Is your game improving?

hahaha...

DGman wrote:

mengteck71 wrote:

My game is more consistent now. The key thing is not to match your your flightmates in distance, as that always screw up my swing.

Swallow ego and focus on your swing to allow the club to do the job rather then go for distance.

Things I have done in past 6moths:
1. Lower ego and forego blades irons. Change irons to BFG which are forgiving and sweet

2. Change all 3 wedges to BFG wedges. Though I cant backspin the ball, my distance is more consistent

3. Change putter to ZZW. Nice roll all the way to the hole.

All 3 things I have done let me grow in confidence and trusted my equipment. I could not focus on my swing and let the equipment do the job.

MT your kakis have been very concerned about your improvement. so much so that they are now taking the route you took....come and see me....haha. but it was disheartening for them when you shot your personal best of 77 leaving many of them high and dry.

but i like the fact that you are no longer looking to change equipment to try and buy a game and the last change to the ZZW i believe is the one that sealed the deal. the rest of the equipment was perhaps marginal in helping you get on the right track.

last but not least, golfers must be in a happy place to perform best. no point fighting yourself to play golf, if you throw clubs, curse yourself, it can't be much fun.....

the other GRian and BFG supporter in KL won the monthly medal a second time this weekend with one 9 under. so it will signal a new phase in his golfing life as he start to discover that he can actually shoot under and not just even par. it will only get better but he needs to take it one hole at a time, one stroke at a time and do not let the result overwhelmed him.

have a great golfing year ahead.......DGman

Will get to meet the champion in the next tournament; been traveling like madness and missed the games. Get to sniff the clubs too. Woot! Woot!

Ok back to this topic, my best period of golfing was about 2 years ago, mid to low 80s with occasional 70s and 1 magical day in tering bay where I shot my personal best to date of 1 over.

The vast majority of these good scores were off the white tee. Since I decided to start playing Blue Tees, the standard of my game has dropped considerably. Many reasons I guess, what I know so far is listed below:

1. Started searching for more distance off the tee, through both equipment and technique. Bought a lot of shafts and drivers and tried different techniques to increase swing speed and distance. Also started practicing a lot more with my driver at the range. Previously I was more focused on hybrids, irons and wedges.

Outcome: Finally achieve a consistent increase in swing speed (20m) and about 2 months ago, acceptable direction dispersion. But scores were still very bad (mid high 90s culminating in a 102 at a relatively easier malaysian course) because ...

2. My direction control with my hybrids and irons (both mid and short) was very very poor. Not sure why, but can only speculate that the change in swing technique as well as change in equipment (miura to BFG) will need some time to get used to. Now that Driver swing is in a place I am happy with, time to go back to focusing on irons

Outcome: Still work in progress, but a 12 over at Saujana Blue Tee (with BFG Irons) and 13 over at OCC White Tee (with Miura irons) seem to indicate some progress. But even in these 2 games, I had 5 holes where I made bogey from the middle of the fairway with an 8 iron or less in hand. So a long way to go still.

3. My short game, both pitching and chipping, was absolute crap. Lost confidence in my 56 wedge (due to repeated shanking) and started to use PW for chips as a bailout. Largely caused by insuffcient time on the green (either playing or practicing) as my new personal status allowed me only 15% (approx) of the time I used to have to play and practice.

Outcome: Got new BFG wedges recently, played one game so far (the game at OCC), F**King excellent for first 9 holes, then started overthinking my chip shots on the back nine, cost me 3 strokes. Will need some time on a Par 3 course to get to know how they behave. I have a good feeling that they will work out well.

And as for resolving the time needed to practice, I have now resorted to taking leave on workdays (while telling my other half I am at work) so that I can practice in peace

4. Woods and Long Hybrids inconsistent contact and direction. When good contact, either block or pull hook. When poor contact, ball goes straight but short. Had no idea how to correct. Also, not sure about setup and what type of swing to make.

Outcome: Spent 2 afternoons focusing on fundamentals, i.e. setup, proper turn, ball position ... and more importantly rhythm, tempo and extention (width). Somewhere along the line, my ball position had crept slightly too much left, leading to compensations and more compensations and a whole bloody downward spiral. Now back to about 50% of the shots being acceptable and the rest what I would call good misses (i.e. advancing the ball more than 130m and still playable). Good thing about the whole process is that I have now found a go-to shot with my 5 wood. A HUGE slice that moves about 35m left to right that goes about 165m. As for the 4H with the i70 SF shaft, it was working perfectly when I first got it, but now it pull hooking badly, so still WIP. I just need to give myself some time. Also, I have been switching between 3 similar clubs looking for something that works, a 19deg TM hybrid, an 18deg TM 5 wood and a Nike 18deg 5 wood. Switching between 3 clubs (and especially shafts) that are completely different in flex profile is not a good idea to promote consistency. Have decided on the Nike and will stick with it.

In conclusion, in the last 2 years I have changed too many things and that has translated into poorer scores. I will not be making any more major equipment changes and will spend the next 12 months (or more) re-learning how to PLAY golf again with the equipment I have currently (which by any standards is excellent equipment for a social golfer). As a wise man once mentioned, "When the buying stops ...."

Hopefully, this time next year, I can share a happier tale.

And to those in the same boat as me, stay positive guys! It is only natural that improving the level of your game gets harder the better you get, so stay patient and don't get frustrated. After all, it isn't as if we are playing this GAME for a career or to feed our families.

Derek, when are we having our game ah? wait till you see my game.. then you find yours not bad liao...

@ Derek: well put, bro!

Come practice at Kota Damansara range, it operates til 330am. Yes, AM!

I frequent there 2 to 3 times a week after 10pm. Can cross swords together:)

3.30am!!!!! Sounds good!

What is the exact address bro? Are you referring to the one near to one utama? Listed on google maps as Bandar Utama driving range.

Adams Hybrids or the new Callaway Hybrids is your cure!

Derek wrote:

3.30am!!!!! Sounds good!

What is the exact address bro? Are you referring to the one near to one utama? Listed on google maps as Bandar Utama driving range.

D,

the callaway xhot pro damn solid....

coming from someone who dun change equipment much....

i am sold on the xhot pro...


as the saying goes " it just wanna go straight!!"

Nike Covert driver is too unique not to try :p

Derek wrote:

In conclusion, in the last 2 years I have changed too many things and that has translated into poorer scores.

Derek was that about the same time you stopped seeing your coach regularly?

Just wondering.

@Slinger

Wow! Coming from you that is really strong endorsement indeed ... I don't think I have ever heard you endorse a specific driver ... I must try it out at least once

And while some of the other forum members may be looking for workable drivers, I am completely with you when I say that a driver that "only wants to go straight" sounds like a dream club to me ...

I think slinger is talking about the hybrid, not driver?

punkrockpga wrote:

Derek wrote:

In conclusion, in the last 2 years I have changed too many things and that has translated into poorer scores.

Derek was that about the same time you stopped seeing your coach regularly?

Just wondering.

LOL! Can't believe that I missed that out ... definite Yes to that as well.

I only got my driver swing working again after playing a game with my coach at JCC. He observed me for a couple of holes before making a few simple comments that put me back on the correct path immediately.

I must say that sticking for 2 years with the same coach helped me tremedously (as compared to my other friends). Also, having a coach who was willing to play golf with me (on his own time) as a friend was a great help as well. I learnt how to PLAY golf, not make swings. Started lessons as a complete beginner in Apr 2009 and broke 80 (79 at Palm Villa White) with a lot of luck 1 May 2010.

Unfortunately, I am now based 400km away in KL, so it is going to be tough to schedule regular lessons, but that is something I am going to have to resolve if I ever want to get back to playing good golf again.

Thanks for the reminder Coach!

p.s. In case anybody missed it, Brad aka punkrockpga, has been my coach since Apr 2009.

Ssquirrel wrote:

I think slinger is talking about the hybrid, not driver?

Hope it is the driver Master Squirrel, I have already committed to training with my existing hybrid but I still need to buy an idiot proof driver for my spare set, or relegate my CG black if they new driver performs better.

Derek wrote:

Ssquirrel wrote:

I think slinger is talking about the hybrid, not driver?

Hope it is the driver Master Squirrel, I have already committed to training with my existing hybrid but I still need to buy an idiot proof driver for my spare set, or relegate my CG black if they new driver performs better.

sorry bro.... the xhot pro hybrid

btw, i always stay at One World when in KL...

u come pick me up, we go drink n range till 330am...

slinger wrote:

Derek wrote:

Ssquirrel wrote:

I think slinger is talking about the hybrid, not driver?

Hope it is the driver Master Squirrel, I have already committed to training with my existing hybrid but I still need to buy an idiot proof driver for my spare set, or relegate my CG black if they new driver performs better.

sorry bro.... the xhot pro hybrid

btw, i always stay at One World when in KL...

u come pick me up, we go drink n range till 330am...

Set ... Will SMS u my KL number

Derek wrote:

slinger wrote:

Derek wrote:

Ssquirrel wrote:

I think slinger is talking about the hybrid, not driver?

Hope it is the driver Master Squirrel, I have already committed to training with my existing hybrid but I still need to buy an idiot proof driver for my spare set, or relegate my CG black if they new driver performs better.

sorry bro.... the xhot pro hybrid

btw, i always stay at One World when in KL...

u come pick me up, we go drink n range till 330am...

Set ... Will SMS u my KL number

The range is in Kota Damansara; about par5 distance from One World hotel. Count me in if you guys don't mind. My number +6012 329 2369.

C....! I just came back from the range.

Cheers - Francis

Range operating till 3.30am! Wow, that's really nice....if we could have one here, don't mind paying more to drive....

Not really

i'm a newbie in golf. i start know about this game is on nov 2012 which introduce by my senior. as i start to develop great interest for this sport so i proceed to sign up a beginner course and able to finish it within a month. then i sign up for handicap course with the same coach in Dec 2012 and eventually i passed all the test and granted a 24 handicap right before CNY. ever since i passed till now, i played a few round of 18 holes but 2 months after a got my handicap, i don't feel like i have further improvement.

any advise from all the senior golfer out there? need advise from you guys on how to improve my game better. thx

Golf Digest one of the biggest golf magazines conducted a survey from the PGA touring Pro's. If they only have one advised towards the golfers, what would be their advise. 99% of the PGA Pro's said that play with a proper fitted clubs. The result are much steeper.

What I know PING has a fitting centre where you can get yourself properly fitted. Why not you give it a try to play with a proper fitted clubs. They do fitting from driver right down to putter.

12mth ago, given 5/5 score 120-130.
Inconsistent driver, unstable swing at 2nd shot, lousy judgement reading of the green and poor or wrongly body posture at putting... keep paying...per game100++

6mth ago, given 3/3 score 105-110, unstable driver but better... at times able to get longest drive at fairway for par5. 2nd shot lesser chances of miss the balls. Once or twice Able to get 1 on for par 3, distance 110-130m. or regulation on the green. chipping able to chip on the green. Putting, able tWo putt straight line, strength wise need to control. Putt in higher chance for 1-1.5m distance. last but not least pay lesser... some time got interest back.

Today, finally able to break 100 twice ler...putting wise more accurate. 1 game only got 1 double par. Rest is boogey or pars.. most of the time only 1 putt.. chipping near fall into 2m radius from the hole. Driver or long iron still need to work on it.. for direction. Short iron better accuracy as compare to previously... overall short game and putting is the one which save the game from exceed 100.

Above is my own experience which i had gone thru.. hope able to benefit others who still trying to break 100.
For me looking forward to at below 95...

my golf sometimes hit a plateau. . n takes a slump before it reaches a new height.. anyone has tip to prevent this? sigh...

When i hit a slump, I usually take a mth break from golf. Its like a reset for me. Most of time I came back better. Haha...