Stug

I've been offered a set of Mizuno mx 25's for a steal. Anybody got an opinion on these clubs? I know they are a few years old now but reviews from that time seem positive. Good clubs for someone who hits good shots really well but is still inconsistent? Might let me wait a while to improve and spend some of the money I was going to spend on some lessons instead. Steve

When you have done it a few times you realise that striking the ball cleanly isn't a problem. In fact I hit it better now than before because my head never moves. I never look to see where my ball is rolling because my head it's already in position to do so.

I know what you mean. Once my putter is set I sort of picture the path the ball will take. I sort of look at the hole and the area the ball will travel.

For me (I have always been into all ball sports) it's having a proper finishing point for the putt. This ball needs to go there! For me it's eliminated all the 5-10 foot short putts because I'm not remembering where the hole is I KNOW where the hole is!

No it's a feel thing. Line up your 4 foot to the leaf/spike mark etc. so you are comfortable with the direction. Head up, look at the hole with a feel for the 2 ft outside the line you might be hitting it and it is just so obvious how hard to stroke it. You need to concentrate on the hole but be comfortable you may not be putting at the hole itself (because of break) otherwise you will pull it at the hole and not hit it true. Seems weird but you really do not need to look at the ball to make a clean stroke. In my experience. Distance control is fantastic and even if you push/pull it it's only by a foot or two so you are around the hole for a tap in. Steve

Me again. Getting better and better at this. Picking a line, near a leaf, spike mark etc. lining up, looking at hole and stroking the ball with much more consistent results. Now have decided any putt where I can see the ball and the hole i.e. 6ft and less I am looking at the ball (sinking loads more) and any thing 6 - 12 ft approx. I am looking at hole if the distance will be the biggest problem i.e. uphill etc.and if it's flat and no big breaks I look at the ball. Possibly I'm also improving because I'm spending a lot of time practising me new 'technique' which is equating to much more practise than I am used to, Don't know the answer but I do know that I am enjoying putting now and not automatically thinking '3 putts at best!'

Very difficult! Head v Heart My original premise was `why don't we take all the help we can get`... YET I have just hit 4 different clubs including my hearts favourites JPX 825 pro (don't really know why they are) and my heads new favourites Callaway X hot. The Callaways had great distance (I know they are longer and stronger) but a dispersion of 4 yards averaged over a dozen hits ( way better than Pings, JPX 825 and 825 pro) but I have this stupid thought I want the 'better club' even though the Callaways far out performed them all. Explain it to me please.

I know they are. The point I was making its how do average golfers 'grow out of clubs'that hit straight and true!

Need new irons. Still playing RAM Fx2 (20 yrs old now). Hard to hit very consistently but great on the perfect strike. I keep reading and reading and watching and reading reviews, videos etc. where everyone wants to move on from clubs that hit straight, easily and are forgiving. What am I missing here. Who really doesn't want straight, easy, true flight etc. I am fast coming to the conclusion that a lot of people are a bit deluded. I play regularly and with numerous different levels of players and only see a tiny percentage of folks who genuine strike the ball really well most of the time. Lots of people talk a good game but it's rarely borne out in practice. IMHO. BUT... I'm still reluctant to go for SGI or even GI irons! Not sure why, I bet they will help me play and score much better!# Just my 2 cents worth. Stug

Just a quick update. Played my first round ever looking at the hole and have only practiced for half an hour a couple of days ago. Shot a gross 93 with 2.2 putts per hole. Hit a lot of greens with mid to short irons so a lot of long putts. Still 3 putted 3 times but felt much better already. 4-5 lip outs from 5-10 feet. Need a lot of practice, but felt much more confident and had better figures even on my first ever try. I suppose for me the easy thing is I couldn't putt any worse so nothing to lose.

Your teacher must be a 'Bit Stupid' if you show better results with something just because it's unconventional. I have tried and tried the 'normal' way but just seem to instantly forget how hard to hit the ball. If anyone else tries it, just look at the hole or the intended target for breaking putts and seriously think about rolling the ball along the green as you would with your hand and it always goes where you want (if you misjudge the pace it's because you misread the green, i.e. slope, length/lie of the grass etc. but not because you sort of just hit it! Missing or striking the ball off centre isn't an issue. As someone else said, just 'cos you are looking at the ball doesn't mean you adjust your plane mid stroke if it's a bit off. Steve

That's probably normal but weird. We all have different swings for the rest of the game. If it works it works I personally don't give a monkeys what anyone else thinks. My 92 might have been an 82 nobody coupled think a weird putting stroke wasn't worth it. As 20ish handicapper I might have won something!

It works! It works! It works! Bloody hell it works! I am a terrible putter (shot 92 the other day with 42 putts) and they were true putts not counting using the putter 6 inches of the green as a putt. 4 putted 3 times! I read about this 'looking at the hole' technique and it just seemed to make so much sense. Tried it at the range today on the practice green. FANBLOODYTASTIC! Hit the first few putts 4-6 feet past the hole from 20+ feet (always, always leave my putts way short). Then really concentrated on 'how hard do I need to throw/roll this ball to that hole over there'. AND... wow putt after putt rolled up to and occasionally into the hole. Three putted once in a hundred plus attempts, brushed the turf 3 times before the ball early on. It just felt sensible to me. I didn't have to 'remember' where the hole was, where the breaks were etc. because I was looking at them. For a first attempt I cannot quite believe it was so easy to hit the ball so true, and how I just knew how hard to hit it! If you putt well (the few of you who do) why switch. If you are like me and just can't judge distance well (I've played for 20 years and practiced my heart out) and still just don't get it then have an open mind and just give it a go. Come and join me on 'CLOUD 9' Stug