So many thoughts whizzing around their head, what happened to keeping it simple?
Pretty sure Fleetwood has done similar? From long distance he changes to normal grip. Basically just when he's lagging it up. My decision would be based on whether I fancy holing it or whether there's no chance and I'm just trying not to three-putt it.
I wouldnt know about Fleetwood."
I was hoping to see a write up about Claudio Ranieri taking up golf. Little disappointed if I'm honest.
I did my tinkering last spring. No harm every so often. There is a fair whack of trial and error in golf, so many clubs to choose from........
I am always trying to get it as close as possible, preferably in. I just wouldn't be confident enough in the pencil grip to use it from say, 35 feet away. Probably be easier to get the pace right with conventional grip from there. Whereas if you're trying to hole out from 8 feet, the pace is slightly less of a factor, if you can hit the right line and put a free stroke on it - this is where I'll be trying the pencil grip. If it doesn't work it doesn't work, nothing gained nothing lost.I wouldnt know about Fleetwood."
As far as my putting mindset goes, I am always aiming to hole out regardless of where the ball is. If you are "trying to not three putt" to me , thats a defeated mind already. That's my thinking anyway
Anyone using these winter hackarounds to tinker and experiment for the forthcoming year? Or are you completely set in your ways?
I have three elements of tinkering in mind for tomorrow...
Will any of it work? Tune in in a couple of days to find out.
- New 7 wood arrived yesterday. Tried it on the range and it was nice, easy to hit, consistent fade. Couldn't really tell what the distance was like, but I'm hoping it's just a fraction longer than the previous one. I've set it at 20° whereas the old one was 21°, albeit the shaft is half an inch shorter because my old one had a 5 wood shaft in it.
- Dialed my 3 wood from 16 to 15° last night. Hoping for a slightly lower launch off the tee and maybe eke out a couple of extra yards just to make sure it is still 12-14 yards longer than the new 7W - provided I can still hit it well enough off the deck. If I can't get it off the ground it'll be going back to 16.
- Using ChatGPT as my analysis coach, it suggests my putting is only good enough for a 15 handicap at the moment*. Tomorrow I'm going to try the pencil grip on makeable putts in the hope that it frees me up a little bit - last week my putting was awful and I made almost nothing. I have dabbled on the practice green with pencil grip before, but never tried it on the course with my current putter. (For any long distance ones that are unlikely to hole, I think I'll be sticking with normal grip.)
*worse than that, it reckons my up-and-down percentage is only at around 20 hcap so lots of work to be done there!
That to me isn't tinkering, but learning how to use a wedge for different situations. Making your wedges more versatile is a valuable ability which I don't think many look at enough.
Just my stats from last year such as greens in reg, up and down %, number of putts, number of three putts per round, etc. I've also told it swing speed and club yardages etc when making club decisions.
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I'm usually crap in bunkers too, but given that (a) I usually plan to avoid them and don't go in that many, and (b) the hardest challenge is the variety of conditions, i.e. hard sand, more/less sand, etc - I don't think it's a priority to actually practice. It's just a mentality of always getting out of them that I need I think. Sometimes with the right attitude you can surprise yourself.18Birdies does similar stats comparisons vs handicaps at the end of the year. The most depressing one was that my up-and-down from a bunker stat was 7%. Think my bunker play needs rather a lot of work
Yeah, I think part of the stat is, especially with wet/hard/unknown sand etc I’m making sure I get out rather than cute shots hitting lips, duffing, etc, and if that means overhitting to the far edge of the green and not really trying to get close to the flag then so be it. Maybe I need to challenge myself to take on the harder shot more.
Honestly I'm always happy just to get out, especially if I have a putt afterwards. Worst thing you can do is try and be too cute as you say and end up needing a second shot to get out. I don't think you can ask for too much, especially at this time of year when the sand will be hard. I just try and commit to getting it out, chop down on it pretty hard, and if it lands within a makeable range that's a lovely bonus. I've had too many occasions of taking two to get out to worry about trying to leave it close!
Are the shafts the same weight? When I bought my 7 wood last year I purposely put in a really light-weight shaft and had a tendency to draw that club too far.......
Whilst it may not be a priority it is not a bad idea to practice this sometimes at least. As it is a shot you don’t often play you get less practice with this shot than any other. It is a specific shot and, as a minimum, practice builds confidence. Getting it wrong, especially at important moments, usually costs at least one shot.
I don't know - both the regular, stock options for those particular clubs so I'm sure they'll be similar.
There is one practice bunker at my club but it has barely any sand in it at all. I do need to start doing some chipping practice this year though, no matter how poor the short game area is, so I'm sure I will chuck a couple in the bunker while I'm there. Before knifing them out onto the adjacent 8th hole.
