Golf: Trying to Break 100 For the First Time

[BEAR DEN]

This is my second season playing golf and for those of you who play you know that it is addicting and expensive. I am trying to break 100 for the first time without...cheating. No give me or second chances. I really want to do it for real. My best score so far is 106. I probably have alot to work on but it seems that it's very hard for me to get on the green in regulation. I'm happy with my driver Callaway FTi and can keep it straight for most of the holes. My chipping has improved. The second shot is a problem. If I play it safe ie. 7 iron I don't get close to the green. If I go for it ie. 3 wood...I seem to become a slice-o-matic. Any suggestions for the second shot? Oh... if I could make a rule change it would be that puts count only as half a stroke.

 

[Abagadro]

If you haven't progressed to the point where you have dialed in your yardages for your iron game, you might want to go with a hybrid club. It's a combination of an iron and a wood so it will not be as likely to create a slice as your three wood but you will still get good distance. You can pick up off-brand ones pretty cheap too. Get a 4/5 hybrid and give it a shot. You can likely demo one for free at a range.

 

[BEAR DEN]

I do have a 4 hybrid and last year didn't have too much problem with it. This year it's hit and miss. Seems to work better for me when I'm off the fairway a little then right in the middle. Better for me in higher grass is what I mean.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I'd say, if you have the cash, take a half hour lesson at the local range. Or better yet, buy a three pack of lessons and use them over the course of a month. Lessons really aren't very expensive compared to greens fees, and they will be the fastest way to hone your game. If you can't do a lesson or two, go to the range, a good range with grass tee boxes. Warm up with a short iron, and then hit your 6 Iron and 5 Wood until you feel confident with them. Hit half a bucket off tees, then hit the second half off the turf. Tee the balls low. Hitting off tees will do two things for you. It'll be a bit easier to hit, but it will also force you to slow down in between balls and concentrate on going slowly and hitting with good form. Too many people go to the range and crank out 200 balls at lightspeed and accomplish nothing other than reinforcing bad habits because they're not paying attention to improving their swing. Good Luck!!

 

[kwk285]

Look at course management. I like to make approach shots with my Gap wedge to 8 iron. Those are the four clubs I hit the best. That means I want my approach shot to be any where from 100 to 135 yards. I played today. Not counting the par 3s I teed off with my driver, 3 wood, 3 iron, and my 4 iron. Don't be stuck on always using your driver. Its fun to hit the driver but it tends to be the most unforgiving club in your bag.

Also, 2/3 of your shots are going to be from 100 yards in. Practice there the most. If you have a solid short game and can put well you will be scoring well quickly.

 

[dwestenk]

... Lessons really aren't very expensive compared to greens fees, and they will be the fastest way to hone your game. ...

(or compared to buying clubs ...)

... Also, 2/3 of your shots are going to be from 100 yards in. Practice there the most. ...

Lessons and short game practice reap the greatest dividends, IMHO.

 

[cfriend]

Look at course management. I like to make approach shots with my Gap wedge to 8 iron. Those are the four clubs I hit the best. That means I want my approach shot to be any where from 100 to 135 yards. I played today. Not counting the par 3s I teed off with my driver, 3 wood, 3 iron, and my 4 iron. Don't be stuck on always using your driver. Its fun to hit the driver but it tends to be the most unforgiving club in your bag.

Also, 2/3 of your shots are going to be from 100 yards in. Practice there the most. If you have a solid short game and can put well you will be scoring well quickly.

Cannot agree more with these two statements. If you can nail down your short game, you can pick up the power-drive later.

 

[gone down south]

Definitely some lessons. If you're not breaking 100, it's because your ball striking is inconsistent. Worrying about yardages and which club to choose is irrelevant unless you can be confident that every swing is going to consistently hit the ball in the direction you intended to, no toppers, no chunks, no crazy slices or hooks. Once you have that under control, you can get start worrying about the details.

 

[BEAR DEN]

From PW to 5 iron I'm relatively consistent. The driver is by far my most consistent. The problem lies in the second shot...I drive the ball straight and on to the fairway and then the second shot is the most likely to go to hell. This is especially true for the par 5 holes. I actually don't have a 5 wood, I could Demo one...are they in general a fair amount easier to hit then the 3 wood?
I played yesterday and if not for being to conservative I may have been able to shoot under 100...

 

[richmondesi]

Learn to putt. end of discussion. The rest of the advice is getting into breaking 90 and 80

 

[Walter Sobchak]

From PW to 5 iron I'm relatively consistent. The driver is by far my most consistent. The problem lies in the second shot...I drive the ball straight and on to the fairway and then the second shot is the most likely to go to hell. This is especially true for the par 5 holes. I actually don't have a 5 wood, I could Demo one...are they in general a fair amount easier to hit then the 3 wood?
I played yesterday and if not for being to conservative I may have been able to shoot under 100...

You know, golf is definitely one of those YMMV things, but unquestionably, technique is key...sounds pretty familiar, right? LOL. There's where the lessons come into play. You'll be amazed at what 3 thirty minute lessons spread out evenly over the course of a dozen or so rounds will do for your game. I know guys who are scratch golfers but still take the occasional lesson just to keep from letting little bad habits get out of control. Plus, let's say an easier to hit 5 wood costs you $90. You can probaby take a lesson for $35 and learn to hit the hell out of that 3 wood. The 3 wood will be an oft used club, too. Then ask for the handy, but less dynamic 5 wood for Xmas

You can ask a hundred people and get a hundred different answers to the same golf related question. But to get under 100, you need to recognize your weaknesses and work on what's easiest to fix first. In the meantime, as you're working on enhancing your bag of tricks, play to your strengths. If you've got an average game inside of 120 yards, be happy with that for now. Sure, you can improve it, but if it's taking you 4 strokes to get to 120 yards out, you need to spend some time working in other areas.

I guess my impression of your OP was that you're not comfortable hitting an iron lower than a 7 Iron, so when you're too far out to reach with a 7, you're grabbing a 3 wood. Thus, I was suggesting getting more intimate with your 6 and 5 irons, in that order. There are plenty of good golfers out there who never pull an iron out of their bag that's lower than a 5 unless it's for a rescue shot.

To answer your question, yes, a 5 wood is definitely a more forgiving club than a 3 wood (typically, higher loft = higher launch angle = more forgiving = easier to hit = more confidence in the club).

Also, I didn't notice your comment on putting. Try practicing putting from inside of 5 feet. You don't need to go out there and bang away 30 foot putts to get better. It won't help you, there are too many other factors in long putts. You want to work on that stroke, a nice smooth pendulum. When you have a long putt on the course, break it down into imaginary segments. Pick a spot before the cup and try to hit it as the ball is on its trajectory toward the hole. It can make a long putt less daunting and turn what might have been a three putt into a two putt, or, if you're on your stroke that day, a 1 putt!!

Best of luck. Golf is one of those games! I've played it since I was a small boy. I've shot a 72 on one course on a Monday and then shot an 85 on the same course three days later in the same weather conditions. It can drive a guy nuts!

 

[BEAR DEN]

Thank you everyone for the advice. Looks like lessons are in order. As far as putting is concerned, in gereral I can 2 putt when on the green (but not everytime). I know that that part of the game adds up strokes fast, so yes I need to spend alot more time practicing that.
I was on 18 par 4. My 3rd shot left me about a 15 yard chip to the pin. Hit the chip and the ball actually went in the hole in front of everyone! Made up for the feelings I get when I miss a 1 foot putt. Golf is a beautiful mistress that you can never have!

 

[TimmyBoston]

Lessons.

Good luck!