The Recreational Golfer

Let's look at what he did in 2019. Three wins, including the Player's and the Tour Championship. 2nd on the money list, (Koepka 1st), 1st in adjusted scoring average, and 1st in Total Strokes gained. In my book, Rory's A game beats everybody else's A game.

Not if you know their tricks. FAR less reliable? I don't think so.

I'm not saying the visual method I described is better than using your feet (to each their own), but what I like about it is that you can SEE the slope. It's right there. And you can see which direction it's going and how much of a slope it is.

Thanks. Shows how out of touch I am! I use an easier way to perceive the slope around the hole. Let's say the green slopes slightly left to right. Stand on a line connecting the hole and the ball, then lean to the right (looking into the slope you're not sure of). The green will look fairly flat. Lean to the left, and now you can definitely see the slope because you are looking down it.

I think this question goes in this section, so here goes. I went to the Cambia Classic (LPGA) in Portland, Oregon yesterday. I saw a lot of the golfers straddling the line of their putt when they were making their read. So many were doing it, I thought it must be some kind of green-reading system that has caught on, but I haven't heard of it. Does anybody know what this is about?

Late to the party. You have distance to burn, so the real question is, do you hit the ball straight? Does it go where you want it to go? You have to play well up to the green to give yourself a chance to shoot a low score. To break 80, you need to take no more than 38 strokes getting the ball up to the green (on it or beside it) from the tee and fairway. Once you're up to the green, can you get the ball in the hole? It's not about the 15-footers you say you make, but the putts from five feet and in, and from 30 feet and out. It's about giving yourself a decent chance to get down in two when you miss the green, from WHEREVER you miss it. Drills? Don't bother. Just take a ball to the practice green, drop it greenside and practice getting up and down from all over. And do that A LOT. The only way you get confidence in doing ANYTHING is if you have done it and succeeded so often that confidence is no longer an issue.

My local newspaper this morning had a huge article about Tiger Woods and how it's harder for him to win now. There was not one word about this tournament. Nothing. Good Grief.

While a player's record in major championships is not the only measure of his or her skill, it does count for something. Woods has now played in 84 major championships (through the 2019 British Open). Here is his record compared to Nicklaus’s first 84: Jack: 1st - 17 2nd - 16 3rd - 9 4-10 - 19 Tiger: 1st - 15 2nd - 7 3rd - 4 4-10 - 15

On the one hand, "feel isn't real" means that what it feels like we are doing can be quite different from what we are doing. On the other hand, when we learn to do something in the golf swing correctly, we have to learn what that feels like so feel becomes real.

Hagen also won five Western Opens, which was considered a major championship in his day. He also won the North & South three times, which was also considered to be a major at that time. That adds up to 19. Remember when we talk about Nicklaus and Woods we refer to the modern majors. It's a slippery standard to use historically.

You could stand behind the ball and hang your putter so it covers the ball and the hole, even if the green sloped 45 degrees. How do people think this works??

Azinger is the master of the obvious: "These two [Woodand and Rose] could get hot and leave the field behind, or get in trouble and let a lot of people back in." Well, duh. "Gary Woodland needs to understand that the other golfers put their pants on one leg at a time." What??!! I don't know how Azinger got elevated so fast. His commentary on the closing holes of the 2018 U.S. Women's Open should have disqualified him for life. Along with Joe Buck, they are inanity to the fourth power.

Yes to a lot of what has been said. I had a playing lesson once and asked the pro how to solve this problem. He said to take the longer club, grip down an inch, and put your usual swing on the ball. Works like a charm.

One thing I never so is keep my score in my head. After about the fourth hole, I don't know where I stand, and I have taught myself to do that. We all know the mental game is real. We all know as well that pressure is self-imposed. So adopt a mental game that does not put pressure on yourself. Play golf, have fun, and add 'em up when the round is over. It really is that simple.

Nine bogeys and nine doubles gives you a 99. Stay away from those triples. Pars aren't too common.