This is the thread for people who suck at golf, but would like to get better

cartman · 08-12-2011, 12:22 PM

So, here's the story. I've played golf sporadically over the past 20 years. Wait, let me restate. I've ridden on a golf cart, drank beer, and pitifully whacked at a ball for the past 20 years. Up until last month, my set of clubs were ones that I bought from a friend back in high school. I'm 6 foot, he is 5' 7". I have never taken any lessons, and my swing is predictably atrocious. I've never made a birdie, and only have made 3 pars in my time playing. Most holes I stop counting at twice par + 2.

I was at Academy the other day, and they had an open box set of Top Flite beginner clubs. I looked them up, and they got pretty good reviews. So I bit. Played a round of golf a couple of weeks ago with a client. Still played horrible, but I got more decent hits than I usually get.

Lately I've been hitting shots in my backyard. Last weekend I had a bit of a breakthrough on my swing. I realized I was way too tense in my arms and shoulders. Once I relaxed, I was hitting the ball off of the tee a lot more consistently. Before I was always topping the ball off, and having it bounce along the ground.

However, off of the tee, I still have major issues. I still don't get under the ball, and continue to top the ball. Not sure what the fix for that is.

On the greens, my years at Putt-Putt have paid dividends. If I didn't have to drive or hit approach shots, I'd be on the PGA tour.

I'd thought about taking swing lessons, but really don't know how to fit consistent lessons into my schedule. How have others done it? Anyone on here have tips, lessons or clues they would like to share?

Blackadar · 08-12-2011, 01:02 PM

Unless you have exceptional hand-eye coordination, there's only two ways to get better - and you really have to do both:

1. Practice
2. Take lessons

Now, you can get better just by practicing a lot, but it's a risky proposition. I've seen players get worse by practicing without lessons because they reinforce bad habits. As such, I believe you really have to do both. Practicing without lessons is a crapshoot and takes a lot of time. Taking lessons with practicing is a waste of money. Lessons don't take all that long, you can do one a week and you'll probably see immediate results.

Plus, there's nothing like watching heads turn on the range when you're banging out 4 irons 250 yards once they get your swing into the groove.

Oh, and Ben Hogan's book is still an excellent fundamental breakdown of the swing.

heybrad · 08-12-2011, 01:12 PM

I'm definitely in this category. I golfed a lot as a teenager and was a member of the Long Beach Junior Golf Club. I wasn't great but I wasn't terrible either. I recently tried to pick the game back up and have found that I'm only decent when I can put the time in. I'm still using clubs that my wife bought for me 15 years ago, so I'm sure that's an issue. I'm great on the driving range and have an occasional shot a a par when I'm actually playing but I'm usually looking at a bogey or double bogey every hole, but I can still occasionally unleash some horrific shots that may just kill somebody one of these days.

I want to get better but it seems like it comes down to having the time.

cartman · 08-12-2011, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heybrad

but I can still occasionally unleash some horrific shots that may just kill somebody one of these days.

I have hit someone with a tee shot that was standing behind and to the right of me.

Scoobz0202 · 08-12-2011, 01:34 PM

I am in this category to a point. I'm 23 years old. I golfed for the first time when I was 18. Went about once a month on average, sometimes a lot more, sometimes not for three months. It consisted of beer a hole, hit the ball till about the 7th shot then give up when I realized I was still 100+ yards out. Never owned a set of clubs outside of this just atrocious set that I had gifted.

This past winter I wanted to find a hobby. As me and my friends get older, we started obviously developing our own lives which consisted of a bunch more time trying to entertain yourself. I have a lot of ways of doing that at home, but figured I don't want to be a hermit so I decided to get a set of clubs and just give it a shot.

I got a student membership at the local course. Started in late-March, early-April. I started out obviously atrocious. 60's on nine holes, so that meant 120-130+ on eighteen. I ended up playing 4 or so times a week, if not more. Tried to hit the driving range up one day a week, and hit a small-medium bucket before every round. By mid-July I posted by best ever 83. 41 on the front, 42 on the back. With that being said, my goal is a 45. So basically if I can challenge 90 I tend to be satisfied. Although, that is another side effect of golf. I started just wanting to hit the ball forward. Then 100 became a goal so i went for that.I broke that. At the time I thought, well shit, if I can just end the summer consistently breaking 100 or challenging it then I'm happy. Well, then I shot that first 94 or so and I thought, Fuck, 90 is in the picture. It becomes a god damn addiction that I wish I could just accept where I am in my game and enjoy myself. Instead I get so fucking angry when I hit a decent drive, then hit a ball 20 yards short and slightly to the right. Instead, I should say, " Chris, you were shooting fucking 65 just three months ago, chill. " It's partially that that has caused me to take a short break. It's been a week and a half since I've gone. I'll probably go again sometime the middle of next week and start hardcore again.

I talk to a lot of vet's of the game and they say I've made incredible progress so I need to just accept that. I have found a game I love, and something that I hope will be a part of my life forever. To the point that when I picture myself graduating one of the first things I intend to do is move somewhere I can golf year round, or at least close to. I understand and totally feel your frustrations at time. Talking to my uncle, a 40 year vet of the game, it's crazy how he still deals with the same shit. So the sooner I accept that it's part of the game the more I can truly play this game and enjoy it to the fullest. I plan on getting lessons first thing next year, though. Now that I've gotten some general knowledge of my game if I can get some lessons and challenge 80......

Big Fo · 08-12-2011, 02:44 PM

After an embarrassing round where I shot over 100 last summer, I quit playing for about a year. Before that I only played a handful of times per year, usually shooting in the low 90s. I started back up recently and have been played five rounds over the last month and a half with some occasional visits to the driving range, slowly getting better each time.

On Monday I went out and shot an 82 which the best round of my life by 6 strokes, it felt so good. Normally I can drive the ball a long way and with decent accuracy, have a pretty good short game, but struggle with the irons. During this round I hit almost every iron flush, I hit way more greens in regulation than normal. If I had putted better I could have broken 80. I'm looking forward to playing tomorrow, though I doubt I'll be shooting in the low-mid 80s since it will be a harder course.

cartman · 08-27-2011, 01:21 PM

So a couple of weeks ago I had my best round ever, a 124. Broke 60 on the front 9, which was a first for me over nine holes.

My swing is getting more consistent. Before, getting a ball off of the ground and into the air happened about 2 out of every 10 swings. Now it happens 8 out of every 10.

Next chance to play will be the Friday after Labor Day. My uncle-to-be is holding 'The Pre-Married Open' the day before he marries my aunt. Will be interesting to see if I can improve on my last outing.

Vince, Pt. II · 08-28-2011, 09:47 AM

Nice work, cartman and Scoobz. Great to see improvement

I'm an 18.6 - joined the NCGA through a local course's men's club, and they now track my index. It's an awful lot of fun to play in tournaments, especially because the competition at this club is around my level (I'm probably the 10th lowest index of about 30 members). That being said, I've never taken lessons - I've taught myself to play over the 20 or so years that I've been golfing. My main issues seems to be left-to-right movement - I have a pretty vicious slice that I can mitigate by slowing down my swing, but it really takes a lot off my distance (and the ball still has a good bit of fade). If I do everything right, my driver only goes about 220, and I'm consistently 2-3 clubs shorter than everyone I golf with - and these are guys that I can hit a softball twice as far as. The only thing I can see that needs to change is my tendency to go outside in - almost all my divots look like the backslash on my keyboard.

I've always told myself I should take some lessons, but in the south bay area, there are a ton of options. Any suggestions as to where I should go or how I should pick the teaching professional I eventually choose to go to?

cartman · 03-26-2012, 08:38 PM

I finally got around to taking some lessons. UT's continuing education program offers 4 weeks of 2 hour golf lesson sessions for $110. I just finished the first 4 week program on Saturday. I played a round yesterday with my aunt and uncle, and shot the best score I've ever had, a 111, my first round under 120. I'm still horribly erratic off of the tee, but the classes didn't cover that. They were mainly interested in working on getting swing mechanics right with wedges and short irons. I could definitely see the improvements on those shots. I start up the 2nd level lessons on Sunday.

MacroGuru · 03-26-2012, 09:23 PM

Golfed my first 18 of the season on a very long course, hit a 108...not complaining..but damn I suck...

Need to correct the slice I have...and my short game.

Scoobz0202 · 03-26-2012, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Golfed my first 18 of the season on a very long course, hit a 108...not complaining..but damn I suck...

Need to correct the slice I have...and my short game.

This was me a week ago. 108. Last year was my first year of serious golf. Started at 120+ and got down to a best of 82 or so. It was weird cause that lasted for a couple weeks and then everything just went to shit and I was back in the 90's and breaking the occasional 100. I was able to play 5+ days a week last year so it was perfect for a first year of playing golf to get better.

This year I won't be able to play near as much, but my biggest thing is to just have fun. Last year I just started getting way to damn serious over this game and was never satisfied, and the regression made it 10x worse.

I would really like to get my drive figured out, though. I could easily take 18-25 strokes off a full 18 if I could drive the ball. I easily get a penalty every other hole. It is ridiculous.

MacroGuru · 03-27-2012, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I would really like to get my drive figured out, though. I could easily take 18-25 strokes off a full 18 if I could drive the ball. I easily get a penalty every other hole. It is ridiculous.

This.....If I could correct my slice and drive it straight I am fine with it not going 200+ yards out. I play my irons well and am a fairly good judge at how I hit them and my range...but get me within wedge range and I am screwed.

cartman · 03-27-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I would really like to get my drive figured out, though. I could easily take 18-25 strokes off a full 18 if I could drive the ball. I easily get a penalty every other hole. It is ridiculous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

This.....If I could correct my slice and drive it straight I am fine with it not going 200+ yards out. I play my irons well and am a fairly good judge at how I hit them and my range...but get me within wedge range and I am screwed.

+1

I could easily break 100 if I could get any kind of consistency off of the tee. I hope the next round of lessons helps to address this issue. My best drive had a 20 degree veer off to the left, and unfortunately for me, that is where the creek was.

chesapeake · 03-27-2012, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I would really like to get my drive figured out, though. I could easily take 18-25 strokes off a full 18 if I could drive the ball. I easily get a penalty every other hole. It is ridiculous.

You may simply need to leave the driver in the bag until you can build some confidence with it on the range. A 3 wood in play is better than a driver OB.

Easier said than done, I understand. There is something very unsatisfying mentally about not hitting the driver.

MacroGuru · 03-27-2012, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

+1

I could easily break 100 if I could get any kind of consistency off of the tee. I hope the next round of lessons helps to address this issue. My best drive had a 20 degree veer off to the left, and unfortunately for me, that is where the creek was.

Oh you mean the ball magnet they hide in the water...

Sublime 2 · 03-27-2012, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesapeake

You may simply need to leave the driver in the bag until you can build some confidence with it on the range. A 3 wood in play is better than a driver OB.

Easier said than done, I understand. There is something very unsatisfying mentally about not hitting the driver.

Last year I got crazy erratic with my driver, so I switched to hitting a 2 or 3 iron off the tee and my play improved dramatically. Sometimes it was just as satisfying hitting a smooth long iron 225-230 right down the pipe.

I'll still pull the driver out, but a lot less often.

Blackadar · 03-27-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

I finally got around to taking some lessons. UT's continuing education program offers 4 weeks of 2 hour golf lesson sessions for $110. I just finished the first 4 week program on Saturday. I played a round yesterday with my aunt and uncle, and shot the best score I've ever had, a 111, my first round under 120. I'm still horribly erratic off of the tee, but the classes didn't cover that. They were mainly interested in working on getting swing mechanics right with wedges and short irons. I could definitely see the improvements on those shots. I start up the 2nd level lessons on Sunday.

Keep it up.

After a few lessons, I was bombing 4 irons 240 yards with a nice draw right on the range.

Scoobz0202 · 03-27-2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesapeake

You may simply need to leave the driver in the bag until you can build some confidence with it on the range. A 3 wood in play is better than a driver OB.

Easier said than done, I understand. There is something very unsatisfying mentally about not hitting the driver.

Yea, I really should do this. I actually don't have a 3 wood, though. The one club missing. I do have a 3 hybrid I may give a shot the next time out.

cartman · 05-23-2012, 09:07 PM

So a couple of weeks ago I finished up the second level classes, and played a round that weekend. Shot a 102, my best score ever. I played on Sunday, and on the front 9 I shot a 52, but completely lost my swing on the back nine and shot a 78. I just played nine holes this evening, and the swing wasn't there again, and shot a 70. Just when I thought I had turned a corner, reality set back in.

johnnyshaka · 05-23-2012, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Yea, I really should do this. I actually don't have a 3 wood, though. The one club missing. I do have a 3 hybrid I may give a shot the next time out.

I don't get to play much anymore but when I was starting out all those years ago the best piece of advice I got was to scrap the "woods" altogether if I wanted to stay out of the woods. Off the tee, hit whatever club you feel most comfortable swinging. While it isn't "sexy" hitting a 7-iron off the tee I was a lot happier hitting my 2nd shot from the fairway instead of spending 5 minutes hunting for my ball in the bush and then inevitably taking a drop.

Think about it, a pretty standard 400 yard par 4 usually requires a 250'ish yard drive followed by 9-iron or wedge to the green and 2 putts for a par. Well, what's wrong with 2 7-iron shots to get you inside 100 yards with a short wedge to the green and a chance at par versus an errant drive that you may or may not find, a potential drop in the rough shooting for par from 200+ yards out?

If you want to score well then leave the woods and low irons in the bag until you can hit them consistently at the range. If you are more concerned with "fitting in" with the guys you're playing and want to hit the long ball...well, you'll have to learn to live with the good and lots of bad until you figure "it" out.

Chief Rum · 05-24-2012, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I don't get to play much anymore but when I was starting out all those years ago the best piece of advice I got was to scrap the "woods" altogether if I wanted to stay out of the woods. Off the tee, hit whatever club you feel most comfortable swinging. While it isn't "sexy" hitting a 7-iron off the tee I was a lot happier hitting my 2nd shot from the fairway instead of spending 5 minutes hunting for my ball in the bush and then inevitably taking a drop.

Think about it, a pretty standard 400 yard par 4 usually requires a 250'ish yard drive followed by 9-iron or wedge to the green and 2 putts for a par. Well, what's wrong with 2 7-iron shots to get you inside 100 yards with a short wedge to the green and a chance at par versus an errant drive that you may or may not find, a potential drop in the rough shooting for par from 200+ yards out?

If you want to score well then leave the woods and low irons in the bag until you can hit them consistently at the range. If you are more concerned with "fitting in" with the guys you're playing and want to hit the long ball...well, you'll have to learn to live with the good and lots of bad until you figure "it" out.

I use a driving iron, which, unfortunately, you can't really find anymore. I think it's perfect for this. You can still get good distance (I'll hit in the 225-250 range if I hit it good). And it goes straight.

I have never been able to figure out how to hit a wood right.

johnnyshaka · 05-24-2012, 02:11 AM

Hybrid woods/irons or rescue clubs are probably similar or are a replacement for what you are talking about. They can certainly make life easier and less stressful provided you are comfortable with them and can hit them straight, consistently. That's the issue I think that plagues a lot of beginners...heck, just about every golfer not playing on TV...hitting it where you want to CONSISTENTLY. So, whether it's your 7-iron, 5-iron, rescue club, or 5-wood...hit the one you really, really like to hit because you know where it's going to end up most of the time and use it as often as possible.

Confidence goes a long way in this game and standing over the ball with a great feeling knowing that you can stripe it down the middle of the fairway...whether it be 150 yards or 250 yards...will do wonders for your game.

johnnyshaka · 05-24-2012, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I have never been able to figure out how to hit a wood right.

I am by no means an expert but in my experience most guys with driver issues are almost always swinging too fast and/or too hard. Alignment and grip play a role as well. Club setup could play a role but if you have the swing tempo down along with proper grip and alignment then you can hit just about any club setup any which way.

cartman · 06-26-2012, 10:19 AM

I seem to have found my swing again. At least with the 6 iron, which I can regularly hit 200+ yards and straight. Played last Thursday and shot a 104, and didn't lose a ball until the 12th hole. Played on Sunday, and shot a 95, the first time I've ever broken 100. Now to see if I can consistently hit in that range.

klayman · 04-28-2013, 01:25 AM

Has anybody tried any rangefinder/gps apps and can recommend one? I'm looking for a scorecard function as well to keep history, but my searches have only found very expensive options and I don't know how well they will work in northern Alberta.

Vince, Pt. II · 04-28-2013, 01:58 AM

Golflogix is pretty fantastic. It'll track not only scores, but chips, putts, whether you're missing fairways left or right, chips long or short, and even putt miss direction. That is, if you're willing to input the information.

Sucks up my battery like no other though, even with the GPS/rangefinding features off.

kingfc22 · 04-28-2013, 11:30 AM

I use Golf Shot and would swear by it.

On a side note, finally got my first round in of 2013 last weekend after playing only two last year and shot a personal best 103. It could easily have been a sub-95 round as I look back at some of the opportunities I blew, but I'm glad to think that I may have figured out my issue with hitting my irons with any consistency. Of course, I won't know for sure until I play again.

cartman · 04-28-2013, 12:13 PM

+1 on Golfshot. It took a bit of time to get used to how to enter your scores and shots, but it does a great job of tracking and reporting, and the GPS has been dead on.

klayman · 04-28-2013, 12:14 PM

Awesome, thanks guys. I actually see that both those apps have courses in my area mapped, which was my major concern. I don't know why I didn't look for that information the first time.

britrock88 · 04-28-2013, 02:56 PM

Moved in the fall and left my old clubs (a starter set) behind. Debating grabbing a starter set and getting out some this summer, but I'm disappointed to see that long irons, which I hit well with, are now often replaced by hybrids. Any thoughts on how to get a decent set of clubs economically that (secondarily) might let me keep long irons?

Edit: I'm a lefty... :/

Coffee Warlord · 04-28-2013, 02:58 PM

Used.

And I know your pain as a left, used irons are WAY harder to find for a lefty. I totally lucked into a set of used Cobra irons a couple years ago, and absolutely love them.

You can check online, too.

Coffee Warlord · 04-28-2013, 03:00 PM

And I'm the same way in regard to long irons vs hybrids. I LOVE my long irons. Screw hybrids.

cartman · 04-28-2013, 03:34 PM

Check out the Callaway Golf Outlet: Used Golf Clubs, Pre-Owned Drivers, Irons, Putters, Wedges: Callaway Golf Pre-Owned

They have specials all of the time, and have all sorts of clubs. I picked up a set of Diablo Edge irons last year and love them.

Desnudo · 04-29-2013, 07:21 AM

The Dan Plan

cartman · 04-29-2013, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desnudo

The Dan Plan

That is awesome! I'd love to be able to do something like that.

heybrad · 04-29-2013, 09:39 AM

Question... When you guys go golfing are you going out with buddies? I've been hitting the range quite a bit lately, but don't really have anybody to get out with. Would it be looked at weird if I hit the course by myself or will they try to partner me up with somebody?

saldana · 04-29-2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heybrad

Question... When you guys go golfing are you going out with buddies? I've been hitting the range quite a bit lately, but don't really have anybody to get out with. Would it be looked at weird if I hit the course by myself or will they try to partner me up with somebody?

hey brad. it depends when you go..if you call and make a tee time at a course that is busy, they will partner you up, but if you just walk on at off peak hours (Ususally mid afternoon) you can just go and play by yourself...i see guys doing that all the time.

i have also had singles get added onto my two or threesome, and as soon as you are out of sight of the clubhouse, they just go off on their own since we are slowing them down

Desnudo · 04-29-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

That is awesome! I'd love to be able to do something like that.

I think his first 1000 hours was just putting

MacroGuru · 04-29-2013, 11:03 AM

Had my 2 oldest this weekend and both voiced their desire to go golfing with dad after having some lessons in school.

So, I am now looking at buying beginners sets for both of them and getting out to the range initially to see where they are at and then probably move over to a small par 3, 9 hole course by the house.

Vince, Pt. II · 05-19-2013, 12:32 AM

Sitting 20 yards away from the green on 18 today, I chipped it about 5 yards straight into the pond.

Lost the tournament by 1 stroke. Sigh.

JetsIn06 · 06-17-2013, 11:46 AM

Started a thread, then was directed to this one.

Just went out for the fourth time this year to a local county course called Hominy Hill: Hominy Hill Golf Course . I typically play 6-10 times a year, and have since I was pretty young. I think I was 7 or 8 when my Dad took me out for the first time when we were on vacation in Florida. I'm 26 now, so it's almost been 20 years.

I still suck, but I've been getting better rapidly lately. Yesterday for Father's Day, my dad and I went out. I shot a 94, largely in part to way too many triple bogeys. I shot par 6 times and had a birdie on the par-5 17th hole. I also parred (is that a word?) every par-3, which is fantastic for me, as I'm not a very good short-game player.

I had two monster drives, one 300 and one 320, and was hitting everything pretty good when I made good contact. Naturally I completely flubbed a few, but when I was on, I was on.

sooner333 · 06-17-2013, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heybrad

Question... When you guys go golfing are you going out with buddies? I've been hitting the range quite a bit lately, but don't really have anybody to get out with. Would it be looked at weird if I hit the course by myself or will they try to partner me up with somebody?

If I want to play by myself I either know the course well enough to know when I can do that or just call ahead and ask if you can get on as a single. Last time I just said I didn't want to get in a group and that I wanted to play alone and clear my head. The shop guy told me he could get me on.

cartman · 06-17-2013, 10:21 PM

Haven't played a round yet this year. But I have been playing a lot at TopGolf, which is an awesome place. It is a mix of driving range and bar and grill. Instead of just hitting balls down a range, there are several targets. The balls are micro-chipped, so they know where they land. There are a bunch of different games to play.

Based on how I'm hitting the ball, I'm hoping that translates to the course. I'm consistently getting good loft on the ball, and have been hitting a lot straighter. I'm hoping to play a round with my uncle this weekend and see how well the practice is translating to the course.

sooner333 · 06-17-2013, 10:23 PM

Top Golf is amazing.

Butter · 06-18-2013, 06:56 AM

I just went to the driving range with my 11 year old for the first time over the weekend. After his first try at the range, he said he really liked it, so I picked him up a cheap set of junior clubs, and we hit it again on Sunday. I figure it would probably be best to put him in a class before I get him on all kinds of bad habits... but I'm not made of money, so I will have to do my best on my own to teach him. His first drive of the day was over 100 yards, and then it was all downhill from there. But he was making better contact on Sunday, even if he was missing the ball a lot.

I hit about 15-20 balls out of the basket myself, and I was hitting the ball better than I ever have. I have the same clubs I have had since I was 18 (about 20 years), which was a set off the rack at a box store (Meijer). Nevertheless, I hit a couple of drives over 250, which is rare for me. I just don't have good power behind my shots normally, but I could never tell if that was me or my crappy clubs, or what. But I was hitting the shit out of everything I hit on Sunday, short irons (hitting my pitching wedge 110 yards, which I usually can't hit more than 80-90 or so).

That of course means that once I actually get out to play a round at our local par-3, I'll be topping everything and playing like crap because I felt so good on Sunday.

cartman · 06-18-2013, 07:46 AM

For your son, you ought to check into First Tee. It is a golf program to teach kids and teens. My 9 year old niece went to a week long class last year, and it was ~$100. She had a blast. The hardest part was finding a set of left handed girls clubs.

Logan · 06-18-2013, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetsIn06

Started a thread, then was directed to this one.

Just went out for the fourth time this year to a local county course called Hominy Hill: Hominy Hill Golf Course . I typically play 6-10 times a year, and have since I was pretty young. I think I was 7 or 8 when my Dad took me out for the first time when we were on vacation in Florida. I'm 26 now, so it's almost been 20 years.

I still suck, but I've been getting better rapidly lately. Yesterday for Father's Day, my dad and I went out. I shot a 94, largely in part to way too many triple bogeys. I shot par 6 times and had a birdie on the par-5 17th hole. I also parred (is that a word?) every par-3, which is fantastic for me, as I'm not a very good short-game player.

I had two monster drives, one 300 and one 320, and was hitting everything pretty good when I made good contact. Naturally I completely flubbed a few, but when I was on, I was on.

I grew up not far from you in Marlboro, and played the Monmouth County courses pretty religiously from when I was about 17 until I moved into NYC at 24. Hominy Hill at one point was considered one of the top 50 public courses in the country. I haven't played it in at least 8 years, so I'm not sure how it's holding up, but it used to be pretty tough.

All those county courses are pretty great considering the price. Charleston South (the non-links style one) was always my favorite, followed by Howell Park. Pine Brook was good for working on your irons.

MacroGuru · 06-18-2013, 08:17 AM

I am hoping to get the kids out to the range with me this weekend to hit a bucket or two.

Vince, Pt. II · 06-24-2013, 08:15 AM

So in about two hours I tee off at Spyglass Hill for an NCGA Championship event. My last several rounds of golf have had stretches of awesome (-1 over a five hole stretch) surrounded by a few simply awful blow-up holes (14's, 11's, etc). It's the first round of a best ball tournament (tomorrow we play at Quail Lodge), so my partner and I simply need to make sure that we don't blow up on the same hole. That being said, Spyglass is a tough, tough course, so here's hoping I can capture more of the good golf than the bad golf.

Super excited about the round of golf

Butter · 06-24-2013, 09:05 AM

Good luck, Vince! Sounds awesome!

I went out and played with my wife and 11 year old this weekend, first time for my son. It was just a par-3, total par of 58 for the course. He shot at about double par, but did really well on the back 9 after he got warmed up, shooting about a 50 for the final 9. I think getting his ball at the right height on the tee shots for him was really helping him out. On the 18th (which was a simple 90 yard hole), he was the only one of the three of us to hit the green off the tee. I blasted my PW way past the hole, and my wife was just off the left side. The score doesn't sound great, but remembering how crappy I was when I started (at age 18), I thought he did really well. He is going to a class this week, so we'll see what he gets out of that. I am out of town this weekend, but my wife is going to take him on Saturday morning.

I shot a 77, which for me was outstanding. I didn't get more than a 5 on any single hole, which I think was a personal best. I was hitting everything really well, getting my clubs the right distance and everything... which is rare. I even was able to put my 5-wood on the green at an uphill 185 yard hole, which for me is the second toughest hole on the course.

08-12-2011, 01:34 PM	#5
Scoobz0202 Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio	I am in this category to a point. I'm 23 years old. I golfed for the first time when I was 18. Went about once a month on average, sometimes a lot more, sometimes not for three months. It consisted of beer a hole, hit the ball till about the 7th shot then give up when I realized I was still 100+ yards out. Never owned a set of clubs outside of this just atrocious set that I had gifted. This past winter I wanted to find a hobby. As me and my friends get older, we started obviously developing our own lives which consisted of a bunch more time trying to entertain yourself. I have a lot of ways of doing that at home, but figured I don't want to be a hermit so I decided to get a set of clubs and just give it a shot. I got a student membership at the local course. Started in late-March, early-April. I started out obviously atrocious. 60's on nine holes, so that meant 120-130+ on eighteen. I ended up playing 4 or so times a week, if not more. Tried to hit the driving range up one day a week, and hit a small-medium bucket before every round. By mid-July I posted by best ever 83. 41 on the front, 42 on the back. With that being said, my goal is a 45. So basically if I can challenge 90 I tend to be satisfied. Although, that is another side effect of golf. I started just wanting to hit the ball forward. Then 100 became a goal so i went for that.I broke that. At the time I thought, well shit, if I can just end the summer consistently breaking 100 or challenging it then I'm happy. Well, then I shot that first 94 or so and I thought, Fuck, 90 is in the picture. It becomes a god damn addiction that I wish I could just accept where I am in my game and enjoy myself. Instead I get so fucking angry when I hit a decent drive, then hit a ball 20 yards short and slightly to the right. Instead, I should say, " Chris, you were shooting fucking 65 just three months ago, chill. " It's partially that that has caused me to take a short break. It's been a week and a half since I've gone. I'll probably go again sometime the middle of next week and start hardcore again. I talk to a lot of vet's of the game and they say I've made incredible progress so I need to just accept that. I have found a game I love, and something that I hope will be a part of my life forever. To the point that when I picture myself graduating one of the first things I intend to do is move somewhere I can golf year round, or at least close to. I understand and totally feel your frustrations at time. Talking to my uncle, a 40 year vet of the game, it's crazy how he still deals with the same shit. So the sooner I accept that it's part of the game the more I can truly play this game and enjoy it to the fullest. I plan on getting lessons first thing next year, though. Now that I've gotten some general knowledge of my game if I can get some lessons and challenge 80...... Last edited by Scoobz0202 : 08-12-2011 at 01:35 PM.

08-27-2011, 01:21 PM	#7
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	So a couple of weeks ago I had my best round ever, a 124. Broke 60 on the front 9, which was a first for me over nine holes. My swing is getting more consistent. Before, getting a ball off of the ground and into the air happened about 2 out of every 10 swings. Now it happens 8 out of every 10. Next chance to play will be the Friday after Labor Day. My uncle-to-be is holding 'The Pre-Married Open' the day before he marries my aunt. Will be interesting to see if I can improve on my last outing. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

08-28-2011, 09:47 AM	#8
Vince, Pt. II Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Somewhere More Familiar	Nice work, cartman and Scoobz. Great to see improvement I'm an 18.6 - joined the NCGA through a local course's men's club, and they now track my index. It's an awful lot of fun to play in tournaments, especially because the competition at this club is around my level (I'm probably the 10th lowest index of about 30 members). That being said, I've never taken lessons - I've taught myself to play over the 20 or so years that I've been golfing. My main issues seems to be left-to-right movement - I have a pretty vicious slice that I can mitigate by slowing down my swing, but it really takes a lot off my distance (and the ball still has a good bit of fade). If I do everything right, my driver only goes about 220, and I'm consistently 2-3 clubs shorter than everyone I golf with - and these are guys that I can hit a softball twice as far as. The only thing I can see that needs to change is my tendency to go outside in - almost all my divots look like the backslash on my keyboard. I've always told myself I should take some lessons, but in the south bay area, there are a ton of options. Any suggestions as to where I should go or how I should pick the teaching professional I eventually choose to go to? Last edited by Vince, Pt. II : 08-28-2011 at 10:04 AM.

03-26-2012, 08:38 PM	#9
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	I finally got around to taking some lessons. UT's continuing education program offers 4 weeks of 2 hour golf lesson sessions for $110. I just finished the first 4 week program on Saturday. I played a round yesterday with my aunt and uncle, and shot the best score I've ever had, a 111, my first round under 120. I'm still horribly erratic off of the tee, but the classes didn't cover that. They were mainly interested in working on getting swing mechanics right with wedges and short irons. I could definitely see the improvements on those shots. I start up the 2nd level lessons on Sunday. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

03-26-2012, 09:23 PM	#10
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	Golfed my first 18 of the season on a very long course, hit a 108...not complaining..but damn I suck... Need to correct the slice I have...and my short game. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

08-12-2011, 01:02 PM	#2
Blackadar Retired Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fantasyland	Unless you have exceptional hand-eye coordination, there's only two ways to get better - and you really have to do both: 1. Practice 2. Take lessons Now, you can get better just by practicing a lot, but it's a risky proposition. I've seen players get worse by practicing without lessons because they reinforce bad habits. As such, I believe you really have to do both. Practicing without lessons is a crapshoot and takes a lot of time. Taking lessons with practicing is a waste of money. Lessons don't take all that long, you can do one a week and you'll probably see immediate results. Plus, there's nothing like watching heads turn on the range when you're banging out 4 irons 250 yards once they get your swing into the groove. Oh, and Ben Hogan's book is still an excellent fundamental breakdown of the swing.

08-12-2011, 01:12 PM	#3
heybrad Norm!!! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Manassas, VA	I'm definitely in this category. I golfed a lot as a teenager and was a member of the Long Beach Junior Golf Club. I wasn't great but I wasn't terrible either. I recently tried to pick the game back up and have found that I'm only decent when I can put the time in. I'm still using clubs that my wife bought for me 15 years ago, so I'm sure that's an issue. I'm great on the driving range and have an occasional shot a a par when I'm actually playing but I'm usually looking at a bogey or double bogey every hole, but I can still occasionally unleash some horrific shots that may just kill somebody one of these days. I want to get better but it seems like it comes down to having the time.

08-12-2011, 02:44 PM	#6
Big Fo Pro Rookie Join Date: Jan 2005	After an embarrassing round where I shot over 100 last summer, I quit playing for about a year. Before that I only played a handful of times per year, usually shooting in the low 90s. I started back up recently and have been played five rounds over the last month and a half with some occasional visits to the driving range, slowly getting better each time. On Monday I went out and shot an 82 which the best round of my life by 6 strokes, it felt so good. Normally I can drive the ball a long way and with decent accuracy, have a pretty good short game, but struggle with the irons. During this round I hit almost every iron flush, I hit way more greens in regulation than normal. If I had putted better I could have broken 80. I'm looking forward to playing tomorrow, though I doubt I'll be shooting in the low-mid 80s since it will be a harder course.

05-23-2012, 09:07 PM	#19
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	So a couple of weeks ago I finished up the second level classes, and played a round that weekend. Shot a 102, my best score ever. I played on Sunday, and on the front 9 I shot a 52, but completely lost my swing on the back nine and shot a 78. I just played nine holes this evening, and the swing wasn't there again, and shot a 70. Just when I thought I had turned a corner, reality set back in. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

05-24-2012, 02:11 AM	#22
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	Hybrid woods/irons or rescue clubs are probably similar or are a replacement for what you are talking about. They can certainly make life easier and less stressful provided you are comfortable with them and can hit them straight, consistently. That's the issue I think that plagues a lot of beginners...heck, just about every golfer not playing on TV...hitting it where you want to CONSISTENTLY. So, whether it's your 7-iron, 5-iron, rescue club, or 5-wood...hit the one you really, really like to hit because you know where it's going to end up most of the time and use it as often as possible. Confidence goes a long way in this game and standing over the ball with a great feeling knowing that you can stripe it down the middle of the fairway...whether it be 150 yards or 250 yards...will do wonders for your game.

06-26-2012, 10:19 AM	#24
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	I seem to have found my swing again. At least with the 6 iron, which I can regularly hit 200+ yards and straight. Played last Thursday and shot a 104, and didn't lose a ball until the 12th hole. Played on Sunday, and shot a 95, the first time I've ever broken 100. Now to see if I can consistently hit in that range. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

04-28-2013, 01:25 AM	#25
klayman College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edmonton	Has anybody tried any rangefinder/gps apps and can recommend one? I'm looking for a scorecard function as well to keep history, but my searches have only found very expensive options and I don't know how well they will work in northern Alberta.

04-28-2013, 01:58 AM	#26
Vince, Pt. II Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Somewhere More Familiar	Golflogix is pretty fantastic. It'll track not only scores, but chips, putts, whether you're missing fairways left or right, chips long or short, and even putt miss direction. That is, if you're willing to input the information. Sucks up my battery like no other though, even with the GPS/rangefinding features off.

04-28-2013, 11:30 AM	#27
kingfc22 Head Coach Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Morgan Hill, CA	I use Golf Shot and would swear by it. On a side note, finally got my first round in of 2013 last weekend after playing only two last year and shot a personal best 103. It could easily have been a sub-95 round as I look back at some of the opportunities I blew, but I'm glad to think that I may have figured out my issue with hitting my irons with any consistency. Of course, I won't know for sure until I play again. __________________ Fan of SF Giants, 49ers, Sharks, Arsenal Last edited by kingfc22 : 04-28-2013 at 11:34 AM.

04-28-2013, 12:13 PM	#28
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	+1 on Golfshot. It took a bit of time to get used to how to enter your scores and shots, but it does a great job of tracking and reporting, and the GPS has been dead on. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

04-28-2013, 12:14 PM	#29
klayman College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edmonton	Awesome, thanks guys. I actually see that both those apps have courses in my area mapped, which was my major concern. I don't know why I didn't look for that information the first time.

04-28-2013, 02:56 PM	#30
britrock88 Pro Starter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Madison, WI	Moved in the fall and left my old clubs (a starter set) behind. Debating grabbing a starter set and getting out some this summer, but I'm disappointed to see that long irons, which I hit well with, are now often replaced by hybrids. Any thoughts on how to get a decent set of clubs economically that (secondarily) might let me keep long irons? Edit: I'm a lefty... :/ Last edited by britrock88 : 04-28-2013 at 02:57 PM.

04-28-2013, 02:58 PM	#31
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	Used. And I know your pain as a left, used irons are WAY harder to find for a lefty. I totally lucked into a set of used Cobra irons a couple years ago, and absolutely love them. You can check online, too.

04-28-2013, 03:00 PM	#32
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	And I'm the same way in regard to long irons vs hybrids. I LOVE my long irons. Screw hybrids.

04-28-2013, 03:34 PM	#33
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	Check out the Callaway Golf Outlet: Used Golf Clubs, Pre-Owned Drivers, Irons, Putters, Wedges: Callaway Golf Pre-Owned They have specials all of the time, and have all sorts of clubs. I picked up a set of Diablo Edge irons last year and love them. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

04-29-2013, 07:21 AM	#34
Desnudo Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Here and There	The Dan Plan

04-29-2013, 09:39 AM	#36
heybrad Norm!!! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Manassas, VA	Question... When you guys go golfing are you going out with buddies? I've been hitting the range quite a bit lately, but don't really have anybody to get out with. Would it be looked at weird if I hit the course by myself or will they try to partner me up with somebody?

04-29-2013, 11:03 AM	#39
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	Had my 2 oldest this weekend and both voiced their desire to go golfing with dad after having some lessons in school. So, I am now looking at buying beginners sets for both of them and getting out to the range initially to see where they are at and then probably move over to a small par 3, 9 hole course by the house. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

05-19-2013, 12:32 AM	#40
Vince, Pt. II Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Somewhere More Familiar	Sitting 20 yards away from the green on 18 today, I chipped it about 5 yards straight into the pond. Lost the tournament by 1 stroke. Sigh.

06-17-2013, 11:46 AM	#41
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	Started a thread, then was directed to this one. Just went out for the fourth time this year to a local county course called Hominy Hill: Hominy Hill Golf Course . I typically play 6-10 times a year, and have since I was pretty young. I think I was 7 or 8 when my Dad took me out for the first time when we were on vacation in Florida. I'm 26 now, so it's almost been 20 years. I still suck, but I've been getting better rapidly lately. Yesterday for Father's Day, my dad and I went out. I shot a 94, largely in part to way too many triple bogeys. I shot par 6 times and had a birdie on the par-5 17th hole. I also parred (is that a word?) every par-3, which is fantastic for me, as I'm not a very good short-game player. I had two monster drives, one 300 and one 320, and was hitting everything pretty good when I made good contact. Naturally I completely flubbed a few, but when I was on, I was on.

06-17-2013, 10:21 PM	#43
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	Haven't played a round yet this year. But I have been playing a lot at TopGolf, which is an awesome place. It is a mix of driving range and bar and grill. Instead of just hitting balls down a range, there are several targets. The balls are micro-chipped, so they know where they land. There are a bunch of different games to play. Based on how I'm hitting the ball, I'm hoping that translates to the course. I'm consistently getting good loft on the ball, and have been hitting a lot straighter. I'm hoping to play a round with my uncle this weekend and see how well the practice is translating to the course. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

06-17-2013, 10:23 PM	#44
sooner333 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Norman, OK	Top Golf is amazing.

06-18-2013, 06:56 AM	#45
Butter Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dayton, OH	I just went to the driving range with my 11 year old for the first time over the weekend. After his first try at the range, he said he really liked it, so I picked him up a cheap set of junior clubs, and we hit it again on Sunday. I figure it would probably be best to put him in a class before I get him on all kinds of bad habits... but I'm not made of money, so I will have to do my best on my own to teach him. His first drive of the day was over 100 yards, and then it was all downhill from there. But he was making better contact on Sunday, even if he was missing the ball a lot. I hit about 15-20 balls out of the basket myself, and I was hitting the ball better than I ever have. I have the same clubs I have had since I was 18 (about 20 years), which was a set off the rack at a box store (Meijer). Nevertheless, I hit a couple of drives over 250, which is rare for me. I just don't have good power behind my shots normally, but I could never tell if that was me or my crappy clubs, or what. But I was hitting the shit out of everything I hit on Sunday, short irons (hitting my pitching wedge 110 yards, which I usually can't hit more than 80-90 or so). That of course means that once I actually get out to play a round at our local par-3, I'll be topping everything and playing like crap because I felt so good on Sunday. __________________ My listening habits

06-18-2013, 07:46 AM	#46
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	For your son, you ought to check into First Tee. It is a golf program to teach kids and teens. My 9 year old niece went to a week long class last year, and it was ~$100. She had a blast. The hardest part was finding a set of left handed girls clubs. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

06-18-2013, 08:17 AM	#48
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	I am hoping to get the kids out to the range with me this weekend to hit a bucket or two. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

06-24-2013, 08:15 AM	#49
Vince, Pt. II Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Somewhere More Familiar	So in about two hours I tee off at Spyglass Hill for an NCGA Championship event. My last several rounds of golf have had stretches of awesome (-1 over a five hole stretch) surrounded by a few simply awful blow-up holes (14's, 11's, etc). It's the first round of a best ball tournament (tomorrow we play at Quail Lodge), so my partner and I simply need to make sure that we don't blow up on the same hole. That being said, Spyglass is a tough, tough course, so here's hoping I can capture more of the good golf than the bad golf. Super excited about the round of golf

06-24-2013, 09:05 AM	#50
Butter Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dayton, OH	Good luck, Vince! Sounds awesome! I went out and played with my wife and 11 year old this weekend, first time for my son. It was just a par-3, total par of 58 for the course. He shot at about double par, but did really well on the back 9 after he got warmed up, shooting about a 50 for the final 9. I think getting his ball at the right height on the tee shots for him was really helping him out. On the 18th (which was a simple 90 yard hole), he was the only one of the three of us to hit the green off the tee. I blasted my PW way past the hole, and my wife was just off the left side. The score doesn't sound great, but remembering how crappy I was when I started (at age 18), I thought he did really well. He is going to a class this week, so we'll see what he gets out of that. I am out of town this weekend, but my wife is going to take him on Saturday morning. I shot a 77, which for me was outstanding. I didn't get more than a 5 on any single hole, which I think was a personal best. I was hitting everything really well, getting my clubs the right distance and everything... which is rare. I even was able to put my 5-wood on the green at an uphill 185 yard hole, which for me is the second toughest hole on the course. __________________ My listening habits Last edited by Butter : 06-24-2013 at 09:07 AM.

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