Any Golf Players?

[GhettoDogAllStars]

I've never had elite clubs, but it is my understanding that golf is one of the few sports where your equipment will dramatically affect your performance.

When I switched from my crappy Wilson irons to the middle-of-the-road Wilsons, my shots were much more accurate. I don't think the brand is very important, but the technology is (IMO). I once heard a golf announcer say something along the lines of, "Most golfers do well because of their equipment. Tiger does well despite his equipment." That was back when Tiger first got sponsored by Nike, and their equipment wasn't up to par. However, from what I understand Nike has made great strides in their golf equipment since then.

[KLHJ2]

Depending on the wind and the amount of beer that I consumed. I get anywhere from 150 to 170 out of my 7 iron. I play it to go between 160-165, but sometimes I get more (unintentionally). I hate that because it does roll off of the back of the green.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Thanks for the link jdlea. I wish I could hit the ball like you. Unfortunately, as I said, I can crush the ball but I tend to be wildly inaccurate when I do so. I've only been playing for 2 years and I hope that I can increase my swing speed as I play longer and get more comfortable.

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

Thanks for the link jdlea. I wish I could hit the ball like you. Unfortunately, as I said, I can crush the ball but I tend to be wildly inaccurate when I do so. I've only been playing for 2 years and I hope that I can increase my swing speed as I play longer and get more comfortable.

I'm not sure what size you are, but one of the things that I will say benefits me is that I'm about 6'3", 230 and I have pretty long arms. Also, I don't start my down swing until I can see the club head out of the corner of my left eye. Finally, I had a lot of junior lessons when I was younger, so I've had a pretty good swing my whole life, I've just had to calm it down so that it no longer gets out of control.

I generate a great deal of club head speed still, but now it's a much more controlled swing for me, it's still really fast by most people's standards.

Unfortunately, since I hadn't played for about 2 years, coming back to it has been humbling with my short game, but it's starting to come around, I think I'll be back in 90's soon if I keep playing regularly.

[Monkeydad]

Yes. I'm horrible until I get to the green (I rock in putting and mini-golf) but I have fun.

[SmootSmack]

Thought I'd dig up this thread...

After not having been on a course since I hacked my way through 9 holes 15 years ago, I've decided this summer to really try to make an effort to learn the game. So I've been to the driving range a handful of times. And I'm hoping that next spring/summer I'll take some formal lessons.

But here's my question. If you're just starting off on your own by going to the range. What's the best way to start. Just take out the driver and unload, practice with all the various clubs, pick one particular club (could be a driver, could be another) and perfect your swing with that one? This weekend I practiced my swing with only the pitching wedge. Good idea?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Thought I'd dig up this thread...

After not having been on a course since I hacked my way through 9 holes 15 years ago, I've decided this summer to really try to make an effort to learn the game. So I've been to the driving range a handful of times. And I'm hoping that next spring/summer I'll take some formal lessons.

But here's my question. If you're just starting off on your own by going to the range. What's the best way to start. Just take out the driver and unload, practice with all the various clubs, pick one particular club (could be a driver, could be another) and perfect your swing with that one? This weekend I practiced my swing with only the pitching wedge. Good idea?

Yes, that's a good idea. When I was a teenage whippersnapper I learned by using almost nothing but my 7 iron for the first 4 lessons I took. Then later incorporated other clubs. Definitely better to start with an iron, because it's a shorter club than a wood, it's easier to get a feel for the right tempo.

I can't believe I missed this thread the first time around. Love golf. Don't get to play it as much as I'd like (who does). Played on my high school golf team, and it was probably the most fun I've had on an organized sports team, including college swimming and high school baseball.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Thought I'd dig up this thread...

After not having been on a course since I hacked my way through 9 holes 15 years ago, I've decided this summer to really try to make an effort to learn the game. So I've been to the driving range a handful of times. And I'm hoping that next spring/summer I'll take some formal lessons.

But here's my question. If you're just starting off on your own by going to the range. What's the best way to start. Just take out the driver and unload, practice with all the various clubs, pick one particular club (could be a driver, could be another) and perfect your swing with that one? This weekend I practiced my swing with only the pitching wedge. Good idea?

First get comfortable hitting each of your clubs consistently. Ben Crenshaw once told me to learn the game from the green back to the tee because most of your strokes are on or around the green. With that being said learn to put, then learn to hit your wedges, then your irons, then your woods and driver.

Once you can hit pretty much all of your clubs consistently (takes a while, years even), then you should start playing a mock round of golf from the Driving range. Confused? Pretend that you are on par 4 or whatever and you are 400 yards or so from the green. Hit your driver and say you got about 280 yards. Next take whatever club you need for 120 and pick a taket that distance away and try to get it. Continue to play consecutive shots until you are close enough to hypothetically put. DO NOT PUT. People will look at you crazy. Continue to play different types of holes and scenarios in your head, on the range until you either run out of balls, are satisfied, or have played a full mock round.

The above practice will help you learn how to play the game with a good lie. The only way to learn how to play with a bad lie is to actually play the game. Needless to say the above scenario will only help you as long as you are hitting good shots. It will not help you with playing out of crap with crappy lies, but it does help non the less.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Thought I'd dig up this thread...

After not having been on a course since I hacked my way through 9 holes 15 years ago, I've decided this summer to really try to make an effort to learn the game. So I've been to the driving range a handful of times. And I'm hoping that next spring/summer I'll take some formal lessons.

But here's my question. If you're just starting off on your own by going to the range. What's the best way to start. Just take out the driver and unload, practice with all the various clubs, pick one particular club (could be a driver, could be another) and perfect your swing with that one? This weekend I practiced my swing with only the pitching wedge. Good idea?

Get lessons now. Fooling around with your swing before lessons is probably a mistake. I don't play anymore because it was a waste of my time if I couldn't put in the time to make all the money and lessons worth it. I won't touch a club until I can start taking lessons and putting in the right amount of time at the range and can play regularly.

If you are going to work on your swing I'd focus on using a 7 and maybe like a 4 iron. That way you can do a little "cross training" and it'll help you develop a more rounded feel for swinging the clubs.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Get lessons now. Fooling around with your swing before lessons is probably a mistake. I don't play anymore because it was a waste of my time if I couldn't put in the time to make all the money and lessons worth it. I won't touch a club until I can start taking lessons and putting in the right amount of time at the range and can play regularly.

If you are going to work on your swing I'd focus on using a 7 and maybe like a 4 iron. That way you can do a little "cross training" and it'll help you develop a more rounded feel for swinging the clubs.

A buddy of mine is giving me some pointers so it's not like I'm just going out there on my own (and my father in law also gave me some pointers) but just don't have time this summer for formal lessons.

thanks for all the tips guys

Can you explain to me what to expect from the different irons? I know in some cases height is better than distance in regards to the irons, correct?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

A buddy of mine is giving me some pointers so it's not like I'm just going out there on my own (and my father in law also gave me some pointers) but just don't have time this summer for formal lessons.

thanks for all the tips guys

Can you explain to me what to expect from the different irons? I know in some cases height is better than distance in regards to the irons, correct?

Each iron is meant to achieve a different distance. It depends upon how fast you swing and your form, but for the average beginner golfer a 3 iron might go 180. 4 iron goes 170, 5 iron 160, 6 iron 140, and so on.

Once you get your swing down, try your irons at the driving range to get a feel for how far each flies. It's important to know your distances if you want to hit greens with semi-regularity.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Each iron is meant to achieve a different distance. It depends upon how fast you swing and your form, but for the average beginner golfer a 3 iron might go 180. 4 iron goes 170, 5 iron 160, 6 iron 140, and so on.

Once you get your swing down, try your irons at the driving range to get a feel for how far each flies. It's important to know your distances if you want to hit greens with semi-regularity.

Should the all go relatively the same height though, or are some meant to give a higher lift on the ball?

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

A buddy of mine is giving me some pointers so it's not like I'm just going out there on my own (and my father in law also gave me some pointers) but just don't have time this summer for formal lessons.

thanks for all the tips guys

Can you explain to me what to expect from the different irons? I know in some cases height is better than distance in regards to the irons, correct?

There are 3 types of irons: Short irons, medium irons, and long irons.

The short irons P, 9, 8 provide more loft and less distance because the heads have a greater angle they are also physically shorter on length of shaft. Because of this they require you to place the ball about 1 to 2 inches back from center in your stance.

7, 6, and 5 are mid irons and provide more distance and less loft than the short irons. The heads have slightly less angle and are physically longer than the short irons. Ball placement is usually in the middle of your stance.

4, 3, 2, and 1 (2 and 1 are not in bold because they are not typical) are long irons and provide the greatest distance with the least amount of loft. They have less angle and are longer than the Mid irons. Ball placement is 1 to 2 inches forward from center of your stance.

In general each club is going to yield 10 to 15 yards difference in distance, and increase/decrease loft depending on if you are clubbing up or clubbing down.

Example if you hit a 7 iron 150 yards then you 6 iron should get you 160-165 yards because the head provides less loft. At the same time your 8 iron should get you between 135-140 yards, but with a higher trajectory.

Make sense, or did I miss your question?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Angry

There are 3 types of irons: Short irons, medium irons, and long irons.

The short irons P, 9, 8 provide more loft and less distance because the heads have a greater angle they are also physically shorter on length of shaft. Because of this they require you to place the ball about 1 to 2 inches back from center in your stance.

7, 6, and 5 are mid irons and provide more distance and less loft than the short irons. The heads have slightly less angle and are physically longer than the short irons. Ball placement is usually in the middle of your stance.

4, 3, 2, and 1 (2 and 1 are not in bold because they are not typical) are long irons and provide the greatest distance with the least amount of loft. They have less angle and are longer than the Mid irons. Ball placement is 1 to 2 inches forward from center of your stance.

In general each club is going to yield 10 to 15 yards difference in distance, and increase/decrease loft depending on if you are clubbing up or clubbing down.

Example if you hit a 7 iron 150 yards then you 6 iron should get you 160-165 yards because the head provides less loft. At the same time your 8 iron should get you between 135-140 yards, but with a higher trajectory.

Make sense, or did I miss your question?

Perfect answer. Thanks!

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

A buddy of mine is giving me some pointers so it's not like I'm just going out there on my own (and my father in law also gave me some pointers) but just don't have time this summer for formal lessons.

thanks for all the tips guys

Can you explain to me what to expect from the different irons? I know in some cases height is better than distance in regards to the irons, correct?

Thats the way I approached it and I don't think my swing is horrible but right now I am just basically waiting for the time and circumstances where I can really rework everything into something more consistent and manageable.

I tend to be very competitive so when I golf I want to be good at it. Playing and struggling to break 100 half the time got old.

Hopefully the long layoff will alow me to forget a lot of my bad habits so I can start clean again some day.

I wish I was good at golf.