Few questions on my game please read...

[tazrestling27]

Hi everyone first I just want to say thanks for reading this and I hope you guys can help. Today I played my 3rd and 4th round of golf. At my course, you pay for a round it is a day fee, so I can play as much as I want for one price. Here were my results for both rounds.

Par 71

My Scores - 82 and 85

Fairways- 71.43% and 78%

GIR- 50% and 44%

Putts 35 and 40 , I had 8 three puts in 36 holes ( bad I know)

First question, I want to buy a putting aid that will help me have a smooth stroke, any suggestions. I heard momentus is good, but I just wanted peoples opinions.

Two, I hit my drives on avg 245 yds. I have an older callaway driver, if I buy a new driver will that add more distance due to technology?

Three, what percentage of greens should I be hitting for an above average golfer. I typically have to use my 9 iron which I hit 150yd. What is a good drill at the driving range to produce better GIR. Just keep using the same club and practice hitting the green over and over?

I want to shoot around a 75 by the end of the season. My lowest score recorded was a 77 last year, what should I really be practicing? My pitching and putting? All my short game?

Thanks again for reading my post.

[glk23]

By what you posted, it looks like you need to work on putting, putting and then some more putting.  Get it in the 27-32 range and see where your scores would be.

[phillyk]

1) I haven't specifically tried to find or try this tool, but if you just set something long and thin like a club or flagstick, and set the backside of your putter on it, and putt parallel to the stick while your putter drags along it, it should set your putter on a good line for putting.  BUT, the putting method depends on what type of putter you have.  Using a blade, the putt stroke should be more straight back and forward, and when using something other than a blade, it should be a slight pull up and in and back, then up and in on through stroke (I think that's what it is). But, a great drill is setting a dozen balls in a circle around a hole on a practice green, and putt at certain distances between 5 and 15 feet, only switching distances when you make every putt at a certain distance.  This will greatly boost confidence as well as finding a stroke that you can do consistently.

2) For this, it all depends on what year the driver is.  But, in general, new drivers will provide more distance and a larger sweet spot.

3) 50% greens is not that bad, as long as the misses are near the green.  But, to get more greens, I would take whatever short iron you hit the best and most consistent, and hit your drives to that distance, or as near it as you can.  That way, you can be confident on your approaches.

Overall, from what it sounds like, your short game is what makes or kills your game.  So, that should be what you work on the most at least for the time being.  However, make sure that when you do practice that you're not forgetting about the rest of the game.  You should do your normal practice routine, and then add to that what you specifically need to work on.  So, to add to working on your short game,  i would suggest finding that short iron that you can most consistently and accurately hit into a green.

[tanktwo2]

Originally Posted by tazrestling27

Hi everyone first I just want to say thanks for reading this and I hope you guys can help. Today I played my 3rd and 4th round of golf. At my course, you pay for a round it is a day fee, so I can play as much as I want for one price. Here were my results for both rounds.

Par 71

My Scores - 82 and 85

Fairways- 71.43% and 78%

GIR- 50% and 44%

Putts 35 and 40 , I had 8 three puts in 36 holes ( bad I know)

First question, I want to buy a putting aid that will help me have a smooth stroke, any suggestions. I heard momentus is good, but I just wanted peoples opinions.

Two, I hit my drives on avg 245 yds. I have an older callaway driver, if I buy a new driver will that add more distance due to technology?

Three, what percentage of greens should I be hitting for an above average golfer. I typically have to use my 9 iron which I hit 150yd. What is a good drill at the driving range to produce better GIR. Just keep using the same club and practice hitting the green over and over?

I want to shoot around a 75 by the end of the season. My lowest score recorded was a 77 last year, what should I really be practicing? My pitching and putting? All my short game?

Thanks again for reading my post.

When your at the driving range, it is important to try and make every shot count.  Pick a target like a sign or a flag, and work on hitting the target...take it nice and slow, and try to visualize the golf course.

I like to play little games like visualizing water all along the right side of the 150 sign and trying to work the ball away from the hazard but still getting close to my target.  Use all kinds of clubs and all kinds of shots.

Short game to me is the glue that puts everything together and turns 81's and 82's in 75's and 76's.  All short game is very important, trying to get chips and pitches within 4 feet.  Going to the chipping green and trying to get 8 or 9 out of 10 balls within a certain range of the hole.

Putting is a grind.  I'll just charge up my ipod and sink 4-10 footers for hours.  It's a grind but its the only way to get good.  If you 3 putted 8 times it seems like you are having trouble with your speed.  A good drill that I use to develop and sharpen my touch is i'll put down a towel 2 or so feet behind the hole and try to sink putts without letting the ball get to the towel.

Good luck!

[Gerald]

Some tips :

GIR percentage is fine, should improve a bit if you really want to get better.

Besides that GIR by itself means not really much, what is the average distance of your first putt in GIR ........ if it is 30 ft. plus ....... focus on getting closer, if your first putt is like 60 ft ..... it is no shame to make a 3 putt ..... so don't be to hard on your self, if your first putt is 60 ft. the problem was your previous shot an not your putting.

Putting is the game that is practiced least (by most) and it is 50% of your game ...... I know it feels a bit silly to spend hours at the practice green, but it sure helps ....... most players shooting 75-77 need about 30 putts or even less.

Also work on your short game, getting up and down like 50% might save a few extra strokes......

245 off the tee means you probably hit a longer iron to the green at longer par 4's, if it really is a older driver (5 yrs plus), a new model will add about 20-25 yds. but above 70% Fairways is also very nice !

150 yds. with a 9i means you might be swinging a bit too hard, making it difficult for your self to become lethal within the last 150 ....... I know if I hit a 9i at max I can hit it 150 yds, but for 150 yds I prefer a 3/4 controled swing with a 7i

[tazrestling27]

Thank you for the replies by, I am going to work on my game and hopefully get back to you all in a few weeks and have a improvement.  I do swing a little to hard at times, but so far hasn't effected my accuracy with shorter irons. I will slow it down a little and my driver is a Callaway X 460 Ti Driver *9., so it is older. That is why I am thinking about getting a new driver. Thanks again.