colhun

The real secret is to have your lessons in the "off season" (if you have such a thing) that way you are sorted out by the time the gof season comes around again. I had 6 lessons between Oct and Feb and hit 200 balls a week instead of playing winter league golf for first time ever. The result...........hit the ground running and got to single figures handicap for first time ever. Listen to the pro, he knows what he's talking about. just a question of trust and practising.

Sorry, cameras were not allowed into course, so you'll have to make do with TV coverage. Was a superb day out. Dry for most of day, and very little wind. Saw plenty of golf and all the top names, except Mickelson who missed the cut. Typical of my luck that the one player I was desperate to see missed the cut. He was here practicing Mon & Tues before Scottish open last week so has had plenty of preparation and is obviously a course that just doesn't suit him. I believe this is only the third open cut he has missed in last 14 or 15 yrs, and one of the other two was Carnoustie last time out. Was gutted that he missed the cut.

It's becoming a more common occurance here in scotland. I've just been asked my opinion by legal councel on a case, as it occurred on the course i am a member of, where someone is suing another golfer for over £10k for being hit in face by stray shot. As for my opinion..... you play the game, you know the risks. I really dislike this litigous state we find ourselves in these days. I have applied for golf insurance, not only to cover such instances but mainly for loss of equip' if stolen for car etc. I've been told by solicitor golfers are often covered by their club membership for legal cases such as stray shots. Can't say i've heard of this myself. Anyone else know if this is the case (in scotland).

Given the weather we have had over here for the last 2 months (ridiculous amount of rain) i expect to see a rather different open this year. The course will be far softer than we normally see on the links and therefore far less run on the fairways and softer greens allowing players to fire more at the pins than might have otherwise been expected. I am going along to carnoustie on Saturday (waterproofs and umbrella already packed) and can't wait.

[QUOTE= is this common after having a lesson? ive heard a couple stories of friends having a lesson and playing horrible for a couple weeks afterwards. have i lost my swing? i felt like quitting this game after these past two range sessions.[/QUOTE] I had similar experiences during/after a group of lessons. All of a sudden i started shanking nearly every ball at the range. This went on for several range sessions but on the course i was hitting it great and scoring well. Explained this to pro at next lesson and he reckoned it was possibly due to over exagerating the swing changes on the range, and then when on the course i was getting things right, due to the range practice. You know what it's like after a lesson. It's very easy to over do what you've been taught, but when you get on the course your natural swing tends to come in to play, but hopefully with the swing changes improving it gradually. You haven't mentioned how you have faired on the course. Here's hoping you leave the poor shots at the range.

After 20yrs of golf had my my first one 4 wks ago. Only problem was i had no playing partners to witness it, so it doesn't really count. Hell, i didn't even see it. It was a foggy evening, hit it sweet and knew it would be close. Walked up and saw no sign of it, thought no way was it long, checked the hole and there it was. Once in a life time shot and i never even saw it. It was also friday 13th. Nae luck, as some would say.

Give your local pro a visit. Most amateur golfers play with "off the shelf" clubs that don't actually fit there height and build etc. Pro will be able to advise on whether your clubs shoul be lengthened/shortened, loft angle increased/decreased etc. It's the only way to be certain. and as the old adage goes..if it aint broke, don't fix it.

many thanks for that. This is my first night on the golf forum and it has been very interesting. As for the Mickelson fitting angle. it certainly makes a great selling point. Bottom line though is that the club he fitted me for works great. Although it might also be due to the 8 lessons and the several thousand balls i hit over the winter break.

You got to play golf whilst on you honeymoon???. You've landed on your feet.

I said "previously" fitted Mickelson. (And we all know how wild he is/was off the tee, before he went to Butch). All clubs have different sweet spots. On the G5 it is high nearer the crown, hence the higher tee position.

You are doing the right thing in getting fitted. I recently got fitted for a new driver and before going was certain i needed a stiff shaft. Unknown to me was that there is no industry standard for shaft strengths. Manufacturers just roll out 3 shafts and say, Thats S, R or F. So S for one manufacturer could be R for another. I had a Ping Si5 with Graffaloy Blue R shaft on prevois driver, only for pro to tell me that it was one of the stiffest shafts around. It was amazing to see how the ball flight was affected by different shafts.The pro will get you sorted. I ended up with pro launch R shaft on a PIng G5. SUPERB.

I recently got fitted for new driver (Ping G5) and the pro advised me to tee it high (half ball above club head) as that is where the sweet spot on the club was. He should know what he is talking, as he previously fitted Mickelson for clubs. I am a drawer off the ball but when i want to cut it, the advise is too tee it low. Certainly seems to work. Advice, if buying new clubs....get fitted by your club pro. It makes a hell of difference if you get clubs that fit you.

As with most golfers i would love to become a scratch golfer, but being honest, that aint going to happen. Neither is playing Augusta. Love to play ST Andrews and if the wife has been paying attention, that should be on cards for my my 40th in a few years. Love to have a hole in one, that has been witnessed . Had my fist one 4 weeks ago when up practisng, but nobody was there to witness it, so doesn't really count. But i know i did it.

Me and Mickelson in a fourball against Tiger and Mohamed Ali Sawgrass or Augusta The things dreams are made off.

My goal is to reach singles figures for first time ever and be at 8 by end of season. Got off to a flyer and reached 9.0 in first couple weeks of season,( 1st goal achieved) but it didn't last long and am up to 9.5. I'll get there again though. Other goal/promise is to back from a shot when i know i'm going to hit it crap. Sounds easy, but we all do it. We don't feel comfortable or have poor swing thought but instead of backing off go ahead and hit it with predictable results. Having been doing my best to stick to it and do think it is making a difference. Final goal is to get putts to the hole. Short a lot on putts so am now aimimg to be past hole. If it aint up, it aint in. Never a truer statement has been said.