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Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-9-2011 at 08:00 PM
Playing golf
I got a set of golf clubs about 5 years ago and have never played more than once or twice-per-year since then. Well, this year I'm making it a
priority to break out of that rhythm and actually put some effort into getting out more often and try to improve my game (which is, needless to say,
absolutely HORRIBLE). I'm tired of being the crappy one in the group. Which is all the more sad since most of the guys I play with
aren't too great either.
So, does anyone on here golf with some regularity? Any tips/tricks that you could pass on via message board? Any equipment that I should try out? I
just want to get where I can par at least one hole per round. Instead of hitting the stroke limit on nearly every hole per round.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
chretienbabacool
The Great One
Posts 3279
Registered 3-5-2003 Location Columbia, MO Member Is Offline
Mood: Go Cubs!
posted on 5-9-2011 at 11:46 PM
my only tip is to add "is stupid" to the title. hope that helps your game.
Matte
"Family Man"
Posts 4479
Registered 12-16-2008 Member Is Online
Mood: #HEEL
posted on 5-9-2011 at 11:49 PM
"I'm a professional. I know exactly what I'm doing." - Jeff Hardy
EricOMac
The Rowdy One
Posts 2060
Registered 2-9-2003 Location Near Chapel Hill Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-10-2011 at 04:20 AM
I've played golf regularly since I was 14. The only real advice I can offer is to keep playing. Know which clubs you are good with and which
ones you aren't good with. Go to the driving range and work on your drive. Likewise, when you are at the golf course, hit the putting greens for
about 20 minutes and work on your putts. If it's a slow day on the course and you don't have people behind you, practice an extra putt or
chip shot on each green.
Something that really helped me improve was the amount of golf I would play at a time. For the longest time, if I played 18 holes, I'd always
fall apart. If you are just starting out, play 9 holes and that's it. Work on those 9 holes. When you get good at 9 holes, then you can try
18.
How bad are your scores? A co-worker of mine played for the first time last week with me and he shot a 140 the first time around. Second time we
played, he shot a 132. Sure, those scores are horrendous, but he's making improvements each time. Yesterday, I shot a 43 on nine holes, which
was the best I've shot in years.
I wouldn't recommend any special equipment. Not yet, at least. Stick with the clubs you have and, again, figure out what you are good with and
what you should never use.
VOTE!
"Whoa, whoa, timeout. Lemme get this straight, you know her, she knows you, but she wants to EAT him ... AND EVERYBODY'S OK WITH THIS??? DID I
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denverpunk
Showstopper
Posts 969
Registered 6-27-2007 Location Mile-Hi Member Is Offline
Mood: Stoked
posted on 5-10-2011 at 04:55 AM
Get lessons.
Seriously, there are about a million little things that you can do wrong with your swing that can send the ball into the wrong fairway (or nowhere at
all). You need someone who knows what they're doing to watch you and show you what to do. I've found the game nearly impossible to teach
myself.
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-10-2011 at 01:34 PM
Thanks for the feeback, fellas.
Eric - Last time I played, we set an 8-stroke limit on each hole and I think I hit that limit on every hole except one. So that gives you an idea. I
think that has been one of my biggest problems though, is just not getting out and playing/practicing enough. So it's like, everytime I play,
it's my first time all over again and anything I previously improved upon, I have to re-learn. That goes back to me really wanting to turn over
a new leaf this year and get out to the driving range at least once-per-week and work on my shots.
Denverpunk - As soon as I have the spare funds, I would love to take some lessons. I think that's another one of my issues is that I'm
just completely winging it out there. Sure, people I play with try to help and give me tips but that always just seems to make things worse.
Oh, and I'm playing with my future father-in-law in Hilton Head, SC this weekend on a course where 10 of the 18 holes feature water. Needless
to say, I'm stocking up on balls beforehand.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
Thom
The Great One
Posts 3660
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Mood: Awesome
posted on 5-10-2011 at 01:34 PM
Eric and dp both give very good recommendations. I'll add one bit to Eric's: while at the driving range, work on things other than
driving, too. I used to be able to (and now my nephew can) drive the hell out of the ball. And my putting wasn't bad - but my short- and mid-
games sucked donkey balls. IMO, the hardest part of golf is hitting a ball that's not teed up nice and neat for you. So, at the range, get
used to hitting balls off the ground - maybe even try to make a somewhat crappy lie and get used to hitting out of those.
Also, don't try to be a hero. If you get into trouble (say, in a group of trees) - just chip it back out into the fairway and go from there.
Sure, it may seem like you wasted a shot, but you'll have a better chance of staying out of trouble.
The other part of not being a hero is not trying to hit the ball hard. My wife went golfing with me once - she nearly beat me. Why? Because
while only would hit the ball 100-120 yards each time - every shot was almost perfectly straight. So, while I dealt with trees and crap, she just
walked down and hit the ball into the fairway each time. I think the only two reasons I beat her was because my putting was better and I had enough
good drives so that I had some good holes.
"I'm actually not wearing pants, and that's how I watch NXT every single week." - CM Punk
http://www.myspace.com/bassmantar
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-10-2011 at 01:40 PM
Damn Thom, we were synchronized on that one.
More good tips though. And I meant to mention that, some of my best drives come when I'm not even using my driver and just bring out my 3-wood
and don't try to crush it.
That is one of my main issues though - my driving fucking SUCKS. I get no distance. I don't know what my issue is (I don't think I get
my legs into it enough) but that's one of the main parts I need to work on.
To tell you the truth, if there is any part of my game that is the least sucky, it's my irons. Don't get me wrong, I suck at those too,
but every now and then I'll pull a shot out of my ass that ends up in good position on the green.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
theflammablemanimal
The Man
Posts 5000
Registered 9-2-2008 Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-10-2011 at 02:56 PM
quote:Originally posted by chretienbabacool
my only tip is to add "is stupid" to the title. hope that helps your game.
No, no, playing golf is fun and relaxing.*
Watching golf is stupid and boring.
Playing video game golf is practically brained.
*But I don't play that much golf since I'm short on time and prefer to focus on real sports.
The first undisputed OO draft champion of the world
Get the pistons pumping and let the pigeons loose on my yambag
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-10-2011 at 06:06 PM
See, I've got a great personality for golf. I'm normally very laid-back, don't let things get to me...which is how you've got
to be to enjoy this game. I don't get these guys that try to play and just get so pissed off and are cussing up a storm and are just miserable.
Why the hell are you out there then??
However, on the flipside, my mellowness works against me because I don't get super-competitive to where I just NEED to improve my game and
become a scratch golfer or I'll break one of my clubs over my knee.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
doctorb
Posts 1265
Registered 6-27-2007 Location Where everyone is rich but me Member Is Offline
Mood: need coffee
posted on 5-10-2011 at 07:54 PM
If you have a wife or friend or really hot sister that's kind of brave, have them hold a golf club on your spine under your shirt. They need to
duck and try to hold it still while your taking a real swing so most people get a little freaked out about maybe taking a club to the temple but if
you try to rotate around the club without it moving that will help. Your spine should stay in place in space and you rotate around it. It will stop
you from picking your head up, too, which is one of the biggest problems.
One tip that helped me was to get to the range but start with the wedge and actually aim at a target. Work your way up from there. Open faced club
sand wedge, 7 or 8 iron, 5 or 6, 3 iron, 3 wood (I actually don't have any fairway woods, just a driver, a tight lies iron wood, and a 2 iron)
then the last balls should be your driver. By then you're all warmed up and swinging and hitting targets. I used to be the guy who said "I was
crushing it on the range and now I can't do shit!" but in truth it was the same shot. On the wide open range a 50 foot left to right slice
didn't seem like a big deal but when I was behind the trees it all of a sudden was bad shot.
Another tip is to "weaken" your grip. Your thumbs should overlap and the V's between your thumbs and first fingers should line up, not your
thumbs.
Man, you got me jonesing now. I used to play 50 times a year because I worked at a course so it was free and I had all kinds of time. Now I have kids
and no money. I've played 10 times in the last 7 years. Still broke 90 every time, but I sure miss it.
The "B" is for Bargain!
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-10-2011 at 08:20 PM
quote:Originally posted by doctorb
I used to be the guy who said "I was crushing it on the range and now I can't do shit!" but in truth it was the same shot. On the wide open
range a 50 foot left to right slice didn't seem like a big deal but when I was behind the trees it all of a sudden was bad shot.
THIS.
Although I think I really do hit better on the range just because I'm more relaxed. If I'm sitting there with 40 balls to hit, I just
don't think about it. But if I'm staring at that ONE BALL on the tee, with my fellow golfers staring at me, waiting for me to whiff
it..fuck, I can't stand it! And I have discovered that I sometimes hit better without doing a practice swing, just because it keeps me from
thinking too much about it.
Still, great tips all-around doctorb. I will try adding those to my game ASAP. And I'll get someone I don't like to hold the club to my
back in case I do connect with a straight shot to their melon.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
Sweet Lou
Fella
Posts 492
Registered 8-25-2006 Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-11-2011 at 01:19 AM
Let the groups behind you play through.
Bonestein
The Rowdy One
Posts 2647
Registered 7-24-2002 Member Is Offline
Mood: partypartyparty
posted on 5-11-2011 at 01:59 AM
Good advice in this thread. I haven't gotten to play much the last 6 or 7 years, but the best advice is to go as much as possible, and if
you're short on time and/or cash, hit the range. One thing you can do is buy Ben Hogan's "Power Golf" book. It will give you something
that you can think about every time you hit the range. Available on Amazon for like $10, and it's really straightforward and easy to read and
incorporate. I bought it about 10 years ago and need to get back to it, because the first time through it I lowered my average from 92ish to 86ish in
a summer. Now I'm back around a 95 average, blah.
That's racism man! I love to racism bro!
atothej
Posts 2967
Registered 12-21-2002 Location Philly Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood.
posted on 5-11-2011 at 01:10 PM
I don't play, but I can recommend Carl Hiaasen's The Downhill
Lie. Hiaasen is a columnist for the Miami Herald and hilarious novelist who wrote a brief memoir about his return to golf after a decades-long
absence. It's a funny and short read that really lays to waste the industry around improving your golf game and gives a good perspective on how
to actually enjoy yourself (spoiler: it involves not caring too much).
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 5-11-2011 at 04:17 PM
Yeah, my future brother-in-law (actually he's married to my fiancee's sister so I guess that would make him my future
brother-in-law-in-law?) anyway, he has a real short fuse and gets frustrated very easily. I've played with him a few times and it's like
a dark cloud is hanging over his head the whole time. And here's the kicker - My fiancee said he went out to play with some co-workers a few
weeks ago and he got so pissed that he ended up leaving in the middle of the round! He just walked off the course! Just because he didn't want
to ruin everyone else's time by throwing a temper tantrum. People like that just need to throw in the towel.
I always just try to think of the positives - Nice weather, cold beer...just chill out, man. Even if you're shooting 140+.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
theflammablemanimal
The Man
Posts 5000
Registered 9-2-2008 Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-11-2011 at 09:04 PM
Hiassen is great but I never remember how to spell his name. If you like him, I think you'll really love Tim Dorsey, whose books are like a much
darker, crazier version of Hiassen.
The first undisputed OO draft champion of the world
Get the pistons pumping and let the pigeons loose on my yambag
doctorb
Posts 1265
Registered 6-27-2007 Location Where everyone is rich but me Member Is Offline
Mood: need coffee
posted on 5-12-2011 at 08:52 PM
I was playing really badly after taking 2 full years off. I was so pissed. On the tee of a par 3 over water I hit 4 in a row in the pond. I tossed my
4 iron in and told my caddy I was going to just drown myself in the water. He said he was pretty sure I couldn't keep my head down long
enough...
[Edited on 5-12-2011 by doctorb]
The "B" is for Bargain!
atothej
Posts 2967
Registered 12-21-2002 Location Philly Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood.
posted on 5-12-2011 at 09:41 PM
quote:Originally posted by theflammablemanimal
Hiassen is great but I never remember how to spell his name. If you like him, I think you'll really love Tim Dorsey, whose books are like a much
darker, crazier version of Hiassen.
I've read some Dorsey and I enjoyed his stuff, although I consider him very derivative of Hiaasen. I do, however, recommend his books to people
more familiar with the Tampa area since Hiaasen tends to set most of his books in south Florida.
Your momma's so fat, Dave Meltzer gave her struggling to put her jeans on in the morning five stars. -- FF, destroying Jeb, his momma, and
Meltzer in one fell swoop.
theflammablemanimal
The Man
Posts 5000
Registered 9-2-2008 Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-12-2011 at 11:19 PM
Definitely derivative but he manages to put his own flavor on it. Really enjoyable stuff and Orange Crush has a nice wrestling subplot (although its
not the best introduction to the characters).
The first undisputed OO draft champion of the world
Get the pistons pumping and let the pigeons loose on my yambag
Paddlefoot
Posts 1977
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Circus Of Gay Member Is Offline
Mood: F'd N Da A
posted on 5-14-2011 at 09:06 PM
1) Get lessons; most golf pros are about the most awesome and helpful people you'll ever meet.
2) Hit the driving range regularly, but don't over-do it. Get a large bucket and go through it with all your clubs, but try to restrict yourself
to hitting no more than 10 balls per club; that way you don't risk hitting poorly with he next club in your cycle if you have trouble with the
preceding one.
3) Leave the 3- and 4-irons at home. Long irons are usually a nightmare for most nOObs to learn to use right. Replace them with 5- or 7-woods, because
these ones give you a lot more loft plus distance. Also talk later to a golf pro about those hybrid clubs later on. Lots of recreational players have
used these to phase long irons and standard fairway woods out of their games altogether.
4) Play the first few rounds of your season using a 3-wood off the tee. They really are a lot easier to keep the ball straight and safe from the tee
than a driver is, especially on a course with lots of water, narrow fairways, heavy rough, or dangerous out-of-bounds areas. What's more
important, hitting a driver 280 yards into a miserable sand trap, or keeping it safely in the fairway with a 3-wood even if it only goes out for 240?
When you feel more comfortable with your drive try incorporating the driver back into your game, especially on safer and wider fairways or ones where
the rough isn't too difficult.
5) Always check the strength of your grip. You want to hold on to the club firmly but not to the point where it seems like your grip is so tight
it's crushing the club end. Loosen off a bit and this keeps your wrist action (LOL!) tons more flexible. Talk to your instructor about this, and
he'll be able to show you how a golf swing is not much different than hitting a baseball or slap-shotting a hockey puck. Learn to see how the
basic mechanics are all very similiar and it really does begin to make it easier.
6) Play like a woman. Seriously, most guys go out there with that fucking retarded "grip it and rip it!" Tiger Woods mentality and try to murder the
ball. Golf isn't about clubbering something to death, it's about accuracy and correct swing mechanics and not much else. Turn it into some
sort of testosterone-drenched dick-measuring contest and it'll become a no-fun nightmare for you. Female players (the good ones, not the hacks)
don't do this. Their concentration is on other far more important things, like keeping the ball straight and in the fairway, not on clubbing one
300-yards just so they can say later "hey, I hit one 300-yards" (and still leave the far more important "but I still managed to shoot a fucking 120
today" out of the sentence). Macho thinking is the bane of almost every recreational golfer out there. If you're mentally disciplined enough to
keep it out of your head you're more than halfway there to the place you want to get to.
7) Play as much as you can. My game took off (dropped from about a 110 to around 85 over about four years) when I joined a local club and was able to
play at least twice a week on average from May to the end of September. The local clubs are usually a lot of fun, both for the chance to play on a
regular basis plus the opportunity to get some friendly competition going. They have their share of mental-cases too, just like anything else in life,
but those dicks are easy to avoid and are so totally unimportant on all levels it isn't even funny.
8) Keep your expectations reasonable. It takes time to get even half-assed good at this game. Instead of thinking par all the time, think of being
one-over on every hole. You turn into a one-over player and all of a sudden, on most courses, you're not shooting any worse than a 90 on
average. It won't win you any trophys, but it sure feels a fuck of a lot better than 110 or 120. Think of it this way too: the vast majority of
non-club rec players never even break 100. If you turn into an 80/85/90 player over time you're light-years ahead of the pack. And you can still
say that you're getting better as time goes by. Look at this as a major personal victory and a reward for going out and playing a calm and
disciplined game.
Have fun dude! Wish I could join you!
GW Bush read Camus because "everyone has to read a book written by a killer whale" - General JC Christian
I downloaded the soundtrack to "Song of the South," and it's 45 minutes of whipcracks, women pleading "please, no," and people screaming.
- the esteemed Dr. Mobute
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir? - John Maynard Keynes
ThePunisher
The Great One
Posts 3101
Registered 4-19-2003 Location Asheville, NC Member Is Offline
Mood:
posted on 5-15-2011 at 09:46 PM
quote:Originally posted by gobbledygooker
Oh, and I'm playing with my future father-in-law in Hilton Head, SC this weekend....
Yeah, good luck with that (although, I'm getting to this thread late, so it's probably already happened). My father-in-law took me out
with my brothers-in-law before the wedding. Now, I am someone who doesn't really like golf and definitely does not play golf. It was
bad enough that after 3 holes he told me, "Just drive the cart."
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 6-13-2011 at 06:14 PM
Just saw that response but that really is a nightmare, Pun.
The closest I came to that was when a guy who works with one of my company's vendors invited me out a year or two ago. At a time when my game
was, somehow, even worse than it is now. It was me, the guy and one of his friends. They played golf about once-per-week, at least. I played about
once-per-year at the time. By the end of the 18 holes, I could practically hear his friend's mental daggers being shot at the guy who invited
me, screaming "Why did you invite this dude?! He sucks and is ruining our day!!"
Just to update, my game is actually slowly improving. It helps that I've been playing a crapload (for me, at least) and going to the driving
range when I can.
I've adjusted my iron shot so that I have a shorter backswing but, somehow, that has caused my iron shots to improve tenfold. I'm just
more comfortable with it.
And my driver still needs a lot of work but it's slowly getting better too.
I played with a group including my dad last weekend, who hadn't seen me play since November, and he said there was noticeable improvement in my
swings. So I'll take that as good news!
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
Bonestein
The Rowdy One
Posts 2647
Registered 7-24-2002 Member Is Offline
Mood: partypartyparty
posted on 7-10-2011 at 05:12 AM
Bump because I had my first lesson since I was a kid. All the pro did was turn my grip a little, and it made a world of difference. I had a natural
hard draw on my ball flight that I just couldn't control. Now my ball is flying like an arrow, including my driver. I managed to shoot my best
ever score this week, an 83, with 3 triple bogies in there. I shot a 94 the week before when I went out at 5:45 a.m. because my hands were stone in
the short game, so I hate golf so much, but I love golf so much.
That's racism man! I love to racism bro!
gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 6069
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline
Mood: Opus Eponymous
posted on 7-20-2011 at 05:34 PM
Nice Boney.
I have been playing like a frickin' mad man. A couple of weeks ago I played a Wednesday night after work (we got about 12 holes in before dark)
then the following Saturday and Sunday. I think that is the most golf I've ever played in a week-long stretch. That Sunday we had an 11:00 tee
time. In 97-degree heat. That was fucking BRUTAL.
Unfortunately, my game has been progressing but at a snail's pace. I really am getting to where I'm more comfortable with my swings and
to where it doesn't feel like it's the first time I've picked up a club everytime I play anymore. I'm still hitting 100+
though. Easily.
Anyone who lets their hair grow below their ears to where I can't see their ears means they don't wash. If they don't wash, they
stink, and if they stink, I don't want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
both give very good recommendations. I'll add one bit to Eric's: while at the driving range, work on things other than
driving, too. I used to be able to (and now my nephew can) drive the hell out of the ball. And my putting wasn't bad - but my short- and mid-
games sucked donkey balls. IMO, the hardest part of golf is hitting a ball that's not teed up nice and neat for you. So, at the range, get
used to hitting balls off the ground - maybe even try to make a somewhat crappy lie and get used to hitting out of those. 
