and I'll just shank it into the rough anyway. But that's what I do

 

[walliams8]

See the short game shots . In terms of the long game I just pick a target middle of the fairway and middle of the green and try to put a good swing on it . Simples

 

[garyinderry]

Checking pin positions was much more important at my old club. Many you wouldn't be sure of the exact location without a lazer as it would be blind from the tee or down a little dip or over a hill.

From the first tee you can see 18 and 9. 9 is over over a hill as you play so worth looking at.

As you walk the 3rd you can check 16 which is at short dog leg.

As you finish 7 it's worth checking the par 3 13th.

On 10 it's worth noting 11 as you come back around the lake.

Most are visible before you play them.

You don't get a look at 4 5 6 7. Can be a tough little run.

At Lee park the first is totally blind around the corner. Knowing the pin position would be useful. 4 is a bit tricky, 10 and 11 blind. The rest you can either see from the tee or clock before you play.

Colour coded flags help immensely.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Very easy to overthink it.

See the shot, hit it.

 

[SocketRocket]

Rather than seeing the ball flight I visualise myself making the swing I need for the shot.