BrofessionalGolfer

@9wood 5:30 am tee time sounds awesome - get a quick 18 in before work! One time I was playing a round of golf in Florida. We were on hole 14 or so and we had just landed our second shots onto the green, which was bordered by a crocodile infested pond. I parked the golf cart on a slight slope and slammed down the parking break (or so I thought) to make sure that cart was staying still. As we start to walk up to the green, the cart slides right into the pond. We hopped in the water to grab our clubs, phones, etc..as soon as we gathered all our stuff, we high tailed it out of the pond. Look back and see 2 crocs swimming over to investigate the cart. I consider it a near-death experience. Apparently we weren't the first ones to have a cart "malfunction"...to this day I often wonder if I really did press the break down all the way, I'm not entirely sure now looking back.

The bottom line is that 95% of us are not even close to professionals meaning we cannot have phenomenal ball striking for every club. We need to find what works and stick to it until we have the time to develop other aspects of our game. Irons work very well for some. If it ain't broke don't fix it! 2 iron off a tee on a par 5? If you can get a par or bogey out of it, why not right?

I find myself going into a round loving golf and usually by hole 14 or 15, quitting is the only thing on my mind. It's led me to hitting the 19th hole rather early...

Very good point @Pendragon

Henrik Stenson - such a phenomenal long ball player, but has yet to win a major. FedEx Champion, but now approaching 40 years old, his chances will be swindling.

It's pretty wild that all these big name golf club brands have actively phased out the low irons in place of hybrid clubs. The new Taylormade sets, for example, offer 4 through PW, AW...3 irons are no longer an option when purchasing most new golf sets. 2 irons forget it! I don't know about anyone else, but I've never had a problem hitting a 2 or 3 iron off the deck. Actually, more than 50% of the time I'd use either club is off the tee on a narrow fairway or long par 3. I know these clubs are still out there, but it's a shame they are being phased out. I find hybrid clubs to be extremely light and I have such less control. Anyone else feel the same way here?

They do try to mimic the Masters in terms of course set-up, pin placement, and condition so it's great to watch. Really builds the excitement for golf's Superbowl next week.

Tiger's swing was so aggressive and powerful, it worked well, but wasn't really designed for longevity. You look at guys like Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus - those guys won major after 40 years old. Their swings, while considered wild, puts lets stress on the back. It's a more fluid natural movement I think.

In short, the goal is to make contact with the golf ball at the exact same position from where you start your back swing. If you can do that by coiling your body all the way, then more power to you (pun intended). The 3/4 swing is meant to a shorter length so that it is more feasible to have the proper swing plane alignment.

Well said, for 99% of us, golf is a way to release stress and enjoy oneself. Unless competing on the professional level, what one puts in one's body shouldn't matter for handicaps. Driving under the influence is of course another story.

Initially, I was going to say carrying 5 wedges is a tad extreme, but being that they are Vokeys, why not carry 6? Easily the best wedges in the game. I use a stiff flex, but inherited senior flex Vokeys from my grandfather and haven't looked back since.

Drinking alcohol while hitting the links can absolutely improve your overall game and I'll tell you why. After 2-3 drinks, your muscles will naturally be more relaxed and any potential mental anxiety will be less apparent. This isn't the case for everyone so let's not generalize this, but for some, this 100% helps. This isn't to say the more you drink the better you get, after more than 4 drinks, your golf game can easily start to decline rapidly. Your muscles become too relaxed and the term "getting lazy" with your swing is very real.

Rule of thumb I learned from an old timer once: White Tees: average score 95+ Blue Tees: average score 85-94 Tips: average score 84 and lower Everyone is different, but if you are unsure, this is a good place to start. Course plays a factor as well, but this rule of thumb is most useful for your local course.

@Gipper hey if you can shoot an even 100 on a cold and windy day with really small greens, think about what can be done on a nice summer day in July? It's all about the mental confidence bro!

The driving range really takes out any and all mental stigma that accompanies this great and frustrating game of golf. Nobody is watching you and while you may be aiming at various pin locations, there isn't one green and one pin in your line of vision. Your mind doesn't take the driving range seriously regardless of how you may try and trick it. One tip: Take an extended amount of time before each swing. Put the ball down, align your club, and then close your eyes for about 5 seconds. When your eyes are closed, envision that one green and one pin. Open and swing. You won't be hitting nearly as consistently for each shot, which is the reality of the game.

Let's be honest, golf attire is fully dependent on the course you are playing that specific day. When given the amazing opportunity to experience a country club, we should be decked head to toe in the finest apparel. But on the reverse side of things, when playing a round at a lackluster public course on a steamy hot day in July, it would be nice to be able to sport a bro tank (tank top) if you will along with basketball shorts. Subtle changes like that could not only help with comfort, but eases the invisible barriers to entry for new golfers. The decline of Tiger Woods has taken a hit on golf in the main stream public view. This whole "gentlemen's game" definition may be doing more harm than we think.