Duff, Patrick Duffy
August 7, 2006 2:13 PM Subscribe
My name is Georges. On the ground lies a golf ball. In my hands, a driver. I know nothing about golf. Help me develop habits to hit the ball perfectly every time I step up to it.
Help me develop habits to hit the ball perfectly every time I step up to it
There's no way. There are ways to develop habits that will allow you to hit the ball well every time you step up to it, but perfect is a yardstick even Tiger Woods can't reach (see: two drives this past weekend, hit into the crowd).
That said, the keys to a successful golf game, as far as I know:
1. Simplicity
2. Ability to repeat
3. Knowledge of limitations
Simplicity, in that the less you have crowding your head as you stand over the ball the better off you are. Swing keys (head down, wrists stiff, elbows in) are great, but you only want one or two at a time in your head.
Ability to repeat, in that you need to learn to swing in a way that can be easily replicated. The less moving parts, the better.
Knowledge of limitations, in that if you currently know nothing about golf, know this: the learning curve to consistent, scratch (or low-handicap) golf, which your desire for perfect drives seems to imply you want, is very, very steep and takes a long time and a lot of work (i'm 37, been playing golf since I was 10, play at least 4x a month, and I'm still only a 16 handicap).
Perfection in golf is impossible. the best you can hope for is consistent good swings, which lead to good results.
posted by pdb at 2:36 PM on August 7, 2006
There's no way. There are ways to develop habits that will allow you to hit the ball well every time you step up to it, but perfect is a yardstick even Tiger Woods can't reach (see: two drives this past weekend, hit into the crowd).
That said, the keys to a successful golf game, as far as I know:
1. Simplicity
2. Ability to repeat
3. Knowledge of limitations
Simplicity, in that the less you have crowding your head as you stand over the ball the better off you are. Swing keys (head down, wrists stiff, elbows in) are great, but you only want one or two at a time in your head.
Ability to repeat, in that you need to learn to swing in a way that can be easily replicated. The less moving parts, the better.
Knowledge of limitations, in that if you currently know nothing about golf, know this: the learning curve to consistent, scratch (or low-handicap) golf, which your desire for perfect drives seems to imply you want, is very, very steep and takes a long time and a lot of work (i'm 37, been playing golf since I was 10, play at least 4x a month, and I'm still only a 16 handicap).
Perfection in golf is impossible. the best you can hope for is consistent good swings, which lead to good results.
posted by pdb at 2:36 PM on August 7, 2006
I've been golfing seven times in my life, so I am an expert. One of the things I learned as a n00b was to let the club do the work. I was putting too much force in my swing and was getting neither power nor accuracy. Selecting the club and letting the iron or wood provide the thrust was an immediate help.
Beer, cigars, and patient* companions helped also.
*very patient
posted by yeti at 2:48 PM on August 7, 2006
Beer, cigars, and patient* companions helped also.
*very patient
posted by yeti at 2:48 PM on August 7, 2006
A friend of mine had an interesting trick in response to an interesting observation.
The observation: golf is unlike most other sports in that it requires hitting a stationary ball. This obvious fact has an interesting consequence: all of the skills and tricks that one learns in baseball, hockey, tennis, etc. are pretty much useless in golf.
The trick: Find an old tire. Find a way to make it immobile (bury part it, cut in half and place the ends in concrete, whatever). Keep the tread parallel to the ground. Then stand in front of it and practice hitting it as if the tire were the ball. The rubber will not hurt your clubs at all, and the act of hitting a stationary target will (eventually) help you develop instincts and habits more appropriate to golf.
posted by oddman at 3:05 PM on August 7, 2006
The observation: golf is unlike most other sports in that it requires hitting a stationary ball. This obvious fact has an interesting consequence: all of the skills and tricks that one learns in baseball, hockey, tennis, etc. are pretty much useless in golf.
The trick: Find an old tire. Find a way to make it immobile (bury part it, cut in half and place the ends in concrete, whatever). Keep the tread parallel to the ground. Then stand in front of it and practice hitting it as if the tire were the ball. The rubber will not hurt your clubs at all, and the act of hitting a stationary target will (eventually) help you develop instincts and habits more appropriate to golf.
posted by oddman at 3:05 PM on August 7, 2006
Ed Norton told Ralph Kramden "you have to address the ball...Hello Ball".
posted by sgobbare at 3:07 PM on August 7, 2006
posted by sgobbare at 3:07 PM on August 7, 2006
(bury part it, cut in half and place the ends in concrete, whatever). Keep the tread parallel to the ground. Then stand in front of it and practice hitting it as if the tire were the ball. The rubber will not hurt your clubs at all
You won't hurt your clubs, no, but you might break your wrists taking full-speed swings at a half-buried tire.
posted by pdb at 3:40 PM on August 7, 2006
You won't hurt your clubs, no, but you might break your wrists taking full-speed swings at a half-buried tire.
posted by pdb at 3:40 PM on August 7, 2006
To add to what pdb just said, the follow through to a gold swing is extremely important in determining consistency and accuracy. You can learn a lot by watching where you end up after you swing.
Just get some lessons from a recommended golf instructor. Plenty of idiots can teach you how to golf. Finding someone who can adapt their teaching style to your learning curve will make all the difference in the world.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 3:47 PM on August 7, 2006
Just get some lessons from a recommended golf instructor. Plenty of idiots can teach you how to golf. Finding someone who can adapt their teaching style to your learning curve will make all the difference in the world.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 3:47 PM on August 7, 2006
golf, not gold.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 3:47 PM on August 7, 2006
posted by SeizeTheDay at 3:47 PM on August 7, 2006
Go to your local course, step into the pro shop, ask about lessons.
It's the only way.
posted by notyou at 6:18 PM on August 7, 2006
It's the only way.
posted by notyou at 6:18 PM on August 7, 2006
I would say first: go to the driving range and just see what happens. Since golf is primarily a mental game, the less you have heard to "correct" things that are wrong, the less things will *be* wrong. Also, when you know nothing, just whacking at golf balls has a fun you can't replicate once you care about your game. =)
Of course you can't go wrong with personal instruction, that goes without saying. However, i get the impression that we're trying to do this with as little expense as possible. Ben Hogan's book is flat out amazing (Thanks Kwantsar!) I mean, it is pretty much the gold standard in golf instruction. It is simple, direct and just... *good*
Also, I've found Stan Utley's book "The Art of Putting" to be immensely useful on the greens (remember: "drive for show; putt for dough").
Most importantly though: if you can, I cannot recommend enough that you pick up this book: Paper Tiger by Tom Coyne. It is extremely well written, and gives a very REAL and moving account of what happens when a regular guy drops everything and devotes an entire year to practising and trying to make the PGA cut. The title is an obvious homage to Paper Lion (which i'm also a sucker for) but has this totally different tack of trying to answer the question: do the pros just practise more or is there something more innate? Amazing book.
And if you can't get any of those books, keep your eye on the ball, don't break your wrists and flex your knees. Strike *THROUGH* the ball and you'll be fine. It's a simple game: you see the ball, you hit the ball. you walk after it. It's also one of the most enjoyable sports.
posted by indiebass at 7:24 PM on August 7, 2006
Of course you can't go wrong with personal instruction, that goes without saying. However, i get the impression that we're trying to do this with as little expense as possible. Ben Hogan's book is flat out amazing (Thanks Kwantsar!) I mean, it is pretty much the gold standard in golf instruction. It is simple, direct and just... *good*
Also, I've found Stan Utley's book "The Art of Putting" to be immensely useful on the greens (remember: "drive for show; putt for dough").
Most importantly though: if you can, I cannot recommend enough that you pick up this book: Paper Tiger by Tom Coyne. It is extremely well written, and gives a very REAL and moving account of what happens when a regular guy drops everything and devotes an entire year to practising and trying to make the PGA cut. The title is an obvious homage to Paper Lion (which i'm also a sucker for) but has this totally different tack of trying to answer the question: do the pros just practise more or is there something more innate? Amazing book.
And if you can't get any of those books, keep your eye on the ball, don't break your wrists and flex your knees. Strike *THROUGH* the ball and you'll be fine. It's a simple game: you see the ball, you hit the ball. you walk after it. It's also one of the most enjoyable sports.
posted by indiebass at 7:24 PM on August 7, 2006
"but you might break your wrists taking full-speed swings at a half-buried tire."
Yes, because I'm sure you wouldn't first just let go of the club. Second, did I say anything about taking a full swing? Nope. The fairly obvious fact that you won't be able to follow through on the swing would seem to preclude the idea of a full strength swing. The idea is to just get used to hitting a stationary object and not a moving one. Simple, no need to actually pretend the tire is a golf and try to rip it with your driver. Sheesh.
posted by oddman at 10:32 PM on August 7, 2006
Yes, because I'm sure you wouldn't first just let go of the club. Second, did I say anything about taking a full swing? Nope. The fairly obvious fact that you won't be able to follow through on the swing would seem to preclude the idea of a full strength swing. The idea is to just get used to hitting a stationary object and not a moving one. Simple, no need to actually pretend the tire is a golf and try to rip it with your driver. Sheesh.
posted by oddman at 10:32 PM on August 7, 2006
In my experience, one of the biggest keys to being a competent golfer is mental discipline. Specifically, when you hit a bad shot (it will happen, and often), you have to be able to immediately put it out of your mind and focus only on the upcoming shot. It sounds pretty obvious, but golf has such a small margin of error that when you're addressing the ball, you can't be thinking about anything else.
When I used to golf (once or twice a week), I golfed far better when I was high than not, because I was pretty much incapable of dwelling on a bad shot. I'm obviously not saying you need to get high to do well -- just pointing out how crucial it is to be able to clear your mind of distractions.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 3:22 AM on August 8, 2006
When I used to golf (once or twice a week), I golfed far better when I was high than not, because I was pretty much incapable of dwelling on a bad shot. I'm obviously not saying you need to get high to do well -- just pointing out how crucial it is to be able to clear your mind of distractions.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 3:22 AM on August 8, 2006
Oh, and when you go to the driving range, don't whip out your driver and start blasting balls willy-nilly. Start with your short irons and work your way up to the woods. If you learn how to hit your irons, the driving will take care of itself. There's nothing more frustrating than hitting a 300-yard drive down the center of the fairway, and then stumbling your way to a seven on the hole because you never learned how to hit your irons as consistently as your driver.
And when you're actually playing, know your limitations. If you're faced with a 200-yard fade over water to a postage stamp green, don't base your shot selection on what you might be able to do, base it on what you can probably do most consistently (e.g., lay up, hit a short wedge to the green).
posted by Doofus Magoo at 3:27 AM on August 8, 2006
And when you're actually playing, know your limitations. If you're faced with a 200-yard fade over water to a postage stamp green, don't base your shot selection on what you might be able to do, base it on what you can probably do most consistently (e.g., lay up, hit a short wedge to the green).
posted by Doofus Magoo at 3:27 AM on August 8, 2006
No web site or instructional video will help you as much as an expert who watches you and can see what you need to change or work on. Take a lesson and when you do, ask the pro for tips you can practice when you're out on the course or at the driving range.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 6:59 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 6:59 AM on August 8, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
OK.
posted by dersins at 2:24 PM on August 7, 2006