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Your number 1 tip for the casual golfer ...

dvd436

By dvd436,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

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dvd436 Member

dvd436

I am your pretty standard casual golfer. I love the game and love playing. I try to play as much as possible but other things like work seem to get in the way during the week and I'm not really into competitions so only play the weekends sometimes.

However this doesn't mean that I'm not really keen to improve and when I play I always enjoy it so much more when I play well. The main problem for me seems to be lack of consistency. I can certainly strike the ball and my good shots are good but my other shots are usually pretty crappy.

So I'm asking what would be your number 1 tip for a casual golfer like me? What area would you focus on first?

Thanks

Dave
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goblue107501 Great Member

goblue107501

Here are my top three:

1. Always check your alignment. I see so many people hit the ball right or left simply because their stance is too closed or too open. Your feet should be parallel to the target line. (unless of course you are trying to shape the ball which is another discussion altogether)

2. ALWAYS accelerate through the ball. If you want to 'take a little' off a shot, adjust your grip or backswing, but you have to accelerate through the ball.

3. With that in mind...Figure out how to hit partial shots. This is easily done by choking down on the grip and/or adjusting the length of the backswing. Too many people try and hit every club as hard as they can and pray they make good contact. Sometimes that works, but it is also sometimes easier, and more accurate, to choke down on an 8-iron with a 3/4 backswing, rather than an all out, hard-as-you-can, 9-iron.

I will judge my rounds much more by the quality of my best shots than the acceptability of my worse ones.

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Damien45 Well Established Member

Damien45

I am your pretty standard casual golfer. I love the game and love playing. I try to play as much as possible but other things like work seem to get in the way during the week and I'm not really into competitions so only play the weekends sometimes.

Work on your short game. Depending on if you have a house or apartment, you can get a chipping net or set something up in your yard that will let you practice. Get the "Scoring Zone" (chipping, pitching, ect) part of your game to be solid.

LD F Speed 9.5 Driver Stiff
MX 700 3W Stiff
MP Fli Hi 2, 3, 4
MP 52 5i-9i
MP-T 47.06, 51.06, & 58.10 White Hot XG Teron Putter ProV1x ShoesQUOTE:"I will judge my rounds much more by the quality of my best shots than the acceptability of my worse ones" - Terry "The Wedge Guy" Koehler

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kfowler Great Member

kfowler

what I'm finding is it's balance. It's impossible to hit a repeatable swing if you don't have good balance. You can practice your take away, release, and lag all you want, but if you don't have good balance it won't matter.

Kevin

-------
In the Bag
Driver: G15 9.0*3 & 5 Wood: BurnerHybrid: Pro Gold 20*; 23*Irons: MP-58 (5-PW)Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled 52*8; 56*14Putter: Newport 2.0 33"Balls: NXT

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David in FL Incredible Member

David in FL

Hit one more club than you think you need.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw
Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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JetFan1983 Super Member

JetFan1983

Just to have fun. I think when you're casual you should never beat yourself up or over-analyze yourself for mistakes. Consistency requires experience and long term dedication that almost all of us simply don't have the free time for. Have fun and forget about those bad shots because it's a beautiful day and those roses smell great. It's just a game after all. Oh by the way, can you do me a favor and hold my golf shoes and socks please, I have to go retrieve my putter from that lake over there.

Constantine

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MI Rob Great Member

MI Rob

Hit one more club than you think you need.

Agreed completly.

When I first started I always would try to hit the club that should get the ball to the green. Never worked so well. Until your able to use the club most people use for that certain yardage, dont be afraid to use a club or two more than normal.

In my Xtreme Sport bag
'09 Burner 9.5*
F50 15* 3 Wood
Burner 18* 5 Wood
MX-19 4-GW SV Tour 54.12 & 58.08 White Hot 2-Ball SRT

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Grndslmhttr3 Great Member

Grndslmhttr3

Just to have fun. I think when you're casual you should never beat yourself up or over-analyze yourself for mistakes. Consistency requires experience and long term dedication that almost all of us simply don't have the free time for. Have fun and forget about those bad shots because it's a beautiful day and those roses smell great. It's just a game after all.

No can do, I have to get my driver!

-Rich

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HSip Well Established Member

HSip

Always swing within yourself. When you get the feeling "I really have to go after this one.." back off, take 1 more club and swing within yourself. Stay casual - you'll probably play better. Cheers
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bjw181 Well Established Member

bjw181

I would have to say keeping your head still. Jack said that was the key to his swing. As long as you can swing around a stable base "your head and thus your spine" you should be able to make some good progress from there...

"Mulligan: invented by an Irishman who wanted to hit one more twenty yard grounder." -Jim Bishop

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Shindig Incredible Member

Shindig

Play the right set of tees. You know what's better for the ego than playing from the tips? Low scores!

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Marinemike Well Established Member

Marinemike

Play the right set of tees. You know what's better for the ego than playing from the tips? Low scores!

Amen to that! Let it be a challenge (course last week had the whites moved up to where the reds were on the front 9...it was too easy), but for the love of God play the right tees. I can't stand to go out and see somebody teaching his 8 year old to drive from the tips. What is that doing for the poor kid except making him hate golf because he can't even reach the green in 4? My other favorite is my 20-something friends who think they can play from far back; a big reason I play by myself a lot.

Probably my biggest tip to a new guy, too.

Ben Hogan is my swing coach.

Driver: Burner TP
3 & 5 Woods: No-name
3H:No-name4i-PW: MP-32...unapologetically...You should try blades, too56*: CG12Putter: Spider

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McGolf-Doggie Dedicated Member

McGolf-Doggie

As tempting as that 4 ft gap between the trees looks, it's usually a much better idea to play it back on to the fairway an easier way. Sure the shot looks very doable, but golf balls REALLY rebound back extremely fast and hard from trees, in people-seeking ways.

........................................
McGolf-Doggie's stand bag & new and used club emporium:
Putter :ping: 1/2Craz-e | Irons :TaylorMade: RAC MB, 4i-PW (DG S300) |Wedges :Cleveland: SW&LW 56*DSG+RTG; 60*/4* DSG+RTG |Woods :Cobra: S1 5W; Adams TIght Lies 3W |Driver :TaylorMade: Burner 9.5 Fujikura Reax S | Maxfli Practice

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flopdarock Great Member

flopdarock

get some lessons... if thats too much for a "casual" golfer... look online for some good video tips/lessons... there are tons of ways to improve your game... hit a good short game practice area or play a good par3/executive course
RUSS's avg drive - 230yrds and climbing
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KwSipp Well Established Member

KwSipp

Amen to that! Let it be a challenge (course last week had the whites moved up to where the reds were on the front 9...it was too easy), but for the love of God play the right tees. I can't stand to go out and see somebody teaching his 8 year old to drive from the tips. What is that doing for the poor kid except making him hate golf because he can't even reach the green in 4? My other favorite is my 20-something friends who think they can play from far back; a big reason I play by myself a lot.

So Driver - 9 iron is so much fun on every par 4

, just learn to play your long irons and cheers!
tempo...tempo...tempo...

No no amen to this, the one thing you cant teach is the most important this is why my swing was "learned in the dirt" I feel like the day you step out of the box and try some new things is when youll learn how to play this game.

Driver Tit 907D2 9.5 aldila spec grid 67s
HybidTit 585H 19* s flex
IronsTit 775cb 3-pw
WedgesTit vokey 52* 56* 60*
Putter Rife Barbados 35" winn mid pistol gripGolfballBridgestone B330-s/taylormade tp black/titleist prov1x
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Zeph Incredible Member

Zeph

1: Take some lessons

Random tips won't help much and no detail is more important than the next, you need the complete swing to make it work.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

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Note: This thread is 5464 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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