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Started By
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Telling a begginer to “start from the hole and work back” is bad advice
Posted on 5/5/24 at 3:58 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 3:58 pm
The old adage goes something like “that 300 yd drive you hit is worth as many strokes as that 3ft putt you missed”.
While true, I think telling beginners to work mostly on shots around and on the green and not the driver is bad advice, nothing balloons a score like poor tee shots. Nothing will get someone to stop playing golf like not being able to make solid contact with longer clubs.
IMO beginners should spend most of their time learning how to hit driver well and make solid contact with mid-irons. Sure they might suck with wedges and at chipping and putting, but they’ll at least be able to advance the ball and feel like they can play. Once they get that feeling then they should work on score saving things like chipping and putting.
If they work more on chipping and putting than they do getting the ball into play off the tee, they’ll just end up putting/chipping for double bogey all the time, and they’ll be more frustrated miss hitting and shanking shots that they think they should be hitting further.
This probably does not apply to young children who are learning.
I base this advice on no data and this is a 100% anecdotal opinion but I think I’m right
While true, I think telling beginners to work mostly on shots around and on the green and not the driver is bad advice, nothing balloons a score like poor tee shots. Nothing will get someone to stop playing golf like not being able to make solid contact with longer clubs.
IMO beginners should spend most of their time learning how to hit driver well and make solid contact with mid-irons. Sure they might suck with wedges and at chipping and putting, but they’ll at least be able to advance the ball and feel like they can play. Once they get that feeling then they should work on score saving things like chipping and putting.
If they work more on chipping and putting than they do getting the ball into play off the tee, they’ll just end up putting/chipping for double bogey all the time, and they’ll be more frustrated miss hitting and shanking shots that they think they should be hitting further.
This probably does not apply to young children who are learning.
I base this advice on no data and this is a 100% anecdotal opinion but I think I’m right
8
Posted on 5/5/24 at 4:21 pm to Tiger1242
This is pretty well stated in every shot counts. But, it’s common sense, my wife has a lot better chance of matching me or hitting a 10 ft putt closer than me than she does from 210 with water short and a bunker right.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 4:36 pm to nugget
quote:
This is pretty well stated in every shot counts. But, it’s common sense, my wife has a lot better chance of matching me or hitting a 10 ft putt closer than me than she does from 210 with water short and a bunker right.
I’m not sure what this has to do with my statement?
Posted on 5/5/24 at 4:46 pm to Tiger1242
Honestly i used to think just hitting driver as far as possible and getting as close as possible was key.. but I now look at shots that leave me a full swing into the green as opposed to half or quarter shots.. I tend to frick a 60 yard shot more so than a 100 yarder.
So to am extent, yes working your way out isn't a bad way to do it..I know guys that can bomb drives and not play worth a shite 150 and in and guys that hit shorter drives and can drop dimes from 100ish out.. which one you think scores better..
So to am extent, yes working your way out isn't a bad way to do it..I know guys that can bomb drives and not play worth a shite 150 and in and guys that hit shorter drives and can drop dimes from 100ish out.. which one you think scores better..
This post was edited on 5/5/24 at 4:50 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 4:56 pm to Tiger1242
Nup. 150 yards & closer, including putting will DRASTICALLY improve a score, regardless of an errant tee shot. Ask any professional.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 5:10 pm to BigNastyTiger417
quote:but this advice applies to people who can already hit a drive in play. If you are miss hitting or shanking 1/2 your drives OB this advice doesn’t apply. Pros don’t have that problem. I’m talking about new golfers
Nup. 150 yards & closer, including putting will DRASTICALLY improve a score, regardless of an errant tee shot. Ask any professional.
ETA: I’m not talking about people trying to “score better”. I’m talking about people who are trying not to make double par every hole
This post was edited on 5/5/24 at 5:12 pm
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:09 pm to Tiger1242
quote:
I’m talking about people who are trying not to make double par every hole
What does this mean?
Either way, true beginners, just need to beat balls on the range. With all clubs. Once you get good enough to be out on a course and actually wanting to improve your score, you absolutely do that around the green.
Drivers used to be the hardest club in the bag to hit, but driver technology has gotten so advanced it's essentially the easiest club to hit now. If you spend most of your practice time hitting a driver, you're doing it wrong.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:44 pm to Tiger1242
A lot of people would benefit from removing driver from their bag all together.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 2:21 pm to Tigerzfan76
Last Summer when everything was dry and fast I waited three weeks for my new shaft to come in for my driver. My 5w and 3w off of every box resulted in some really low scores for me. I may have to put them back into play based on my driver this weekend.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 3:44 pm to Tiger1242
I don't consider any single club "the most important" but to me there is a group of 3 or 4 clubs that are WAY more important than the rest - Driver, Gap/Sand Wedge, Lob Wedge, Putter.
I don't get a lot of practice only time at the range (usually my range time is before or after a round) but if I do, I'm only hitting driver and wedges. Getting better with those clubs drastically improves scores quicker.
I don't get a lot of practice only time at the range (usually my range time is before or after a round) but if I do, I'm only hitting driver and wedges. Getting better with those clubs drastically improves scores quicker.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 3:53 pm to Bawpaw
quote:
Last Summer when everything was dry and fast I waited three weeks for my new shaft to come in for my driver. My 5w and 3w off of every box resulted in some really low scores for me. I may have to put them back into play based on my driver this weekend.
When I'm hitting the ball good and have my handicap down, I start hitting more 3 wood and 3 hybrid off the tee much more. It doesn't make much sense to do it if you're not playing good because if you're going to miss the fairway, you might as well miss it 30 yards farther down the fairway. But if I'm playing consistent, my 3 wood is definitely more accurate and my hybrid is my most consistent club in the bag.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 3:59 pm to DarkDrifter
quote:Lou the Stat Guy has a rage boner reading what you posted
I tend to frick a 60 yard shot more so than a 100 yarder.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 4:11 pm to Tiger1242
This is a terrible take for a number of reasons but the primary reason is you thinking
What all beginners don't understand, if you can learn to rock your shoulders on a bump and run, struck consistently, with an average circumference from the hole you will be a significantly better golfer than one that hits the ball 300 yards (and you don't). This motion translates into the full swing and helps train you to make a better motion vs trying to smash it down the fairway accurately. That motion doesn't lead to better mechanics around the green, its actually quite the opposite.
Your point is not only bad advice but the reason that beginners never get better. They focus on the only part of the game that doesn't make other parts better whereas practicing and perfecting the smallest part of the game makes you significantly better.
quote:isn't bettered by practicing short game.
nothing balloons a score like poor tee shots
What all beginners don't understand, if you can learn to rock your shoulders on a bump and run, struck consistently, with an average circumference from the hole you will be a significantly better golfer than one that hits the ball 300 yards (and you don't). This motion translates into the full swing and helps train you to make a better motion vs trying to smash it down the fairway accurately. That motion doesn't lead to better mechanics around the green, its actually quite the opposite.
Your point is not only bad advice but the reason that beginners never get better. They focus on the only part of the game that doesn't make other parts better whereas practicing and perfecting the smallest part of the game makes you significantly better.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 4:46 pm to lsupride87
quote:
Lou the Stat Guy has a rage boner reading what you posted
apparently I rustled a couple of jimmies .. with a pair of downward firing arrows..
Posted on 5/9/24 at 5:46 pm to Tiger1242
I’m sort of a beginner. For me, I started really improving when I stopped trying to play from the white tees. I now play from whatever the shortest tees are red/green. Obviously my scores improved because I shortened the course by about 2000 yards. But my game improved. Without the pressure of trying to not hold up the people behind me and the ones o might be playing with, the game is fun, not stressful. I don’t take mulligans and I play strictly by the rules. I have scored 100 twice now, when I break 100 I will move back a box. Rinse/repeat. I have found that which club doesn’t matter, you have to be able to strike the ball well and get consistent. Just my 2c
Posted on 5/10/24 at 1:24 pm to Tiger1242
I mean, initially, that’s where the strokes are quickly made up, but once your HC starts creeping down, it’s all about 100 yards and in.
This post was edited on 5/10/24 at 1:27 pm
Posted on 5/10/24 at 8:32 pm to Blutarsky
quote:
but once your HC starts creeping down
Which won't happen until you can stop hitting every other drive OB.
I can see the point op is trying to make.
Posted on 5/10/24 at 9:03 pm to Tiger1242
quote:
Tiger1242
You are being downvoted to hell, but I think I agree with you.
Posted on 5/10/24 at 9:04 pm to GeauxTigers0107
I think developing a good, true swing is essential to play your best golf.
I am working on “slinging” the club more right now.
A true swing is a feeling that just flows.
I agree that putting and chipping practice can pay dividends, but learning to strike the ball consistently will lead to your best golf.
I am working on “slinging” the club more right now.
A true swing is a feeling that just flows.
I agree that putting and chipping practice can pay dividends, but learning to strike the ball consistently will lead to your best golf.
Posted on 5/10/24 at 11:21 pm to makersmark1
My daughter is a 13 year old junior golfer who first swung a club 8 months ago. Most natural out of the box swing without any instruction that many really good golfers have told me they have ever seen. She is kind of smaller for her age at 5’ 1” and 98lbs. She had a natural 430 swing path and hits drives 190 to 210 consistently straight as an arrow or with a slight draw. She quickly got pretty good at her mid irons and from the red tees was always in position to get up and down and often GIR. However, she started on a Junior Tour 9 hole Intermediate Division back in March and quickly learned how critical the short game is for actually competing. She is now spending about 80% of her practice time with either a PW, GW, or SW and putting. She has turned those mid 50 nine hole scores into mid to high 40s over the last month. Shot a 42 (best yet)on the front nine at our home course yesterday. She is beating a lot of girls who have been playing since they were 6-8 years old. She is confident that her drive is sufficient enough to always put her in position to score. She doesn’t try to be the longest drive, just in play enough to attack the green with an 8 iron at most on par 4s. I feel she is on track , if she stays focused on the short game, to be low 80s and maybe high 70s sometimes within a year. Her wedge game is improving rapidly. Girl loves golf.
Side note: she got to be a standard bearer for the Champions Tour event two weeks ago at TPC Sugarloaf and it was a great experience for her. Walked with Billy Mayfair, Duffy Waldorf, and Cam Beckman day 1. Jay Haas, Steve Flesch, and Glen Day the second day. And Jay Haas , Mark Hensby, and Chris Dimarco day 3. Very cool for her to watch the older guys and how they behave.
Even better, she is going to be one of the Standard bearers at the Tour Championship at East Lake the 1st week of September. That will be an unforgettable experience.
Side note: she got to be a standard bearer for the Champions Tour event two weeks ago at TPC Sugarloaf and it was a great experience for her. Walked with Billy Mayfair, Duffy Waldorf, and Cam Beckman day 1. Jay Haas, Steve Flesch, and Glen Day the second day. And Jay Haas , Mark Hensby, and Chris Dimarco day 3. Very cool for her to watch the older guys and how they behave.
Even better, she is going to be one of the Standard bearers at the Tour Championship at East Lake the 1st week of September. That will be an unforgettable experience.
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