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I need tips to avoid my horrible start to each round


Todd Ruggere
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There is no one in the history of golf that starts off more poorly than me. I regularly shoot 44-36 and scores like that. I never par the 1st couple holes. The other day i started off Double, Triple, Double, then played the next 11 holes -2. I do it EVERY round. It's crazy. The way i start bad is completely random. I could be shanking, slicing, hooking, hitting ground balls, or anything. Then all of a sudden on the 4th or 5th hole I'm hitting it pure.

Does anyone have any tips for me besides going out and playing 9 holes before every round? I also do this on the driving range. This morning i got a tiny bucket (30 balls). I know going in that the 1st 15 or so will be fat, thin, grounders and the final 15 will be back to my old self. Help. I'm sick of this.

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Need more info: how do you prepare?

Do you park, get your clubs out of the trunk, and head to the first tee, or what?

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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Do you hit a warm up bucket before you play?

The last few balls in my warm up, I like to replicate the full-swing shots, in order, that I expect to face on the first three holes.  For example, my home course starts with a par-5, a par-4, and a par-3, so I'll hit driver, hybrid, GW, driver, 6-iron, 5-iron (off tee).

Something like that might help.....

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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There is a driving range near the 1st tee where you can get 30 ball buckets for $3 (irons only). So you can hit a few before you start. It doesn't seem to matter though, its crazy. This has been going on for 10+ years. The tourneys i am usually in are different formats of 4 man teams, so i can get away with it. When I am in tourneys that are medal play I'm behind the 8 ball immediately.

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When I warm up just before a round, I always finish my warm up with the club I will be using off the first tee. An accurate first tee shot sets the stage for the rest of the round. If the golfer is going to use a driver off the first tee, why would a golfer finish their warm up with a wedge, or even a putter?

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

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@Patch I  I "end" my warm up with the "good" drive, since that is club I most often use on hole #1 ... however, I will a lot times leave the last 3-4 balls for a wedge ... I really execute that swing so well with transfer of weight, hips, inside-out, etc ... and hit the ball really well ... that it leaves a "good positive" image in my head, and even a good swing tempo ... the driver is not a club that instills that confidence factor, and that is why I quit after a "good" drive with some balls left over ... I don't want to chunk the last ball with the driver ...

I then walk to the putting green and wait for my group to be called ...

But that just me ...

Ken Proud member of the iSuk Golf Association ... Sponsored by roofing companies across the US, Canada, and the UK

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Note: This thread is 3557 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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