Golf: I did it! (Update: Again)

[DankNuggs 305]

84, 88, 95 over the course of the weekend... LOL... The amount of alcohol i consumed definitely didn't help. I also played with worse skilled players and slower pace of play which never helps my game... Waiting 5 min per shot bc of idiots in my group playing nature walk in the woods, or waiting for the two broads ahead of us to take 6 practice swings only to Mrs. Havercamp it into rough 50 ft ahead was bad...

 

Personal best was 72 on this course last summer. Only time i've ever broken 80. Just did it in a big way.

[Bert 1,128]

Congrats!

 

I shot an 82 at Seven Canyons in Sedonalast week. The ball really flies in that altitude.

[cbfalcon 827]

I'm totally convinced that I could get my handicap down into the 5-7 range if I had just a little bit more time in my life.

 

I never practice. Been to the range twice this year. I think last year I went maybe 5 times. I don't do anything except show up 2-3 times a month to the course and step onto the first tee. Maybe half the time me and my dad split a bucket beforehand. All my work on my game consists of mental work.

 

The issue is I simply forget what works. I went low this weekend because I remembered a thought from last year when I was going low, and it clicked. But in a month, I'll be thinking about something else and totally ignoring what worked for a 78. All because I don't hit balls enough to ingrain anything.

 

Crazy game. But I'm on a high for one week at least.

[DankNuggs 305]

If i wanted to cut 5 strokes off my game really quickly i'd spent mucho time on 60-80 yard wedges... I resort more to a chip/punch type shot from my PW because i have a tendency to hit my 60degree fat and short when i am trying a delicate short approach... Nothing more frustrating than blowing a short approach after killing a drive.. But I can't get my PW to check, so i usually run it into the fringe.

 

Go from attacking a birdie to playing a defensive fringe chip and 2 putt for bogey...

[BudBro 183]

i have a tendency to hit my 60degree fat and short when i am trying a delicate short approach... Nothing more frustrating than blowing a short approach after killing a drive.. But I can't get my PW to check, so i usually run it into the fringe.

 

Go from attacking a birdie to playing a defensive fringe chip and 2 putt for bogey...

 

move your eyes from the back of the ball and focus them on the front of the ball with the short chips around the green and with your wedges, even on full shots. your hands will go where your eyes focus and your weight will automatically move forward to come down onto the ball. after the first 3 months of never chili dipping another wedge, send me a dollar (this means all who benefit, not just dank). don't tempt the golf gods by stiffing me on the buck either. the lesson (not a tip)is worth about a million and will change your golf life forever. you will never chili dip another chip shot or wedge again in your lifetime. there's 5 strokes off your handicap. better than paying $300 for a pro to teach you his swing and make you worse.

[Cruzer 1,995]

Played 18 Saturday and 36 yesterday. Par 70 - went 77, 74, 82, that last 18 was hell being so tired and hot, maybe drunk.

 

 

[Cruzer 1,995]

If i wanted to cut 5 strokes off my game really quickly i'd spent mucho time on 60-80 yard wedges... I resort more to a chip/punch type shot from my PW because i have a tendency to hit my 60degree fat and short when i am trying a delicate short approach... Nothing more frustrating than blowing a short approach after killing a drive.. But I can't get my PW to check, so i usually run it into the fringe.

 

Go from attacking a birdie to playing a defensive fringe chip and 2 putt for bogey...

I am not a big fan of the 60 degree wedge. Yes I carry one and yes I believe it does serve a purpose - but I rarely use it and when I do it's always aound the green and in situations when I just have to get it up and stop it on a dime........... I carry and use a 54 degree sw with 8 degrees of bounce, this is the club I go to damn near always from 60 yards and in. I like it bcoz the stronger loft allows me to start my trajectory more forward, on line, with a great amount of spin due to the little bounce, opposed to a lob wedge who's first and predominant motion is to go up. Basically the margin for error is less with a stonger lofted club, least near the green. The thing I see more than anything with lob wedges is lack of acceleration. It's a reverse effect, you actually have to really speed it up thru the hitting zone to maximize the loft of that club - most don't, they decel and thus, chub it fat. Reason? They don't trust it, they don't understand the physics of the club - doesn't make sense to them to hit a 60 yard shot hard.

[cbfalcon 827]

I am not a big fan of the 60 degree wedge. Yes I carry one and yes I believe it does serve a purpose - but I rarely use it and when I do it's always aound the green and in situations when I just have to get it up and stop it on a dime........... I carry and use a 54 degree sw with 8 degrees of bounce, this is the club I go to damn near always from 60 yards and in. I like it bcoz the stronger loft allows me to start my trajectory more forward, on line, with a great amount of spin due to the little bounce, opposed to a lob wedge who's first and predominant motion is to go up. Basically the margin for error is less with a stonger lofted club, least near the green. The thing I see more than anything with lob wedges is lack of acceleration. It's a reverse effect, you actually have to really speed it up thru the hitting zone to maximize the loft of that club - most don't, they decel and thus, chub it fat. Reason? They don't trust it, they don't understand the physics of the club - doesn't make sense to them to hit a 60 yard shot hard.

 

 

I carry a 60 degree wedge but only find the need to use it once every 2-3 rounds, and that's usually when I screwed up pretty bad. As for taking a full swing with it, once every 10 rounds maybe.

 

My 55° SW is the go to club in my bag.

[Cruzer 1,995]

 

I carry a 60 degree wedge but only find the need to use it once every 2-3 rounds, and that's usually when I screwed up pretty bad. As for taking a full swing with it, once every 10 rounds maybe.

 

My 55° SW is the go to club in my bag.

I hate clubs with bounce so much I actually bought a 58 degree wedge and had it bent to 60. Big flanges and more bounce help you get the ball up for sure, but they are absolute killers when it comes to dialing in anything. Ha, of course, with that comes some real screamers and blades. I've launched a few straight over the green with blazing speed.

[supermike80 2,048]

Wow I had a close encounter as well.

Played a local course this weekend called Rammler. Shot a 37 on the front(2 over).

The back nine was VERY backed up so I drove out to 14 to start there. Went two over for that stretch of five holes.

Came back to #10, birdied that then bogeyed #11. Leaving me 2 over on the back.

But #12 was VERY backed up again, and I didn't feel like waiting it out so I left after 16 holes and 4 over.

 

Pretty happy about the round however it was in a little bit of bad shape due to some water damage so there were a few lift and place situations that left me feeling like it wasn't a true 4 over. So no point in playing the last two for what could be considered a mythical score.

[DankNuggs 305]

I am not a big fan of the 60 degree wedge. Yes I carry one and yes I believe it does serve a purpose - but I rarely use it and when I do it's always aound the green and in situations when I just have to get it up and stop it on a dime........... I carry and use a 54 degree sw with 8 degrees of bounce, this is the club I go to damn near always from 60 yards and in. I like it bcoz the stronger loft allows me to start my trajectory more forward, on line, with a great amount of spin due to the little bounce, opposed to a lob wedge who's first and predominant motion is to go up. Basically the margin for error is less with a stonger lofted club, least near the green. The thing I see more than anything with lob wedges is lack of acceleration. It's a reverse effect, you actually have to really speed it up thru the hitting zone to maximize the loft of that club - most don't, they decel and thus, chub it fat. Reason? They don't trust it, they don't understand the physics of the club - doesn't make sense to them to hit a 60 yard shot hard.

Nice post... I've somewhat mangled my wedge selection in that i have a 52, and a 60... The 52 really isn't much different than my PW except for the lower bounce and sharper edge. It ups the degree of difficulty vs the PW but doesn't deliver a much better trajectory... I should probably grab a 54, i'll actually look at them today after work.

[supermike80 2,048]

I absolutely LOVE my 60 degree wedge and would be lost without it. it has a small bounce, so it's perfect for flop shots areound the green. Plus, a full swing ith mine will get me anywhere from 100-110 yards. I absolutely couldnt live without my lob.

[BunnysBastatrds 2,552]

I absolutely LOVE my 60 degree wedge and would be lost without it. it has a small bounce, so it's perfect for flop shots areound the green. Plus, a full swing ith mine will get me anywhere from 100-110 yards. I absolutely couldnt live without my lob.

 

 

I love my 60 also. The ball has to be sitting pretty to use it though. I can usually get 70 yards with a full swing.

 

How far do you hit your PW? 110 for a LW is farther than most pros can hit it.

[mobb_deep 920]

1 year later bump.

 

After breaking 80 twice last June, my game deteriorated. I had a kid in September, so that's the obvious reason. But this weekend out of nowhere I got it going again.

 

Prairie Lakes golf course on Grand Prairie. Fairly tough track for my level of golfer. Water on about probably 13 of the 18 holes. Greens with enough undulation that there are zero straight putts. Enough trees that you can't fire at greens if you miss the fairway. So it's a legit course for my level of golfer.

 

Made a back swing adjustment on the range before the round. I shot a 42 on the front. Felt good overall, but after a par, par, par start, I followed with a triple then double bogey to undo all of my good deeds.

 

Got to the 10th I decided to choke down about an inch on the driver for a little extra control. Striped my first drive 260 and down the middle. Then it was on. Went with that the rest of the day and played the backside at +1. 1 birdie, 2 bogeys, and 6 pars. I missed a stinking 2 footer for par on the 14th. Didn't know it at the time, but that cost me an even par backside.

 

Par 71. Went 42-36 for a 78. With the exception of the triple and double on 4 and 5, I played the other 16 holes at +2.

 

Much tougher course than my 77 last summer, so I easily consider this my best round yet. And it came out of nowhere as my last 8 rounds had ranged from 86 to 89. Now I've shot in the 70's 3 times. Now that my 9 month old is old enough to raise herself, I should be able to get out more and work on getting my 12 handicap down into single digits!

 

nice!!!

 

I've never broke 100, but made my best birdie 2 ever this weekend. I've made several birdie 2's, but it's always a 20 foot put or some lucky chip off the green. Knocked one within a foot of the hole on a 170 yard par 3! Still finished like 30 over, but a good day of golf none the less!

[DankNuggs 305]

I love my 60 also. The ball has to be sitting pretty to use it though. I can usually get 70 yards with a full swing.

 

How far do you hit your PW? 110 for a LW is farther than most pros can hit it.

I hit my PW 120-125

 

LW I hit ~100 on a full swing... And ya I like using it when the ball is sitting nice in some greenside rough much more than off tight fairway.

[cbfalcon 827]

New low score Rockwood was the course I initially broke 80 on last year. Well Saturday I shot a 37-39 for a new all time low number of 76. It's also the first time I have went into the 30's on both sides.

 

I only hit 3 greens in regulation, so really it was a piss poor day with the irons. But I was greenside in regulation on 17 of 18 holes, and the up and down game was spectacular. Especially the putter as I finished with only 27 putts.

[edjr 6,784]

I shot an 89 Saturday at Ridge Ridge at Foxwoods Casino. Par 72. my best 18 ever, which included 1 triple bogey and no double bogey's

 

Best I ever shot for 18, by far

[DankNuggs 305]

New low score Rockwood was the course I initially broke 80 on last year. Well Saturday I shot a 37-39 for a new all time low number of 76. It's also the first time I have went into the 30's on both sides.

 

I only hit 3 greens in regulation, so really it was a piss poor day with the irons. But I was greenside in regulation on 17 of 18 holes, and the up and down game was spectacular. Especially the putter as I finished with only 27 putts.

nice, have to be good chipping with that few GIR.

 

We had thunderstorms sat morning, so I drank 3 pints of strong bloody mary's at the clubhouse before stepping out on the tee...Didn't help we had a case of leinenkugel summer shany in a cooler as well... I managed to injure my hand fairly severely while teeing up a ball for a drive... had a little flap of skin between the ball and the tee and i ripped a chunk off sticking it into the ground... Luckily it was halfway through the back 9, i was feeling little pain at that point... 93 with most of the falloff on the ball nine... I was cruising towards high 80's remarkably enough... Only part of the game that really was difficult was the short 5-8ft putts. Concentration was lacking.

[drobeski 3,061]

I have been starting out on fire and fading bad ...I'm on the verge of shooting my best evahhh....1 under after 6 last week then double double triple....yesterday 1 over after 7 then triple double to finish the front ....fock ....then deflated 46s on both back nines

[cbfalcon 827]

nice, have to be good chipping with that few GIR.

 

We had thunderstorms sat morning, so I drank 3 pints of strong bloody mary's at the clubhouse before stepping out on the tee...Didn't help we had a case of leinenkugel summer shany in a cooler as well... I managed to injure my hand fairly severely while teeing up a ball for a drive... had a little flap of skin between the ball and the tee and i ripped a chunk off sticking it into the ground... Luckily it was halfway through the back 9, i was feeling little pain at that point... 93 with most of the falloff on the ball nine... I was cruising towards high 80's remarkably enough... Only part of the game that really was difficult was the short 5-8ft putts. Concentration was lacking.

 

Just by quick count, I made 8 putts in that 6-10 foot range. That and chipping in once was enough to offset most of my iron troubles.

 

Putting is so the key. I hit the ball just so so, but being confident in that 8 foot range equaled a 76. Conversely last week I struck the ball much better than this week, but didn't feel like I could make anything from even 4 feet, and I putted my way to an 86.

 

putting

[DankNuggs 305]

I paid an absurd amount for a callaway putting mat. One with a little undersized half moon plastic cup. Have it completely flat on level hardwood. I used it a bunch before last season with alot of success. Being able to properly square up and release the putter head to hit a flat putt right down the middle helps wonders on the course. So many putts are inside the cup, getting square and hitting a straight putt takes away alot of the degree of difficulty.

 

Things are going worst for me when I'm feeling off center and dealing with reading greens and compensating for not rolling it great. Adds so many more variables. Have to put in more mat time during the week

[Yer mom 2]

Youre doing a helluva job and were all proud of you.

[drobeski 3,061]

Youre doing a helluva job and were all proud of you.

Me ?

[WhiteWonder 2,879]

New low score Rockwood was the course I initially broke 80 on last year. Well Saturday I shot a 37-39 for a new all time low number of 76. It's also the first time I have went into the 30's on both sides.

 

I only hit 3 greens in regulation, so really it was a piss poor day with the irons. But I was greenside in regulation on 17 of 18 holes, and the up and down game was spectacular. Especially the putter as I finished with only 27 putts.

 

nice job

 

i havn't been able to play alot these days. havn't evne had time for the range and it really shows.

 

i played last week at a tough course in northern nj. never played it before so i wasn't expecting a great day. Shot 38 on the front 9 with 1 birdie (long narrow par 4, hit 3 wood and then a hybrid from 210 to 6 feet)... completely fell apart on the back 9 with a 48 literally shanked a few iron shots in the process after hitting them pure on the front.

 

my putting was average. missed 2 or 3 birdies i easily could have made but i made a few nice par saves so it evens out.

 

the key for me, as it usually is, was finding the fairway. On the front 9, being that i didn't know the course, i pulled hybrid off the tee on almost every hole and just hit nice smooth little shots to the middle of the fairway.

[Yer mom 2]

Me ?

 

Sometimes when you arent around we all talk about how awesome you are. Everyone really likes you.

[drobeski 3,061]

Sometimes when you arent around we all talk about how awesome you are. Everyone really likes you.

Nice ....thanks

[cbfalcon 827]

nice job

 

i havn't been able to play alot these days. havn't evne had time for the range and it really shows.

 

i played last week at a tough course in northern nj. never played it before so i wasn't expecting a great day. Shot 38 on the front 9 with 1 birdie (long narrow par 4, hit 3 wood and then a hybrid from 210 to 6 feet)... completely fell apart on the back 9 with a 48 literally shanked a few iron shots in the process after hitting them pure on the front.

 

my putting was average. missed 2 or 3 birdies i easily could have made but i made a few nice par saves so it evens out.

 

the key for me, as it usually is, was finding the fairway. On the front 9, being that i didn't know the course, i pulled hybrid off the tee on almost every hole and just hit nice smooth little shots to the middle of the fairway.

 

Somehow I am playing this well without every finding any range time either. I went to the range once in April I think, but besides that I just show up and play. Thus these low scores my be fools gold.

 

I'm also saving strokes by adjusting expectation after each shot. If my drive isn't all that, I'm now better about trying to leave myself an easier up and down attempt as oppose to firing at a flag that brings more risk into play.

 

But the one area that I'm suffering from due to the lack of range time is my wedge game. I missed 5 greens this weekend in which I had a wedge in my hand and was thinking I could stuff it close. Those all need to be birdie opportunities.

[listen2me 23 1,930]

I am not a big fan of the 60 degree wedge. Yes I carry one and yes I believe it does serve a purpose - but I rarely use it and when I do it's always aound the green and in situations when I just have to get it up and stop it on a dime........... I carry and use a 54 degree sw with 8 degrees of bounce, this is the club I go to damn near always from 60 yards and in. I like it bcoz the stronger loft allows me to start my trajectory more forward, on line, with a great amount of spin due to the little bounce, opposed to a lob wedge who's first and predominant motion is to go up. Basically the margin for error is less with a stonger lofted club, least near the green. The thing I see more than anything with lob wedges is lack of acceleration. It's a reverse effect, you actually have to really speed it up thru the hitting zone to maximize the loft of that club - most don't, they decel and thus, chub it fat. Reason? They don't trust it, they don't understand the physics of the club - doesn't make sense to them to hit a 60 yard shot hard.

 

Can you give me a link as to this being fact? I have never heard that bounce has much of anything to do directly with spin. Perhaps you can spin it more with a certain club. But I have never heard that less bounce = more spin.

[Cruzer 1,995]

Can you give me a link as to this being fact? I have never heard that bounce has much of anything to do directly with spin. Perhaps you can spin it more with a certain club. But I have never heard that less bounce = more spin.

Bounce itself is not a contributing factor to spin. However, high bounced wedges have a lot of "fat" at the bottom of the club - thus the bounce takes a good amount of the energy out of the shot. Low bounced clubs have sharper leading edges, thus the face and the grooves catch the ball faster and earlier in the shot - definitely a crisper action. When this happens I'm able to spin the ball more. Low bounced clubs also make it possible to play more shots. Unfortunately, they also make it possible to skull a few more too.

[WhiteWonder 2,879]

Bounce itself is not a contributing factor to spin. However, high bounced wedges have a lot of "fat" at the bottom of the club - thus the bounce takes a good amount of the energy out of the shot. Low bounced clubs have sharper leading edges, thus the face and the grooves catch the ball faster and earlier in the shot - definitely a crisper action. When this happens I'm able to spin the ball more. Low bounced clubs also make it possible to play more shots. Unfortunately, they also make it possible to skull a few more too.

 

mm yeah this is all true for the most part. except i would add that the conditions you normally play on work in tandem with the bounce of a wedge when it comes to spin. If i tried to use a low bounce wedge regularly (i play in the northeast where conditions are not as firm) i would tend to hit alot of fat shots. having some bounce actually helps me to "pinch" the ball in a way that creates more spin

 

playing on firmer courses, youll want a club with less bounce to promote taking that divot after contact.

[Cruzer 1,995]

mm yeah this is all true for the most part. except i would add that the conditions you normally play on work in tandem with the bounce of a wedge when it comes to spin. If i tried to use a low bounce wedge regularly (i play in the northeast where conditions are not as firm) i would tend to hit alot of fat shots. having some bounce actually helps me to "pinch" the ball in a way that creates more spin

 

playing on firmer courses, youll want a club with less bounce to promote taking that divot after contact.

I play in Texas - give the man a prize.

[listen2me 23 1,930]

Bounce itself is not a contributing factor to spin. However, high bounced wedges have a lot of "fat" at the bottom of the club - thus the bounce takes a good amount of the energy out of the shot. Low bounced clubs have sharper leading edges, thus the face and the grooves catch the ball faster and earlier in the shot - definitely a crisper action. When this happens I'm able to spin the ball more. Low bounced clubs also make it possible to play more shots. Unfortunately, they also make it possible to skull a few more too.

 

I don't believe much of this.

 

Takes energy out of the shot? No.

 

They are just used for different swings and different styles. If you are a "digger" and like to take a lot of sod (which doesn't mean it isn't a crisp shot....you are generally supposed to take a divot on full shots) then you want a higher bounce. If you are playing in softer conditions you may want higher bounce. If you are a slider, or just take the ball off the ground barely catching much sod, then you want a lower bounce.

 

Sand shots generally need a higher bounce club, but everyone swings and hits the ball different so it isn't a rule by any means. But a higher bounce allows you to keep moving through the surface, whether it is sand or a chunk of fairway. If you pick everything clean, then you really don't need much bounce. I find that 8 degrees of bounce offers a lot of shots, and works for most people for most shots.

 

I think you talk about your game, as if everyone else plays the same. The same "crisper" shots you talk about with more spin that you hit with low bounce clubs...other people can hit with higher bounce clubs. But I don't know what "crisper action" means. A solid stuck golf shot is a solidly stuck golf shot no matter if you take turf or not.

 

I don't think low bounce give you more shots. A medium bounce give you the most shots, if you can hit different shots. It seems like decent logic that the medium bounce gives you some of both worlds. But like I said, maybe YOU can hit more shots with a lower bounce club, but it defiantly isn't a universal rule or fact for everyone.

[listen2me 23 1,930]

mm yeah this is all true for the most part. except i would add that the conditions you normally play on work in tandem with the bounce of a wedge when it comes to spin. If i tried to use a low bounce wedge regularly (i play in the northeast where conditions are not as firm) i would tend to hit alot of fat shots. having some bounce actually helps me to "pinch" the ball in a way that creates more spin

 

playing on firmer courses, youll want a club with less bounce to promote taking that divot after contact.

[Cruzer 1,995]

Takes energy out of the shot? No.

For you maybe. For me, still a yes. I play in Texas, pretty firm and hard in these parts. I do not need, or want, a high bounce flange catching the turf before the leading edge of my wedge does. When that happens energy is lost. If I played in the Northeast, may be different - but I don't.

 

They are just used for different swings and different styles. If you are a "digger" and like to take a lot of sod (which doesn't mean it isn't a crisp shot....you are generally supposed to take a divot on full shots) then you want a higher bounce. If you are playing in softer conditions you may want higher bounce. If you are a slider, or just take the ball off the ground barely catching much sod, then you want a lower bounce.

Agreed. But I was speaking of me and my game, my preference.

 

Sand shots generally need a higher bounce club, but everyone swings and hits the ball different so it isn't a rule by any means. But a higher bounce allows you to keep moving through the surface, whether it is sand or a chunk of fairway. If you pick everything clean, then you really don't need much bounce. I find that 8 degrees of bounce offers a lot of shots, and works for most people for most shots.

Yes and no - again depends largely on your conditions. There are all different kinds of sands, here in Texas we are not blessed with the soft, white Florida sands you see on tv. Here our sand is often hard - high bounce is no good thru that stuff, I prefer lower bounce here as well.

[KSB2424 3,172]

I was on a steady upswing with my golf game. My handicap was getting lower and lower to where I was pissed if I ever broke 90 and my goal (similar to cbfalcon) was to break 80 everytime I played a round. I did so last fall and earlier this year a couple times.

 

Then it happend. About three weeks ago. And I don't even know why. I don't even want to say the word out loud or type it here so I won't. But it starts with SH and ends with an S and rhymes with Banks.

 

I've been flaberghasted every since. I was getting so much better, and it's as if the golf Gods looked down and said [LeeCorsoVoice] NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND! [LeeCorsoVoice]

 

I've changed my grip, my stance, how far I stand away from the ball, how much I 'flex' my knees, all sorts of things to correct whatever the hell I'm doing wrong. I'll fix if for a bit then "they" start again.

 

I've lost more balls (including my free Penta's ) the past month than I have the entire year prior. I'm at a breaking point. Any suggestions?

[listen2me 23 1,930]

Which is my point. I don't get why you try to give explanations and say things like this gives that, this promotes that, and basically this does this.....if it is all about your own game.

 

That doesn't explain anything about what bounce really is, it just explains how you use bounce. Which things like lower bounce hits "crisper shots" are not true what so ever. Perhaps they give you crisper shots.

 

Until Wonder brought up conditions, you didn't even mention that you play in hard conditions constantly. Which is the direct reason why lower bounce suits you.

 

Crisper shots, more spin, and higher bounce takes energy away are all thing you said as if it was fact. These might be true, to your own game. Which was my whole point in my posts.

[cbfalcon 827]

I was on a steady upswing with my golf game. My handicap was getting lower and lower to where I was pissed if I ever broke 90 and my goal (similar to cbfalcon) was to break 80 everytime I played a round. I did so last fall and earlier this year a couple times.

 

Then it happend. About three weeks ago. And I don't even know why. I don't even want to say the word out loud or type it here so I won't. But it starts with SH and ends with an S and rhymes with Banks.

 

I've been flaberghasted every since. I was getting so much better, and it's as if the golf Gods looked down and said [LeeCorsoVoice] NOT SO FAST MY FIREND! [LeeCorsoVoice]

 

I've changed my grip, my stance, how far I stand away from the ball, how much I 'flex' my knees, all sorts of things to correct whatever the hell I'm doing wrong. I'll fix if for a bit then "they" start again.

 

I've lost more balls (including my free Penta's ) the past month than I have the entire year prior. I'm at a breaking point. Any suggestions?

 

I've been there. Believe it or not, the best fix I have found is to swing really hard. Obviously I don't play my best golf that way, but if I step up to the ball saying "fucck it. I'm going to smash this thing", I at least stop thinking about all the things causing the shanks.

 

Then usually after the shanks are gone, I start dialing back the swing speed and get back to my normal game.

 

But that's just what works for me.

[KSB2424 3,172]

I've been there. Believe it or not, the best fix I have found is to swing really hard. Obviously I don't play my best golf that way, but if I step up to the ball saying "fucck it. I'm going to smash this thing", I at least stop thinking about all the things causing the shanks.

 

Then usually after the shanks are gone, I start dialing back the swing speed and get back to my normal game.

 

But that's just what works for me.

I think you may be right. Maybe I am 'thinking' to much. I'm going to take two maybe three weeks off from playing at all. "Reset" if you will. Then go play a "who gives a fock what happens" round. Maybe drink a bunch of beer during the round. See if I simply needed a break, to break the funk and get rid of whatever flaw in my swing I somehow aquired out of nowhere.

 

I have to do something. I'm about to wrap a 5 iron around a tree right about now.

[DankNuggs 305]

Good point in playing in the northeast. Tends to be softer turf, especially around well watered greens. Soft turf + decelerating clubhead= chunking the ball

[Cruzer 1,995]

Which is my point. I don't get why you try to give explanations and say things like this gives that, this promotes that, and basically this does this.....if it is all about your own game

The very first 2 post of mine in this thread I pretty much directly say "I" and my relationship to bounce and my game. The rest fed from that as well....... You are fishing for something here, but not sure what. Good luck in any case.