[snackdaddy]

So I guess this is our "All Things Golf Thread" and this would be the best place to post this....

Not sure if any of you hackers try to improve your game, but if you'd like some great pointers/tips and have access to Facebook or Youtube, I strongly advise looking up Rick Shiels
I've been a student of the game for over 40 years, have read just about every book there is, watched everything on video under the sun, and this guy is fantastic. His videos are pretty short and mostly get right to the point.

I used to watch all these different videos. Read Golf Digest. Try and take in as many tips as I can. I think that screwed me up even more. The basics are the same for most, but too many variances in things by too many instructors kinda confused me. If I watch any I think it would be better to stick with one instructor as long as he has a series of instructions. Maybe I'll check it out.

I used changed my swing week to week and never could settle in on anything consistent. So I just stopped watching them. Went out to the range and tried to figure it out myself. I got a little better now because I found something that works for me and I can use it without changing my swing mid round.

I also found out that maybe my swing hasn't slowed down as much as I thought. I was having problems with my graphite shaft irons that were lighter and regular flex. I decided to dig out my older steel shaft stiff flex irons and dang, I hit the ball further and more consistent. My 150 yard 7 iron was all of a sudden over 160. Which just happens to be the distance 3 of the 4 par 3's are at my home course. I used to always have trouble because I couldn't reach them with my 7 and my 6 iron was inconsistent. Not any more.

Dieter, you just gave me an idea. I changed the title to All Things Golf. Probably more appropriate now for this thread.

[dieterbrock]

I used to watch all these different videos. Read Golf Digest. Try and take in as many tips as I can. I think that screwed me up even more. The basics are the same for most, but too many variances in things by too many instructors kinda confused me. If I watch any I think it would be better to stick with one instructor as long as he has a series of instructions. Maybe I'll check it out.

I used changed my swing week to week and never could settle in on anything consistent. So I just stopped watching them. Went out to the range and tried to figure it out myself. I got a little better now because I found something that works for me and I can use it without changing my swing mid round.

I also found out that maybe my swing hasn't slowed down as much as I thought. I was having problems with my graphite shaft irons that were lighter and regular flex. I decided to dig out my older steel shaft stiff flex irons and dang, I hit the ball further and more consistent. My 150 yard 7 iron was all of a sudden over 160. Which just happens to be the distance 3 of the 4 par 3's are at my home course. I used to always have trouble because I couldn't reach them with my 7 and my 6 iron was inconsistent. Not any more.

Dieter, you just gave me an idea. I changed the title to All Things Golf. Probably more appropriate now for this thread.

Snack, reading your post sounds exactly like what I would have written. I learned how to play golf reading Jack Nicklaus "Golf My Way", I still use the interlocking grip. Jack was all about the upright swing. I loved Ben Hogan's "5 fundamentals", learned how to engage my hips, and he was all about the flat golf swing. 1 week I would swing flat, 1 week upright. 1 week I copy Greg Norman the next week I copy Fred Couples. So on and so on. Couldn't stick with anything.
This guy actually makes me want to play golf. His tips are so simple, but make so much sense. And theyre like 4-5 minute videos, my ADD can handle that lol

[snackdaddy]

Snack, reading your post sounds exactly like what I would have written. I learned how to play golf reading Jack Nicklaus "Golf My Way", I still use the interlocking grip. Jack was all about the upright swing. I loved Ben Hogan's "5 fundamentals", learned how to engage my hips, and he was all about the flat golf swing. 1 week I would swing flat, 1 week upright. 1 week I copy Greg Norman the next week I copy Fred Couples. So on and so on. Couldn't stick with anything.
This guy actually makes me want to play golf. His tips are so simple, but make so much sense. And theyre like 4-5 minute videos, my ADD can handle that lol

Lol, when I would look at some instruction to help me with whatever I'm having trouble with I used to skip by the videos that were more than 5 minutes. I didn't have the attention span to stick with long winded videos. These guys would spend 5 minutes trying to explain the physics of the golf shot. I just want something quick and simple. My attention span ain't that good either.

[snackdaddy]

Golf is a funny game. Two weeks ago I only hit two fairways. Yet, I had the best round I've had in the last year. I broke bogey golf for the first time since early last year. Shot an 88. I was able salvage some holes with my rescue wood.

Then last week I had a nice run of fairways. Found my happy swing after missing the first two fairways. Didn't miss on till the final hole. Yet, I shot a 97. Nine strokes worse than the week before. I had too many mistakes around the green this time. Led to a few breakdown holes.

Had two triples and a quadruple bogey on the final hole when I hooked one out of bounds. I re-teed and sliced into some thick trees. And I wasn't in position to use my favorite club very often, the rescue wood.

Had a real good range session yesterday. Bought some new irons. Went back to steel shaft with stiff flex. Felt really good. Especially the 5 and 6 irons. They weren't as good when using my old graphite irons.

I'm playing again tomorrow with my grandson and his father. Another round of free golf with a cart. Kinda takes the sting out of a bad round when you don't have to pay.

[PARAM]

If it's not trouble off the tee, it's trouble in the fairway or trouble around the green or trouble on the green. If they ever all come together for me, I'll probably get run over by a golf cart.....or grabbed by a gator!!!

[snackdaddy]

If it's not trouble off the tee, it's trouble in the fairway or trouble around the green or trouble on the green. If they ever all come together for me, I'll probably get run over by a golf cart.....or grabbed by a gator!!!

Lol, I don't have to worry about gators around here, but I get tired of those ducks following me around and laughing at me.

[PARAM]

Lol, I don't have to worry about gators around here, but I get tired of those ducks following me around and laughing at me.

I played yesterday. My last round before I head back to Pennsylvania next week. Wildest thing was.....we saw a gator, kinda just laying in the water near the bank at one tee. 8 or 9 footer. As we stood there watching him, he jumped at something about 10 feet away. Startled the shit out of us!! Whatever it was, he got it.

For the round, the driver was fine (I hit one bad one). 3 wood off the tee sucked. 3 wood and 5 wood off the fairway sucked. 7 wood was good and bad. Irons were dead on. Short irons were dead on....holed a SW from 75 yards. Chipping was sporadic. Putting was good but I didn't sink anything outside of 6 feet. Shot a 98. Will resume in PA a.s.a.p!!!!

[snackdaddy]

I played yesterday. My last round before I head back to Pennsylvania next week. Wildest thing was.....we saw a gator, kinda just laying in the water near the bank at one tee. 8 or 9 footer. As we stood there watching him, he jumped at something about 10 feet away. Startled the shit out of us!! Whatever it was, he got it.

For the round, the driver was fine (I hit one bad one). 3 wood off the tee sucked. 3 wood and 5 wood off the fairway sucked. 7 wood was good and bad. Irons were dead on. Short irons were dead on....holed a SW from 75 yards. Chipping was sporadic. Putting was good but I didn't sink anything outside of 6 feet. Shot a 98. Will resume in PA a.s.a.p!!!!

I've played golf on and off for over 30 years. Each time I went back to it, I seemed to have a favorite club I rely on for the longer shots. Its always a different one from the time before. 5 wood for a while. 7 wood for a while. Now my 4 hybrid is my favorite. Can't hit a 3 or 5 wood to save my life these days.

Funny thing, for most of those on and off years the driver was my worst club. Now its my most consistent. I rarely have a bad driving round. I usually miss the first hole or two but I get it worked out after that. I tend to hit a lot of consecutive fairways when I find my happy swing. Yet, my scores still haven't gone down. I tend to find new and exciting ways to butcher a few holes.

[PARAM]

If the driver is good, that's less than 20% of the game (14 strokes in a round). The fairway play is important but if you have trouble there, you can make it up with good chipping and putting. But if either of those two are off, even if everything else is working, it's more than likely north of 90!! If you 3 putt half the holes and 2 putt the other half, that's 45 strokes!!!

[snackdaddy]

If the driver is good, that's less than 20% of the game (14 strokes in a round). The fairway play is important but if you have trouble there, you can make it up with good chipping and putting. But if either of those two are off, even if everything else is working, it's more than likely north of 90!! If you 3 putt half the holes and 2 putt the other half, that's 45 strokes!!!

The iron game is what separates the tour pros from the guys who are almost there. I'm too inconsistent with the irons. My playing partners are usually my son in law, grandson and a friend. My son in law hit only two fairways last round and still shot in the low 80's. He's very good on and around the greens. That part of the game makes all the difference.

My grandson is good hitting fairways and greens in regulation. He'll get on a run and have 5 or 6 birdie putts in a row. That is why he shoots in the low 80's. If he was as good as his father with the short game he'd be in the 70's every time out. He tends to miss too many putts in the 5 or 6 foot range. I know those aren't automatic but making them can be the difference between a good round and a great round.