Evolution and statistics of a beginning golfer

[pipergsm]

Sorry, English isn't my native language.

Thanks for any corrections, it'll only make things better!

[pipergsm]

Another round of 9 holes today, finished in 45, not bad for me.

Had quite some bad luck with the putting today: 5 very close misses and constantly hit the green way too far from the pin.

I'm rather pleased with my drives, the're getting much more consistent.

It's all in my foot positioning. If I don't mess up there, my drives are quite straight and decently long (up to 270 yards).

I developed a trick to see and feel if my foot-positioning is ok or not, and I'm finally starting to get the hang of it.

Sw-play (short approach) was bad today, but I figured out why: moving my shoulders too much during the back-swing.

Needed at least 5 additional strokes because of that.

Tomorrow I'll be playing the monthly club tournament, playing 18 holes for the first time.

If I can stay calm (don't like fast playing and being rushed) and not forget the necessary details at set-up, I should be able

to get a decent result.

[France46]

Wanted to throw you a bone in your shooting par thread but noticed it was closed.

I agree with you that 17 putts per 9 is above average for a beginner.  As the others said, this would not be a good for a pro (or even single digit player) who missed a lot of greens, but most of the beginners (and some of the veterans) I have ever played with average more than 2 putts per hole.  The norm for bad golfers is to chip/pitch outside of 15 feet and then 2 putt or worse.

You have a long way to go to get to a single digit hc let alone shooting par for 18 on a decent course, but your putting may actually be one of the better parts of your game currently.

While I think you have received your fair share of bashing already, I think a thread speculating on the title to your book would be at least as funny as the Sergio note to Tiger thread.

Hang in there!

[pipergsm]

Originally Posted by France46

Wanted to throw you a bone in your shooting par thread but noticed it was closed.

I agree with you that 17 putts per 9 is above average for a beginner.  As the others said, this would not be a good for a pro (or even single digit player) who missed a lot of greens, but most of the beginners (and some of the veterans) I have ever played with average more than 2 putts per hole.  The norm for bad golfers is to chip/pitch outside of 15 feet and then 2 putt or worse.

You have a long way to go to get to a single digit hc let alone shooting par for 18 on a decent course, but your putting may actually be one of the better parts of your game currently.

While I think you have received your fair share of bashing already, I think a thread speculating on the title to your book would be at least as funny as the Sergio note to Tiger thread.

Hang in there!

Thanks a lot for your comment! I appreciate it!

!7 being better than average for a beginner, is all I was trying to say!

Yesterday, Sunday, I played the monthly club tournament, 18 holes for the very first time.

I was due to T-off at 13:00 and went early so I could have a good warm-up at the range.

BAD SURPRISE: THE RANGE WAS CLOSED BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY!

What idiot closes the range at a competition day?????

Since I really need this warm-up in order to get the necessary confidence in my swing, the result was catastrophic.

I shot 127 for the 18 holes, where as I normally shoot 45 - 50 for 9 holes!

Started very well at my first hole, a par 3 with a water hazard, 160 yards, on the green in 1, not even very far from the hole (15 feet?).

Second bad surprise: the greens on the course were clearly faster than the practice green, resulting in a 3-putt!

The entire day, I just couldn't feel the greens (speed). I think I 3-putted at least 40% of the holes, which is very unusual for me.

2nd big problem: swing confidence with my irons, due to not having a warm-up.

I estimate about 60% of my iron shots to be misses. Sometimes the shot itself was quite good, but way off the target line and OB.

At the par 4, 3rd hole, 350 yards, my drive ends up 15 yards in front of the water hazard (230 yards from the tee).

Having 115 yards left to the pin, I hit my 9-iron.

Mishit twice, both ending up in the water which is less than 20 yards wide!  I even predicted that would happen!

The 3rd shot ens up in the right-side bunker.

3rd problem: in an attempt to compensate my bad game, I started to put too much pressure on my drives, with the result that during the down-swing, my arms rotated back way before my shoulders, resulting in my shot going too much too the left (usually).

At one point, I hit a 300 yard drive, but it ended up on the fairway of the hole next to the one I was playing!

At the par 3, 7th hole, 170 yards, I usually hit my driver, strongly slowing down my swing, giving me 160 to 180 yards.

I did the same yesterday, but turned my shoulders a little too far in the back-swing. Result: 240 yards!

Driver distance was clearly not the problem yesterday!

Just 1 positive point:

By the end of the 18 holes, it seems I figured something out about my back-swing, which makes it easier to produce a repeatable swing without the need for an extensive warm-up.

I tried it out today at the range, and it seems to work.

Usually I start my practice session with half a dozen or more mishits.

Today, I hit it rather well from the very first shot.

Let's hope this isn't a 1-day success and I can build on this for the next tournament.

[pipergsm]

I see many people describing what's in their bag, so here's what's in mine:

Driver:       Callaway I-mix FT-9    9.5 degrees   shaft needs to be changed, too flexible and too much torque for my swing-speed.

Irons:        True Temper aluminium rocket, + 45 years old, blades, only using 3, 4 and 8, corresponding to today's 5, 6 and 10-iron

9 and 7-iron are more recent with graphite shaft, blades, brand unknown

all second hand

Sw/Pw:     True Temper aluminium rocket, + 45 years old

Putter:      Willson, new

The True Temper set came with a 1-wood and 3-wood, but after a few attempts I gave up trying to use them

Can't hit a decent ball with it.

I don't even know if they are T-woods or fairway woods, but the base line (where you're supposed to hit the ball) seems very small, so maybe they're only meant to use at the Tee-off.

I'm saving up for a complete modern set, but that will have to wait since I have more important priorities at the moment.

I figure that, If I can get decent results with this equipment, a new, more customized set should certainly improve my results.

Any other golfers using old equipment?

What are your experiences?

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by pipergsm

Sometimes the shot itself was quite good, but way off the target line and OB.

[France46]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I think he means contact not shot, at least that is how I interpreted it but I have a good bit of experience dealing with people not speaking/typing in their native tongue.

[pipergsm]

Originally Posted by France46

I think he means contact not shot, at least that is how I interpreted it but I have a good bit of experience dealing with people not speaking/typing in their native tongue.

Off course, thanks France46!

Good contact, making the ball go straight and a fair distance, but because I changed the position of my left foot just before hitting, I changed my target line without realizing.

[Hazard Finder]

"Since I really need this warm-up in order to get the necessary confidence in my swing, the result was catastrophic." Story of my life. When I do have time to play it's frequently work-related, which means I'm running from the office and to the first tee. It can take 3 or 4 holes before I find my groove; it's like I'm a different golfer on the back 9 (not that I'm good on either side of the turn). I wish I had the time to play as much as you do, by the way.

[pipergsm]

Originally Posted by Hazard Finder

"Since I really need this warm-up in order to get the necessary confidence in my swing, the result was catastrophic." Story of my life. When I do have time to play it's frequently work-related, which means I'm running from the office and to the first tee. It can take 3 or 4 holes before I find my groove; it's like I'm a different golfer on the back 9 (not that I'm good on either side of the turn). I wish I had the time to play as much as you do, by the way.

Yeah, having time to practice is great, but the only reason I have so much time, is because I have no work at the moment!

Being a tour-guide in Thailand, I'm strongly depending on high and low season.

During the high season, I usually can't do anything for 2 or 3 straight months!

[France46]

Originally Posted by pipergsm

Yeah, having time to practice is great, but the only reason I have so much time, is because I have no work at the moment!

Being a tour-guide in Thailand, I'm strongly depending on high and low season.

During the high season, I usually can't do anything for 2 or 3 straight months!

So does that mean you are playing the in rain all the time or is low season not rainy season?

[pipergsm]

Originally Posted by France46

So does that mean you are playing the in rain all the time or is low season not rainy season?

Not at all!

Part of the rainy season is low season for tourists.

However, rainy season doesn't mean that it's raining every day, or all day long.

It really depends where you're located in Thailand.

Places like Phuket (south) will have rain almost every day, but in the early rainy season, the rain will usually start in the evening.

I live in the north (Chiang Mai), where at this moment, we hardly have any rain, and when it does rain, it's usually during the night!

Just today, we had a little rain storm in the afternoon, which lasted only half an hour!

I was at the driving range and we had some serious wind as well, blowing away my golf bag, and I was still driving +200 yards into the wind!

[boogielicious]

It is good to practice in the wind and rain as well because you will encounter this when you play.

[pipergsm]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

It is good to practice in the wind and rain as well because you will encounter this when you play.

Well, I must say, having strong wind (+25 mph) and rain during day-time, is rather exceptional here in the north of Thailand!

Only July through September have some increased chance for strong winds and day-time rain, but rarely before noon.

Thailand is a pretty great country to play golf, especially the north, because of the climate: day temperatures rarely drop below 28 degrees Celsius (94 F?), except in December and January, so you can play all year round!

Just got to get used to the heat and make sure you drink enough (which I tend to forget).

[boogielicious]

28C is 82F, but that is still warm!  I melt in really hot weather.  I would rather play in cool weather.

[pipergsm]

OK, thanks! I recently heard someone say 30C  is almost 100F, so..... Big difference though!

Yeah, me too, I prefer a little cooler, but you get used to it.

Just need to have a little towel with you to get rid of all the sweat and be sure to drink enough!