PGA (or Golf in general) Thread

[DiG]

Originally Posted by Job

I'm looking forward to The Open at St.Andrews. I don't like seeing golfers finish a major tournament at -16 or some insane number like that. I love The Open when the winner is not even always under par, where one single error on one hole can destroy your tournament, but where you're never really out of the race even if you're 8 strokes back in the fourth round.

Amen. I love the history of the Masters but I prefer majors to be in the even to -5 range where playing under par at all puts you in the running to win.

[J-Mike88]

Yeah, last year's Open was so great... I just wish Watson had parred that 72nd hole!
Damn... he hit a perfect approach shot, just had one club too much.

Mickelson, 20 years ago, this is cool to read now: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...rcrc&eref=sisf

[DiG]

Rory's 62 yesterday was hands down one of the best rounds of golf I have seen in the past 10 years. The future of golf is here.

[619]

It might just be. Tiger was 21 when he won his first major, just sayin'. The Open Championship is at St. Andrews this year; that would be one helluva story if he pulled off the feat. Anything is possible with this kid's talent, much like what was said about Tiger during his beginnings.

[princefielder28]

Rory plus Ryo's 58 made it a great day for the youth of golf on Sunday

[Job]

Rory is my new favorite golfer because he's Irish.

[killxswitch]

I finally broke 100 yesterday. It was a really easy course, but it was a 94. I'll take it.

[DiG]

nice work. i love breaking milestones because it just pushes you towards the next milestone. 94 is low enough that youll be striving to break 90 by the end of the summer.

[619]

Originally Posted by Dirty Thirty

nice work. i love breaking milestones because it just pushes you towards the next milestone. 94 is low enough that youll be striving to break 90 by the end of the summer.

Oh, definitely. Best way to get better and shave off strokes is by improving your putting. I think all great golfers know that, but I'm starting to see it for myself as a young golfer; it's the most difficult part of the game for a good reason because of the proficiency that's required at all times, and the same goes for anything under 100 yards, as I see it.

[killxswitch]

Originally Posted by Dirty Thirty

nice work. i love breaking milestones because it just pushes you towards the next milestone. 94 is low enough that youll be striving to break 90 by the end of the summer.

Thanks, I hope you're right. I don't have the time it would take to be a single digit capper anytime soon, but it would be nice to get out of the 30s.

Originally Posted by 619

Oh, definitely. Best way to get better and shave off strokes is by improving your putting. I think all great golfers know that, but I'm starting to see it for myself as a young golfer; it's the most difficult part of the game for a good reason because of the proficiency that's required at all times, and the same goes for anything under 100 yards, as I see it.

My putting and short game was a big part of it. I was reading putts a lot better and my pitching and bump-and-run shots were more consistent. I wish I could say it's hard work paying off but honestly I haven't been practicing the short game that much.

I didn't hit many "great" shots, I just minimized my blow-up holes. In a normal round I will usually have a few holes where I hit a few out of bounds ( or pitch over the green, or 3 putt from 10 feet, or shank the ball 10 yards...) and rack up 10+ strokes. This time I just kept the ball in play and hit more consistently.

[DiG]

Originally Posted by 619

Oh, definitely. Best way to get better and shave off strokes is by improving your putting. I think all great golfers know that, but I'm starting to see it for myself as a young golfer; it's the most difficult part of the game for a good reason because of the proficiency that's required at all times, and the same goes for anything under 100 yards, as I see it.

Couldnt be more true but with that said I think putting more than any other part of golf is a natural god given talent. You can take lessons to improve your grip, your swing, your drive, your iron play, your chipping, etc. but at the end of the day reading putts and gauging speed is all mental and you either know it or you dont a lot of the time.

[killxswitch]

Originally Posted by Dirty Thirty

Couldnt be more true but with that said I think putting more than any other part of golf is a natural god given talent. You can take lessons to improve your grip, your swing, your drive, your iron play, your chipping, etc. but at the end of the day reading putts and gauging speed is all mental and you either know it or you dont a lot of the time.

If I am anything I'm a "feel" putter. I don't have a mechanical stroke with certain positions that I have to hit. When I try that stuff I can't settle down and I just get worse. I do my best putting if I can just relax, think about it for a second, and take a smooth stroke.

[Canadian_kid16]

My goal by the end of the summer is play slightly better than bogey golf. I shot 89 last week, which was slightly worse than I want to play.

Anyone got any tips for hitting straight drives? I can hit my 3 iron 220, but I'd like to hit straight drives

[killxswitch]

Originally Posted by Canadian_kid16

My goal by the end of the summer is play slightly better than bogey golf. I shot 89 last week, which was slightly worse than I want to play.

Anyone got any tips for hitting straight drives? I can hit my 3 iron 220, but I'd like to hit straight drives

I am not good enough to help you out there, but it might help someone who can to know what your problem is. Do you hook or slice your drive? Does the ball go semi-straight and then hook/slice really hard, or does it hook/slice immediately?

[Canadian_kid16]

Originally Posted by killxswitch

I am not good enough to help you out there, but it might help someone who can to know what your problem is. Do you hook or slice your drive? Does the ball go semi-straight and then hook/slice really hard, or does it hook/slice immediately?

I'm a righty and it goes hard right (slice I think?) as soon as I hit. The stupid thing is I can hit it pretty straight at the range. I just can't put it together where it counts

[619]

Originally Posted by Canadian_kid16

My goal by the end of the summer is play slightly better than bogey golf. I shot 89 last week, which was slightly worse than I want to play.

Anyone got any tips for hitting straight drives? I can hit my 3 iron 220, but I'd like to hit straight drives

I've been practicing hard at a local driving range as of late and one of the instructors there kept telling me to not fall back [slightly] following my stroke. Also, it'd be a good idea to distribute most of the power behind your swing through your body core/hips as opposed to your hands/arms. Last tip I could give you is to try to settle for a compact swing.

[killxswitch]

Originally Posted by Canadian_kid16

I'm a righty and it goes hard right (slice I think?) as soon as I hit. The stupid thing is I can hit it pretty straight at the range. I just can't put it together where it counts

I have the same shot. If I try to swing out of my shoes it slices to the right. There are a ton of tips out there for fixing a slice as it is one of the most common problems people face. I haven't found the one that fixes my drive consistently, though.

[princefielder28]

Originally Posted by Canadian_kid16

I'm a righty and it goes hard right (slice I think?) as soon as I hit. The stupid thing is I can hit it pretty straight at the range. I just can't put it together where it counts

I was say make sure you're getting your hands through. I'm guessing that your hips are coming through but your hands are just a tad behind and out of sync with your hips causing the club face to stay open and slice.

[DiG]

a couple things i always try to think before i swing my drive (used to have a wicked slice now just a slight fade thats very playable):

tuck the right leg back a bit but keep toes facing target (its almost as if your aiming right, helps me overcompensate and come over the ball)
right hand V of thumb and forefinger pointing at or just over right shoulder
stop at the top (half second or so)
slow swing, head down through impact, hands through impact

[619]

I miss the old Tiger :/

[DiG]

i hear you 619. i really do think hell be back to old form just not necessarily as quickly as people originally expected. At least I really hope he will be. He set unreal expectations when he came back at the Masters and finished 4th. I dont find myself pulling for him as much as I used to although he is still one of my favorites but no one can deny how much better the game of golf is when hes near the top of the leaderboard.

[yourfavestoner]

I need to take up golf, it's the only sport that I can play anymore haha.

[DiG]

funny "slip" of the tongue...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_569792.html

[killxswitch]

Originally Posted by Dirty Thirty

funny "slip" of the tongue...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_569792.html

Golf broadcasters seem to have trouble with innuendos like that more than in other sports.

[Job]

Pebble Beach is a marvelous course. U.S Open will be fun.