My biggest problem is not committing to the shot... I totally get what you're saying.. It's all in the head and that's something i need to work on; commit to the shot and don't let up... I need to be comfortable with my shot and then hit..

A great advice given to me was, just setup and hit.. If you're standing over the ball, then you're giving yourself time to think and think and well you know the rest...

Commit...

I am thinking the primary reasons golfers come up short of greens is twofold. Either the golfer is not hitting the ball in the center of the clubface due to some flaw in their swings or many golfers will let their egos get the best of them regarding how far they can actually hit a particular club. When I select a club to get me home, my decision is based on how far can I can hit a particlar club at a minimum 90% of the time and not what a career shot would give me.

Consideration should also be given to lie conditions, turf conditions, weather including wind, temperature, rain, and dampness of the course. The ball you are hitting could also influence your decision. Ultimately it takes lots of experience and practice to develop these skills needed to be able to take these factors into account. If golf was an easy game we would all be on the Pro tour.

DV

My main issue two years ago was coming up short. Part of my issue was my swing then I upgraded my irons to AP1 712's which brought my irons back to my normal yardage. Last year I started shooting for the middle of the green always but the down side I have experienced is on some courses with larger greens with a front pin I leave a 30-40ft birdie putt that sometimes ends up being a bogey with a 3 putt. It's very mental as Christopher said.

This year I started going back to using a club/swing that is approx. 5yds further than pin yardage and trusting my swing & iron shot to be closer and that has helped with eliminating the 30ft putts for me. But if you don't trust the shot you won't hit the shot you need to. Clearing the mind is the hardest thing at times...

As DV said there are so many things that have an effect on a shot as well. I think keeping it as simple as possible & thinking as little a possible will help you the most.

Good luck.... Carl
Darryl M

Hi Carl,

It's a very interesting topic that you have started. I do think about this fairly often throughout the season -- either reflecting on a round played or in preparation for a practice session, etc.

I also thin that DV has a large part of it correct -- it comes down to making "good decisions" regarding all sorts of factors (ie: wind direction and speed, lie, ball position, pin position, forced carries or green size, etc.)

There is potentially a lot of variables that go into a round. Then of course, if you have a "mis-hit" it also affects the quality of your shot too. I strongly believe that a key to improving significantly, is learning how and when to take these variables into consideration and how to minimize the "bad decisions" that go into the mistakes we make.

Personally, committing to a shot is usually not my problem, its the other factors that DV mentions or I have mentioned here. Philosophically, I think that this is the eternal appeal of golf -- or as someone once said, and I believe it was Arnie:

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented."

Carl, the answer to your question is in the first line of your post: "My biggest mistake in golf is not playing enough.." If you play enough golf, all problems will be solved. Keep at. There are no quick fixes. Time is the key. Put in enough of it, and it will unlock to the door to golf glory! Enjoy!

The biggest problem is that five inches between the ears. We over think the shots. Shoot your distance, commit to the shot and pull the trigger. The last thought in those five inches is the problem. Good example. We were playing Saturday and I bombed a three wood on a par four to about 80 yards from the flag. Perfect shot for my 54* smooth wedge. Had the yardage and last thing on my mind was do not shank it as I go back, because at that distance on that hole I have tendency to do that. Hit two shanks out of bounds. Last thing on my mind should have been nice smooth swing. Those five inches got me, and at the age of 70 I should know better. I'm just saying.......

I completely agree with you. Obviously weather and course conditions will affect things but I have found that in recent years the use of GPS devices has really helped me realise how far I consistently hit each club.
I recently posted about my switch to the AP1's and they have also helped with my consistency and dispersion.

I think Vurich nailed it - Just keep at it, you'll learn to adjust.

Chuck, unfortunately for me I suffered similar situations this past weekend as well. A large mental problem I struggle with is forgetting about a prior bad shot and focusing on the next shot at hand. I can think of two holes last weekend specifically where bad shots followed bad shots and it really hurt my score.

Hi Carl, first of all I feel your pain. Putting is a game within a game, all I can say is practice practice & more practice . Find a putter preferably a "Scotty" then find a routine that you feel comfy with & groove it in.
To give yourself the opportunity to show off that putting its essential that you know your yardages with your irons , this was my problem . I bought myself a good GPS got to know my yardages & hey presto more greens in regulation more putts closer to the pin. Its amazing how much easier it becomes when you are able to take out the uncertainty of which club to take.
Good Luck & remember the more you practice the luckier you get.

Zurich , he didn't say he wasn't playing enough, he said he wasn't playing enough club. All the practice in the world won't make you better if your are doing something wrong. It will reinforce your mistake and your mistakes will be prolonged. Find a "real Pro" and have them analyze your game. Something like this can't be fixed on the internet.

Well said and a good post, Dave N. Golf is as difficult an activity as can be had, with innumerable ways to err and only a few good habits that are hard to learn. Turn, turn, turn and then turn some more, get your thinking finished before you swing, and remember to have fun while you're at it. Work with a pro who will improve what you have before wholesale changes and practice what you need to so you can improve weakness, always sounds easy but never really is. Keep working.

I try to get a measurement to back of the green and use that as a guide for club selection regardless of where the pin is...(I play mostly on a course with small greens)...I find that I rarely go long on my approach shots...

I am getting back into this conversation. Switched from 714 AP2s to 716 AP1s and what a difference. Got a new fitting and found that my lie was off 3*. Guess I have changed since October 2013 or maybe somebody made a boo boo on the AP2s. Having to learn a whole new game. Am now hitting my numbers with irons and hitting one less club. Nice to hit a seven iron 150 plus with confidence and know it is going at the target. The new putter is also dropping in the hole and scaring it more also. Money well spent. Maybe the confidence is coming back. Those AP1s are sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. If I have a problem, I see my pro, who is a Master Instructor. He is the man and he can normally talk me thru my issues. He knows my game about as well as I do.

Carl,
First - I'm a 54 year old 8 handicap. I've struggled with both.
My advice:
1) Get your pride out of the way and when the others in your group hit an 8 on the 140 yard par 3, hit your stock driving range 7 and smile all the way to the green when you get the GIR and inside of them!
2) you have a better chance of making a come backer putt than one you left short as long as you watch it as it goes by the hole. Be a little more aggressive on the first putt (always accelerate through the stroke) and you might even see more of the first putts drop!

John
AP2 712's & Scotty Caneron Newport2

i hear ya there i have been in that boat and i told my self i'm not getting any younger so i do do club up myself as far as putting i try to read the greens the best i can and pretty accurately

Dam spell check. Vurich .

I thought about this discussion this weekend as I played. I think the fundamental problem in shots and putting can be the golfer is focusing too much on the outcome and results. Ever golf with someone who can really hit a ball and putt, but doesn't care the least about their score? Do you hit great shots and sink great putts in your "non-scoring" practice rounds?

Know the carry distance of each club. Know the yardage to your target. Adjust for elevation and wind. Take dead aim. BH

My biggest mistake?

Continuing to pull the driver out of the bag when I'm not hitting it well. I can pull the 5w out and keep it in play instead.

When playing short chips/pitches - not committing. Slowing down the swing on the way back to the ball. Results in all kinds of bad news!