Obsession with distance

[powermatt99]

  Zeph said:

Prefering to play from the rough or fluffy lies can be understandable for a high handicapper which isn't making a clean downward contact on the ball. They find it easier because they can come under the ball, when you really aren't supposed to. Once you get that part of the swing in order, you'll never want to be in the rough.

This is so the truth. My driver had been so bad I became really comfortable playing from the rough. As my driver has improved I have had to completely relearn to hit my irons. As a result though, my 8-iron distance has gone from 140 to 155 because I was getting so much under the ball out of the rough (which I always played from).

[denver_nuggs_15]

  Zeph said:

Prefering to play from the rough or fluffy lies can be understandable for a high handicapper which isn't making a clean downward contact on the ball. They find it easier because they can come under the ball, when you really aren't supposed to. Once you get that part of the swing in order, you'll never want to be in the rough.

I really don't mind being in the rough. I'd much rather be in the fairway or first cut, but as long as I don't have a terrible lie in the rough, I know I can execute. This game is all about confidence. I know if I swing hard off the tee that I'll probably end up in the rough pretty far down. I also know I can hit the green from that position especially since I'd be pretty close.

  prutkows said:

Good tip (i think) to those of you trying to shave a few shots off your score! Trying to hit a 60 yard wedge isnt always easier than a 140 yard 8iron.

The one thing that article about distance/laying up proved is that the closer you are, the better off you are. When my 8i becomes more accurate than my wedge, I know I have to practice with my wedge. If a longer club is more accurate than a shorter club, you know you need to practice the shorter club more. It should be just as or more accurate.

[benjamintran1906]

all bout the short game

[bunkerputt]

I've got a serious obsession with distance. All of my GIRs have me hitting putts outside of 60 feet

[Salty Dog]

You can say you don't care about distance. But when you play with 3 of your regular buddies who can always outdrive you, and the distance between your ball and the longest drive is 40-50 yards, you will start to have second thoughts.

[Kingfisher]

  Salty Dog said:

You can say you don't care about distance. But when you play with 3 of your regular buddies who can always outdrive you, and the distance between your ball and the longest drive is 40-50 yards, you will start to have second thoughts.

If I write a 4 on my scorecard and they write 5, I don't care if they are 100yds past me off the tee.

I don't let any adolescent ego get in the way of things!

[Salty Dog]

  Kingfisher said:

If I write a 4 on my scorecard and they write 5, I don't care if they are 100yds past me off the tee.

That might be true. But being closer to the pin, their chance of writing a 4 is on the scorecard is higher than me. Don't you think?

[FlopScotty]

The real advantage you get from having a lot of distance in your shots is the choice of hitting a shorter club where most guys would need to hit Driver.

If you are wise enough not to always go for the magic shot with the driver and have the ability to hit a low and long 3 iron instead, you would have a great advantage.

I am not saying I have this abblility, but it shure is one of the things I am working towards...

[jefftommy06]

I am much more obsessed with hitting a low bullet with my 3w or 3/4i, that’s a great feeling to be 200/250+ with those clubs and still putting it up to or past opponents who are hitting driver.

But there’s obviously a big advantage to hitting controlled bombs wherever you are on the course. Most would say, “I’d rather have a short game”, well…..I’d rather have both, and why can’t someone have both.

[Nickynoodles]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG PUTTTTTTTTTTTTS. Most satisfaction i ever get in golf is when you hit that 35-40 foot putt. Everyones talking about drives and iron shots. I love getting to the green in 2 and having that long eagle/birdie putt and you set up your line and give it a nice stroke and watch as your adrenaline rises and anticipating if your line was right then it takes a big left turn and boom its in the cup . I love that feeling.

[upah]

As was mentioned above, the advantage to being longer off the tee is in the second shot. Sure its fun to watch the ball disappear against the horizon, but the general opinion here is that the short game is more important. It is. But before you can excel at the short game, you first you have to reach short game yardage. Here's the clincher: if I hit my driver 50 yards longer than my partner, I'm now potentially hitting a 9-iron into a green versus his 4-iron. He's still playing the "long game" and I've got a short iron in.

Who cares if you can hit the ball 300 yards if you can't control it? Nobody. If you hit the ball a mile but still bogey/double every hole, you should probably spend less time telling us about your bombs and more time on the practice green. For those of you who actually utilize great length off the tee, congrats. You no doubt understand the benefit of length on your scores.

[right handed phil mickelson]

  bobsuruncle said:

we all know it's all about the short game... but hell, how do you boast about a 40 yard pitch to 2 feet vs a 280 yard drive to the middle of the fairway???

Like this: "OH YEAH. JUST SAVED A PAR RIGHT THERE MHMM. YOUR PUTTING FOR WHAT? BOGEY? YEAH I JUST GOT A PAR. JUST LETTING YOU KNOW."

[sean_miller]

  right handed phil mickelson said:

Like this: "OH YEAH. JUST SAVED A PAR RIGHT THERE MHMM. YOUR PUTTING FOR WHAT? BOGEY? YEAH I JUST GOT A PAR. JUST LETTING YOU KNOW."

If it makes someone feel better to boast about either their long drive or their 40 yard up and down for par, that somebody really needs to get a life.

Unless of course I've just mocked their duffed second shot (after a huge drive), which led to the need for a 40 yard up and down par save. Then of course some boasting would be completely justified.