jamesonbourne

Just throwing random ideas out here... 1. Best golf course picture contest (picture of the member on a golf course, obviously) 2. Best golf story contest (tell stories, most entertaining one wins) 3. Pick the winner of the next tournament 4. Pick the next tournament Tiger actually plays in...(only half joking here) 5. Best golf attire picture contest. (I would totally participate in this one. Picture must be taken on the course for the public humiliation. haha)

To echo the sentiments of others - that's golf. I can totally relate on the shanks, though. I've battled them for years now. A random one always comes out of no where and then it seems like it takes me about a week to get rid of them...and I've been golfing legitimately for 13 years or so.

Wow! Thanks for the response, guys. Feel free to keep this going if you'd like. In retrospect, I might also suggest the following... 215+ yard tee shot on a par 3. Not bragging, but being 22 years old I can still hit a 3, 4, or 5 iron depending on the conditions, but I know for a lot of people that's a killer. Punch fade or the "low cut" as most people call it. This is probably just a personal thing, but I can't hit a controlled fade to save my life. My dad brought me up to hit a draw from day one and now I don't put in the time to practice hitting a fade. I would say one out of every five times I have to hit a punch shot it requires a fade to get close to the target and I just don't have that shot.

Interestingly enough, I also shot an 84 yesterday at the Florida State University course. Felt very rushed for the first 3-4 holes because everyone tries to get out at the same time for the twilight rate, so we had people behind us on our ass and people infront of us playing at a pace that seemed excessively slow due to the pressure from the group behind. Anyways, how's this for a rollercoaster round... ...47 (+11) on the front nine and 37 (+1) on the back nine for a smooth little 84. Coming from a guy that generally shoots around 78-82, this was a little uncharacteristic of me, but I'll take finishing strong over the alternative.

One more name to add, though it pains me to do so... Jesper Parnevik for his humorous headwear.

Yeah...just the tempos. If I could have anyone's swing I would go with a young Tiger Woods or present day Rory...so mechanically sound.

I'm with OP and Tom on this one. I've hit hybrids before and I always hit them well. Call it what you will, but at 22 years old I just think it's ridiculous for me to be hitting a hybrid. The idea behind hybrid clubs is for them to be more forgiving of poor ball contact. Personally, at this point in my golf career, I'd rather struggle a bit and master the long irons, possibly sacrificing some scoring in the process. But for the right type of player, I think they are a great resource. A couple tips that I've always found to help (Disclaimer: This is coming from my dad, who taught me everything I know, but is in no way a professional) : 1. Watch your grip strength. Most people tend to grip the club harder the further they intend to hit it (driver- 4 iron or so) 2. Definitely make sure your ball position is favoring the front of your stance. Most people have their left foot flared out slightly to the left, so the ball should be directly parallel to your left heel. My rough estimate of distance... Driver: 280-300 yd 3WD: 255 5WD: 235 3 iron: 215 4 iron: 210 5 iron: 200 6 iron: 185 7 iron: 175 8 iron: 165 9 iron: 155 P wedge: 130 52 wedge: 115 Sand wedge: 100-110 60 Lob wedge: 80-100 I know, I'm all over the place. But these are the distances I actually hit my clubs. Once I gave up the idea that you hit your pitching wedge a certain distance and go up ten yards per club after that, I started hitting a lot more greens. Okay, I'm off my soap box. haha

Admittedly, this information is for a post I plan to do for my golf column over at thesirn.com. Since joining The Sand Trap yesterday, I've already been inspired for several posts by the content on these forums. I understand that this is going to be different for everyone and that it may not be easy to pick just one. So, if you're feeling froggy then feel free to rank your top 5 hardest shots. Mine: 1. Tee shot to island green. 2. Buried lie in thick rough. 3. 3-4 foot putt under pressure. 4. Wedge over water or bunker. 5. Fried egg lie in bunker.

I'm not putting him in as most iconic, but the first person that came to mind for me was Jim Furyk for his loopy swing. Similarly, Chi Chi Rodriguez for his swing, personality, and sword-fighting moves on the green. Personally, I've always found Fred Couples and Ernie Els iconic for their swing tempos. Whenever I find myself struggling, I try to emulate the swings of these two players.

I agree. It's really tough for anyone to do a complete swing overhaul. Granted, these players are the best in the world, but it's still going to take months if not years for them to fully rebuild their swing, especially when they're still expected to perform at such a high level.

Finishing a marathon. While an impressive physical feat and display of substantial endurance, it's something that can easily be accomplished by adhering to a training regimen. The other options require various arrangements of athleticism, dexterity, speed, strength and luck, among other things. I give preference to those acts that require multiple proficiencies rather than just physical stamina and a strong mental game.