MrDC

I don't think so, driving really long and with good shapes is hard yes, but that's hardly necessary to score well, guys just think they have to because they see the pros do it, but driving about 200-220 straight up the middle is not that hard with today's drivers, a good setup and easy swing. To me the hardest part of golf is the long shots from the fairway rough, especially an approach, hybrids help but you have to be so precise and get it in the air, very tough IMO.

I'm not that agile, kind of like Frankenstein trying to golf, so I use my legs, roll my feet, bump the knees forward, like the old guys, I just can't do the quiet legs thing, maybe someday I hope because chances are that action is going to cost me back troubles. I try to fire my right hip towards third base as if I were standing on a baseball field in the batters box, but I also try to get my belt buckle up facing the target, it all starts with the legs though, the hips and torso basically just follow their lead.

I'm still learning the game myself, so you should probably ignore what I have to say, but I'll say it anyway! Lag should be a natural result of a good swing, and not forced, a good back swing with a full wrist hinge, a down swing with no tension in the arms and grip, starting from the ground up and getting those hips moving, using the entire body, those things will give you great lag, I do think better players keep the wrists from releasing too soon, but it's probably more a result of the whipping action they create with their body rather than tightening the wrists and arm muscles to hold the club back.

Memorial Day weekend, Bethpage Blue, 6 hours, we skipped a slow group at a hole as well, and I played like crap, bad day.

Kind of sounds like the Mike Bender piece Snap Speed in this month GD, where he says to brake the hips on the downswing to create snap speed with the arms, and then brake again with the shoulders to do it again, like snapping a towel, seems like a lot to think about in a fluid swing, but maybe there's something there. http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2014-08/mike-bender-power-at-impact-with-zach-johnson

Start with stretches, then half swings with left arm only, weight forward drills, then slow swings working on takeaway. 20-30 swings with gap wadge and 8. Then I go right to driver, I like driver when I have energy, waiting until the end is bad IMO. I swing a few drivers to warm up and then play holes, pick targets and go driver, wood/hybrid/long iron, wedge, if I make a bad shot I keep hitting the club until I do well, then start over, I try not to hit any club too many times in a row though, if I have trouble I move on, start over. I'll usually hit a minimum of 125 balls, usually much more, my last time out I hit 275.

I don't think cost is such a big issue, a person can buy great used gear for little money and there are plenty of affordable courses. I also don't think time is an issue, 9 holes only takes a little while, 3 par courses can be done in a flash, people have the time if they want it. The game itself is the biggest problem, it bores most people, it's a slow game no matter how fast people try to make it, it's not about action, it's not about machismo, it's not about looking cool, there is nothing about the game that interests most people IMO, it's what old people do. The other issue is how hard it is, golf is very unique in that a person cannot play and have fun without a lot of learning, you cannot simply go play and stink, yet have a good time like every other game/sport, you must learn and that takes a lot of time and energy, few people have the interest to do that.

It's silly, I like the Beatles but certainly don't care if someone else does or knows them or whatever, it childish drama being thrown at Bubba IMO, trolling.

It's probably a good move for her in that she'll get paid now, and has a chance to become a star outside of golf, but eye candy can come and go in a flash on the big stage, can she be more? we shall see. And it's going to be tough for GC to find a good replacement, they don't have it now, the girl has to be on Holly's level with looks, not be too next door or sporty, and she has to be as charming as Holly, it's going to a dig for them, I certainly don't think Sara Brown is right, too cutesy.

I'm guilty, not sure why I do it, but I'll stop, I know it bothers people, never again...

I agree that it's just lip service, to make other players happy, in the end if Tiger is swinging a club he's on the team, he certainly does not need to "earn" his way on, he's already done that many times over, he needs to show he's healthy, that's it.

Real grass is hard to find by me, it's mats or nothing, so one has to learn the feel and sound of a good shot off the carpet, and I have, I can tell when players a few stalls away hit it right, and when they're fat, I'm amazed how many continue to hit those fat shots again and again, possibly thinking they're doing well, and then go to chunk the mall, it's really a terrible way to practice for that reason alone, no less the lack of feedback and divots... but it's all we got.

Keep the arms close, fire the right hip towards 3B.

I think modern grips with the soft velvet rubber make gloves less needed than with the old hard plastic corded grips, which were super slippery with even the slightest moisture, but for me I'll never go without, my hands get sweaty easy and I see no reason not to wear one, soft grip pressure is key and without a glove I may compensate with more.

Yes, definitely, its mostly mats by me and that can be a big transition to the grass, it sucks. So I've been taking it slower at the range, working on each part of the swing from takeaway to finish and trying to get it all into a smooth swing rather than hitting a lot of balls. The other thing I do is approach the range likes holes, first I drive, then second shot with hybrid/long iron, then wedge, all with a target, if I hit the same club over and over I get good with it, but that doesn't help on the course, it's all about that first shot.

I carry a dozen, I don't lose that many usually but like to be prepared for it to happen, and I own less than a dozen I buy a new box.

As a beginner I really like playing alone, only 9 though. I don't mind waiting for a group ahead, as long as nobody is behind, that's the stuff IMO, because I can practice, hit shots again, think before a stroke, play more than one ball, take my time to learn, try to remember my keys, not be embarrassed, it's really the only way I'll get better, the range is too limited, and playing with others is a distraction that I can't afford yet. Sadly it's hard to come by though, I take days off work to get alone time, or tee off very late.

Cool!, are there two pots in one ball? looks small in there.

I like to walk and was a carrier for a while, but got a Clicgear this summer, what a difference, it's so easy to push along, one finger, I think my favorite bell is that little basket, no more crap in my pocket, just grab and go, my partner thinks it's ridiculous, he prefers the old school two-wheel pull cart, but no way am I changing.

I'm sitting at about 110 right now at best, 120+ on a bad day, I've been playing for about a year, breaking 100 is my goal this summer. My focus is driving, a great portion of my range time, I can hit mid irons and wedges pretty well, but struggle off the tee, hitting maybe 6 out of 10 well, and that amounts to many bad holes, I also struggle with my long second shots, so I work with the hybrids/long irons a lot, but driving is my obsession. I don't need it long right now, 220 is fine, but I want to be able to step up and hit it with little concern most holes, and hopefully shape it a bit someday, because to me, driving well is the key to getting under 100. Yesterday I got really tired on the back nine, because I hit 120 balls at the range before teeing off (dumb), and started popping up every tee shot, so my goal this weekend at the range (the day before!) is to stand up a bit more, I think I was bending over too much, and to shallow out my swing, my partner says tee it lower which I'll check but I think my ideas are more the issue.

I don't think anything will come of this at all, it's a non-story, she's a young girl having the time of her life and doing what many people do after such a big accomplishment- getting drunk and acting silly, this is not even remotely a Miley moment, I cheer her on, good for her!

As a beginner I've been cocking early a lot at the range, primarily with driver, this early set got me feeling it right at the top, then I would stop and use the wide takeaway, looking for the same feeling at the top, it really works for me, I know it should be simple to just cock those wrists but I struggled with that, I think it also helped with lag, even though lag should be a natural thing with a proper swing, I still think it helped me not flip.