Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

I play a variation of this view: I use the driver to tee-off on par-4 and par-5 holes, since it is a speciality club, so I have worked hard to learn how to use it. I use an iron on the par-3 tees, usually a 7i, but will use a different one depending on the distance. After the "tee-off," the only clubs I use until I reach the 100 yd mark are the 5i and 7i. From 100 yd in, I will use any of my wedges--PW, SW, LW. By using this formula, I have broken 90 twice (81 both times) and scored less than 100 on another dozen occassions.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Hi,

I've been playing "not so good" for two weeks. I open with a 3W. Just two days ago I scaled down my force on 3W opening shot and game started to go better. (It's so much easier to shoot from fairway than rough or woods.)

I am collecting some courage to try to open with an iron on a par 4 or par 5. I tried a hybrid (24 degree), but it was very much like a 3W. I am afraid to use an iron, because I fear that I will try to hit it too hard to get more distance. That will not help me at all. That's why would need to trust the distance a club gives - and as many have stated - it's enough to reach the green with a second shot - or in chipping distance.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Hannu.
Aftford has been insulted by another member and will not be making any more posts on this site.
i will pass on your comments to him.

regards

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Hi TPG1965
I am very sad to read this as it was only after reading aftfords threads and the possitiveness that they created that i decided to join this forum.

Silas.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Persons that get offended are the most sincere. They beleave what they are writing.

Well, we all get angry some times. I hope Artford will return and continue to comment on golf. It's allways worth to listen to people who know what they are talking about. (Artford has a very low HCP - he knows how to play:-)

I'll try to open with irons this afternoon.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

hi tpg1965
real sorry to hear that aftford wont be posting on here again as i looked forward to his inputs as he seemed to be helpful with his coments. it will be a loss to this site as he does know so much and puts it over well, hope he changes his mind and continues to help the rest of us as he has done for some times up till now.
bill

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Today, it was my turn to figure out if there is something to this "experiment".

At the moment I'm a 30 handicap, struggling to break 100 and rarely hitting fairways with my driver.
I DO, however, hit it close to 300 meters, so it does tempt me a lot.

Today, I went out for 9 practice holes without my driver, originally intending to tee off using my 5wood or - if I felt confident - my 3wood.

The first hole is a long par 5 - 491 meters (appx 530 yards?).
Because the first 200m are uphill, I decided to hit the 3wood for fear of losing distance if hitting a 5wood into the hill.

Easy swing, concentrating on putting it down the middle ... wham-o ... 230 meters straight down the middle and on top of the hill.

Followed up with a 5w 175 meters down the middle, and had a 3/4 9-iron from 95 meters to the middle of the green.

2 putts and a par, and on to the next hole.

I won't bore you with a run-down of every hole, but the story was pretty much the same.

In the end, what hurt me was 3-putting three times, duffing a chip and missing 2 relatively short birdie-putts.

I hit 5 of 7 fairways, and of the two I missed, one was straight down the middle, only too long and in the first cut, and the other was about 1 meter into the first cut on the left side of the fairway.

I hit 4 greens in regulation, missing both par 3s, (3 GIR from the 5 fairways and 1 from the left side first cut).

In the end, it was 44 shots (on a par 36 course) and 28 stableford points.

Had I continued that form on 9 more holes, I wouldn't just have broken 100 - I would have broken 90 too, and without 3-putting, I could have been in the low 80s.

After today, I'm a better golfer, simply from the knowledge of this way to think about the game.
And on top of that, I'm confident and inspired like never before.

To imagine that I could play "better than bogey" golf??!!

I'm all fired up.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

i'm so proud of you mox .What an excellent score......now lets get to work on the putting
Greg J Willis has some excellent putting drills on his website.
http://members.cox.net/gregjwillis
cheers
aft

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

OK tomorrow night (July 27th weather permitting) I will use ONLY 7i PW SW and the dreaded putter, as specified. I'm playing 9 holes with my buddy as usual. For the record, my BEST score was a 48. With a couple of mulligans.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Hi James.
Best of luck for tonight.
Remember pal, keep it simple around the greens and don't be rushed into making your putts

cheers mate

aft

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

I used to play with a guy who always scoredin the low 80's, no matter how bad he shot

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

At our local muni course we had a marshall that would drive up in his cart and sometimes wager (usually $1 american) that he could beat anyone on any hole with just a five iron. Needless to say he did win and most of the time he would score a par or bogie. I saw him do it often and he beat me on a par five with a pond in front. He used no other club. Now that is a challenge!
Years ago, I knew of a one-armed man who shot in the low 80's using just irons in his bag. He had just the left arm and swung from the right side.

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Ok, I followed exactly what was specified. 7 iron, pw,sw, putter.

Had 3 holes I did't have the length to reach in reg. One because I was on the wrong side of the fairway.

I shot a 45 which is exactly my handicap on the par 36.

I should of shaved at least 3 strokes though as my putting and chipping were not good. At the end of the day I only hit one green in reg. Didn't even get up and down once.

The longest par 4 on the course I was 45 yards shy, and left my sand wedge about 50 feet from the hole and 3 putted. I 2 putted the next 7 greens and 1 putted the last one for birdie (my lone gir).

I was suprised at how few GIR I hit, I should of hit much more and my putting and chipping wasn't good today.

2 of the holes I couldn't reach distance wise in reg, I was only 5-10 yards short of. The rest I just blew it.

None of my chips were within 10 feet.
I hit 4 of 7 fairways and was in the first cut on one.

Overall I think on a good day putting and chipping I could card a 42, on a great day a 40.

My usga handicap is 18.2

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

Well, I came down to earth pretty fast.

After my amazing 44/9 yesterday, I shot a pathetic 110/18 today, using the same principles as yesterday.

The big difference? Today I got off to a bad start, and from there, it went downhill.

I think - and this is probably just a lame excuse - that my body was beat after the last 5 days of intense training and yesterdays round. I felt like my body wasn't really rotating, and I almost didn't hit a single shot in the direction I was aiming. Balls were flying off left and right.

My 3wood wasn't too bad, but far from as straight as yesterday. I hit only 3 of 12 fairways.

My approach shots stunk to the point of nausea. 2 of 18 GIR.
I had 2 balls disappear ... probably lost in hazards, but playing alone it's hard to tell, so I had to go back and hit another one. *sigh*

I still can't chip, and I had 5 3-putts and a 4-putt

When I'm bad, I'm really bad!

Re: HOW TO SHOOT IN THE LOW 80,s

keep at it mox
there's an old saying "you can have too much of a good thing"
stick with the theory and it will come good!