To accept a pull draw, or not

[postmanclark]

So I've been lurking for a while and have decided to post on a question I have. I play off 20, but that is not enough of an explanation of my game. I have been told I have one of the best swings in the club and on a good day I can go round in level and on a bad day it can be 25 - pretty inconsistent. It's probably down to the fact that I only took up golf a year and a half ago. I have only had one golf lesson, which was a while ago; I have been working on a one plane swing for a while now. Anyway, when I have been playing a lot and my swing is in a good place I hit a consistent pull draw, with all of my clubs - where I aim at the right side of the green and bring it back to the middle. It's probably about a 5 yard pull and a 5 yard draw. I realise that this isn't the desired ball flight - however, if on a good day I can hit 15 out of 18 greens playing this way, should I accept it? Or should I continue refining my technique, and go and get some lessons. In sports I am a bit of a perfectionist, but I don't know if it would be better for me to work on my rhythm and tempo - in order to retain how my swing feels throughout all of the days I play and get more consistency. Or whether I should continue looking for the answer, and make changes, so that I can find the desired push draw.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by postmanclark

I realise that this isn't the desired ball flight - however, if on a good day I can hit 15 out of 18 greens playing this way, should I accept it? Or should I continue refining my technique, and go and get some lessons. In sports I am a bit of a perfectionist, but I don't know if it would be better for me to work on my rhythm and tempo - in order to retain how my swing feels throughout all of the days I play and get more consistency. Or whether I should continue looking for the answer, and make changes, so that I can find the desired push draw.

You should learn to putt. If you're a 15 handicap and you hit 15 greens, which is a lot more than the average tour pro, even on a good day, you're getting about 50 putts a round. Or you're not close to a 15. If you really can hit even half of greens on any kind of basis, you should be breaking 80.

A lot of people post on here claiming to have great swings but none to my knowledge have ever produced satisfactory proof. Usually they get told to hit 5 mid irons off the ground on video showing the divot after the ball. If you can do that then congratulations my friend, you have a fundamentally sound swing, no matter what sort of flight you play.

[David in FL]

You play off 20 but can hit 15 greens and shoot level par? :-\

[postmanclark]

Quote:

You play off 20 but can hit 15 greens and shoot level par?

Yeah, my handicap is highly dubious - I don't often hit 15 GIR; perhaps once every couple of weeks. I also don't regularly go round in level, again probably once every couple of weeks. I'm usually around the 4 - 8 mark at the moment, when I am playing a lot of golf (5 - 7 times a week.)

The reason my handicap is so high, is that I posted 3 cards before I had really started getting into golf last March and I rarely play competitions. Not because I don't want to, but because I work nights I don't often know when I am going to be awake, so I can't book tee times. Needless to say my first competition in July last year, I went round in 8 over and I was off 27, so that was a net 54, with 54 points lol. The regulars weren't too happy. I got dropped 7 shots in one round ...

Quote:

You should learn to putt. If you're a 15 handicap and you hit 15 greens, which is a lot more than the average tour pro, even on a good day, you're getting about 50 putts a round. Or you're not close to a 15. If you really can hit even half of greens on any kind of basis, you should be breaking 80. A lot of people post on here claiming to have great swings but none to my knowledge have ever produced satisfactory proof. Usually they get told to hit 5 mid irons off the ground on video showing the divot after the ball. If you can do that then congratulations my friend, you have a fundamentally sound swing, no matter what sort of flight you play.

My putting is ridiculously poor, a month ago, I went 9 shots over and had a 4 putt and 3 putt, from 15 feet on both occasions for birdies - I had 38 putts or something. I wasn't too happy. I am working hard on my putting and chipping - it doesn't come natural - but I'm getting there, I had 28 putts the other day. That is my best ever. I maybe didn't put the correct word, 15 greens, was my best round. I am usually around the 10 - 13 mark. A consistent divot with a 5 iron is no biggie, not that I use a 3 - 5 iron that often in a round on my home course (6300 yards). I maybe use the long irons 4 - 5 times a round. I could try and post my swing, although it's kind of getting off the point lol and it would be to merely proove you wrong - which is not something that I want to start off doing with my first post lol. Any chance that I could get opinions on the original question, in a polite way? ps. apologies for the lack of quote boxes, I'm not sure how you do that.

[TourSpoon]

Golf is about consistency and knowing where your ball is going. It sounds like you are having some good results and I would advise you to refine that technique by searching out someone who can help you sort things out a bit. You are at the point where you are ready to capitalize on the good things you are doing and can only improve. With that said, you are also ingraining some things that are not so good, hence the inconsistency. Get some quality instruction and keep us posted.

[BostonBrew]

If your current swing produces a predictable, consistent, and repeatable pull draw, play it.

If you wish to make changes to your swing to produce a different ball flight, be prepared to put in many, many hours on the range. It will likely cause a lot of very frustrating rounds as you inevitably mix old habits with new swing thoughts. But in the end, it could make you a better golfer.

In all honesty though, if you're hitting 15 GIRs and playing to a 20, your putting must be horrendous.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by postmanclark

I could try and post my swing, although it's kind of getting off the point lol and it would be to merely proove you wrong - which is not something that I want to start off doing with my first post lol. Any chance that I could get opinions on the original question, in a polite way? ps. apologies for the lack of quote boxes, I'm not sure how you do that.

I wouldn't consider proving to us you have a good swing to be impolite, it would really be the best way to get useful help. I was trying to be a bit blunt because we get the 300 yards thread and people saying stuff like this all the time. On the few occasions people post proof they're very well regarded. I'd certainly admit it if you can prove it.

To answer the title: If you can stop the ball on the green then it doesn't matter. Snead did OK playing a pull draw.

Your putting is holding you back more than your full shots though. You can take aimpoint classes to learn to read greens, or get instruction on just putting from any pro. You can also get fitted for a putter so it works best for your stroke.

[postmanclark]

Thanks for the advice guys. My putting is pretty bad, but it's slowly getting better. Unlike ball striking, which I picked up really easily - because in one regard it's just like any other ball sport, see the ball and hit it. Obviously, I know it requires a lot more technique then most of the other sports, but still. I have got a few lessons for a birthday present, which I will use soon. I'll update on the progress. I'll also be sure to post my swing - my brother is around at the weekend, I might get him to film it.

[mchepp]

I also hit a pull-draw although not by choice with irons. It is my big miss with my irons. I have opened my face a little at address and it helps, it tames it to a straight draw or even the occasional push draw. My feelings are that the pull draw is not reliable. It is a bit...untamed.

With my driver I try to hit a pull draw as James suggests in this great driver video.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by postmanclark

Anyway, when I have been playing a lot and my swing is in a good place I hit a consistent pull draw, with all of my clubs - where I aim at the right side of the green and bring it back to the middle. It's probably about a 5 yard pull and a 5 yard draw. I realise that this isn't the desired ball flight - however, if on a good day I can hit 15 out of 18 greens playing this way, should I accept it?

#1 in GIR on PGA Tour is 72% so yeah that's pretty good.  I would say your putting is the priority right now.  I'd suggest taking an AimPoint clinic and working on speed control.

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.103.html

[BirdieNumNums]

I'd say you're going to come up 50-50 here in regards to your question.  I won't say either is correct, but, in the end, it will all come down to what you are comfortable with.  Now, speaking from experience, I'll tell you attempt to fix it.  I played a pull hook for the last 2-3 years, until recently.  It was the best thing I did and really wasn't much of a change.  Since "fixing" my pull hook I have put up my best 3 consecutive rounds ever.

Before, like you, I would be able to put up a round where driving accuracy and GIR were on the relatively high side, but then a round or 2 later find myself wishing I had stayed home. Currently my miss is slightly right when due to me forgetting to close the clubface.  I will say that I've yet to see a super dramatic change per 1 round, but rather finding it in the consistency over the course of time.  Also, for me the big difference in my game is the putting, but the second best thing has been fixing my pull-hook.  It has re-appeared about once a round, but I can live with that for now.

Good luck in your endeavors, which ever path you take!