ctyankee

All good advice. If I were telling someone the four big things on chips, it would be: - Hit down and through chips, don't try to scoop the ball. - Distance control is much more important than the correct line. - Lead with the hands, not the club - With a lot of green to work with, get the ball rolling, don't try the high soft one that stops like magic by the hole. Why? Because you're not a magician. As for practice: don't hit a bunch of shots from the same spot. All you are doing is repeating shots in a game where shots (hopefully) don't immediately repeat. Also, give yourself some bad lies - it will give you some confidence. Lastly, play some sort of game that doesn't end until you do it right. Say, hit three balls to within a club length to three different pins. Believe me, that last one will be under pressure and that makes all the difference in the world.

We have some driveable par 4's and a par 5 that's only 458 (I know, I know) so it's much more easily accomplished than other courses. Never had a hole-in-one, but it's really the double eagle that I want.

I didn't know this, but the USGA rules of Etiquette have changed to define a single as a 'group.' Thus should be shown the same rights afforded any other group on the golf course. It didn't use to be that way. In the past, a single had no rights on a golf course with lingo like a foursome should not even consider them to be out there. Now: Here is what now appears in the Etiquette guidelines of the Official Rules of Golf: * In the "Pace of Play" section: "It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group." (emphasis mine) * In the "Priority on the Course" section: "Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group's pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term 'group' includes a single player." http://golf.about.com/od/golfetiquet...espriority.htm When I go out as a single, I just move around holes on my course, so that I'm not bugging a foursome in front of me. I have no problem with someone playing wildcat golf out there as long as they don't cut in front of someone.

Absolutely. In a ABCD four-ball tournament it goes something like this when player C hits a shot that might be O.B. or lost. Player C: I'm not sure about that one. Player D: I'm pretty sure we'll find it. Player A: I'm not interested in what you're pretty sure about. Hit a provisional. Player B: And say the word "provisional" ... like now.

And we don't need to dwell on it ... but there is an underlying theme to how you view non-winning touring PGA pros. Basically 'guys happy just to get a paycheck rather than laying it all out to get a win.' Or said another way 'guys busy hitting to the fat part of the greens Sunday afternoon to protect a tasty paycheck rather than challenge for the lead. Who are these guys? If we pulled all the guys that had 3 or fewer top 10 finishes and no wins this year from the PGA tour off the exempt list you could axe Anthony Kim, Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia. I think that any pro with a legitimate shot at a win is going for that win and the two-year exemption that comes with it. But that's the rub, so few really have that chance. And having the chance and making the most of it? Ask Jim Furyk how that worked out for him this year.

Correct. It's amazing how many golfers don't know that. They come up to the number one handicap hole and assume it's the toughest hole against par on the course. The only thing you can really take away from it is: 1. That when compared to single digit handicap golfers versus higher handicap golfers that particular hole has the largest differential on the front nine. I think that the USGA course handicap system is an antiquated joke. Most golfers whether they play in a league or just in their weekend match - they play against golfers of comparable ability. Not always, but this is more often the way. Yet, they are competing against net scores based on something that is apples and oranges to how matches are flighted. This leaves the USGA system as useful only when single digit handicappers have cash matches against 26 handicappers. Is that really how most of us play golf? For example, at my course the 17th hole is the number 2 handicap hole. It's a pretty easy par 5 that gives higher handicap golfers trouble because they choke on the approach shot over the water to the green. For a single digit handicapper, this hole involves bunting your second shot down to clear the dogleg and then wedging into the green. So, if someone were giving me 2 shots in a match, I'm getting one here - which is a total joke. Naturally, any group can come up with their own course handicap approach so they can avoid these issues.

Great post!

That article is 2 years old dude. I didn't say the LPGA players are perfect but they sure beat the PGA pros in that category by a long way.

What are you using for 4 iron distance now? I also have a 21 degree hybrid but find that's pretty much a perfect 3 iron. So there seems to be a gap in your bag. I just can't hit a three iron any more. I like my 4 iron for the same reason you mentioned. On par 3's, I like to work the ball and I just can't successfully work my hybrid

That's pretty valid, no matter what your handicap is. Years ago, I sure know I felt the pressure when there was a decent chance of breaking par. All of a sudden you're wishing the ball into the hole rather than hitting it. Candidly, most of my best rounds were ones that snuck up on me on the back nine. O.P., Have you read 'Golf is not a game of perfect?' Bob Rotella can be a bit much but there is a lot to be said for enjoying the process rather than getting so caught up into your score. We all hit some tragic shots out there but there is a lot of satisfaction that can come from taking your lumps and getting on with getting on. The other thing you might consider is your course management. Obviously I don't know your course, but if it is very tight are you better off with a fairway wood off the tee on some holes and dealing with a longer approach versus the risk of being O.B.?

I understand your frustration, but not the solution. Moving exemptions from 125 to 75 means logistical problems where 50 more golfers (perhaps their families) and their caddy's won't have much time to plan their schedule thus complicating travel arrangements as well as the cost. And for what? So that another set of guys that aren't going to win either get to show up? Unfortunately the PGA tour is a club. We may not like what they do with it but it's their club. If you don't like the spoiled attitude of many a PGA pro, I don't blame you. Support the women, they actually don't take the fan and corporate events for granted.

Yep, but as it's not controllable (other than by staying home), what's the point? I notice someone selling this golf ball warmer ... http://www.intheholegolf.com/Merchan...duct_Code=BNBH It just seems to be a way to sell an overpriced case warmed by air-activated hand warmers. So, I'm just going to put a hand warmer into one of those soft-shell sunglass cases and give that a try. Mine can easily store three golf balls. I don't normally play in the cold, but it might be interesting to see if it even helps on a 50 degree day. I sometimes play with my in-laws on the day after Thanksgiving when (given the year) a mishit iron can be painful (in more ways than one).

I would agree that 'mind over matter' is a factor. Years ago, I used to play in the rain with an umbrella. But I found that using it was worse than not using it as you had to think about when to use it, when to stop using it, where to put it down etc. So now, I just play with rain gloves and a rain jacket and a hat. And as I carry, this baby ... http://www.tgw.com/customer/category...TEGORY_ID=5303 It may not look like much, but it's a high quality rain bag cover which zips open from the top, making getting your club out without getting your gear wet easy, easy, easy. I'm only so-so in the rain, but I do know guys that can really step up and play well in it. I usually use a short sleeve rain jacket as I don't want the sleeves unless it's really outrageously bad. As for wind, that's often a big factor on my course so it's expected. As for cold, I just stop playing when it gets down below 45 degrees.

AK is 162nd in GIR so clearly Kim knows what he needs to work on. Certainly AK can putt the ball. Although clearly his putting stats are helped out by missing so many greens, leaving him (comparatively) more short one putts after his recovery shots. Meanwhile, Steve Stricker is 42nd in GIR, making what he does with the short stick (number one in putting overall) that much more impressive.

Apparently Kim has a following ...

Valid points. No doubt that waiting and waiting around and then 'do or die' on a few shots has to be quite nerve racking particularly when there is no flow to things. Remember, we only see the edited down version. And few of us ever face playing in front of cameras or even a small gallery.

Sure, don't lose your clubs.

Gotta love that setup. Looks good.

And that's all before Ben got in the store.

That made me laugh. I think that the O.P. has done a disservice by connecting high-handicappers with losers. I have no idea what one has to do with the other. And certainly a high-handicapper can beat a low handicapper in a net event and heck a higher handicapper can beat a lower handicapper in gross score as well. I don't pick my friends by how good they can or can't play golf. If you enjoy the game of golf, I'd to meet you, swap a couple of stories and for you to buy me a drink or two.

Very interesting. Thanks for the link.

Nothing really major as I play golf with a bunch of great guys ... so what's not to love? That said it is a very uncomfortable feeling when someone loses his temper on the course and tosses a club or some other form of tantrum. I can't say I can even remember when the last time that happened, but I do remember how uncomfortable that made me feel. A small pet peeve is golfers who announce 'if it weren't for that one hole' ... yeah we all know the feeling but that's golf. Sometimes this is followed up with their failure in basic logic. It goes something like 'I don't hit that one bad shot on 12 and then I get the birdies on 13,14 and 17 and I'm looking at a career round.' Yeah, you would think that a golfer who couldn't hit the same shot two times in a row (all of us) and with course conditions never exactly the same - would realize that if we could magically whisk him back to that hole again, he might do better on that hole ... but all those birdies coming in are not guaranteed in the slightest. In fact, it could even have been much worse.

Ali. Not even close. Ali transcended sports, Tiger hasn't transcended golf.

And just for discussion purposes, if he could do it on command, that would answer the question about why he's not already on the tour without seeing him play. He's either a head case or can't putt well enough (or both).

Thanks Sean. Yes a little bit of selective editing there. You may be exactly right as to your point about only using the PW for full shots. Hopefully KingofCars will chime in as that's the beauty of these forums, the ability to learn from good golfers. But, just to play devil's advocate while we wait, I think that someone that plays 4 wedges has already answered the question as to whether they have a go-to wedge in their arsenal. That's further supported because if there was one, there should be a yardage overlap with the other wedges (KingofCars lists none). I also play all Vokey wedges. 60* 0 - 75 (money shot = 60 yards) 54* 65 - 100 (85) 48* 95 - 125 (110) So, based on yardage alone my 54* would be my go-to wedge - but honestly if the conditions are good and the course is dry I don't think of it that way. However, if the course is soaked, I'm going with the 54* from 65 yards every single time.