Your Talents

[kid2]

Evening all,
As we approach the off season and everyone is making there own plans for the winter as to what they will be working on i was just wondering as your handicap starts to drop should you be able to hit all the shots needed and how does one go about practicing them..
Im wondering is there any mid or low handicappers on here that never work the ball or cant work it and still maintain there handicap....
The reason i guess im asking is im just concentrating on hitting the ball straight and forward and i do hit the odd fade with the longer irons.....
I havent really learned to work the ball left or right with any club......Is this something ill have to be able to do?
My plans for the winter as ill still be playing weather permitted is working on my putting,chipping and my approach's from 100mtrs and 150mtrs.......

Is it best to mix and match practice or should i keep practicing until iv mastered the shot before i move on to the next.....

All theories welcome

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think you need to mix the practice up to keep it interesting. I usually try and have one range session midweek, play Saturday and then either work on the short game or go to the range if I've played badly. If my swing feels ok and its all working I'll normally try and go out on a Sunday too

 

[Swinger]

I'd stick with hitting it straight. I can work the ball if I have to but never work at it or try to do it unless I have to. I haven't worked at anything this year though but if I had working the ball would not be on the menu. I'm amazed at the amount of mid to high H/C's try and shape shots alot. Thats probably part of the reason why they are off higher H/C's as they are always doing different things.

You'd be better off practising your short game loads.
If you want to work on something try controlling the flight of your shots, low and high. Also if you can do that with your wedges it'll be put to good use as opposed to that big hook that you'll need once in a blue moon and probably won't come off out of the rough anyway.

 

[birdieman]

I think if you just look to place your shots where they leave you in good position for the next one is enough for most of us amateurs. You don't need to shape often.

I play right to left naturally and only occassionally will I try and fade one left to right if there is a tight right flag or a strong right to left crosswind.

Moving the ball one way only effectively takes one side of the course out of play which has advantages off the tee.

 

[Smiffy]

Short game, short game, short game.
That's where practice will see a mid handicapper come down to single figures.
Anybody who can hit the ball "reasonably" straight, "reasonably" long, and has a "reasonable" short game/putting stroke can get down to 12 or so.
But on and around the greens is where you will make your scores.
As and example I play a lot of golf with James (JustOne). If his chipping and putting is "off" you can beat him. No problem. If he is on his game around the greens (which he is more often than not) you can kiss your money goodbye. When I first started playing with him his short game was monkey. He hardly played anywhere near his handicap and if he played in a Stableford with us, his scores were crap. Over the past year or so his short game has come on in leaps and bounds and he is usually up amongst the top points scorers.
Practice your short game. I guarantee you will see your handicap drop if you do.

 

[clubchamp07]

I think you need to mix the practice up to keep it interesting. I usually try and have one range session midweek, play Saturday and then either work on the short game or go to the range if I've played badly. If my swing feels ok and its all working I'll normally try and go out on a Sunday too

I'm not having a go here Homer, but, Do you enjoy playing golf. As I have read your posts over the last few years you seem to do allot of practising and worrying about your swing and allot of other things. I like most on here like going to the range on the odd evening more so just to hit balls and maybe do some short game practicing. Thats only because I cant be bothered going out on the course and playing a few holes. As I said I'm not having a go, bt do you go onto the course worrying about what swing you have with you on the day? Whenever your standing over your ball is there allot of thoughts going through your head, as to what swing your going to use? It seems to me allot of golfers are still practising even while their playing on the course during competition.
I'm not expert, but wouldn't it be better to stand up on the 1st tee and as they say Grip it and rip it. If it goes, it goes. Just a thought!

 

[USER1999]

If you play a course where it favours one particular shot shape, then it can be useful. Personally, I am comfortable hitting right to left. I am not comfortable hitting left to right. I would rather hit a 5i off the tee where I can find it, than try to fade a driver round the corner. If you truly want to get your h/cap down, play your natural shape, and get hot from 50 yards and in.
Most courses I play do not necessitate shaping the shot.

As an aside, I played Stanmore recently. 5 holes require a fade off the tee, one requires a draw. I still had 36 points stable ford, playing irons off the tee for 5 holes.
Down the third, I pulled my iron off the tee left and was blocked out, so I chipped out to the middle, pitched on, and putted out for a 5 for 2. My 19 handicap partner, from a similar lie, tried to fade a 4 iron from 2" deep rough round the corner. He scored a blob. There is a reason he plays off 19.

 

[patricks148]

Yes concentrate on hitting the ball straight or at least be able to work with what you have shape wise. I can work right to left, but can’t hit a fade at all, In contrast to when I started and had a massive slice.

I know a few guys who have a bit of a slice but work with it and play to relatively low- mid handicaps.

 

[Aztecs27]

I need to work on my short game to become more consistent and get better feel/touch. It's certainly better than it was (thanks to Golfing World on Sky )

Not sure how I'm going to go about it yet though. Might treat meself to a few lessons after the new year. the 18 hole par 3 course we have will also help.

 

[Snelly]

Hi Kid2,

I am not exactly sure of your age but I think you are young enough to have quite a bit of free time. If this is the case, my advice to you would be to play rounds of golf as much as you can and worry less about practising on a range. I am not a great believer in everything the golf magazines say about practice drills and so on. It is fine if you are playing for your living but if you are just trying to improve and enjoy your golf then getting out on to the course is the best way to do this if you have the time.

This teaches you course management, gives you hanging/tough lies and hones your competitive edge too. None of which can be achieved on a driving range.

Do what Fuzzy Zoeller says and get on the course, hit it, find it then hit it again until it is in the hole!


All that said, I think Smiffy makes a very valid point in terms of short game. This is something that can be practised and certainly should be as often as possible. Chipping in the back garden for half an hour is better than hitting a bucket of balls in my view. And you can putt for as long as you like on the living room carpet - this may not give you the same roll as your course greens but it will certainly help you to develop a feel for distance and stroke.

Just my thoughts... but there's more than one way to skin a cat of course.


Snelly.

 

[Alex1975]

Last weekend in the Medal I was playing with a guy who was playing off a 12 handicap. He could only hit his drive about half way to mine and it had a HUGE left to right on it and i mean bad. That said, the guy knew the exact shape of his swing and how to play with it. He took his driver on the 2nd (160yd par 3)(i use a 7 iron) and smashed it hard, it took off WAY left and ended up dead center of the green, 1 putt birdi. I dont think the guy could hit the ball straight if his life depended on it but he knew what he could do with what he had and played to 12.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Agree with most on here saying hit it as straight as you can, it's simpler that way. Yes, Jack Nicklaus hit a "stock fade" but that means no more than 5 yards movement. So in other words "fairly straight" for us mere mortals. For me, moving it right to left in a low hook can be useful when blocked out but trying not to do it when faced with a straight 4/5 iron is also a challenge. As for moving it the other way, forget it.

 

[steveyjd81]

Try n work it both ways, more fun

 

[richart]

I try and hit irons straight, but i do like to hit a low fade with the driver. If you have played Blackmoor you will know why

 

[Deleted member 1147]

One of the big improvements in my driving this past year has been by trying to shape the shots.

I just hit away from the dangerous side and try to bring the ball back to the middle.
If it shapes that's great, if it doesn't (or you double cross yourself) at least it's heading away from danger.

 

[Region3]

I always try to hit straight unless there's something in the way and even then I'll only try to move the ball if it's relatively safe if it doesn't move in the air.

Off the tee I sometimes deliberately play a fade, and am fairly confident of doing it, but have no chance of (deliberately) moving the ball right-to-left (for now!).

 

[golfstick]

I can move the ball each way but tbh how often do you need to do this? I would concentrate on controling you flight height wise and try to develope either a straight or consistant shape to your ball flight. Tight pins will happen all the time. Will practicing shaping shots into them help, no. If its a tight pin leave it alone, shoot middle of the green and walk of with a par knowing your cleverer than the greenkeepers setting the pins. Same applies to hitting fairways. If you plot your way round and have good course managment you will need very little shaping I would say.

All this said, you will miss greens and what not and if your shortgame is gash then theres no point cos u will struggle anyway.

What I rekon would be best for off season?..........Fitness and fundementals. Get stronger and fitter over the winter and you will find you may have a greater range of shots to play. Get the fundemental correct, setup grip stance, takeway and practice it ingraining it into your mind. Visualise good shots?

...........play a few tournies for a laff and maintain the hunger for the sport for next season!

 

[User 105]

I've always tried to just hit it straight and forget about shaping it until now.

I think once you can hit it consistently straight then worry about being able to shape it if there is an advantage to be gained.

I prefer a slight draw on my shots as the wind gets up a bit at my place so keeping the slice spin off the ball has a big advantage.

There are a few holes at our place that give you an advantage if you can shape it. But you can still play them fine if you can hit it straight. Just gives a big edge if you can shape it off the tee. It either takes major trouble out of play or gives you a much easier second shot.

What's worked for me is start by getting my drives and irons straight. Keep the ball in play ! Then I sorted out my short game. I'm not saying completely ignore the other areas of you're game, but that's what I focussed on.

This may sound boring and a little obvious. But try to keep things simple. The less things you have to think (worry) about each shot the easier it's going to be to commit to the shot.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think you need to mix the practice up to keep it interesting. I usually try and have one range session midweek, play Saturday and then either work on the short game or go to the range if I've played badly. If my swing feels ok and its all working I'll normally try and go out on a Sunday too

I'm not having a go here Homer, but, Do you enjoy playing golf. As I have read your posts over the last few years you seem to do allot of practising and worrying about your swing and allot of other things. I like most on here like going to the range on the odd evening more so just to hit balls and maybe do some short game practicing. Thats only because I cant be bothered going out on the course and playing a few holes. As I said I'm not having a go, bt do you go onto the course worrying about what swing you have with you on the day? Whenever your standing over your ball is there allot of thoughts going through your head, as to what swing your going to use? It seems to me allot of golfers are still practising even while their playing on the course during competition.
I'm not expert, but wouldn't it be better to stand up on the 1st tee and as they say Grip it and rip it. If it goes, it goes. Just a thought!

I think you'll find if you look back I've endorsed the hit it and find it attitude all season and have been trying to keep any swing faults to a minimum. I've not improved in terms of handicap but there has been less stress even on the really bad days. I love playing either in competitions or in a our weekend roll ups and will always try and go as low as I can (which isn't usually very low at all). I've kept the practicing on the long game down compared to the last few seasons and played more evening rounds and concentrated more on the short game if I did any practicing. The problem is I can't get to the course early enough to play more than two or three holes now so have had to start practicing at the range more.

 

[richart]

Just make sure you enjoy your golf Homer. There are more important things to get stressed over.