Bogey Golfers Only (Index 16-22) / Breaking 90 Topic

[Skenny]

. I started making progress when I got my head away from a swing model. This helped in the full swing enormously.

Brakkus, What does this mean?

Also, I notice a difference between our tendencies... I often start better and struggle on the back nine. In fact, I often par two or three of the first few holes. Can't stand prosperity I guess, and I'm almost superstitious about the "first hole birdie" jinx.

Oh yeah, and that course management stuff..... "I didn't come out here to lay up!"........ nor do I keep score very often. I keep track of pars, birdies, bogeys in my head, try to forget the rest.

[Skenny]

Shot a 70 today...........

always want to leave it at that, but it was on a 2,900 yard, par 58 "Executive" course: 1 birdie, 6 pars, 9 bogeys. Slow start, nine over on the front, 3 over on the back, which included a five hole stretch of four pars and the birdie. Had several birdie opps, putting (and chipping) could have been better.

[TBennettGolf]

I'm always aggressive with my shots. Just yesterday I shot an 87 on a Par 71. I can hit my clubs pretty damn far for how long I've been playing. I can hit my 3 Wood off the tee 250-270 yards consistently. So on a Par 5's that are over 500 Yards I tend to use my 3 Wood again in the fairway or my 3 Hybrid which I can crank out to just about 250 yards depending on what kind of lie I get off of the tee. Just pretty much what I'm saying is be confident with yourself and you will see results if you risk it for the biscuit on some shots.

[mcanadiens]

After the total debacle that was my club championship (102-105), I didn't score a round for a couple of weeks. These past three, I scored whilst promising myself to stop if I got really annoyed. The results: 94 and 93 on two tougher courses and an 89 yesterday on a CR 68.4. Where the heck was that golf a month ago? It seems to me that the constant worrying about the score really got me off kilter. I needed to take a step back. Golf has been fun again.

[Braivo]

After the total debacle that was my club championship (102-105), I didn't score a round for a couple of weeks. These past three, I scored whilst promising myself to stop if I got really annoyed. The results: 94 and 93 on two tougher courses and an 89 yesterday on a CR 68.4.

Where the heck was that golf a month ago?

It seems to me that the constant worrying about the score really got me off kilter. I needed to take a step back. Golf has been fun again.

Nice to hear, good work. Just in time for the TST outing in a few weeks.

[mcanadiens]

Thanks. Of course a lot can change in a couple of weeks, but getting things right between the ears is a good start.

[rkim291968]

Trending better - HI, chipping, bunker (renewed practice), ball striking (lesson), course management (LSW)

Trending worse - putting, pitching, mental breakdown after a bad hole

Status - firmly in bogey golf land.

[Braivo]

Status - firmly in bogey golf land.

Ha, I had this thought yesterday. An acceptance that unless I can magically find about 10 more hours a week to devote to practice then I will always by in this bogey golf range. I have accepted that "par" for me is bogey. I now score my rounds as + / - bogey golf.

[Brakkus]

Brakkus, What does this mean?  Also, I notice a difference between our tendencies... I often start better and struggle on the back nine. In fact, I often par two or three of the first few holes. Can't stand prosperity I guess, and I'm almost superstitious about the "first hole birdie" jinx.   Oh yeah, and that course management stuff..... "I didn't come out here to lay up!"........ nor do I keep score very often. I keep track of pars, birdies, bogeys in my head, try to forget the rest.

I bought into a swing model one plane stuff mostly. The trouble with swing models is they leave something out that the body does naturally and athletically. Now I have freed myself up to refine my own movements and keep an open mind on golf instruction. Picked up 15 yards with my irons and about 25-30 on the longer clubs. Being honest with you paralysis by analysis is a danger with swing mechanics but being anylitical about your round is well worth it. If you are mid handicapper you have to consider a lay up somewhere or you would be a low handicapper. I can guarantee you that you have too many double bogies on your card I have and it's usually going for it or a poor shot choice or possibly just an error. I'm not saying lay up all the time but look at the difficulty of the hole and yardage and consider it. Just 2 years ago I hadn't broken 100 after playing for 6 years. All of sudden a different approach and the improvement has come. Please think more strategically you will drop your scores. Cheers man☺

[Skenny]

I'm not saying lay up all the time but look at the difficulty of the hole and yardage and consider it.

Thanks Brakkus. And I was kidding about not laying up. I often do it by "duffing:." I do lay up intentionally on a routine basis, and typically would not attempt to carry anything over 200 yards.

I have not been overly score-conscious, though. I have gradually and grudgingly come to the conclusion that finesse/precision endeavors, including golf,will not be mastered by me. I have streaks, good and bad, and my challenge is to minimize the bad ones and maximize the good ones, but most importantly, accept that both will occur. I've never consistently broken 90, in 30 years of hacking. But in the past two years, I have gone through an overhaul, and have developed the game to break 90 on occasion. Like many here, if I could discard a hole or two per round and replace them with bogeys, I would do it consistently.

[dave s]

Sharing something with our bogey-shooting brethren that's helping me hit the ball more solidly:

I have an oddball TM 6-iron by the door leading to my deck.  When I get tired of working (home office) during the day, I'll head out onto the deck and put about 50 or so swings on the club.  When I do this I think about reading that PGA tour pro swings bottom out 3-4" AHEAD of the ball.  They take divots the size of dollar bills after the ball is gone and the club continues to bottom out ahead of the ball.

Then I try to process (with my irratic swing) HOW they get that club in that position to get that 'ball-first' strike and bottom out the swing ahead of the ball.  It's two things, I believe.

1) You have to bump your hips forward to help transfer weight to your left side as a first move on the downswing.  We've probably all heard of and know that one.

2) But this has been the important revelation for me:  Move the butt-end of the handle (grip) further forward through the downswing BEFORE releasing your wrist-hinge into the hitting area.  This movement is putting the bottom of my swing further ahead by moving the grip laterally forward, (and more than you think) when it's nearly parallel to the ground and prior to releasing the club.  For me, moving the grip forward has to be a conscious effort.  It's not natural.  Not even sure it's 'prescribed,' but it seems to be working for me.

Result:  Played an 18-hole round Sunday and had the best and most consistent iron play round maybe ever.  This included a few shots flushed with a 5-hybrid (2nd shot on par-5s and a couple long par 4s) and anything 7 or 8-iron and lower.  Had a noticeable distance increase on a few shots.  Even the ones that were only 80-90% solid went nearly my normal (bushnell measured) distance.

May be preaching to the choir here, but thought I'd share an 'ah-ha' moment for me and potentially help another fellow golfer.

dave

[Brakkus]

Sorry I was slow to pick up the joke doesn't always come across in print

[rkim291968]

Sharing something with our bogey-shooting brethren that's helping me hit the ball more solidly:

I have an oddball TM 6-iron by the door leading to my deck.  When I get tired of working (home office) during the day, I'll head out onto the deck and put about 50 or so swings on the club.  When I do this I think about reading that PGA tour pro swings bottom out 3-4" AHEAD of the ball.  They take divots the size of dollar bills after the ball is gone and the club continues to bottom out ahead of the ball.

Then I try to process (with my irratic swing) HOW they get that club in that position to get that 'ball-first' strike and bottom out the swing ahead of the ball.  It's two things, I believe.

1) You have to bump your hips forward to help transfer weight to your left side as a first move on the downswing.  We've probably all heard of and know that one.

2) But this has been the important revelation for me:  Move the butt-end of the handle (grip) further forward through the downswing BEFORE releasing your wrist-hinge into the hitting area.  This movement is putting the bottom of my swing further ahead by moving the grip laterally forward, (and more than you think) when it's nearly parallel to the ground and prior to releasing the club.  For me, moving the grip forward has to be a conscious effort.  It's not natural.  Not even sure it's 'prescribed,' but it seems to be working for me.

I have been trying to master this much of the last 6 months but it is hard to unlearn 6 year of bad swing.    Like you said in 2), it isn't natural for me.  If I make a conscious effort, I can get it right sometimes.  But in the course of a round (even in range session), it comes and goes.   I found it even harder for longer clubs.

[808hacker]

>

Ha, I had this thought yesterday. An acceptance that unless I can magically find about 10 more hours a week to devote to practice then I will always by in this bogey golf range. I have accepted that "par" for me is bogey. I now score my rounds as + / - bogey golf.

YES! That's exactly how I feel and notice we have around the same handicap. I just played this course that I always manage to screw up on. But this time, I had my "fixed" putting and despite my reservations, I went for the green almost every time rather than laying up. Usually I barely break 100 on this course - always managing to shoot 99 or something.

This time, last hole, if I par, I make 87.

I hit the drive OB! Damn. Hit the next drive fine. 3 wood to a couple inches off the green. 7i to 2 feet and make the putt.

89. I will take it.

p.s. seems like no one picked up on the putting trick I posted on a separate thread but it has been really working for me. I love one putts!

[Brakkus]

Just wanted to post this here after this evenings round. Played what would qualify as my local club. Scored 81 a career low. I think I'm going to be kicked out of this club. Just strategically did everything I wanted to do.Hit driver twice one in rough one in fairway. Took a variety of clubs off the tee tonight mainly 3 wood. However it was my PW that was on fire. When I missed the green with irons or couldn't reach in two I gave myself chances at putts. 29 putts with only 4 gir!! 38 on the back 9 when all parts of my game were clicking hit 5 fairways and had par on both par 3's. Scrambling percentage went up from around 20% to 36%. Love it knew I was due one

[TBennettGolf]

So I shot my best round ever today which was an 86. My driver was actually working with me after I fixed something... to not slide my hips back. Seriously was roping everything down the middle or it would fade to the right. I was hitting them anywhere from 270-300 yards and right in the fairway or the right of it. The only thing that is killing my now is mishits on my short game. Anything under 120 yards is just unbearable for me. Next stop, the driving range... or get a 52 degree.

[cutchemist42]

Usually post in the Breaking Bad thread, but sometimes, it just clicks. Been loving the progression Ive seen lately.

[rcwkent]

Yesterday shot an 88  (87 for ESC) on my home course  (69.9/121)

Started well then had to endure a spell of 7 consecutive flubbed or medicre chips or pitches before

Putting excellent, driver a bit erratic.

I got rolling on the back nine. 41.

8 pars, 5 Bogies, 4 DUBs and 1 triple (an OB penalty)

Broke the recent string of scores...90, 91, 92, 90, 92