***The Official Golf Instruction/Advice Thread***

[3TrueFans]

I've been playing regularly for the first time in 15+ years, finally feel like I'm getting my full swing in the ballpark of consistency (big ballpark but whatever). Now I need to really hammer the short stuff so I can actually score something resembling respectful.

My oldest son started golfing this summer so it's been a lot of fun to get out and play some rounds with him, even if I'm not always happy with my results.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

One of the biggest passions in my life has always been golf. I've never been able to play enough to get as good at it as I'd like to, but still love the game with a passion, and have always wanted to get better.

So outside of taking expensive lessons, like many others, I've resorted to youtube videos, etc to try to improve. But there are so many out there, I was just wanting to start a thread where people could post videos that have actually worked for them, or advice they've received that have worked for them.

My entire life, all the way back to high school, I've been a mid to upper 80's golfer, so probably somewhere around a 12 handicap I'd guess? But I'd love to shoot in the 70's consistently and get to a single digit handicap.

So to start this off..... one of the better tips I've received was to not aim down the middle of the fairway and try to hit a straight shot off the tee. That's what I used to always tend to do, but now I almost always tee the ball on the left side of the tee and aim down the right side of the fairway and try to play a draw, or I tee it up on the right side of the tee and aim down the left side of the fairway and try to hit a fade. Aiming down the middle and trying to hit it straight rarely works because the ball hardly ever goes dead straight, and so the ball ends up either hooking or slicing a bit and you end up missing the fairway left or right.

If you are able to draw or fade the ball, not hook or slice, then you have no issue, and simply need to choose which flight path gives you a better angle on your next shot or gets you closer to the pin on a par 3.

If you are unhappy with your flight path I would recommend Hank Haney's essentials of the golf swing book and video. Then take video of your swing at the range and compare it to his baseline.

A teacher is able to give you feedback and tips. A camera can't give you tips, but it will give you instant feedback on your swing.

 

[3TrueFans]

I've found that recording me hitting balls at the range has helped quite a bit. Not that I know much about fixing a golf swing but I could tell that I was way too steep and was all over the place. Focusing on keeping my right elbow in to my body brought my backswing down a bit and has really improved my ball striking consistency.

 

[FerShizzle]

For what it's worth, the vast majority of the PGA plays a fade when possible. Most all of the longest hitters prefer to play a fade off the tee. It's way easier to control and flies higher and lands softer.

 

[Cyclone.TV]

For what it's worth, the vast majority of the PGA plays a fade when possible. Most all of the longest hitters prefer to play a fade off the tee. It's way easier to control and flies higher and lands softer.

They are pretty straight off the tee for the most part, really.

 

[Tailg8er]

When I score I score every stroke and penalty. No gimmes. I get about 100 and hear how bad that is. According to PGA only about half of regular golfers can break 100.

Just broke 100 for the first time ever a couple weeks ago, felt pretty good.

I've had major slice issues with the driver, best fix I found was rotating my grip. I roll my hands to the right (right-handed) so the knuckles on my left hand are visible, and as long as I can remember not to try to kill it, it usually goes straight.

I also have had the issue of trying to pick the ball off the ground with irons. Once I started swinging down into the ball & 'letting the club do the work', I have gotten better contact. I don't always put the divot in front of the ball, but overall my contact has been better.

I often find myself in/behind trees, so I've had some practice with punch shots. My go-to club is the 6 iron, and I usually put it back in my stance, close the face, and take an abbreviated backswing. I've had good results.

A recent tip I've gotten on pitches/chips is to put the ball way back in my stance & put all my weight on the front foot. This was a tip from the retired father-in-law, so it's probably legit.

 

[3TrueFans]

and as long as I can remember not to try to kill it, it usually goes straight.

It's so weird how I can tell myself that over and over again and then I take a shot and sometimes my brain just goes on vacation and I try to kill it again.

 

[Tailg8er]

It's so weird how I can tell myself that over and over again and then I take a shot and sometimes my brain just goes on vacation and I try to kill it again.

Yeah, that's definitely THE hardest piece of advice to follow.

The difference for me between killing & not killing is probably only 50 yards at best, but I still usually can't help myself..

 

[bringmagicback]

They are pretty straight off the tee for the most part, really.

id say most are fading

 

[bringmagicback]

Yeah, that's definitely THE hardest piece of advice to follow.

The difference for me between killing & not killing is probably only 50 yards at best, but I still usually can't help myself..

id say for most people killing it and not killing it is about 15 yards and that is if the kill shot goes straight which it wont for an average golfer. ball striking, ball position, and ball stance are much more important than 10mph swing speed. let the club do the work.

 

[AgronAlum]

My recommendation whenever you golf is to not drink while you're doing it. You will shoot better than you would otherwise. Guaranteed.

 

[Rural]

I've found that recording me hitting balls at the range has helped quite a bit. Not that I know much about fixing a golf swing but I could tell that I was way too steep and was all over the place. Focusing on keeping my right elbow in to my body brought my backswing down a bit and has really improved my ball striking consistency.

Beware of video of your golf swing, when I saw mine I almost puked.

 

[cymac2408]

I took a golf vacation school once for about a week. A week long of playing golf with an instructor (working around the greens, putting, driving ranges learning clubs distances). I had great instructions the whole time. However, the best instruction I received all week was at the end when I was leaving. I asked my instructor what was one piece of advice that he could leave me with. He said, "yeah, when you get home sell your golf clubs at a garage sale."

 

[clonedude]

They are pretty straight off the tee for the most part, really.

From watching those shot tracers they have now, I'd say that hardly any pros hit dead straight ever.

It seems to me about 60% draw the ball, and 40% fade it. But some of the best golfers ever have been faders.... Nicklaus and Tiger. Dustin Johnson also fades it off the tee, which is incredible for how far he hits it. That means he'd probably even hit it further if he played a draw, but wouldn't be able to control it as much.

 

[RealisticCy]

Find a swing that produces a consistent ball flight, whether that be a fade or draw, and play for it. Focus on swinging at about 85% and making good contact. Stay out of trouble off the tee, and practice the hell outta your short game: lag putting, chipping, and pitching saves so many damn strokes.

 

[Cyclone.TV]

From watching those shot tracers they have now, I'd say that hardly any pros hit dead straight ever.

It seems to me about 60% draw the ball, and 40% fade it. But some of the best golfers ever have been faders.... Nicklaus and Tiger. Dustin Johnson also fades it off the tee, which is incredible for how far he hits it. That means he'd probably even hit it further if he played a draw, but wouldn't be able to control it as much.

well I guess in my opinion, if the ball moves less than 5 yards, it's straight. If you call anything that moves a cut/draw, then we don't have a straight ball to begin with. Tour guys hit it straight. They may move it on certain holes, but generally they will hit it straight.

And tiger hit a draw early in his career, then a fade after.

 

[enisthemenace]

My recommendation whenever you golf is to not drink while you're doing it. You will shoot better than you would otherwise. Guaranteed.

False...at least for me. I play my best golf in the 4-9 beer range. Still decent up to about 11, but falls off steeply from there

 

[FerShizzle]

well I guess in my opinion, if the ball moves less than 5 yards, it's straight. If you call anything that moves a cut/draw, then we don't have a straight ball to begin with. Tour guys hit it straight. They may move it on certain holes, but generally they will hit it straight.

And tiger hit a draw early in his career, then a fade after.

This is wrong. They are almost always planning on a cut or draw when aligning a shot.

Also, a nearly straight cut is not the same shot as a nearly straight draw. They fly different into and with the wind and land differently on the green.

 

[Cyclone.TV]

This is wrong. They are almost always planning on a cut or draw when aligning a shot.

Also, a nearly straight cut is not the same shot as a nearly straight draw. They fly different into and with the wind and land differently on the green.

Are you talking irons into greens? I'm talking drivers, and yes they hit it pretty damn straight. There are exceptions.

 

[FerShizzle]

Are you talking irons into greens? I'm talking drivers, and yes they hit it pretty damn straight. There are exceptions.

I'm talking all shots (not including short irons and wedges). I know there are exceptions. I think it's Jim Furyk who is known for almost always playing a straight shot. Jason Day plays a pretty straight ball off the tee. But in general, most of the guys on tour are aiming at the edges (usually the safe side to miss at) of the greens and fairways and shaping the ball over to its desired landing spot. It's the safest way to play difficult courses with extreme penalties for missing in the wrong spots.

They shape shots with their driver, woods, and long irons much more than their short irons and wedges, which are probably a pretty straight ball flight.