Tag: putting

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Golf Round Review

My Golf Drought Continues

By Shooting 90

July 31st Golf Round Review

The 52 I scored on July 24th was only my second round in the 50’s, matching a 52 I had recorded way back on May 29th. Both of these 52’s were on the par 37 back nine, the tougher nine when compared to the par 35 front nine. So this round’s 51 on the front nine felt very much like my worst round of the year.

You will go through times of bad golf so I’m taking all this in stride and hoping this is the bottom.

It’s hard to put up a decent score with three three putts, three penalty strokes, and three triple bogeys. I’ve said this before, but I feel that this is my worst golf, that this is the highest I can score. I can only score lower.

I pull hooked my driver off the 1st tee into the woods. Not the start I wanted. I hit a great punch shot out with my 4 iron which ended up in the fairway 150 yards from the center of the green. Too be honest I got a bit lucky as I missed a tree that was ten feet in front of me by 3-4 inches. The 7 iron for my third shot ended up just short of the green. I chipped it to a foot and a half with my gap wedge and sank the putt for a par. It felt great to get a par after my errant drive!

On the 2nd hole, worried that I was going to pull hook another driver, which is no good, I blocked it to the right. My ball ended up in some tall grass guarding the 7th green. I never found it and had to drop. I chose a 4 iron that got through the trees and into the fairway. I hit a pitching wedge up the hill from about 100 yards and unto the green. My first putt was way short and I took two more putts to get in for a triple bogey. A penalty shot and three putt on the same hole will always lead to a big score.

The 99 yard downhill par 3 3rd hole is the toughest little hole in golf. Or at least it is in my opinion. LOL. I hit a gap wedge long left of the green, pitched on and two putted for a bogey.

I used 7 wood off the 4th tee hoping to clear the first pond, something I’ve failed at twice this year with my 4 iron. I chunked my 7 wood and the ball ended up just past the 1st pond. For some reason they clear cut all the weeds around the pond so I was able to find my plugged ball in the semi-dry mud. I actually hit a good 7 iron out of the plugged lie but it bounced into the 2nd pond. I took a drop and bladed a gap wedge over the green for my 4th shot. I then chipped back over the green with my gap wedge, putted on and then one putted for another triple bogey. My second triple bogey in 3 holes. Too many poor shots!

It was deja vu on the 5th hole. I pull hooked another driver ending up on side of the hill. My ball was on the hard dirt and I hit a poor shot, blading another one into the woods left of the green for the second time in a row on this hole. Yet another drop. I pitched my 4th shot on the green and two putted for a double bogey.

I hit my 4 iron light off the toe on the 6th hole, but it ended up in the fairway just over 150 yards out. Uphill, I clubbed up to a 5 iron and hit it on the back of the green. I hit my first putt way past the hole, missed the putt coming back, and three putted for a bogey. It felt like I wasted my only green in regulation.

I slightly pulled my 5 iron on the 7th tee left of the green, pitched on and two putted for a bogey.

I absolutely crushed my driver on the 8th hole and had 90 yards left to the center of the green. I chunked a gap wedge short of the green and pitched on for my third stroke, and I pulled my first putt way left and missed my second putt. Another three putt for a double bogey.

For some reason I tried to swing faster with my driver on the 9th hole. I pulled hooked my drive in the woods. I dropped and hit a 4 iron to about 70 yards from the green and then chunked my gap wedge. Pitched on for my 5th stroke and two putted for a triple bogey.

I started off with a nice par on the first hole and then preceded to do nothing. I’m hitting errand shots in every part of my game from driving to putting. Finishing the last two hole five over par is disheartening. But again, I truly feel this is the absolutely worst I can golf. I’m going through a valley with my golf but it will turn around.

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Golf Round Review

A Scorecard With No Fours

By Shooting 90

July 24th 2018 Golf Round Review

I didn’t play well this round. From a lost ball on the first shot of the night on the 10th to an out of my mind four putt on the 12th, I never really felt comfortable. Everything seemed like a real grind.

It is so important to realize you are going to have these bad rounds at times and to really focus on one shot at a time and not on the scorecard.

My final score of 52 ties for my worst of the year, with my first 52 also coming on the back nine. If this is the worst score I’m going to post, I feel my game will be alright. Besides losing my drive on the 10th, I did hit my driver OK, hitting some off the toe, with gear effect producing a hook, but was still able to keep them in play.

I hit what I thought was a good drive off the 10th tee down the left side of the fairway. You need to be careful of too far left as it will take a wicked bounce into the woods. I saw this drive bounce forward so I though I was fine. It ended up getting too much roll and went into the woods. I had to take a drop. Penalty stroke on the first swing of the night. I recovered with a nice 4 iron layup to about 115 yards. I pulled my 4th shot left of the green. I pitched on and two putted for a double bogey.

I hit a great drive on the 11th hole. I left a gap wedge short of the green from 90 yards. I hit an awesome chip to a foot away and missed the par putt and had to settle for a bogey. A penalty stroke on the 10th hole and now a missed one foot putt.

I chunked my 3 wood off the 12th tee, blocking it into the woods to the right. Another penalty stroke. After I took my drop, I had several trees between me and the green with about 60 yards left to the hole. I had two options. Pitch it left back into the fairway or try a punch shot through a gap to the right of the trees to the right side of the green and hope I get a kick left off the bank. If I had a better start, I might of pitched back into the fairway. I ended up going for it and hit one my best shots of the year. I hit a punch shot with my 4 iron right through the gap, it rolled up, took a curve off the bank, ran right by the hole and stopped 10 feet away. I had a chance to save bogey but hit my putt way short, leaving about two and a half feet short. I made a huge mistake and let my frustration over putting get the best of me. I didn’t line up the next putt, no pre-shot routine or anything, and just walked up and hit it. I missed it and then missed the putt coming back. My frustration cost me a 4 putt and quadruple bogey.

Still, I was proud of myself as I just blew it off and recollected myself. Sometimes you are not going to have your A game, your going to hit bad shots, and shoot high scores. I finally concluded this was going to be one of those rounds. I should have came to that conclusion before getting overly frustrated, but better late than never. I just need to take one shot at a time.

I hit another fairway with my driver on 13. I had about 160 yards left up the hill. I blocked my 5 iron a bit right and it ended up in the tall grass to the right of the green. I hit a good shot with my gap wedge and hacked it out to within a foot of the green. I putted it close from off the green and tapped in for a bogey.

I hit my usual 6 iron off the 14th tee, taking an aggressive line over the pond and to within 100 yards of the center of the green. I hit my gap wedge a little fat, still finding the green but a good 30 feet from the hole. I hit a poor lag putt, misreading the break, leaving it over 10 feet left of the hole. I didn’t get the par putt to the hole and 3 putted for a bogey.

I hit my driver a bit off the toe and hooked another drive left of the trees on 15. That’s a popular spot for me. I tried to hit a 4 iron from 175 yards but had a very weird stance. My left foot was in a hole, a good six inches below my right. Not a shot I can ever remember practicing, and I proceeded to top it 35 yards up the fairway. I then pulled an 8 iron hard left, getting a good break with my ball dropping down, not going in the woods. Even with the break, my ball was sitting up in some tall grass right behind a tree. My only option was to hit it left to the left side of the green. I hit a great shot to within 15 feet of the hole. The putt was downhill and I ended up hitting the putt over 10 feet past the hole. I needed two putts from there and scored another double bogey.

I hit another driver off the toe, but this this one starting right and finding the middle of the fairway. I had 100 yards left, a perfect gap wedge for me. I chunked it and had to pitch it on in 3. I two putted for bogey.

I hit my driver on 17 left in the rough. I blocked my 4 iron to the right. It caught the cart path and traveled past the green. I bladed my gap wedge over the green and chipped my 8 iron back over. I putted on and sank the next putt for a double bogey. I need to continue to improve my short game.

I’ve played the 18th hole well the last two times I have played it. I hit another driver off the toe but found the left side of the fairway, I then hit a 3 wood into the left rough leaving about 100 yards. I hit what felt like a perfect gap wadge about a yard short of the green. I hit a nice 7 iron chip to within a few feet and made it for par.

A scorecard without any fours is a bad round. What high handicap and beginner golfers should realize is that they will have bad shots. Have enough of them and you’ll have a bad round. It’s part of the game and the sooner you can get over bad rounds the less frequent they will become and the better your bad rounds will get.

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Golf Round Review

Driver Striping

By Shooting 90

July 10th 2018 Round Review

In my last golf round review, No Penalty Strokes, I mentioned the importance of keeping the ball in play off the tee. I’ve had 18 straight penalty stroke free holes in a row, and putting the ball in play off the tee is the biggest contributor to that. It’s obvious, but no penalty strokes makes it so much easier to put together lower rounds, and I was able to post a 45 this round.

Last round I hit several nice drives, some in the fairway, some just off, but most in good shape. I built a lot on that this round and had the best round I can remember with my driver, hitting 67% of fairways. Every shot with my driver except one was a high, booming, baby draw, with every one of those except one finding the middle of the fairway.

I continued to strike my irons well for the most part, but my short game continues to be of area of needed improvement for me. I still do not have the ability to get up and down from green side. I’m not getting my chips and putts close enough to one putt, and when I do I’m missing short putts.

It was great to start the round off with a great drive right down the middle on the 10th hole. I had 279 yards left. I hit a 4 iron to layup to around 100 yards, which I did almost down to the yard. I hit my gap yard pin high but pulled it left a few yards off the green. I chipped on and two putted for a bogey.

I hit another nice driver off the 11th tee, missed the fairway left but still very playable out of the left rough. I had 80 yards left and hit a nice partial gap wedge on the green. I am not doing a great job with the speed of the greens and left my first putt way short. I missed the second putt and you guessed it, three putted another green in regulation for a bogey.

I hit my usual 3 wood off the par 3 12th tee. I hit a thin bullet, but it was straight and managed to get some air, and was only 10 or so yards short of the green. I pitched on and two putted for another bogey. Felt like I should be scoring better with my ball striking but satisfied with bogey golf.

Absolutely crushed a driver off the 13th tee which ended up right in the middle of the fairway. I made good contact with an 8 iron but pulled another shot, pin high but left of the green. It left a difficult pitch down the hill onto the green. I two putted for another bogey. 4 bogies in a row. Nice to be consistent if nothing else.

I hit a nice 6 iron off the tee on the 4th hole which found the fairway, but I didn’t cut the angle close enough, and left a shot with which I had to skirt the tree line. I hit a nice 8 iron which would have been near perfect, but it just clipped a tree. Luckily I found it, but it was in some tall stuff, and I just got it out. I then had a mental lapse and duffed my pitch. It took me 5 strokes to get on. I was happy to sink the 6 footer to save double bogey.

The 15th hole is the hole where I hit my driver off the toe, sending it left. I got lucky and the ball missed going in the corner woods. I had 190 yards left uphill, which is a little much for my 4 iron. Still, 4 iron was the correct play out of the rough, and I hit a great one that ended up just two yards short of the green. I hit a nice 7 iron chip to two feet from the hole but missed the par putt and had to settle for bogey! With the rest of my game in pretty good shape it really is highlighting how poor my putting is and how it is costing me strokes.

I crushed another driver off the 16th tee leaving me 88 yards from the middle of the fairway. I hit a great gap wedge that toyed with going in ending up 6 feet past the hole. I was tentative with my birdie putt and left it short, settling for a par.

I hit another beautiful driver on 17 which left me a 155 yard approach shot from the fairway. I hit one of my few only poor irons of the night, fatting a 6 iron. It is so important to remain focused after a bad shot. I thinned my next shot, a gap wedge over the green. I did make a great recovery shot, pitching it to 6 inches from the hole to save bogey.

I broke my 18th hole curse and hit a great drive down the middle of the fairway, leaving 228 yards left to the hole. I proceeded to hit a great three wood to within 10 yards of the green. I decided to chip with a 9 iron instead of a wedge, which was a great idea, I got more roll out than a wedge, just not enough, leaving about 12 feet for birdie. I hit one of my better putts of the night as my birdie putt broke just in front of the hole and tapped in for par.

It was great to have a strong finish. Almost unbelievable to me, in my previous seven league rounds this year, I failed to score better than a double bogey on the finishing hole. I need to focus my practice on short game and putting. If I do that I feel my game is trending in a great direction.

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Golf Round Review

No Penalty Strokes

By Shooting 90

June 26th 2018 Golf Round Review

You can play not your best golf and as long as you avoid penalty strokes, still record an OK score.

Hard for me to believe, but this 47 is my best score on the front nine this season. Only one par and too many poor shots, but still a lot of positives to take out of this round. I hit 43% of fairways and didn’t miss any left, which has been an issue for me early this year. When I missed the fairway to the right on four holes, all were still very much in play. Right is the correct miss on those holes, as going left is in the woods.

I’m driving the ball well as of late. You might have heard the saying “drive for show, putt for dough”, which has a lot of truth in it, but if you can’t put the ball in play off of the tee, you will continually struggle to score well.

I made decent contact on my drive on the 1st hole and hit it up the right side in the rough. I wasn’t fully committed to my second shot. I wanted to lay up with a 4 iron that would leave me a wedge into the par 5. I was worried about clipping trees to my right and I thought if I went left enough to avoid them I’d have tree trouble on the left. Never feeling comfortable with the shot, I ended up topping it twenty to thirty yards up the fairway. I hit a much better 4 iron for my third shot about 30 yards in front of the green. I hit a decent pitch leaving my par putt below the hole from about 18-20 feet. It had rained a little before our round and I left my first putt woefully short, missed my second, and three putted for a double bogey.

I felt like I wasn’t committed to some shots today. Thinking through your shots is a good idea, but once you have determined the shot to play, fully commit to that shot.

I hit a great drive on two up the right side of the fairway leaving me 110 yards left uphill for my approach. I hit a 9 iron a little fat and was a few yards short of the green. I chipped on and two putted for a bogey.

Par should be the score on the 3rd hole most of the time. I’ve already fatted a wedge and took a double bogey on this hole this year already. Today I thinned my gap wedge well over the green. I then thinned another wedge back over the green. Chipped on and two putted for another double bogey. My short game is presently not good enough to save me from bad approach shots. I am rarely getting up and down from off the green.

I hit a 4 iron off the 4th tee to the right. I avoided the few trees over there and if you can do that bailing right isn’t all that bad. At least you are dry. I made good contact with my 8 iron for my approach shot but pulled it slightly left. We had a lot of rain about a week and a half ago and there was ground under repair that I got relief from. I fatted my pitch shot but was able to chip my fourth shot close to the cup and was able to make the putt for bogey.

Six over after four holes. Not exactly where I want to be put still time to get on a run and salvage the round.

I’ve been playing the 5th hole well this year and hit another good driver to find the fariway. I was between a pitching wedge and 9 iron but chose pitching wedge to leave it below the hole. I hit a nice one and did just that, leaving it about 15 feet below the hole. I two putted for a par. I need to par more holes.

I hit my usual 4 iron off the 6th tee and found the right side of the fairway. I hit my 8 iron approach a little short and left but was in a good spot in front of the green. I bladed my wedge over the green. Way too many of those this round. I chipped on and two putted for a double bogey. Instead of stringing a couple pars together, another double bogey had me 8 over par after six holes and just trying to avoid a huge score for the round at this point.

I thinned my 5 iron off the tee and barely made it over the pond. I pitched on and two putted for a bogey.

The 8th hole is another hole I’ve been playing well this year. I hit a decent drive that found the right rough. With 125 yards left but an uphill lie I hit an 8 iron within 20 feet of the hole. It was uphill to the hole with slow greens. I wanted to get it to the hole. I judged the pace very well and hit a nice lag putt to within two feet of the hole. This weekend I practiced starting my putts, especially short ones, online. None of that helped this putt and I pulled it left, three putting for a bogey. I’ve said it before but one of the worst feelings I have in golf is hitting a green in regulation and three putting for bogey.

I hit my driver right off the 9th tee. While missing right is the safest miss on this hole, it does make the hole play much longer. I had 185 yards out of the rough left for my approach. I had a decent lie here but made a mistake. I should have taken my medicine and laid up with a 4 iron. I instead tried to get a 5 wood on the ball but ended up topping it. I then topped a 7 iron and then pitched on. Two putts and a double bogey ended my round. So far this league season my scores on the 9th hole have been double bogey, triple bogey, and double bogey. I need to finish rounds much, much better than I am.

As this season has progressed, I have improved my accuracy off the tee. I still need some work on putting, but what I really need to improve now is my low point on my irons. I’m either fat or thin on what feels like over half of these shots.

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Golf Round Review

Some Good Golf Followed by a Collapse

By Shooting 90

June 12th 2018 Golf Round Review

I stated my goals for golf league at the beginning of the season. I want to break 40 on both the front and back nines at Pinewood Country Club. Doing that will be tough on each nine, but will be toughest on the par 37 back nine. I haven’t been close yet this year until this round. Backed by my first birdie of the year, I was two over after six holes, only to have an epic collapse on the last three holes.

I still managed to post my best score or the year, a nine over 46, although this round was a major disappointment.  I take solace in the fact that I had a great round going and know I can repeat that.

The first two times I’ve played the 10th hole this year I have drove it left. Left is jail and no good. I’m happy to report I didn’t go left this round. I went right, too far right but somehow my ball ended up in the right hand side of the fairway. Members bounce. Had to have hit a tree and came out. I took advantage of the break and laid up with a nice 4 iron to about 135 yards out. I couldn’t have reached the green in two and had predetermined before teeing off that I would play three shots to the green. Course management is big. I hit a nice 8 iron for my third shot that wound up just off the left fringe of the green.I used my putter and lagged it nicely within 3 feet of the hole. I missed the less than 3 foot par putt and had to settle for bogey. I really need to work on my putts of 3 feet and less. I need to get to making 90% of these.

I hit a nice drive on 11 up the right hand side of the fairway which gave me a great line into the green on the dog leg left. I had about 85 yards left and bladed my 3rd quarter swing gap wedge over the green. I was fortunate that it checked up before the woods. I hit a nice pitch to within 4-5 feet of the cup and made my par putt.

The 218 yd par 3 12th has always been a challenge for me. Let’s be truthful. It’s a challenge for almost every golfer. I didn’t lose my focus on the tee and hit one of my best 3 woods of the year, slightly right of the green but catching the bank and bouncing left just a few inches off the fringe. I putted a bit too firm on and ran the ball about 6 feet past the hole. I missed the putt coming back and had to settle for a bogey. Still, I was 2 over after three and happy with my start.

I pulled my driver slightly into the left rough, which isn’t the worst place to be. I hit a 5 iron from 165 yards out, again playing the bank right of the green nicely, getting a great bounce left onto the green and settling 7 feet away from the hole. I drained the putt for my first birdie of the year in league play!

My play off the tee on the 14th hole all year has been 6 iron and that was what I played this round. I found the fairway and played a great 8 iron from 133 yards out that ended up pin high about 15 feet left of the pin at the back of the green. I was thinking two birdies in a row at this point. My putt was right on line, all I had to do was hit it, which I didn’t. I left it about 3 and a half feet short. My par putt lipped out and I went from possibly two birdies in a row to a three putt bogey.

I hit my driver down the left side and flirted with the two large pines on the left side of the fairway. Fortunately my ball made it through and I had about 160 yards into the green. The second shot is uphill so I clubbed up one club and hit a 5 iron to just off the back fringe. I had a good lie on short grass just off the green so I used my putter again (always putt when you can). It was downhill and I misjudged the speed, knocking it 7 feet past the hole. I was able to make the 7 footer for par. While my putting has been a weak spot for me this year (and previous years), I missed a few short putts already, I was very happy I made a few 5-10 foot putts this round. I was also very happy with my round thus far, 2 over after six holes!

I made solid contact with my driver but pushed it just slightly right, but right enough to catch the corner of the woods. The woods get to be pretty thick with ground cover by this time of year, so while I searched for my ball I was unable to find it. I had to drop and hit a gap wedge for my 3rd shot which ended up a few feet short of the green. I putted on but not close enough to get up and down, and I ended up taking a double bogey on the hole.

I didn’t let the double bogey get me down and I hit a decent driver up the right side in the rough. I only had about 160 left but I didn’t have the best lie so I clubbed up to a 4 iron. I hit a decent shot which found the fairway about 30 yards short of the green. I got a few breaks this round, but none bigger than my next shot. I bladed my gap wedge and hit the marker for the hole event on one hop. The ball went slightly right and died fairly quickly, leaving me only about 12 feet for par. If I didn’t hit the hole event marker I would have been way off the back of the green. I certainly didn’t take advantage of the huge break though. The green is deceivingly downhill from right to left, and I knocked my par putt 6 feet past and missed the return putt. Another three putt and another double bogey.

I had yet to keep a drive in play far enough to the fairway this year on the 18th hole. I pulled both my drives left in the woods during my previous two rounds. Sadly I did about the same thing this time. I did get the ball just about to the beginning of the fairway before it crossed the line into the woods. Golf is so mental this hole is in my head like you won’t believe. I need to be able to finish strong so I need to play this hole much better. I did recover very nicely with a 4 iron for my third shot which left me about 100 yards to go, a perfect gap wedge for me. I bladed the gap wedge over the green. What is that like the 3rd bladed wedge this round? I used a gap wedge to pitch it on and didn’t fly the ball fall enough and it was short. I’m going to start pitching with 8,9, and PW to use less loft and get more roll out. I left my first putt way short and took too more to get in. Another 3 putt and this time a triple bogey.

I choked really big time this round. I was 2 over after six only to finish double bogey double bogey triple bogey for a 9 over 46. Low point control on my short irons and wedges along with short putting is killing my rounds.

Categories
Golf Practice

The Chipping Game

By Shooting 90

High handicap and beginner golfers lose a lot of strokes around the green. Yet it’s probably the area that golfers practice the least. How often do you see someone chipping by the practice green?

My 12 year old son started taking his golf game more seriously this season. Like many beginner golfers, he made quick improvements in his long game from tee to green, but still gives up too many strokes around and on the green.

We’ve identified the need to emphasize practicing chipping and putting, but chipping and putting ball after ball from the same spots is not the way. There’s been a lot written lately about the need to practice like you play in order to simulate real shots and golf round pressure.

My son and I play a game for our chipping practice. It’s simple, fun, and provides a large amount of chipping and putting practice.

Each player plays one ball. Players alternate choosing the spot off the green to chip from along with the hole on the practice green to chip to. The object is to get your ball in the hole in the less strokes than your opponent. No points are awarded to either player in a tie. The winning player receives three points if they chip it in with one stroke, two points for getting “up and down” in two strokes, and one point for getting the ball in the hole in three strokes. No points are awarded for four or more strokes even if you get in the hole in less strokes than your opponent. The winner of the match is the first player to reach ten points.

This chipping game is a great way to simulate real golf round pressure both with the match play aspect and the need to get the ball in the hole in three strokes or less.

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Golf Equipment

Invest in the Right Putter

By Shooting 90

Last week was the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, a yearly showcase of new advancements in golf equipment. New advanced equipment comes out every year aimed at improving your golf game. Through equipment upgrades, golfers have the opportunity to immediately improve their game.

The most advanced equipment, however, is not always right for the high handicap golfer. Many high handicap and beginner gofers play with a Titleist Pro V1 golf ball. Although Titleist may tell you differently, a Pro V1 tour ball is almost always the wrong choice for a high handicapper. A less expensive two piece ball is most likely a better fit.

Many golfers also have no problem dropping several hundred dollars on the newest driver, a club they use 14 times a round at the most.

The club you do not see many golfers begging to show you the bright, shiny, new model they just bought is the putter. In fact, more than a few golfers probably use a $10 putter. Golfers take a majority of their strokes with their putter. We need to put some effort into making sure the putter we are using is best for our game.

Length is an important factor when choosing a putter. You need a putter that conforms to your stance instead of changing your stance for a putter. A proper putting stance has you bent at the hips with your eyes over the ball. Cutting a putter shaft that is too long down to size is not a good thing to do as the weight of the putter head is matched to its length. Your shortened putter will feel too light.

Your putter also has to match your putting stroke. Your putting stroke will fall into one of three categories – straight back straight through, slight arc, or strong arc. A straight back straight through stroke is just what it implies. The putter head goes straight back and then straight through impact with the ball, with the putter face remaining square to the target line all the way through. An arc stroke means the stroke travels on a path that starts inside of the target, moves out to the target line for impact, and then back inside. The putter face will be slightly open at the start, square to target at impact with the ball, and then closed at finish.

Putter heads are weighted differently. A face balanced putter, where the weight is equally distributed from the heel to the toe of the head, is ideal for golfers that have a straight back straight through stroke. A toe weighted putter, that has more weight in the toe of the head, assists the face in moving from open to closed through the shot, making it ideal for golfers with an arc putting stroke.

So how do you tell if your putter is face balanced or toe weighted? Balance the shaft of the putter in the palm of your hand. If the face points up and is horizontal, it is a face balanced putter. If the toe hangs lower than the rest of the putter head, it is a toe weighted putter.

Finally, should you use a blade or mallet putter? While personal preference plays a small role as you can get both face balanced and toe weighted versions of both blade and mallet putters, face balanced  mallet putters are best suited for straight back straight through strokes and toe weighted blade putters are best for arc strokes.

Go to your local golf store or pro shop if you’re not sure what type of putting stroke you have. They can analyze your stroke and make sure you have the right putter for your game.

Categories
Putting

Become a Better Lag Putter

By Shooting 90

There are a few areas that high handicap or beginner golfers should focus on to most quickly improve their game. Hitting the ball in the fairway off the tee might be the first and most important. Improving your pitching and chipping around the green is another one.

Today, we will be discussing an equally important area of focus for high-handicap golfers which is eliminating three putts. Of course while the goal is to eliminate three putts, no one ever does, but the point is to drastically reduce the number that you have. While hitting a ball out of play off the tee can derail your hole before it starts, nothing is more deflating than hitting a green in regulation only to three putt for a bogey. Worse yet is to three putt after struggling from tee to green and ending up with a blow-up hole. The ability to putt well can make up for earlier mistakes on a hole but there is nothing to cover up for bad putting.

The most important skill to develop when working towards eliminating three putts is effective lag putting. Lag putting is not trying to make the putt but instead getting it close enough to insure that you can make the second putt. So we’re talking about getting within a few feet of the hole. The chances of a high handicap golfer making a putt outside of 10 feet are low, while their chances of making one outside of 15 feet drop down to almost nothing. You obviously will make a long putt now and then but outside of 10-15 feet you are much better off to concentrate on getting the ball within a couple feet of the hole instead of trying to make it.

Quite possibly the biggest difference between the putting of a professional golfer and that of an amateur is the amount of feel that a professional golfer uses in putting. Many high handicap golfers have a very mechanical putting swing. While it’s very important to have proper mechanics while putting, there is a great deal of feel required in putting especially for distance control.

Check out the video below from Charlie King. He provides three great drills to develop your feel for lag putting.

There is another, just an important, skill required to be a successful lag putter. You need to be able to make short putts! A successful lag putt to within two to three feet of the hole is wasted if you don’t make the putt. The best way to make more short putts is too practice making more short putts! Check out this next video from short game guru Dave Pelz with tips for if you continue to miss short putts.

Change your practice routine if yours currently consists of putting a few 10 to 15 footers before your round. Dedicate regular practice time for working on your lag putting and you can drastically reduce the number of times you three putt.

Categories
Golf Practice

Practice Year Round at an Indoor Golf Facility

By Shooting 90

This past weekend, my wife and I made the four hour trip from our home in northern Wisconsin to Minneapolis. Most of the weekend was spent attending a trade show for my wife’s business. Even so it was a nice getaway and we did find time to have some fun.

I found time Saturday afternoon to have a great time at Inside Edge Golf, an indoor golf facility in Eden Prairie, MN. It was my first trip to such a facility. I had previously interacted with @insideedgegolf on Twitter, and since I knew I was going to the Twin Cities, I jumped at the chance to check it out.

Inside Edge Golf has nine aboutGolf PGA Tour simulators. Seven of the simulators are Classic models, one is a Widescreen (5 feet wider screen than the Classic), and one is a three-screen SimSurround. Each simulator has incredible 3D graphics and offer the choice of over 50 world famous courses to play. Inside Edge Golf also has an 1800 square foot putting green.

I knew I would not have a lot of time but still wanted to experience both a simulator and the putting green so earlier in the week I reserved a half hour on a Classic Simulator and a half hour on the putting green. Inside Edge recommends reserving simulator time three to four days in advance, especially for weekend times.

The simulators are incredibly easy to use. The staff at Inside Edge was extremely friendly in explaining the simulator and answering any questions. I first warmed up with a few shots in practice range mode. It was my first time on a simulator so obviously I was going to play an actual course, but if I had the ability to visit Inside Edge on a regular basis, I could see myself reserving simulator time for the sole purpose of hitting balls on the range. The simulator records all of the important data such as clubhead speed, ball speed, ball spin, projected trajectory and distance. The instant feedback after every shot is instrumental in improving your results. Lessons are even available on a simulator from an on staff PGA professional.

As I mentioned earlier, there are over fifty courses to choose from. I chose TPC Scottsdale, probably because it was fresh in my mind from the recent Waste Management Open. I only had a half hour so I wasn’t able to get a whole round in but was able to finish 11 holes. Anything within 12 feet of the hole is considered a gimme. This speeds up play and makes total sense since the strength of the simulator is the analysis of full swings. On the floor of the simulator is an area with a tee, a short carpet mat which is the fairway, and a thicker mat which is the rough. Where you place the ball to hit depends on where you are on the screen. Playing a round on your favorite course is realistic enough to help you work on your full swing. Since you are charged for how long you use a simulator, I did find myself rushed to finish holes. I’m sure this being my first time had a lot to do with this and one would feel less and less rushed the more they used a simulator. Inside Edge offers league play which be a great way to break up the winter and keep your skills up until spring.

After the simulator, I spent some time on Inside Edge’s 1800 square foot putting green. It features both flat and breaking putts along with various lies off the side of the green to practice chipping. There is even a mini-flop wall to perfect your flop shots!

I recommend anyone within an hour’s drive of an indoor golf facility such as Inside Edge Golf to take full advantage. You have the ability to work on your game throughout the winter, on rainy days, and at night. Unfortunately I do not live close enough to an indoor golf facility so I will be doing the next best thing and building a simulator in my house before next fall.

Categories
Putting

Putting is the Foundation to Improving your Golf Game

By Shooting 90

A solid golf game is consistent in three areas – hitting fairways, hitting greens in regulation, and putting. Continual issues in any of these areas can prohibit a high handicap golfer from elevating their game to shooting bogey golf.

Driving accuracy and hitting greens in regulation are important to scoring low. You can, however, miss fairways or greens and still recover through other areas of your game. Miss a fairway and still hit the green in regulation by hitting a good approach shot. Miss the green in regulation and salvage the hole with a nice chip or bunker shot.

Putting is not as forgiving. Good putting can help you score low on a hole or help you salvage a hole on which you have made mistakes. But there is no recovery from poor putting. By three putting a hole, you will either waste a great scoring opportunity or compound previous mistakes on a hole resulting in an unwanted score. Even if you hit the green in regulation, three putt and you’ll end up with a bogey. You need to take advantage of hitting greens in regulation by making pars and an occasional birdie. Pars are needed to offset the double bogeys or worst that you will score in your round.

High handicap golfers should work on eliminating three putts to move towards consistently shooting 90. The goal for high handicap golfers should be to make every putt within 15 feet. The probability of a high handicap golfer making putts outside of 15 feet is low. Lag putt every putt outside of 15 feet. Lag putting is putting the priority on leaving the ball within a few feet of the hole to insure making your second putt instead of trying to make the first putt. During time on the practice green, be sure to practice lag putting from 15 to 50 feet. As your golf game progresses and you hit more greens in regulation with your approach shot, you will be faced with longer putts than if you were chipping or pitching onto the green. Successful lag putting will be important to take advantage of hitting greens in regulation.

The other end of successful lag putting is making short putts. No matter how good your lag putting is, you still have too many three putts if you miss short second putts. Strive to make everything within three feet of the cup. Every time at the end of practicing your putting on the practice green, challenge yourself to make ten three footers in a row. If you miss one start over at zero. Work on a full follow through and avoid “stabbing” at the short putts. One of the most frustrating things in golf is to play a hole great and then miss a short putt at the end.

Make putting the strong point of your game no matter what level your game is at. Good putting can help you score low and can also bail you out of trouble. Three putts will lead to frustration. Reduce your number of three putts and see your golf game improve!