Official Golf Thread

Originally Posted by iammatt

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How is that, Douglas?
It's starting to get a little chippy. I sense a de-rail may be coming.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Yeah, I was about to talk about the good old days of drives in the 280-330 range (a handful at best), until I remember what it was like to get really cozy with the OB markers, and sacrificing a few balls to traffic, and finally I remembered that there's a reason I leave my woods at the house.

wouldn't it make more sense to learn how to hit them straight rather than leaving them at home? Unless you hit a 3 iron 250 dead straight, woods are sort of necessary. If you can't hit a fairway wood straight 80%+ of the time, you have some major swing issues.

+1 at iammatt

@hitting the ball into traffic, I once drove a ball through the windshield of a parked car.. (and on several clubhouse terraces, a boat and into a prison (ok, the last one I did deliberately when I was 16))


FWIW, I used to be a professional and taught for some years. If someone wants to, post your swing and I'll analyse.

Originally Posted by blofeld

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wouldn't it make more sense to learn how to hit them straight rather than leaving them at home? Unless you hit a 3 iron 250 dead straight, woods are sort of necessary. If you can't hit a fairway wood straight 80%+ of the time, you have some major swing issues.

I assume you mean that 80% straight is straight with a margin of ??? on both sides? I know I cant hit my 3 wood of the deck straight in those percentages. Even if I found one that I like...

Originally Posted by blofeld

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wouldn't it make more sense to learn how to hit them straight rather than leaving them at home? Unless you hit a 3 iron 250 dead straight, woods are sort of necessary. If you can't hit a fairway wood straight 80%+ of the time, you have some major swing issues.

Well, I don't practice nearly as much as I ought to, and irons just came more naturally to me than woods ever did. For every 280+ I would bang out into the fairway there were a LOT more that went sideways. Since I don't really go for frustration, I started leaving them home and thinking my way around a bit more.

To me, the key to staying at least respectable is that I manage myself between my ears and keep from getting upset or disinterested. So I play the clubs I know well and take what I can get. And I smile more that way, too.

Originally Posted by nootje

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FWIW, I used to be a professional and taught for some years. If someone wants to, post your swing and I'll analyse.

Next time I go I'll have a video taken for you to analyze. I have one but it's from a year or two back and I've changed quite a bit since then. I'm not like these stallions here as I drive about 250 yards on average with 270-280 if I really get into one. I know there's probably a **** ton I'm doing wrong that I just don't know about.

Originally Posted by blofeld

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wouldn't it make more sense to learn how to hit them straight rather than leaving them at home? Unless you hit a 3 iron 250 dead straight, woods are sort of necessary. If you can't hit a fairway wood straight 80%+ of the time, you have some major swing issues.

As to woods being necessary, I suppose they are if you're shooting for par when you go out. I, however, am realistic about my limitations.

That said, FWIW, let's say I poke my 2-iron out there around 200 - 210 or so on a good stroke. On a 400-yard par-four that leaves me, say 190 out. From 190 I can either play a 4-iron if there's no trouble around the front of the green, or go 8-iron and half-wedge if I have to carry something. Or I go 5-iron and bump onto the green. I have options at that point.

Originally Posted by nootje

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I assume you mean that 80% straight is straight with a margin of ??? on both sides? I know I cant hit my 3 wood of the deck straight in those percentages. Even if I found one that I like...

straight like in the fairway, off the tee. like for instance, this past saturday, I hit 10 of the 12 fairways I used by 4 wood to tee off on. it's a pretty valuable club that I personally could not play without.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Well, I don't practice nearly as much as I ought to, and irons just came more naturally to me than woods ever did. For every 280+ I would bang out into the fairway there were a LOT more that went sideways. Since I don't really go for frustration, I started leaving them home and thinking my way around a bit more.

To me, the key to staying at least respectable is that I manage myself between my ears and keep from getting upset or disinterested. So I play the clubs I know well and take what I can get. And I smile more that way, too.

I agree about thinking. I don't hit driver very often either, mostly because I don't need to because i can hit my fairway metal 240-250 off the tee. the risk / reward for the driver, i agree, makes it unnecessary especially when playing 6000-6500 yard courses.

but you should seriously consider a 5 wood. swing it like a 5-iron, which apparently you hit quite well, and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results...

Most public courses these days rarely require you to use fairway woods anyways. It's one of my peeves about all the crappy courses out there, but there it is. Rarely do I even need a long iron. They're set up for even the crappiest of drivers to have less than 150 to go for their 2nd shots.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Or I go 5-iron and bump onto the green. I have options at that point.

only in texas

Originally Posted by nootje

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+1 at iammatt

@hitting the ball into traffic, I once drove a ball through the windshield of a parked car.. (and on several clubhouse terraces, a boat and into a prison (ok, the last one I did deliberately when I was 16))


FWIW, I used to be a professional and taught for some years. If someone wants to, post your swing and I'll analyse.
OK, this is kind of on topic for distance. Here are two pics of me halfway down. One has too much angle (I think) which certainly helped with distance, but was hell as far as control. Also too much lateral slide below etc. The other is what I am working toward. Average distance is probably better through the bag because contact is waaaaaaaaay more solid. Anyway, your thoughts, and your thoughts as to the general keys to distance? I'm not concerned with mine, but internet distances being a bit like internet girlfriends, describing the mechanics might help somebody.

Originally Posted by Douglas

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Most public courses these days rarely require you to use fairway woods anyways. It's one of my peeves about all the crappy courses out there, but there it is. Rarely do I even need a long iron. They're set up for even the crappiest of drivers to have less than 150 to go for their 2nd shots.

exactly, which is why you need one to leave yourself comfortable yardages off the tee. off the deck, I use mine maybe 1-2 times a round.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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Also too much lateral slide below etc.


not a teacher, and think you know this, but turning rather than swaying will help you tremendously with both distance and accuracy.

Originally Posted by blofeld

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straight like in the fairway, off the tee. like for instance, this past saturday, I hit 10 of the 12 fairways I used by 4 wood to tee off on. it's a pretty valuable club that I personally could not play without.

Ah, You meant a consistent shot, not consistently straight, my bad... That 4 wood sounds like a real friend btw

Originally Posted by blofeld

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not a teacher, and think you know this, but turning rather than swaying will help you tremendously with both distance and accuracy.
Neither of those even resembles a sway.