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My 2018 Golf Season – Beginner’s Guide to Golf

The Year that was…

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

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

Why goals are important in golf

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

Average less than 2 putts per hole.

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

Average less than 1 chip per hole.

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

33% or better Green in Regulation average.

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

50% or better in Fairways Hit.

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

Lower my handicap to 18 or better.

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

Possible goals for next season

Less than 1.9 putts per hole

Less than 1 chip per hole

33% or better Greens in Regulation

66% Fairways Hit

16 or better handicap

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

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

 

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

Keep it Simple

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

Hazard Avoidance

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

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

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

Play to the Front of Par 3s

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

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

 

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Looking ahead to The Masters – Part 1

There’s always something special

Whether you are a fan of golf or not?  The One event that everyone knows about is The Masters.  It’s one of those iconic events like the Superbowl, Daytona 500, or World Cup.  Everyone is aware that it’s happening.  There’s always something special about it, and this year is no different.  This Masters has the potential to be the most watched Golfing event in years.  Along with the usual suspects, there are a number of Players that are playing some great golf right now that are sure to attract even the most pedestrian of golfing fans.  Unless you have been living under a rock this year the most obvious attraction to this year’s Masters is…

Tiger Woods

That’s right Tiger is back, and what’s more important is that he’s been competitive.  With two Top 10 finishes including a second at Valspar.  Tiger looks poised to raise a Championship trophy soon.  Why shouldn’t that first win of his comeback happen at Augusta where he’s hoisted the Masters trophy four times before?  Some of the betting lines in Vegas have him as the odds on favourite.  Now I would assume that the odds have been reduced to balance out the expected amount of casual bets they expect to receive.  Still it would be wrong of you to discount Woods as a possible contender.  Another Player who should be seen as a fan favourite that’s been playing his best golf in years is…

Phil Mickelson

It took four years and seven months for Phil to end his winless drought.  With the quality of golf he has been playing this season it was definitely coming to an end.  Only Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler are posting Rounds of Golf below par at a higher percentage than Phil.  If you are a fan of Phil.  You know that his typical Round of Golf includes a few birdies, some bogeys, possibly a hole out eagle, and at least one double or triple Bogey.  At the end of it all he usually finishes a couple shots under Par, or even Par.  It’s a rollercoaster affair with just as many wayward Tee shots, as incredible flop shots.  If you hadn’t seen him play before it might look like luck to you.  It isn’t.  ItsI just the all or nothing, go for broke style of golf that he plays.  Love him or hate him.  It makes for interesting viewing.  Speaking of love him or hate him.  Another polarizing figure in the world of golf has found his swing is the very unique…

Bubba Watson

Relatively soft spoken, reserved, and so unlike the majority of his compatriots.  Bubba Watson isn’t what you would expect a Champion Golfer to be.  Totally self taught, he has one of the most unique swings on the PGA tour.  Most aspiring golfers spend years attempting to develop a swing that will allow them to hit the ball straight.  Bubba Watson did the opposite.  Learning to shape his shots left and right so that he could follow the exact contours of a golf course.  When he is on his game he makes shots that other PGA Players can only imagine making.  He recently won the WGC Match play in impressive fashion.  The combination of impressive shot shaping, and massive distance off the Tee was too much to overcome.  He is ready to unleash his skills on Augusta where he has already won twice before.

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Developing that one swing – Beginner’s Guide to Golf

Why Not?

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I’m sure every golfer has gone through it.  Maybe some of you like me are still going through it.  What is it you ask?  It’s the inability to have one swing work in a Simulator, at the Range, and on the course.  Last Season I got in the habit of visiting the Range a couple days before playing a Round.  If the weather turned bad I’d spend an hour in a Simulator.  I’d get my swing dialed in.  By the time my practice was done I’d leave the Range, or Simulator feeling totally confident.  I was going to play the best Round of my life in a couple days.  The course isn’t ready for what’s coming.  My playing partners will be talking about this Round for the rest of the year.  Never have I ever been this focused, ready, and confident.  Two days later…

I shit the bed

I battle to make proper contact all day.  When I don’t totally chunk it, I catch it thin.  When I finally do make decent contact I slice the ball into oblivion.  My distances are so inconsistent that club selection becomes a total gamble.  Eventually I just choose the club that I happened to get a halfway decent shot with earlier.  Long Par 5, think I’ll tee off with my 4 Hybrid because I hit it relatively straight two holes ago.  390 yards left to the hole, 4 Hybrid seems like a good choice. Only hit it 150 yards leaving 240.  That’s OK the 4 Hybrid will work.  Still 80 yards remaining.  Normally that would be a smooth 52 degree Wedge.  Unfortunately nothing I’ve hit has been smooth today so I’ll club up to a Pitching Wedge in case I chunk it.  End up blading the ball into oblivion.  Damn it!  I should have just played a bump and run with the 4 Hybrid.  Have you ever had those days?  Sounds like an exaggeration but it isn’t.  I have had those days.  What could have happened to my swing between Thursday and Saturday?

Absolutely nothing!

The truth is that your swing didn’t suddenly disintegrate.  It was as ready as you had imagined.  You were ready to have the Round of your life.  The problem wasn’t your swing.  The problem was where you chose to use it.  There are specific differences between each place you practice your swing.  Some of these differences are extremely subtle, but can have a profound effect on your game.  The first of which is barely noticeable to golf beginners.  It wasn’t noticeable to me for a full two seasons.  I struggled, and doubted myself every time I played.  Wondering if I would ever be able to reproduce the success I was having at the Range on a course.  One of the most important Golf Beginner tips I can give you is to always begin your setup by properly setting the…

Lie Angle

I used to believe that the key to Golf was to develop a smooth repeatable swing.  I had the right idea, but I missed one necessary ingredient.  Golf is a game of minor adjustments.  One of the most important of those relates to lie angle.  Something I failed to realize when I practiced my swing at the local range, was that the old hitting mats they provide have become significantly worn in the contact zone.  So where the ball sits is slightly lower than the area around it.  In order to make proper contact you would have to adjust the lie angle of your swing to be slightly toe up.  Of course the Beginner Golfer isn’t actually aware that over the course of adjusting their swing ball after ball until they consistently make good contact.  That swing is counterproductive to when they step on to a course and the ball is on even ground, or even worse a slight downhill lie.  More often than not that’s how thin shots happen.  It might sound like I’m suggesting that you stop going to the Range.  I’m not.  I’m telling you to be very aware of the lie angle of your club when you place it behind the ball at setup. The sole of your club needs to be as flat against the ground as possible.  The lie angle determines how far you should be from the ball.  I used to believe that my club choice determined that.  It does if you take every shot from the exact same spot at the Range, or in a Simulator.  On a course things become very different because the ground level is constantly changing.  That brings me to the next factor that can cause fits…

Surface hardness

Something that never changes in a Simulator or hitting off a mat at the Range is the surface you are hitting off of.  I actually have preferred Simulator Practice locations because the surface you hit off of has a softer underlayer that provides more give.  If you are having trouble understanding my meaning.  Imagine hitting your longest Iron off of a sidewalk.  There’s a very good chance that the fear of contacting the concrete would have you end up blading the ball.  Any swing that came in too steep would bounce so hard it would totally sap your strike of distance.  A hitting surface with more give or depth to it allows you to come in steep or shallow, and still make decent contact.  That felt much better to me.  It feels far better to everyone that plays golf no matter what your skill level may be.  Does it help you improve your swing though?  Of course it does.  All practice helps you improve.  In this case though the firmer surface helps you even more.  The reason for this is because of it’s affect on the proper utilization of each clubs lie Angle.  The softer the surface, the more incorrect your lie angle can be, and still allow for decent contact.  If the heel, or toe would hit first the surface gives way just enough to limit the affect on the swing.  A rigid surface forces you to bring the club head perfectly square through the impact zone or suffer the consequences.  Learn to make clean contact in a Simulator, or on a mat at the Range with a hard surface, and your swing will be pure.  Sounds like that’s the ticket to improving your swing, and lowering your scores on the course then.  I really wish it was.  Course conditions can change from very hard surfaces to extremely soft.  Especially when you live in Canada like I do.  Practicing off of a hard surface can end up creating a swing that’s robotic.  It becomes difficult to make those small adjustments that are required during a Round of Golf.  What if you have to hit out of the Rough, or out of a bunker?  What if the ball is above or below your feet?  Once again the most important thing that you can focus on is the lie angle of the club.

Pre-shot Routine

Everyone should develop a pre-shot routine.  It gets you prepared to make the shot, settles the nerves, and helps you properly set yourself.  Everyone has their own unique way of doing it.  Whatever yours is, make sure that it includes aligning the club’s lie angle so that it’s level with the surface you are hitting off of.  If your routine doesn’t include this one crucial step yet?  Then that could be why you have had those days on the course that made you wonder what happened to my swing?

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Golf & Travel show Giveaway!!!

Got to Play to Win!

This contest is open to all North American Subscribers. All you have to do is complete the three steps to enter.  This contest is totally free!

Step 1 – If you haven’t already Subscribe to this blog.  Use the Subscription field provided below.

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It’s as easy as that! If any of the links aren’t working from your device?  Copy and Paste the links into your browser.

Gain additional entrys by introducing yourself to me at the Toronto Golf and Travel show this weekend and saying “I’m a fan of Cobe Life Golf”. I’ll be easy to spot. Just look for the guy in Orange pants!  Contest will close February 28th, and the draws will be held on March 1rst.

Thank you for becoming a member of the Cobe Life crew.  Good luck!

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Cobe Life’s 5 to watch – Waste Management Phoenix Open

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Matsuyama is just too obvious

Everyone and their pet dog is talking about how Matsuyama is the man to beat.  He’s gone back to back at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.  If he can win this year he will be the only other person to three-peat alongside the great Arnold Palmer.  Obviously he is one of the Players to watch.  Do I think he’ll three-peat?  He’ll no!  He’s not playing at an elite level right now.  He’ll compete, but winning is very unlikely.

True favourites

Rickie Fowler

Lets be honest here.  One of Matsuyama’s wins should really have been Rickie’s.  He imploded coming down the stretch, and eventually lost in a playoff.  The stadium feel is an advantage for Rickie.  He’s so popular among the fans that playing in front of any crowd is like having home field advantage.  Anyone playing alongside him is going to feel like the enemy.  Rickie feeds off the crowds energy and has a number of high finishes here to show for it.  It wouldn’t surprise me if the energy at TPC Scottsdale lifts him to a Championship.

Jon Rahm

Rahm has played some amazing golf recently to where he has moved up to second overall in the PGA rankings.  While the crowd will help Rickie feel like he’s playing in front of a home crowd.  Jon Rahm actually will be.  As a former Arizona State Sun Devil, Rahm will feel right at home at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.  You can be damn sure he’ll come out wearing some Sun Devils garb at some point.  Given his recent performance you can bet good money that the crowd at TPC Scottsdale will be pulling for their local boy to win.  Every Championship means something on the PGA tour, but I’m willing to wager that this one means a little bit more to Jon Rahm.

Potential Surprises

Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley comes into this event in great form, and has exactly the kind of game that suits TPC Scottsdale.  He’s impressively accurate with his long clubs, and can bomb it.  There’s a lot of risk/reward plays available at TPC Scottsdale.  Keegan Bradley has the accuracy to effectively minimize the risk, while enjoying the reward.  Given his recent play I would expect him to take a few more chances than usual, and capitalize.  Keegan Bradley has the game to flat out win this event, but I’m expecting a Top 15 finish.

Kevin Streelman

Another Player coming into the Waste Management Phoenix Open in excellent form is Kevin Streelman.  If it wasn’t for the quality of this particular field I would consider Streelman to be a favourite.  His Ball striking has been stellar, and he seems to be playing with a lot of confidence.  I don’t expect him to overpower the TPC Scottsdale course, but where others will take risks, and pay the price.  I expect Streelman to play a very smart, safe game that will keep him in contention.  I just don’t see him being able to turn it up a notch on Sunday against this field.  A top 20 finish isn’t out of the question though.

Interesting story

J.B. Holmes

After his four minutes and ten seconds of club deliberation last Sunday before electing to lay up.  In a situation where he needed an Eagle to make a playoff, and potentially win the tournament.   A significant enough pause during the round that some people believe may have broken Alexander Noren’s concentration, and ultimately cost him the Championship.  After a few days of being slammed on Twitter, and forced to answer for his actions by the Golf media.  How will J.B. Holmes bounce back at the Waste Management Phoenix Open?  This tournament is perfect for his long hitter game.  As evidenced by his two previous victories here.  He’s obviously playing well considering he was an Eagle away from making the playoff last week.  Really he should be considered one of the favourites, but how will the TPC Scottsdale crowd welcome him after last week’s shenanigans?  If you are looking for a sneaky good bet to make in DraftKings, J.B. Holmes might be your guy.

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Why the 2018 Farmers Insurance Open has piqued my interest.

The Tiger Woods Factor

I don’t write many blogs about PGA tour events.  In this case I will make an exception though.  Tiger Woods will be playing his first full field event, and it won’t be at some Player friendly course in the Bahamas.  This is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.  A course that’s held the U.S. Open.  It won’t have the strongest field, but there will be plenty of talent on display.

The field includes:
-PGA tour Champion Xander Schauffele
-The Players Champion Si Woo Kim
-Last year’s winner and currently world       number 2 Jon Rahm
-Other Top 10 World ranking players in   the field including Rickie Fowler, Hideki   Matsuyama, and Justin Rose.

As well as many other notable PGA tour mainstays.

What’s required from Woods

Winning this event will require some great skill off the Tee because it’s a long course.  It will also require some impressive Ball striking because you don’t want to be in the long grass at Torrey Pines.

Of course the first thing everyone wants to know is how well will Tiger do?  Well I actually have two answers for that question.  Sounds like I’m hedging my bets but really I’m not, and here’s why.  I believe that if Tiger Woods treats this event as just a stepping stone towards readying himself for future events then he will make the cut, and play some attractive golf.  Now if he enters this event with the desire to finish in the Top 10.  I don’t think things will go as smoothly for him.  Torrey Pines will punish Players who miss Fairways, or Greens when trying to push the limits in order to stay close to the leaders.  Tiger has shown that his scrambling is particularly weak, and his misses off the Tee are unpredictable.  If he just focuses on playing clean mistake free golf he’ll find himself in the middle of the pack, but if he pushes it he could potentially put up a number of double or even triple bogeys, and miss the cut.

Players to watch

There are a few Players of particular interest to me at this event.  Five of which I have already discussed in my Cobe Life 2018 Farmers Insurance Open Quick picks on YouTube.  Those five Players should be of particular interest to the FanDuel and DraftKings crowd.

https://youtu.be/XKiTWrpua_A

The next group of Players are interesting to me for different reasons.
JASON DAY
Former World #1 Jason Day had a down year last year.  Health and Family issues contributed to an uncommon lack of focus for Jason Day in 2017.  There is no disputing his talent, and Torrey Pines is the perfect course to gauge where his game is at.

BRANDT SNEDEKER
Another Player coming back from injury with the additional pressure of trying to make a return to the Masters.  Snedeker wouldn’t appear to have the kind of game that Torrey Pines requires, but he has won here twice before.  While everyone else is trying to bomb drives off the Tee.  Sneds will methodically work his way around the course.  If his Putter is on watch out!

CHESSON HADLEY
The 2017 Web.com tour Champion will have the opportunity to showcase his potential in this high quality field.  The Web.com tour has proven to be an excellent preparatory tour for the PGA with past Champions, and qualifiers finding early success when playing on the PGA tour.  I would expect Chesson Hadley to really make a strong showing at Torrey Pines.

ADAM HADWIN
I’m going to be watching Adam Hadwin at every event he enters this year for as long as he remains competitive.  Last year his 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge kick-started what would become an excellent Season.  Last week his T3 at this year’s CareerBuilder Challenge had that same feeling.  If so, you should expect a number of high finishes to come Hadwin’s way.

ALEXANDER NOREN
Most people are still wondering if there should have been a Presidents Cup tournament last year.  The talent was so lopsided in the Americans favour the outcome was practically predetermined.  There’s already talk of how will the Europeans at this year’s Ryder Cup compete?  Look I think the Americans have the advantage, but don’t think for a second that they will win it easily.  Players that aren’t that well known on this side of the pond like Noren will put up a considerable fight.  If you would like to get a sneak peek of what’s to come.  Watch what Noren is capable of at Torrey Pines.  While you are at it check out Francesco Molinari as well.

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GOLF

Subscribe to Cobe Life on YouTube – Beginner’s guide to Golf

My first set

The first of many instructional video series

https://youtu.be/N7LetIYMIJ8

https://youtu.be/_iO3ROUZPkg

https://youtu.be/-kcAq622yho

https://youtu.be/X8wMVYaEDEw

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Whether you are about to purchase your first set, or your fifth set of clubs.  Spending a little extra time to make sure you get the correct set for your ability will make your next trip out to the course far more satisfying.

For total Beginners our ranking of Forgiveness – Cost – Distance – Spin is perfect for you when considering which clubs to buy.

For high handicappers I’d rank the four categories Forgiveness – Distance – Cost – Spin.

For mid handicappers I’d rank the four categories Spin – Distance – Cost – Forgiveness.

For low handicappers I’d rank the four categories Distance – Spin – Cost – Forgiveness.

High handicapper – 20+ handicap

Mid handicapper – 10 to 20 handicap

Low handicapper – 9 or lower

Everything counts

Just because one of the categories has to be last, doesn’t make it unimportant.  If you are having a difficult time as a High handicapper deciding between two Drivers that you hit equally well.  Just choose the one that’s least expensive.  If they are the same price?  Pay attention to the Spin statistics.  If one is more consistent then go with that.  The same rules apply for all the clubs you eventually purchase.  No matter what your handicap if you purchase what’s statistically best your game will improve.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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All about Forgiveness – Beginner’s guide to Golf

What is Forgiveness?

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

Forgiveness is a term used over and over again in Golf equipment reviews.  What it is, and why you need to be aware of how it will effect your game is the focus of this post.  There’s a common misconception that Forgiveness is just a simpler way of saying easier to hit.  Just because a club is Forgiving doesn’t guarantee that it will be easy to hit.  For instance I have used both Cavity back Wedges (Forgiving) and Bladed Wedges (Unforgiving).  The feedback I feel through the hands with a Bladed Wedge has helped me be far more accurate when chipping or pitching.  Even though the Cavity back Wedges are actually more Forgiving.  They aren’t easier to hit in those situations.  What actually makes a club Forgiving is having a larger sweet spot, and in most cases a lower center of gravity.  Forgiveness is all about getting the most from your club when you miss hit it.

We all want center face contact

You’ve heard it described many ways.  “Man you caught it flush”!  “I hit that one on the screws”!  “I can’t hit it any better than that”!  However you choose to describe it, one thing is for certain.  Very little feels better than making center face contact with a full swing.  First of all hitting it out of the sweet spot is gentler on the hands.  The end result is usually very satisfying as well.  In most cases it even sounds better.  So who wouldn’t want the sweet spot on their clubs to be as large as possible?  Believe it or not but quite a few people would prefer small to medium sized sweet spots instead of large ones.  Sounds crazy right?  Well that’s what I thought also.  Now I’m one of those people.  My next set of Irons are going to have a medium sized sweet spot. I’ll go into detail as to why I have chosen to go this route.  There are many different methods that can be utilized to increase the size of the sweet spot on a club.  Perimeter weighting, moving the center of gravity further back from the face of the club, and increasing the amount of flex the face of the club has on impact are just a few methods.  Whichever method a club manufacturer chooses to use essentially achieves the same result.  Miss hits should fly a little further, and a little straighter.  To help you better understand how this translates into real world results I’ll share some actual simulator numbers with you.  At the time I hit my super forgiving 7 Iron about 140 yards when I absolutely flushed it.  Even if I hit my 7 Iron off the toe of the club with a good swing I’d send it about 133 yards, and maybe 10 yards off line.  I tested a far less forgiving forged blade with a small cavity back and averaged 138 yards when I caught it perfect.  I attributed the 2 yards lost to a weaker loft with the forged blade.  The real difference was when I miss hit it.  Catching one off the toe only yielded me 126 yards, and 11 yards off line.  That’s more than a full club shorter for me.  Being 11 yards off line at only 126 yards out is close to being a slice.  Now you are probably wondering after seeing those numbers why I would even consider switching to less Forgiving clubs.  Hell why would anyone?

Sweet swingers

Some of us, and I’m not included in this particular group make center face contact most of the time.  If you have your swing fully dialed in?   Then Forgiveness isn’t really necessary for you to produce a great round of golf.  You’re already at that point that so many Beginners like myself aspire to reach.  You can seemingly hit the ball relatively straight at will.  For the majority of us, that’s all we are after.  Foolishly we believe that will be enough.  Chances are good that when that day comes you will want to do more.  You will want to start shaping the ball.  This brings us to our next common misconception about Forgiving clubs.  Supposedly you can’t shape shots with Forgiving clubs.  Anyone that tells you that is flat out lying.  There are many ways to shape a shot.  Club swing path, face angle at impact, and face contact position all play a role.  My clubs are about as Forgiving as clubs can be, and I can hit a butter cut, or power fade if I want.  I couldn’t hit a draw with my clubs but that’s more about my limitations than the clubs.  What you need to understand is that the more Forgiving the club, the more difficult it becomes to shape the ball.  As the sweet spot increases in size, the amount of space left on the face of the club to influence shape is reduced.  As the center of gravity is moved further back to help Beginners hit the ball straighter, the more difficult it becomes to create a curved shot.  So when you’ve reached that point where you are ready to start shaping the ball.  A super forgiving set of clubs might actually work against your improvement.  So that’s got to be it then.  I must be looking for a less Forgiving set of Irons because I’m ready to start shaping shots.  Truth is I’m not ready.  Not even close to ready actually.  So why then Cobe? WHY!

Feedback

You are finally going to find out why I’ve decided to switch to a less Forgiving set of Irons.  I made my decision on a Sunny afternoon on a Par 3 at Scarlett Woods Golf course in Toronto.  The hole was playing at 155 yards to the center of the green.  The Pin was set left center so it set up well for my natural shot shape which is a little right to left.  I hit my 6 Iron about 155 yards with a full swing so time to let her rip.  My swing felt perfect.  I made great contact, and even heard that satisfying pop off the face of the club.  I watched the ball launch towards the target until I lost sight of it in the sun.  I switched my focus to the Green eagerly awaiting the Ball’s return to earth.  Hopefully within a safe distance for a chance at birdie.  I never saw it land.  Oh shit I thought.  I caught it so perfect that I flew the Green.   With  bushes, and a muddy marsh behind the Green I was getting prepared for another bogey.  While searching behind the Green for my ball my playing partner noticed another ball about 10 yards short of the green.  At first I figured that it must have been somebody else’s lost ball.  Turns out that it was mine.  Somehow I came up 15 yards short.  Seriously!  But I made perfect contact!  Well on closer inspection what I thought was perfect contact was actually high on the face, and a bit chunky.  The issue was the Feedback.  There really was none.  I’ve learned that I shouldn’t assume  I’ve hit a great golf shot until I’ve verified the result.  Forgiving clubs tend to provide very little Feedback.  Even though improved miss hits can definitely help a Beginner get through a round of golf with an acceptable score.  If you are serious about furthering the development of your game?  Playing golf with clubs that provide a decent amount of Feedback are important to have as well.  If you are unsure of when you make poor contact.  You won’t be able to effectively adjust your swing to where you can fully trust it.  It’s going to take a bit of practice, but knowing when I make perfect contact is going to seriously improve my game.

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Tiger’s return – Starting from Scratch SS-25

What should we expect?

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Tiger Woods is set to Tee off at 12:05pm tomorrow alongside Justin Thomas.  The Hero World Challenge is hosted by Tiger Woods so I wouldn’t expect him to drop out before the event begins.  That’s the only prediction I feel very confident about.  Beyond that, well your guess is as good as mine.  In this post I’ll make a number of bold predictions. Some of them will be positive in nature, but there will be a few negative.  Lets hope the positive predictions come true.  A healthy competitive Tiger Woods can only be good for Golf.

Will he complete all four Rounds?

It appears to me, and from the accounts of others that Tiger Woods is in better shape entering this tournament than he was last year.  He completed all four Rounds last year.  Even though it was obvious at times that he was playing through a fair amount of physical discomfort.  Barring a major physical injury during the event.  I expect Tiger Woods to play all four Rounds of the Hero World Challenge.

Can he finish under par?

Something a lot of people aren’t aware of is that Tiger Woods finished last year’s Hero World Challenge with 24 Birdies.  The most Birdies of anyone in the field.  Despite that he only finished the tournament 4 under par.  I would expect Tiger to improve on last year’s performance.  So yes I expect Tiger Woods to finish under par.

Can he finish in the Top 10 by score?

Here’s where things get far more difficult to predict.  Last year Tiger Woods would have to have shot an 8 under par to have tied Patrick Reed for 10th place.  Four strokes better than he finished.  Now I’ve already predicted that Tiger Woods will finish better than last year.  So do I think that he can finish in tenth position by score?  No I don’t.  It’s not that I don’t think he can shoot 8 under par.  I have a feeling that the scores will be a little better this year. I don’t think 8 under par will be good enough for 10th.  My prediction is that Tiger Woods will finish the tournament at 8 under par.  How about that for a bold prediction.

Will he keep pace with Justin Thomas?

Talk about a tall order.  2017 has been Justin Thomas’s year.  FedEx Cup Champion, PGA Tour Player of the year, and the PGA Championship winner is on a roll.   Seems almost cruel to Tiger Woods to pair them up on day one.  The truth is that it could be much worse.  Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, and Kevin Kisner could all be potentially worse Players to tee off with.  Justin Thomas has a tendency to go for it.  That type of play can lead to poor positions, and relying on your scrambling ability.  Something I expect Tiger will have to do as well.  Tiger Woods also has a total look of Focus while playing.  Something that seems to have the ability to rattle other Players.  It’s happened far too many times to be a total fluke.  Tiger’s playing partners tend to have there worst Rounds.  Don’t be surprised if Justin Thomas isn’t on the first page of the Leaderboard at days end tomorrow.  The question is will Tiger Woods have an off day as well?  I expect Tiger to be within two strokes of Justin Thomas.  It’s even possible that he could be two strokes better.

Looking ahead

So my predictions for the Hero World Challenge are mostly positive.  I’m hoping that this event is just the beginning for Tiger Woods this Season.  Now what I hope, and what I expect are two different things.  I don’t expect Tiger to be around for the entire Season.  I think that he will withdraw, or miss the cut in more tournaments than the number of tournaments he finishes.  I only expect him to play in one Major this Season.  That would be the Masters.  These are my predictions.  I really hope that I am wrong.