Oddities in your game?

[lamebums]

Have you got something about your golf game that stands out from the rest of the pack? Something you do especially well or poorly compared to everyone else you know of? Or just something you think that might be worth discussing it? Out with it!

For me, I have my own share of problems/weirdities/strong points.

The Sand Trap... Why does it seem that 90 percent of all golfers have some sort of mental block about getting in the sand? Time and again, I watch my golfing buddies hack away as if they're chopping liver, trying to get out of the sand, with no success. I've never had a mental block about it, and I almost always get out in one shot (the last time that required two shots was a greenside bunker that had a lip to give the Road Hole a run for it's money-and I'd plugged my sand wedge into the side of the lip). Hell, I've even topped the ball out of the sand, gotten lucky, and watched it dribble onto the green.

So what explains the four or five hacks it'll take for others to get out?


3 Wood... Until recently, this club was my absolute nemesis. I was incapable of hitting this club off the deck, the most I would get is either a top that goes 10 feet, or I'd chunk the hell out of it. Now, I'm hitting it much better (even outdistancing my driver due to its better flex--I don't have enough clubhead speed for my driver), but I've developed a vicious slice that mercifuly doesn't carry over to my other clubs. And of course there's still always the outside chance of topping the 3 wood and watching it go 10 feet, which drives me nuts.

I golf most often with my father, who loves his 3 wood and can nail greens from 200+ yards out with deadly accuracy. The problem being that, especially on long par 4's, I'll out drive him every time, but he still hits greens and I'm two putting for bogey.


Pitching Wedge... The answer-all for me, for everything within 100 yards. Almost without fail, if my ball's within a hundred yards, I'll use the pitching wedge with varying degrees of accuracy (usually quite good). However, there's always the outside chance that I'll shank it, but it's not your everyday joe-schmoe shank which dribbles along the ground for 30 yards. It'll still get up into the air, quite far, but it goes way off to the right, and develops a vicious slice while I'm at it.

Just off hand, should I invest in a lob wedge? I use my sand wedge if I have to make a flop shot, or I have little to no green to work with - at 56 degrees, would 60 make much of a difference?

[TarDawg]

For me it's more of a swing path issue. When hitting my Irons. When I really get into one the ball just shoots straight left. Not a hook at all . Just a straight left shot that is about 50-100 yards left of my target. But the distance and ball flight are perfect.

[jb1982]

My strong point that stands out is distance. I hit the driver over 300 yards consistantly. (This is at 3000 ft elevation) And I carry my Pwedge about 140.

The odditty in my game is par 3s!! They get in my head. The third hole on our course is a 525 yard down hill down wind par 5. I usually have about 200 left to the green. I hit either a 5 or 6 iron into the green and hit it pobably 50% of the time but always leave myself in good positions. The 4th hole is a 195 yard par 4. I'm hitting the same shot I just hit well on the previous hole. But for some reason it seems so much harder!!! I end up topping it or snap hooking the ball into the left rough (worst place to be). I don't know why but the par 3s always are my round killer. As I've said in earlier posts, I am a head case!!

[mRogers88]

im always the most stylish on the course .

but game wise i have an insane short game..like 120 yards to the pin.

[Snowman]

For me, it would have to be chipping.

I have read a ton of short game books, and know the mechanics of the proper chipping stroke. Before each chip, I will have 3 perfect practice swings, but when I go to hit the ball, I seem to forget everything and my smooth swing turns into an ugly jab at the ball. Skulling my shot to the other side of the green on 60% of my shots.

I know it is all mental, I start to think too much. Being that close to the hole, my body tenses up.

[lamebums]

  Snowman said:

Skulling my shot to the other side of the green on 60% of my shots.

I used to have that problem up until about two or three weeks ago. What worked for me was to slow down when actually making the swing--make it a point to accelerate through the ball, and let the club do the rest.

Now, my problem with the pitching wedge is either misjudging the distance from the ball to the green (it happens when the carts are only allowed on the path), or if there's a sand trap in front of the green. End result, I kill the pitching wedge, sometimes on the order of a 150 yard shot.

[GoingfortheGreen]

Nothing to be proud of, but my friend (hcp 6) describes my swing as a cross between Furyk and Daly!

[allin]

I have the ability to play a number of different shots with my 60 degree wedge with good consistency, unusual for a 15 handicap. I probably have been forced to since I can't hit the ball out of my shadow.

[Dent]

  mRogers88 said:

im always the most stylish on the course

Same here.. and im definatly dramatic on a bad shot like Tiger. but other than that i really have no differences from friends.

[Clubswinger21]

  TarDawg said:

For me it's more of a swing path issue. When hitting my Irons. When I really get into one the ball just shoots straight left. Not a hook at all . Just a straight left shot that is about 50-100 yards left of my target. But the distance and ball flight are perfect.

now you just need the accuracy part down eh? One day I'll hook every tee shot with my driver (not irons) and one day Im bombing them down the middle. My swing is inside/inside move, when i start coming over the top I know im not dropping back to the inside on the down swing, which is usually a result of getting too quick and too handsy on the downsing. To fix it, I'll try to stand more upright, slow things down and pull down with my shoulders and arms first, then let the hands come through naturally. Which creates the lag I need to hit straighter shots. After awhile you get to know and feel your swing, next time i go out im bringing my digital camera to record some good swings and bad swings, which is something I've never tried.

[jb1982]

  Clubswinger21 said:

, next time i go out im bringing my digital camera to record some good swings and bad swings, which is something I've never tried.

That's opening a whole new can of worms there. I always thought I had a pretty good looking swing until I saw it on video! Let's just say I never make fun of other people's swings anymore!

[Q.Q.Quillume]

I think this is pretty odd. Today, I had four birdies but also had a double-bogey and two triple bogeys. Final score = 44/38//82. Any time I shoot 85 or below I'm pretty happy. Even with three "others".

[AceDunk]

I can shoot a 72 and a 92 in the same weekend.

[finalrequiem]

At the range (and only on the range) my iron shots all go the exact same distance, each just goes higher than the next.

[lamebums]

  finalrequiem said:

At the range (and only on the range) my iron shots all go the exact same distance, each just goes higher than the next.

Me too...well, sort of. My 6 and 7 irons go the same distances, and my 3 4 and 5 irons also go the same distance (150 and 160 yards respectively). But, give me a three iron on the course and I can nail 200.

[Just Blaze]

  AceDunk said:

I can shoot a 72 and a 92 in the same weekend.

I will second that. It's amazing how things can fall apart so quickly.

[niblick]

I'm a 22 handicap with 110-115 mph clubhead speed. That by itself is a little weird. That speed puts me in a x-stiff shaft, and the perception seems to be that if you need a shaft that stiff, you must be really good. Clearly this is not the case. It just means my misses go further off line.

I have a better short game than most 20+ handicaps, I think. I love having short wedge shots into greens. I played twice this weekend and didn't miss a green from inside 100 yards. I just wish I could develop that kind of consistency with my longer clubs. I'm working on it though.

[FoosIason]

I hit my irons too high. I haven't seen a person hit their irons higher than I consistantly. Its very frusturating because I will hit a 7 iron one time 155 yards and then I'll come to another hole and fly the green because I just hit it 170 yards. 15 yards is pretty drastic. If anyone could help me with lowering my ball flight that would wonderful. Its only a problem with wedges and irons, I already hit my woods at a good trajectory. Any suggestions would be greatly accepted. Thank you.