Newbie Golfer

Played 18 holes of a chipping game today on the practice green, and finished 7 over par.  This is similar to the putting game: dropped one ball at various locations just off the green, about 1/3 on the fringe and the rest in various depths of rough, up to two inches.

Chipping in counts as birdie (score -1), chipping within 4 feet counts as par (score 0), chipping outside 4 feet counts as bogey (score 1).  I chose 4 feet since that’s my “can’t miss” distance with my putts.

Shooting 7 over highlights this as a weakness within my game.  I’ll keep at it until I can shoot even par, this should bring my actual scores down significantly…

Regards,

NG

Played a simulated round on the range today, hitting shots as if I was playing my favorite back nine.  Felt OK, learned a lot, want to record some things to remember / work on:

1) Power fade with driver.  Didn’t feel as consistent as in past sessions, some pushed right, some pulled left. Want to try setting up with stance a bit open instead of closed, to see if this helps with opening the hips.

2) Target focus.  Lost it for a while and was focusing on the swing, leading to some wandering iron shots.  Got back to target focus and started to hit the target again.

3) While mis-firing in (2), went back to 3/4 swing knockdowns, worked well.

4) I can play a fade now on command, if the draw is mis-firing or the situation demands.  To prove to myself, I hit alternating 8 irons, first draw, then fade, no problem.

5) Tried the 4 hybrid again.  Used talcum powder on the face to see where I was making contact.  Tried to hit 4 draws, and was: thin, thin, heel, toe contact.  Then switched to power fade: dead center of the clubface!!  Note that power fade does not mean swing hard, swing smooth and the contact and ball flight will be great.

Regards,

NG

Today on the practice putting green, played the putting game.  Dropped one ball from various locations around a couple holes, from distances of 5 to 15 feet.  Two strokes equal par (0), 3 strokes equal bogey (+1), and 1 stroke to sink the putt equals birdie (-1).

After 18 holes, was -1!  This is especially nice since I bogeyed one hole, meaning I had two (2) birdies!  There was also a couple that stopped right on the lip.

I really felt “in the zone” for my putting today, plan to take it to the course next…

Regards,

NG

Just a  note that today achieved a new personal best in this drill.  Hit 27 in a row, from a distance of 4 feet, into a straight but slightly uphill line. This is the first time I’ve exceeded the target!  Will need to go for 50 in a row next…

Regards,

NG

In a previous post, I talked about my method for chipping from deep rough. 

I’ve been using this on the practice green, and it was working 98% of the time, but there would still be the occasional bladed chip.

I’ve come to realize that even though I have the face well open, my hands still need to lead the ball into impact, i.e. have to hit down on the ball. So now I open the face, and forward press my hands a bit before the shot.  This helps with the mental image of having the hands lead into impact. 

So far this has worked well to eliminate the bladed shots.

(Having the clubhead pass the hands would be a different shot (flop shot), which I find much more risky, and for me needs the ball sitting up on fluffy lie to hit well.)

Best Regards,

NG

In a previous post, I mentioned my experiments with the power fade.  I’ve since had two range sessions where I used the fade for my tee shots with the driver, and I couldn’t be happier.  I’ve eliminated the left side of the fairway.

Tee shots vary from bullet straight to fading 5 to 10 yds, with range ball distance at the 200 yd marker.  Occasionally I forget to rotate my hips through and I get more of a push to the right.

I’ve also been experimenting with the power fade with my irons with great results.  Contact is very solid, and ball trajectory is very high with a 5 yd fade.  Hit some great 8, 7, and 6 irons.  Even felt good enough to try the 4 hybrid again, which was facing ejection from the bag.  Solid!

Will be using the power fade during my next round, both off the tee, and with irons: (a) from the rough (b) if I need to land it on the green with minimal roll.

Best Regards,

NG

Newbie golfer has been experimenting with hitting a power fade.  This shot starts out a bit left of center, and goes long with a gentle curve left to right, finishing a few yards right of the target.  This is a good controllable shot.  Not quite as long as a draw, but with the draw I’ll sometimes block it straight right or snap-hook it left.

This is how I hit it:

1) Ball relatively forward: middle of left instep.

2) Stand tall and close to the ball: arms hanging straight down at address.

3) Aim to left side of fairway.

4) Swing to a full-release, high finish.

Let us know if you prefer a fade to a draw…

Regards,

NG

In a previous post, I discussed chipping from the rough.  This shot comes up for me a lot, since I’m a high handicapper I often miss my approach shot, and end up in the rough around the green.

In my last round, I just missed the green long on a par 3, and was in deep (> 2 inch rough) about 3 yards from the flag.  My playing partner was in almost the exact location, and chipped in for birdie.  Meanwhile, I flubbed the first chip shot and ended up on the fringe.  The next chip ran past the hole six feet.  Fortunately my putting was dead-on during this round, and I sank it for bogey.  But it could easily have been double bogey, despite a decent tee shot. 

So I’ve dedicated myself to being able to chip it close from any lie.  From the fairway or fringe, I’m deadly, chipping in often during practice or playing.  But my control from the deep rough has been poor.  I’ve been working on a reliable shot from deep rough, here’s what’s working for me:

1) Align feet and clubhead square to the target line

2) Ball in middle of my stance

3) Rotate the clubface open (i.e. weakening my grip).  Amount of rotation depends on depth of grass and amount of vertical “pop” needed. 

4) Now rotate open my body and clubface (together) until the clubhead is square to target line again.

5) Make some practice swings from similar lie, making sure I have enough momentum on the swing to get through the grass.  Ideal is equal length back and through swings.

6) Keep hands ahead of clubhead during through impact.

7) Don’t release hands after impact.

Setup to the ball and swing.

Let me know what works for you to get the ball out of deep rough.

Regards,

NG

Lately I’ve been very inconsistent with irons and driver.  Sometimes will be hitting these perfectly on the range (including nice long 5 irons) but start hitting fat or thin on the course.  Even topped my driver on the course recently (haven’t done that in about a year!).

Part of the issue may be that I’m starting to appreciate the mechanics of the swing, and forget to just swing to the target.  If I’m thinking about how to swing during the swing, I start to manipulate body parts and the resulting tension ruins any chance of solid contact.

So started up my target focus again on the range today, while “playing” a simulated round (e.g. driver, 6 iron, wedge, etc.).  I see the target in my mind’s eye while I’m looking at the ball and swinging.  Since my conscious mind is occupied, I let my subconscious control the swing.  I end up making a free-flowing swing with a full finish, carrying my six iron 150 yards high and straight.

It may sound scary to not think about the swing, but it’s very effective…

Regards,

NG

My second shot of every round is almost always a thin ground ball.  This is true for real rounds as well as simulated rounds on the driving range.  I think this happens because my first shot is a tee shot with driver, where I’m hitting up on the ball.  Then my second shot is an iron shot, and I forget to hit down on the ball.

I’ve been hitting really solid knock-down 3/4 shots, and realized today that I should just use this as my second shot, every time: give my body time to get used to hitting down, before attempting full swings.  It’s so obvious in retrospect! Will try this during my next round or sim round.

Best regards,

NG