Tag: Beginner Golf

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GOLF

PRIORITIZE YOUR GOLF PRACTICE

Rate your Golf Game

An idea I came up with this Season because practice time wasn’t easy to come by was to rate my golf game. In order to be as brutally honest as possible I decided to divide the aspects of an individuals golf game into 5 categories. Then assign a score from 1 to 5 for each category, but no two categories can have the same score. This will force you to rank your abilities from best to worst.

Here is how I ranked each category for myself.

Driving
-4

Putting
-1

Irons
-5

Woods\Hybrids
-3

Wedges
-2

What is particularly great about this system is that it doesn’t matter how good your overall game is. A 1 in putting doesn’t mean I can putt like a tour pro. It just means that it’s the most reliable part of my game. The next thing I did was make a quick note of one thing I would most like to improve in each category.

These were the primary goals I chose for each category.

Driving
-4
-increase average distance by 15 yards

Putting
-1
-improve proximity to hole on downhill putts

Irons
-5
-lower launch angle to increase distance

Woods\Hybrids
-3
-be more consistent with the distance

Wedges
-2
-improve bunker accuracy

So now what am I supposed to do with that information. This is where having an understanding of where you are able to effectively cut strokes really helps. I use a Shot Scope V2 to track my golf game. I also use the 18birdies app to take notes, and get a quick analysis of my game at the end of each Round while it’s fresh in my mind. This combination has enabled me to really understand what I need to improve in order to quickly lower my scores.

The goals that would have the least affect are adding 15 yards to my Driving distance, and improving bunker accuracy. An extra 15 yards off the Tee would allow me to take 1 less club into Greens. Unfortunately my Irons are the worst category in my game so 1 less club makes little to know difference. On average I only hit 1 or 2 bunkers per Round so having improved accuracy on those shots would improve my scores minimally.

The goals that could significantly lower my scores dramatically are a lower launch angle with my Irons to increase distance, and better distance control with my Hybrids. First of all distance, and distance control are key to scoring with the majority of your clubs. Hitting it short off the Tee with my Driver won’t punish me as much if I’m accurate, and relatively long with my Irons and Hybrids. Instead of hitting pop ups with my Irons that are difficult to control, and heavily affected by the wind. I could hit a shorter Iron delofted with more control, and lower so the wind doesn’t affect it as much. On long approaches into Greens I could take hazards out of play if my distance control with my hybrids was predictable.

Now that I have identified which improvements will have the greatest impact. It is easy to optimize my practice sessions to get the absolute most out of them. If I go out to the Range I know exactly which clubs to bring with me. I know exactly what to work on. I can bring along the correct devices in order to measure my results, and determine if the swing changes are working. For these particular goals I would only need my Swing Caddie SC200 at the Range, or I could get the exact numbers by booking time in a Simulator. I wouldn’t have to spend any time on a Putting Green, or Short Game Practice area. Not a second of my time spent practicing would be wasted.

If it wasn’t for the time constraints Covid-19 has caused I would have never developed this system. Having actually put it to use, and seeing the results first hand. I will be prioritizing my practice sessions this way for the foreseeable future. I would strongly suggest that if you are serious about improving your golf game you try it as well.

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Uncategorized

IT’S A STRANGE TIME

The world is both separated and unified in the fight against a common enemy. Covid-19 has forced us to rethink our priorities. This year has completely changed everything I had planned. Some things have been put on hold. A few things I had planned may never happen. Not all is lost though. The Lock Down forced me to improvise, and I found new avenues to explore. Nobody knows how long this situation will last. When it does finally subside, and things return to something that loosely resembles normal. I will be ready to provide my faithful followers with a wealth of information.

I apologize for the lengthy hiatus. For a while discussing golf or fantasy football just felt so trivial compared to what’s going on in the world. It took me going out on the course completely alone to play 18 Holes to realize how necessary these trivial distractions are. So I won’t let a week pass without a post. During my absence I’ve studied Golf club fitting, and now offer a casual Driver Fitting for Beginners looking to improve their game off the Tee. If you haven’t seen it yet I encourage you to watch the highlight video on my welcome page. It will go into further detail about the Fitting process. I have also noticed that my reviews of products specifically aimed at Beginner Golfers have been well received. I plan on doing many more in the near future.

For awhile it was unknown if the NFL would have a 2020 season. Now that it is underway I will begin to provide short term Fantasy Football advice. Things can change so much week to week that long term advice seems foolhardy. My first piece of advice for 2020 is to stockpile Running Back depth. Players are still trying to get into game shape, and as a result injuries are far more likely. Running Backs get injured at a greater rate than the other skill positions so make sure you have a couple extras on your bench.

Hopefully I haven’t let things slide for too long, and this post finds those of you that have been loyal from the beginning. There are some great things to come, and I don’t want any of you to miss out!

Let me know if there are any things you would like me to cover in the upcoming posts. Remember this Blog isn’t for me. It is really for you. So let me know what you are most interested in right now.

Take care, and stay safe during these troubling times.

Categories
GOLF

ARE HYBRID IRONS A NEW THING?

GOLF ANALYSTS ARE ACTING LIKE HYBRID IRONS ARE A NEW THING. TRUST ME THEY AREN’T!

Adams golf was one of the first major brands to jump into the Super Game Improvement Iron space. The Idea Tech A12 OS were released in 2012! Taylormade released the the M CGB hybrid Iron set in 2017. I’ve seen a number of guys on YouTube acting like the Cleveland Launcher HB, Cobra T Rail, and Wilson Launch Pad are revolutionary designs. Well they aren’t. They are just a return to the Super Game Improvement category.

As someone who has played Hybrid Irons before. I played the Adams Idea Tech V4 set. In fact I still play the 3, 4, and 5 Hybrids from that set. I occasionally still play the 6 Hybrid as well. I can offer a word of caution that I haven’t heard from any other analyst. Thick soled Hybrid Irons can be very difficult to hit off of hard surfaces. Most Beginners make ground first contact quite often. The thick soles won’t bite into the turf if the ground is very hard. The Iron ends up bouncing upward and causing Thin shots. In Canada that generally means that Hybrid Irons aren’t suitable in the fall, or during dry spells in the summer.

All you ever hear is that chunky Hybrid Irons are CONFIDENCE INSPIRING, EASY TO HIT, EASY TO LAUNCH, and GREAT FROM ANY LIE. They are easy to hit off medium to soft ground. They do inspire confidence. They do launch well. You don’t want to hit a Hybrid Iron out of a Deep bunker. A lot of these sets will go down to Sand Wedge. Do yourself a favour and invest in a traditional Wedge if you invest in a Hybrid Iron set. The soles of a Hybrid Iron Gap Wedge, or Sand Wedge are so thick it’s almost impossible to open the face to add loft. Even if the Sand is soft it can be difficult to get enough of the club down behind the ball because the club will bounce, or slide across it, and cause you to catch the ball thin. Definitely not the result you are looking for in a bunker. Now if you are a very skilled player you can play almost any club out of a bunker so the majority of golf analysts won’t be aware of these shortcomings.

The target market for these clubs are generally Beginners. For the most part Beginners aren’t great ball strikers. Beginners generally need all the help they can get out of a bunker. Beginners need to have a decent amount of control from shorter distances. For these reasons it is my belief that most Beginners won’t require Super Game Improvement Hybrid Irons unless they are very slow swingers that need a lot of help getting the ball in the air. In that case a set of Super Game Improvement Hybrid Irons fitted with Graphite Shafts would be ideal. Provided they invest in a more traditional Sand Wedge as well.

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GOLF

THE GOLF EXPERTS ARE MISLEADING YOU!!!

YOU ARE BEING MISINFORMED!

Almost every day I see YouTube videos, Blog Posts, or Instagram Posts that make claims that mislead the Average Golfer. I get a little upset every time I see one because those same Posts mislead me a few years ago. I wasted money, time, and energy on equipment that just didn’t suit a High Handicapper like me.

Every year almost every golf blogger releases their Top # of every type of club. These lists are just infuriating. First of all they are misrepresented from the very beginning. They should be called Favourite Lists not Top Lists. Saying that one particular Iron is just better than another similar Iron for them, and anyone else is just ludicrous. Every golfer is different. Every swing is different. I might hit a Cobra Game Improvement Iron long and straight, but you might have difficulty hitting that same Iron long at all. If I released a list of the Best Game Improvement Irons on a budget the Cobra King series would be on it. Imagine you read that post, and decided to buy a set based on that information. You would be disappointed with the results, and be mad at me or upset with yourself. Now I’m still a Beginner, and 18 Handicap golfer. You might see that as a negative, and decide that’s why my assessment of the Irons were incorrect. In fact I am sure a lot of people see it that way. That’s why accomplished professionals like Rick Shiels, Peter Finch, James Robinson, Today’s Golfer, and others have so many followers. You make the incorrect assumption that because they are such great golfers their opinion has more value to you. IT DOESN’T! In fact it means less. Who do you believe you share more in common with as an average golfer? Would it be me, the 18 Handicap, with an Average 95mph Driver swing speed, who hits the occasional slice? Would it be Rick Shiels, the scratch golfer, with an Average 113mph Driver swing speed, who makes perfect center face contact about 90% of the time? According to the statistical averages, close to 75% of golfers are much closer to me in skill level. Only about 5% of golfers are within 5 strokes of Rick Shiels. How a club performs in his hands has little to no bearing on close to 80% of the golfers out there. Yet the golfing community takes a lot of what he says as gospel. In actuality you should be paying more attention to what golfers like me are saying about equipment. So will I start releasing Top clubs lists? No I won’t. I understand that what makes me a Bogey Golfer isn’t necessarily what makes you one, and that my swing is different than yours. What I will do is tell you what has worked for me specifically, and why. Then you can make your own assumptions based on your swing and skill level.

MY GOLF SPY MOST WANTED

Most Wanted by who? Now I am guilty of putting far to much stock in the My Golf Spy Most Wanted lists in the past. It wasn’t until I really looked at how they arrive at their data, and more importantly what information they leave out. It made me realize that interpreting their results was next to impossible. First of all their final results are calculated using an average of all the shot data they collect. Which means everything from Scratch Golfers to possibly very high Handicappers is included. How does that help you, the individual Golfer make a decision that’s best for you? The simple answer is that it doesn’t! What’s worse is that they use Strokes Gained as a key metric when determining the final rankings. Personally I’ll take Accuracy over Strokes Gained every single time. At least they’ve started to add additional awards to specific categories for some clubs like Distance, and Forgiveness. Should you then try to make a buying decision based on their data? Once again the answer is NO! To illustrate why I’ll use their most recent Most Wanted Driver results as an example. I have personally tested a number of the Drivers that are in that test. The first thing I can tell you is that their winner the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero driver does not work for me. At my swing speed and average launch angle I need more Spin not less. What is even more telling that their results could have no relevance to me whatsoever, is the Average Spin numbers for each Driver. I average close to 3000rpm in backspin with most Drivers. Not one of their Drivers have anything close to 3000rpm on average. I’ve personally tested 9 of the Drivers on their test and only 2 of those did I average under 2500rpm. In other words my results have almost nothing in common with their results. The only statistic that was very close to theirs was ball speed. Carry Distance, Total Distance, Launch angle, Apex, and everything else was different. I am certain that I’m not the only one their results don’t apply to because I’ve had friends test some of those Drivers as well. Their numbers didn’t match either. Of course why should they? We aren’t an average of a bunch of people. We are individuals!

ARE HANDICAP SPECIFIC LISTS THE ANSWER?

What if My Golf Spy and Other Golf equipment rating websites tested each club with specific Handicap groups? Would a golf club test that only included golfers with a Handicap of 17 to 20 be more relevant to me? Of course it would, but it can still be misleading. To help you understand why I’ll use myself, and two of my golfing buddies as an example. Oliver, Manny, and I are all 18 Handicap Golfers. How we achieve that 18 Handicap is completely different though. Manny is a long hitter off the Tee, and very accurate with his 3 and 4 Hybrid. He is definitely the best of the three of us for Distance. Oliver has the slowest swing speed with the Driver so doesn’t hit it very long off the Tee. He is very accurate with his Irons though, and actually hits them longer than both Manny and I. His Iron play is key to reducing his scores. I have the best Short Game of the three of us. I definitely save a few strokes Putting, and am very accurate when Chipping. It’s my skill in the Short Game that gets me to an 18 Handicap. If the three of us tested the same club, our results could be completely different. Even though we are the same Handicap, our ability with any particular club could be totally different. Just because you group golfers by Handicap, doesn’t guarantee that the results will apply to you even if you are the same Handicap.

THEN WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

The answer is to go out and test the equipment yourself. I began golfing by listening to the “Experts” and I got burned. It wasn’t until I started testing equipment myself that my game was given a chance to improve through having the correct equipment. I still review equipment, but unlike the majority of experts my reviews are ongoing. I don’t just hit a club a few times in a Simulator, and take it out on the course once to make my decision. I use that piece of golf equipment continuously for months, and update you along the way. I inform you about what I like, or don’t like about it. Why it works, or doesn’t work for me. I’ll go as far as recommending it if it fills a particular need that you might have. For Instance I suggest that Beginners who Slice their Driver due to an Open Face at impact buy a Draw biased Driver that helps close the face. I arrived at this conclusion during my Ongoing Review of the Ping G SFT. Keep in mind that a Draw biased Driver won’t correct a severe out to in swing path. So if that’s why you slice your Driver you’ll need to get a lesson. What I’m trying to say is that I will do my best to provide you with relevant information. I won’t mislead you. I actually am unbiased, have no paid sponsorships, and receive zero incentives from Golf industry manufacturers.

IF YOU WANT REAL ADVICE – THIS IS WHERE TO GET IT!

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Categories
GOLF

QUICK START GUIDE FOR BEGINNER GOLFERS

First things first

I’m not going to get into choosing the right equipment, or how much time you should spend at the Range. I’m not going to tell you what part of your game you should focus on in the beginning, or how to develop a repeatable swing. I’m not going to tell you these things because I have written previous articles, and have a whole series of videos dedicated to those things already on my Cobe Life YouTube channel. What I’m actually going to do is provide you with a flowchart of sorts. A step by step guide that should help you progress as a Golfer, and minimize the number of setbacks most Beginner Golfers experience. So lets assume that you have purchased your first set of clubs, have a halfway decent swing, and can get through 18 holes on a course without losing your mind and a case of balls. Now what… 

Time to get Fit? NOPE!

Practice Putting until sinking 5 footers becomes so easy that it’s boring

Notice the emphasis on short putts. Trust me, there’s nothing worse when you start golfing at actual courses, and feel like you are 3 putting every hole. Putting is like Running. First you need to know how to crawl, then learn to walk, before you can run. It won’t help you to hit a long lag putt to within 5 feet, or chip it close from off the green, If it then takes you two putts to sink it. Lag putting will become easier over time. It takes a lot of actual playing time to become decent at reading greens and getting a feel for the speed required to cover assorted distances. Once you have learned to control your putts. Knowing that you can drain anything that gets remotely close really helps your confidence, and frees you up to try and sink long putts more often.

Fall in love with your Hybrid

If you have read my previous posts on assembling your first golf set, or seen my YouTube videos on buying golf clubs. You will already know that I’m a huge fan of Hybrid clubs. Recently popular YouTuber Rick Shiels posted a video on 5 different ways to use your Hybrid clubs. That alone should tell you how versatile they are. The versatility isn’t why I believe you should quickly make your Hybrid clubs your favourites. What makes Hybrid clubs so important for the majority of Beginner Golfers is the ability to hit them a relatively long distance out of any lie. It doesn’t matter if it’s off a Tee, from the fairway, in a bunker, or out of the rough. Hybrid clubs seem to have no problem hitting a golf ball from anywhere. Once you’ve realized this, you’ll have the confidence to take a full swing off the Tee, or attack greens from a distance. If you happen to miss the Fairway or Green so be it. The Hybrid club is there to help get you out of trouble.

Pick your Favourite Wedge

As a Beginner Golfer you are going to miss a lot of Greens. If you want to continue to lower your scores you will have to get good at Chipping. The first step is finding a Wedge you feel confident with. Any Wedge will do. Actually it doesn’t even have to be a Wedge. It could be your 9 Iron if that’s what suits you. What’s most important is that you choose one club and stick to it! Sure PGA professionals have around four different Wedges in their bag, and they use all of them. The thing is, and I’m sorry to be the one telling you this but. You are not a PGA professional. Practice chipping out of trouble with one club from around 30 yards and in. Get in the habit of using the same exact stroke for every chip. Just control the distance by limiting your backswing. If you stick to it, then eventually chipping will feel as natural as putting. Once you’ve reached that level of confidence you will take dead aim at greens with very little worry. If you end up 5 to 10 yards off the green. Your goal will be to get up and down for Par, not to hopefully make Bogey.

Now it’s time to get Fit right? NOPE!

Let the Big Dog eat

Now that you can putt like Jason Day, hit your Hybrids from anywhere like Jordan Spieth, and chip to within inches of the hole like Phil Mickelson. It’s time to learn how to bomb it down the Fairway like Dustin Johnson. If you can’t achieve both distance and accuracy, well at least develop accuracy. Not everyone is going to be able to hit their Driver 250 yards or more, but we can all learn to develop some accuracy. As a Beginner Golfer 2 out of every 3 Fairways hit is a pretty good average. The Driver can be the most difficult club to control for a lot of new golfers. If you are really struggling then it may be time to enlist some outside help.

So this is when we get Fit! NOPE!

Find a Coach and get some lessons

Coaches come in many forms. Could be your local Course Pro, the Golf Trainer at your local golf store, or a friend who has been playing a lot longer than you have. Whoever it may be you might find yourself pleasantly surprised what a couple of golf lessons can do for your game. Golf is a game of minor adjustments, but it can be difficult to assess what adjustments you require. A good coach should be able to recognize simple setup or swing faults rather quickly. For some Beginners it only takes one or two lessons to see a major improvement. Once you’ve spent enough time with your coach to eliminate your bad habits, and get everything in order. There’s just one last thing to do.

GET FIT!

Finally it’s time to get properly fit. This doesn’t mean that you need to go out, and buy a whole new set of clubs. Getting fit can simply be about getting your current set adjusted for Length, Lie Angle, and Loft. When it comes to your Driver, and Fairway Woods you might opt for a Shaft Change. Whatever you decide that fits your budget will help at this point. Some of you are probably wondering why getting Fit was left till last? These steps aren’t meant to be taken until you begin playing Golf Courses and actually keeping score. For most Beginners that’s around the six month mark. At this point your swing is far from polished, and quite honestly will probably change drastically over the next six months to a year. Getting Fit too early will in some cases benefit you for a short amount of time, and then become a hindrance to your progress. If I had gotten Fit after six months the Lie Angle on my Irons would have been way off the mark they are at now. It is my opinion that most Beginner Golfers shouldn’t add a Driver to their bag until they have played a full Season. It is also been my experience that the Driver is the most important club in the bag to get Fit. There are benefits to being Fit for every club in your bag, but some are negligible. Putter and Wedge fittings can help improve your game but most true Beginners won’t see a difference. The Lie Angle on a Hybrid isn’t nearly as important as the Lie Angle on an Iron so getting used to one off the rack is far easier. That’s why I suggest mastering those clubs first. By the time you feel confident in those areas of your game. The benefits of a Fitting will be far greater.

Good Luck, and hopefully you won’t be Beginner Golfers much longer!

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COBE LIFE CUP GOLF

Cobe Life Cup F.A.Q.

How long is the Season?

The season runs from May 1rst until the end of September. The Tour Championship will be held in October.

Do you have to play specific golf courses?

No, you can play the courses you regularly play. All you need to play a Cobe Life Cup tournament Round of Golf is another Registered opponent.

Do you need to play Full length 18 hole courses?

No, you can play a 9 hole Match Play against another Registered opponent. You can use any of the scoring systems on any 18 hole golf course. Even Par 3 only Executive Courses.

What if I don’t know my Handicap?

Not a problem. You will need to provide us with your best score from last year, and which course you shot it on. We will send you a starting Handicap from that information, and also a few suggestions on how to calculate your Handicap from then on.

Do I need to be a high ranking Player to qualify for prizes?

No, just being registered qualifies you for the monthly giveaways. Of course if you want to win the Tour Championship Trophy you will have to win.

I’m a total Beginner, so is this Tournament right for me?  

Yes, you are exactly the type of golfer we are hoping will join. Playing with other golfers of better ability will help you learn the game faster. Also our Mulligan system will help eliminate the brutal Blow Up Holes that kill Beginner’s scores.

I live a few hours out of Toronto.  Is that too far?

Absolutely not. As long as there are Registered Opponents in your area to play against you are fine. In fact the Cobe Life Cup Tour Open Majors will be taking place in Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Southern Ontario. There will be one in the West, one in the North, one in the East, and one in the Greater Toronto area.

Will Rounds I play outside of Ontario count?

Yes, provided they are played against a Registered opponent. Have a trip planned to Myrtle Beach with a few friends and plan on playing a few Rounds of golf. As long as they are registered you can get in a Tour Round of Golf.

How will you prevent people from cheating?

Every Round of Golf you play towards the Tour Rankings must be against a Registered Opponent, and you keep each other’s scores during the Round. This Tour is really about having fun, building a strong golfing community in Southern Ontario, and the neighbouring states. Then seeing how you stack up against other golfers of your skill level. Cheating is basically pointless.

I don’t play very often.  How will I keep up?

You can only play a maximum of 5 Ranked Rounds of Golf per month. Registered Players are allowed to report one Round of Golf each week, and an additional Round of Golf the final week of each month. Remember that you can lose points with a loss so playing the maximum number of Rounds can work against you also. You gain additional points for beating a Player of a Higher Rank so it’s possible to catch up quickly if you defeat the right opponents.

Where will I be able to track my current Ranking?

Every Monday the Ranks will be fully updated and posted on this website, and on the Cobe Life Golf Facebook Page. If you shoot any videos of your Round, or take pictures. they can be shared at your request on both Forums.

I’m having trouble finding opponents?

If you are looking for an opponent you can use the Cobe Life Facebook Page to find one in your area. I will create a Opponent request Post for anyone to use each week.

REGISTRATION FEE

$65 per person : To Register Subscribe to this website then use the contact us page to send us your Name, Handicap, Course you play most often, and preferred contact email. If you would like to register multiple players then send us everyone’s information. Four or more registrants receive the group entry discount. You will receive a bill payable through PayPal shortly after.

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GOLF Uncategorized

My 2018 Golf Season – Beginner’s Guide to Golf

The Year that was…

For those of you that follow my blog.  First of all Thank you.  I know it’s been a bit since my last post, and I apologize for making you wait.  Things have been a bit hectic lately.  On top of all the usual things life burdens you with, there have been a few extra issues to deal with as well as a new edition to the Cobe Life family.  Before some of you get too excited, no we didn’t have a baby.  We did however bring a puppy home.  I don’t know how many of you have raised a puppy before but for those of you that haven’t it means getting up around four times a night to take him out to do his business.  Sleep has become a distant memory.  I look like an extra on the Walking Dead these days.

So it probably wouldn’t surprise you when I say that I haven’t done anything of particular note lately.  Instead I will take this opportunity to evaluate how my season went.  What goals I managed to achieve, and where I fell short.  Plus a few moments that really stood out to me.

Why goals are important in golf

Unlike many other sports, setting goals in golf is critical to improving your game.  Having said that I’m sure a number of you are already thinking that goals are important in all sports.  Of course they are.  It’s just that in golf there are so many different aspects to the game, that without setting specific goals you won’t actually know how you are improving.  If you still think what I’m saying is nonsense.  It might help you understand what my goals were.

Average less than 2 putts per hole.

GOAL ACHIEVED!  I finished the season with an average of 1.7 putts per hole.  This is actually better than I had hoped.  Essentially what this means is that I rarely 3 putt, and quite often I require only one putt to hole out.  What it doesn’t tell you is how long my average putt was.  This brings up an important aspect of understanding your progress in Golf.  Quite a number of your statistics can be affected by other aspects of your game.  Which brings me to my next goal.

Average less than 1 chip per hole.

GOAL FAILED!  I finished the season with an average of 1.3 chips per hole.  This tells me two things.  First of all I’m not hitting too many greens on approach shots so my accuracy is off with my Irons.  Secondly if I’m forced to chip that often, and I know that my chipping ability is quite good.  Then I’m probably leaving myself a lot of easy putts.  That’s partially why my putting numbers are so good.  Which leads me to my next goal.

33% or better Green in Regulation average.

GOAL FAILED!  Verifying what I safely assumed was the case.  I didn’t hit too many greens with my approach shots this season.  My average was a paltry 13.3%.  Obviously my accuracy with my Irons needs major improvement.  Of course that might not be the only concern.  It’s possible to be deadly accurate at the Golf Range, then trouble taking aim on the course.  Hitting your targets becomes a lot more difficult when you aren’t hitting off a perfect surface.  Which brings me to my next goal.

50% or better in Fairways Hit.

GOAL ACHIEVED!  Coming into this season my fairways hit percentage was around 50%.  I was hoping to maintain that average while choosing to play more aggressively off the tee.  I finished the season with a 65.5% average.  Far better than what I had hoped for, and proof that all the practice I put in with my Driver is working.  What this also tells me is that my accuracy with my Irons are an issue because the majority of my approach shots are from the Fairway.  Which brings me to my final goal.

Lower my handicap to 18 or better.

GOAL FAILED!  I was really hoping to finish the season as a bogey golfer but unfortunately that didn’t happen.  My current handicap is 21.9.  Close but no celebratory cigar.  My handicap did go down by 7 strokes so that should be seen as a success.  More importantly I have a good understanding of what I need to work on to lower my handicap next Season.  First and foremost is my Iron accuracy.  A few trips to the Simulator practicing in closest to the pin mode should help.  With that goal in mind I should probably work on my longer putts because I should hit more greens.  In order to make my approach shots easier I should probably work on my Driver distance as well.

Possible goals for next season

Less than 1.9 putts per hole

Less than 1 chip per hole

33% or better Greens in Regulation

66% Fairways Hit

16 or better handicap

Understanding where my game is at, and what specifically needs improvement makes those goals realistic.  Most other sports aren’t like that.  For the most part you just practice in order to get better.  You don’t necessarily isolate one particular part of your game that will end up improving your overall performance.

I’m already excited for next year, and hope you continue to enjoy the journey right along with me.

 

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GOLF Uncategorized

GIGAGOLF TRX Powerslot Irons – Cobe Life Ongoing Review Final

It’s been a great Season

I will get to the GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons in a moment.  First a little bit of information about my Season.

I started this golf season with high expectations.  I was looking to reduce my handicap by 9 strokes, shoot a few sub 90 Rounds, and have confidence off the Tee.  Well I have reduced my handicap by 6 strokes, shot a few Rounds in the low 90s, and consider my Driver to be one of my best weapons.

Not everything I was hoping for, but there are some very good reasons for that.  I played so many new courses this Season that going low in a Round wasn’t easy.  The majority of these new courses were of much greater difficulty than I’m used to.  My swing had gone through another change early in the Season, and coupled with new clubs in the bag that took some getting used to as well.

Which brings me to the real topic of this Post.  How do I feel about the GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons after a full Season of use?

Absolutely great!

I’ve already gone over my initial impressions of the clubs, how they have affected my performance, and how durable they have been.  Well in this Ongoing Review final post I’m going to provide you with my personal opinion based entirely on my satisfaction.

These Irons have been great.  So great that I’m hesitant to replace them in the Off Season in order to do an Ongoing Review of another set of Irons next Season.  To be honest I’ll probably stick with the GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons for at least another Season.  They have had such a positive impact on my game that switching to something else would be absolute folly.  I’ve never attacked Greens with this much confidence before.  There’s enough spring off the bottom of the face that I’m unafraid of catching the ball thin with these Irons.  The fitting adjustments that were made through the GigaGolf E-Fit system has made the amount of strain I feel throughout a Round of Golf minimal.  Plus my quality of strike has greatly improved.  Those of you that follow my Blog, Cobe Life Golf on Facebook, or Cobe Life on YouTube know full well that I’m a high handicapper.  Not all of my swings are a thing of beauty.  Some of them are downright ugly.  Plus I do make the occasional hack through deep rough, or punch out of the woods.  The True Temper steel shafts that came standard with the GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons have put up with all of it.  I’m far from gentle with my Irons, and these Irons have handled everything I’ve put them through.  Something that has really surprised me is how well the grooves have held up.  Now keep in my that I clean my clubs after every Round of golf.  I some people are guilty of only cleaning their clubs during a Round but not after.  Still the grooves on my Irons feel as sharp as the day I received them.  No wonder I keep shredding balls during a Round.

Confidence is everything

Where these Irons have made the greatest improvement in my game is in the amount of confidence they have given me when it comes to hitting a particular target.  I first noticed it on the range.  Whenever I was at the Range practicing with friends we would take turns taking aim at targets.  In previous seasons I was extremely lucky if I happened to land a ball closer than my competitors.  This Season any target from about 90 yards to 150 yards was fair game for me.  To be honest I expected to land it closest.  Even against golfers with significantly lower handicaps than I.  Of course hitting off a mat can seriously help to equalize the playing field.  On the course the confidence these GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons give me has totally changed the way I play.  Being able to confidently land within 5 yards of your target from up to 160 yards away is a huge advantage on the course.  I used to lay up short of Greens, and rely on my Wedge game to help me save par because I didn’t trust where my 7 Iron might land.   When attacking Greens with bunker protection I would have to aim a good 10 yards away from the bunker in order to feel safe.  So depending on the size of the Green that meant I would have to aim off the Green at times.  This Season with the GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons I knew that as long as I took aim at the center of a Green I would be fine provided I didn’t miss hit it.

In the end that’s all we really want from our clubs right!  The confidence to know that when we strike the ball well; Our clubs are going to deliver the ball to where we expect it to go.  The GigaGolf TRX Powerslot Irons have done just that, and in my experience have done it better than most.

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GOLF Uncategorized

3 keys to lowering your score – Beginner’s Guide to Golf

Keep it Simple

I’ve come across many Guides for Beginner Golfers.  The majority will include ways to begin lowering your score.  They will go into detail about how to develop a one way miss, play to your skills, and spend a lot of time working on your putting.  I agree with all of these but they don’t address the real requirements necessary to lowering your score.  There are three keys to lowering your score that will work for every Beginner Golfer.

Hazard Avoidance

This seems quite obvious right!  Well think about how many times  on the course that you have found yourself in hazards.  How many times have you failed to clear a pond, found yourself in a sand trap, or had to hit a difficult pitch out of the woods?  Some of you are going to blame these situations on poor strikes.  That’s a poor excuse.  I recently played a course with a friend of mine.  On the way there he mentioned how difficult the sand traps were at this course.  I told him that ssnd traps wouldn’t be a problem for me.  He had a puzzled look on his face, and asked why?  I told him that I rarely land in sand traps.  Most Rounds I don’t land in a single one.  He asked how is that possible?  My answer was straight and to the point, I avoid them.  My game out of the sand is weak.  I know that if I land in a bunker it’s going to cost me a stroke.  It could take me two strokes to get out of the bunker, or even if I get out with my first swing, it’s going to take another stroke to get back into position.  The smart play for me is to hit away from the bunker, or short of it.  In order to do this effectively you need to know your average distance with each club, and even more importantly the maximum distance with each club.  This is a statistic that you should be aware of that none of the “experts” talk about.  As an “expert” they never need to worry about hitting their clubs exceptionally long.  For example my average distance with my 7 Iron is 138 yards.  I have on occasion caught it a little thin and hit it close to 150 yards.  Both of these numbers come into play during a Round.  If I’m attacking a Green that’s 134 yards away with a Bunker on the left.  I will choose 7 Iron and aim for the right side of the Green.  In case you were wondering where the Pin is placed. Well it doesn’t matter.  I would prefer to attempt a long putt than having to potentially hit out of a bunker.  Now lets add one additional feature to that same situation.  Along with the left side bunker there’s also thick woods and fescue at the back.  The distance to the back of the green is 146 yards.  Now the maximum distance also comes into play.  If I catch my 7 Iron too thin I could skip out the back and into the woods where losing the ball is definitely a possibility.  In this case I would club down to my 8 Iron.  On average I hit my 8 Iron around 125 yards.  I have hit it as long as 135 yards at times though.  This would give me a slim chance to get my shot as far as the pin, and a decent chance to find the front fringe.  It totally takes both hazards out of play though.  Once again I would prefer a long putt, or short chip than end up in a hazard.  I probably save 5 strokes a Round by playing this way.

Just because it’s a Par 4 doesn’t mean you have to play it like one!

Something I realized after a full Season of playing courses, is that some Par 4s are specifically designed to challenge low handicappers.  As a Beginner these holes can totally obliterate what could have been a great Round of Golf.  The reason for this is how we are mentally conditioned to play a long Par 4.  Hit it as long as possible off the Tee, and then use whichever club is necessary to reach the Green.  Recently I played a 448 yard Par 4 dogleg right.  I chose Driver off the Tee.  Recently I’ve been hitting my Driver with great consistency.  You should choose whichever club you can hit long and find the Fairway consistently, after taking Hazard Avoidance into consideration first.  I was left with 210 yards to the Pin.  Now I could potentially get there with my 3 Wood.  In my first couple of Seasons playing golf, that’s exactly what I would have tried.  Now what I chose to do instead was treat this long Par 4 like a Par 5.  I chose 5 Hybrid which totally took any of the Hazards around the Green out of play.  It left me only 50 yards to the Pin which is a very easy distance for me.  Choosing to play long Par 4s this way makes Birdie almost impossible, Par difficult, and Bogey very easy.  This may sound counterproductive to lowering your scores but in actuality it isn’t.  My Par 5 average score has gone from almost 8 to 6 strokes.  If the course I’m playing has 4 Par 5s that’s 8 strokes saved on average!  The reason for the dramatic change in scoring is because the longer you hit a club, the greater the possibility for error if you hit it poorly.  A sliced 3 Wood could put me in brutal trouble.  A sliced 5 Hybrid isn’t anywhere close to as bad.  Even if I hit the 3 Wood well in the aforementioned situation.  I could end up in a greenside bunker, or roll through the back into fescue.  A well struck 5 Hybrid can only end up in the Fairway.  So I can’t get a birdie. Well so what!  As a Beginner Golfer I only aversge 1 birdie per Round anyways.

Play to the Front of Par 3s

I’m guessing that nobody has ever suggested this before.  Whenever you are in doubt of how to play a Par 3, just aim for the front of the Green.  The only time that I would suggest against this is if you have to clear a hazard.  In that case I would suggest aiming for the back.  Aiming for the front is all about being logical.  Many Beginners know their average total distance, but aren’t aware of their carry distances.  Balls that land on the Green will usually roll out further than usual because of the firmness of the surface.  But what about Spin, you ask?  You are a Beginner (news flash) you don’t really have any.  As a result your total average distance is actually increased.  Another reason to aim for the front is that you aren’t punished for hitting it thin. You might actually end up on the Green, or roll through the back.  At least you won’t be so far out the back that getting back onto the Green will be easy.  Last but not least, you generally take hazards on the left, right, or back mostly out of play.

If you take these three tips into consideration the next time you play.  I promise you that your final score will be lower than if you didn’t.  Good luck, and keep working to improve your game.  I’ll see you on the course.

 

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GOLF

Choosing the Right Golf Ball – Top 6 Comparison test

The Right Ball

   For about a year now I’ve been trying to figure out which ball is right for me. As a High Handicapper cost is always a concern because it’s a rare occasion when I finish a Round of Golf with the Ball I began with. On average I go through a sleeve of balls each Round I play. I try to keep the majority of Rounds I play to under $50. If the balls I’m playing are $5 each that can seriously add to the cost of a Round. The second thing I take into consideration is how easy I find a Ball to be controllable around the Greens. I don’t necessarily need the ball with the most Spin. I just need a Ball to stop where I intend it to. I don’t need the smoothest rolling Ball off the Putter. I just need a Ball that I can feel come off the Putter face, and be able to control the distance it rolls. Lastly I would like a Ball that’s long enough off the Tee, and doesn’t roll out too much on full shots 160 yards and in. Ideally I’d like to find a Ball that meets all of those criteria for less than $30/dozen.

I have tried many different balls over the last three years. The majority of them were simple 2 piece balls because of the price. It wasn’t until Nike decided to get out of the Golf equipment game that I got my first real taste of what was possible with a 3 piece ball. Stores that carried Nike Golf equipment quickly put the RZN series balls on clearance. I was able to buy four dozen Nike RZN Reds at $20/dozen. It didn’t take long before I noticed two discernable differences. My putting improved from an average of 2.4 putts per hole down to 2. That’s an average of 7 less putts per Round! Was a 3 piece ball that much easier to Putt? Actually it isn’t. The Ball felt good off the Putter but that wasn’t the reason I was sinking more Putts. The real reason was that for the first time I was able to generate enough Spin on short approach shots to hold the Greens, and leave myself a lot more Putts from within 10 feet. Now before everyone reading this rushes out to buy five boxes of 3 piece balls. Let me first say that there are some very good 2 piece balls on the market. Three of the final six balls I tested were 2 piece balls in fact. Again price plays a very important role in my selection process and most 3 piece balls just cost too much. In the end there was a clear winner, with two others that I may end up playing because of the difference in price.  Before I give my opinions of the final six balls I tested, you should probably know a little bit about me.  My Driver swing speed is just a little north of 90mph.  I hit my 7 Iron around 140 yards with a full swing.  My current handicap is 30, and the lowest it’s been is 27.  All in all I tested 15 different balls, plus a few others that are no longer available.  I specifically chose these six to demonstrate what works, and what doesn’t work for me.  One of the balls not covered in this test that I would recommend was the Srixon Soft Feel.  It is in my opinion the best Budget ball by far.  I found them for as low as $1.33/ball.

3 Golf Balls that didn’t suit me

Q Star
– putts slow, medium feel
– A lot of Spin off the Wedges
– short Driver distance
– low durability
Going into this comparison test I had high hopes for the Srixon Q-Star. Although it is a 2 piece ball, it also has an additional coating they call Spin skin on the outer shell that’s designed to increase Spin.  Essentially Srixon’s goal was to create a 2 piece ball for a 2 piece price that performs like a 3 piece ball.  Around the Greens the Spin I was able to create with my Wedges was excellent. Even better than two of the 3 piece balls that I tested. Unfortunately the performance across the other categories was poor. Putting was a challenge because it requires more force than I’m used to to get the ball rolling. I just kept coming up short which anyone will tell you is the worst way to miss a putt. Approach shots held the Greens from about 130 yards and in which isn’t bad, but far from optimal for me. What made matters worse was Driving distance on average was the shortest of all the balls tested. Only on the shortest Par 4s would I be within 130 yards after my Tee shot.

Aeroburner Soft
– putts fast, light feel
– very little spin on half swings
– long Driver distance
The Aeroburner Soft isn’t the newest ball on the market but I’ve seen them for sale in many different locations so I figured I would give them a try.  First of all everything I’ve tested from Taylormade with the Aeroburner moniker has been long on distance. The Aeroburner Soft Golf Ball is no exception. Off the Tee it was the absolute longest of all the balls I tested. It actually had decent stopping power on full swing approach shots as well. Unfortunately once you get near, or on the Green the trouble begins. This Ball practically explodes off the Wedge, or Putter face which made it extremely difficult to control for me. Any strokes gained off the Tee were quickly lost when I reached the Green. A full Round with this Ball would probably test my nerves severely.

DT Trusoft
– putts fast, medium feel
– very little spin off half swings
– medium Driver distance
You don’t see too many Golf Ball Comparisons that don’t include the Titleist Pro V1. Well at $5/ball they definitely weren’t making the cut. Instead I gave their DT Trusoft a try. The Trusoft wasn’t terribly bad at anything, but it wasn’t especially good either. I was able to get decent distance with the Driver, generate decent Spin on full shots, hit long runners with the Wedges, and control my Putts relatively well. So why didn’t it make my Top 3?  The answer to that is Price. Although it’s only a 2 piece ball, it’s the same price as one of the 3 piece balls tested, and even more expensive than another. It proved to be significantly more durable than two of the balls I tested but when you rarely finish a full Round with one ball, durability is of little concern.

The 2 alternate Balls I’d play

Project A
– putts mid pace, maximum feel
– A lot of spin on full or half shots
– long Driver distance
Of the six balls I chose to test the Taylormade Project A was the clear winner overall. I’ve never played a ball that immediately made me feel like I was going to score better. I felt like I could sink every putt, smash it off the Tee, and stick it close to the Pin from anywhere. The only categories it didn’t outright win were Driving distance (Aeroburner Soft) and Price (Q Star). So why didn’t it snag the number 1 spot? Once again the mighty dollar holds me back. Of all the balls tested it was the most expensive. In fact the only time it falls within my budget is when it’s on sale. Believe me when I tell you that every time it goes on sale I’m buying a few dozen though.

Vice Tour
– putts fast, medium feel
– spins well off of the Wedges
– medium Driver distance
– low durability
Vice has been quickly establishing themselves as the tour quality Ball manufacturer, at a discount price. According to their Ball fitting online questionnaire, the Vice Tour is the Ball for me. There was a lot to like about the Vice Tour. Unfortunately it was difficult to stop on anything but full Iron shots into Greens, and like the Q-Star wasn’t very durable. The 2 piece DT Trusoft actually performed a touch better, but as long as you buy five dozen Vice Tour balls the price is hard to beat.

I don’t mind the look.

The Best Ball for me

Project S
– putts mid pace, medium feel
– medium Spin on full or half shots
– medium Driver distance

The Project S does everything great, just not as great as the Project A. It’s that simple. Switching from the Project A to the Project S was quite easy. All I had to do was account for a little extra roll out on Chips, and Approach shots, and be a little less aggressive on lag putts.  It was only 3 yards shorter in carry distance with the Driver as well.  In fact some of my closest Chips and Pitches to the Pin came with the Project S because I like a little bit of roll out. The Flop shot isn’t my preferred shot. If it’s yours I’d highly recommend the Taylormade Project A. When it comes right down to it the Project S wins because it’s on average $10/dozen less than the Project A. Simply put it’s the best ball for my budget. If you haven’t tried it yet, I suggest that you do.

Let me know which ball you play, and which of my final 6 balls tested is your favourite and you will have a chance to win a sleeve of balls.