2024 Golf: Not even God can hit a 1-iron

[Steel Shank 9421]

It's just that easy!

[Incredulity 11653]

1 hour ago, Steel Shank said:

It's just that easy!

EVERY.

SINGLE.

GOLF.

VIDEO.

[Gen. Applewhite 226]

I have only been to the range once in the last 6 months, and have had zero short game sessions. But in eight rounds in 2024 my driver has been absolutely dialed (80% in the short grass and less than one actual "miss" per round) and I have been at least average for me around the greens. Index has dropped almost two points and I am knocking on the door of scratch. Now that my boys' little league is over and I might actually have time to start practicing again, I am questioning whether I should.

[Lurch 5922]

I hate you.

[Steel Shank 9421]

The only scratching I'm doing is on deez nuts.

[TonyTexas 10507]

@Steel Shank When you get older and your ball speed slows,  will you change your screen name to Graphite Shank?

Edited June 2 by TonyTexas

[Steel Shank 9421]

I’m already there with the graphite shafts!

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

I'm about to infomercial you guys but these two items below are really working for me right now.  Golf Forever swing trainer program and classes plus this gimmicky 56-degree wedge which has taken all chunks and bladed wedge shots out of my game for the last couple of weeks. Shot an 86 on my home course but it was way tougher than usual because I am on a lake in Dallas and the course was so flooded many of the fairways are now part of the lake.  Also doubled the last two holes with some shitty putting on my part or could have scored better.

 

Swing Trainer – GOLFFOREVER

ONE Wedge - Performance Golf

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Played Banff Springs course today.  Shot a 88 so not horrible.  Scenery is amazing.  Plus the wildlife on the course like elk and coyote/wolf (not sure what it was).

 

[MrX 727]

Looks like a big ass coyote to me. Nice pics!

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

11 hours ago, MrX said:

Looks like a big ass coyote to me. Nice pics!

I was told the first pic is a wolf and the second is a coyote based on the snout of the first one being wider and the ears curved and not pointed but no idea if that is true.

[4th and 5 4914]

We had a boys trip to Denver, played Bear Dance, Arrowhead and Fox Hollow (Meadows). All really solid courses. 

[4th and 5 4914]

the Diamond Cabaret was pretty solid too

[MrX 727]

16 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

We had a boys trip to Denver, played Bear Dance, Arrowhead and Fox Hollow (Meadows). All really solid courses. 

Love Bear Dance. My favorite course on the Front Range. 

[hacker 184]

Some pics from Scottsdale trip

All courses were fantastic shape.  If I ranked them in order:

Grayhawk Raptor

TPC Scottdale

WeKoPa Cholla

 

 

TPC Stadium course  kinda meh

Spoiler

 

Grayhawk Raptor 

Spoiler

 

WeKoPa Cholla  

Spoiler

 

 

 

Bonus round at the short course at Mountain Shadows

Spoiler

 

 

Edited June 12 by hacker

[Lurch 5922]

I’ve always been a feel putter for distance, but have been toying around with prescribed backstroke distances instead and I have to admit it works pretty damn well.

Anyone using this as their standard putting approach?

[Gen. Applewhite 226]

4 hours ago, Lurch said:

I’ve always been a feel putter for distance, but have been toying around with prescribed backstroke distances instead and I have to admit it works pretty damn well.

Anyone using this as their standard putting approach?

Seems to work well for Bryson. That creep can roll.

[DDD Dad 14325]

On 6/12/2024 at 5:11 PM, Gen. Applewhite said:

Seems to work well for Bryson. That creep can roll.

On Shabbos?

[dieucla98 2942]

Finally back in the 70s. Feels like it's been near a year ... Shot a 77 with 6 bogeys and the rest pars. Some good par saving putts and some really bad short misses for bogey. Ball striking was superb 90% of the time and that was the difference. Now let's see how flukish or real that round was....

[Lurch 5922]

I’m down to 8.2. PB is 8.1 11 years ago

Went ahead and shot a smooooooth 39/48 today to ensure I don’t get there tomorrow morning, I guess

[MrX 727]

Broke 90 out in Delaware in my first full 18 of the year. I was hungover as fuck but having to get my focus in line might have helped?  Anyway I’ll keep drinking the night before

[crash_davis 23101]

I'll be spending July in Golden, CO area. Any course recommendations within 1.5 hours drive of Golden?

[MrX 727]

3 hours ago, crash_davis said:

I'll be spending July in Golden, CO area. Any course recommendations within 1.5 hours drive of Golden?

Fossil Trace is in Golden. I love it, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Denver Metro public courses (no particular order):  CommonGround, Fox Hollow, Riverdale (Dunes course), Red Hawk Ridge, City Park, Bear Dance (south of town; worth the drive - my favorite course on the Front Range), Green Valley Ranch (lots of people like it, not my favorite), South Suburban, Lone Tree. 
 

Mountain courses more or less within your 1.5 hour drive limit and if you want to drop the coin:  Breckenridge, Pole Creek, both Keystone courses, Raven at Three Peaks. 
 

 

[MrX 727]

Forgot to mention The Ridge at Castle Pines. Also I have not yet played TPC Colorado in Berthoud. 

[dieucla98 2942]

Brek is a fun course - 3, 9 hole layouts that they rotate mornings and afternoons. Their staff is also.... High quality.

[heso 2786]

Had my longest hole out of my career yesterday. 77 yards. Beat my previous best by probably close to 70 yards. Stuck three 8 irons and a 7 iron inside 4 feet. Golf is a hell of a lot more fun when your scoring clubs are dialed. 
 

Ive managed to drop my handicap from 19.7 to 15.1 in the last year. The 19.7 last June was the highest my handicap had been in a long time. I’m on target to go from 19.7 to single digits in 3 years. Goal for next June is 12, 9 by June 26. 

[4th and 5 4914]

20 hours ago, crash_davis said:

I'll be spending July in Golden, CO area. Any course recommendations within 1.5 hours drive of Golden?

We just played Arrowhead, Fox Hollow, and Bear Dance last week, solid courses.

[Atxracer 797]

F this game.  So, I have always heard of “the yips” for putting.  I thought it was just something you had on a hole or 2.  I have had them the past two weeks and am petrified of putting.  I’m an 11 that normally putts and chips like a 5 but drives like a 20 and now I can’t putt.  Really fun part is, I am actually driving the ball well now.  At the moment, I can actually put left handed with the back of the putter way better than I can right handed. 

[dieucla98 2942]

Aim or pace or both?

Lay down some sticks on a practice green and check your alignment if it's aim. If it's pace, I like to keep moving - wiggle the arms, shake the legs, whatever - and move fairly quick. That forces me to be more athletic and think less but feel more and usually my pace is decent as a result.

[crash_davis 23101]

17 hours ago, Atxracer said:

F this game.  So, I have always heard of “the yips” for putting.  I thought it was just something you had on a hole or 2.  I have had them the past two weeks and am petrified of putting.  I’m an 11 that normally putts and chips like a 5 but drives like a 20 and now I can’t putt.  Really fun part is, I am actually driving the ball well now.  At the moment, I can actually put left handed with the back of the putter way better than I can right handed. 

This odd drill, putting approach has helped me. Practice rolling balls on the green towards the hole. Stand just like you would if you were putting but instead roll balls towards the hole. When you do that you are going by feel and instinct rather than thinking about the stroke, form, hand position, follow through and all that other bullshit. Now do the same thing, but hitting the ball with a putter. That's my putting thought. Roll the ball towards the hole. It's helped with line and pace.

My problem putting and golf swing is I sometimes get too focused on the the mechanics and forget to just hit the damn ball. 

[Atxracer 797]

On 6/20/2024 at 5:56 PM, dieucla98 said:

Aim or pace or both?

Lay down some sticks on a practice green and check your alignment if it's aim. If it's pace, I like to keep moving - wiggle the arms, shake the legs, whatever - and move fairly quick. That forces me to be more athletic and think less but feel more and usually my pace is decent as a result.

It’s both.  I just go full retard when I try to hit a putt.  Some pulled.  Some pushed. Some way too short.  Some way too long.  If I’m within 20 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed three putt.  If I’m 2ft to 5 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed 2 putt. It’s like a phobia now.  This, and chipping, used to be my strength (as in like 2 weeks ago).  I’ll try both of these drills but seriously considering left handed.  I can putt just fine that way.  So weird.  

[DDD Dad 14325]

11 minutes ago, Atxracer said:

It’s both.  I just go full retard when I try to hit a putt.  Some pulled.  Some pushed. Some way too short.  Some way too long.  If I’m within 20 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed three putt.  If I’m 2ft to 5 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed 2 putt. It’s like a phobia now.  This, and chipping, used to be my strength (as in like 2 weeks ago).  I’ll try both of these drills but seriously considering left handed.  I can putt just fine that way.  So weird.  

You might consider getting a putting lesson/fitting with a knowledgeable teacher. In addition to helping you cure any stroke mechanic faults  he or she can help you determine if the style of putter you are using is conducive to the type of stroke you use. 
 

By way of example my putting is old school swinging gate. I need a putter with lots of toe hang. If you are a straight back and through putter, you need a balanced face or your short putts will be very inconsistent since you’re fighting the weight of the putter head through the stroke. 

Edited June 22 by DDD Dad

[HouTex 1866]

6 hours ago, Atxracer said:

It’s both.  I just go full retard when I try to hit a putt.  Some pulled.  Some pushed. Some way too short.  Some way too long.  If I’m within 20 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed three putt.  If I’m 2ft to 5 ft, it’s almost a guaranteed 2 putt. It’s like a phobia now.  This, and chipping, used to be my strength (as in like 2 weeks ago).  I’ll try both of these drills but seriously considering left handed.  I can putt just fine that way.  So weird.  

I had putting yips a few years ago and I went to a right hand claw grip.  Game changer for me.  I misread my share of putts and distance control is sometimes a problem, but I usually get it started on the intended line.  

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Just played the Fairmont Course in Whistler the other day.  Very pretty course and spectacular views.  Plus bears wandering around the fairways and tee boxes added to the excitement!

[AUinHsv 579]

Bears just got added to my personal rules about alligators. Don't care what the rulebook says. I am dropping about the same distance without penalty but on

other side of fairway.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

4 hours ago, AUinHsv said:

Bears just got added to my personal rules about alligators. Don't care what the rulebook says. I am dropping about the same distance without penalty but on

other side of fairway.

One of those bears growled really loud when my son was hitting a shot from the fairway and he shanked it.  We let him have a do over as we figured that should be allowed.  

[tx 3 putt 76870]

 

[Gen. Applewhite 226]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:14 AM, Atxracer said:

I just go full retard when I try to hit a putt.  [...]  So weird.  

Reminds me of getting the shanks back in 2020. It is a truly wild and uncomfortable feeling to be standing over a ball with the shanks and not being able to feel the difference between a swing that will flush it vs one that will endanger other people around you.

I felt like my putting went to shit a couple years ago. It was not on the level of what I'd call the yips, just that my total putts and three putts per round spiked to the point where I was dreading the thought of anything outside of 25 feet. I realized my issue was poor lag putting leaving myself too many 5+ footers instead of 2-3 footers, and statistically, this is a flaw that will wreak silent havoc on your scores over the long haul. Since then I have made the following three adjustments (one equipment, one practice, and one swing thought) and have noticed dramatic improvement:

1) I switched to a lighter putter with a smaller grip. I had been using a heavy tank of a putter with an equally heavy jumbo grip. It practically swung itself and I "felt" super confident that I could get my ball started on line which gave me a chance on every putt inside 10 feet. However, this cost me dearly in speed control, which is critical on any putt that starts outside the hole, no matter how long it is. Everything else about the putter (shape, offset/neck, alignment marking) stayed the same. I didn't go crazy getting all wristy with a pop stroke, but I just wanted the distance to be more about the feel of hitting the ball instead of a mechanical thought about how far back I should take the putter or whatever.

2) My putting practice and putting warmup before a round is almost entirely focused on putts inside 5 feet. In practice sessions I will do the circle or compass drill at 3-5 feet almost exclusively. Before a round I will stroke a couple random long putts uphill and downhill to gauge the speed and rollout of the greens, but aside from that I am hitting nothing but 2, 3, 4 and 5 footers. I probably look like a psycho practicing nothing but short putts before a round, but it's a great way to build confidence over a shot you're going to have on pretty much every hole, and confidence extends to the 6-8 foot range, as well. Missing short ones on the course, whether it's for birdie, par, or bogey, will fuck with your head and ruin your round. Getting good enough at these to be truly confident in making them is a game changer. Furthermore, having confidence that I am going to put a good stroke on the ball frees me up to focus my brain on the speed and break of a putt. I didn't develop this confidence because I never miss these putts. I certainly do. Rather, the confidence comes from having made a ton of them in practice.

3) The only think I think about when making a stroke is keeping my eyes focused intently on a single small point like a dot or dimple on my ball. I usually mark my ball with a dot and place it so the dot is facing up towards the rear of the ball, near where my putter will make contact with it but visible from above, or if I haven't marked my ball I will pick a specific dimple or a part of the logo in that area and basically just try to stare a hole through it while putting. I have tried looking at the front edge of the hole on short straight putts, and that works as well. I have even tried closing my eyes just before pulling the trigger. Each of those methods is significantly better than just looking at the ball generally because if I do not focus on a single point my eyes will wander, I will invariably watch my putter on the backswing and instantly I am thinking about whether or not I took it back inside, outside, square, closed, whatever, and it is at that point that I am truly fucked. This has worked so well that I have started doing it on full swings. With my driver I like to pick a dimple towards the rear and inside of the ball to promote a good inside-out slightly upwards path. On irons I stare at a spot at the very front of the ball to promote a downward strike. Looking at the front or back of the ball may be bullshit, but what's key for me is that I am fixed on a specific spot. This keeps my eyes from wandering and I think the level of effort it takes to maintain this simple focus helps keep my mind from wandering to some random other swing thought that is likely to flutter into my head at the top of my backswing.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend (1) or (3) above to everyone, but I will go to bat for the universal benefit of (2). I think the real value in these and other potential fixes lies in trying to simplify the mental and physical component of the game. If not focusing on a dimple or getting more feel/less robotic in your stroke, find some other small thing like a preshot routine or a particular set up/grip feel that you can just drill in practice and crush on the course, because thinking about the yips isn't going to help at all.

[Lurch 5922]

I also do nothing but 5-6’ putts pre-round, ideally perfectly straight and a bit uphill. I may do a few straight downhillers if the speed is unusually fast, but that’s rare.


Best tip I have is to make sure you’re swinging by rocking your shoulders ONLY, allowing your arms and hands to remain passive. Once you’re doing that equal length back and through, you’ve taken most of the swing variables out of play, so emphasis can be on speed and read.

[Lurch 5922]

Also, confirm your putting stroke is actually smooth. Should start back slowly, not jerky, and transition to through-swing similarly, having nearly paused at end of backswing. Yippy putters tend to be very jerky in my experience

[dieucla98 2942]

4 minutes ago, Lurch said:

Also, confirm your putting stroke is actually smooth. Should start back slowly, not jerky, and transition to through-swing similarly, having nearly paused at end of backswing. Yippy putters tend to be very jerky in my experience

Potters Putting on IG is a good follow and he likes a drill that is essentially this but with a deliberate pause - backswing slowly, feel the path, pause, count to 2, focus on returning the putter on the same path with the same pace (pace won't be the same, it will be faster as that's just tendency, but forcing yourself to think "slow down" helps keep the putter on path and you'll be surprised how often the ball still gets to the hole). 

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

I used to be a horrific putter, like I have rolled over 50 putts in a round and that all changed when I got the LAB putter below a few years ago.  It’s expensive but worth every penny to me.

 

https://labgolf.com/products/mezz-1-max-custom

[dieucla98 2942]

9 hours ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

I used to be a horrific putter, like I have rolled over 50 putts in a round and that all changed when I got the LAB putter below a few years ago.  It’s expensive but worth every penny to me.

 

https://labgolf.com/products/mezz-1-max-custom

If you like to swing on an arc, that putter is not for you. It's 100% for players that like to putt straight back and thru.

[crash_davis 23101]

11 hours ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

I used to be a horrific putter, like I have rolled over 50 putts in a round and that all changed when I got the LAB putter below a few years ago.  It’s expensive but worth every penny to me.

 

https://labgolf.com/products/mezz-1-max-custom

Crash Davis/Me: If you believe you're playing well because you're getting laid, or because you're not getting laid, or because you wear women's underwear, then you ARE! And you should know that!

J/k, sorta.

 

I got paired with a guy who had a Lab putter. He loved it inside 6 feet. He hated it outside 20 feet. He said he has a problem with distance control on long putts. We traded putters after the 8th hole. I use a TM Spider. I don't know if my opinions of the Lab were biased from his comments, but I found the exact results that he said. I felt more confidence inside 10 feet but I couldn't lag on long putts for shit. At the end of the, he was willing to trade me straight up for my Spider. I declined. He said he was going to go to Golf Galaxy to trade his Lab for a Spider.

Just like most everything in golf, it's all between the ears. It's the indian, not the arrow, mostly.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

2 hours ago, crash_davis said:

Crash Davis/Me: If you believe you're playing well because you're getting laid, or because you're not getting laid, or because you wear women's underwear, then you ARE! And you should know that!

J/k, sorta.

 

I got paired with a guy who had a Lab putter. He loved it inside 6 feet. He hated it outside 20 feet. He said he has a problem with distance control on long putts. We traded putters after the 8th hole. I use a TM Spider. I don't know if my opinions of the Lab were biased from his comments, but I found the exact results that he said. I felt more confidence inside 10 feet but I couldn't lag on long putts for shit. At the end of the, he was willing to trade me straight up for my Spider. I declined. He said he was going to go to Golf Galaxy to trade his Lab for a Spider.

Just like most everything in golf, it's all between the ears. It's the indian, not the arrow, mostly.

I still think it’s the arrow for me.  I switched from a spider to the LAB.  I don’t have issues with lagging the ball but the LAB keeps you on the line you intended which I struggled with when I used the spider.  Just take it straight back and straight forward and the ball rolls where you aimed it.  I still misread greens but that is on me.

[crash_davis 23101]

On 6/19/2024 at 9:50 PM, MrX said:

Fossil Trace is in Golden. I love it, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Denver Metro public courses (no particular order):  CommonGround, Fox Hollow, Riverdale (Dunes course), Red Hawk Ridge, City Park, Bear Dance (south of town; worth the drive - my favorite course on the Front Range), Green Valley Ranch (lots of people like it, not my favorite), South Suburban, Lone Tree. 
 

Mountain courses more or less within your 1.5 hour drive limit and if you want to drop the coin:  Breckenridge, Pole Creek, both Keystone courses, Raven at Three Peaks. 
 

 

Fossil Trace is a great track. For some reason, the greens were extraordinarily fast, even the locals I was playing with were complaining. It was my first round this trip and I couldn't dial back the pace. I stopped counting at 5 3 putts. The signature 12th hole was fun, as were most of the holes. I'm playing again later this week.

Played West Woods Cottonwood and Silo courses. Fun city course but very short. Never touched the driver on Cottonwood 9. Only complaints are the vast majority of tee shots were 5 and 4 irons (200-220 yards) and the par 3 18th on Silo. Boo on par 3 18th holes.

I've been doing way more hiking than playing golf. Playing Flatirons in Boulder this afternoon. Trying to see when I can get down to south Denver to play Arrowhead and Bear Dance. Hard to play golf when the mountains are calling.

[MrX 727]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

Fossil Trace is a great track. For some reason, the greens were extraordinarily fast, even the locals I was playing with were complaining. It was my first round this trip and I couldn't dial back the pace. I stopped counting at 5 3 putts. The signature 12th hole was fun, as were most of the holes. I'm playing again later this week.

Played West Woods Cottonwood and Silo courses. Fun city course but very short. Never touched the driver on Cottonwood 9. Only complaints are the vast majority of tee shots were 5 and 4 irons (200-220 yards) and the par 3 18th on Silo. Boo on par 3 18th holes.

I've been doing way more hiking than playing golf. Playing Flatirons in Boulder this afternoon. Trying to see when I can get down to south Denver to play Arrowhead and Bear Dance. Hard to play golf when the mountains are calling.

It’s been hot as fuck here too so opting for the mountains makes sense. Weather straightening out now though!

If you only have a couple rounds left in the Denver area outside of your return to Fossil Trace, I’d choose Bear Dance and then one of CommonGround, Riverdale (Dunes), or Fox Hollow (Try to mix in the Meadows 9 - it’s a 27 hole course). 

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

Last few rounds, I really felt like I'd lost my driver.  I had been really focused on shortening my backswing and finishing through the ball.  I was hitting fairways pretty consistently with decent distance for me (250-270).  The last several rounds, I'd noticed probably 10-20 yds less distance on damn near every drive and my shot dispersion was all over the place.  Well, this time, it was probably the arrow and not the Indian.

Last Thursday evening, about mid-way through the round, I teed off.  Decent drive.  Nice little draw.  Good trajectory.  The ball went 180 yds.  I was perplexed.  Two holes later, pulled out the driver again.  The club head felt like it twisted when it made contact and the ball shot left.  Not a push or a slice.  Just shot dead left OB.  I hit the ground of the tee box in frustration (more than a tap but much less than a slam), and the shaft busted.  Head went bouncing up in the air.  We were all in disbelief.  Best I can figure, the shaft had some damage to it the last several rounds and finally broke.  Anyone have that happen before?

Now, the real question is which new driver (and maybe a 3W) do I put in the bag?  Got a fitting set up for early next week.  

[nolongerU2horn 761]

I'm in danger of catching the golf bug again. Played 8 times so far this year, which is the most I've played in a long time. I started playing a bit more in 2021 after many years of a layoff and even did a trip to Pinehurst then (highly recommend x10). Couple of weeks ago we went to Cabo and I played at Quivira--best maintained course I've ever played. Got lucky that we arrived in Cabo 2 days before they aerated the greens.

I bought new wedges, driver, and 3w & 3h in 2021 when I started playing more, but my irons are now almost 20 years old. (TaylorMade R7, which I got "fitted" for at a PGA Tour Superstore back then).

Now I'm finding myself about ready to book a 2 day full bag fitting session with Bobby Dean out at Barton Creek. Should be fun.

(Also, I suck. Currently an 18.7 but feel like I "should" be a 12 pretty easily if I just play and practice more.)

[HouTex 1866]

7 minutes ago, nolongerU2horn said:

I'm in danger of catching the golf bug again. Played 8 times so far this year, which is the most I've played in a long time. I started playing a bit more in 2021 after many years of a layoff and even did a trip to Pinehurst then (highly recommend x10). Couple of weeks ago we went to Cabo and I played at Quivira--best maintained course I've ever played. Got lucky that we arrived in Cabo 2 days before they aerated the greens.

I bought new wedges, driver, and 3w & 3h in 2021 when I started playing more, but my irons are now almost 20 years old. (TaylorMade R7, which I got "fitted" for at a PGA Tour Superstore back then).

Now I'm finding myself about ready to book a 2 day full bag fitting session with Bobby Dean out at Barton Creek. Should be fun.

(Also, I suck. Currently an 18.7 but feel like I "should" be a 12 pretty easily if I just play and practice more.)

I still love my R7’s. They are part of my second set I keep in Colorado.  My new TM 790’s are nice though.