Irons performance on the course is so different than on range

Hi all,

How can I better my irons performance on the course? I know that I have consistent ball striking ability and launching is not a problem every time I practice in the range. But whenever on the actual course (fairway) I cannot replicate the crisp contact feeling and ball launching takes a back seat. It is very frustrating for me.

I always keep reminding myself about this few points when playing irons on the course:

1. Keep weight on the balls of feet, leaning forward slightly but not looking down on the ball.
2. Grip the club like a small chick in my hands
3. Check left wrist setup/address to ensure club is sitting properly on it's sole (not heeling or toeing)
4. Don't look up when executing downswing
5. RELAX!

My practice swings just bruises the grass but no divot taken. My actual shot sometimes divot sometimes no divot.

I will like to hear from golfers who have experienced this problem before and how they overcomed it.

Cheers guys.

Bro,
That's too many things to think about.
Just trust your swing to do you good and swing to your target.

Being technical is the worst thing to do when playing.

Denmeister, I kinda trust my swing. I don't think about my swing when playing.

All the points I mentioned are more for my set up and posture, and also to remind myself to keep my muscles loose and relax.

Range mat giving me too much forgiveness do you think?

Nam Flog wrote:

Denmeister, I kinda trust my swing. I don't think about my swing when playing.


I always keep reminding myself about this few points when playing irons on the course:

1. Keep weight on the balls of feet, leaning forward slightly but not looking down on the ball.
2. Grip the club like a small chick in my hands
3. Check left wrist setup/address to ensure club is sitting properly on it's sole (not heeling or toeing)
4. Don't look up when executing downswing
5. RELAX!

i dun think so......

Range mats are always on perfect flat grounds whereas the lie and standing areas on course are undulating. 

The body needs to learn to adjust to such lies. 
Hitting a ball on a downhill lie requires a different setup as compared to an uphill shot.  

These setup differences can only be learned when on course and the learning can be accelerated with an experienced player or coach beside you.

my 2 cents (but then again there are so many 2 cents in golf )  :

One of the big misconceptions many golfers are taught is to put their weight on the balls of their feet at address. You've probably been told things like:

• Imagine you're a diver getting ready to dive off the diving board
  
• You should feel like a shortstop, ready to move in any direction
  

These analogies make sense from an athleticstandpoint, but think about it. The diver, the shortstop...they're all preparing to do something. They're trying to go somewhere.
A basketball player or a shortstop is ready to move in any direction. A diver is preparing to spring forward off the diving board.
As a golfer, where are you going? You're not trying to go anywhere. In fact, you're actually trying to stay centered. Why, then, would you ever want to set up on the balls of your feet?

First of all, when you're on the balls of your feet, your primary balancing joint is now your knee. Your knee is a hinge joint, designed for forward and backward motion, and that's about it. It has a very small amount of rotation in it, but not enough for a golf swing.
Your hip, on the other hand, can rotate all day long. If you have all your weight on your ankle, your hip is designed to accommodate the rotary movements required for the golf swing.

Seconds before I hit the ball, I think of Na Yeon choi swinging 

Herpderp, thanks for your advice. I kinda see what you are trying to say. But nobody has asked me to be like a diver before. I am more of trying to not put my weight on my heels at address, thats all. But what you said makes sense. Hips are designed to gyrate. I practiced that when I was younger on a number of dance floors. Instant chick magnet. 

Andrew, why you choose Na? Cos she chio korean? Today play at Palm Resort, got a lot of chio koreans playing. They say korea winter and and many tours coming to malaysia to play. Palm Villa was full as well. We waiting until 12 pm then tee off. I found a Scotty Cameron putter on the 18 hole and return to the beautiful korean lady in front of me. She was so grateful she danced Oppa Gangnam for me.

FYI

She has one the most envied swing in LPGA.

then who is the male equivalent of Na?

prefer to think about male swing less distracting for me lol

Palm resort crowded? I was at Palm resort today, played total of 18 plus 9 holes at quite relaxed pace. Only saw group of beginners playing early in the morning. Didn't noticed those Korean gals.  

Nam Flog wrote:

then who is the male equivalent of Na?

prefer to think about male swing less distracting for me lol

There is something we can learn from the swing tempo for the ladies.

Nam Flog wrote:

Denmeister, I kinda trust my swing. I don't think about my swing when playing.

All the points I mentioned are more for my set up and posture, and also to remind myself to keep my muscles loose and relax.

Range mat giving me too much forgiveness do you think?

Bro, you've too many swing thoughts (5 are alot to me) ... when playing in the course, you should not be thinking too much mechanics ... If you trust your swing, you would not have so many swing thoughts, my friend ... In my opinion, before you pull the trigger, juz stick to the pre-shot routine that you used to adopt to achieve good shot ...  

jason.koh.54966 wrote:

Palm resort crowded? I was at Palm resort today, played total of 18 plus 9 holes at quite relaxed pace. Only saw group of beginners playing early in the morning. Didn't noticed those Korean gals.  

Any traffic jam at the custom? My friends and I actually wanna play in JB today but we changed our mind because we worried about the potential massive jam at both causeways ...  

I'm kind of the opposite from you on these

1. Keep weight on the balls of feet, leaning forward slightly but not looking down on the ball.

I put my weight more on the mid to heel, sometimes feel more comfortable "over" the ball

2. Grip the club like a small chick in my hands

I only hold my putter this light

3. Check left wrist setup/address to ensure club is sitting properly on it's sole (not heeling or toeing)

i do not bother about this unless my clubs are fitted... even if clubs are fitted, if you have the tendency to have different lie angle at address and on impact, at address your lie/heel may be up.

4. Don't look up when executing downswing

I only about to do this at the range...


This may not be an answer to your problem but did you notice if you are missing it on the heel/toe, thin/fat? is the ground level?

at range, i try to work on one swing thought that gives me the most consistent contact and direction. Once I am able to find that ONE swing thought, my swing is usually ok on the green.

just another reason to not go to the range.   putting is definitely repeatabke on the course. as well as chipping.

Folks, i did faced e same problem...
At range, every shots was swee swee... confident level gd..!!!
When go greenie, my pals ALL blurrED...!!! Haha

Stanix so did you manage to find a way around this yet?

Yup.....
Onli remedy: More greenie.... haha
And great advices frm season players in my flight....

Haragolfer, so how do you practice your irons if you don't go to range?

I understand that we need to play more than we practice. However practice is still important I feel.

Really Jason? You were there too?

You must have been too focused on your game. The kimchis were everywhere. And there were posters all around on korean tour playing in JB. I even saw buffet lined up for them at the cafe. In front of me was korean flight, behind me was korean flight.

And I was kidding when I said chio gals. There are all Ajummas. But all playing better than me. Haha.

And Andrew, I agree the ladies swing is more consistent and rhythmic. Just like in sec school play basketball, the girls can always outshoot the guys (if nobody is blocking their shot).

For myself, when i go to the range for warm up the day before the game. *I usually don't mind if my shots goes haywire. So that, the next day game will be nice and rather enjoyable. The opposite is also true for me, if I pure the shots at range, next day usually its a disaster i wish to forget.
It weird I know, but true.

*valid generally for my irons, similar is true to a newly acquired item as well. There is only so many good shots.

Maybe its just me being superstitious but i think i only have a limited number of good shots in me weekly. So if i use it all on the range, then course performance will suffer a bit.

However having said that, I still try to range the day before the game to warm up. Woods still okay, maybe cos the course i play at has a wide fairway. Irons and wedge play result of error is magnified.  

For whom that I had the opportunity to play with, they will attest to the fact that I seldom practice swing on course. Haha....

Keep swinging and a happy new year to all.  

Turbo, 

I will try to take your advice. So what's on your mind as you play an iron shot on the fairway?

Causeway super jam yesterday. I got creative and still held in traffic for more than one hour, can't imagine those who queue up properly stuck for how long. I kana red card cos I missed the timing to pick up my son. I got to find a way to play in Singapore man. This JB thing is not sustainable for me.

Weesern,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am topping the ball on the course mostly. Even when good lie and even level, I struggle to launch my irons on the course.

I really like your idea of ONE swing thought. Just ONE. It seems very repeatable. I will really like to try that next time!

Cheers Stanix. Keep walking that's my man.