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What does it mean to be a good ball striker?

very handicap

By very handicap
in Golf Talk

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Note: This thread is 5523 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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very handicap Well Established Member

very handicap

Posted
Posted
I often hear commentators on the golf channel saying a particular PGA tour pro is the best ball striker of all time.

What does it mean and how to tell a good ball striker from bad ball striker?

James_Black Great Member

James_Black

Posted
Posted
pretty simple
they knock their iron shots close often.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...


Paradox Great Member

Paradox

Posted
Posted
"good ball striker" to me is two fold...its very rare that you catch a ball fat, thin, off the toe/heel...and then, you hit the ball where you want it to go 95% of the time.

a great ballstriker or the best of all time should never mishit a ball and should always have it do exactly as he intends.

My philosophy on golf "We're not doing rocket science, here."


Bryan SD2 Dedicated Member

Bryan SD2

Posted
Posted
Draw it, fade it, high, low, carve it, float it.... Ball strikers can do it all, and EVERY one looks like their natural preferred shot shape.

The exception being Moe Norman, who many called one of the best ball strikers of all time. I'm not sure he had ALL the shots, but he did have one shot down better than anybody else. Dead straight.

 :macgregor: V Foil 8.5*    :tmade: Mid Rescue 16*  -- :wilsonstaff: RM  2 thru Wedge -- :vokey: 56/10  -- :scotty_cameron: Studio Design 2  & a  :srixon: Z Star 


Shanks A Million Great Member

Shanks A Million

Posted
Posted
Actually, ballstriking has a very real, quantifiable meaning. It's the player who has a combination of the best driving accuracy, and greens in regulation. Ballstriking refers to a person's ability to hit the same shot over and over again, with the smallest margin of error.

The best ballstrikers on the PGA tour are guys like John Merrick, Boo Weekley, Adam Scott, John Senden, Hunter Mahan, etc.

Chris223 Dedicated Member

Chris223

Posted
Posted
Actually, ballstriking has a very real, quantifiable meaning. It's the player who has a combination of the best driving accuracy, and greens in regulation. Ballstriking refers to a person's ability to hit the same shot over and over again, with the smallest margin of error.

If only he knew how to putt, lol. It's incredible he can be so high atop the stat boards for tee to green but miss as many cuts and rarely contend like he does. Who wouldn't love to see a guy named BOO on the top of the board every sunday, lol.

I love the way Mahan uses a "game improvement" club for his driver, lol, PING Rapture.

Callaway XR 9.5 + 1, Taylormade R15 3 Wood, Burner 3 Rescue, Callaway XHot 5H, Warbird 4H, Nike Vapor Fly 6-AW Irons, Titleist Vokey 54, 60 Wedges, Taylormade Rossa Fontana Putter, Srixon Z-Star Tour Yellow.

Best Score 2017:  82 (Traditions at the Glen, Par 70)

Favorite Course - Conklin Players Club (Par 72) - Best Score 86


Shanks A Million Great Member

Shanks A Million

Posted
Posted
If only he knew how to putt, lol. It's incredible he can be so high atop the stat boards for tee to green but miss as many cuts and rarely contend like he does. Who wouldn't love to see a guy named BOO on the top of the board every sunday, lol.

He's actually had a terrible injury this year, that's why. He's a great player, and he will be back.


PiustheDrGolf Well Established Member

PiustheDrGolf

Posted
Posted
"good ball striker" to me is two fold...its very rare that you catch a ball fat, thin, off the toe/heel...and then, you hit the ball where you want it to go 95% of the time.

Golf god can't even do that for sure.

Ball striking comes and goes everyday. Good players (which I give much more credit then good ball strikers) recognize it and improvise their plans to achieve their goal.

Golf: Agony & Love over 3 Generations


Chris223 Dedicated Member

Chris223

Posted
Posted
He's actually had a terrible injury this year, that's why. He's a great player, and he will be back.

Didn't know that. I've been familiar with Boo for several years now. He played a couple times in the BC Open which was held at the course I live just down the street from. Remember the first time I saw him play in it, he was in the sunday morning round by himself (first tee time) and he was wearing a t-shirt, windpants and sneakers, not even spikes, haha. I remember thinking "who the heck is this guy? BOO Weekley?" haha. He seems like a cool guy though. He's stated in interviews that he wants to retire when he makes a certain amount and not play competitively anymore. Good for him, he seems like a guy who really just wants to enjoy life the way he wants too. When he has the talent in golf to make more money than most people could ever dream about making, why not.

Callaway XR 9.5 + 1, Taylormade R15 3 Wood, Burner 3 Rescue, Callaway XHot 5H, Warbird 4H, Nike Vapor Fly 6-AW Irons, Titleist Vokey 54, 60 Wedges, Taylormade Rossa Fontana Putter, Srixon Z-Star Tour Yellow.

Best Score 2017:  82 (Traditions at the Glen, Par 70)

Favorite Course - Conklin Players Club (Par 72) - Best Score 86


Jay-Bird Great Member

Jay-Bird

Posted
Posted
Good ball striker - means controlling the ball by means of executing a repeatable swing where the contact point of club and ball is the same time after time. Great ball strikers can wear a tiny spot into the face of their forged irons.

driver: FT-i tlcg 9.5˚ (Matrix Ozik XCONN Stiff)
4 wood: G10 (ProLaunch Red FW stiff)
3 -PW: :Titleist: 695 mb (Rifle flighted 6.0)
wedges:, 52˚, 56˚, 60˚
putter: Studio Select Newport 1.5


Shorty Super Member

Shorty

Posted
Posted
Actually, ballstriking has a very real, quantifiable meaning. It's the player who has a combination of the best driving accuracy, and greens in regulation.

The only correct answer to the OP.

It does not mean that they hit their iron shots close. In actual fact, it is a bit of a running joke that the best ballstrikers are poor putters, which is why thay talk about their ballstriking. They talk about John Senden's ballstriking a lot. People on this forum are forever talking about working on their "ballstriking", but they misunderstand the term, which is like saying that they are putting with their putter. Ballstriking is a statistical term. If it's not used for that purpose it is totally redundant. Of course you are practising hitting the ball.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 


mcfc_nick Great Member

mcfc_nick

Posted
Posted
lots of fairways, lots of greens

Cobra S2 Driver
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Callaway X-16 Irons 3-PW
Nike Victory Red 56 and 60 WedgesScotty Cameron Newport 1.5 Putter


Paradox Great Member

Paradox

Posted
Posted
Golf god can't even do that for sure.

thats why I don't think there are any "great" ballstrikers. Things change too much for someone to always be perfect.

Most every amateur, to me, is above average to well below average. And Shorty, I don't think people are speakin in terms of the stat when they talk about striking the ball..they are talking about consistent strikes. The "stat" doesn't amount to much at all, as you pointed out.

My philosophy on golf "We're not doing rocket science, here."


JWL1957 Dedicated Member

JWL1957

Posted
Posted
Go watch Moe Norman , Lee Trevino , and Ben Hogan on youtube.......... and you will see 3 of the greatest ball strikers that ever lived. I put Moe Norman 1st.

Sing Golfer Established Member

Sing Golfer

Posted
Posted
The only correct answer to the OP.

I disagree that there is only one meaning and that it is statistical.

A good ballstriker also has a better ball flight. A term pro's often use is 'integrity'. If you go to the range anywhere, but particularly at a pro event you don't even need to look for it - YOU CAN HERE IT! Compare Sergio Garcia's or Charles Howell's iron shots with other players and you have another definition that is commonly used in the world of golf.

Driver: Nakashima 10.5 degree
3 Wood: 15 degree F2
Hybrids: 19 and 21 degree
Irons: MP-58, 4-9 iron
Wedges: Vokey sm 47.06, 53.08, 58.08Putter: studio select 2.5Ball: Pro Vx : Warren Golf Club 73.6 : 146


James_Black Great Member

James_Black

Posted
Posted
thats why I don't think there are any "great" ballstrikers. Things change too much for someone to always be perfect.

I guess you've never heard of Moe Norman then?

He was an exception to the rule though. I doubt any of us could practice as much as he did.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...


cody west Dedicated Member

cody west

Posted
Posted
imo a good ball striker is someone who is agressive and attacks hit wedges and short irons to the point where they hit and come back about a foot from the fairway and the min irons take one hop and stop then the long irons have about 6 ft of roll. good ball strikers means that they hit the ball well so i believe that they need to be sticking the ball because if your not sticking it your hitting it fat and letting it run

|callaway.gif X460 Tour Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 73g | taylormade.gif 2i Rescue 11 |  3i HiBore Hybrid |  710 MB |  Wedge Works 48/06 |  cg12 52/08  | vokey.gifSpin Milled 56/11 | nike.gifSV Tour 60/10 | cameron.gif Studio Select Newport 2 34" |

 

rangefinder : LR550


michaeljames92 Great Member

michaeljames92

Posted
Posted
imo a good ball striker is someone who is agressive and attacks hit wedges and short irons to the point where they hit and come back about a foot from the fairway and the min irons take one hop and stop then the long irons have about 6 ft of roll. good ball strikers means that they hit the ball well so i believe that they need to be sticking the ball because if your not sticking it your hitting it fat and letting it run

Or you play on rock hard greens. Our greens at the moment, you struggle to make a pitch mark with your 8 iron

Driver: Taylormade R11 set to 8*
3 Wood: R9 15* Motore Stiff
Hybrid: 19° 909 H Voodoo
Irons: 4-PW AP2 Project X 5.5
52*, 60* Vokey SM Chrome

Putter: Odyssey XG #7

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x


Note: This thread is 5523 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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