Leftygolfer

That answered my question Erik. That is the way I see it too. If you are chipping the ball you are using the leading edge and the margin for error is so much less. That is the reason I open the face up and use less loft so i can use bounce and still get the desired running shot. I seem to get away with the careless one more often.

Good instruction. Is it possible to hit low chip shots using bounce w/o opening the face? I've found that when I'm trying to chip the ball at times I can have bad results if I hit it just a touch fat when the leading edge digs in. Something that I do on chips is going down in loft and opening the face so I can use the bounce but still have it come out flat. Also, I've been for years playing all my pitches with a slightly to severely open stance/open face to use the bounce as much as possible. Would playing a wedge with more bounce allow me to use the same swing more square? I'm an avid bouncer (for lack of better word). Final question. How do you decide what shot you want to hit in real situations. I've heard (which I think is bad advice) get the ball on the ground quickly as possible. I try to paint a picture of what I want to happen and just feel the swing that will produce that shot. Sometimes pitching it to the hole looks right, others a driving pitch seems to look good. My biggest determinant of exactly how I want to play the shot is what do I think will give me the best percentage of hitting well. Just curious to your thoughts.

One pet peeve I have is golfers who dress like they can play....but can't. Then you are just a poser. But whatever you want to wear is fine by me. I just think walking up to the first tee dressed like a pro you should at least hit it solid. People are going to watch you, and do you want that as you duff your opening ball? And flat brim hats can only be worn under the age of 25. You are just too old to be cool after that.

I have little bad emotions on the course. This isn't the way I used to be. I'd get so mad at myself but going through a huge period of bad play ended that. I figure this is what I do for fun, and I will have fun. Even if I'm just playing terrible I look for things that I enjoy in the game. I love putting and getting up and in. So for me I focus on that when I can hardly play from tee to green. It really has made the game more fun. Hopefully I can always keep my care free attitude on the course. People that get that angry really shouldn't play. How can that be fun and they aren't that good.

Zeph, I know you have been working hard for a long time. I'm curious to what has happened with your scoring average. To me, that is the biggest indicator of improvement.

I'm not sure if I agree of disagree. For Amatuers, there is no reason to do anything. Golf is plenty hard as is. For the pros, length isn't the determinant if courses are hard. Give players firm greens, hard pins, they aren't going to light it up. I'd say softer fairways but that is only helping the bombers. Maybe have courses be more target oriented so they can't hit driver and are forced to hit long approach shots. Honestly, I like pro golf now. i like seeing them shot 5 under a day for 4 rounds and also have the really tough test like the US open. Tiger had a 9 iron into a 520 yard par 4 today...but who cares. The course is playing fast.

I'm similar in that i can hit it so much more solid hitting little shots. Punches, I'm a real pro at. I can take the niceist divot hitting a little 90 yard PW. But then I try to hit it stock I can't take a bit of turf. I guess my question is why don't you (or me) make that our stock swing? I don't play huge courses where I struggle with distance. Does it really matter if I hit an 8I from 130? Just a thought. Your move is looking better and better. Good work.

Holder? Sure, no reason at all. He was perfectly compliant and honest with Congress. Only had to retract statements 3 times. But if you want to debate please start a thread. This isn't the right one for that.

Pro v1 practice. Highly recommend. Or just hunt for balls. You can play pro v1 for free for the rest of your life.

I find the club ho thing to be rather bizzarre and just stupid. A driver that is 5 years old has the same face as one today, same size, goes just as far. Irons, there isn't a difference. I've come to the realization that clubs matter very little. Yes, they need to look go to your eye and be the proper forgiveness (IE don't play blades if you can't come close to pure consistantly) but that is about it. There isn't a golf club in the world that will make you any better. The ball flight stuff, people are just that stuck on there beliefs. Reminds me of people and there belief that socialism works (even though it has failed and is failing in Europe).

Well I like the mock turtle neck for work so we can keep that. But belly putters is the one rule I don't like. I think it is leveling the playing field on tour. No stats to back that up, but I see notoriously terrible putters doing ok with it (adam scott).

Not one thing you posted has added anything. You really are a piece of.....work. Lets see your move in another post. Sure you got some video being a scratch player. Check out iacas thread on his swing. Man, it is horrid. He can't hit it solid at all.

Power lifting will not have any adverse effects on your golf. I've lifted quite a bit in the past three years and if anything it helps with flexability, particularly legs. I've got one more marathon in Sept but after that I am going to start a program. Its called strong lifts. Essentially you start off really light and add 5 pounds every time, lift 3 days a week, 5 X 5 sets. You squat , then do bench, bentover rows one day, then squat, military press, dead lifts. I'm going to feel funny squatting 65 pounds to start, but in 12 weeks, it will be close to 250, then by week 20 I should be squatting over 3, deadlifting 4, bench and everything else be stronger than ever. My buddy at work has done it for 20 weeks and he likes it alot. He looks tree trunkish. His core is thick and really strong now. The wieght he is doing is impressive.

I'm not going to quote Erik's huge post but this is in reference to that. I don't know if that is a valid reason of why short game is less important. Not many people have the capability and time to play that kind of golf. You have worked 100s (probably 1000s) of hours on getting better. You and yourr situation is unique. The reason I still agree with you is the short game takes less time to keep in check. Mine is always there. I've never lost my ability to pitch and putt the ball well regardless of how bad my long game is. I'd say that is true with mid handicappers and down. And some days, regardless of how hard you work at it, you just don't have control of the ball and aren't going to hit it where you are looking consistantly. The short game is going to save you there. You can't always count on it, but when you need it, it sure helps to have the ability to get up and in consistantly. How many greens does a average scatch player hit. I believe it is 9. The ones they miss are usually in good spots but they still have a good short and long game. It takes less time to have a good short game therefore in order to improve, I think your ratio makes sense. Hit it in better spots and you will have better scores.

Don't loosen your wrist.

Nice well thought out original post. I agree pretty much with one exception or comment. What is a short game shot. I think of hitting 50 to 75 yard shots as short game shots but the motion is very similar to a full swing. So is that working on the full swing, when you are working on hitting it really solid with consistant contact hitting little wedges? To me that is a combo. I want that feeling to translate up through the bag and often will revert back to the old 60 when things are out of synch on the range. But I also want to be great at that shot. Being in play is an absolute necessity in golf. Most people aren't and that is why most (including my current form) are really bad. I agree totally. It isn't about how good your short game is, it is about where you hit the shot from. Easier birdie shots equals better scores. I'll take a putt off the edge over a really tough up and in from the trees.

Look at that picture with the graphic. The putt goes totally straight for the first 10 feet. It must be right because it is in a golf mag with Butch Harmon. Right there is proof you are totally wrong. Must be a bunch of "flat landers", all you sand trap geeks.

there is definitely something to eating while playing to maintain blood sugar and feel good. I learned this from training for a marathon but it is similar. If you are out in the heat and active for 4 or 5 hours, you need to eat. My basic is a good breakfast, a banana or two, then some sort of energy bar that isn't all sugar. Then some crackers or something, and lots of water. I typically eat my snack around the turn. It for helps me feel good at the end and able to do things after the round and not be beat.

We just aren't that good. It really doesn't matter if they are different brands. Right now I carry a 51 Mizuno MP, 56 x forged, 60 old vokey 200, and a x forged 64. If the set up works for you and you feel confortable, that is all that matters. 99% of the time its the indian and not the arrow.

I believe toe up is correct. When swinging the weight of the club and shaft bending flatten the lie angle. If your divots are good (ie flat and not tilted) then you are fine. But this isn't really for this thread. This is more about a discussion about if there is a difference in the tilt throughout the bag.

I've played golf with my wife a couple of times. It is nice. she doesn't play every shot or keep score. So she wasn't really playing golf, but spending time together while I play and she hits the ball until she picks up. She wasn't slow so it was fine with me. I wanted her to have fun.

My guess is its the indian and not the arrow. Unless the shaft is way too stiff a good move will produce good results.

A perfectly struck iron shot to kick in range. The feeling of hitting a high quality golf shot only happens maybe a couple of times a round.

Grip is a a hard thing to change IMO. You can play good golf with a strong grip. I've always had a strong grip. My right thumb is around 10:30. I've tried to weaken it but just couldn't do it. For me, making the change wasn't getting the results I wanted. My contact got worse, distance went down, and it was bad. But best of luck. Some say grip is easy to change and can take it to the course pretty quickly.

I voted the same. Only with wedges do I feel a bit more bent over. Driver through PW the difference is mostly how far one is away from the ball,