Urrrk

Okay, so I'm trying to get started on my golf game this season, but winter won't let up. So I'm out taking in a pretty miserable day on the range, 35, into a stiff breeze with sleet, I'm bundled up and nowhere near my midseason form, but I'm back about 30-40 yards, distance wise, from where I am in the summer (typically I land the ball at the 150 yard marker with a 7I, but that stretches out to 160 when it's 90+, today was around 120) Please tell me it was just the cold. and my right hand going numb.

I'm 5'10" with a somewhat positive ape factor (length of arms relative to height, and I play a 34" putter, though I could easily go to 33" I think. My theory of putting is to swing from the shoulders and try to keep the rest of the arm pretty still, so I want my elbows less bent so I want to be reaching a bit for my putter, as opposed to holding it in closer. This gives me a more relaxed feel and that works for me. So I think people should aim for as short a putter as they can use and feel relaxed. But that's based on what works for me. Your mileage may vary.

So I think I blundered onto something the other day, so I thought I would share it and see if I know how I did this. So I'm playing a 60 degree Vokey Lob wedge, and usually I bloop it up sky high before it lands. But the other day I opened my stance a little and tried to slide the open face under the ball more. I got a much lower ball flight, which I thought for sure was going to bounce of the green, but when it hit, it checked hard and didn't go any further than where it landed. Then I did it again two holes later. It's not like I rolled it back to the hole, but... So my question is, does this sound like the right way to put a lot of backspin on the ball? I'm a bit freaked out by how low the trajectory was. They never show the ball flight in the magazines.

Well you've got to understand that my driver and I are going through a rough patch. I tried to make a swing change, and she didn't like it, so we're on something of a trial separation until we get it worked out through counseling. While I could go 7I 7I, I'm more likely to go 3W 3W, duff one for 150 and pure the other for 200, getting me close enough to begin the comedy of errors that is my short game. The advantage to this strategy is that if I swing the same club enough, I'll find my groove with it, whereas changing over from the driver to the other clubs is more difficult. I didn't play my driver this evening. I didn't play my eight iron either, and I really shouldn't have played my five iron, because the shot it took with it was awful. The point is you're not obligated under the rules of golf to use every one of your clubs in a round, driver included. My driver and I will reconcile someday, but right now, it's a courtesy to other golfers when I don't use it.

I'm hitting my driver further than ever--and still rarely straight. I'll play it maybe once a round when I've got nice wide fairways on either side. Frankly the value just isnt there. I'm further down the the fairway hitting two 7I's than I am hitting the driver and then snaking one throught the trees to get back on my fairway. So I'm going 3H or 3W off the tee more and more. But I got my first birdie on a par four last week by hitting a 3w 220 yards, and taking it in with the sand wedge (54 degree) to with 3 feet. That was sweet!

I'm 'adequately lessoned', because there's a limit to how much I can absorb, and a limit to how many swing changes I can integrate into my game. At this point I know exactly how to produce a hook or a slice. And I can correct it--on the range. But on the tee box I don't get to take smack a ball way right, note to myself "oops elbow up on that one" and then smack another ball straight. On the tee box I have to get the first one correct. The other reason I think I am adequately lessoned, is that my coaches tell me my swing looks pretty good, now that I've made a lot of changes to it. but I haven't had this swing that long and so I haven't grooved it into my muscle memory or maybe my body is just a slow learner. But either way I don't have an identifiable tendency anymore. It's right, it's left, mostly it's high with lots of backspin, but people tell me I don't need to change that. I prefer to drive it 250 yards down the fairway, but it just ain't happening. I spend more time with the driver, but I get less for it. Stupid driver anyway. I'm going to play my seven iron off the tee.

Thanks all, good advice here. But... I am adequately lessoned, I do hit buckets of balls, with a variety of swings (full, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, feet together, one handed, strong grip, weaker grip, etc. etc.) But I'm afraid the problem is mental. Tonight, for instance, I stuck with the 3 wood, but I still wasn't hitting particularly well off the tee. My playing partners said they could see me tense up as I tried to "hold back" to a 70% swing. I just guessing but I don't think clenching my entire body is any way to hit a golf ball. So how do you go about getting you mind right on the tee? (I can get it right on the range, but someting isn't translating)

So count me as another one of those high handicappers that has trouble controlling my driver. I used to be a consistent slicer, but have recently added hooks to my tee artistry. As a result I have no damned idea where the thing is going, and am really in my best shape when I top the ball and bounce it 100-150 yards down the fairway, which sets up my a 210 yard 3 wood. (I'd go to my 3 wood, but I seem to be yipping that off the tee as well.) Please advise. Also whyfor when you read these articles they say a 30+ handicap is probably hitting their 5I 150 yards? I'm hitting my 8I 150 yards (and decently accurate too, when I get the luxury of playing from the short grass) Am I long for my index? Do I need to not swing as hard? What is the story here?

I like both, but went to a nickent 3dx because it had a stiff shaft and I vould get it for $40 last year on super sale. Right now it's been too good to me to think about replacing. Though I might regrip. stock grip is a bit mushy for me.

I've been playing them all season and I like them. Good price too. I buy mine at the local specialty golf shop. I think I'm paying $19.95 a dozen.

You know what's really ruining golf? Frickin' snow on the last weekend in March. Had to quit after nine on Saturday cause I couldn't feel my hands and couldn't play with winter gloves. OTOH, we didn't get held up by anyone.

I change my driver because I'm a terrible golfer. Okay I changed to a 10.5 loft, reg flex 460cc Adams Ovation three or four years ago when I decided to get back into golf and realized that my driver was as big as a modern pitchin wedge. And then, with the help of lessons, I fixed my swing to the point where it resembled an actual golf swing. And so last year I changed to a 9.5 loft, stiff flex Adams Insight BUL. I felt a lot more control with the stiffer shaft, though my swing speed is right on the boder between Reg and stiff. I think it's because the stiffer shaft keeps the clubhead aligned better on my occasional grossly fat mishits. I changed down on loft because I hit the ball a bit high. So now I still hit the ball a bit high (consistently high, across all clubs), I can get 250 yards when I hit it straight, but I struggle with an intermittent slice/strong fade. I'm thinking going down in loft to a 8.5 might help with the trajectory of my shots. And going to a more MOI-oriented clubhead might help me hit it straighter. Or I could spend the money on lessons, but right now, getting off the tee and onto the (right) fairway is where my game is getting held back.