i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

[JohnP]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Don't worry about it Slats - I bought the book and have been hitting it better than ever for the past two months - the end result? - I am now a 13 handicapper instead of a 14!!!

It doesn't matter about about how well you are hitting it if you are still making tha same old stupid mistakes round the course like me!!

I'm sticking with it though, summer is just around the corner!!

[miffin]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

It's has had a different effect on me. I had years out of golf. But, as I had a played before they gave me a 20 handicap. Well, quite honestly I could not even play to max, that is 28! Since the 3sk, I have played to 20 three times. I am still not consistent but getting more so.
Brian

[TeddyG]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Just wanted to say how much I got out of the lesson I had with Kevin McDonald down at Hersham Village GC. A book is one thing - it is great and does help to explain what you need to focus on... (the friends I've showed it too so far are hooked too! getting them signed copies for xmas...) But the lesson really helped clear things up. Kevin, thank you for the lesson and your patience with all the questions I had! I wish your club was nearer to home, but I will definitely be going to you for lessons in future!
Teddy G
PS. My mates are well jealous, they say my swing's really pretty good now, and I'm not even thinking about it!

[slater170]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Just wanted to say how much I got out of the lesson I had with Kevin McDonald down at Hersham Village GC. A book is one thing - it is great and does help to explain what you need to focus on... (the friends I've showed it too so far are hooked too! getting them signed copies for xmas...) But the lesson really helped clear things up. Kevin, thank you for the lesson and your patience with all the questions I had! I wish your club was nearer to home, but I will definitely be going to you for lessons in future!
Teddy G
PS. My mates are well jealous, they say my swing's really pretty good now, and I'm not even thinking about it!

nice going teddyG
if you are patient and stick with it 3skills has to work for you!

[miffin]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Done it again today. Played to my silly handicap! Hope I can do it Sunday in the Winter Comp. Who was it told me about Lee Trevino. In order to keep my left hand in position on the grip in the backswing, I have to virtually let go with my right hand on the backswing. Trouble is, I do not always tighten it back up at the right time. Is there any more info on this Lee Trevino trate anywhere please?
Brian

[bdbl]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Don't worry about it Slats - I bought the book and have been hitting it better than ever for the past two months - the end result? - I am now a 13 handicapper instead of a 14!!!

Your and Slats posts reminded me of some stats I saw the other day which go some way to explaining why improved "ball striking" a la 3Skills will not necessarily improve your scores and reduce your handicap.

PGATOUR.com - 2007 PGA TOUR Ball Striking

The PGA rates tour players against a stat called Ball-Striking which is a combination of Greens in Regulation, Driving Distance and Accuracy. On this the top four are (with seasons earnings rankings in brackets), Cameron Beckman (112), John Senden (39), Mathew Goggin (103), and Charles Warren (91) - I must admit that not following the US Tour closely my reaction was "Who?"

Tiger comes in well behind the leaders in a sad 19th place - he is however ranked 3rd in the world when it comes to par save up & downs from 30 yards or less.

I should explain that I'm not anti 3Skills at all; In fact I can see the book from where I'm sitting typing this, I'm trying to use the concepts and my ball striking has also improved over the last month or two - though not my score. If you take my round on Sunday I think I could have taken 10 shots off without improving ball striking at all.

Not sure what all that proves except perhaps to remind us that there are a number of elements to scoring well in this game and 3Skills primarily deals with one - and to be fair only claims to deal with one.

[slater170]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Your and Slats posts reminded me of some stats I saw the other day which go some way to explaining why improved "ball striking" a la 3Skills will not necessarily improve your scores and reduce your handicap.

PGATOUR.com - 2007 PGA TOUR Ball Striking

The PGA rates tour players against a stat called Ball-Striking which is a combination of Greens in Regulation, Driving Distance and Accuracy. On this the top four are (with seasons earnings rankings in brackets), Cameron Beckman (112), John Senden (39), Mathew Goggin (103), and Charles Warren (91) - I must admit that not following the US Tour closely my reaction was "Who?"

Tiger comes in well behind the leaders in a sad 19th place - he is however ranked 3rd in the world when it comes to par save up & downs from 30 yards or less.

I should explain that I'm not anti 3Skills at all; In fact I can see the book from where I'm sitting typing this, I'm trying to use the concepts and my ball striking has also improved over the last month or two - though not my score. If you take my round on Sunday I think I could have taken 10 shots off without improving ball striking at all.

Not sure what all that proves except perhaps to remind us that there are a number of elements to scoring well in this game and 3Skills primarily deals with one - and to be fair only claims to deal with one.

i agree wholeheartedly
its no use use practicing 3skills if your course managemant sucks!
more and more this year i have taken my medicine rather than try and hit the 'hollywood' shot and it really pays off.

[bill reed]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

hi Slater
i agree that taking your medicine and not trying that wonder shot you only hit once in every 100 does save you. and taking a 5 and not a 7 does help your game and how you think of a round when you finish. it also stops you trying to hit the wonder shot and second guessing what went wrong when you miss it and then adjusting your next shot so the same don't happen.
cheers
bill

[LowPost42]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

i agree wholeheartedly
its no use use practicing 3skills if your course managemant sucks!
more and more this year i have taken my medicine rather than try and hit the 'hollywood' shot and it really pays off.

I agree with that as well - Tiger wouldn't be number 1 if he constantly made poor decisions - like going for every single par 5 in 2, attacking every single pin, and trying for the green on every single shot. All the ballstriking in the world can't overcome bad decisions.

I keep telling myself to play conservatively, unfortunately, I like to play aggressively. However, when I do assess a shot with the thought of 'can I hit this shot 8 or 9 out of 10 times', the go/no go decision is usually pretty easy to make.

(FWIW, playing 'safe golf' has had me break 90, while playing 'go for broke golf' has kept me from breaking 100. Perhaps next year I'll play casual rounds at home 1 aggressive, 1 safe, 1 aggressive, 1 safe... and compare).

[BrianW]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

In defence of 3 skills it does promote a bit more than ball striking. It goes into imagery and how to preview your shots, it also discusses pre-shot routines, pitching, chipping, sand play and more.

From a personal view the part of my game that 3 skills has improved most is iron play from 160 yards in. This aspect has started to tell over the last month and I have so much more confidence when over the ball with anything from a 7 iron down. I have also proved to myself that I can create good scores on many par 4's and some 5's with no more than a 7 iron.

[slater170]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

this is the 500th post in this thread!


sorry couldnt resist

[LowPost42]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

I'll follow that up with another completely useless post - there's 15,000 views and only 500 posts. So there's 30 views per post. Amazing!

[Ian Hancock]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Your and Slats posts reminded me of some stats I saw the other day which go some way to explaining why improved "ball striking" a la 3Skills will not necessarily improve your scores and reduce your handicap.

PGATOUR.com - 2007 PGA TOUR Ball Striking

The PGA rates tour players against a stat called Ball-Striking which is a combination of Greens in Regulation, Driving Distance and Accuracy. On this the top four are (with seasons earnings rankings in brackets), Cameron Beckman (112), John Senden (39), Mathew Goggin (103), and Charles Warren (91) - I must admit that not following the US Tour closely my reaction was "Who?"

Tiger comes in well behind the leaders in a sad 19th place - he is however ranked 3rd in the world when it comes to par save up & downs from 30 yards or less.

I should explain that I'm not anti 3Skills at all; In fact I can see the book from where I'm sitting typing this, I'm trying to use the concepts and my ball striking has also improved over the last month or two - though not my score. If you take my round on Sunday I think I could have taken 10 shots off without improving ball striking at all.

Not sure what all that proves except perhaps to remind us that there are a number of elements to scoring well in this game and 3Skills primarily deals with one - and to be fair only claims to deal with one.

Great Post,

I have to agree here with most of this, as a player that gets out to the tour once per year one thing that amazes me every time that 'Tour Players' are not as good as you think, every year I watch a whole load of poor shots, duffs, two out of a bunker (Casey) drives flying miles off line.

My point being that television only ever focuses on the guys who are playing their socks off, which they are all capable of, but when you watch it live and see the likes of Casey, Campbell and others shooting nearly 80 in a round it brings home just how difficult this game is.

3SKs no doubt inproves your ball striking, it definatley un-clutters your mind to help you enjoy the game more, it builds confidence as this thread proves, but we all need to learn course management thats for sure, I always remember there is such a thing as a good two putt even if it means bogey.

Ian.

[bdbl]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

In defence of 3 skills it does promote a bit more than ball striking. It goes into imagery and how to preview your shots, it also discusses pre-shot routines, pitching, chipping, sand play and more.

Well yes Brian it does but I did say (or meant to say) "primarily" and I'd guess the vast majority of positive posters in this thread refer to how their ball striking has improved - I guess they should read mark and inwardly digest the last chapters as well

One thing I will say is that at least Joe Hagan deals with bunkers shots in less space than Pelz would take discussing the 23 varieties of sand - without taking weather conditions into account - that are found on the world wide tour zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Robin lights blue touch paper and retires

[bdbl]

Re: i used the 3 skills and nailed it!

Great Post,

3SKs no doubt inproves your ball striking, it definatley un-clutters your mind to help you enjoy the game more, it builds confidence as this thread proves, but we all need to learn course management thats for sure, I always remember there is such a thing as a good two putt even if it means bogey.

Ian.

Thanks

Interestingly I think everyone who has replied is focusing on the course management element of the "additional Skills"; to my mind the most revealing statistic was Tiger's "up and down from 30 yards or less for a par save" ranking. The shots he must save over four rounds must be amajor factor in his success.