Training or No Training???

clarencekim wrote:

Was at Bishan driving range today. Whacking those almost dimpless range balls towards what I think is 150 metres (yellow flag)?

It was downpouring rain on and off and very wet around the hitting mats.

After watching a teaching pro and his students in the bay next to me, I felt like giving up trying to get better at all. The pro was hitting a five or six iron almost as far as my best driver distance at Bishan--about 160 -170 metres!

Only after calming down and looking around me at the dozens of beginners struggling with basic shots using seven or nine irons and flubbing almost every third shot did I realise that I too was once like that.

I will never attain pro-level golf skills, but am curious as to how far I can go in terms of a low handicap index.

Maybe even place on some mid-handicap division, amateur monthly medal competition some day?




CK

I am sure anyone can attain a low hcp as long he is properly equipped, have constant lessons from a gd pro, practice correctly, and play regularly..
Unless of course the fellow has no talent..

The truth is, how many have this sort of time?
And your priorities will change.

sounds like me... no ball sense and lack of talent....

Shotah is correct. You must make a game out of practicing or it becomes mindless excercise without tangible golf skill benefits--at least that is what LO at MBGC told me once.

LO's advice: Take an old regulation-size golf course card and pretend to play 9 or 18 holes based on the distances up to about 50 metres from the green.

Example: Par 5 hole at 550/520 metres (blue or white tees) with a straight fairway

1. Use driver or fairway wood, calculate distance
2. Use appropriate club for second shot to reach about 100 metres frmo the green
3. Use PW thru 8 iron to picth onto green
4. Add two strokes for assumed up-and-down
5. Write down your score for each virtual hole
6. Add them all up in the end, calculate slope, minus HI (if have one) and estimate your score for the round

At least you have specific distance goals in mind when practicing.

CK

i am still doing my gym...

i am hitting the range now...

i am also going to the putting greens...



but all these are just the basic things...

the bigger part in golf, in my humble opinion, is the mental part... you got to keep your cool, plan your shot, commit to it and let it fly..

clarencekim wrote:

Example: Par 5 hole at 550/520 metres (blue or white tees) with a straight fairway

1. Use driver or fairway wood, calculate distance
2. Use appropriate club for second shot to reach about 100 metres frmo the green
3. Use PW thru 8 iron to picth onto green
4. Add two strokes for assumed up-and-down
5. Write down your score for each virtual hole
6. Add them all up in the end, calculate slope, minus HI (if have one) and estimate your score for the round

another alternative is to first use your longest comfortable club to put it in the fairway first... as most of the time drivers tend to be more wild... and go off centre...

the bigger part in golf, in my humble opinion, is the mental part... you got to keep your cool, plan your shot, commit to it and let it fly..[/quote]

Meaning you got to be in the zone most of the time. Agree this is the most diff part.

Yeah, that first shot off hole 1 or 10 can make or break many a golfer!

The pro-ams and large charity tournys are even worse as there are at least a few people watching you who are not playing golf.

It's truly a test of one's mental fortitude, focus and concentration.

I try not to dwell on the groups of spectators, instead, I just look at the target area and realx and then whack the ball.

Then I hope it lands somewhere near where I wanted it to go--not (1) OB, (2) into a fairway hazard/water or (3) roll pathetically 30 metres to the end of red tee box in front.

I have experienced previously all three scenarios--and still do occassionally!



CK