Golf - I Love It !

[Houston]

Here’s a little history about it !

Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled for “Gentlemen Only…Ladies Forbidden”, hence the word G O L F, entered into the English Language.

How I got started:

Well over 50 years ago, my Father took me out to a local Golf Course, where I played (sorta) one Round of Golf. From that point to just a few years ago, was the only game I had ever played.

When I retired, a friend of mine urged me to play, I didn’t have any Clubs, or any other of the accoutrements, which are needed.

Being retired has presented me with LARGE difference in discretionary funds, but, I didn’t want to become a “complete” couch potato, and deiced if I were to drop by a Pawn Shop, I just might be able to acquire enough equipment, to at least get started, for a price better aligned to my current budget.

Over the course of a few days, I visited a few Pawn Shops, and purchased three Bags of Clubs, no individual bag containing a full set of Clubs, but the sum of all three bags, provided me with a complete set plus extras, for just under $80 total.

I got four #1 Drivers, a #3, 5, 7 & 9 Woods, #1 to #9 Irons, and five Wedges from 43° to 68°, three Bags, one which is very nice, and more than fifty new and used Balls, which were in the Bags, plus several extra clubs (for a total of 42 Clubs, several which have Graphite Shafts), Gloves, 3 Putters, and other minor stuff that’s related.

Some of the Brand Names of the Clubs I purchased in the Bags, include Titlest, Ping, Mizuno, Niklaus, Northwestern and Dunlop. Though I don’t have a “matched” set, I think I really found some good deals. I even have a “Stiletto” brand 320cc Driver which has 4° Loft. I admit I haven’t found too many places to use it, but, I got it “if” I need a flat (low trajectory) Driver like that.

What absolutely astonished me was, that when I did a “cost of new” MSRP of what I did have, that sum added up to over $3500! I’m NOT saying that’s what my clubs are worth, but WOW! I never realized that Golf Equipment could be SO expensive!

Since my original purchases, I’ve visited some Golf stores, and seen sets of Irons
(#3-PW) that cost almost $1000, and Drivers in the range of $600 each!

If I divide just the quantity of clubs into the original cost, finding that it runs just under $2 a club, somehow them not being “matched”, seems not to be so important at that price!

So if you’re looking for “something” to just try/play around with, take it from me,
visit your local Pawn Shops, some GREAT deals are available!

 

[Houston]

Come On Folks – Let’s Talk About Golf !

A large emphasis in Drivers now a days, is the size of the Club Head in Cubic Centimeters (cc).

Here’s a way to check your Driver or Wood Club Head size, if you don’t already know it.

See the attachment, Houston10.jpg

 

[Houston]

Golf Clubs: An Overview.

One of the first things I wanted to know when I started playing, was just why there were so many Clubs needed, to play the game. Please understand, I’m not directing these words to the experienced or Professional player.

It’s apparent that Drivers get the distance, Irons and Wedges do the more precise work of getting you on the Green, and Putters sink the Ball, the object of the whole thing. But, I wondered just how and why several of the same type Club, varied so much, and a very competent player, named Palmer, said something that sorta explained that.

His statement generally was, that regardless of which Club you used, your stroke should be the same. Given that I understand that he was focusing on actually three types of stroke, one for Drivers and Irons, another to do Wedges, and then Putting, it then forces the “results” of the stroke, onto the Club itself.

There are two elements of Clubs, which are quoted often, those are the “Loft”, which elevates the Ball, and “Lie” which is the angle that the Shaft of the Club approaches the Player. BOTH elements are very important, and if you don’t know what you have, and use them correctly, your game WILL suffer.

If you have purchased a good “set” of Irons, the Lofts and Lies are probably equally spaced, where there’s a reasonable increase from one to the next, allowing you to use the Loft, to get the Ball where you want it. In my case, where I do not have a “matched set”, I needed to know just what the Lofts were for each club, and eliminate the ones that were too close to the next, thus not having to carry so many clubs.

For instance, in my original purchases, I wound up with three #3 Irons, all of which had different Lofts, and were of different Manufacturers. I went through all of them, measuring each Lie, Loft and Length, then selecting ones that would put the spacing of Loft of the ones (Irons mainly) I would use, at about 3 to 5° between them. Therefore giving me a reasonable separation/increase in Loft. Logically, the only reason to carry two Clubs with the same/near Loft, is because one’s a Iron, and the other is a Wedge (like that) where the configuration of the Club is applied in special circumstances. There are some significant differences in the construction of Irons and Wedges, well beyond the Loft.

Any questions / replies ?

 

[Houston]

Loft of a Golf Club: An Overview.

As you may know, Loft is the angle of the “Face” of the Club, to the center line of the Shaft. See Houston11.jpg for example. A diagram of measuring “Lie” is also included.

Lofts which are low in numerical value, flatten the trajectory of the Ball when hit, as opposed to “Lofting” it way up in the air, which can be achieved by a Club with a high degree/number Loft. Lofting a Ball up in the air, only shortens it’s horizontal travel, not the actual linear distance it travels, given that the energy of the strikes are equal.

Drivers, range from as little as 4° to about 11.5°. The 11.5° Loft, seems to be what separates a Driver from a Wood, and beyond the Loft, now a days there’s very little “visual” difference in them. Almost all Drivers and Woods are Metal now. So, if you want a Metal headed (driving) Club which has 12° or greater loft, you’d better ask for a “Wood” or they’ll laugh at you! Finding a “Wood” which has a large Volume Head (400/460cc) is difficult, though they can be ordered from most Manufacturers.

Woods, range from a #2 at about 12° thru as much as 40° or so, at #15. They usually skip even numbers like #2, and use #3, 5, 7, 9, 11 &15. The most common being the #3 at about 15°, and #5 at about 20° loft. Keep in mind that all of the “Numbers” and what loft they have, vary somewhat between Manufacturers. The #7 and up Woods are not very popular now, being replaced with good quality Irons and the new Utility Clubs.

Drivers and Woods are intended to be used on/from the “Tee”, where one starts the play for each Hole. A while back, the higher numbered Woods were used on the Fairway, but, given how rough it can be, Irons were more durable, and the Fairway Woods just lost out to them.

Irons, like the Drivers and Woods, range from a #1 at about 11° Loft, thru a #9 which could Loft as much as 45°. Again, depending on the Manufacturer. The #1 thru about a #4 are referred to as “Long Irons”, because of their Shaft lengths and ability to flatten the trajectory, and are a MUST for guys like me, given that I can barely knock a ball off the Tee!

The old #10 & 11 Irons, have been replaced with the Pitching and Sand Wedges, and several of the mid range Irons, are being replaced with “Utility/Hybrid” Clubs, usually in the 15° thru 25° Lofts.

Wedges, take off from a “Pitching Wedge”, which could be as low as 40°Loft, and go through what some call a “Last” Wedge, at 68°. These too have various Names and Letters associated with the loft they have, and there’s a bunch of them.

Right here, I’ll place a rather weird Club called a “Chipping Putter”, they look a lot like a Standard “Bar” Putter, but have about a 30° Loft, and are usually made for RH and LH with the same Head. These are usually used just off Green, and intended to “Pitch” the Ball up over the rough area, without the force of what could be realized with a Wedge.

Putters, at last, are the “least” lofty of any of the Clubs, usually lofting about 3° or so. The other prominent characteristic of a Putter is it’s Lie, which is rather high, usually about 80°. But, that’s a Competition Rule, I’ve seen some that have been straightened out to 90°, but that’s a personal choice.

The USGA Rules also say that a Shafts can’t be over 48” long, though I’ve seen a Pro use some that are much longer. “Chin” and “Belly” Putters, well over that.

 

[Houston]

Lie and Shaft Length of a Golf Club: An Overview.

One of the most misused and misunderstood elements of a Club is the relationship of the Lie, to the Length of the Shaft. “Lie”, is the angle that the Club Face is set/positioned to the Shaft of the Club. To see a diagram of how to measure “Lie”, see the attachment in my previous Post.

Most Manufacturers use a rule of thumb for the Length of the Club they provide you with, and RARELY is it the correct length, for you, unless you’re exactly the right height, have arms exactly the right length, and set up to the Ball in exactly the right angle of posture, which includes how far you lean over, and how much you bend your knees.
(That “exactly” means you need to be about 6’6” or taller!)

Most all the Golf Stores will adjust the Length of a Shaft free of charge, “IF” you bought the club from them. Or will charge you a moderate fee ($5-15) to resize the Length to fit your physiology. Nix on that for me, given my budget and quantity of clubs. I bought a pack of Grips, and adjusted the Lengths of my clubs, myself.

Several Sports/Golf Stores have packs of One, Two, and up to Nine or more Grips Packs, where you may Re-Grip your Clubs yourself, AND, adjust the length of the Shaft, while you’re doing that. I purchased a large pack of Grips, for about what it would cost to have a Golf Store do just one Club for me. So at least part of my set matches!

Manufacturers most often provide Shaft Lengths that are WAY too long for the average user. Reason for that, is you can shorten them, and rather than not giving you enough to start with, they’d rather err toward the longer since those Shafts don’t stretch all that well. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen someone set up to take a stroke, with the toe of their club almost pointing straight up, or pretty close to it anyway. And then, hear them complain about Hooks and Slices.

The KEY to coming up with the proper length of a Club, is to establish a total of 90° angle, using the Lie of the Club, and how far you bend over on your Set Up, to the ground.

In other words: If the Club has a 60° Lie, you need to bend over at your waist, bend your knees, and establish the 30° to get in the correct posture for your swing. When you set up like this, with the grooves in the Club Head horizontal, your shoulders, hands, and the Club Head should be reasonably in line. IF you find the end of the Grip of the Club well up past your wrist, I think I’d say the Club Shaft is TOO long! I don’t think I would cut one off, unless it were more than one (1) inch longer than necessary. But, if you’re Re-Gripping the Club, why not!

Note: Most Drivers “Lie” usually runs from 55° to 60°, Irons and Wedges from 60° to 65°, and Putters from 70° to 80°. Adjusting length is usually done to everything but Putters, but, if yours is too long, why not, they even have Special Grips for them, ones that are flat on one side. Good alignment is necessary there, when Re-Gripping a Putter.

There’s an instance of relief in this, mainly in Drivers and Woods, in that their club Faces have what’s called, Bulge and Roll. Those terms describe the Elliptical shape of the Club Face, which gives you some “Forgiveness” in the Angles mentioned above. So if you’re off a little bit in your posture or length of the Shaft, the shape of the Club Face sorta takes up for that. Even with that “forgiveness”, there’s NO substitution for the correct length club, sized in length just for you!

However, that forgiveness stops THERE! When you move to Irons, Wedges and Putters, their faces are flat, and IF you don’t have the grooves in the face horizontally aligned, there’s NO telling where the ball might go. So if you’re consistently getting Hooks or Slices or a moderated version of those called Draws and Fades, now you know why, or at least the most likely reason anyway.

There must be a thousand different configurations of the shape of Club Heads, oval, wedge, pear, and on and on. Given these different shapes, sometimes it’s hard to tell when the head is horizontal on Setup, but, one feature on ALL of them is consistent. That being the grooves on the face. Those are what you use, to verify the designed horizontal position of the Club, NOT the general shape of the Head.

I assure you, that if you set up your club face horizontally(shaft length correct), don’t open or close the face (square), hit the ball in the identified center of the face (sweet spot) without a lateral slice, it WILL go straight down the Fairway, IF that’s where you were aiming it! Manufacturers spend a LOT of time and money designing Clubs that perform correctly, when these five conditions are met.

IF you can keep the ball on the Fairway, I assure you, your strokes will be fewer. Accuracy trumps distance every time.

Below is a chart, that I got from the PGA Magazine I receive, shown in an article named “Are your Clubs Too Long?”, where it lists the “general” lengths of clubs, according to your measurements. Thanks to Steve Pike and Tom Wishon, writers for the Mag.

Though these guys are Pros in their respective fields, I’m not sure just what Lie(s) they used to base this Chart on. (Lie as in “angle”, ok!

However, there’s NO substitution for having your Club Length(s) fitted to you, by a competent Golf Equipment Professional, and you will be amazed at the results.

Note “WRIST” not waist, when standing upright. (LN: = Length)

WRIST TO FLOOR:…DRIVER LN:…..5 IRON LN:
27” to 29”……….……….42.0”……………36.5”
29” to 32”………….…….42.5”……………37.0”
32” to 34”…….………….43.0”……………37.5”
34” to 36”……….……….43.5”……………38.0”
36” to 37”…….………….44.0”……………38.25”
37” to 38”……….……….44.25”…… …..38.5”
38” to 39”………….…….44.5”……………38.75”
39” to 40”…….………….44.75”…… …..39.0”
40” to 41”……….……….45.0”……………39.25”
41” to 42”………….…….45.5”……………39.50”
Over 42”…………….…...46” & up… …..39.75 & up

MAGIZINE REF: http://www.topix.net/golf/pga

 

[Houston]

Re-Gripping a Golf Club – Recommendations.

The three MOST important rules for Re-Gripping a Golf Club are:

1. READ THE DIRECTIONS.
2. READ THE DIRECTIONS.
3. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!

Most Grip Kits have very clear and concise directions included with them, and just about anyone can follow them successfully. But there are some items which are necessary in completing a Re-Grip, like having a sharp knife, and the proper lubricant (Alcohol/Water/Other) to wet the tape and Grip. So check things out FIRST, get set up, then the job will go smoothly.

Also, DON’t be chinchy with the lubricant, the Grip slips on a LOT easier, the more you use. The exact amount is hard to say, but be generous with it. I will caution you though, that some Grip Tape requires Petroleum Based Liquid, to slip the Grip on with. IF you’re sensitive to these type Chemicals/Solvents , you DO have other choices. Get another type tape, as long as it’s made to do Re-Grips with.

I don’t want to get into an argument here, but, I personally avoid using Petrochemical based products. I feel that if we do not buy them, insisting on more benign and environmentally safe products, this world and our pocket books, are going to like that!

I usually lay a towel under the work area, to catch the drips, and there should be a lot of um. Also, it takes about 24 hours for that Lubricant to dry out from inside the Grip, so don’t Re-grip the day before you go to play, I like to stand the Club upright on the Grip end, on a old Towel, and have at least 48 hours of dry time. This allows any access Lube which may have collected in the hollow shaft, to drain properly. Don’t put the Club back in your Bag, let it AIR dry outside the Bag, for the required time.

IF you are going to shorten the Length of the Club, it’s a lot easier to remove the Grip first, cut the Shaft squarely off at the appropriate length, with a Hack Saw. Nice slow low pressure strokes with a Fine Tooth Saw (32 tooth) works just as well on Steel or Graphite. Even if you fray the end of a Graphite Shaft, a little sanding around the rough area will do, and that area will be covered up by the tape and Grip anyway, so no problem there.

Additionally, when removing the old Grip from a Graphite shaft, you should be very careful NOT to cut into it. I usually lay the Knife FLAT on the Shaft and start cutting outward toward the end of the Shaft, like I was pealing a Banana.

NOTE: Some of the instructions with the Kits, do not tell you to allow a little extra Tape to hang off/out from the end of the Shaft, about 3/8” is sufficient. Fold this little extra amount over, and push it down into the hollow shaft. IF you forget to do this, you’ll only forget once! This helps get the rough end of the Shaft away from the Grip, letting it slide by that roughness easily. Trust me on this one!

The only other thing I can recommend is, that you have a way to hold the Club, because when you wet things up, and start pushing the new Grip onto the Shaft, it can be a little stubborn, and if you don’t have the Club secured properly, that’s going to be hard.

Fortunately, I have a Workbench, with a Wooden Vice (Carpenters Type). I STILL wrap the Shaft with a cloth a couple turns, to protect the finish, and place the Shaft in the Vice horizontally, where as much of the Shaft is being gripped by the Vice, as possible.

That way, I don’t have to put an excessive amount of Vice pressure on the Shaft, to keep it in place, while I’m slipping the Grip on. Too much pressure with your Vice, could compress/bend a Steel Shaft, or crack a Graphite Shaft, both are hollow by the way. That would cause you to have to replace it, or, discard the Club.

Ummm, got an older Club you can try this on, before you hack your new Driver off ?

That’s not a bad idea, and another is, if you have a friend who has done this before, have them over to go through the procedure with you. This procedure is very little different than the aptitude you would use to set your FTA system up.

Grips come in Synthetic (rubber) or real Leather, and that’s your choice. Having clean fresh Grips are a definite plus in your game, and you can even get ones that are thinner or larger (undersized/oversized Outside Diameter), if you have small or large hands.

A correctly sized Grip for your hand, has a very positive effect on your Game, specially if you have larger hands. You can also wrap the Shaft with an additional piece(s) of Tape to increase the OD a little, but it will make the Grip a little harder to install.

Colors and patterns are just as varied, with some very snappy color schemes, which the Ladies like a lot. You can even get them to match your Golf Bag or some outfit you enjoy wearing. Many of the Golf Shops, have Original Grips for which ever manufacturer your Club may be made by, but, I like seeing my Clubs, all with the same type and color Grip.

That’s just me though, and is probably as close to a match set as I’m going to get.

Good luck! Comments/Replies welcome!

 

[Houston]

Golf – The Mechanical Issues – An Opinion.

I wouldn’t presume to tell you how to correct in your Swing or Setup, to get a better shot out. However, I can comment on the usual things, that mess that up for you, specially including the “Mechanical” issues, which you can’t change with just practicing on the Range. Here are three of those.

First, is the Length of the Club Shaft.
Previous Post in this Thread have identified how to check that, what to do about it, and the importance of Shaft length. Golfers have dealt with “not” changing Club Shaft Length for years, continuingly making Physical adjustments in their Posture in Addressing the Ball, with varying results, mainly because we’re just inconsistent with that, so, why not get it out of the way up front. Get your Shaft Length adjusted or do it yourself, and that will eliminate a LARGE portion of the inconsistencies in your shots!

Secondly, is the Ball you use!
Of course you want Distance, and of course you want Accuracy, BUT, you may not be getting either, and the choice of type of Ball you use, will lend to a more accurate and stable and repeatable shot. All Ball Manufacturers say what GREAT distance and accuracy their ball has, and they probably have at least ten types of balls, which they promise ALL will do those things. Maybe they’re right, and maybe not so, but if you know something about the characteristics of a Ball, choosing one that suits what you’re trying to do, will be a LOT easier, and a LOT more productive.

I hate to tell you this, but “technically” you can’t get both Accuracy and Distance out of the same Ball! But I admit, that I’m splitting hairs here, and it’s up to you to decide just which one is more important to you. I’ll suggest that accuracy should lead that argument.

Ball characteristics are the key to both accuracy and distance, but, the Club you use with that particular Ball, will impact greatly on how it performs. The Characteristics of a Ball are, how deep and how many “Dimples” the Ball has, and how soft or hard the Skin and Core are, basically.

Let’s look at Dimples first.
IF a Ball had NO Dimples, it would Drive out a LOT farther, those little things slow the ball down. Slicker, harder Balls just Drive farther, than ones with deep Dimples and are soft.

However, IF you don’t have Dimples on a Ball (and I’ve never seen one without them), that Ball might go ANYWHERE, the Dimples stabilize the Flight, and that’s where the hairsplitting comes in. A good comparison is a Ball and Cap Rifle, compared to one with Rifling in the barrel. That spin creates a more stable line of Flight. And by the way, you can’t avoid “some” spin, because all clubs have “some” Loft, and that’s what causes it.

Let’s look at the effect of a Club Face which imparts that Spin through the friction coefficient. The club face is at “some” angle/Loft, and has “some” level of surface irregularity, like the Tread on a Tire. Some are pretty slick, and others have a machined or have a “tacky” face, which “grips” the surface of the ball, then articulating the force which makes the Ball spin. The faster a Ball spins, the more impact air has on it, which equates to stability and straightness, on a “Centered Stroke”. AND, how much Draw/Hook – Fade/Slice it has, if you don’t get a Centered stroke.

Now, how hard or soft:
A harder Ball, is less effected by the contact pressure, not allowing as much physical area to compress, where the Face of the Club can do that “gripping”, and spin the ball. Softer Balls compress on contact with the Face of a Club, therefore presenting more surface to impart that spin on them. So, we’ve established that “Spin” is good, but, it can be very bad, if some conditions exist.

IF, you hit the Ball perfectly, and remember those FIVE conditions, Horizontally, Squarely, Centered, no Slice and Aim, the spin is rotating in a Vertical direction, which slightly reduces the Distance (but please don’t worry about that, it’s minor) and your ball Drives straight where you aimed it because of the stabilizing effect of Spin.
BUT, just how many times dose one hit the Ball perfectly!

Let’s say that you’re one of the ones, who doesn’t hit it perfectly, and sorta let your Club Head move away from dead center, and you hit the ball on the Toe or Heal of the Club. That imparts spin that is NOT in a Horizontal direction, and because of those forces of nature (just like a Dog Paddle if it were swimming on it’s side). The Spin starts grabbing air, and crawling with it, and forcing the Ball to go in the wrong direction from where you want it to go. Fades and Draws if you’re kinda lucky, or Slices and Hooks if you’re not, depends on how far off your Club was, from that good “Centered Stroke”.

I admit, the Pros use Fades and Draws quite successfully, curving the ball around a Dog Leg, getting more distance on the Fairway, or avoiding a Hazard. I suggest that priorities would demand, that one accomplishes a straight shot first, and acquire the ability to do “tricks” later.

I don’t generally like to make profound statements about one’s stroke, but, if you hit the Ball with the Toe of your Club Face, it’s going to Draw. And the opposite of that, a Fade, if you hit it with the Heel of your Club Face. Fades seem to be more prevalent, know why?

When one sets up for a shot, gets everything just right, he usually sets the face of the club directly behind the ball, just like it’s supposed to be, when hit. However, when one draws back and then swings, the centrifugal force of the Club, often straightens out his arms a little, forcing the Face of the Club outward in a horizontal direction, causing more contact with the Heel of the Club Face. Hence, Fade! If one would set up where the Club Head were just off center, putting the Ball more toward the Toe of the Club Face on setup, that might correct that problem.

Getting back to Mechanical issues now, let’s look at how you Tee your ball up:
Your body has a mind of it’s own, when you do things repeatedly, it remembers what it did, and does it again and again, until you “force” it to change, IF you really want to. So, if you set the Ball up at a consistent height above the ground each time, pretty soon things are going to connect, given that regularity.

The consistency of Tee height should be set for each Driver/Wood individually, and that sounds inconsistent, but it’s not. When you set up, you’ve learned that when you swing, not to hit the ground, that only causes problems. So you inadvertently direct the Club Head to swing just above it. This application will also let you “vary” Loft a little, but again, focus on getting it straight down the Fairway, first!

The accepted height that your Ball should be Teed at, is where the Center of the Ball, is on an even line with the top of your Driver/Wood, when you set the Club directly behind the ball on Setup, with the Club Head sitting on the ground. This also greatly reduces the possibility of Shanking the Ball. See attachment Houston12.jpg.

IF you’re still using those short little Tees with a large/460cc Driver, I’d think about getting a bag of longer ones, like about 2 ½”, or longer if the ground is soft at the Tee area.

Comments/Replies welcome!

 

[Houston]

Golf – Tools of the Trade – An Approach

USGA, 4-4.a, The player shall start a stipulated Round, with not more than Fourteen Clubs.

Well fine, and if I ever go Pro, I’ll follow that rule!
However, when I’m playing with friends, or the rare occasion, by myself, I’ll carry as many as I dang well want, and I got a bunch of um! In an earlier post, I mentioned “same stroke”, and how that approach put the “work/results” onto the Cub it’s self, and that’s just the approach I use.

I play Golf for the FUN of it, and frequently don’t even keep score. If one of my partners thinks that’s important, he/she can keep up with that, I’m just TOO busy, tinkering with my stuff, and enjoy seeing what Club will do what, when and how.

I frequently play two balls in at a given Hole or Round, using different Clubs, just seeing what works best, under what circumstances. Fortunately, being retired gives me a lot of time to drop by the Shops and see if I can find a good used Club (toy), that I feel I just can’t do without. I’m the kind of guy, that thinks there hasn’t been a tool made, that I don’t need, somewhere, sometime!

Many, maybe even ALL of the Pros, don’t just show up at a given Course and start Play. Lots of their “efficiency” in Play, comes from “knowing” the Course, either by having Played it before, or their Caddies go play it, and pass that info along. Given my desire to know about those technicalities, I’d probably be a pretty good Caddy, I really LIKE to know where I’m going, and what’s there, up front.

Many of the Courses have websites, or at least a Score Card with a Map of the Course, and I can visit the website and see drawings of the Holes, the yardages and shapes of the Fairways. Then know (with in reason) just which club to take with me, to get the best game played. I admit again, I don’t keep score, but, knowing that I’ve taken fewer strokes overall, is a very satisfying feeling. And there’s one quite necessary issue, which you must be familiar with, to be able to do that!

If you don’t know how a given Club performs for you, you’re stuff out of luck, from the get go.

You got to know this, and the best way is get up off the Couch, and go out to the Driving Range, where you can, in a controlled environment, know the yardages (at least) that you can expect from a Club.

And I don’t mean just Drivers/Woods. Ranges have areas where you can use your Irons, a few Sand Pits for Wedges, and usually a multiple hole Green, where you can practice with your Putter(s). A few in my location, even have small 3 hole Courses associated with them, where you can move over and test the results of the Range Practice, on real turf, before you go out and actually Play. All that for the price of a Bucket of Balls, resulting in a very informative morning or afternoon.

My approach to the game, as I’ve outlined it, seems frivolous, great fun and very casual, but, I’m getting some very important information, where if I did get serous about Play, that would be a great advantage to me.

Just think, when you picked up your favorite Driver, Wedge or whatever, that you knew exactly how far you could hit the ball, and if there were some characteristics about the Club, which gave you an advantage, OR, disadvantage with a given shot. I ASSURE you, the Pros know that REAL good, and with detailed information about the Course, no wonder you see them get lots of Birdies or better!

So can you!

Comments/Replies welcome!

 

[Houston]

Golf – Analysis – An Evaluation.

Just think of how nice it would be, if you had access to the elaborate diagnostic equipment, which a Pro’s Sponsor avails to him/her!

They (the Sponsors) furnish no less than ten of the same type club, like a #1 Driver for instance, to the Pro, watching him swing and seeing the results, then, adjusting (bending) the Lofts and Lies to within tenths of a degree, where the results are spectacular.

Then, they put him on a indoor Tee, get cameras on him, record his swing and Setup, playing it back, and going into GREAT detail about what should be changed, to be as perfect as he can. That and having a Trainer(s) must be worth thousands of dollars, and well beyond my means, probably yours too.

However, you just might have part of that stuff, right in your Hall Closet or a Cabinet somewhere, that you just didn’t think about using, to help your game out, much like the Sponsors do for their favorite Pro.

Got a Camcorder?

Who says, that you, in the privacy of your home (with a Woofle Ball of course) can’t get out in your back yard, and do a Video of your swing! All it would take beyond the Camcorder, is a Tripod if you’re alone, or a Friend holding it for you, and recording that on a DVD-R, then playing it back at slow speed/frame by frame, and seeing what needs attention.

I’m sure you’ve watched the Golf Channel, and already are aware of the usual views that the Camera Operators get of the Golfers. But to minimize the amount of information you can use, there are three (3) views you want to have:

One, directly behind you and the Ball pointing toward the Green, where you can see the “Orbit/Plane” of your swing, how “centered” the Club hits the Ball.

Next, directly in front of you, where the Ball is between you and the Camera, where you can see your Posture and Setup, and how your Club contacts the ball from that Vertical “square” hit I’ve mentioned before.

Thirdly, a close(er) view, “down” on the Ball, to get a good “birds eye” shot of the Club Head, hitting the Ball, showing you how Horizontally “Centered or Skewed” you’ve hit it. It also helps if you have Zoom on the Camera, and you can use a Chair, to lean the Tripod over on, extending the Camera more over the Ball. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just close.

Then just sit down in your Living Room, relax, replay it as many times as you want, and take notes. Including your Camera positions, you might have to out and re-shoot something a couple times. But, that’s something you should expect. Take the pictures, analyze them, make corrections, shoot again, however many times as necessary. Also, when you’re doing the closer shots of the Ball, talk to the Camera, and say which club you’re using, and how it felt, that helps diagnose you shot, later.

There’s just one thing I might mention, and that’s if your Camcorder is a little weak on the Sampling Rate, you might get some Blurred frames, but you just may be able to see through that, if it happens, and come out with some very valuable information.

Sampling Rate/Frame “speed”:
Most all Camcorders have a Menu, switch, or some way to set the Frame Rate. The faster the better here! Slowest is EP, then LP, then SP (standard play) and if SP is the fastest you can go, oh well! But, IF you can set it to faster, like “Sports”, or XSP, or all the way in the other direction from EP as you can set it, the Frames will be MUCH clearer.

Don’t forget to set it back though, you can use up a standard DVD in about thirty or less minutes, at the faster speeds. That’s why I’d use a DVD+/-RW, they can be re-used, IF your system can deal with a RW, not all can. But standard DVD’s are cheep (+/-R $0.11 or so), and so what if you use three or four, to get that Ball in the Fairway a LOT better!

Other “nice” stuff to have, is a DVD in your Computer, I do, and I can print out a Frame where I can see exactly what I did, and mark on the paper what I need to change. That picture in hand, can really help.

Give it a Try!

Comments/Replies welcome!

 

[Houston]

Golf – Options – A Choice.

NOT ME!, I hear in the background, when it comes to cutting off my Driver, assuming the complaint comes from some amount of “loss of energy”, by shortening the Club Length.

Actually, cutting a Shaft off a couple inches or so, only equates to about 1% or less, of the energy applied to the contact of the Ball, and shortening your Drive by a couple of yards, maybe. Now, if getting the Ball on the Fairway an additional 30% or more of the time, isn’t worth that, then don’t adjust the length of your Shaft! Actually, you probably won’t loose any yardage, since your Ball will be traveling a LOT straighter.

IF that’s really an issue with you, you DO have an option, where the Lie of the Shaft can be adjusted, (a decrease in Lie, if the Shaft is too long), and get the Club Face horizontal, without cutting off the Shaft. But, that’ll cost you.

I’ve mentioned in previous Posts, that the Shop you bought your Club from, will probably adjust the length for you, for free (maybe). But if you’re reluctant to do that, a competent person, with the right equipment, usually at a Store where they refit Clubs with new Shafts, can “bend” the Hostel, and decrease the Lie.

The object is to get those little “Grooves” in the Club Face, horizontal. Then of course, you got to hit it correctly! (remember those five conditions!)

This little job, will probably cost you about $25-35 per Club, and it’s nice to get the guy to promise you another “bending/adjustment”, IF you don’t get it right on the first try, with no additional cost to you.

The only problem with Re-Lying a Club, is that you change the design characteristics of the Club drastically. The Manufacturers put in a LOT of time and money, to get numerous features built into a set design, and you’re messing with a rather sensitive area, should you do this.

In my opinion, choosing a Re-Lie, over cutting/shortening the Shaft, is NOT a good idea.

The “machine” they use to do that with, is actually a special Vice, with a long handle, and they can change the Loft too, with it. But again, any change in those areas, are speculative at best, I’d rather opt out for another Club, rather than messing one up.

Beyond changing the characteristics of the Club, it’s construction comes into question. Can it really take bending like that, is the Hostel thick enough to stand it, it might crack! I wouldn’t want to really “blast” a Ball, and have the Head of the Club, get to the Green before the Ball does!

OHH NOOO, (I hear) what if I cut it off TOO much!

Unlikely, I say, you can deal with a shorter club, getting better accuracy, than you can with one that’s too long! Now, I’ll tell you the secret of all this pontification, concerning Club Length.

When a Shaft is too long, you can make physical adjustments to compensate for it, BUT, when you progress, start thinking about those “tricks” making some light to greater Fades or Draws, if you don’t have the Club Shaft length right, you WON’T be able to do that with any repeatability! Now, why!

When the toe of your Club Face is sticking up in the air, like SO many do, you can’t move the head (horizontally) back or forth, to contact the Ball with the Toe or Heel of the Face, therefore prohibiting you from using the Fades and Draws, to improve your game.

Let’s don’t get ahead of ourselves now, don’t say that “aww, I don’t care about that”! Having that Shaft the right length, does a LOT more for your game, than just limiting your ability to do a trick or two. I’ve been harping on this for a long time.

But, back to the issue now, let’s say you did cut it off too much, aww shucks!
All is NOT lost! That’ll only cost you a new Grip, and about another $2, for the “Insert”, that you can get, to glue back in the end of the Shaft. They’re usually about 4” to 6” long before cut to length, and work real good.

Then you just slip the new grip back on it, and nobody knows that happened, but you and me. And I promise I won’t tell! SO, maybe you’ll see now, that you won’t be screwing things up so bad, that you can’t recover from it.

Get that Shaft Length right for YOU, you’ll LOVE it!

Comments/Replies welcome!

 

[Houston]

Golf – Practice – A Necessity.

Whew!, it’s nearly 100° outside, and the Humidity is so high, things are dripping, out there! This happens a LOT where I live, and I’m just not up to getting out there, and dealing with it. Playing a Round under these conditions, is just out of the question. Even going out to the Driving Range, is more than I’d want to deal with, most days now.

But in the mornings and late afternoons, brief periods of Practice can be done, if you really want to improve your game, and won’t cost you all that much time, or money.

I went to a local Sports Supply Store, and bought a Driving Practice Net, and Tee Pad which looks like a Grassy Carpet with a built in re-useable (rubber) Tee, and set them up on the edge of the Patio. You can use a Practice Net without the Tee Pad out in the yard, BUT, it really takes a toll on the Grass, specially using Irons and Wedges.

I was very skeptical when taking that first shot with my big Driver, wondering if that net was really going to contain the Ball, when I hammered it. It did, and pretty well too.

The Net I got is about 7ft high x 9ft wide, and I found it was ok through about a 30° Loft with Drivers or Irons. The angle of departure of the Ball with Short Irons or Wedges, is just too great for the Net to contain the Ball, and I had to change over to Woofle Balls, to practice with those Clubs. Using the Woofle Balls with a Lofty Wedge, is great fun, when the Grand Kids are over, seeing them catching the High Flies out in the yard.

However, I URGE you,
DON’T make any deals with them, to sell you back the Balls!

The Tee in the synthetic Grass Mat is at one end, with a clear space at the other, where you can turn the Mat around, and set the ball directly on the “synthetic grass”, getting a better feel, when using Irons or Wedges (simulating Fairway conditions).

Even a short practice outside, though beneficial to my Swing, still is barely endurable at these temperatures, so just what does one do through the middle of the day. That is other than watching FTA!?

I also bought a couple of those Practice Cups for Putting, they lay pretty flat on the Carpet, and capture the Ball (when you can hit um). I set them up about 15’ apart in the Den, which has a low pile Carpet. NOW, in the comfort of Air Conditioning, I can practice my putting, INSIDE where it’s cool, and watch the Golf Channel at the same time!

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Comments/Replies welcome!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++°

 

[Houston]

Uoops !

Sorry, it's WIFFLE Balls, not Woofle

 

[GaryPen]

Wow. You went from not playing a game of golf since one time when you were a kid, to completely consumed, over-the-edge, and totally obsessed with it.

You could write a book. "The Complete Bi-Polar Guide to Golf"

 

[Foxbat]

Wow. You went from not playing a game of golf since one time when you were a kid, to completely consumed, over-the-edge, and totally obsessed with it.

You could write a book. "The Complete Bi-Polar Guide to Golf"

Many of you may not know it, but I have been very busy over the last two years putting my thoughts and ideas together in a book. I am very proud of the results, and, in order to market the publication, I am asking friends and family to assist. I am about to finish my new book on golf that I believe gives the average golfer invaluable playing tips and insider information that I have gained through my years of experience. Don't wait until they're all gone!

Table of Contents:​

Chapter 1 - How to Properly Line Up Your Fourth Putt

Chapter 2 - How to Hit a Top Flite from the Rough or Woods When You Hit a Titleist from the Tee

Chapter 3 - Saving Time and Energy By Driving Your Golf Cart Through Bunkers and Parking on the Green (also see Chapter 8)

Chapter 4 - How to Get More Distance From the Shank

Chapter 5 - When to Ignore the Ranger's Warnings

Chapter 6 - Using Your Shadow on the Greens to Maximize Earnings

Chapter 7 - When to Implement Handicap Management

Chapter 8 - Ten Good Excuses for Drinking Beer Before 9:00 a.m.

Chapter 9 - How to Rationalize a Six Hour Round

Chapter 10 - A Mystery: How The Ball That Everyone Else Saw Go in the Water Wound Up in the Short Rough

Chapter 11 - Why Your Spouse Doesn't Care That You Birdied the 5th Hole

Chapter 12 - When to Let a Foursome Play Through Your Twosome

Chapter 13 - How to Relax When "Hitting Five" off the Tee

Chapter 14 - When to Suggest Major Swing Corrections to Your Opponent

Chapter 15 - God and the Meaning of the Birdie-to-Bogey Three Putt

Chapter 16 - When to Re-grip Your Ball Retriever

Chapter 17 - Can You Purchase a Better Golf Game?

Chapter 18 - Rules Interpretation: "Loss of Ball is Penalty Enough"

Chapter 19 - How to Take the "Club Throw Distance" Instead of the "Golf Ball Distance" Off the Tee Box

Chapter 20 - How Many Mulligans Are Too Many?

Chapter 21 - Why Male Golfers Will Pay $5.00 for a Beer from the Cart Girl and Give Her a $2 Tip, But Will Be Outraged at $3.50 at the Club House and Stiff the Bartender