The OS Golfer's Thread!

[ImTellinTim]

rspencer - I use athletic tape on my thumb, index, and middle fingers on my right hand to prevent soreness. It's not so much blisters - there's a certain area on each of those fingers that gets dry and can crack if I don't use tape.

[1Rose]

Quote: Originally Posted by rspencer86

Couple questions for you guys: Do you guys ever practice with those "wiffle" or foam practice balls and just go out to your backyard or a park and hit them, or do you stick to the driving range? Reason I ask is I'm not crazy about spending $8 for a bucket of balls every time I want to work on my swing. Do any of you wear two gloves? I got a couple blisters on my non-gloved right hand last time out at the range. I guess if I practice more and more without the second glove the blisters will eventually stop occurring?

The answer to the first question, is no. The only thing those are really good for is just staying loose, because they basically give you no real indication on whether it was a good or bad swing because the ball pretty much goes anywhere. What I do if I don't want to go to the range, I take about 50-60 balls and go to the park near my house, where they have an open field that's used to play soccer on. Then i just set up a target about 70-80 yards away and hit wedge shots for a couple hours.

Second question is no as well. In fact I haven't worn a glove in a while. Mainly to build the calluses in my hands so they get tougher so I don't have that soreness. I do all my practicing and stuff with no glove and tape on my index and ring finger of my right hand. Best thing you can do, seriously, is pick the blisters, that way they'll get harder faster.

[rspencer86]

Thanks ms24forever, ITT and Rose. Good stuff.

Looking forward to getting some practice in this weekend... the heat wave has finally broke here and temps are going to be in the 80s.

[speels]

I use the foam balls, but only for pitching and chipping in my house. I set up a laundry basket and try to them into the basket, that way I get lots of practice while watching TV or the kids. I like the foam balls because they don't leave dents in my walls when the kids get a hold of them, or when I pull out the piece of shag carpet to practice lobs.

I also have a couple fake holes in my basement that I practice with.

I spend quite a bit of time with my brother and friends having putting competitions in the basement. We also made up a game where one guy swings a putter handle like a bat while another chips balls at a laundry basket. If the ball goes in the basket the batter is out, but he continues to hit until he gets out. You do many different styles of chips, from high floaters to screaming line drives trying to get that guy out so you can hit at him. We have points for hitting the ball to different areas, and if there is more than 2 people playing, we have fielders. Sketchy thing is the room is like 14 ft across so when someone hits the ball at you, there is not a lot of reaction time. Hahahaha Took one in the throat 2 nights ago!!! Thank goodness they are foam balls.

On a side note, never really though much about this when we started doing it, but my greenside saves have increased as well as my putts per round has decreased. It doesn;t feel like practicing, but you really are.

[rspencer86]

Went to the range again tonight. Pretty much the same story as last time: irons are very solid, woods and drive off the tee are wildly inconsistent. Couldn't figure out how to stop hitting low slices. Time to get my library books back out and work out the kinks.

I did hit one or two great shots with my driver that were straight and went about 225. Those felt good! Just couldn't repeat that stroke.

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by rspencer86

Went to the range again tonight. Pretty much the same story as last time: irons are very solid, woods and drive off the tee are wildly inconsistent. Couldn't figure out how to stop hitting low slices. Time to get my library books back out and work out the kinks. I did hit one or two great shots with my driver that were straight and went about 225. Those felt good! Just couldn't repeat that stroke.

The main thing that helped me with my driver was trying to stay inside of the ball. The slice probably comes from swinging around the ball and hitting it from the outside and across it. A good way to practice this is to swing with a golf glove, or towel, or something tucked between your right arm and your ribs. This will force you to keep your elbow in and keep your hands and the club head inside of the ball. That way you're hitting through it, instead of across it. This is assuming you're right handed. If you're left handed do the drill with your left arm instead of your right. I had a pretty bad slice for a long time, but now my ball flight has a slight fade, maybe 10 yards or so, and sometimes I'm able to draw it a bit.

Of course, I can't say this is going to work without seeing your swing at all, but try it out and see what happens.

[fishepa]

Playing today. Hopefully I won't embarrass myself. The worse I play, the sooner the beer gets purchased. Hopefully I don't have a beer in my hand by hole 4.

[1Rose]

Played yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately didn't get to hit balls before hand, which for me is part of my routine. It showed on the front nine when I was spraying the ball everywhere. Ended up salvaging a 41 somehow. My putter was working pretty well and made some big putts.

Finally got in rhythm on the back 9. Finished with an eagle and two birdies to fire a 32. 73 for the 18. Frustrating to waste such a strong back nine with an abysmal front 9 because it could of easily been a 64-65 if I would of had the chance to warm up before, but oh well, that's the way it goes sometime.