Runnin

Sorry, I'm not up on the tech, but these numbers are driver only averages? I think I was averaging around 107 or 108 today on the machine at my range, but I wasn't sure how to work it. It was flashing a faster number too but maybe that was the ball speed. A little slow relative to the above number but they were dead range balls. I don't feel like my swing is as loose and free as it could be and I probably swing harder than I should. I wonder how close to 100% most pros are swinging.

This comment was dead on.

Garish markers annoy me for some reason. It's become a pet peeve that I have to deal with almost every round. Most players in Japan use large poker chip size markers. I have several myself but use a typical plastic pro shop marker I keep stuck in the end hole of my putter grip. The peg helps get it deeper. I think the plastic markers are better than a coin but I always have to push down the grass from the little holes they make.

I don't see these two skills, the long and short game, as being as separate as is being implied, especially if you are including mid and short irons as part of the long game. All iron play is closely related. If you can hit decent 5 irons with varying depths of divots you're gonna have plenty skill around the greens. I think of it as 3 categories of shot making: the driver, irons and the putter. Fairway woods fall more under the category of irons for me, even when hit off the tee. Of course, you can try and swing up on it and hit it like a driver, but that's when the trouble starts for me. Short chipping is half putting. I guess my time allocation is close to this: Driver - 20% Irons - 70% Putter - 10% That puts wedge practice and chipping in the iron category. I probably practice short approach shots and wedges more than I need now but it's a way to practice without wearing out my back or wrists on driving range mats. Most of my driver practice is far below 100% effort for the same reason. I'd like to be able to beat balls longer but I've overdone it before and learned my lesson.

Is it okay to pass hitting first if you have "the honor"? I hate hitting first on courses I don't know. I usually need more time figuring out if I'm gonna hit driver or not. Are there any actual rules when it comes to hitting order on the tee?

A guy trying to make a living at the game should know the rules and also have a caddie who knows them and who will check his clubs before starting, especially if they've recently been putting illegal stickers on some of the irons.

This sounds like one of the drills in the currently running Ball Striking Master Class from Clay Ballard's site. I believe the drill was to pick out a largish target area and alternate shots with extreme strong grip to extreme weak until you got 4 in the target area with each grip. I was surprised at how good the strong grip shots felt and I think I have slightly strengthened my grip as a result.

Tee height could be a factor too. At least half the ball should be above the face at address. Move ball position up and try to release the club several inches behind the ball, assuming you have a somewhat orthodox swing.

I've never had an issue with noise on the tee but have been distracted while putting, maybe because putting is more delicate. The act of making a full swing is physical enough to block out peripheral chatter. The rudest thing I've ever seen on a tee box was by Jumbo Ozaki, who used to have a habit of walking up and standing behind some players who were hitting in front of him while they were still holding their finish. They'd have to awkwardly find their tee and walk around him back to their bags.

Troll or no, the name reminded me of my grandmother, who was quite busty and won the ladies club championship several times, even though she started golf late in life and didn't really have much of a golf swing. But she had her routine and did the same thing every time and hit the ball well. Used to kick my grandfather's butt and that was always a popular topic around their house. My grandfather had Hogan's Five Lessons book and she would always lift her arms over her ample bosom to tie her elbows nice and tight like Hogan's picture. If was mildly embarrassing for me at the time but she could play. Was a good bowler too.

I think there are a lot of things that could be done to spice up the game. How about fewer clubs? Say 6 clubs only. Most people could play with 2 or 3 fewer clubs without much change. Also, I'd LOVE to watch the pros play in a 4 ball or 2 man scramble format. Let them make their own teams, like doubles in tennis. That would be fun to watch.

You can't control what someone else does. Yes, it was wrong but so what? Just back away and start again. Your error was acknowledging his actions while you were putting. He did it to irk you and you let him succeed. Your only redress is to either choose you playing partners more carefully or develop better concentration. The first one really isn't realistic because there always seems to be one or two people in the group who talk all the time or start the cart just as you're about to hit or slam their clubs in the bag, etc. I play in Japan and people here seem babble non-stop on the golf course, even the female caddies. They start shrieking as soon as their ball is in the air. Drives me nuts if I think about it. The only thing I've found is to talk to myself in my head and only listen to myself. I just say "This shot (or putt). This shot, this shot, this shot... goes like THIS" over and over. Listening to my own imaginary voice drowns out other noise.

Don't overdo hitting balls in the 3 days before the round. And do more light practice swings, getting the timing back between your hands and body, than anything else. The day before the round only chip and putt. I like that par 3 idea for the range before the round. Never heard that one before. Good advice.

That's a lot of bounce. I'd guess it's mainly for the bunker. Do you hit it out of the fairway too? I've recently gone back to my old Wilson R - 90. I bought it almost 25 years ago at Pebble Beach, more for a souvenir than anything. I've rarely ever hit it and went through a phase where it didn't feel right. But a few months ago I wanted to get a little more handsy with medium distance pitch and tried it again. I like it better than my new Titleist Vokey 52' wedge, thought the R-90 has more loft. It's heavier and has a much cleaner bounce. I love it and would like to buy a new one. I still hit a 60' Power Built wedge that's at least 30 yrs old with worn grooves. It's the only one I've ever seen. Has a strange trough down the middle of the bounce area. It's so solid from the bunker. I'd buy another one if I could. I'm sure newer models are better but maybe I'm just so used to these old clubs.

"Revolution Golfers!" That phrase makes me cringe every time I hear it. The commercialization of golf instruction is both annoying and inevitable, but I have to admit that they have a lot of good videos and swing tips. I'm wondering if there are any big differences between these two systems and what folks might have to say about them. I joined Top Speed Golf a while back but this is not an attempt promote or disparage it. I apologize if discussing this is discouraged or prohibited. I'm more interested in the subtle or big differences in current golf swing instruction than I am in saying one system is better than another. I'm also interested in what's so revolutionary about Revolutionary Golf. Seems pretty old school to me. thx in advance.

That's a shocker.

No way. I'm 5'11" and been that way for a long time. Wiki has him at 185 cm. 5' 10" would be 178 cm. No way he's that short, although I've never stood beside him. I did ride in an elevator once with Jack Nicklaus and could not believe I was taller that him and still a teenager. But I still think Tiger is a true 6' 1".

I played golf fairly seriously in college. When my eligibility for college golf ran out I took up guitar. Moved to Japan shortly after and have been playing bluegrass, jazz and blues for the last 25 years. I've spent a good bit of time on most all the stringed instruments. Don't know what any of that means. I would still rather play golf than music and as much as I struggle with the game, I'm probably a better golfer than a musician. I started golf much younger.

Was just about to say this when I read your post. Suburbia does seem to promote less physical activity, especially for housewives. Not been so good for society in general, either, more separation of class/race which leads to ignorance, jealousy and fear, etc. There's a cruel irony to the ills of suburbia. I live in Japan and almost every house has 2 or 3 bicycles and they get used a lot. It's just so convenient and the calories burned adds up fast. Many older people do almost all their errands by bicycle. My mother-in-law is almost 80 yrs old and I'll bet she puts over 2 miles on her bike everyday. The more exercise you get, the better you eat, for some reason. I guess the body just knows.

It is, in a sense.

Standing tall at address gives me 10 to 20 extra yards. I make better contact, hit it higher and feel like my clubhead speed increases significantly. I don't know how tall Jordan Spieth is but he looks 6' 4" with his exceptional posture.

Hasn't Nicklaus been advocating a ball that doesn't travel so far for decades? Obviously no one is listening to him. But I think the ball goes far enough now. Watching pros at a couple of tourneys last year I was blown away how far they were hitting long irons - practically out of sight. Now I'm just getting back into the game after a long hiatus and have almost gotten my sticks updated. I have to admit that I love the feel and the extra yardage.

Honestly, I have usually treated shots on the course like shots on the range but I'm trying unlearn that habit. As long as I'm hitting it okay I can keep it simple but if I hit some wayward shots I tend to over experiment.

I can attest because I actually used to do something similar. As a kid I'd play 18 holes then go to the range to work or my worst shots from the day. I thought I was such a good student of the game. I didn't realize that I had no idea why I made the bad shots in the first place. I was working on the mechanics, too much right hand, too little right hand, etc. It dawned on me decades later that I was probably only reinforcing swing flaws that were the result of simple pressure and shot anxiety, not really serious swing flaws at all. I think a much better approach would have been to pick out my best 2 or 3 shots from the day and try to repeat them. Not that you shouldn't work on your mistakes and weak areas, but I think I overdid the swing tinkering and eventually took the experimentation to the course, ruining my game.

Caution: Once will not be enough.