powerfade

We all know your story but the fact is, the average golfer does not hit it 280-300. The average tour pro hits it those distances. You are a Long Drive competitor. You are not an average golfer and I doubt very much you represent the U.K. Let me ask you a hypothetical question...if some guy comes outs to your range and starts bombing them 500 yards, I'd bet you'd take interest. Are you telling me you wouldn't be impressed?

1. Go buy Stan Utley's book 'The Art of Putting'. 2. Get yourself a heel-shafted (toe weighted) putter (or pull yours out of the closet). 3. Read the book. 4. Go to the practice green and follow his instructions (take the book with you). 5. Start making more putts....Guaranteed. If you already use the arc-style of putting, fine...but do you use Utley's stroke mechanics? They are simple and repeatable. After that, it's all about the speed.

Interesting. The wedge game typically requires a different swing type. While a 'full' wedge may require the same swing as, say, your normal 7-iron, if you're trying to take some spin off, you'll have to use a different swing which does not have coil/torque (a.k.a. power). It's a touch shot. Taking an extra club with a partial swing can work as well if the shot allows it. No argument there.

Wrong...on several levels. You take the average of the 10 best differentials then multiply by .96. Round down to 1 decimal point to obtain your "Index". To obtain your differential for a round: (Adjusted Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating You can then take your Index and convert to a Course Handicap based on the tees (slope) you'll play.

Don't coil your upper body against your lower body (creating torque). Try a backswing where everything swings back and through in unison, and produces more of an arm swing. The hit isn't as violent therefore there isn't as much backspin.

All healed up?

I think 36 is the default value for new profiles.

Never. Changing to a shag-quality ball is an invitation to hit it in the water. Where's your confidence? To the original question, under normal conditions, I'm comfortable carrying it 260 off a tee with a driver. I'm not sure I've ever run across a situation off a tee where a forced carry was more than 260. Of course I've had the "option" to cut a ravine off the tee. #16 at my home course is one of these. The further left you dare to go, the longer the carry but the shorter the second shot. I'll drive it 260 uphill, no roll, to the middle of the fairway leaving 100y +/-5y to the middle. (I leave room for about 40 yards of error - short). If you aim further left, you'll bring a bunker into play (253 to reach but 273 to clear, leaving 75y to the center). It's simply not worth the 25 yards.

Whew...we finally have closure? Leadbetter advocates a trap (pinch) for mid and short irons. I always took that to mean 'hit down' as opposed to 'sweeping' those irons. You guys took pinching to a whole new level!

Yes, I agree, you must go to the comittee so they can address this (or identify the oob for you). Regarding oob markers being MO's...the answer is a definitive no. Someone posted the rule earlier from the USGA. You can stand oob to make the shot but you cannot move the marker. You can only move markers defining water hazards (and lateral water hazard's).

Are you talking about when the shaft is horizontal to the ground a few feet into the backswing, or at the top of the backswing?

Are you talking about a firm pinch where the ground actually affects spin, ball flight, etc., or just an incidental pinch caused by virtue of the fact that the ball is already touching the grass?

This is a very strange oob marking because it ends without truly defining the oob area to either side of the last marker. (Obviously, it's your question) Are you positive there isn't a marker to either side of the last oob marker (it could be several yards away)? Does the scorecard give any more info as to the definition of oob (retaining walls, fences, paths, planters, gutters, etc)? You cannot determine the oob boundry based on your drawing. There has to be another marker to define what should be a corner.

You must find the nearest adjacent stake, fence post, or whatever defines the oob, to determine the oob line. Once found, if the ball is completely on the oob side of the inner most sides of the two stakes, then the ball is oob. If any part of the ball is within any part of the two stakes, then it's in bounds. " When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points at ground level of the stakes or fence posts (excluding angled supports). When both stakes and lines are used to indicate out of bounds, the stakes identify out of bounds and the lines define out of bounds. When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds."

You can move a stake defining a water hazard (maybe that's what you were thinking?).

I had one of those driving range experiences during a practice session on Sunday. There were two middle aged guys warming up for their round to my left. When they brought out the drivers, I heard Player "A" telling "B" how he got ahold of a couple last round going about 250. He wasn't boasting or anything, but was genuinely happy (that's cool). Player "B" talking about his drives going 240...then he had to go ruin it by saying "...240 to 280". I watched him hit several drives. At our range, the white flag is on a "green" that was 203 to the front edge, about 215 to the middle (according to my SkyCaddy). This guy was barely flying the front edge. He never got close to the yellow flag which was 248 out. Judging from his ball flight, I don't see how it ever could. I immediately thought of this thread and had to laugh. (Then like a big showoff, I pulled out my big dog and began peppering the back hillside on the fly with big towering shots (273 to the bottom; 297 to the top). I noticed it got real quiet behind me.

I always remove mine. Since you don't mind leaving it on, it's one less thing to do (distraction) as you reach the green (marking your ball, fixing ball marks, reading the green, pulling the flag, cleaning your ball, etc.). As you learn the game, you'll see that it's easy to remove it once you pull the putter out of the bag. Soon it will become habit. Leave it on for now.

Hmmm...a little gamesmanship huh?

Yes, but I feel the biggest contributing factors to the wrist cup is keeping the right arm/elbow close to your right side on the backswing and keeping your weight on the left side. This action doesn't allow your arms to extend properly like they need to during a normal full swing so to compensate, your left wrist must cup. You have to feel the reverse pivot or this shot will not work (keep weight on the left side).

Yes, I'm up for the PGA but I have my own 'major' to play in this weekend so I'll set the DVR and watch a bit here and there. I'll likely wind up finishing the coverage next week.

Mid 90's, 30% humidity, with a very slight breeze. I'll take it for this time of year.

Well Bo, I hope you're not implying that because you average 220-240 with your driver, nobody else could average higher with a lesser club. Those numbers (220-240) are pretty close to my 19° (3-hybrid) distances. (225-235). Sorry...I couldn't resist.

I'm still crackin' up at this! Thanks C'mon mom...where's the love???

You can set 'em early as long as you don't overcock them going to the top. A good checkpoint is to see if you have full wrist cock by the time your left arm is parallel with the ground (looking at you from face on, your arm would be in the 9:00 o'clock position on a clockface). I know some pros don't have them completely set by that point with the driver... but they're pros. If your wrists are cocked at 9:00, it's just a short body turn to complete the backswing. The wrists must not break down after they've been cocked. This is probably the most important thing to watch relating to your wrists on the backswing (along with a flat left wrist).

If there's anything you should emulate from a pro, it's their tempo. Primarily the fact that they don't get quick during the transition.