The Best Tip You Have Had, but Not From a Pro

[paininthenuts]

My driving has always been erratic until last week, when it became consistently  poor. Out of 28 drives Friday and Saturday, I sliced 26. Everything I had been taught would not stop that ball gliding over to the right. I was tempted just to aim the ball left, but from experience knew this would mean the ball would go straight, and probably out of bounds. On the Saturday I was against a friendly stranger, who at the end of the game told me what to do. Firstly he said, move the ball nearer your front foot, and you will get more distance. Secondly, take your right foot back half a foots distance, and finally close the club face a little. He told me these were tips given to him by a pro, and very rarely slices a ball. I was playing in a comp the next day, so I got to the course early and whacked a bucket of calls. Every drive I hit went straight (ish). Knowing that what happens on the range isn't always the same as what happens on the course, I didn't expect to much. Out of the 14 times I used my driver 13 went straight, and I duffed one. I ended up coming 2nd with 37 points, and was only beaten by a bandit who scored 42. I played another round on the Monday, and again every drive went straight, and I hit  my first 300 yarder, albeit wind assisted. I am desperately hoping this won't change, but I know what golf is like !!

 

 

[bkuehn1952]

Good question.  A golf buddy reminded me to align myself with the slope (up or down).  Now I first heard that suggestion from Jack Nicklaus in "Golf My Way" but being a thick-headed person, an occasional reminder is needed.

[Groucho Valentine]

I got a tip from a player on the range at the NJ state open years ago about slighting rising my hand position at address. He advised me to get a little taller in the set up. The guy is technically a pro, but he's also a very fine player. He finished in the top 10 in the masters a couple times in the 80's. I missed the cut by a few strokes that year because i putted poorly, but man was i striping the ball. 

I typically don't think much about mechanics much, but that was a tip i still focus on to this day. When my hands fall too low my swing gets a bit narrow. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by Groucho Valentine

[Lihu]

My best tip recently came from a cinematographer, Reynaldo Villalobos. I don't know his handicap, but he knew what he was talking about. I gained about 10 yards on all my irons and possibly 20 yards with my woods. Of course, I'm sure the same advice would have come from someone here on this site if I had gotten through my stupid camera issues. . .

[Rainmaker]

I think of "tips" as some advice you get, that you can implement quickly, that makes at least a temporary difference in your performance.  I've gotten lots of those.  Tips like taking a stronger grip, taking a step back from the ball, pulling back the left leg a bit . .are all tips I've gotten from fellow players that worked at the time. 

Maybe the best one was to take a step back from the ball.  It was a long time ago, now . .but I was literally shanking everything that day.  The guy I was playing with suggested I take a step back from the ball so I would have to awkwardly reach for it . .that got me to stop shanking them, for the most part, for the rest of the round.   

[Lihu]

2 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

I think of "tips" as some advice you get, that you can implement quickly, that makes at least a temporary difference in your performance.  I've gotten lots of those.  Tips like taking a stronger grip, taking a step back from the ball, pulling back the left leg a bit . .are all tips I've gotten from fellow players that worked at the time. 

Maybe the best one was to take a step back from the ball.  It was a long time ago, now . .but I was literally shanking everything that day.  The guy I was playing with suggested I take a step back from the ball so I would have to awkwardly reach for it . .that got me to stop shanking them, for the most part, for the rest of the round.   

Some tips are just temporary fixes and some are permanent.

[paininthenuts]

1 hour ago, bkuehn1952 said:

Good question.  A golf buddy reminded me to align myself with the slope (up or down).  Now I first heard that suggestion from Jack Nicklaus in "Golf My Way" but being a thick-headed person, an occasional reminder is needed.

LOL. I had a short play lesson the other week, and was taught the same thing

[rehmwa]

At a local Wisconsin course this weekend, a guy in the clubhouse told me to avoid the bratwurst vendor selling at the turn

[allenc]

The best tip I ever got from a non pro was to "just work on your short game and putting.  Forget about all that other stuff."  It isn't good advice but all the other tips I've gotten were even worse.

[Lihu]

18 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

At a local Wisconsin course this weekend, a guy in the clubhouse told me to avoid the bratwurst vendor selling at the turn

Good tip. What was wrong with the vendor? Bad attitude?

[dchoye]

Aim for the green with the wedge and short irons 

Aim for the flag with the mid-long irons 

I know that sounds counterintuitive but it seems to work for me. From 60-110 yards out if I focus on getting the ball in the green I can be more specific about what part of the green to land and kick/roll to the flag with knowledge of the contour of the green

From 130+ yards out to about 220 its more difficult to see the exact outline of the green so sometimes the flag is the only clue to aim for and it forces me to hit the high by aiming at a target above the green 

[newtogolf]

When I first started playing seriously my best friend told me I wasn't good enough to get mad at bad golf shots.  That mentality has stuck with me to this day, I may get frustrated but never mad.  

[Crim]

"I see your club face is turning open a bit on the backswing, strengthen your grip a bit (turn both hands to the right) and see if that helps." -Father in law. 

Great advice. 

 

[alleztom]

Don't let the way you play spoil your day.

[Papa Steve 55]

Don't be afraid to miss the putt.

My game got better when I lost the aggressiveness on the tee and became more so on the green.

[dennyjones]

Find an intermediate target for each shot.  Use it for your setup.  

[phan52]

Shoulder alignment. Somebody noticed that I have a habit of opening my shoulders at address and I have to remind myself all the time.

[nevets88]

@billchao noticed I was regripping before starting the swing a la Sergio Garcia and mentioned it wasn't good (he heard it from Dave or Erik or some pro) and I knew I was doing it too, lead hand probably sneaking in stronger, just down on the list of many other things to fix.

Since he bought it up, recently tried to stop regripping (remember the Bethpage gallery calling Garcia "grip boy"?), it's not too drastic a change and figured could handle it along with other things being worked on and at first started to hit it everything right because weaker grip, but then flexed the lead hand more/earlier and pivot and hands look better through impact. More consistent and more distance too. Thanks Bill.