Official Golf Thread

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Shame it's not the Scottish Open.

Eff'ing Brits.

There is a Scottish Open (held last week). Keep in mind, it's not the English Open either. It's actually held all around GB...well pretty much just England and Scotland.

Cool deal, thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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There is a Scottish Open (held last week). Keep in mind, it's not the English Open either. It's actually held all around GB...well pretty much just England and Scotland.

Technically, wasn't that the Highland Open?

Ah, did not realize it traveled. For some reason, being a noob, I thought it was always at St. Andrew's.

Btw, what's up with the glove? On the left hand at that?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Btw, what's up with the glove? On the left hand at that?

Better grip.

Originally Posted by BDC2823

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Better grip.

What I don't get is, the left hand only. The shaft gets smaller where the right hand grabs it, so the glove would help there and if you're wearing on the left hand it means you're right hand dominant. Why not both?

I'm puzzled. Haven't decided whether I'm wearing one or not. Also, I forget to take it off to putt when I do wear it.

The left hand controls the golf swing. The right hand is really just along for the ride and to keep things stable and on-plane.

If you were to not use a glove and played/practiced alot the only hand that would calloused would be your left, and then if your grip is good, only around the base of your fingers (not in the palm), since you really hold the club in the fingers. The controlling hand is the one that gets the glove. Though I have seen guys that play without a glove, I always used one growing up, so it just feels more comfortable to me to use one.

It can also be good to improve your grip if you get slightly damp conditions.

I always take mine off to putt, though.

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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The left hand controls the golf swing. The right hand is really just along for the ride and to keep things stable and on-plane.

If you were to not use a glove and played/practiced alot the only hand that would calloused would be your left, and then if your grip is good, only around the base of your fingers (not in the palm), since you really hold the club in the fingers. The controlling hand is the one that gets the glove. Though I have seen guys that play without a glove, I always used one growing up, so it just feels more comfortable to me to use one.

It can also be good to improve your grip if you get slightly damp conditions.

I always take mine off to putt, though.

Perfect explanation. I also, as well as everyone else really, take mine off to putt.

Years ago, one drill that one of my teachers used was to have us hit shots using only our left arm (right arm at the side). I got to where I was pretty good one-handed (probably couldn't do it now though without a lot of practice). Not sure if anyone teaches that way anymore.

Makes sense, Mark. I'm really, really a mess at the moment. I started with a base ball bat grip and I'm trying to change to an interlock now.

Oy.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Makes sense, Mark. I'm really, really a mess at the moment. I started with a base ball bat grip and I'm trying to change to an interlock now.

Oy.

I use an interlock grip, mainly because I learned to play in the early '70's and Nicklaus used an interlock, so everyone else did. I heard a while back that all the young kids these days were using the overlap. Does your teacher teach the interlock?

I think that in Hogan's book he shows the overlap grip. That's still a great book, to get, by the way. The sections on the grip are especially good. I would argue that it's probably one of the best methods for teaching golf to an adult because it teaches a controlled, repeatable swing. Some of my more recent teachers get away from it because these days they teach a more extended swing designed to generate more power. Some of the basic concepts of swingplane, grip, etc. though are still pretty fundamental.

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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I use an interlock grip, mainly because I learned to play in the early '70's and Nicklaus used an interlock, so everyone else did. I heard a while back that all the young kids these days were using the overlap. Does your teacher teach the interlock?

He actually said to go with what feels comfortable. Currently, the baseball grip does but we have identified it is part of the problem of my natural pull (swing path is the other). I really don't find either overlap or interlock natural feeling right now, but interlock feels less unnatural and seems to really help square my club head at impact.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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He actually said to go with what feels comfortable. Currently, the baseball grip does but we have identified it is part of the problem of my natural pull (swing path is the other). I really don't find either overlap or interlock natural feeling right now, but interlock feels less unnatural and seems to really help square my club head at impact.

He's working on one thing at a time (which is good). I wouldn't try to get too far ahead of him at this point. The interlock/overlap will be a full change in themselves and will feel uncomfortable until you've done it so much that they don't anymore. If I tried to use a baseball grip right now it would feel crazy weird to me. It's all a matter of repeating something until you feel comfortable with it.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Makes sense, Mark. I'm really, really a mess at the moment. I started with a base ball bat grip and I'm trying to change to an interlock now.

Oy.

I did the same thing. I play baseball/softball so I started that way and changed as I golfed more.

Kinda funny...I golfed a few times years ago before I actually got into it. I'm talking 3 or 4 rounds with no practice over a 2 year period without picking up a club before. Well I was playing baseball at the time and couldn't figure out the back swing with a golf club and how to hit the damn ball anywhere near where I wanted it to go. So after a few holes during my first ever round I was pretty upset and thought, "This back swing thing just doesn't feel natural and is really messing me up so screw it".

I go up to the tee box, tee up my ball, and decide to go back to what i know...baseball. Yup, stood up there in my baseball stance and golfed like that for that round and every other round for those couple years. When I say baseball stance, I mean full on baseball stance. I didn't start with my club head behind the ball, then go into my back swing, etc. Nope, I walked up there, set my feet just like in a batters box, lifted the club up just like I held a baseball bat (club head pointing to the sky), moved the club around in my hands like I did while batting, took a step just like when the pitcher delivers the ball, and then swung down and hit the golf ball. No back swing needed as I started my swing just like a baseball swing. It actually worked well for me those few rounds until I picked up the sport a few years later.

Originally Posted by BDC2823

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I did the same thing. I play baseball/softball so I started that way and changed as I golfed more.

Kinda funny...I golfed a few times years ago before I actually got into it. I'm talking 3 or 4 rounds with no practice over a 2 year period without picking up a club before. Well I was playing baseball at the time and couldn't figure out the back swing with a golf club and how to hit the damn ball anywhere near where I wanted it to go. So after a few holes during my first ever round I was pretty upset and thought, "This back swing thing just doesn't feel natural and is really messing me up so screw it".

I go up to the tee box, tee up my ball, and decide to go back to what i know...baseball. Yup, stood up there in my baseball stance and golfed like that for that round and every other round for those couple years. When I say baseball stance, I mean full on baseball stance. I didn't start with my club head behind the ball, then go into my back swing, etc. Nope, I walked up there, set my feet just like in a batters box, lifted the club up just like I held a baseball bat (club head pointing to the sky), moved the club around in my hands like I did while batting, took a step just like when the pitcher delivers the ball, and then swung down and hit the golf ball. No back swing needed as I started my swing just like a baseball swing. It actually worked well for me those few rounds until I picked up the sport a few years later.

Video or GTFO.