TommyGunUK

Its just "The Open" not the "British Open" ...Yanks

I already want all of them. I have a golf equipment problem.

Pro V1's!? they stole that from us... or Bridgestone, once great (then raped by titleist!)

I had issues with a long backswing, it just didn't feel natural to shorten it. Eventually I cracked it by focussing, on not moving the knees and hips (it happens anyway don't worry)... may be this will be of use? Good Luck

A couple of you comment about being small, or hitting the gym. Even a double digit handicapper like me knows that power is in the timing.... Bubba Watson, for all his great golfing qualities, is an absolute weed. But drives it a bomb. I doubt he hits the gym... if he does, he's not doing it right!

I hit the flag stick from 175 yards before. We saw it head towards the flag heard it hit, and then couldnt see the ball. We walked all the way there saying no one will believe it was a hole in one, when we got there it had bounced off the flag and was sat in a recess on the green. Maybe next time.

I recently had a video lesson (what an eye, open, cant recommend highly enough) It seems my swing had picked up some bad habits. I was taking it way on the inside on the backwing and not letting the club fan open. The pro, was then commenting I wasn't opening up the hips enough. I've just come back from the range and want getting on well with the new swing path (which was to be expected). I tried slowing things right down and really struggled to open the hips at address.... then I noticed I was releasing very late (and poorly) which somehow seems to be linked. I tried focusing on the release then the hips seemed to open up niceley and on the balls I struck cleanly I got some lovely shots. BUT, I have never heard of the hips and the release being linked. Any thoughts? when I play around in the mirror, it does feel very awkward twisting the hips at impact with a late release. then as a result I was releasing very late (as the clubhead was already closed)

Definitely, thats what I meant. I cant tolerate those people who cheat for better scores. They have a great round, the handicap goes down, and then next time they have to cheat even more.

I think if your playing with a true beginner, the occassional mulligan, and waving of certain rules has to be done. The game is hard enough without the additional strains of the tough rules. Once they get some experience then I would point out when they made a mistake for the first time, and possibly let it slide if they were unaware of the infringement, then after that enforce it. Generally speaking playing to the rules improves the game and makes it a fairer match, handicaps are there to even things up. The only rule I'm not a fan of is having to go back and play your ball if you cant find it. It causes such a delay to everyone behind you and in your group. Even if I was in competition and my "opponent" was meant to go back to the tee I would ask him to play it as a lateral hazard, taking a sensible guess at where best to place it. If I was the original poster against friends who played 25 over while still not playing to the rules, then I would give them 25 shots and let them play as they normally do (within reason). If there handicap is 25 shots with a few rule bends then so be it.

Thanks guys, I'll bare it in mind next time! Thanks.

So I've had a great round, All i need to do is shoot a bogey or less and I've shot my course record. I can either take is as a par 5 and use two irons on the downhill dogleg right 18th, or I can drive it and wedge it onto the green and have three putts. As I can't putt too well, I decide to go for the later. ...turns out I couldn't drive to well either, hit a low hook and drive it into the rough on a steep hill about 170 to the green. I find the golf ball. It's a good foot below my feet. I think about what to do and realise I have no idea how to play this shot. I ended up pulling catching it fat and pulling it with 100 yards left to the green. Then I pushed a wedge and buried my ball in the bunker, hit a disastrous sand shot then three putting for a seven. There goes the course record. (Followed by my golf ball in the lake) So my question is, how the hell do you play a ball that far below your feet?

There are three other majors? I enjoy all the majors, always great to watch. I just feel The Open typically gives the biggest test of them all, on very punishing courses in very testing conditions. I live in Kent, and watched some of the Open from St Georges, as well as watching some on the beeb. I cant recall it being referred to as the British Open? May well be wrong though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Open_Championship I feel I have taken this a little of the subject at hand... I'll be quiet.

I looked at the burner 2.0 but they too seem to have the similar amount of offset as the diablo's and are nearly as chunky. g15 I tried when I bought the diablo's and didn't like them (I've never really got on with ping gear...) Perhaps I like the look of irons that are a bit beyond me? I have had a play with clubs like Razr Hawk Tour and the X22 tour and hit lovely shots with both though. With the JPX 800 I much prefer the set up of the pro', less offset and less chunky. My pro shop at my club doesn't stock mizuno and cant test them I've come across a set of cheap TM CB Irons for sale, off the rack (which is ok for me I think) but I cant test them first. How bad an idea is this? How essential is try before you buy?

The Open is and always will be the Open. The "british open" was introduced by our friends across the pond. (It's nice and easy to make comments like that from this side of the macbook )

I like the look of the cb but worry they might not be forgiving enough for me?

The Open Championship is the one and only open. It's the original "major" and we had it first. It's also the best major... IMO, Asian golf courses are just replica's of the US stadium courses anyway... what would an Asian Major bring to the party? The reason The Open is such a great addition to the roster is its completely different to what most PGA tour golfers are used to. True Links golf (normally). If another Major was to be added, it would need to be different to whats already there.

To give you some background... I've been an on off golfer for a few years (corporate days and the like) but really started playing properly since June, had lessons etc. I bought some Diablo Edge irons (uniflex) which were good at first but now that I am getting a feel for things am having issues with them (which I'll mention in a bit). I am a fairly long hitter ( 8 or 9 iron to 150) I naturally hit a slight draw with woods and wedges (which have very little offset) but with the irons which have a lot of offset I hit way too much draw... ends up a good 15 yards left of where it started, sometimes worse. I put this down (possibly incorrectly-oppinions welcome) to the offset. My PGA Pro who I've been having lessons with tells me I definitely need stiff shafts, I recently changed my Driver on this advice and it's much much better. I also find the clubheads on the callaway too chunky. I don't struggle to get the ball in the air, I don't top it, sometimes catch it a little fat but accuracy and putting are my achilles heal. I've been thinking of buying new irons due to the above... but don't know where to begin. I like the looks of the callaway razr hark tour's, JPX 800 pro but am worried they might be a bit much for me (handicap of 18 but improving quickly, was playing off around 27 in june, Pro thinks I'll be single figure soon but he would say that...) I would be keen to hear what your thoughts are on: 1. Is it even worth changing? Would a stiffer shaft, less chunky, less offset clubs help? 2. What clubs should I be looking at? Thanks for reading and commenting. Tom