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

[Meltdwhiskey]

@Meltdwhiskey, either you're not reading my posts right, or I'm not as good of a writer as I think I am, so I'm going to try to break this down so it's easier to understand.

Ha! Yeah, I realized we weren't really talking about the same thing when you wrote, "I'm not going to play golf with only my 8i through putter in the interest of scoring better. My handicap may go down, but..."

I have only been offering up thoughts on how a bogey golfer score score better with the skill set he has.  Something alternative to just pulling driver on every box or hitting your longest club when you are 230 from the green, etc.  But really analyzing how one of us bogey guys would get down with less strokes.  Something akin to what I imagine Iacas and Wedzik write about in that book they are advertising, Lowest Score Wins .  If you watch the video on the main page, they allude to things like:

What you shoot is what counts

Losing and wasting shots

Using statistic to determine the best strategy

Shooting lower scores immediately

Building a game plan

Lowering your score your very next round

These are the things that have fascinated me since I took golf back up a couple of years ago. Because I suck at hitting the golf ball, I started to really observe and think about strategy. I totally changed the way I played golf (strategically, not mechanically) and my handicap went from 25 to 16 in about 6 months (Hopefully improved ball striking was part of it as well!). I'm very interested to see what's in the book to find out if statistics support any of my ideas.  But I'm a sucker for a statistical analysis.  I have graphs of my golfing stats, my differentials, etc.  I have similar things for my finances and things at work that the boss didn't ask me to do.  You wanna know what I spent on the power bill in May of 2009?  Gimme a sec I'll look it up in the spreadsheet.

I watch what other hack golfers do on the course and it has become my opinion that largely they don't play a strategy that gets them around in the least strokes.  So - this being the bogey golfer thread and all - I thought I'd offer some alternative thoughts about strategy.  Goodness knows I don't want to offer any thoughts on swing mechanics.  And no offense - but I don't want to get any from the bogey thread either.

You seem to be offering thoughts on how to be better 5-10 years from now.  And that's great. It just isn't the same conversation I've been having on my side.  I've been talking about how to beat my friend Tony this weekend.  Apparently we had no business with a dialogue on this as we were really talking about different things.

[MissouriHack]

Are you guys hitting buckets or doing drills when you go to the driving range?

[Lihu]

Are you guys hitting buckets or doing drills when you go to the driving range?

Doing drills by hitting buckets.

Typically I would hit 100-200 balls in my back yard with "half" swings until they end up being full swings.

After this warmup, I would hit a large bucket at the range. I spend about 30 seconds to a minute to hit each ball, and am doing a couple warmup/loosening up "swings" before the real swing. After, hitting about 100 balls I pitch the remaining 20 with my 60 degree. Then I chip for about 5 minutes, and putt for about 10 minutes.

On days I don't go to the range, I hit another 100 balls after the warmup using the same method as at the range.

[billchao]

You seem to be offering thoughts on how to be better 5-10 years from now.  And that's great. It just isn't the same conversation I've been having on my side.  I've been talking about how to beat my friend Tony this weekend.  Apparently we had no business with a dialogue on this as we were really talking about different things.

Seems like it, glad we cleared that up. I suck at hitting the ball, too, and that's the reason I'm a bogey golfer, so that's my priority.

Are you guys hitting buckets or doing drills when you go to the driving range?

At the range, it's a mix of both, but the drills are only to reinforce feels I've been working on. I have a net set up at home where I do the bulk of my drills.

[Bananarama]

Doing drills by hitting buckets.

Typically I would hit 100-200 balls in my back yard with "half" swings until they end up being full swings.

After this warmup, I would hit a large bucket at the range. I spend about 30 seconds to a minute to hit each ball, and am doing a couple warmup/loosening up "swings" before the real swing. After, hitting about 100 balls I pitch the remaining 20 with my 60 degree. Then I chip for about 5 minutes, and putt for about 10 minutes.

On days I don't go to the range, I hit another 100 balls after the warmup using the same method as at the range.

I went to the range, it took about 1 hour per 100 balls.  I hit 200 and got blisters - this is after a season of hitting balls and playing...

When I goto the range I buy 100 - 120.  I limber up first, then warm up with about 25 wedges and chips then ~75 iron shots with differing irons (1 - 3 consecutive shots per iron/wood) or drills I want to work on then some stress relief with the rest with the driver where I try to smash it out of the park (speed work too)  :p

[MissouriHack]

What drills are you guys doing? What are you trying to accomplish? What drill do you think helped you the most? Please post a video or a description.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissouriHack

Are you guys hitting buckets or doing drills when you go to the driving range?

Doing drills by hitting buckets.

Typically I would hit 100-200 balls in my back yard with "half" swings until they end up being full swings.

After this warmup, I would hit a large bucket at the range. I spend about 30 seconds to a minute to hit each ball, and am doing a couple warmup/loosening up "swings" before the real swing. After, hitting about 100 balls I pitch the remaining 20 with my 60 degree. Then I chip for about 5 minutes, and putt for about 10 minutes.

On days I don't go to the range, I hit another 100 balls after the warmup using the same method as at the range.

Wow, that's a lot of practice.   Did you say that you retired?  I thought I read it somewhere that you did.   If so, that explains how much time you are spending on golf.

I alternate between hitting 130 & 50 balls per range session.   With 130 bucket, I go through different clubs to see what needs more work.  Then, I will use the remaining balls on those that need more work.   With 50 ball bucket, I just concentrate on a few clubs.  Then, it's 35 balls on bunker, 35 on chip, 35 on pitch - again working on specific areas (hitting high bunker shot, using 9i for short & low chip, etc.).   That's 60 - 90 mins at the range.

Regardless of range practice, I will hit some plastic balls, and putt a little at home.

[Lihu]

I went to the range, it took about 1 hour per 100 balls.  I hit 200 and got blisters - this is after a season of hitting balls and playing... When I goto the range I buy 100 - 120.  I limber up first, then warm up with about 25 wedges and chips then ~75 iron shots with differing irons (1 - 3 consecutive shots per iron/wood) or drills I want to work on then some stress relief with the rest with the driver where I try to smash it out of the park (speed work too)  :p

Callouses. They help. ;-) When you swing a club to lose weight that happens. I used to get some serious blisters hitting more than 200 balls. At one point, I was up to 600 balls on an odd day. It feels so good losing weight, I ignored the pain in my fingers.

[Lihu]

Wow, that's a lot of practice.   Did you say that you retired?  I thought I read it somewhere that you did.   If so, that explains how much time you are spending on golf. I alternate between hitting 130 & 50 balls per range session.   With 130 bucket, I go through different clubs to see what needs more work.  Then, I will use the remaining balls on those that need more work.   With 50 ball bucket, I just concentrate on a few clubs.  Then, it's 35 balls on bunker, 35 on chip, 35 on pitch - again working on specific areas (hitting high bunker shot, using 9i for short & low chip, etc.).   That's 60 - 90 mins at the range. Regardless of range practice, I will hit some plastic balls, and putt a little at home.

Not even close to retired. Still have to put 2 kids through high school and college. I was used to working 12-14 hour days, but now that we have been merged into a larger company I have less responsibilities and am down to 11-12 hours. I live 4 miles from work. Also, once the kids started working on their homework by themselves, I found a lot more time on my hands. It also helps to have a golf course 1/2 mile away and a backyard hitting net to hit some balls before going to sleep.

[Bananarama]

@Lihu callus positions on my hands are different from my lifting ones, these are on the sides and tips of my fingers...

600 balls a day!  Did you also learn to hit with the opposite side to keep the muscles even?

[Bananarama]

oh well @ didnt work with my stupid browser, rather mcafee addon internet policy.

[Lihu]

@Lihu callus positions on my hands are different from my lifting ones, these are on the sides and tips of my fingers...

600 balls a day!  Did you also learn to hit with the opposite side to keep the muscles even?

I did hit righty too, but not in this case. I probably should do something like that so I don't look like a pro-bowler.

[waldo1324]

I go to a "$5-all-u-can-hit" range so i hit usually a couple hundred a session.  Had to take off last two weeks because i went on a binger and ripped several chunks of skin of my mitts.

But ive been working on proper line up and arm angles on drives and hybrids.

I can pretty much get 9 of 10 balls in a washbucket at 15 yards so im trying to get my Med-Short irons consistent so i can take advantage of my short game.

Most importantly im trying to find a really stylish hat and a proper pair of knee-high socks to match my argyle sweater vest.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

Wow, that's a lot of practice.   Did you say that you retired?  I thought I read it somewhere that you did.   If so, that explains how much time you are spending on golf.

I alternate between hitting 130 & 50 balls per range session.   With 130 bucket, I go through different clubs to see what needs more work.  Then, I will use the remaining balls on those that need more work.   With 50 ball bucket, I just concentrate on a few clubs.  Then, it's 35 balls on bunker, 35 on chip, 35 on pitch - again working on specific areas (hitting high bunker shot, using 9i for short & low chip, etc.).   That's 60 - 90 mins at the range.

Regardless of range practice, I will hit some plastic balls, and putt a little at home.

Not even close to retired.

Still have to put 2 kids through high school and college. I was used to working 12-14 hour days, but now that we have been merged into a larger company I have less responsibilities and am down to 11-12 hours. I live 4 miles from work. Also, once the kids started working on their homework by themselves, I found a lot more time on my hands.

It also helps to have a golf course 1/2 mile away and a backyard hitting net to hit some balls before going to sleep.

You are an inspiration to aging bogey golfers.   I am amazed how much time you put in golf, just reading your posts.   You will be getting out of this thread in no time.

[rkim291968]

I go to a "$5-all-u-can-hit" range

I thought this was just a myth.   Here in CA, $5 around gives you about 50 balls, the smallest bucket you can get.   And more places are charging $6 or $7 for the smallest bucket.

[Lihu]

You are an inspiration to aging bogey golfers.   I am amazed how much time you put in golf, just reading your posts.   You will be getting out of this thread in no time.

I like the company in this thread.:-)

[CR McDivot]

I am blessed to have a top rated practice facility a couple miles from home.

Typical range session twice a week...

• Half hour pitch/chip

5-50 yrds fairway and rough (occasional quarter hour sand play)

• Half hour putting

3 ball lag and tap

• Hour on range

simulated play (D, FW or LI, Mid Iron, Wedge) sometimes focus on problem area for half hour

• Half hour putting

3 ball lag and tap

This is extended as time allows.

[40learner]

Thanks for the read guys.

I started at 42yrs old so a late starter. I have played 3 seasons of golf. Started handicap at 26 got to 15.3, blew out in winter to 18, now back to 16.3.

I didn't care the first 2 yrs because I felt I had to get a feel for golf and everything takes time, so I just hit the heck out of the ball.

This helped me have confidence now to bend the ball left and right when I need to now. I guess doing it by accident means you can do it on purpose once you understand the swing plane and club face angle.

Things that helped me improve on the course is learning about what lies can do and slopes, Grip, ball positions, and being relaxed.

Learning to hook and slice.

GPS- Best spent money ever which helped me understand my clubs distances in summer and winter and also for slicing and hooking distances.

Putting- My best scores have always come from thinking to myself "Safe 2 putt"

Almost every time I go for the birdie putt I over hit it and have a nerve racking par putt which can result in a frustrated boogie.

Short game is a killer for me. I get next to a green in 2 even on par 5's and ruin my chips.

I have only started getting better at the end of my 3rd year.

My advice to myself is get a feel for the short game touch and also learn wet bunker technique.

Sob stories- Every game is a sob story ha. I hit a 76 stroke the other week and when I reflected I thought of the shots I missed.

Is that what you do when you hit your best scores?