Diary of a bogey golfer with his 1st custom fit clubs

[dfreuter415]

5/4/15 Aimpoint, Edel wedges, and state of things

Practiced and tried Aimpoint in the Saturday round. Had 36 putts (4+ above my average) but had a good round of 91.

Played two rounds on Sunday and carded 96 & 98.   Not bad but not good either.   The good new was that I didn't have a 100+ round that I was prone to getting lately.   The bad news was that I tried to hit for distance on a few swings which ended up OB.   I need to play within my swing tempo.  Arrrrgh.

After a huge and sudden HI drop, it is showing signs of setting down to 15 - 17 HI range.   This was something I was afraid of and the main reason for plunking down a part of my son's inheritance (sorry, my son) to buy Edel putter/wedges and taking Aimpoint lesson.  Will see how things go in the next month or two, especially, after my custom made Edel putter arrives - hopefully before this weekend.   The new putter is the one I believe will have the most positive impact on my game.

Without any 100+ rounds this weekend, it looks like you are becoming more consistent. That is good news. You are taking some of the big numbers out of your round.

You stated, "After a huge and sudden HI drop, it is showing signs of setting down to 15 - 17 HI range."  Back on January 19th you were a 23, now you are a 16.6. Congratulations on your progress. And the fact that you are settling into a 15-17 range simply means that your progress is slowing down, but in no way has come to its finale. With continued practice, commitment, and consistency, I feel you have a chance to eventually get to a single digit HI.

Good luck with the Edel putter, and may the force be with you.

[rkim291968]

5/9/15 Edel wedges, Aimpoint

I carded 87 playing from a shorter tee today.  32 putts, 9/14 FIRs, 3 birdies, 3 pars, and one penalty (a ball in hazard area) - a solid round.

I bought the Edel wedges on a whim when I was being fitted for Edel putter a week ago.   A few days before the putter fitting, I read Iacas' thread on Edel wedges, and made a mental note of it.  I am glad I read it, and fitted for the wedges.  I can now hit full wedge shots more consistently, and use them 3 - 4 times per round.  I am getting used to hitting chip & pitch shots with the new wedges, too.   I am hoping all these will shave another point or two off my HI.

I used Aimpoint for the 2nd time today.  1st time, I didn't use it well.  I was applying advanced Aimpoint features without much practice and ended up with 36 putts.   Today, I used the basic Aimpoint lesson but I can't say it helped the end result that much.   I had my usual putting round with or without Aimpoint.   Most of my putting misses were to the left of target.  This is consistent with my putter fitting.  I have left dominant eye which makes me aim my putter (unknowingly) to left of target.   Once I get my fitted putter next week, I will hopefully stop missing to left of target and lower my total putts/round below 30.

[dfreuter415]

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I carded 87 playing from a shorter tee today.  32 putts, 9/14 FIRs, 3 birdies, 3 pars, and one penalty (a ball in hazard area) - a solid round.

I used Aimpoint for the 2nd time today.  1st time, I didn't use it well.  I was applying advanced Aimpoint features without much practice and ended up with 36 putts.   Today, I used the basic Aimpoint lesson but I can't say it helped the end result that much.   I had my usual putting round with or without Aimpoint.

Most of my putting misses were to the left of target.  This is consistent with my putter fitting.  I have left dominant eye which makes me aim my putter (unknowingly) to left of target.   Once I get my fitted putter next week, I will hopefully stop missing to left of target and lower my total putts/round below 30.

87! Three birdies! Great score and I don't care what tee you are playing. With your continued improvement, this kind of a score will soon become the norm.

I wasn't familiar with Aimpoint, so I Googled it.  It's pretty interesting and seems to be very scientific. I may give Aimpoint a second look, but I already read greens pretty well, and personally feel that I will make more putts by improving my putting stroke rather than improving my green reading ability.

Interesting connection between your left eye dominance and the misses on the putting green. I may have asked this before, but what putter are you currently using, and which model Edel putter did you buy?  Also, what is the current length of your putter, and is it the same as fitting length for the Edel? One last question: what kind of putter grip are you currently using, and did the Edel fitting address grip preferences, as well?

You seem like you are having a lot of fun with the entire process of getting new clubs and improving your game this spring. My philosophy has always been that golf is a journey, not a destination. This diary thread is a wonderful journal of where you have been, and what might be around the corner.

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by dfreuter415

Interesting connection between your left eye dominance and the misses on the putting green. I may have asked this before, but what putter are you currently using, and which model Edel putter did you buy?  Also, what is the current length of your putter, and is it the same as fitting length for the Edel? One last question: what kind of putter grip are you currently using, and did the Edel fitting address grip preferences, as well?

I have an Odyssey blade putter, cut down an inch in length, with jumbo Odyssey grip.  New putter is Edel classic, same length as mine.  Edel putter comes with a normal non putter grip.

If you read greens well or know the greens already (like your home course), Aimpoint may not add much to your putting game.  That's why I don't think it will help improve my score at home course that much.  It will likely help me when I play new course.

I have a good consistent putting stroke.  Regardless, when I lined up my putter face, it was probably pointing left of target more often than not.  The new putter fitting compensates for that tendency.    This explains why I can make same putt from same place  9 out of 10 times but can't repeat that success in field.  I feel the new fitted putter can shave at least one stroke off my game.   In any case, the putter will complete my "fitted" set.

[rkim291968]

5/13/15 Edel Putter - the final fitting piece

Finally, my Edel putter arrived.   1st thing I did was roll 35 balls to a wine bottle 20 feet away.   This is one of my indoor carpet putting practices.  I hit the bottle about 56% of the times with my previous putter.  Right out of the box, I hit 66% with the new fitted putter.  More importantly, when I hit the bottle, I hit the center of it (not a glancing blows - lip outs).  With my previous putter, I would hit all parts of the bottle even when I hit it.   Also, the new putter distance control was noticeably more consistent.   With previous putter, misses can end up 5 feet past the bottle, some may not reach the bottle.  With the new fitted putter, every ball ended inside 3 feet of the bottle, many hitting it with the last few rolls of the ball.    If this performance is repeated in field, I have no doubt that it will save me strokes.   I am having orgasms just thinking about it.  I can't wait until this weekend to try it out.

[RFKFREAK]

5/13/15 Edel Putter - the final fitting piece

Finally, my Edel putter arrived.   1st thing I did was roll 35 balls to a wine bottle 20 feet away.   This is one of my indoor carpet putting practices.  I hit the bottle about 56% of the times with my previous putter.  Right out of the box, I hit 66% with the new fitted putter.  More importantly, when I hit the bottle, I hit the center of it (not a glancing blows - lip outs).  With my previous putter, I would hit all parts of the bottle even when I hit it.   Also, the new putter distance control was noticeably more consistent.   With previous putter, misses can end up 5 feet past the bottle, some may not reach the bottle.  With the new fitted putter, every ball ended inside 3 feet of the bottle, many hitting it with the last few rolls of the ball.    If this performance is repeated in field, I have no doubt that it will save me strokes.   I am having orgasms just thinking about it.  I can't wait until this weekend to try it out.

Nice!

I'm not sure I'd be able to wait until the weekend to play my first round with it.  I'd have considered calling in "sick," haha.

[rkim291968]

5/17/15 1st two rounds with complete fitted set - bad scores

Played two rounds with newly fitted Edel putter, the last piece of my fitted golf set.   Had 3 practice sessions with the putter before playing the weekend's rounds.   Averaged 35 putts/round (37 & 33) which is a full 2+ putts/round over my average.  I didn't practice long putts (over 25 feet) with the new putter and it showed in the 1st round.  It led to five 3-putts in that round.  No 3 putts in the 2nd round as I have gotten used to long putts.   Even so, the two day putting result was a big disappointment.   I was expecting to average below 31 putts/round, not 35.    It was certainly a no magic wand.  Will see how it goes as I get used to the putter.

Carded 101 & 99.   Was coming off of a nasty cold and played the two rounds, literally, on shaky legs.   Shaky legs led to break in the swing form and I could not hit anything, short or long.  This resulted in poor GIR attempts, and numerous double bogeys.  It was bit odd b/c at the wost of my cold last week, I had no shaky leg problem and played to 87 & 95.

[RFKFREAK]

5/17/15 1st two rounds with complete fitted set - bad scores

Played two rounds with newly fitted Edel putter, the last piece of my fitted golf set.   Had 3 practice sessions with the putter before playing the weekend's rounds.   Averaged 35 putts/round (37 & 33) which is a full 2+ putts/round over my average.  I didn't practice long putts (over 25 feet) with the new putter and it showed in the 1st round.  It led to five 3-putts in that round.  No 3 putts in the 2nd round as I have gotten used to long putts.   Even so, the two day putting result was a big disappointment.   I was expecting to average below 31 putts/round, not 35.    It was certainly a no magic wand.  Will see how it goes as I get used to the putter.

Carded 101 & 99.   Was coming off of a nasty cold and played the two rounds, literally, on shaky legs.   Shaky legs led to break in the swing form and I could not hit anything, short or long.  This resulted in poor GIR attempts, and numerous double bogeys.  It was bit odd b/c at the wost of my cold last week, I had no shaky leg problem and played to 87 & 95.

Yeah, like anything, I'd expect that it will take a bit of time getting used to the new putter.  IIRC, you had an adjustment period when you got your new irons, too.

[GolfGuyDC]

I just spent the last hour reading through the thread and I really enjoyed it. I wanted to make a few points and ask a few questions. Over the past 6 months how much of your improvements do attest to buying new equipment? I feel like you put a lot of weight into the equipment. I use to do the same but during my golf journey at some but I realized that practice and lessons helped me the most. Years ago when I was single and could play nonstop I did, which was really helpful for me in getting better. But when I stopped playing so much and started practicing is when I really saw my scores improve. Lessons followed and I begin to improve even more.

How do your scores defer from your home course vs others? What tee’s do you usually play from? At this point do you have any trouble reaching any par 4’s in two shots? What’s your ball flight pattern?

Can’t wait to hear more…

[rkim291968]

Welcome to the forum, GolfGuyDC.

It's been 5 months since my latest journey of improving my golf game.  I started with 21 HI, it went up to 23, and now it is down to 16+.   That's about 5 stroke/HI point improvement. Like you, in my educated guess, 3 strokes are gained from lessons and associated practices , 1 stroke gained from workout, and 1+ stroke gained from better fitted equipment.  Of all the equipment changes, the driver gave me the most impact.   It is responsible for a jump in FIR, and about 8 yard gain on drives.   I am banking on the wedges & putter to give me another stroke or two.   It hasn't happened yet but I am still optimistic about it.

I suspect I improved more than 5 strokes.  Due to drought, the home course let the grass grow in many places.   When ball enters there, it's a lost ball these days.   In the past, I was able to find the balls in similar situation.   I am looking forward to summer when the tall grasses get dried out and expose balls for easier find.

On average, I  consistently score better when playing non-home courses.   Playing at home, when ball striking does not work, it directly translates into OBs (everywhere) which leads to 100+ scores.   In other courses, even when my ball striking does not work, I can still score in high 90s.   For example, I played the 4 Bandon Dunes courses for the 1st time while all these improvement was going on.  3 of the 4 rounds ended up in the top 10 of 20 HI scores at the time.

[dfreuter415]

5/17/15

1) Played two rounds with newly fitted Edel putter, the last piece of my fitted golf set.   Had 3 practice sessions with the putter before playing the weekend's rounds.   Averaged 35 putts/round (37 & 33) which is a full 2+ putts/round over my average. It was certainly a no magic wand.  Will see how it goes as I get used to the putter.

2) Carded 101 & 99.   Was coming off of a nasty cold and played the two rounds, literally, on shaky legs.  It was bit odd b/c at the wost of my cold last week, I had no shaky leg problem and played to 87 & 95.

3) Of all the equipment changes, the driver gave me the most impact.

4) On average, I  consistently score better when playing non-home courses.  For example, I played the 4 Bandon Dunes courses for the 1st time while all these improvement was going on.  3 of the 4 rounds ended up in the top 10 of 20 HI scores at the time.

1) That's interesting that you had three practice session before taking the Edel to the course. How did you feel about the way you were rolling the ball when you were practicing? I'm just curious as to how you feel right now about your Odyssey blade putter.  BTW, I had a similar situation today. I wasn't happy with my Ping B60 last week, so I pulled out my Odyssey 2-Ball putter. I had 34 putts, where I normally have around 31. I missed 3 birdie putts inside 8 feet and 2 other par putts from 4 and 6 feet. I'm giving the 2-Ball one more round to redeem itself, and if it doesn't perform, I'll replace it with my Ping Anser 2.

2) Golf is crazy that way. Did you use any meds last week or this week for the cold? I would guess you might have used something to relieve your symptoms last week at the height of your illness, and perhaps nothing this week which might have caused the shaky legs.

3) You sound like Rory McIlroy. In an interview this weekend, he said that his game is set up by how well he is driving the ball. I agree with a lot of the discussions on TST about how important your driving is in relation to your scoring.

4) This is impressive that you were able to use three of the four rounds at Bandon Dunes for your HI.  What is you home course? How do you rank it as far as difficulty?  I find that when I play away courses I use about 50% of the scores for my HI.  (My home course is River Forest in Freeport, PA. It is a short, tight layout with smallish, extremely fast greens.)

BTW, Did your wife put the Alien Wedge in her bag yet? If so, does she like it?

[rkim291968]

1) That's interesting that you had three practice session before taking the Edel to the course. How did you feel about the way you were rolling the ball when you were practicing? I'm just curious as to how you feel right now about your Odyssey blade putter.  BTW, I had a similar situation today. I wasn't happy with my Ping B60 last week, so I pulled out my Odyssey 2-Ball putter. I had 34 putts, where I normally have around 31. I missed 3 birdie putts inside 8 feet and 2 other par putts from 4 and 6 feet. I'm giving the 2-Ball one more round to redeem itself, and if it doesn't perform, I'll replace it with my Ping Anser 2.

2) Golf is crazy that way. Did you use any meds last week or this week for the cold? I would guess you might have used something to relieve your symptoms last week at the height of your illness, and perhaps nothing this week which might have caused the shaky legs.

3) You sound like Rory McIlroy. In an interview this weekend, he said that his game is set up by how well he is driving the ball. I agree with a lot of the discussions on TST about how important your driving is in relation to your scoring.

4) This is impressive that you were able to use three of the four rounds at Bandon Dunes for your HI.  What is you home course? How do you rank it as far as difficulty?  I find that when I play away courses I use about 50% of the scores for my HI.  (My home course is River Forest in Freeport, PA. It is a short, tight layout with smallish, extremely fast greens.)

BTW, Did your wife put the Alien Wedge in her bag yet? If so, does she like it?

1) I only practiced less than 15 feet putts and I felt good.  On Saturday's round, I had too many long putts which I had no practice with the new putter.   Then again, I could not make the comebackers and ended up with five 3-putts (probably a record).  On Sunday round, things were much more settled and I had no 3-putts.   I will give the new putter ample time to get used to.

2) I was on couple of meds but ran out of them for this weekend.  My legs were unstable and I thought I was dehydrated and started eating/drinking as soon as I noticed the shaking.  On both days, by 13 - 14th hole, I was better (shakiness in legs stopped) and played well down the stretch.

3) Drives are relatively more important to my game b/c I don't hit long and I can't hit 3W well.   If I am having a bad drive day (not very often), my scores will be in 100s easily.

4) My home course is Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA.   As the name implies, vineyards are everywhere inside the course and any ball in the vineyards is an OB.   Even for good players, it's common to score big numbers on any of the holes b/c of it.

My wife used the wedge for a few times with success.  But as soon as she had trouble with it, she dumped it.   Unlike me, she won't practice with it and wants an instant success.

[RFKFREAK]

1) I only practiced less than 15 feet putts and I felt good.  On Saturday's round, I had too many long putts which I had no practice with the new putter.   Then again, I could not make the comebackers and ended up with five 3-putts (probably a record).  On Sunday round, things were much more settled and I had no 3-putts.   I will give the new putter ample time to get used to. 2) I was on couple of meds but ran out of them for this weekend.  My legs were unstable and I thought I was dehydrated and started eating/drinking as soon as I noticed the shaking.  On both days, by 13 - 14th hole, I was better (shakiness in legs stopped) and played well down the stretch. 3) Drives are relatively more important to my game b/c I don't hit long and I can't hit 3W well. If I am having a bad drive day (not very often), my scores will be in 100s easily.   4) My home course is Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA.   As the name implies, vineyards are everywhere inside the course and any ball in the vineyards is an OB.   Even for good players, it's common to score big numbers on any of the holes b/c of it. My wife used the wedge for a few times with success.  But as soon as she had trouble with it, she dumped it.   Unlike me, she won't practice with it and wants an instant success.   :-(

Oh, I know all about that.

[isukgolf]

Oddly I am on a very similar journey ... just finished the aim point class and was considering the Edel putter ... so very interested in your experience. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Edit: meant add I am even going to for a fitting for irons soon.

[rkim291968]

Yeah, like anything, I'd expect that it will take a bit of time getting used to the new putter.  IIRC, you had an adjustment period when you got your new irons, too.

That's what I am hoping.  I practiced on my carpet today just to get used to it more.  I think I will sleep with it tonight just to get to know it better.

Close to losing 50 lbs?  That's just amazing.  Good job!

All that focused work out will give you more distance on your drive.  I guarantee you.

Oddly I am on a very similar journey ... just finished the aim point class and was considering the Edel putter ... so very interested in your experience.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Edit: meant add I am even going to for a fitting for irons soon.

Best of luck to you.  YMMV but fitting is a good thing.  It will help your game in some way.  I felt my driver really got my driving to the next level.  Now, if I can get 20 more yards without losing accuracy, my HI will go down by another 5 points.

[GolfGuyDC]

Thanks for the Welcome, long time lurker first time poster :).

I asked about the scoring difference between home and away because a while ago a course GM told me that your always going to play 5-10 strokes better at your home course verses away. I recall in some of your post you had mentioned that you would have good rounds leading up to a tournament and then not shoot well at the tournament. I was wondering if that was a case of home vs away. Also I asked about what tees you playing because if your not a big hitter and your playing the blue tees you could be doing yourself a disservice.

About five years ago when I use to shoot in the 80's I thought I was really doing well until I realized that all my best scores were either at my home course or courses that most good players would consider easy. Since then I've made a point to play harder/longer courses to sort of up the ante per say. With the lack of practice time and playing harder courses my scores have plummeted. But slowly I'm getting better and learning new things that our turning into more success on the course.

Right now my biggest issue is GIR's. If I can hit more greens I know it will reduce my scores. So lately when I hit the range I'm hitting 6-9 for the 33% of the time, chipping for 33% of the time and putting for the rest of the time. I think if I can get to the range twice a week it's going to help me get back into the 80's. Something else that's helped me a lot recently is clubbing up and playing a the low end of my irons range. For example in the past for a 150 yard shot I would always hit a full 8 iron, these days I'm trying to work a soft 7 and I'm finding by doing this I'm able to hit my number more often. Another important part of my approach game is getting the proper yardage, selecting the appropriate club and not only hitting the ball in the right location but also the exact distance. When you go to the range beyond practicing the stuff from your lessons whats your routine?

When I've played with really good single digit HI I've noticed more then anything they are super consistent. These players manage the course well, limit their mistakes and hit shots. I don't hit a great amount of fairways but I don't miss them by a large margin. I can two putt all day but for me it really comes down to not hitting the greens and having to waste strokes on chipping and when I do have to chip I need to get the ball closer to the flag to setup one putts.

[RFKFREAK]

That's what I am hoping.  I practiced on my carpet today just to get used to it more.  I think I will sleep with it tonight just to get to know it better.

Close to losing 50 lbs?  That's just amazing.  Good job!

All that focused work out will give you more distance on your drive.  I guarantee you.

Haha, so, how did the putter sleep?  Did you give the putter a good night kiss before you went to sleep?

Thanks!  I'm just under 3 pounds away from getting to my weight goal so hoping next week.  I'm also going to be transitioning a bit on my focus once I get there which I'll post about in my thread.

My ball flight is definitely higher and I'm driving the ball further this year.  Some of it is technique but some of it I believe is losing fat and gaining some muscle probably has allowed for more flexibility which allows for better technique, so, it's kind of circular, haha.  I've also been using used/crap balls this year so far instead of the new and premium balls I was using last year so I can probably hit it even further.  I've gotten close to a 300 yard drive (with the rollout) so, if I do knock one out that far, I'm going to be pumped!

[rkim291968]

Thanks for the Welcome, long time lurker first time poster :).

1) I asked about the scoring difference between home and away because a while ago a course GM told me that your always going to play 5-10 strokes better at your home course verses away. I recall in some of your post you had mentioned that you would have good rounds leading up to a tournament and then not shoot well at the tournament. I was wondering if that was a case of home vs away. Also I asked about what tees you playing because if your not a big hitter and your playing the blue tees you could be doing yourself a disservice.

About five years ago when I use to shoot in the 80's I thought I was really doing well until I realized that all my best scores were either at my home course or courses that most good players would consider easy. Since then I've made a point to play harder/longer courses to sort of up the ante per say. With the lack of practice time and playing harder courses my scores have plummeted. But slowly I'm getting better and learning new things that our turning into more success on the course.

2) Right now my biggest issue is GIR's. If I can hit more greens I know it will reduce my scores. So lately when I hit the range I'm hitting 6-9 for the 33% of the time, chipping for 33% of the time and putting for the rest of the time. I think if I can get to the range twice a week it's going to help me get back into the 80's. Something else that's helped me a lot recently is clubbing up and playing a the low end of my irons range. For example in the past for a 150 yard shot I would always hit a full 8 iron, these days I'm trying to work a soft 7 and I'm finding by doing this I'm able to hit my number more often. Another important part of my approach game is getting the proper yardage, selecting the appropriate club and not only hitting the ball in the right location but also the exact distance. When you go to the range beyond practicing the stuff from your lessons whats your routine?

In regards to 1), my course is just a hard course to get good scores when you don't have an accurate ball striking.  Everyone in the club says their handicap index went up by at least two points when they joined the club.   They were right.  Mine went up 4 points when I joined the club about 20 months ago, from 16 to 20.   All the club tournaments are from one set of tees so I am forced to practice/play from the tee.   Once in a while, I play a shorter tee and I score better (from handicap point calculation wise).   If I stick to playing only from the shorter tee, my handicap will likely go down by another two points to 14 or 15 range. I know CR is not supposed to work that way but it does for me, and my current home course tees.   Go figure.

In regards to 2), GIR is my issue, too, especially playing from the club tournament tee.   I think it's an issue for most amateur golfers.  I have the distance well charted for irons, e.g my well struck PW will go 110 yards carry.  What I don't have is consistency.   To help with consistency, my range routine starts with hitting 10 balls each for wedges, irons, hybrids, 3w, and driver.    This is to get a feel which ball striking area I need to focus on that range session.   E.g, if I only hit accurately with 2 of the 10 sample drives, I will focus more on getting the driver "right" in the session.    Currently, I can hit them with 50% to 60+% accuracy (3W being the worst, and the rest hovering around mid to high 60%).    The goal is to get them to 80% accuracy.

You may want to start a thread of your own to track your progress, and others to follow and comment.  Most do that with posting a their swing thread.   Few of us have blog type thread to track and report on progress.    I follow a few those threads.  It gives me added insights on what I am doing.   It's also fun to read their self torture progress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

That's what I am hoping.  I practiced on my carpet today just to get used to it more.  I think I will sleep with it tonight just to get to know it better.

Close to losing 50 lbs?  That's just amazing.  Good job!

All that focused work out will give you more distance on your drive.  I guarantee you.

Haha, so, how did the putter sleep?  Did you give the putter a good night kiss before you went to sleep?

Funny you mentioned it.   When I got it in the mail last week, the very 1st thing I did was to kiss it.   That may have pissed the putter off.   It has been erratic since.