Do you drive 250+ yards and have a 20+ handicap?

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

If you're hitting 5 balls OB, you should probably start teeing off with a 5 iron until you figure out what's going on.

(Except for me, since I'd hit more balls OB with my 5 iron than my driver...PIECE of $#!T IRONS!!!)

Funny you say that.  During this +17 round yesterday, BigC decided to try and drive the reachable par four 11th hole yesterday.  I, still being up 2 holes in match play, decided to hit 5 iron.  There is hazard along the entire right side of the hole, and houses along the entire left side of the hole (not sure if hazard or OB), plus some trees and stuff.  So I played conservative with 5 iron (my normal play on this hole unless the wind is at my back), and I proceeded to hit the worst shot of the day, a duff/pull that went about 15-30 yards into some deep fescue short of the trees.  Turned out to be a lost ball and a re-tee.  I hit driver on the re-tee to about 10 yards short of the green and made bogey.  Talk about pissed off!

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Funny you say that.  During this +17 round yesterday, BigC decided to try and drive the reachable par four 11th hole yesterday.  I, still being up 2 holes in match play, decided to hit 5 iron.  There is hazard along the entire right side of the hole, and houses along the entire left side of the hole (not sure if hazard or OB), plus some trees and stuff.  So I played conservative with 5 iron (my normal play on this hole unless the wind is at my back), and I proceeded to hit the worst shot of the day, a duff/pull that went about 15-30 yards into some deep fescue short of the trees.  Turned out to be a lost ball and a re-tee.  I hit driver on the re-tee to about 10 yards short of the green and made bogey.  Talk about pissed off!

My decision making has gotten so much easier lately. If it's over 260 yards, hit driver. It's my most consistent club, and the only one I can get to do what I want.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

My decision making has gotten so much easier lately. If it's over 260 yards, hit driver. It's my most consistent club, and the only one I can get to do what I want.

That is fascinating.  I think of it as the hardest club to keep under control.  My brother is law is like you.  He doesn't really play very well - but he really can hit driver.  He says the face is so big - how can you miss hit it?

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Funny you say that.  During this +17 round yesterday, BigC decided to try and drive the reachable par four 11th hole yesterday.  I, still being up 2 holes in match play, decided to hit 5 iron.  There is hazard along the entire right side of the hole, and houses along the entire left side of the hole (not sure if hazard or OB), plus some trees and stuff.  So I played conservative with 5 iron (my normal play on this hole unless the wind is at my back), and I proceeded to hit the worst shot of the day, a duff/pull that went about 15-30 yards into some deep fescue short of the trees.  Turned out to be a lost ball and a re-tee.  I hit driver on the re-tee to about 10 yards short of the green and made bogey.  Talk about pissed off!

Nothing sux like playing it safe and screwing it up anyway.  Feels terrible.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

That is fascinating.  I think of it as the hardest club to keep under control.  My brother is law is like you.  He doesn't really play very well - but he really can hit driver.  He says the face is so big - how can you miss hit it?

I realized that kind of sounded like I meant that you don't play very well SOL - but it's really just my brother in law that doesn't.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

I realized that kind of sounded like I meant that you don't play very well SOL - but it's really just my brother in law that doesn't.

I have my good and bad days. Mostly bad lately because I've been changing so many things.

It's not even that I'm "good" with my driver, it's just that I've figured out how to consistently hit a straight pull, so I just aim right and blast it pretty much where I want it to go. It's by no means a good swing, it's a horrendous looking swing, and once I get my technique straightened out I have no doubt my average drive will be up near 300 instead of 275 or so.

It's just that my irons have been awful. I'll hit 12 fairways in a round and 2 greens. Not a recipe for success.

[Jodastra]

Okay golf ball nuts...here is some mantra.... If you need to Know what your hitting... Golf ball wise, use this chart...

http://www.golfballselector.com/pdf/GBS_CompressionHardness_Test_071213_v10.13a.pdf

Enjoy...John

and remember...only hit a ball you can afford to loose...I've sent several lobster dinners into the netherlands of Ohio!..ciest la vie...john

[MS256]

I'm sure most people get longer as they get better but I could hit the ball just as far the first day I ever hit a golf ball as I can now, and almost as accurately. I remember telling people that hitting the driver was the easy part.

All I was doing was hitting a ball over the center field fence. Didn't have a clue about the rest of the game though.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'll hit 12 fairways in a round and 2 greens. Not a recipe for success.

Ha!  I end up with very similar stats - but having taken a different route.  I play iron or hybrid or 3-wood off the tee to make sure I get that fairway - and I get a lot of them.  But then I'm often 4, 5, or 6 iron from the green.  Hence, I only get a few per round as well.

Once I get near the green, I do pretty well though.  I try to make absolutely sure my chip gets me at least close enough to 2-putt - which I normally do. But then the occasional up and down for par feels nice.  I rarely 2-putt par and that would probably be on a par 3.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

Ha!  I end up with very similar stats - but having taken a different route.  I play iron or hybrid or 3-wood off the tee to make sure I get that fairway - and I get a lot of them.  But then I'm often 4, 5, or 6 iron from the green.  Hence, I only get a few per round as well.

Once I get near the green, I do pretty well though.  I try to make absolutely sure my chip gets me at least close enough to 2-putt - which I normally do. But then the occasional up and down for par feels nice.  I rarely 2-putt par and that would probably be on a par 3.

I'd rather have 230 yards to the green than 150. I'll take my hybrid over my 8-9 iron any day of the week.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'd rather have 230 yards to the green than 150. I'll take my hybrid over my 8-9 iron any day of the week.

You remind me of a guy that played in our Saturday game a while back. Since he was on my team I asked him about his game and he said "I'm really comfortable from 200 yards and out".

I laughed and told him I hadn't heard that before. As we played our round I found out he was exactly right. He never missed a fairway and was close to the green or on in two on every par 5 but he only made one par the whole round.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by MS256

You remind me of a guy that played in our Saturday game a while back. Since he was on my team I asked him about his game and he said "I'm really comfortable from 200 yards and out".

I laughed and told him I hadn't heard that before. As we played our round I found out he was exactly right. He never missed a fairway and was close to the green or on in two on every par 5 but he only made one par the whole round.

My really short game (<50 yards) is decent for the most part, and my long game (>180) is ok. But in between that is just terrible. Short game prevents me from shooting over 100 every round. Every now and then I hit a PGA like approach shot, but it's so rare.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'd rather have 230 yards to the green than 150. I'll take my hybrid over my 8-9 iron any day of the week.

Originally Posted by MS256

You remind me of a guy that played in our Saturday game a while back. Since he was on my team I asked him about his game and he said "I'm really comfortable from 200 yards and out".

I laughed and told him I hadn't heard that before. As we played our round I found out he was exactly right. He never missed a fairway and was close to the green or on in two on every par 5 but he only made one par the whole round.

Sounds like me, somewhat.  My strengths are typically driving and putting.  My short game chipping is solid.  My short irons are below average, but my longer irons feel much more comfortable.  In fact my 6 and 5 irons are my most consistent right now.

Played with a stranger a few weeks back who witnessed me hit a horrible tee shot into jail, and I had to pitch out sideways.  He mentioned I had a window to advance it a bit, and I chose a different window that was slightly larger, but also mentioned that "i'll be more comfortable with that yardage anyway."  I could tell he didn't believe it.  Turns out I left myself 185 to the pin, and I said, "perfect, that's about a 5i for me, which is my best club right now."  He was still silent, and then I hit a rope at the flag that landed about 15 feet past (took a hard bounce).

I usually play par 5s well because Dr/3w or Dr/long iron usually give me good chances to score.  Whereas from 130 yards and in I'm just as likely to miss the green short as to hit it pin-high.  I theorize that this is because my casting is more pronounced with the shorter clubs.

[Lihu]

In fact my 6 and 5 irons are my most consistent right now.

I wish I had this problem. I hit my hybrids and everything under a 6 iron better. The issue is I have no control with the longer clubs.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Sounds like me, somewhat.  My strengths are typically driving and putting.  My short game chipping is solid.  My short irons are below average, but my longer irons feel much more comfortable.  In fact my 6 and 5 irons are my most consistent right now.

Played with a stranger a few weeks back who witnessed me hit a horrible tee shot into jail, and I had to pitch out sideways.  He mentioned I had a window to advance it a bit, and I chose a different window that was slightly larger, but also mentioned that "i'll be more comfortable with that yardage anyway."  I could tell he didn't believe it.  Turns out I left myself 185 to the pin, and I said, "perfect, that's about a 5i for me, which is my best club right now."  He was still silent, and then I hit a rope at the flag that landed about 15 feet past (took a hard bounce).

I usually play par 5s well because Dr/3w or Dr/long iron usually give me good chances to score.  Whereas from 130 yards and in I'm just as likely to miss the green short as to hit it pin-high.  I theorize that this is because my casting is more pronounced with the shorter clubs.

I can totally vouch for this! ;)  And it makes perfect sense too ... just look at his signature line.

-------------------------------------------

On another note, I know I'm not a 20+ handicapper (well not now, but if I keep playing like I have been I may be there soon) but I paid attention to my drives today.  I used my driver 11 times today and hit it fairly well by my standards.  None OB, and only one into a lateral hazard ;))  I had two poor mishits, one a slice into the hazard, one a snap hook that only went about 200 yards.  Of the nine other solid drives, I had 3 that went around 250-255, and 5 that all went around 260-265, then there was "the one."  A 612 yard par 5 on the card, the tee markers were one box up from the back so it was playing maybe 585 or something and I absolutely bombed one!  Aimed at the bunkers on the left, perfect draw (actually a bit of a hook) of about 15 yards and ended up in the center of the fairway 225 yards from the center of the green.  Worked it backwards from that point here on google maps and the card yardage is obviously off because the drive only went about 305.  But who cares ... 305!!!  (Yes, there was a strong helping wind!)

I only mention this because now I am reminded not only how effing far 300 is, but how far even 275 is.  Heck, for that matter ... 250 is a poke!

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I only mention this because now I am reminded not only how effing far 300 is, but how far even 275 is.  Heck, for that matter ... 250 is a poke!

Nice one!

Yeah, sometimes I'm reminded how far 275-290 is when I bomb one what feels 10-15 yards further than anything else for the day, and it's still "only" around 285-ish.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

That is fascinating.  I think of it as the hardest club to keep under control.  My brother is law is like you.  He doesn't really play very well - but he really can hit driver.  He says the face is so big - how can you miss hit it?

Nothing sux like playing it safe and screwing it up anyway.  Feels terrible.

I started trying to "play smart" hitting 4i off the tee and I almost always hit a push ob, then hit a driver dead nuts straight for the re-tee. It's hilariously annoying. Last night played with a couple decent golfers. First hole is 340ish by gps, they both hit nice draw drives down the middle with about 80 and 90 left. I hit my drive and was under 50 left. Proceeded to card a bogey with 2 bad chips and a 2 putt from about 25 ft..... That's how my game is right now most times. I rarely ever more than 2 putt anymore, which is has shaved a few strokes per round and my drives don't go OB as much. If I lose more than 2 balls off the tee I'm doing worse than usual. What I want to do is go out some night when I'll be the last on the course and use my phone to set up some shots 100 and in then just practice my approachs until I get a comfortable repeatable swing for several yardages.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I started trying to "play smart" hitting 4i off the tee and I almost always hit a push ob, then hit a driver dead nuts straight for the re-tee. It's hilariously annoying.

I don't even carry a 3 or 4 iron anymore. I have 0 need for it. A light hybrid swing goes 215, and a strong 5 iron goes up to 210. Not too much of a gap there. Not to mention that I can't hit a 3 or 4 to save my life anyway...

My "safe" play is typically my 2i hybrid...although last time I did that, I hit a straight pull that went OB 2 holes over. Was about 40 degrees left of my target...lol

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I don't even carry a 3 or 4 iron anymore. I have 0 need for it. A light hybrid swing goes 215, and a strong 5 iron goes up to 210. Not too much of a gap there. Not to mention that I can't hit a 3 or 4 to save my life anyway...

My "safe" play is typically my 2i hybrid...although last time I did that, I hit a straight pull that went OB 2 holes over. Was about 40 degrees left of my target...lol

I don't have any hybrids or fw woods in my bag right now. I never liked hybrids really. I don't really have trouble with hitting my 4i normally, it's just when I'm trying to be "safe" rofl. I think I need to get over my dislike of the look of hybrids/rescues because it seems they are really a good option. I only have 12 clubs in the bag right now and I've been evaluating what to get.