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PGA Championship Starting from Scratch SS-14

A marked improvement

I’m just going to come right out and say it.  Watching Golf on TV isn’t the most exciting thing that you can do.  Even if you are a fanatic like me.  Most PGA Tour events are about as exciting as The Antique Roadshow.  They have their moments, but most of the time it’s just more of the same.  The commentary doesn’t help either.  Nothing like stating the obvious 90% of the time.  God forbid if it’s overcast.  Even the network camera men have a difficult time locating where balls landed.  Good luck with figuring it out from home.  Now with all that having been said.  I do get a little excited for the Majors.

My four Majors in order from my most favourite to the least is The Masters, The Open, The U.S. Open, and then the PGA Championship.  Although it isn’t a Major I actually like The Players Championship more than the U.S. Open, and the PGA.  Why so little love for the PGA you wonder.  Well traditionally it’s played on the easiest course of the bunch.  I prefer seeing the top Golfers tested.  The other three Majors are filled with tradition, and a substantial amount of reverence.  The PGA Championship just feels a bit plastic to me.  It’s the last Major of the Season, so fans of the sport have witnessed a fair amount of drama in previous events by then.  Great shots begin to feel a bit pedestrian when you’ve already seen them achieved numerous times.

Well I’m watching the final round of the PGA Championship while writing this, and it’s more than grabbed my attention.  First of all, the changes that have been made to Quail Hollow in preparation for this event are stellar.  They took what was once a course that could be dominated by brute force long hitters.  They’ve turned it into a course that rewards precise Tee shots, and calculated risk, over basic long driving.  Any mistake made on this course can punish even the best scramblers.  I’ve complained that the PGA is far too easy at times.  Well it’s Sunday and the final group has just begun the back nine.  Currently five Players are tied for the lead at only 7 under par.  With the most difficult section of the course still to come.  This is anyone’s PGA Championship to win.  Another considerate addition for us watching at home is the addition of shot tracer technology when Players Tee off.  Actually getting to see how each Player shapes their shot.  It adds an element that was sorely missing from most PGA Tour broadcasts.  Not only do you get to see the end result of each Tee shot.  You begin to understand why each Player approaches each shot the way they do.

So only the final group is left on the course.  Justin Thomas out paced the field and has a 2 shot lead.  Only Kisner can catch him, but after missing his Birdie putt on 17 it seems very unlikely.  It was on the tenth Hole when I realized Thomas was going to win it.  Call it fate, luck, or divine intervention.  It began with an errant Tee shot.  It looked like he might have caught it out of the heel.  He hit a massive Draw heading way left of the Fairway.  What was likely to take Birdie, or maybe even Par out of the equation turned into a great Drive when his ball ricocheted off a tree, and landed in the Fairway.  His approach shot to the Green went long.  Still it left him with a relatively easy chip to get up and down for Birdie.  What should have been an easy Chip came out soft from the Bermuda rough, and left a tricky 8 footer.  Thomas’ Putt literally stopped on the left edge of the cup.  How it didn’t go in amazed everyone.  Thomas took the full 10 seconds to give it a chance to drop.  In the tenth second it did!

From that moment on Thomas played like a man destined to win, and win he did.

Your 2017 PGA Champion is Justin Thomas!

 

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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

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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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Rangefinders Starting from Scratch SS-11

Nikon Coolshot 20 versus Garmin Approach G10

Laser or GPS Rangefinder?  It’s a question that has been asked by many a Golfer.  I have recently been able to test both.  For Beginners I’d have to say that there is a clear winner.  I was surprised with which technology won.

Budget is always a concern when I’m in the market for new Golf equipment.  I tend to look for whatever gives me the most value for my dollar.  The two contenders were purchased from my local Golf retailer.  I was limited to their selection of Rangefinders.  I chose the Nikon Coolshot 20 to represent Laser Rangefinders, and the Garmin Approach G10 to represent GPS Rangefinders.  The Coolshot 20 was priced at $279.99, and the Approach G10 was priced at $179.99.  Obviously the Garmin Approach G10 wins the price category.  At $100.00 less that’s a fair amount of money left in the bank for additional Golf accessories.  Of course the significantly lower price sacrifices functionality right?

One place it does sacrifice a lot of functionality is at the Driving Range.  The Garmin Approach G10 is basically useless when you are at the Range.  Three particular Ranges I frequent are The Docks, Launch, and Centennial Golf.  All three of these Ranges have target areas.  The distances to each target area is unmarked.  Using the Nikon Coolshot 20 provides you with an accurate distance to any of those targets.  It doesn’t matter which hitting bay you are in, you will have an accurate distance.  In some cases the difference to target can be as much as 12 yards from the center hitting bay to the outermost hitting bay.  Being able to use the Nikon Coolshot 20 at the Range meant having accurate distance calculations everywhere I play.

Whether I was on a course, at the Range, or in a Simulator, I knew my distances.  Of course that means I knew the distances I was hitting with each club as well.  Which brings me to my next comparison.

Measuring the distance of that perfect Tee shot

Ever catch one just perfect off the Tee?  You can’t help but wonder how far it actually went right?  I know I do.  Both the Garmin Approach G10, and the Nikon Coolshot 20 can calculate how far you hit that perfect drive.  How each device does it is dramatically different.  The Nikon requires you to sight in your ball from the Tee, or find your ball and then aim the Nikon back at the Tee box to calculate the Range.  Easy enough right.  Odds are you will have the Nikon Coolshot 20 Rangefinder out when you reach your ball to figure out the distance to your next target.  So just turn around and aim it at the Tee box.  What if you cut the corner of a dogleg, and now your sight line is obstructed?  Sorry about your luck Chuck.  So there will be times that figuring out the distance of that mammoth Tee shot is impossible with the Nikon Coolshot 20.  In order to calculate the distance with the Garmin Approach G10.  The first thing you need to do after hitting that shot is to switch the unit into Measurement mode.  Then you just head over to where your Ball landed.  The Garmin Approach G10 then calculates the distance.  Line of sight isn’t an issue so basically any shot can be measured.  The real issue is with having to switch modes right after making the swing.  There have been many times that my Tee shot ended far further than I had anticipated.  A lucky kick off a hill, or it rolled down a slope I didn’t know about.  By the time I have located the Ball, and realized that I really cranked one.  It’s already too late to measure the distance.  I found that more often than not it was much easier to measure the distance of monster Tee shots with the Nikon Coolshot 20.  You could argue that switching the Garmin Approach G10 into Measurement mode after each Tee shot would be the most reliable method.  That would be true.  For me though I have enough to think about during a Round of Golf. Measuring each Tee shot isn’t high on my list of priorities.  The advantage in shot measurement goes to the Nikon Coolshot 20.

Hazard avoidance

How do each of these devices help you deal with Hazards?  The Nikon Coolshot 20 doesn’t vary much with how it’s utilized.  In this case you just aim it at the Hazard, and calculate the distance.  I can’t stress enough the simplicity of it’s operation.  One click, and you know how far you can hit your next shot without bringing that Hazard into play.  What if you are interested in clearing it though?  This is where the Garmin Approach G10 really shines.  Once the unit has been switched into Hazard mode.  It will provide you with the distance to each Hazard both front and back.  It will also alert you to Hazards that you can’t actually see from your position on the course.  This is a huge advantage over the Nikon Coolshot 20. It doesn’t help to cut the corner on a dog leg.  Just to end up landing in a deep Fairway bunker.  I take a quick look through the Hazards before I Tee off at each Hole.  This allows me to plan out exactly how to navigate the Hole with minimum risk.  The Nikon Coolshot 20 does help you avoid Hazards.  It just doesn’t do it nearly as well as the Garmin Approach G10.  The advantage in Hazard avoidance goes to the Garmin Approach G10.

Approaching the Green

When calculating your approach shot into the Green.  Having a Rangefinder makes it so much easier.  When it comes to attacking the Pin.  You will love having the Nikon Coolshot 20 in your hands.  Knowing the exact distance to the Pin inspires so much confidence.  You will feel like Mickelson with a Wedge in your hand.  I didn’t even imagine trying 30 yard flop shots over bunkers until I knew the correct distances.  My default shot is more of a Bump and Run.  There’s far less room for error when you are basically Chipping the Ball to the edge of the Green, and letting it run out towards the hole.  Especially when you are unsure of the distance.  When you know the exact distance.  Your shot selection practically triples.  The Garmin Approach G10 inspires a lot of confidence on Approach shots as well.  Though not as precise as the Nikon Coolshot 20.  The Garmin Approach G10 provides you with the distance to the front, back, and center of the Green.  It does have the ability to position the flag in a number of preselected locations.  I found this feature to be a bit clunky.  Unless you are able to see the Green, or the course provides a Pin location book.  Figuring out the actual Pin locations can be quite difficult.  For a Beginner though, knowing the distances to the front, and back can be more beneficial than the actual Pin locations.  It doesn’t help me nearly as much to know that the Pin is 164 yards away.  If it happens to be set near the back of the Green, and only has 2 more yards of Green behind it. If the center of the Green is 158 yards away.  The Front is 150 yards away.  The back is 166 yards away.  Then I know that if I hit my Approach shot 160 yards.  I leave myself with 6 yards of available space to roll out before I am off the Green.  In this case, and many others.  Aiming for the front or center of the Green is far safer than taking aim at the Flag for a Beginner.  Touch shots around the Green we’re almost identical with both units.  Approximate distance is more than good enough.  I thought the Nikon Coolshot 20 would be the clear winner in this category.  I was totally wrong.  The additional information the Garmin Approach G10 provides.  The distances to the front, back, center, and shape of the Green proved to be far more valuable than exact distance to the Pin.   The advantage when approaching the Green goes to the Garmin Approach G10.

Conclusion

After testing both technologies the clear winner from a Beginners perspective is the Garmin Approach G10 GPS Rangefinder.  At $100 less it is better suited to deal with Hazards, obstructed view shots, and approach shots into the Green.  It’s much smaller than the Nikon Coolshot 20, and easily clips to your Belt or Bag.  As an added bonus it includes score keeping software.  That way you can analyze your Rounds shot by shot.  Something to consider though.  If you spend most of your time at the Range.  Then the Nikon Coolshot 20 is the only choice for you.  It’s definitely a device I would recommend.  At $279.99 it’s much less expensive than the majority of quality laser Rangefinders on the market.  It’s relatively small, acquires targets quite quickly, and extremely easy to use.  Moving forward on my quest to becoming a Scratch Golfer though.  I will be using the Garmin Approach G10.

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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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Dentonia course review Starting From Scratch SS-9

The most enjoyable two hours of Golf you can play in Toronto.

Dentonia Golf course

There isn’t a more accessible Golf course by TTC than Dentonia.  Step out of the Victoria Park subway station, and there it is.  It is actually right next door.  The two properties actually share a fence it’s that close..

Although it’s a short course.  It’s only 2100 yards long from the back Tees.  The 18 Par 3s that make up the course provide more than enough of a challenge.  Well positioned Bunkers, trees that can impede your flight path, elevation changes, and Greens with a lot of break make going low through 18 Holes a real test.  I’m such a glutton for punishment that I try to play Dentonia once per week.  I play this course so often that I figured that it was about time I did a hole by hole review of it.

Something I would strongly suggest that you have to carry your clubs around with you on a short course like Dentonia is a Sunday bag.  They are light, have enough space for the few clubs you will need.  Make sure you purchase one with a few additional utility pockets, and a shoulder strap.  I also find them great for the Range.  I usually only bring a few clubs with me that I’m interested in working on.  Here’s a great example available on Amazon that qualifies for Free shipping as of the publishing of this post.

HOLE 1

Your first hole at Dentonia sets the tone for what is to come.  Depending on the Tee, and Pin placement this hole plays at around 110 yards.  The course played a little shorter today because the Grounds Crew were making repairs to a number of the Tee boxes.

Looking at the approach to the Green you’ll notice that it’s downhill from the Tee box with a deep gully between you, and the Green.  The Green sits in a bit of a bowl with the high sides along the right side, and back.  A bunker sits back left of the Green in case a Lefty like me misjudges the distance, and slices it.

HOLE 2

After what may have been a difficult first hole.  Especially if you hit it long into the back hill behind the Green.  The first Green slopes downward from back to front.  Chipping from behind the Green is a very tricky affair.

The second hole looks like an easy task at first glance.  Take a closer look, and you will realize that missing the Green is not an option.  Today the hole played 95 yards to the flag.  Miss left and there’s a bunker waiting.  Miss right and there’s a slope that’s steep enough to leave your ball under a grouping of trees.  Miss it long, and you could find yourself in serious trouble.  Brutal rough, and Trees can leave you with an impossible second shot.  Do yourself a favour.  Land it short, or better yet, get yourself a Green in Regulation.

HOLE 3

Looking at the Green from the Tee box on the third hole.  The first thing that you will notice is that the third Green is cut into the side of a hill.  Everything slopes downward from the left side to the right.  Today it was playing 90 yards long slightly down from an elevated Tee.  In other words it was begging me to hit my 52 degree Wedge.  Missing left, which is my usual miss isn’t so bad here.  A good kick off the hill will land you on the Green.  Don’t miss right though.  Two bunkers, and of course the hill that slopes away from the Green.  These hazards can turn a Par 3 into a triple bogey right quick.

HOLE 4

Looks a little bit like the previous hole doesn’t it?  Today this hole played 100 yards long.  So it was a little longer than the previous hole.  There are a few major differences though.  The first, and most significant difference is if you miss the Green left, or long.  Unlike the previous hole where hitting it left, or long could earn you a lucky bounce on to the Green.  Hitting it left, or long here can result in a lost ball.  Your only safe miss is to the right.

HOLE 5

The fifth hole is another one of the holes at Dentonia that rewards you for taking precise aim.  Today it was playing at 115 yards long.  Looking at the photo the hazards are obvious.  Bunkers protect both the left, and right side.  Trees can be an issue for people who like to shape their shots.  Short right has a waste area that’s brutal to hit from.  The only safe miss is long because the Green has a backstop of sorts.

HOLE 6

Similar in appearance to the first hole only longer with way more danger.  The sixth hole was playing at 140 yards long today.  There is a real danger of losing your ball on this hole.  The stream cuts across your approach at an angle ready to gobble up any errant Tee shot.  Carry the stream but come in left of the Green, and you can lose your ball in the woods as well.  The only safe miss is to the right.  You will leave yourself with a very easy chip up to the Green.

HOLE 7

There are a few holes at Dentonia that require you to hit off mats.  Hole 7 is the first of these.  Today the hole was playing 98 yards uphill from the back mat.  Obviously if you come up short with your Tee shot.  You will end up at the bottom of a steep hill.  Hit your Tee shot left.  There’s a very good chance that it can end up rolling down the cart path, and settling at the bottom of the hill.  Miss hit your Tee shot right, and well good luck finding it.  Hit it a little long, and there’s a good chance that it will kick back on to the Green.

HOLE 8

There’s that threatening gully between you, and the Green again.  Playing 96 yards to the Flag.  I was happy when my Tee shot flew long, and came to rest at the top of the hill behind the Green.  Hitting it short leaves you in a world of trouble.  Bunker on the left, bunker on the right, and of course the gully in front dares you to play it to the front of the Green.  Better to club up than down on this hole.

HOLE 9

There is trouble all around.  That about sums up the ninth hole in five words.  You’ve got bunkers protecting both sides, trees all across the back, and a large tree that blocks out a portion of the left side of the Green.  Then of course there’s another gully across the front.  Today it was playing 115 yards to the flag.  I really hope that’s a good distance for you.

HOLE 10

This has been, and hopefully always will be an easy hole for me.  Today was an unfortunate exception.  Playing at 100 yards even today.  The tenth hole has a bunker on each side of the Green.  The bunker on the right is set far enough back for me to use my Pitching Wedge safely.  I aim a little right of centre so I either catch the Green or land just off it before the bunker.  Today I missed the Green and landed short of the bunker as usual.  Only this time I landed in a particularly deep hole in the rough.  Took me two chips to reach the Green.  Two Putts later and I’m marking a double Bogey on my scorecard.

HOLE 11

One of the most picturesque, and intimidating holes on the course.  It plays 185 yards to the Pin.  It’s severely downhill though, so all you need to reach the Green is your 150 yard club.  Running along the left side from Tee to Green is Woods.  If you miss left you’ll be hitting another ball for your next shot.  Hit it too far right, and you could end up in the stream I mentioned on Hole 6.  You can come up short safely, which has happened to me many times.  A truly well struck ball from the 11th Tee is something to behold though.  So I say go for it.

HOLE 12

Playing at only 85 yards today.  The 12th hole lets you relax after that crazy Tee shot on the 11th.  There’s still a lot of trouble to avoid.  You still have the Woods that run from Tee to Green along the left side.  There’s a bunker protecting the right.  Hit it long here, and you are probably down another ball.  Honestly though, after playing the 11th hole.  The 12th hole just seems easy.  That’s how it felt for me today.  I hit my Tee shot, and earned myself a Green in Regulation.  Stepped up, and sunk my Putt for Birdie.  Just goes to show you how much of this game is played in the mind.  Confidence will always generate results.

HOLE 13

This hole looks a lot worse than it actually is.  Sure it’s 130 yards long.  The Green appears tiny because it’s framed by trees in the foreground.  Actually once you are past those trees the area opens up.  You can actually miss safely to the left, or right.  You can even go a bit long left, or right as well.  The only real danger is the stream in front, and Woods far back.

HOLE 14

This is by far the easiest hole on the course.  Today it was playing at 95 yards to the flag.  The only real danger is completely duffing your Tee shot into the stream in front of you.  The Green does have a fair amount of slope though so I’ve yet to Birdie it.

HOLE 15

The other easy hole on the course.  Not as easy as the previous hole because you can lose your ball long, and misses right tend to roll down towards the trees.  Today it was playing much shorter than usual at 85 yards.  Definitely a hole you should be looking to Birdie.

HOLE 16

Another hole that at first glance looks dangerous.  It isn’t as bad as it seems.  The trees along the left appear to block out the Green but once you are past them it opens up.  The smart play here is to avoid potentially getting caught up in the branches on the left.  Aim a little right where the mound just in front of the Green can provide a great kick on to the Green.  Today it was playing at around 120 yards long.  As long as you don’t hit it too far left you should leave yourself a decent second shot.

HOLE 17

Playing at 95 yards to the Pin today.  The 17th hole is deceptively tricky.  Part of this has to do with the yardage for me.  It’s a bit too long for my 52 degree Wedge, but just a touch too short for my Pitching Wedge.  With a bunker on the right, and trees along the back and left side.  You might be tempted to aim for the front of the Green.  Unfortunately it has a bit of a false front.  The 17th Green is quite the complicated puzzle.

HOLE 18

The final hole on the course has been for me the most challenging.  This hole is my nemesis.  It’s a very rare occasion that I earn myself a Par on the 18th.  There are bunkers in the front, and back.  I’ve never landed a Tee shot in either one, so that’s not the problem.  There are Woods along the left, and that’s my usual miss.  Truth be told, I’ve never put it in the Woods here.  So that’s not the issue either.  The real issue is the Green.  Unless I stick it close directly uphill, or downhill of the hole.  The amount of slope on the 18th Green practically guarantees I three Putt.  Your ability to read Greens will definitely be tested at Dentonia.

CONCLUSION

Depending on how busy it is, and how many people you play with?  A Round of Golf at Dentonia should take between 2 to 3 hours.  My friend Carlisle, and I have finished a Round in 110 minutes.  Today’s Round took 2 hours and 15 minutes.  If you are interested in playing a quick Round of Golf in Toronto.  Dentonia is the perfect course for you.  It’s never too busy during the week, and at $27 for 18 holes.  It’s easily the most affordable Round of Golf that you can play in the GTA.

 

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Golf essential extras – Beginner’s guide to Golf

What are the essential extras?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Proper Practice for Beginners – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Beginner Practice

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

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

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


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

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Track your statistics – Beginner’s guide to Golf

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

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SCORE AND STATISTICS!

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

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

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

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

Green in Regulation

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

Beginner’s guide to Golf

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Choosing a Golf Putter – Beginner’s guide to Golf

Selecting a Putter

The single most important club in your bag.

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

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

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

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

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

Beginner’s guide to Golf