So, what's your secret??

[Fishman Dan]

I guess this is directed at Amanda after an awesome week of golf, but anyone else feel free to chip-in (pun intended). Note, unless you are steadily dropping your handicap I won't believe a word of your advice ;)

In recent weeks i've seen a few of you get on top of the game and make inroads which is just awesome. What's the secret? Do you think about your next shot? Your next hole strategy as you walk the course? Or do you think of sunshine and lollipops? Do you let the imminent rise of interest rates haunt you or dwell on the prolific rise of terror in the world?

Note - i don't want any 'I take each shot as it comes' crap, i want to know The Secret!!

But most of all, when you're walking the course this weekend, spare a moment and think about me ;) :lol:

I want a 100-word essay from each of you by Monday.

[amanda]

Amanda's secrets

Funnily enough - these 2 breakthroughs have come while I was pulling my bag rather than carrying - mainly because of the intense Sydney heat on Wed & Thur. Now I'm not sure if there is anything in this theory - because my last big handicap drop was when I was carrying!

My mind has become a lot more quiet recently during my golf shots - I'm not thinking about outcomes or probabilities of what could happen. I'm also not trying to hit the ball hard/far - just putting my normal swing on it.

Pitching/chipping - I've become a lot more target oriented - I know which spot on the green I want the ball to land and I'm trying to visualise shots before I make them and run through a few scenarios to try and figure out which is going to get me closest to the hole. Then I commit - my past chipping/pitching was filled with dread & fear! I say to myself "I deeply & completely accept myself and the outcome of this shot" before I make it so that I can commit 100% to making it.

[Fishman Dan]

I say to myself "I deeply & completely accept myself and the outcome of this shot"

How Zen! Shouldn't thoughts like that be more suited to a Soprano-style meeting with a head-shrink? :?

Funnily enough i think that whenever i pick up 6-iron, so when i knife it through the trees-right i don't send the club hurtling after it... :roll:

[amanda]

I say to myself "I deeply & completely accept myself and the outcome of this shot"

How Zen! Shouldn't thoughts like that be more suited to a Soprano-style meeting with a head-shrink? :?

Funnily enough i think that whenever i pick up 6-iron, so when i knife it through the trees-right i don't send the club hurtling after it... :roll:
Pete - that saying came out of a meeting with a guy who is writing a psychology book and cured my par-3 heebie jeebies (I think most people call them the yips). But I apply it to parts of my game that start going south or if I feel under pressure.

[Jarro]

Note - i don't want any 'I take each shot as it comes' crap, i want to know The Secret!!



Fishy .... don't do this to yourself mate :( We both know the answer is hard work and practice.. something we detest :evil:

[Ducky]

I have this awesome gizmo called the 'Mega-Shot 5000'. I would be happy to sell it to you...

:wink:

Kind regards,

Ben (Ducky).

[markTHEblake]

while I was pulling my bag rather than carrying

Thats a great way to ruin your back - you should only ever push your bag.
( for males also ensure that you walk slightly to the side of the handle if you know what's good for you)

Fish, I dont beleive that there is any secret to improving ones handicap. For golfers like Amanda who are new to the game, a reducing handicap is a given, until she reaches the potential that her physical skill, time and patience allow. (for most golfers that seems to be around 10-14 handicap)

All of us, eventually hit a wall. The secret you need to find is someone who has once hit that wall, and then improved again. I honestly dont know too many of them? I hit my own wall 20+ years ago so let me know when you found it - but i do fear its lessons and practice.

[Courty]

"There are a few factors in my good form of late. I feel that it has been a long time coming. A bit of practice always helps. I always hit a few dozen balls before a round, at least to see how the body is coping and where the ball is likely to go. That way, when you step up to the first tee, you have some idea of where the ball is going to go. Then you are not wasting the first few holes finding out where your swing is at. The other thing is course management. You have to know your strengths and weaknesses, and play to your strengths. If your natural ball flight is left to right, what do you do whe you come to a hole that goes right to left? Figuring these things out for yourself and playing percentages is what makes your game more successful."
Comments from the Supercoach.

[Fishman Dan]

Fishy .... don't do this to yourself mate :( We both know the answer is hard work and practice.. something we detest :evil:

Can i get this 'hard work' and 'practice' on eBay? :roll:

It's more than that Jarro - i can get off to a decent start, but it seems normal to have a brain-fart at some point in every round. Basically because i haven't 'beaten' my handicap since Jan '04, every time i get close i probably think about it too much, but being off 17 is still plenty generous for me (if i may say so myself).


I hit my own wall 20+ years ago so let me know when you found it

Um, i'm there ;)
I'm about to hit 18 again, after a low of 16.0 in January when everything was rosey. 18 isn't bad, and think - when i *do* actually get together, i can burgle a comp and be back on my way ;) :roll:

[amanda]

while I was pulling my bag rather than carrying

Thats a great way to ruin your back - you should only ever push your bag.
( for males also ensure that you walk slightly to the side of the handle if you know what's good for you)

Thanks Blakey - I will have to try that as my buggy has 3 wheels - I push most of the time - but in heavy grass sometimes I can't get it to move!

[Flowergirl]

I agree with Mark. Like Amanda I am pretty new to the game and it takes a while to find your game. I think most players are capable of playing bogey golf - after that there is a lot more skill involved. I know that it is doubtful that I'll ever get much under 18 and I'll be happy with that. :lol: For anyone on single figures it takes a lot of talent and natural ability to stay there.
Course management is the key - that and the ability not to get emotional about a bad shot. Easier said than done coming from the queen of the dummy spit ( used to be - a LOT better now! :wink: )

[markTHEblake]

This "course management" cliche is a load of bollocks - for us amateur golfers anyway. Sure its a good train of thought when your playing like Ernie Els (ie the ball goes where you aim) , but take Golfer69 for example, the poor bugger couldnt hit Sydney harbour from the lawn in front of the Opera house at the moment. So whats the good of course management then?

Play within your own capabilities. When you already know how to do that, maybe then start thinking about Course management.

[AndyP]

I hit my own wall 20+ years ago so let me know when you found it
Um, i'm there ;)
I'm about to hit 18 again, after a low of 16.0 in January when everything was rosey. 18 isn't bad, and think - when i *do* actually get together, i can burgle a comp and be back on my way ;) :roll:
But how much golf have you been playing, Fishy? How well can you expect to play when you haven't been playing that often?

[Fishman Dan]

.. but take Golfer69 for example, the poor bugger couldnt hit Sydney harbour from the lawn in front of the Opera house at the moment.

Er, there is no lawn outside the Opera House, but point taken all the same.
8)

[Jarro]

The old reliable Ben Hogan book is also out and it's great reading. :wink:

yeah sorry mate, i still have it :oops:

promise i'll give it back next time i see ya :wink:

[markTHEblake]

Thanks for the compassion mate....well, I guess this about as compassionate as you can get.

You deserve it - See below!

Anyway its all part of my evil plot to getting your handicap back to around 8 (at least)


and he reckons like my putting stroke my shoulders and hips are pointing towards long on.

I told you that months ago (at Sanctuary Cove), and you fobbed me off. :roll: with some lame excuse like you always play that way. Is my credibility that bad? :oops:

and long on, Your dreamin...... if you turned any further left you would be pointing at square leg and hitting backwards.

ok seriously, Lee Trevino lined up as open as you are, becuase he had a huge hook swing, and he really had to push out to fight against the hook. You have a good reverse loop like Trevino but not as big as his.

I get the feeling that your opening your stance to compensate for the hook, just like Trevino did. No real need to change anything in your swing just yet.

The simple solution is to square up an let it rip. After hitting a few long bombs over long on (as expected), just weaken the left hand a little, than let rip a few more.

The worst thing you can do is try to fight your hook, cos that will only result in losing your strong hand action (and power) and you will end up a powder puff like me.

[BrisVegas]

Vegas took a look at me from behind on the driving range on saturday (you can't blame him..the bloke's only human) and he reckons like my putting stroke my shoulders and hips are pointing towards long on.

You're right, I am only human and you got a nice set of pins. :wink:

blakey's right, you shouldn't fight your strong right hand. You're stock shot is a draw. You need to align yourself square, or slightly closed to start hitting more fairways. Nothing wrong with the swing itself.

[Fishman Dan]

Nothing wrong with the swing itself.
:shock: :smt017

He didn't finish the sentence... 'Nothing wrong with the swing itself, just the bloke on the end of it'

[AndyP]

Fishy, I thought you were meant to be getting the advice in this thread. :?

[Fishman Dan]

Either that or find others as unfortunate as myself - i find lowering others self-esteem doesn't make me feel too much like the 'Black Sheep' :roll:

[davidp]

I play my best when I remember to slow my swing down. I think I heard the sensation described as "swimming in molasses".

I got my swing videoed once when I wasted ( :wink: ) money on lessons, instead of more equipment. I thought to myself, "That can't be me. That moron couldn't swing to save his life." But yes, sadly, the marionette clutching the club was me.

I only have one thought after I set up for a shot now: "God, that drinks girl looks good." (Did I say that out loud?). :twisted: Well, my thought is "low and slow". And, like Amanda, with my chipping and pitching, I aim for a specific spot now instead of praying I get in the general area. Even the misses aren't as bad.

[Flowergirl]

I play my best when I remember to slow my swing down. I think I heard the sensation described as "swimming in molasses".

I got my swing videoed once when I wasted ( :wink: ) money on lessons, instead of more equipment. I thought to myself, "That can't be me. That moron couldn't swing to save his life." But yes, sadly, the marionette clutching the club was me.

I only have one thought after I set up for a shot now: "God, that drinks girl looks good." (Did I say that out loud?). :twisted: Well, my thought is "low and slow". And, like Amanda, with my chipping and pitching, I aim for a specific spot now instead of praying I get in the general area. Even the misses aren't as bad.

Gees I'm a dropkick. I read that and thought - gee his grammer is bad. Then I realised he wasn't talking about his wife!!!