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Going outside your comfort zone – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Your go to clubs

Every one of us has a couple of clubs in their bag that we can’t seem to ever hit poorly.  These are our go to clubs.  One of mine is my 52 degree MacGregor VIP Wedge.  A full swing will allow me to carry the ball about 82 yards with around 2-3 yards of roll out.  I can muscle it up to 92 yards with maybe 2 yards of roll out.  I can also swing easy and hit it about 78 yards with a couple yards of roll out.  I know this because I use it so often in any number of situations.  There are very few clubs that I will choose to muscle for additional distance.  My Gap Wedge is one of them, and my 3 Hybrid is the other.  My first full year playing Golf, the longest club in my bag was my 3 Hybrid.  You learn to muscle your longest club.  Especially when you usually hit it about 180 yards, and you need to hit your Tee shot 190 yards just to reach the Fairway.  It’s one of the only clubs in my bag that I can affectively shape my shot with.  If I need to hit a long low stinger to stay out of the wind.  The only club I would consider is my 3 Hybrid.

Having that kind of confidence can only help your game right.  Sure it does.  Knowing that you can make those shots will definitely help you work your way around a course.  What you may not realize is that you could also be limiting your opportunities by leaning on those particular clubs.  I’ve caught myself doing it at times.  Teeing off with my 190 yard 3 Hybrid when I could aim for an equally wide portion of the Fairway with my 205 yard 3 Wood.  Then having to cut the corner of a dogleg and carry my approach shot 160 yards.  Instead of having a clear approach to the Green of only 145 yards.  Just because I trust my ability with my 3 Hybrid more than I do with my 3 Wood.  I’ve passed up trying to reach the Green in two after a great Tee shot, because I wanted to set myself up for a Gap Wedge approach from 85 yards.  Chances are I wouldn’t have reached the Green, but I could have easily left myself with a 20 to 30 yard chip shot instead.  Sound familiar to any of you?

Practice what you hate

Too often we go out to the Range, or spend an hour in the simulator hitting whatever we are best at.  Marvelling at the distance, trajectory, and shot dispersion.  We might shoot a short video or take a picture for posterity.  I sure as hell do.  It lets us know that we have improved, builds confidence, and shows others that we know what we are doing.  To be honest though it doesn’t actually help us much.  Don’t get me wrong, any practice is better than nothing.  The problem with hitting your best shot during practice is that you should be using this time to improve your worst shots.  Think about it.  If you are nervous, or uncomfortable hitting difficult shots during Practice when the result doesn’t matter.  How are you ever going to hit a successful one of those shots out on the course when it does matter?  When I first began playing I’d only hit the clubs I was most comfortable with because I didn’t want to embarrass myself at the Range.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that Range embarrassment is much easier to take than Course embarrassment.  At that point I would bring the clubs I was struggling with, and one or two clubs I was confident with to the Range.  That way I could switch back and forth between clubs I hit well, and clubs I don’t.  Just so I wouldn’t get overly frustrated.  It wasn’t long before I realized that I started every Range session with clubs I hit well “to loosen up”, and finished the Range session with the same club.  I’d only hit a few of the clubs I’m struggling with in between.  All that actually accomplished was to reinforce my opinion of which clubs I hit best.  It was actually counterproductive.  My last trip out to the Range I only bought one club along to practice with.  I’ve been having trouble hitting my Driver with any degree of accuracy.  So I went out to the Range with the sole purpose of fixing my issues with the least accurate club in my bag.  It took about a full bucket to get my Driver swing to where I hoped it would be.  The first 20 balls I hit we’re ugly, and that’s putting it lightly.  If I had another club with me I would have probably given up, and switched to hitting that.  I’m glad I didn’t because by the time I had finished my bucket of balls I couldn’t wait to Tee off with the big stick on a course.

What’s the goal?

Golf is simply just a series of choices.  Each shot requires you to choose the right club, and choose the right shot.  Then you just need to execute.  In order to do this effectively you need to be able to treat every club in your bag as your go to club.  That way it doesn’t matter the distance, situation, or lie.  You will hit each and every shot with total confidence.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Golf budget Buyer advice – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Golf on a budget

Golf is an expensive sport to play.  There’s really no way around it.  When you add up the cost of your equipment, clothes, golf balls, travel, Range, and Course costs.  The final number isn’t anything to laugh at, and the cost to play never ends.  So when your leisure time is on a budget like mine.  Why choose Golf as your sport?  For me the answer is simple.  Golf can provide you with an experience that very few Sports can offer.  For a few hours on the course you can feel like you’re somewhere else.  I’ve described it to people as a one day vacation.  Being out on a well maintained course for a round of golf can feel like you just got off a plane, made your way over to the resort, and now you are enjoying a little R&R.  The bonus is that you didn’t have to go through customs, check your luggage, or sit in an uncomfortable seat for who knows how long between two strangers.  You can’t get that same sensation playing hockey on a rink, baseball on a diamond, soccer on a pitch, or basketball on a court.  The closest thing to it is skiing or snowboarding which I did do for a while.  Unfortunately winter doesn’t agree with me so I eventually gave it up.  So now you understand my main motivation.  That still doesn’t overcome the main obstacle to playing Golf.

The Cost, and how to reduce it.

Understanding the secondary market for Golf equipment is key to buying on a budget.   Most major retailers of used Golf equipment still charge a relatively high price.  In most cases you can find brand new clearance product for the same or in some cases an even lower price.  For instance I have seen a clearance set of Speedblade Irons for $100 less than a used set.  Another thing that you need to be aware of is the difference between Mass market, Large market, and Niche market manufacturers.  Mass market manufacturers like Wilson or Dunlop over complete sets of clubs for a reasonable price.  The quality is quite good for the cost, but the perceived value is much lower than the Large or Niche market manufacturers.  In other words don’t ever plan on selling your set for anywhere close to what you paid for it.  Of course most people won’t need to replace their clubs for many years with minimal maintenance so the resale value shouldn’t be much of a detriment.  Another issue some of the more serious Golfers will have with mass market golf sets is the lack of customization.  What you see is what you get.  There’s no bounce or degree options with the Wedges.  Don’t expect Drivers or Woods to be adjustable.  Hopefully the Putter suits you.  Of course you can add additional clubs after, but each club costs you more money.

Large market retailers like Taylormade, Cobra, and Calloway offer the smart consumer great deals provided they are willing to buy clearance stock.  In the constant battle to keep your interest.  These three companies constantly release new products.  Taylormade has been known to release three new sets of Clubs in a single year.  This would make models from the previous year undesirable by most, but still readily available.  In order to create display space for the new models, retailers will heavily discount last year’s product.  If you pay close attention to the product specs and reviews you will quickly realize that last year’s model might be almost identical to this year’s with only slightly different aesthetics.   For about half the price of the newer model you can get a brand new club that provides almost identical performance.  Although the resale value of Large market manufacturers isn’t very high either.  Chances are good that you will be happy with the clubs you personally selected for a long time.

Niche market manufacturers should be avoided by Golfers on a budget.  Companies like Titleist, PXG or Ping charge a high price for their equipment.  As a result the resale value is quite high as well.  This makes buying second hand equipment costly as well.

Take advantage of the off season

As much as the coming of Winter disappoints me because the Golf courses will all be closing for a few months.  It does provide the savvy buyer with many opportunities to stock up on golfing gear.  Golf stores are pretty dead during the winter so they will try almost anything to get customers in the store.  Buy a Driver and get the matching Wood free.  Get your clubs regripped for half price.  Stock up on Golf balls while they are being heavily discounted.  The clearance clothing stores like Winners or Marshalls will have racks of Summer Golf overstock in the late Fall.  Then of course there’s all the Boxing Week sales.  I got my $400 Driver for $160 on boxing day.  I was offered $250 for it three months later at the local Range.

Buy a little at a time

Buying everything at once can seem overwhelming, and depending on your budget impossible.  Spread out your purchases over time.  It allows you to wait for the best deal, and keep your budget under control.  I went through a full Season without a Driver.  I went through almost two full Seasons before I completed my Wedge set.  I got a great deal on each and every club.  As an added benefit it forced me to learn how to get the most out of each club I owned before I purchased another one.  Remember that if you are serious about taking up Golf.  You will be playing this Sport for many years.  There’s no real rush to complete your first set of 14 clubs.  Most courses can be played just fine with half that number.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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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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Don’t forget the little things, Swing thoughts – Beginner’s guide to Golf

So many swing thoughts

Before, during, and inevitably after we think about our swing.  There’s so much going through our heads that sometimes we are the instruments of our own demise.  We forget that as complicated as the game of Golf can be.  In order to succeed at it things need to be simple.  I’m sure you have all seen videos, or read articles relating to swing instruction.  Too often they describe swing path, angle of attack, transfer of weight, club head release, follow through, the direction your belt buckle should face at the conclusion of your swing, and I could keep going on and on.  How are you ever going to make successful contact with the ball if you are thinking about all of these things at once?  When I was first developing a swing, my only thought was to make contact with the ball.  After a few trips out to the Range I was able to make pretty consistent contact.  Of course I had very little distance, or directional control.  In an attempt to further develop my swing I started watching those videos I mentioned.  What I learned is that too much information can do more harm than good.

It wasn’t all useless though

There are a few tips I picked up on that I believe can help any Beginner.  First of all it’s important to separate your swing setup from the actual swing.  Too many Beginners concentrate on both at once.  It sounds quite easy to do, but it isn’t.  What happens is that during your practice backswing, or waggle you adjust your stance.  While doing so you begin to think about your swing.  The two thoughts become one.  What I’ve learned to do is make my practice backswing a part of my setup.  Once I’m satisfied with my position I take a moment to clear my head.  Then I begin my swing preparation.  I’ve simplified my swing thought to three things.  A smooth controlled backswing, then a balanced fore swing without drifting my weight from back to front too much, and a complete follow through.  That’s it!  To be honest I am limiting my maximum distance by purposefully decreasing my weight transfer.  What it does do is significantly reduce the number of miss hits I make.  For me that’s far more important.  Another tip I can offer you that will surely improve your scores, is to hit every putt with the intention to go three feet passed the hole.  Any putt that comes up short has no chance of rolling in.  Better to hit your ball too far passed the hole than leave it short.  An additional bonus to playing this way is that you get a lot of practice hitting 3 to 5 foot putts.  You will get so accustomed to hitting them that soon any putt within 5 feet will feel automatic.

Short shots are the most important

When it comes to practice, spend the majority of your time working on your shorter clubs.  In actuality you should spend the most time practicing your putting stroke.  Then you should spend almost as much time working on your Wedge game.  Then your Irons, your Hybrids, your Woods, and last of all your Driver.  Too many Beginners do this in reverse.  Think of it in terms of what you will likely use the most during a Round.  As a Beginner there’s a very good chance that you will have to make 2 or 3 putts per hole.  You might have to hit 2 or 3 Wedge shots as well.  On average only 1 or 2 Iron shots are required per hole.  Most holes only require 1 shot with a Wood or Hybrid.  Most of the courses I play only require the Driver on a couple of the holes on the entire course.  It wouldn’t make much of a difference to my final score if I hit my Driver best.  If I was in top form with my Putter and Wedges though.  I could easily reduce my final score by at least one stroke per hole.  In fact it only took me about 12 months of regular practice with my Putter and Wedges to reduce my handicap from a 36 to 20.  I have to admit that I’m not very consistent with my Driver yet.  In some cases I don’t even use it once during a Round.  That hasn’t prevented me from reducing my scores though.

Remember that you are a Beginner

It’s very easy to get tempted to play some of the more professional style courses in your area.  Be realistic about your expectations when you do.  There can be a huge increase in difficulty.  Don’t be a hero and play from the back Tees.  Don’t get too preoccupied with your score to Par.  Just focus on making good shots, and playing within your ability.  Trust me you will enjoy the experience far more.

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.

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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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The Golf Equipment lie – Beginner’s guide to Golf

The whole truth

I am very precise about equipment selection.  I am not one to buy into all the hype new equipment releases are surrounded with.  First hand testing, customer feedback, and a proven record of success mean far more to me.  You won’t see me wearing Beats headphones simply because they’re popular.  Truth be told Beats headphones are average at best.  If you want great sounding headphones that really add some dynamic sound.  The most important feature to look for is a low impedance.  The Sennheiser Momentum earphones absolutely annihilate the Beats Studio earphones in that category, and many others.  Don’t just buy into the hype if actual performance is important to you.  Some of you might be doubting the validity of my opinion.  Well I’m not just a fan of electronics.  I’m a Cedia certified electronics technician.  I’ve worked for a number of Electronics retailers including Futureshop, 2001 Audio Video, The Source, HiFi City, and Bay Bloor Radio in positions ranging from Sales Associate, to Head systems installer, to Store Manager.  Trust me when I tell you that I know what I’m talking about.  I was questioned by a number of people why I didn’t choose to add electronics to my categories on Cobe Life.  Truth is that the internet is already full of information from well qualified individuals on the subject.  Cobe Life is about my hobbies, not my career.

The Golf Equipment Lie

In an attempt to keep Golfers constantly upgrading their equipment.  The Golf industry has been carefully attaching very restrictive labels to certain equipment categories.  Over the last few years the number of categories has increased.

Category – Super Game Improvement Stigma      – Newbie, Hacker

Category –  Game Improvement      Stigma      –  Amateur, Casual player

Category –  Player Improvement           Stigma      – Mid to Low Handicapper

Category – Player Tour level                         Stigma      – Scratch Golfer

This perceived classification has led to an increased number of Players choosing to use the wrong equipment.  For instance consider a Mid handicapper that hits a very low trajectory ball flight.  Instead of purchasing a Player Improvement 3 Hybrid or Long Iron.  This particular Player would probably benefit from the purchase of a Game Improvement, or Super Game Improvement Hybrid.  The reason I would suggest this is because generally those categories are designed to provide a higher launch.  The additional increase in launch angle should help carry the ball further with lower lofted clubs.  For somebody with a naturally low ball flight.  The end result should be an increase in Carry distance, a more predictable landing zone, and better gapping between clubs.  The sad reality in this example is that this Mid handicapper probably wouldn’t even consider what’s best for them.  Pulling a club from their bag that’s for a Newbie is beneath them.  Why someone would completely ignore technology designed to improve their game is the Golf industries greatest deceit.   Think about it.  Would you judge someone for driving a Lamborghini Aventador because it doesn’t come with a manual transmission?  The reason it doesn’t is because precise gear changes during rapid acceleration, or braking is impossible with a traditional Standard transmission.  In simpler terms they made driving a high performance sports car easier.  Generally speaking that is the goal of new technology.  To make things easier.  Technological advances in Golf have done just that.  Made the game of Golf easier.  Originally these advances we’re meant to entice players to buy new equipment.  During the Tiger era when Golf was experiencing a boom it worked.  The problem started when sales began to decline.

Can a Golf club be too good?

To answer this question we need to ask ourselves why we buy new clubs in the first place?  The three most significant reasons we buy new clubs are because our current clubs are worn out, we feel we require a specific club for a certain utility, or poor performance from our current clubs.  I’d say that the strongest reason of those three is poor performance.  It takes many Rounds of Golf to wear out your clubs.  You may occasionally have to replace Wedges because the faces are worn.  The other clubs in your bag will last a long time.  Once you’ve been playing for a couple years you will have assembled a full 14 club set that includes every club your game requires.  Once that’s done, buying a club for a specific utility is done as well.  What gets me, and most of you to our local Golf equipment store to test new clubs is poor performance.  As a Beginner it’s easy to end up purchasing clubs that might not suit you.  As your swing develops.  Your stance, swing path, ball position, and flight path will change as well.  The clubs you thought were right for you in the beginning, could feel wrong to you after a few months.  Brands use different lofts, and kick points for their clubs.  Different brands use different shaft lengths.  Some companies prefer to build in a natural Draw bias to their clubs.  What suits each individual is entirely different.  So in the beginning don’t be surprised if you end up changing some, or even all of your clubs at some point.

What if you weren’t a Beginner when the first major advancements to forgiveness, and launch started happening.  When you purchased your first set of Cavity back Irons with perimeter weighting, and a flexible face.  The larger sweet spot, and increased distance these clubs added was significant.  In fact it was so significant that Golfers became something that they rarely ever are.  Satisfied!  An established Golfer had a complete set so buying a club for utility purposes was out.  Poor performance was no longer an issue with these newer clubs.  That left the only reason to buy new clubs was when your current set wore out.

Industry panic sets in.

You can be damn sure that waiting for their customers clubs to wear out wasn’t an option for the manufacturers, and retailers.  Thus began the Category to Player system.  The only way to get established Golfers to give up playing their current equipment.  The manufacturers, and retailers had to convince Golfers that they were better than the equipment they were currently using.  This had an added benefit.  It allowed them to market the easiest clubs to use to total Beginners.  This would significantly reduce the learning curve of a traditionally difficult game.  Which in turn would fuel a Beginner Golfer to want to “upgrade” to a more advanced set of clubs sooner.  By the time the average Player decides to switch from Game Improvement to Player Improvement.  Their playing ability allows them to slightly overcome the disadvantages of playing with more difficult to hit clubs.  Their handicap may actually suffer a little bit, but reverting back to “Amateur” clubs feels like accepting mediocrity.  Does sound counterproductive to you?  It does to me.  If you’re a car enthusiast then you’ll know that electric cars are the performance cars of the future.  Teslas already own the drag strips across North America.  There’s been a fair amount of resistance to them.  They don’t sound like muscle cars.  They don’t look like muscle cars.  All they do is reach the finish line first.  Well if you were in a race.  Isn’t finishing first the goal?  I’ll tell you right now when I landed a 185 yard par 3 Tee shot about 6 feet from the hole with my 6 Hybrid.  Nobody discounted the achievement because I was using a Super Game Improvement club.  When a good friend of mine got his first hole in one with his Adams Blue 9 Iron.  The group playing with him didn’t care what club he used.  They were just happy to be there to see it.

Pay attention to what the PGA, LPGA, and Champions tour Players are playing.  You might be surprised how many Game Improvement clubs you see.  Jordan Spieth actually plays Titleist 716 AP2 Irons.  Jordan Spieth! So if you have a shiney new set of Player Irons in your set then you must strike it purer than Jordan.

Do yourself a favour, and ignore the industry labels.  Buy what’s right for your game, and cross that finish line first.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

Continue reading “The Golf Equipment lie – Beginner’s guide to Golf”
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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