Question for the ballstrikers

[bunkerputt]

i consider myself a good ballstriker.out of 100 balls 80-85 perfect 5-10 good and 1-5 crappy.

I think, allowing for the previous discussion regarding what "perfect" means, I'm getting closer to this. Before, I struggled a lot with high shots off the toe. I realized that the toe shots were caused by the shoulders being too open at impact, which was caused by a too-early rotation of the shoulders from the top. Now that I'm sequencing correctly and my shoulders don't really start unwinding until halfway down, I'm hitting the ball with a lot of lag more from the inside and the large majority of the shots are pured. Out of 100 balls today, I caught 3 heavy, 5 thin, and the second shot of the day was hoseled, the rest were pured with differences unnoticeable to me. The coolest thing is that, now that I'm way shallower through impact, the heavy 7-irons only come up 20 yards short at around 150 or so. That's way less humiliating than chunking it 20 feet with a mile deep divot. I've still got some clubface and alignment issues, so a lot of the shots are these leaky fades, but I feel like I've nailed the source of the contact problems and only have to stay on top of it. I'm not quite there yet since I only figured all this out about a week ago, but I can definitely see where you could completely expect to flush 100 in a row pure and straight. An awesome side effect of learning to control when and the speed of the unwinding of the shoulders is that trajectory control is a piece of cake now. If I want to hit a low one, I just keep a lot of lag through impact with the hands finishing lower. If I want a high one, unwind sooner and quicker with the shoulders carrying the hands higher in the air. It's almost as easy as playing a golf video game.

No dime-sized wear marks yet, but I'll let you know in a few months.

[deronsizemore]

When you see a noticeable dime-size wear mark on the center of your irons, you're a ball striker.

Dammit! Mine are quarter sized... I'll have to keep working.

[ND Fan]

Everybody defines perfectly differently certainly Tiger's definition would be different than a 20 handicaps definition. The original question was how to determine if you're a good ball striker. I would say if you average 13 or more greens per round your a good ball striker. If that numbe is less than 9 your not even close. 10,11,12? Your in the grey area 12 means your close or you are, 10? not so much.

[ND Fan]

Dammit! Mine are quarter sized... I'll have to keep working.

Quarter size is good. Dime size is a fantasy, the ball is to big for that. Besides if there is that much noticeable wear you probably need a new set of irons.

[deronsizemore]

Quarter size is good. Dime size is a fantasy, the ball is to big for that. Besides if there is that much noticeable wear you probably need a new set of irons.

Yeah I was just being sarcastic.

Should have used a tag. I've never seen an iron with a dime size spot before... if it's even possible (like you said).

[Bo the Golfer]

I always thouth the definition of a good ballstriker was having both high fairways hit and greens in regulation percentages (which leaves me out ). Not sure where how many times you hit it perfect out of 100 plays into it.

[sean_miller]

That is incorrect. I can hit it flush almost every time. Professional golfers have no problems hitting the ball flush unless they are in some deep rough with a tough lie. Obviously, you need a good swing to be consistent with it, but hitting the ball flush is like catching a baseball once you master set up, posture, and swing biomechanics. It something you don't really even have to think about.

In the years I was playing ball, I only hit a handfull of ball "flush". One in particular I remember cleared the fence by 50 feet (the fence of the adjacent ball diamond!). I never came close to that again and the harder I tried the less likely it seemed.

I hit less than a dozen perfect irons per year - and immediately after each shot I ponder switching from blades to CB. When you take a smooth swing with an early 90s Mizuno MP and you fly the green by > 50 yards you've hit a "perfect" shot.

[Leftygolfer]

Yeah I was just being sarcastic.

I remember watching playing lessons with the pros I think with Watson. On his wedges there were perfectly placed wear marks. About a quarter size but it was impressive. Not a scratch anywear else except the dead center of the club.

[Williamevanl]

I'd like to think I hit 2 or 3 perfect shots out of a hundred balls. This is a good question though because I always think to myself, wow that was perfect.

I do have about nickel sized ware on my some of my irons. I hit 300 balls a day nearly every day weather permitting. So I think it has more to do with how many balls I hit.

I'd like to add that a perfect shot isn't just one that goes where I'm aiming. I can and have hit a bunch of terrible shots that have ended up right next to flag sticks. I'd say every 40 or so shots I have a shot that hangs in the air a more with a lot of spin that goes a little longer with a 'perfect' trajectory. For me thats a 2-3 yard push draw.

Some people describe it as feeling like you didn't even hit the ball. If you play with blades the sweet spot is measured in mm's so you really feel it if you hit the exact center of gravity. That combined with a perfect plane, face angle = once in a blue moon perfect shot.

[Leftygolfer]

That is incorrect. I can hit it flush almost every time. Professional golfers have no problems hitting the ball flush unless they are in some deep rough with a tough lie. Obviously, you need a good swing to be consistent with it, but hitting the ball flush is like catching a baseball once you master set up, posture, and swing biomechanics. It something you don't really even have to think about.

You are also a five and they are plus 4s. If it is something everyone can do, then why are people so bad at golf. It is a little harder than catching a baseball.

[Laxplayer201092]

TeeHee.

[sean_miller]

You are also a five and they are plus 4s. If it is something everyone can do, then why are people so bad at golf. It is a little harder than catching a baseball.

Why do so many people claim it's easier to hit a baseball than a golf ball. Are there players that average 1000 with 4000 slugging percentage?

[iacas]

Why do so many people claim it's easier to hit a baseball than a golf ball. Are there players that average 1000 with 4000 slugging percentage?

I don't know, but what's that have to do with

catching a baseball ? I think hitting a golf ball is a heck of a lot harder than catching a baseball. Hitting is a different discussion for a different time... and thread.

[sean_miller]

I don't know, but what's that have to do with

Hmm . . . when I read "catch", I assumed (yes, I know the saying) he meant as in "get ahold of" as in "catch it clean", as in "hammer it over the fence".

"Catching" a baseball (into a leather glove/mitt !?!?) and hitting a golf ball are indeed two completely different things.

[MiniMoe]

some of the best players in the world only hit 1-5 shots per round perfect.. but maybe their standards are a bit higher?

[M2R]

When you don't have to ask if you are a ball striker

This may have been written tongue in cheek but I think it is actually correct in some twisted, perverse, useless way.

On one sheet of paper write everything you know about ball striking. On another write everything you don't know about ball striking. On another write everything you are ignorant of on the subject of ball striking. In any case only the first sheet is likely to have anything written on it and in some cases the third sheet will have "I don't know how much I am ignorant of." As far as I can tell this is the human condition. But I can say that in ten years of golf I've played with exactly one person I consider a mediocre ball striker. However, if you had asked me five years ago I would have though half a dozen guys I play with regularly were amazing ball strikers.

[bunkerputt]

That's sick. Are those your clubs? If so, keep laughing you talented SOB

I'm guessing they are by your equipment. I bet you can't remember what it's like to not flush one. I'd like to see your swing if you have it on video.

[bunkerputt]

I'd like to think I hit 2 or 3 perfect shots out of a hundred balls. This is a good question though because I always think to myself, wow that was perfect.

I used to think I was hitting great shots when I was catching it in the middle, but lately I've started to appreciate how important dynamic loft is at impact. I used to hit the ball with a lot of loft and a bit of a cast which led to relatively high draws and a lot of inconsistent contact. Now that I'm lagging through impact, I'm hitting my irons really far with very little effort and the CG feels like it's in line with or even on top of the ball at impact. It's a completely different kind of "pure" than I was used to before. I spent some time watching everyone at the range and it's really rare to find someone who is hitting shots that look and sound pure. There is a lot of clacky and thin contact, too little or too much turf taken, not enough swoosh combined with the sound of impact, no zing as the ball takes off, etc. It's almost embarrassing when you are hitting pure shots and everyone is looking at you. You can't tell whether people are angry and think you are just a hot shot or impressed wondering how you are doing it. It's a difficult transition. Before people wouldn't give me the time of the day at the range. Now I get a mixture of casual conversation and the occasional range attendant with an axe to grind for anyone better than him.