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From Range to course – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Unreal expectations

Most people that are serious about improving at Golf spend a fair amount of time at the Range, or in a Simulator.  I’m currently helping a friend of mine who is brand new to the game develop her swing at the Range.  Chances are good that she won’t actually play on her first course until next Summer.  Almost a full year away.  She began playing in April of this year so she will have been practicing at the Range or in a Simulator for over a year before she feels ready to take on a course.  Now not everybody has her patience.  I definitely didn’t.  In my first Season I began going to the Range in March, and played my first game on a course in June.  I had developed a poor but repeatable swing, and felt relatively confident with my 3 Hybrid, and Pitching Wedge.  I was ready!

No I wasn’t!

Something that every Beginner needs to know about Range, and Simulator practice.  It doesn’t actually prepare you for the real thing!  First of all hitting off the Fairway is very different from hitting off a mat.  At the Range, or in a Simulator you are always on even ground.  That isn’t the case in most situations on a course.  Even Tee boxes can be a little uneven.  Think about what an inch of difference in contact can make on your ball flight.  Another huge difference between hitting off a mat, and hitting off the ground is the amount of resistance each provides.  When you are at the Range hitting shot after shot a decent distance.  What you might fail to realize is how a mat can correct an imperfect swing.  You’ve probably seen many videos about making contact with the ground after hitting the ball.  The preferred angle of attack with an Iron is down through the ball, taking a divot that’s beyond the ball’s original position.  Most Beginners do the opposite.  They make contact with the ground just before they make contact with the ball, or as they make contact with the ball.  The reason for this is due to the amount of time they spend at the Range, or in a Simulator when they begin developing a swing.  It’s very unnatural, and possibly painful to swing at a downward angle with the intention to make contact with a solid surface.  Almost everyone begins as a “Picker”, hoping to essentially sweep the ball off the mat by making contact with the mat, and ball at the same time.  An unfortunate side effect of this is when we make contact with the mat before the ball.  The resistance of the surface will quite often help us make good contact with the ball.  That won’t happen at the course, unless you are playing on frozen ground in November.  Making contact with the ground before the ball will usually result in a “chunky” shot.  Whenever you hear someone say they “chunked” it, or caught one really “fat”.  That’s what they are talking about.  Usually this results in a shot that doesn’t travel very far at all.  It can be really confusing to a Beginner who has never experienced a shot that looked or felt like that one did.  At the Range, or in a Simulator the usual miss is a topped ball.  When only the bottom of your club makes contact with the ball.  This is considered by most to be hitting the ball “thin”.  You know when you hit those low line drives with something as lofted as your Wedge.  That’s what happens when you catch it “thin”.  What’s confusing when you are first developing your swing at the Range is how a poor swing that makes contact with the ground behind the ball, doesn’t sweep low enough to make contact with the ground at all, or actually makes contact with the ground beyond the ball but comes in at to steep an angle can all result in a thin shot.  The natural response to this in our minds is to focus on making hard contact with the mat as close to the ball as possible.  Expect a lot of ugly chunky contact if you take that opinion to the course.  The other issue that this creates is how contact with the ground can effect the squareness of your club face at impact.  If the ground didn’t effect your swing then hitting out of the Rough wouldn’t be an issue.  Anything that impedes your swing path to the ball will affect it’s flight.  If contact with the ground before the ball causes your club face to twist open just a little, you will hit a slice.  For the most part mats don’t effect your club face very much at all when you make contact with them.  Keep all of these things in mind when you head out to the course for the first time.

I know the difference but my course play still suffers!

As a Beginner that’s played a lot of Rounds of Golf.  I’ve gone through the great Range practice on Wednesday, didn’t seem to help at the course on Saturday.  So many times I have wondered what is wrong with my swing that day.  The answer was actually nothing.  There are a few factors that come into play on a course that are never a consideration at the Range.  Tee boxes are in different locations.  This seems like an insignificant thing but it’s not.  When you are at the Range you are continuously hitting balls from the same spot, with the same wind position, at the same targets, and in most cases zero hazards to worry about.  The wind is a far greater factor than most Beginners realize.  Hitting a ball 100 yards into an open field is a lot easier than hitting a ball 100 yards over a Pond.  Golf courses are designed to not only test your skill, and physical ability.  The courses are also designed to test you mentally.  I’ve yet to come across a Range, or Simulator that can recreate that.  Every shot you take that can be potentially lost in a hazard adds additional stress.  All around you there are other people playing that might get a good laugh at your expense if you Chunk one into the water.  These aren’t things that effect your swing at Range, or in a Simulator.  The best advice I can give you is that you shouldn’t worry about what other people think.  In most cases they are too focused on their own game to notice yours.  When dealing with Hazards, it’s best to just focus on the ball, and not the target.  Keep your head down through the swing, and believe in the result.  Beginners tend to focus on the target when needing to clear a Hazard.  By lifting their head too early to see if they have cleared the Hazard.  They end up making poor contact with the ball, and ending in trouble.

Play for the moment, not the score

Your first few times out to the course I wouldn’t even bother keeping track of your score.  I think my first time out I shot 58 over par.  Obviously I was seriously disappointed right.  Actually I thoroughly enjoyed myself!  I had no clue what my score was while I was playing.  My playing partner was keeping score privately.  What I remember is a Putt I sunk from off the Green with a fair amount of break in it, and the single Tee shot I hit on a Par 3 that actually found the Green.  Those two shots had me eager to come back, and play again the following week.  If you focus on the small accomplishments you make each time you play.  You won’t just love this game, you’ll keep improving.  Two Seasons later I shot 29 over on the exact same course.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Beginner Golf Focus – Beginner’s guide to Golf

The key to improving at Golf

I’m in my second full Season as a Golf enthusiast.  It was August of 2015 that I played my first full Round of Golf at Centennial Golf course in Etobicoke.  To say that I sucked would be a gross understatement.  I probably shot 140 that day and went through about 7 Golf Balls.  What I will remember most about that day was the great Putt I made on the 12th Hole, and the amazing Drive I made on the final Hole.  As much as I would like to score well each and every time I go out.  Golf is also a game of amazing moments.  Do you think I’d be disappointed if I shot 40 over, but made a Hole in one that day?  It would probably go down as one of the most memorable Rounds of Golf I’ve ever played.  The final score wouldn’t bother me at all.  This article is about scoring though.  In only two full Seasons of Canadian Golf I’ve gone from a total hack to a Bogey Golfer.  In other words I have earned myself through a lot of work an eighteen handicap.  To clarify, because a lot of Amateur Golfers are unclear of what a handicap actually means.  An eighteen handicap means that on my best day I should finish a Round of Golf 18 strokes over par.  On a Par 70 course I realistically average between 26, and 36 strokes over par.  I have a tendency to really blow it on a couple of Holes and that’s why my score ends up being that high.  Playing a solid mistake free Round has become my current goal.

How to play mistake free?

The key to reducing your handicap is the same for you, as it is for me.  You need to focus on the things that are totally in your control.  I’m sure a few of you are thinking wait a minute it’s Golf.  There’s nobody tackling you, or checking you.  You don’t even have an opponent really.  Everything is totally under your control.  Well you would be wrong.

You can attempt to make center face contact with the ball every swing but it won’t happen.  You can attempt to hit a power draw, or a baby fade whenever the situation calls for it but it won’t always happen.  You can attempt to hit every approach shot with enough backspin to have it hold the Green but there’s no guarantee that you will even hit the Green.  Here’s the good news though.  You can control how you grip each club every time.  You can set yourself up with the ball a specific distance away from you, and further forward or back in your stance every time.  You can duplicate how far, and how fast you make your backswing with every club.  You can find the ball that feels right for you, and play only that ball so every putt feels the same.

Small things add up to becoming a better Golfer.

It would probably surprise you how much a consistent grip will improve your game.  Your grip helps determine how your swing will feel throughout rotation around your body.  Swing plane is partially determined by your grip.  Resistance at the top of your backswing is partially determined by your grip.  Club face release through contact is also affected by your grip.  I would slice every shot to some degree in the beginning.  It wasn’t until I developed a consistent grip that I was able to control it.  Any corrections you make before you’ve settled on a particular grip are only temporary.  So first things first, find your grip.   Knowing the correct distance to stand from the ball at set up takes time.  It took me about 12 months of playing to really figure it out.  It’s natural to want to stand far enough away that simply swinging your arms back around you, and then forward through the target makes contact.  Most Beginners, myself included start this way.   Standing that far away will cause a number of swing faults.  Making neutral face (not open or closed) contact with the ball  becomes almost impossible.  The amount of sidespin generated at impact is greatly increased.  It becomes far more difficult to hit out of rough lies.  Standing closer to the ball creates a more vertical swing plane.  Essentially correcting all of the issues I just listed.  It will feel uncomfortable at first because a proper swing will require far more body rotation the closer you are to the ball.  Begin practicing at the Range standing a little closer to the ball.  It won’t take long before you begin to see a significant improvement in ball flight, and target consistency.  If you were to break down a Golf swing into two parts.  It would be the backswing, and forward swing.  Of the two, the backswing is obviously the easiest.  When I first got into Golf I’d attempt to generate power through the backswing.  My backswing was about 75% as fast as my forward swing.  Nowadays my backswing is about 15% as fast as my forward swing.  My accuracy, and quality of contact is probably 5 times better than it used to be.  The faster your backswing, the more likely you are to become unbalanced, or make poor contact with the ball.  I’d rather hit my 7 Iron 140 yards straight 90% of the time.  Instead of hitting my 7 Iron 155 yards straight 25% of the time.  The only thing you really lose by hitting the ball straight, but 10 to 15 yards shorter is distance.  Really though the only distance you are sacrificing is off your longest clubs.  If your target is 150 yards away then just use your 6 Iron instead.  Maybe your playing partner can hit their 4 Iron 200 yards.  Well good for them.  Doesn’t bother me to pull my 3 Wood out of the bag to achieve the same.  Always use the same ball! 

I can’t stress this enough.  The difference it will make when putting is reason enough.  If you haven’t selected a ball yet read my Golf Ball selection Starting from Scratch SS-10

Play within your ability

This is probably the most difficult aspect of the game of Golf for me.  It’s actually the one thing that we are all able to control from day one.  Resisting the urge to attempt shots that I have no business trying is one of the most difficult things for me to do.  Everybody wants to make that hero shot.  If you actually want your scores to improve?  Don’t waste your time trying to hit draws out of the rough around trees to hopefully make the Green.  Do the smart thing and just punch out on to the Fairway.  Playing within your limits isn’t just about trying to make hero shots.  It’s also about knowing what you are capable of from the very start.  I used to attempt to make a Green in Regulation on every Hole.  Even if it meant having to make potentially dangerous shots to do it.  For instance on a 390 yard Par 4 with a tight Fairway.  I would consider using Driver strictly based on distance.  If the landing area seemed too small I would take one club less and go with the 3 Wood off the Tee.  Landing in a Tight Fairway with my 3 Wood is a very low percentage play for me.  Even if I hit a perfect Drive.  I’d still leave myself with about 180 yards to the Pin.  Most Greens are protected by Hazards.  Bunkers at best, water or thick Woods at worst.  Expecting to land on the Green, and stick it close from 180 yards out is ludicrous.  Trying to play a Hole like that would usually go something like this.  Tee off with the 3 Wood, and miss the Fairway left by around 20 feet.  Second shot out of the rough at a terrible angle to the Green with the 3 Hybrid.  Hit it about 170 yards, and land about 30 yards right of the Green.  Third shot out of the deep rough with the 56 degree Wedge.  Hit a flyer that clears the Green, and lands in the bunker on the opposite side.  Shots four and five to successfully exit the bunker.  Shot six is a short chip on to the Green with my 52 degree Wedge. So much for the Green in Regulation right. Finally on the Green I end up two putting for quadruple bogey.  Definitely not the score you are looking for on a Par 4!  It’s taken me a long time but I have finally learned to play within my ability.  The way I play that same Hole goes something like this now.  Tee off with my 5 Hybrid landing on the left side of the Fairway 165 yards out.  Instead of trying to hit a hero shot on or close to the Green.  For my second shot I’d choose to hit my 7 Iron 135 yards down the Fairway.  This leaves an easy 90 yard shot with my 52 degree Wedge on to the Green.  Sure I never had a chance at getting that Green in Regulation.  What I have done is avoid any real danger.  I land my Wedge shot on the front edge of the Green.  Then two putt for bogey.  A difference of three strokes!  Sure my chances at Birdie are close to null.  So what.  I’ve actually one putted for Par many times in similar situations because the approach shot from within 100 yards is so easy.

Do yourself a favor, and focus on the few things within your control the next time you are out at the course, or on the Range.  Your handicap, and your enjoyment of the game will definitely improve.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Getting paired up Starting from Scratch SS-15

Playing with Strangers

You have finally developed a half decent swing.  Your last Range session left you feeling confident about using your 3 Wood off the Tee.  You managed to hit a few targets with your short Irons.  It’s time to get out on the course, and put all of that practice to good use.  You are probably about a 40 handicap.  Not including Mulligans, and duffs.  Still you’re confident that you can get through a Round of Golf on a short course with a few balls.  You give your Golfing buddy a call.

It’s Time

You arrive at your local 18 Hole public course that’s only 3000 yards long.  It has a practice putting Green, so you hit a few while waiting for your friend to arrive.  You even manage to sink a couple mid-length putts.  Your confidence is high.  This is going to be a great day!  Your friend arrives, and the two of you head into the club house to pay for your Round.  You almost carry your clubs inside when your friend informs you that you aren’t allowed to.   What?  These clubs cost me a pretty penny!  You realize that everyone else’s clubs are standing by the door as well so uncomfortably you do the same.  With your Round tickets in hand, the two of you head over to the starter.  “Good morning, great day for a Round” he says.  What he says next will shatter your positive outlook for the day.  “It’s pretty busy today, so I’ll be pairing you up”.  Pairing us up!  What does that mean? “You will be playing with those two people waiting by the first Tee” he tells us.

Oh shit no!

Your friend acts like nothing has happened.  Obviously this has happened before.  How could they not tell you that this was a possibility?  Your heart starts racing.  You suddenly are aware that your hands are a bit sweaty.  So many possibilities of what could happen start swirling through your mind.  What if I shank my first Tee shot?  What am I going to do if I hit one in to the bunker?  I’ve never practiced a shot out of a bunker.  I haven’t been hitting my Wedges well. I was hoping to learn how to do it during the Round.  I’m going to be holding everyone up.  I should have gone to the Range yesterday to get my swing perfect.

Settle down

I went through this exact scenario, my second time out.  There’s a common misconception that Golfers are intolerable jerks.  What I’ve learned over the last two Seasons is that they are actually the opposite.  Provided you know basic Golf etiquette.   Read my Golf Etiquette Starting from Scratch SS-12  Most Golfers are happy to see new Players getting into the game.  Quite a few of them actually gave me pointers during our Round together.  Another common misconception made by Beginners is believing that every Golfer you come across is leaps and bounds better than you.  What you need to remember is that Golf is a really difficult Game to master.  I’ve played with Strangers that have been golfing for 10 years, and finished with a better score.  Remember that this is only my Second full Season of Golf.  The first thing I do whenever I get paired up is introduce myself, and inform my new playing partners that I’ve only been playing for 2 years.  I let them know I’m serious about Golf though so my game isn’t terrible.  Just don’t be surprised if I slice or duff a few.  That little bit of information prepares them to have to play a little slower, or in some cases be surprised by my ability.  Even if you are making terrible shots all day.  As long as you are making an effort.  There’s a very good chance that everyone you are playing with will support you.

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Golf Etiquette – Beginner’s guide to Golf

10 things to know when playing Golf

1 – Make sure to arrive on time. This should be a goal you endeavor to reach for all things in life.  When it comes to Golf though, it has an increased importance.  Tee times can be pushed way back, or in some cases forfeited if the intended Players don’t arrive on time.  In the most extreme cases your credit card can be charged for a Round of Golf you never even got to play.  Do yourself and your playing partners a favour, and arrive on time.

2 – Keep your cellphone on silent. If you’ve ever watched a single Golf tournament.  Then this should be obvious to you.  It should be obvious to anyone that’s taken the time to develop a decent Golf swing.  Just think of all the thoughts that go through your head before you swing.  I know mine.  Establish distance to the ball during practice swings – align my body parallel to intended trajectory – rotate my body through the backswing – keep my right arm as straight as possible – don’t forget to allow the club to release through impact.  That’s what I think about before I take my swing.  It’s actually a lot simpler than it used to be.  As you get better your checklist becomes smaller.  Now what happens if during all that, a cellphone notification comes in?  It’s bad enough if it’s a playing partner’s cellphone.  It’s even worse if it’s your own.

3 – Know your turn.  This isn’t common knowledge.  Most Beginners are unfamiliar with who plays first on each Hole, who plays first from the Fairway, or who Putts first on the Green.  There is an order to each one for very good reasons.  Decide who Tees off first on the first Hole by whatever method you prefer.  Each subsequent Hole, the Player who scored best on the last Hole Tees off first.  Followed by the others in order of best to worst.  If the previous Hole was a tie, then whoever has the better overall score Tees off first.  The reason for this is simple.  It allows the Players that are trailing to get a read from the leaders Tee shot.  Teeing off first can be a significant disadvantage.  When playing from the Fairway or surrounding area.  Whomever hit their Ball closest to the Pin plays last.  The reason for this is about safety.  As long as each Player remains behind the next Player to hit.  Then nobody risks being hit by a ball that a member of their group is playing.  When on the Green the closest to the Pin plays last as well.  This comes as a surprise to most Beginners.  The natural urge is to Putt your ball into the Hole if it’s nice and close.  Especially if it appears to be in the way of another Player’s ball.  The proper thing to do is mark your Ball’s position, and pick it up.  Then replace it, and Putt when it comes around to your turn.  Why all the trouble you ask?  Hitting it close to the Hole has earned you a reward.  You get to watch the path each other Player’s ball took.  Getting a read for how the slope of the Green affects the roll of the ball.

4 – Don’t walk through another Player’s putting line.  Putts are very sensitive things.  The slightest imperfection on the Green can affect the path of the ball.  Imagine how upset you would be if your perfect read got messed up because someone you were playing with left a spike mark on your line.

5 – Don’t spend too much time looking for lost balls.  One of my previous Posts was about selecting the right Ball for a Beginner.  Budget played an important role in that decision.  One of the reasons why is that you shouldn’t play a Ball that you are afraid to lose.  It seems like every time I play at an inexpensive Golf course.  I come across people who seem determined to earn their Scout badge for Woodland tracking.  They spend so much time looking for that expensive ball that Play slows down to a crawl.  Do everyone a favour and play balls you can afford to lose.

6 – Hit a provisional ball.  Something I wasn’t aware of as a Beginner is the rule concerning lost balls, or out of bounds.  Your next shot is supposed to occur from the same place your last shot was from.  This presents a slow play problem if you lose your ball after cranking one from the Tee with your Driver.  Walking back to the Tee box to take your next shot is too much of a hassle.  If there is any likelihood that your Ball is lost, or out of bounds.  Just Tee up another Ball right away and hit it just in case.   Maybe go with a club that you are very confident with.  That way a third shot shouldn’t be necessary.  It’s easier to just pick up that Ball if you find the original.  If you don’t find the first Ball you hit, then play the provisional.  Remember to add an additional stroke to your score.

7 – Last to Putt should pull the flag.  When your group has reached the Green.  If you are the closest to the Hole.  The last of your group to Putt.  Then make it your responsibility to pull the flag.  You are going to have a fair amount of time to get a read for your Putt, so the time it takes to pull the flag shouldn’t be an issue.  You shouldn’t have to worry about replacing it.  By the time you make your Putt.  Somebody else in your group should already have the flag.

8 – Dress appropriately for Golf.  I’m not saying that you should be doing your best Payne Stewart impression.  One thing for sure is that you should always check to see if the course has a dress code.  I’ve been on courses that require collared shirts, and don’t allow jeans.  Most courses require Golf shoes.  At least Cross trainers should be worn.  Don’t show up at a Golf course in sneakers, and expect to play.

9 – Wait until it’s totally safe to Tee off.  I haven’t been hit by an errant shot yet.  I’ve had quite a few balls come close though.  It’s one thing when somebody slices a shot from the next Hole over, and screams four!  It’s a completely different thing when the group behind you Tees off way to early, and almost hits someone in your group.  When that happens I just pick up their Ball, and toss it in my bag.  They can come ask me for it if they’re feeling brave.  If you are in a rush, and can’t wait for the group ahead of you to finish the Hole.  Then you shouldn’t be out Golfing that day.

10 – Respect the course.  I love playing on a well maintained course.  Seeing the Ball roll true on Greens.  Hitting the Fairway, and having a nice flat lie to hit your next shot from.  Instead of being stuck in somebody’s divot.  It isn’t just the Greens keepers responsibility to keep the course in good condition.  It’s your responsibility as well.  Don’t leave garbage on the course.  Take the extra ten seconds to replace your divots.  Repair your pitch marks on the Greens.  Hopefully you will help set an example for others, and the courses you play will be far more enjoyable.

Follow these guidelines, and your Rounds will be far more enjoyable to you, and others.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

 

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Golf Ball selection – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Ball selection for the Beginner

Where should your priorities lie?

Be honest with yourself.  As a Golf Beginner you are going to lose a lot of balls on the course.  So price should definitely be one of the first things you consider when selecting a ball.  Fortunately for you, there are many quality balls on the market that should suit your game without breaking the bank.

As a Beginner you will be prone to making contact all over the face of your clubs.  Maintaining a square face at impact is also incredibly difficult for most Beginners as well.  For these reasons a Low Spin Low Compression ball would benefit most Beginners.  This type of ball will help reduce the severity of slices, and hooks.  The ball won’t completely eliminate a slice, or hook, but possibly lesson it to a manageable point.  I’ve tested both High Spin, and Low Spin balls on simulators.  Having a Low Spin ball saves me about 5 strokes per round.

Another thing to consider when deciding which ball to purchase is in my opinion the deciding factor.  How it feels, and rolls when putting.   Seriously it’s the single most important aspect of what makes a ball right for you.  A ball could give me 10 more yards of distance off the Tee.  It could stop 2 yards quicker on approach shots into the Green.  It could spin like a top off my Wedges.  If it doesn’t feel right, or roll true off my Putter though.  Then it isn’t for me.  As a true Beginner the first swing you should be able to consistently repeat is your Putter stroke.  You are going to hit Drives all over the place, so 10 yards further into the Woods doesn’t help.  You will Duff, or Blade your approach shots, so stopping quicker won’t help.  The difficulty you will have using your first Wedge is massive, so extra spin won’t make any difference.  When you reach the Green though.  If that ball rolls straight, and true.  You will turn brutally frustrating holes, into a thing of beauty.

The last thing to consider when selecting a ball is how it flies off your Driver.  If you have found a few balls that meet the other criteria?  Choosing between them can come down to Driver advantage.  Some balls have dimple patterns that are specifically designed to help get the ball up in the air.  Depending on your natural launch angle, that could be beneficial.  More often than not.  A Hole that starts well, ends well.  Hitting a ball off the Tee that inspires confidence can be all you need to get off to a good start.

Knowing which ball is right for you takes a lot more than just reading reviews.  Buy a few sleeves of balls that appeal to you, and test them in a Simulator.  Then test all of them on a Putting Mat.  Make sure to use your own clubs, and Putter when testing balls.  Once you’ve decided which ball is right for you.  Make sure you buy a bunch of them.  Play those balls exclusively!  Whenever you go to a store to try a new club you are considering purchasing.  Bring along a sleeve of your balls with you.  That way you’ll get a feel for how your ball flys off that club.  You will also be used to the way the characteristics of that ball affect your shot shape.  If you use whatever balls the store has in the simulator.  The performance of the club you are testing will be impossible to accurately compare with your current equipment.

Lets say that you are in the middle of a round of Golf.  While looking for the ball that you just sliced into some fescue.  You come across a great looking money ball.  A Pro V1, or Taylormade TP5 will be so tempting to continue your Round with.  Don’t do it!  These balls aren’t made with the Beginner in mind.  It happened to me before I knew better.  I found a pristine Pro V1X during a Round of Golf where I was scoring quite well.  The next Hole was a long Par 3.  I had played this course many times, and usually hit my ball to the Green.  The angle at which I would reach the Green was so shallow my ball would always roll out the back.  I figured that the extra spin I should get with the Pro V1X would help me hold the Green.  I wiped it totally clean, and Tee’d it up.  I was right.  The Pro V1X didn’t roll out the back of the Green.  In fact I didn’t even reach the Green.  I’m sure I made contact with a very slightly Open face.  Usually with that kind of contact I’d end up back left of the Green.  With the Pro V1X it went way left, and ended up in the Pond on the left of the hole.  It was the first time I had ever hit one into that Pond.  I actually aim quite far right to avoid it because my normal miss is to the left.  I just hadn’t realized how far left the additional spin from the Pro V1X would send it.

So trust me when I say that finding the right ball for you will make a huge difference in your game.  Test as many balls as you can.  When you find one that really feels right.  Stick with it!

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Golf essential extras – Beginner’s guide to Golf

What are the essential extras?

Now there are a few, but I’ll begin with the most obvious.  First and foremost is of course a Golf bag to carry your clubs in.  I would strongly suggest that you purchase a Stand bag.  Preferably a bag with flat feet.  I’ve owned both the rounded feet and flat feet models.  The flat feet are at least three times as stable.  Make sure that it has enough pockets to carry all of your items.

The second essential extra would be a good pair of Golf shoes.  If you plan on purchasing only one pair to begin with.  I would suggest that you begin with a spikeless pair.  They will be allowed on all courses, and can be worn from home to the course.  No need to change into another pair of shoes to play a round, and deal with storing, or carrying your other shoes around with you.  Select a pair that is waterproof.  Playing a round of golf with soaked feet is brutal.  Another advantage of Spikeless shoes is that they allow more freedom of movement during your swing.  This is particularly beneficial for Beginners.  A good pair of spiked shoes can effectively lock you in place.  Your body will be unable to properly rotate through the swing if you don’t generate enough power.   This is generally the case with Beginner Golfers.

The third essential is a towel.  You heard me right, a towel.  I had no idea how important a towel to wipe my clubs clean between holes would be.  Try hitting your Wedge off the grass the day after a rainfall.  One swing and the grooves get so completely filled with dirt.  Your next swing the face is about as smooth as your Driver.  The club face needs to be free of dirt to make proper contact.  If you are truly hoping to get the most out of your swing.  Then keeping your clubs clean during a round is a must.

The fourth essential is really overlooked by most Beginner Golfers.  I’m guilty of it as well, so don’t feel bad if this comes as a surprise to you.  Do yourself a favour, and do this now if you haven’t already.  Download a Golf GPS tracking Application!  I’ve tried a few, and I have settled on 18birdies as my Application of choice.  It keeps a great record of my Rounds.  It calculates my handicap.  It allows me to map out my game plan before a Round.  It also keeps detailed statistics.  The day before I play a Round of golf.  I use 18birdies to look at the layout of each hole, and make notes directly on the Application.  I plan which clubs to use, make notes of bail out areas, and figure out where all the blind hazards are.  Having a plan like that will help eliminate costly mistakes.  Your score will definitely benefit from proper preparation.

The last essential I’ll include is one you don’t want to forget on a clear day in summer.  When you pack your bags for a beautiful day of Golf.  Don’t forget to pack some form of sun protection.  Whether it’s sunblock, or just shades, and a hat.  A full Round of Golf with friends can take many hours.  Make sure you have sun protection, and a couple bottles of water with you.  Of course you can take full advantage of the beverage cart if the course has them.  Either way, the last thing you want is a great day of Golf ruined because you got sunburned, or heat exhausted.

Having the right essentials will help make each, and every Round of Golf that much more enjoyable.

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Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Proper Practice for Beginners – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Beginner Practice

(If you haven’t read my previous Starting from Scratch posts, I strongly suggest that you do)

Hopefully some of my suggestions have already helped you improve.  By this time you should be on your way to developing a repeatable Iron swing.  You should have a Putter that suits your swing.  If you have begun playing courses, you’ll know which parts of your game are lacking.

Now it’s time to improve.  Develop Practice routines that will truly make a difference.  I have two practice routines that have made the greatest difference for my game.  The first form of practice requires having a putting mat.  I was given an old one by a friend.  I usually take it out, and set it up in front of my TV screen.  During commercials, or while watching the Golf channel I will occasionally sink a few putts.  Over the length of a PGA broadcast I’ll easily hit 50 putts.  The majority of my putts are from around seven feet.  I will mimic distances I see pros attempt during a PGA event though.  So if Sergio Garcia needs to sink a short five footer to save Par.  Well so will I.  This type of practice helps me accomplish two things.  First of all it really helps me dial in my putting stroke.  Secondly I get so used to seeing my putts roll in from seven feet.  My confidence on the course when hitting putts from ten feet or closer is off the charts.  Five feet or closer starts to feel like a gimme.  Before I had the putting mat to practice on.  Any putt outside of three feet had me nervous.


The second form of practice that has seriously lowered my scores is Chipping.  Specifically short chips from about thirty feet or closer.  Lets be honest as Beginners.  No matter how perfect your angle to the Green may look.  More often than not your approach shot isn’t going to end up on the Green.  Being able to successfully chip one close to the PIN will make a huge difference in your final score.  If you are able to get it close enough to give yourself a decent opportunity to one putt.  You can turn a missed Green in Regulation to a solid Par.  A lot of driving ranges will have a practice area for Chipping.  If you don’t have a location that’s close, then just do what I do.  Grab a couple of Wedges, and a few balls.  Find a secluded spot in a nearby park.  I live in midtown Toronto, and I’ve found parks within walking distance that had enough space for 50 yard Wedge shots.  Granted I had to go early in the morning to hit 50 yards.  I have practiced hitting flop shots over a park bench in the middle of the day.  I even had my own little gallery of onlookers cheering me on.  For the most part people aren’t offended by someone practicing their golf game.  In most cases they’re interested.  I even had a passerby help me with my ball position when hitting Flop shots.  Just remember to be respectful of the space.  Don’t risk hitting anyone or anything, and repair any divots you take.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Track your statistics – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Here is a bit of advice I wish someone had given me when I first started testing my ability on actual Golf courses.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SCORE AND STATISTICS!

The key statistics being the total number of Fairways hit per round, and your success percentage.  The total number of Greens in Regulation per round, and your success percentage.  The total number of Putts taken per round, and the average number of Putts per hole.  Figuring these statistics out is easy.  You’d be amazed how few Golfers actually bother to do it though.

In case you aren’t familiar with these terms I’ll go over them with you.  A Fairway hit is any tee shot on a Par 4 or Par 5 that ends up in the Fairway. So if you play a course with eight Par 3s, eight Par 4s, and two Par 5s.  Then you could have a maximum of 10 Fairways hit.  If you only hit 5 of them, your success percentage would be 50%.  A Green in Regulation is any shot that lands on the Green, and leaves you at least two Putts for Par.  So your tee shot would have to land on the Green to count as a Green in Regulation on a Par 3.  Your first, or second shot would have to land on the Green to count as a Green in Regulation on a Par 4.  Your first, second, or third shot would have to land on the Green to count as a Green in Regulation on a Par 5.  Every hole provides a potential Green in Regulation, so if you got 6 Greens in Regulation on an eighteen hole Golf course.  Your success percentage would be 33.3%.  In order to figure out your putting proficiency.  Just count the total number of Putts you made in the round.  Then divide that by the number of holes you played.  That will give you your Putts per hole average.

Knowing these statistics will enable you to set reasonable goals.  Beginning with something attainable like 3 Fairways hit, 3 Greens in Regulation, and 45 total Putts will help build confidence.  These goals aren’t as simple as you might think.  Depending on the course it could be extremely difficult to hit the Fairway, or have your approach shots hold the Green.  Greens with a lot of break can turn into four Putts.  Setting goals will help you develop one of the most underrated aspects of Golf.  The mental Game.  Before I began keeping track of my Statistics.  My Club selection on the Tee became a simple process of which club can I hit furthest towards the hole without going past it?  More often than not I was pulling my Driver out of the bag for every Par 4, and Par 5.  There’s a reason why PGA tour Pros don’t do that.  It isn’t because they hit it so much further than we do.  It’s because they take into account the locations of hazards.   I’m not just talking about Bunkers, and Water.  A narrow Fairway is a hazard.  A poor angle to the Green is a hazard.  Before I began tracking Fairways hit.  Missing the Fairway was less important to me than getting as close to the Green as possible.  Which more often than not meant landing in the rough.  Being 50 yards away from the Pin in deep rough seemed better than being 100 yards away from the Pin on the Fairway.  I was completely wrong.  You know what to expect from a good lie.  You’ve hit so many shots from a perfect lie at the Range.  You can practically predict what will happen when you strike that ball.  I know that I hit my Pitching Wedge around 100 yards from a nice lie.  I couldn’t give you an educated guess how far I hit it, or any club for that matter out of the deep rough.  So being half the distance to the PIN but in the rough leaves me with a total gamble of an approach shot.  I don’t know how far it’s going to go. If it’s going to come out straight, or if it’s going to come out at all.  The amount of stress that single shot can put you through isn’t worth the extra 50 yards.  This takes me to the next statistic you should be tracking.  Your Greens in Regulation.  Taking aim at the Green from the Fairway provides you with a reasonable chance for success.  Trying to get there from the rough, a bunker, or through some trees is a snowballs chance in hell unlikely.   Consequently this will adversely effect your putting.  For example you are playing a Par 4.  You reach the Green in 4 after a series of poor shot selections.  How desperately do you want to sink that first putt?  Get away with a Bogey on what was a brutally frustrating hole.  You’d want to sink that first putt really bad.  Try to imagine how rattled you would already be just having reached the Green in 4.  Then add the additional stress to one putt.  In this situation it wouldn’t surprise me if you finished that hole with a triple bogey.  The mental focus and skill required to make that putt can be too much for a beginner to handle.  Now what happens if you played that same hole cautiously, and chipped up on to the Green in 3?  You still didn’t get yourself the Green in Regulation, but you reached the Green stress free.  Your first putt is relatively stress free.  If you make it you save Par, and a miss will probably leave you a tap in Bogey.  As a Beginner a Par is awesome, and I’ll gladly take tap in Bogeys all day.  In this situation I would consider a double Bogey highly unlikely, and your chances for Par pretty good.  That’s what happens when you concentrate on reaching the Fairway safely off the Tee.   It then provides you with a decent chance of reaching the Green in Regulation.  Which in turn gives you an opportunity to two putt for Par, or Bogey.

As a Beginner I play a lot of shorter courses.  I might only pull out the Driver once, or twice in a round.  In some cases not at all.  The result is that my scores have greatly improved.

Green in Regulation

There is a hole on one of the courses I play often where I used to pull Driver every time.  I averaged a double Bogey on that hole teeing off with the Driver.  Now on that same hole I tee off with a 6 hybrid instead.  I give up around 75 yards on average off the Tee.  I now average just a little over Par.  I play it almost a full two strokes better.  Simply because I rarely miss the Fairway, and reach the Green in Regulation half the time.  If that doesn’t make you a believer in hitting the Fairway, and reaching the Green in Regulation.  Then I don’t know what else will.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Choosing a Golf Putter – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Selecting a Putter

The single most important club in your bag.

The right Putter can mean the difference between a good day on the course, or a frustrating one.  You don’t think so?  Here’s two actual examples of the difference having the correct Putter can make.

The first example is of a hole I played with the second Putter I purchased.  It wasn’t the right Putter for me for a number of reasons.  I had developed a decent putting stroke by this time though.  I wasn’t completely hopeless on the Greens.  This happened on the 8th hole at Scarlett Woods Golf course in Toronto, Ontario.  A fantastic course for beginners by the way.  The Pin was placed back left on the Green, and the hole was playing about 170 yards long.  At that time 170 yards was a 4 hybrid distance for me.  I wasn’t making particularly good contact that day, and there was a bit of wind to deal with.  I clubbed up, and decided to go with my 3 hybrid off the Tee.  My Tee shot drifted left of the target.  I was left with a difficult pitch over a bunker roughly 20 yards away with very little green to work with.  I hit my 56 degree wedge which successfully cleared the bunker.  Unfortunately my shot ran through the Green to the opposite side and settled in the fringe.  At this point I’m thinking two putts for bogey on a par 3 that I missed the Green is perfectly fine with me.  I actually finished that hole with a triple bogey!  Now here is how it happened, and it’s all because of the Putter.  I had a Taylormade Rossa Daytona blade style Putter.  Why this Putter was wrong for me begins with the weight.  It was definitely too light for me.  A heavier Putter helps me follow through with my pendulum style swing.  It also has a specially designed insert in the face of the Putter that reduces weight, and improves the feel at impact.  I found the insert to be a bit spongy feeling, but it did get the ball rolling smoothly with perfect contact.  The real problem was the combination of a spongy Putter face matched with an extremely soft covered ball.  I was strictly using the Wilson Staff Elite 50 balls at the time, and they have a very soft outer layer.  This meant that it required a lot of additional force to get the ball rolling when putting.  My first putt struck me as requiring a little extra power to get it through the fringe, and on it’s way to the hole.  The hole was on a bit of a downslope though, so I didn’t want to hit it too hard.  Due to the fringe the bottom of my Putter brushed along the ground during the stroke.  It slowed it just enough for the soft insert in the Putter, and the soft outer layer of the ball to come together and my ball travelled a total of 2 feet.  It only just made the Green.  Well at least I was on the Green now right.  So now I’m looking at double bogey.  One long lag putt plus a tap in, and I can get on to the next hole.  My next putt wasn’t bad by my standards. I left myself a 4 footer with very little break for the double.  It should of been an easy putt to make.  With a Putter that feels too light in your hands, isn’t balanced right for your type of swing (toe weighted), and takes a fair amount of force to get the ball rolling.  A short downhill putt is unnecessarily challenging.  Needless to say I left it just short.  Triple effing bogey!

Seven months later with a Putter far more suited to me the second example took place.  It was on the 11th hole at Dentonia Golf club in Toronto, Ontario.  This is also a 170 yard par 3, but it plays significantly downhill.  I chose to hit my 6 hybrid which ended up being just a little too much club that day.  My line was close to perfect, and I ended up rolling the ball off the Green, through the fringe, and settling in the short rough.  The Green slopes downward to the hole from my position.  Once again I’m staring down a shot that could potentially get away from me.  The distance to the hole was about 25ft.  I considered a short chips, but my chipping had been horrendous that day.  Instead I chose to go with the Putter.  I was using the third Putter I had purchased at this time.  A Yes Milly face balanced mallet.  It is a completely different design then the previous Putter.  First of all it’s quite heavy, so once you begin your swing bailing out isn’t an option.  It also has a face insert, but instead of being designed to provide feel.  It’s firm not soft, and designed to quickly get the ball rolling.  These two features practically eliminated my propensity to leave the ball short on touch shots.  I used the same stroke I had used at Scarlett Woods.  This time though the ball didn’t come to a complete stop at the edge of the Green.  It rolled on through without losing too much speed at all.  It tracked well, caught the downslope, and ended up in the hole for birdie!  The speed of the ball when it dropped would have probably left me a 5 footer coming back up hill if I missed.  A very doable putt for par.  Either way a massive improvement over the last Putter.

A quick word about how much you should spend on a Putter.  Given it’s importance, price should not be the deciding factor when purchasing a Putter.  You still need to be careful with your budget though.  While testing Putters I had some very good results with a Scotty Cameron model.  It was three times the price of the Yes Milly Putter I eventually picked though.  In the end I believe that there are features on the the Yes Milly Putter that actually benefit me more.  The true alignment aid on the base of the Milly is one particular advantage.  Once you’ve settled on which type and balance of Putter is for you.  You should be able to find one that fits your price point as well.  For instance Wilson makes quite a few different Putters at great prices.  One of my particular favourites is the one available for less than $50 on Amazon as of the publishing of this post.

When I check my scorecards, and count the number of putts per round.  I used to average 45 putts per round.  Now I average 36 putts per round.  That’s an improvement of 9 strokes per round of golf.  There are very few clubs in your bag that can make that much of an improvement in your game.  All it takes is switching to the model that’s the correct fit for you.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right Putter.  So don’t take choosing a Putter lightly.  Test as many as you can.  Visit the putting practice area at your local course, or range.  Ask to try a few swings with other Players Putters.  Visit your local store and get a Putter fitting done.  Once you know which type of Putter suits you.  You can then decide which one to purchase.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Building your Golf set – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Assembling your first Golf set

(if you haven’t read my previous Starting from Scratch posts, I strongly suggest that you do)

Hopefully you have done your homework.  If you haven’t read it already.  Take a moment to read my Starting from Scratch SS-3  post.  It will properly prepare you to begin Assembling your first Golf set.

Golf clubs can be separated into 4 categories.  Super Game Improvement, Game Improvement, Player Improvement, and Tour clubs in order of easiest to hit to most difficult.  If you are only interested in becoming a casual golfer then I would suggest buying a complete Game Improvement set from Canadian Tire, or Walmart.  For the most part everything these stores offer are in the Game Improvement category.  They generally include a full selection of clubs from Sand Wedge all the way up to Driver.  Plus they aren’t going to break the bank.  Don’t sleep on the technology that goes into these sets either.  The majority of these sets are inspired by the top companies previous designs from a few years back.  Keep in mind that a popular set which can be found at big box stores is the Strata set.  It’s actually made by Calloway.  Wilson has some great entry-level mass market sets.  You will probably come across some Dunlop sets as well, and they are made by the same company that makes Srixon.  No one is going to judge you for playing any of those.  Buy one of these sets and you are ready to go.  Just head out to the range and start swinging.  As an added bonus the big box stores have excellent return policies.  If the set you picked doesn’t feel right.  Just take it back to the store and pick another.  You really can’t go wrong, or can you?

If you are a serious golfer the mass market sets can work for you as well.  In this case I would suggest choosing a set that includes two or more Hybrid clubs, and possibly buying an additional Putter.  Now if you are an obsessive golfer like me I would suggest a different route.  As an obsessive golfer you should already know your top 3 current irons through simulator testing.  If your budget allows.  Head back to your local store and swing your top 3 irons a few more times until you’ve reached a winner.  Then select the Hybrid/Irons combination set, and get fit for them.  The majority of these sets end at Pitching Wedge, so choose a Sand Wedge to buy also.  Which Sand Wedge you choose is entirely up to you.  I’ve honestly hit about six different Sand Wedges on actual courses, and there wasn’t a considerable difference in performance.  The one thing that my friends and I have noticed is that it’s easier to hit a cavity back wedge further with a full swing.  If you would like to really simplify things for yourself in the beginning.  You might consider buying a specialty Sand Wedge like the Cleveland Smart sole, or Calloway Sure Out Wedge.  You could also head over to the Putter section of the store and take some time to select a Putter.  I would strongly suggest against purchasing a Putter at this time though.  Your first few months of practice should be spent at the Range or in a Simulator where Putters aren’t necessary.

What about Fairway Woods, and a Driver you ask?  Forget about those for now as well.  The swing required to hit them properly is different than your Iron swing.  Learning both swings at the same time will only confuse things, and slow down your progress.

With a lower budget you can essentially begin your Golf set the same way.  What you will do differently is once you’ve decided which set is your favourite.  First check the clearance section of your local store for previous generations of that model.  If they aren’t available then you can definitely find them online.  That’s exactly what I did.  After testing a few Super Game Improvement, and Game Improvement sets.  I decided that the Adams Blue was the set for me.  At that time my local retailer was selling the Hybrid/Irons set with Graphite shafts for $899.00. I found an earlier version of the set with the same characteristics online.  They were on sale at a store in Ottawa for $199.00.  The set included a 3Hybrid, 4Hybrid, 5Hybrid, 6Hybrid, 7Iron, 8Iron, 9Iron, Pitching Wedge, and Gap Wedge.  This set was originally released in 2013.  Two years previous to the Adams Blues.  It didn’t come with a Sand Wedge so I eventually added a Cleveland Rotex 588 2.0 cavity back.  I also went through 3 Putters in my first year because I didn’t know what was required in actually picking the right one.  I’ll go over proper Putter selection in my next entry.

My first set

During my quest to select the right clubs I’ve tested so many.  If any of you have any questions about particular clubs just ask.  Also if you have recently made your first club selections.  Please feel free to share why you chose the clubs.

Beginner’s guide to Golf