Golfers.. questions

Rarr

Senior member
Aug 4, 2001
244
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0
Fellow Golfers,

I have only played golf regularly (once a week) for about eight months, but seem to be getting better progressively. Last weekend I shot by best score ever- I'm pretty pumped about it! Of course, I have a few faults- mainly my lack of long distance.

My bf just had his first lesson this past week, and though I haven't seen him play, he seems pretty satisfied with what he learned. I was wondering how you have faired after taking golf lessons? How much did you pay per hour, and how many sessions did you take?

What are some good practice drills a female golfer with pretty good accuracy but a lack of distance can do to help lengthen her play?

Also, what is the average score or a golfer who has only played for under a year?

I have lots of questions- your answers are greatly appreciated! Thanks :)
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
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yes, take lessons. a pro can tell you in five minutes what it'll take you ayear to figure out on your own. as for cost, it varies. if any of your local municipal courses have pros, they'll be cheaper. also, some of the larger retail stores give lessons on a swing computer. personally, and almost all pros would agree, i think the swing computer is a great place to start because it keeps you from being results oriented. you actually work on the swing instead of worrying where the ball is. if you want length, you must do tw things. one, strengthen your core. stomach, legs, back. especially the obliques. two, swing a lot! even if it's in the front yard. there are no drills as good as plain old repetition. good luck. golf is the ultimate drug.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
<<golf is the ultimate drug>>:D I AGREE! :D

well maybe 2nd.....after my computer habit :p

Good luck on your Golf game. It takes lots and lots of practice. Oh yeah and PATIENCE!!!:)
 

soccerbud34

Senior member
Nov 15, 2001
747
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My dad has always been an avid golfer .... therefore i have had my fair share of golf lessons :)

If you are semi-serious about playing golf well ... definitely take atleast 2 lessons from pro's ... they see many faults in our swing that we normaly do not realize
The price on those lessons varies. The pro i worked with charges about $45/hr ... is that good or bad .... i really do not know ....

I can give you a couple tips on *maybe* hitting the ball longer ...

1) Try a stronger grip ... which means that when you have setup to your stance ... and you can see 3 knuckles on your left hand when you look straigh down toward your grip.... it will feel awkward at first ... but it helps you to hit further ... also helps yout to hit less slices :) .... it will make the ball fly lower ... however it will "run" further ....

2) Snap your wrist ... this can either make or brake your game .... what i mean by snapping your wrist is that when you are at the point of impact between your club and the ball .... your make a sudden snap of your wrists .... and it will dramaticaly increase the velocity of your swing @ the point of impact ... but beware ... it takes many practices to perfect the timing of when you should snap your wrists .... and some people (like my father) has a diffcult time finding that "timing" therefore they don't snap their wrists at all since it will dramatically screw up their swing :(

3) Do not try to swing as hard as you possibly can immediately during the begininng of your downswing ..... put all your strength into the swing when it counts .... the point of impact between the ball and the club .... again this is another skill that requires "timing" .... therefore it might take plenty of practice to perfect it ..... jack nickalus said when he wants to hit the ball harder ... he simply swings the club slower :)

micellaneous tips....

1) find a good grip ... it will make your swing so much better :)

2) during your backswing ..... you should not be moving your wrist @ all ... its BAD BAD BAD for your downswing ....

3) your downswing should be initiated by the movement of your hips .... slide your hips forward (or to your left ... depends on how your define foward :) ) and you will see that
your arms and shoulder will automatically follow in the right motion :)

4) at the top ( or the end ) of your backswing ... stop and check your wrist .... your wrist should not be in a "cocked" position ... or otherwise your will have a greater tendency of "dipping" during your downswing....

5) when you initite your downswing ... feel as though you are driving the butt of your golf club toward the golf ball ... it will help you to swing "inside out (good... the golf ball will have greater chance of going straight) " rather than "outside in (bad ... #1 cause of slices ... especially when you are using your driver)"

6) keep your eyes on the ball .... or you will be swinging @ the air half of the time :)

that's all i can think of right now ... but feel free to ask me if you have any other questions :)

edit ** also work on your short games .... it will make up for plenty of bad strokes **
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
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dear soccerbud, please refrain from giving wrong advice. your wrists should absolutely be cocked on the backswing. i'd give you the list of teachers who agree, but Leadbetter, McLean, Rick Smith, and Paul Runyan will do for now. just because your dad is no good, doesn't mean people should do what he does. a strong grip has nothing to do with length. please, don't "ask him" if you have other questions. it'd be like asking me for computer advice. i'd just tell you what i heard from someone, who may or may not know what the hell they're talking about.
as for "snapping" the wrist, are you kidding? have you ever played? snapping the wrist? that has to be something you overheard from a hacker, because NO GOLFER WOULD USE THAT TERM. maybe you should take a lesson.
 

soccerbud34

Senior member
Nov 15, 2001
747
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<< dear soccerbud, please refrain from giving wrong advice. your wrists should absolutely be cocked on the backswing. i'd give you the list of teachers who agree, but Leadbetter, McLean, Rick Smith, and Paul Runyan will do for now. just because your dad is no good, doesn't mean people should do what he does. a strong grip has nothing to do with length. please, don't "ask him" if you have other questions. it'd be like asking me for computer advice. i'd just tell you what i heard from someone, who may or may not know what the hell they're talking about.
as for "snapping" the wrist, are you kidding? have you ever played? snapping the wrist? that has to be something you overheard from a hacker, because NO GOLFER WOULD USE THAT TERM. maybe you should take a lesson.
>>



Yes i do actually play golf *gasp* and i do take lessons from the Pro's @ Hank Haney's :) you do know Hank Haney right? ;)
Well i used to cock my wrist @ the top of my swing ... but the Pro told me not too ... different opinions i guess :)

My dad shoots in the low 80's or in the high 70's .... really depends on the length of the course ....

I frequently shoot in the mid 80's ... i know its not great ... but i am still working on my short game ...
I can not putt for my life if i had to :(

if you do watch slow replays of the downswings of many ( not all ) of the Pro's from the Tour
you will indeed see "snapping" that i am referring to ....
then again i have said ... it will make or break your game ... it is a timing issue and it does take great eye-hand coordination and many practices to get the "timing" and it may not work for everyone ....

Also about the strong grip, have you actually tried it?
I have used it myself for a while ... the ball has a "flatter" trajectory .... yet it indeed does "run" further than it normally would .... than "weaker" grip...if you may

Perhaps i am giving indeed wrong advice ... but i am just tell her what i worked for me and what I have learned through out the years

then again there is not one "mold" of a perfect golf swing ... different strokes for different people :)

edit ** but like diamond said ... don't listen to me :) **
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
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hey, doofus, all golfers must "snap" their wrists. i wasn't questioning that. what i was saying is that telling someone to snap their wrists is like saying you have to hit the ball. and yes, i do know haney. why don't you ask him about the wrist cock on the backswing? i know what he'll say. and no, if you shoot in the 80's you have ZERO business giving advice on golf. you should concentrate on your own game and try not to screw everyone else's up. mid 80's is the plateau for mediocrity. anyone can get there. can you get better? "it can make or break your game." WRONG!!! without it, you will never be worth a sh**. and strong grip? are you serious? again, like saying hit the ball. the reason women don't hit the ball very far is that they do not generate enough swing speed to get the proper launch angle. that is also why hackers hit their 3 wood farther than their driver. how will "flattening" the ball flight help? you do not know what you are talking about. period. please, do not dispense this garbage advice. you will screw up someone who actually wants to learn. make the ball run farther! this is actually funny. if the pro told you not to cock your wrists, i guess that tells me what your swing looks like. he's trying to minimize the damage. trust me, it's like triage. without wrist cock, your swing WILL NEVER BE ON PLANE! PERIOD! he must be trying to fix something else before he even allows you to attempt a proper swing.
 

TapTap

Golden Member
Apr 8, 2001
1,043
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Diamond--LMAO--how correct you are, and so eloquent :)
The best drill ever taught to me for fault ("shorting" my turn, hence off-balance slide of the hips)
is just taking a 7-8 iron and putting my feet together. Take a smooth swing, if you fall over, you are slippin around instead of coiling your upper body.
My handicap is 12.2, but I'll be 9-10 after getting to play more as the snow-birds (and the snow-bird fees) lighten up here in Orlando.
 

minendo

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2001
35,558
20
81
I took lessons because I had a terrible hook in my shot. I had no problem with distance, but I could not hit the ball straight. After a few lessons and readjusting my stance I am now able to hit the ball straight everytime. I feel as though lessons are worth it. Of course I say that because they were free for me.
 

Electric Amish

Elite Member
Oct 11, 1999
23,578
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I took lessons as a PE credit in College. Hosed my entire game... or what little I did have. ;)

I can't really give you any advice other than practice.

amish
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
I second the suggestion for professional lessons. From my experience, proper technique can lengthen your game a little bit. For example, I'm bigger and stronger than one of my friends, yet he out distances me by 15-30 yards on just about every shot (drive or long iron from the fairway). His technique and form are much better than mine because he has had years of professional instruction while I've only had a few lessons. It will take time and lots of practice, but if you can get your technique and form as close to perfect as possible, I imagine that you would see at least a small increase in your distance.

-Tom
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Yes, please do get lessons. It will make all the difference in the future love of your life (golf that is).

To the numnuts arguing above - man you guys are way to technical on your swings to even bother playing the game much less giving advice. relax, maybe you'll do better.

cheers!

<---scratch on a mediocre course. high 80s on a tough one.
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
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i refuse to take advice from a hacker who shoots in the high 80's. maybe YOU need a lesson, too. and, no, you are not a "scratch" golfer on a mediocre course. there are ratings and slope ratings for each course. if you shoot in the high 80's, you are nowhere near scratch. don't be delusional.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Care to swap USGA passwords big talker?

My handicap is 0. I also have very bad days on occasion but the 68s make up for it. I was trying to be humble and explain that you can have great scores and at the same time screw up 300 yard drives and wind up with a 6 (did it on saturday....god I suck). You can also hit a 8 iron on a 160 yard par three and wind up 6 inches from the hole for a tap in birdie (did it on saturday...wish I could erase those 4 holes though)

ps - calling people shooting in the 80s hackers is a disrespect to the game. you should know better. my girlfriend on the other hand you may feel free to call a hacker (our rule is if she isn't on the green in 6 then she must pick up)
 

LiLRiceBoi

Golden Member
Dec 2, 2000
1,211
0
0
I agree w/ diamond. A little harsh on the guy maybe, but he does get job done.

Dont take soccerbud's advice. Dont "snap" your wrists??? where did you pull that out of? You SHOULD cock your wrists...
 

Rarr

Senior member
Aug 4, 2001
244
0
0
How much did you pay for your lessons? My bf paid $30 an hour (and ended up getting almost 1.5 hours)- his Pro knows Sam Snead! Neat!
 

Fausto

Elite Member
Nov 29, 2000
26,521
2
0
Diamondgoat: chill the hell out. No one likes a n00bie yelling and screaming about something here, mmmnkay? All you needed to say was "Hey soccer...I believe the advice you gave may do more harm than good...she should stick to advice from a teaching pro." And for the record, the majority of golfers never even break 100, much less shoot in the 80s.

And yeah, go see a teaching pro...that's really the best advice. Swing tips are pretty useless unless you are actually watching someone hit the ball and know what the hell you're talking about.

Fausto

 

Chipster

Senior member
Aug 8, 2001
213
0
0


<< Diamondgoat: chill the hell out. No one likes a n00bie yelling and screaming about something here, mmmnkay? >>



Actually Fausto,this has nothing to do with him being a nOObie. I don't care if he had 5000 posts,he should just chill.
 
Jan 18, 2001
14,465
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Rarr, I would say take lessons if you want the money and feel like you need to improve your game. If you enjoy playing regardless of your score then you are probaly justified in NOT taking lessons, IF you don't really want to. Many golfers can teach theselves quite a bit just through trial and error. BUT as time goes on, You will probably develop some flight characteristic that you simply can not crack. Lessons would be good for getting a good fundamental understanding of the golf swing physics, but may not substantially improve your game more so than you would otherwise. Extended lessons would probably definitely help you develop good swing habits AND probably would help lower your score more so than otherwise possible. Remember more than half your stroke are probably around or on the green so just practicing (or lessons) there and ignoring your distance 'problem' would help out.

Another issue to think about, is that IF you take lessons, you don't half to rely on your BF for advice, and can politely tell him to shut the hell up when he feels so inclined to 'fix' your swing. (hopefully that isn't a problem tho :D)


I took golf as a PE credit in college and have been hitting the ball for about 10 years. I shoot in the mid 80's. Each year I seem to improve about 3-5 strokes. For me, playing every week, and hitting at the range helped me drop my score 5 points last year. This year I will probably take some lessons to help in accuracy on approach shots and distance on the tee box.

as far as your avg newbie golf score... I would guess around 100-110.

 

AGodspeed

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2001
3,353
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0
When I played tournaments in the SCPGA and AJGA last year, there was only one simple formula that worked for me, and that was practice.

Practice at home.
Practice at the range.
Practice in your sleep.
Practice, practice, practice.

That is the only solution for playing acceptable golf.

Now, since you're a beginner, you should first go to the nearest municipal golf course and ask for lessons from the pros there. My home course is the Rancho Park Golf Course, located in West L.A. (the most played golf course in the country last I heard). I took lessons from a couple of pros there, and then eventually moved over to the Westchester Golf Course down the 405 freeway. But enough about that.

Ok, so here is what you need to know. First, get lessons from a pro at your home course. After each lesson, practice what your pro told you. It'll be an uncomfortable and difficult experience at first, but you'll get used to the special grip and stance quite quickly with a little consistent practice. Once you've practiced your swing, then you're going to want to practice the second most important aspect of golf (or first, depending on who you talk to), and that's your short game. The most important aspect of your short game is, by far, your putting. You should practice putting whenever possible. It doesn?t matter if you could hit the ball like Tiger Woods, you would downright suck if you couldn't putt. Tiger isn't great because he hits long drivers and iron shots, he's great simply because his short game is absolutely stellar, amazing is more like it actually.

Let me list what you have to do:

1. Get lessons (usually $25-35 at a municipal golf course).
2. Practice your pros advice until you have no energy left. :)
3. Practice your short game, especially putting (your pro will also help you with your short game).

That's all there is to it. Although it?s easier said than done of course. :)

Just so you know, there are a lot of pros out there that will disagree with what other pros teach. That's fine, but just remember that whatever your pro teaches you, you're going to have your own unique swing. Therefore, what one pro says will not necessarily apply to your swing, simply because your natural swing is different.

diamondgoat53, anyone can give advice on golf. As long as they themselves have a passion for golf and love to play golf regularly, they can give advice. However, without practice, advice is nothing. Btw, when I won 3 out of the 9 tournaments I played during the summer last year, I barely cocked my wrists at the top of my swing. According to you, I don't know what I'm doing....
 

Electric Amish

Elite Member
Oct 11, 1999
23,578
1
0


<< as far as your avg newbie golf score... I would guess around 100-110. >>



I've been playing for 10+ years. My score is 110 easy!

I usually only play 9. I usually only play maybe 6 times a year.

amish
 

soccerbud34

Senior member
Nov 15, 2001
747
0
0
<flamesuit on just for diamond>

I am sincerely sorry if i am indeed giving bad advices.
But you don't have to flame me and everyone of my family within 4 generations of me .... geez ;)

The reason why i do not cock my wrist is as follows:
For a while, i was having a bad tendency of opening up my club face during my downswing
Therefore, the Pro i worked with told me to stop cocking my wrist and use a stronger grip than the one i was using ... the problem went away....
Although now I do not use as a strong of a grip, but i still do not cock my wrist (much if at all) @ the top of my swing (its was drilled into my head not too)

But perhaps i should cock my wrist? If i should can you please explain as to why i should?

Also about snapping through the swing ... hmm i can not think in any other visualizing terms .... golf Pro's please help me out here ... :)

Diamond: The slope ratings of the two golf course i play regularly are 107 and 112 respectively

Anyways if i am wrong *again* ... feel free to tell me the and tell me reasons please... i am always looking to better my golf mechanics :)
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
0
0
flame free reply-

it is a physical impossibility to actually take a backswing and not cock your wrists. a stronger grip will actually open the clubface more with a full turn. the difference is that the face will be rotating on a larger axis as it passes through the hitting area. the hands, attempting to return to the "neutral" position wil roll the face closed faster and more pronounced. as the swing path gets farther "inside" (i.e. closer to the body) the harder it is to get the hands closed. that is why most hackers have two trouble shots-the high weak-tit fade and the monster screaming pull-hook. they are identical twin sisters. on both, the swing path is too far outside (generally 8 degrees or more). the fade face is open. the pull-hook face is closed. swing path is much more important than face position. that is why you see pros practicing with a headcover under their left arm. it is to keep the left arm close to the body, thereby creating a better swing path. little known fact: since the strong grip de-lofts the club so much, pro's clubs are actually weaker lofted. for instance, in most sets now, the PW is 46 degrees. however, for nearly all the pros, the PW is 49 or 50 degrees. people think the pros are stronger lofted, and that is why they hit the ball so long, when the opposite is actually true. they hit so long because they reach optimal launch angle with a minimum of sidespin.

moral: please, see your local pro. grip, stance, swing plane--in that order. remember, pros are like doctors, if you don't like the one you have now, get a different one. they are not all equal.