Just played a scratch golfer

[Mitch360]

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I started playing golf around 9 months ago, I'm 31. I started golf to get into a new hobby and didn't realise how addictive it would eventually become. Anyway... I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and I guess I've followed the same tips and progression as most new golfers I.e. stationary core, straight left arm, transfer weight forward, ball first - then divot and I thought I was becoming a reasonably good golfer, although I'd never seen or played with a scratch golfer. This afternoon I played with a friend who claimed to play a round in 72. I just witnessed him play 1 under par..... Without a single 'gimme' It's wasn't his drives, or his putting / short game that blew me away, it was his mid iron shots! First thing I noticed was the sound of his ball in flight...the ball actually sounded like it was cutting through the air! Secondly it was the way it launched in a straigh upwardstline, then tapered off and fell onto the green right at the last moment. I watched closely to see what he was doing that I'm not and I couldn't spot it. I've tried many, many variations and having hit thousands of balls... I would have expected to have have shot a shot like his at least a few times, even if only by fluke, but not so. Is it just a question of practice and technique? I'm starting to question the length of my clubs and geometry of my body!!! I can connect sweetly with the ball, rarely hit fat or thin shots..... But my shots tend to look like one big arc... He's been playing for 8 years. What exactly is it he's doing that's producing this ball flight? Power? Technique? More compression? Or is it just years of practise?

[theworldengine]

Probably everything different all the way down to the setup. There's many resources here on how to properly hit a golf ball

[460CompMark]

he's hitting down at the ball instead of up.

[GHIN0011458]

Originally Posted by Mitch360

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I started playing golf around 9 months ago, I'm 31.

I started golf to get into a new hobby and didn't realise how addictive it would eventually become. Anyway...

I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and I guess I've followed the same tips and progression as most new golfers I.e. stationary core, straight left arm, transfer weight forward, ball first - then divot and I thought I was becoming a reasonably good golfer, although I'd never seen or played with a scratch golfer.

This afternoon I played with a friend who claimed to play a round in 72. I just witnessed him play 1 under par..... Without a single 'gimme'

It's wasn't his drives, or his putting / short game that blew me away, it was his mid iron shots! First thing I noticed was the sound of his ball in flight...the ball actually sounded like it was cutting through the air! Secondly it was the way it launched in a straigh upwardstline, then tapered off and fell onto the green right at the last moment.

I watched closely to see what he was doing that I'm not and I couldn't spot it.

I've tried many, many variations and having hit thousands of balls... I would have expected to have have shot a shot like his at least a few times, even if only by fluke, but not so.

Is it just a question of practice and technique? I'm starting to question the length of my clubs and geometry of my body!!!

I can connect sweetly with the ball, rarely hit fat or thin shots..... But my shots tend to look like one big arc...

He's been playing for 8 years.

What exactly is it he's doing that's producing this ball flight? Power? Technique? More compression?

Or is it just years of practise?

It isn't like watching a guy on TV is it? lol Watching a guy shoot under par with no kick-in for birdies is kind of boring in real life. Fun to do yourself, but it sneaks up on the other guy at the end of the round usually

[Infamous 273]

Lag, de-loft, compression.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Mitch360

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I started playing golf around 9 months ago, I'm 31.

I started golf to get into a new hobby and didn't realise how addictive it would eventually become. Anyway...

I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and I guess I've followed the same tips and progression as most new golfers I.e. stationary core, straight left arm, transfer weight forward, ball first - then divot and I thought I was becoming a reasonably good golfer, although I'd never seen or played with a scratch golfer.

This afternoon I played with a friend who claimed to play a round in 72. I just witnessed him play 1 under par..... Without a single 'gimme'

It's wasn't his drives, or his putting / short game that blew me away, it was his mid iron shots! First thing I noticed was the sound of his ball in flight...the ball actually sounded like it was cutting through the air! Secondly it was the way it launched in a straigh upwardstline, then tapered off and fell onto the green right at the last moment.

I watched closely to see what he was doing that I'm not and I couldn't spot it.

I've tried many, many variations and having hit thousands of balls... I would have expected to have have shot a shot like his at least a few times, even if only by fluke, but not so.

Is it just a question of practice and technique? I'm starting to question the length of my clubs and geometry of my body!!!

I can connect sweetly with the ball, rarely hit fat or thin shots..... But my shots tend to look like one big arc...

He's been playing for 8 years.

What exactly is it he's doing that's producing this ball flight? Power? Technique? More compression?

Or is it just years of practise?

You'll know when you are striking down on the ball correctly when you see your ball hit the green and stop/back up consistently. To me that's a sure sign that I've struck the ball cleanly. Even with mid/low priced/spin balls you'll still get the ball to check and spin back.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by Mitch360

Hello everyone, this is my first post.

What exactly is it he's doing that's producing this ball flight? Power? Technique? More compression?

Or is it just years of practise?

Welcome to the forums.

To answer your questions, all of the above. Aside from his iron play which impressed you, I am sure that he was extremely consistent in finding the fairways and/or avoiding trouble, that his misses were such around the green that he was left with easier up and downs, and that he putted well enough to shoot 71.

[saevel25]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch360

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I started playing golf around 9 months ago, I'm 31.

I started golf to get into a new hobby and didn't realise how addictive it would eventually become. Anyway...

YEP, welcome to golf, the most frustrating addictive game every created, damn you Scotland ;)

Quote:

This afternoon I played with a friend who claimed to play a round in 72. I just witnessed him play 1 under par..... Without a single 'gimme'

It's wasn't his drives, or his putting / short game that blew me away, it was his mid iron shots! First thing I noticed was the sound of his ball in flight...the ball actually sounded like it was cutting through the air! Secondly it was the way it launched in a straigh upwardstline, then tapered off and fell onto the green right at the last moment.

The trajectory is caused by a lot of backspin. the backspin will keep the ball in the air for along time.

Quote:

Is it just a question of practice and technique? I'm starting to question the length of my clubs and geometry of my body!!!

I can connect sweetly with the ball, rarely hit fat or thin shots..... But my shots tend to look like one big arc...

He's been playing for 8 years.

What exactly is it he's doing that's producing this ball flight? Power? Technique? More compression?

Or is it just years of practise?

He's nailing the first three keys very well.