Top 10 tips

not necessarily your own top ten tips, but perhaps we can compile some here.

the best tip I was given, was as simple as they come. choose a target line, then trace that back and pick a mark or bit of grass or something right in front of the ball to take your line from and square the clubhead up to that. when my game is on, this alignment tip makes all the difference.

When pitching from up to 100 yards, aim to land the ball on the top of the flag.

Always, always, always follow through (even if you duff it) on greenside bunker shots.

In the breeze swing with eeze

The best and only tip I've ever listened to is 'never trust a golfing tip.'

oldparwin wrote:In the breeze swing with eeze

Yeah, that's a good one as well.

When putting; See the line..... and let it go.

that sounds a bit Hollywood hemingway

its amazing how in the wind the tendancy and natural inclination is to rip it.

Arnold Palmer used to say " hit it hard go find it and hit it again"

It's a simple one but it never ceases to amaze me how many people don't seem to heed it.

Enjoy yourself.

barragan wrote:that sounds a bit Hollywood hemingway

That's my style, barragan. I do the bull dance and feel the flow.

Never stand behind a horse.

Be up.

Trust your swing.
Don't dwell on bad shots
Develop a consistent pre shot routine

ALWAYS make sure you are looking at the ball at the moment of impact, regardless of the type of shot.

Always fully commit to the shot.

Always play for money when playing against JAS

Don't take on D4S on his course!!

play competitions as freely as you practise.... and practise with as much focus as you play competitions

Keep your left arm straight.

I can't claim to be a huge fan of Johnny Miller, commentator, but have no doubt he was a great golfer. There is a 2-3 minute clip on You Tube of him describing 3 key points about striking the ball. Best simple tips I've seen.

2 tops tips:

Cheer loudly at 8pm each Saturday to fool the neighbours into thinking you have won the Lottery.

Save a fortune on laundry bills by giving your dirty shirts to Oxfam. They will wash and iron them and you can buy them back for 50p.

Don't play golf with Mac, you'll have to give him a lift home.

Don't eat brambles on a golf course unless they are above 6 foot.

super_realist wrote:Don't play golf with Mac, you'll have to give him a lift home.

I always knew something had gone on between you two......

Doon the Water wrote:Don't eat brambles on a golf course unless they are above 6 foot.

Hmm. Do you mean the blackberries on the brambles Doon? Sounds painful otherwise!

They are brambles in Scotland, Navy. Just like raspberries grow on a raspberry bush

Doon the Water wrote:They are brambles in Scotland, Navy. Just like raspberries grow on a raspberry bush

OK. Keep your hair on! Everywhere I know of describes the plant as a bramble and the berry as a blackberry.

Never pick up a discarded golf towel -- you don't know where it's been !

Guess you must have played behind Tarka then Plunky

I used to pick up all sorts of discarded items until I read his story !

navyblueshorts wrote:

Doon the Water wrote:They are brambles in Scotland, Navy. Just like raspberries grow on a raspberry bush

OK. Keep your hair on! Everywhere I know of describes the plant as a bramble and the berry as a blackberry.

Stop being so touchy Navy.
I am sure that I have seen Bramble jelly for sale at English summer fetes.
When people call it blackberry they get it confused with blackcurrant.

Takes one to know one and all that. You're right re. 'bramble jelly' at fetes etc so I'll give you that one. Mind you, not surprised that people are thick enough to confuse a blackcurrant with a blackberry.

Navy - are you calling me thick! Grrr! Grrr! (Reference D4S Anything Goes for people taking exception to innocuous comments)

Me? Nah...

Only play for money if your sure you can win

Has anyone on here ever read the Harvey Pennick book that is a collection of the notes from a notepad he used while teaching? I am not saying you should try to implement them all, or even any of them, but as far as teaching books go it is an interesting read.

Mac

I believe there are two - red and green - I have read the red one. One of the comments in there goes along the lines of "the older I get the better teacher I become. This must be true because more and more of my pupils can hit the ball out of my eyesight!"

On tips - never think "don't" (don't hit it there, don't slice it etc) because it will always bring that thing to mind. If I say "don't think of the colour blue" what do you think of?

oldparwin wrote:Only play for money if your sure you can win

Haha.. so basically, never play for money - I don't think anyone is ever sure they can win? I play for money every week in my regular fourball, but really money is just the tangible representation of bragging rights for the next 7 days.

Tip I was given - when playing a low pitch and run (yes I know the run is implied), imagine your left wrist is in a plaster cast. Works for me.

On chip n run shots I often seem to get a disproportionate amount of check, curtailing the run and making me look a plank!

I know you can't see my efforts but any ideas around this and the fix? Or is it a simple hit it harder (cue me launching it through the back!)

Roller_Coaster wrote:On chip n run shots I often seem to get a disproportionate amount of check, curtailing the run and making me look a plank!

I know you can't see my efforts but any ideas around this and the fix? Or is it a simple hit it harder (cue me launching it through the back!)

What club do you choose to use for your chip-n-runs?

a 7iron is the weapon of first choice.

I do try 6 & 5 and they do (obviously) have less spin, but seem to generate disproportionately less feel.

Although given I'm so pants with the 7 that should be the least of my concern.

Odd. I was just curious if you were using, say, a gap wedge off the back foot. Surprised a 7-iron would check up so much. Dare I say, hit it harder?
Even if you were chopping down hard with a 7-iron I would have expected the basic shoot forward of the ball to pretty much overpower any excessive spin on it.
Would it be worth trying a different ball? One which gives less spin on the short game shots? Course, would you want to give up the control from your pitching game?

With a 7-iron & no spin, you simply toe down the club.

This ensures you don't catch it in the sweet spot & it rolls too far.

SetupDeterminesTheMotion wrote:With a 7-iron & no spin, you simply toe down the club.

This ensures you don't catch it in the sweet spot & it rolls too far.

That is a great tip for a very fast shortish put, hit the ball off the toe of the putter.

Roller_Coaster wrote:On chip n run shots I often seem to get a disproportionate amount of check, curtailing the run and making me look a plank!

I know you can't see my efforts but any ideas around this and the fix? Or is it a simple hit it harder (cue me launching it through the back!)

try using your putting technique but with the 7 iron.

Maybe at this time of year your greens are too soft to play a chip and run

I play a lot of chip and runs (it's probably an age thing). I do not have a specific club that I use, it all depends on how far off the green I am and the length of grass there. eg. 2ft off the green I might play a 3 iron but if 10ft off the green, I could well use a 7 or 8 iron. Always with the putter stoke, in the air for a third of the distance and let it roll out.

Hitting the putter off the toe - blimey - I have only just managed to work out how to hit it out the middle.

My old man taught me with these words - Watch what I do, copy what I do and hit it as hard as you can towards the green. Thanks Pop - I have never given my swing another thought other than that.

Cheers all. Fortunately my lofted chipping with wedges has been good all year so I have been up and downing quite well, but would like to develop this often more sensible shot.

I have tried the putter stroke but may need to practise a whole host more (when it's warmer!) as it doesn't feel great in my hands with a lofted club.

Forgive my lack of understanding but does "toe down the club" mean hood/close down the face a bit taking the grooves off square?