Fore!

[RedTop]

Rip,

Yep! Would it be differant...sure. But it's distance a direction. Once you know how far you hit it...with each club....it then becomes a matter of execution.

By todays standards on the PGA tour.....I hit it short. On the Champions tour....I would be in the top 20 in driving distance average. I keep track of that stuff almost everytime I play. Not just when I'm hitting it good.

Here's a breakdown...maybe this will help...who knows...

Driver - 280 average. I've hit it 350 and 220. Depends on wind...fairway conditions....downhill up hill wet dry...But I average about 280.
3 wood off the tee about 250. Fairway 235 is about all I'll carry it.
2 Hybrid carry 210 max
3 hybrid 195 carry max
4 hybrid 185 carry max
5 iron 175 max carry
6 iron 167 carry max
7 iron 158 carry max
8 iron 147 carry max
9 iron 135 carry max
PW 120 carry max
52* GW 107 carry max
56* SW 92 carry max

All these distances are when I hit it flush and hit it pretty much all I got. My distances are right at the same as Loren Roberts (Champions tour). I am a short hitter by todays standards. But I for the most part hit it real straight. If I have a real go to shot it is a very slight fade.

The Pros can hit it a long ways. Now could they play with some persimmons woods and hit it as long? Nope. Thats why golf Courses are so long now. Not because they just like long courses , its because technology has put distances with clubs (drivers especially ) way out there. When you see a J.B. Holmes or Bubba Watson bomb it out there 353 yards it's because of technology. They could hit a wood Wood far...but not like that. So when people can hit it like that it makes golf courses of the older days....easier. So they say anyway.

Todays game...and mind you this is my opinion only  , on the PGA tour is really almost one dimensional. Hit it FARRRRR and no matter where it goes.....hit it FAR again. Balls go further. They Spin less and carry long. Mind you those guys are great players...but the old days of really working the ball and hitting more shots are gone.   

Tiger is #1 cause he has all the skills. He can hit it long...but chooses to go at it about 85 percent most of the time. He has had to learn that to. When he first came out he just hit everything hard. Now he can make shots and play finess much much better than anyone out there. His distance control is awsome.

They all know how to hit a hook or fade when they wat to...but each have a go to shot that they play pretty much all the time.

Technology has changed the game alot.....but no matter how much technology there is....if you can't do something with some consistancy...and some understanding......then it makes not that much differance.

This is why the average scores now days are the same as they were years and years ago. USGA says that the average is still in the high 90's. I beleive that's right. SO....Practice....is what it takes to get better....and even MORE practice is what it takes to get to the top 5 percent of golfers.....which shoot in the 70's pretty much all the time.

Stang should have some good input here as well...the guy seems to know WAY more than I about Golf.
 

[Ripsnort]

Great post and I enjoyed reading it, and learned alot. Thanks Redtop!  If you ever make it to the Pacific Northwest, we'll have to tee-it up together. 

[Gixer]

Only ever played a few dozen rounds of golf in my life. All at St Andrews, and all for free. Much to the dismay of most golfers when I tell them this..   




<S>...-Gixer

[RedTop]

Only ever played a few dozen rounds of golf in my life. All at St Andrews, and all for free. Much to the dismay of most golfers when I tell them this..   

(Image removed from quote.)


<S>...-Gixer

Thats even more a reason to shoot you in this game....when I can anyway

[Gixer]

To explain further in my early 20's I was fortunate to land a job for 6 months working in the Road Hole Bar at the Old Course Hotel. Fun place to work, with a fantastic selection of over 150 single malts. Not to mention the 180deg view of the 17th and the young girls working next door in the main restaurant. 

Win win situation really. Girls + Whisky = never a lonely night.  Rich customers + Whisky = free golf. 

St Andrews is fantastic if a little windy at times. And I had a blast during my time in Scotland.

Four!  No one bothers in St Andrews with that call, can't hear a thing over the wind.


<S>...-Gixer

[midnight Target]

The last time I played I was treated to a round of golf at Oak Quarry in California. One of our 4-some had a great golf story.

He took his 12 year old son to a seniors tourney (I think it was at Torrey Pines). I guess kids line up after the 18th green to get the pros to sign a hat or whatever. His kid calls out to Fuzzy Zoeller, who had a horrible day. Fuzzy walks over to the kid and asks him if he plays golf. The kid says yes. Fuzzy then reaches into his bag, pulls out his whole set of irons and hands them to the kid saying, "maybe these will work better for you".

True story. His kid still uses those clubs.

[RedTop]

Just thought I'd share my recent hcp scores.....I've played more...but I don't always keep the score so sometimes my playing companions don't turn em in. it only shows 80 rounds posted in GHIN. I know since last September I have played prolly 150-200 rounds.

 Texas Golf Association
The Golf Club at Star Ranch
Hcp. 0.0
Effective 06/20/2008  

Score History

Date Score CR/Slope  Diff.
7/08  66 70.1/117   - 4.0  
7/08  69 70.1/117   - 1.1  
7/08  71 70.1/117     0.9  
7/08  74 70.1/117     3.8  
7/08  68 70.1/117   - 2.0  
6/08  72 70.1/117     1.8  
6/08  70 73.5/130   - 3.0  
6/08  72 70.1/117     1.8  
6/08  66 70.1/117   - 4.0  
6/08  73 70.1/117     2.8  
6/08  72 73.5/130   - 1.3  
6/08  79 72.3/122     6.2  
6/08  69 70.1/117   - 1.1  
6/08  70 73.5/130   - 3.0  
6/08  79 73.5/130     4.8  
6/08  74 70.1/117     3.8  
6/08  72 70.1/117     1.8  
6/08  77 73.5/130     3.0  
6/08  75 70.1/117     4.7  
6/08  71 70.1/117     0.9  

 

[RedTop]

The last time I played I was treated to a round of golf at Oak Quarry in California. One of our 4-some had a great golf story.

He took his 12 year old son to a seniors tourney (I think it was at Torrey Pines). I guess kids line up after the 18th green to get the pros to sign a hat or whatever. His kid calls out to Fuzzy Zoeller, who had a horrible day. Fuzzy walks over to the kid and asks him if he plays golf. The kid says yes. Fuzzy then reaches into his bag, pulls out his whole set of irons and hands them to the kid saying, "maybe these will work better for you".

True story. His kid still uses those clubs.

WOW.....Cool deal. I know a guy that plays on the Champions tour. Keith Fergus. Anyway they played here in Austin and I went to all the rounds and followed Keith throughout the tourney. The last day I wacthed a bit of O'Mera playing as he was behind Fergus. As players exited the scorers tent there was an area where all the kids could get autographs and stuff. There were several players there signing and stuff. O'mera hadn't played well and when he came out of the tent looked at the line...and stormed off the other direction. I was really suprised. IHe hadn't played all that bad but was really a jerk as he left. People saying hello and stuff and he didn't even say a word. I talked to Keith a while and wacthed as the pros came off and almost ALL of them were very nice and appreciated the fact that so many lil kids and grown ups as well were there to wait for them.

 

[ODBAL]

The last time I played I was treated to a round of golf at Oak Quarry in California. One of our 4-some had a great golf story.

He took his 12 year old son to a seniors tourney (I think it was at Torrey Pines). I guess kids line up after the 18th green to get the pros to sign a hat or whatever. His kid calls out to Fuzzy Zoeller, who had a horrible day. Fuzzy walks over to the kid and asks him if he plays golf. The kid says yes. Fuzzy then reaches into his bag, pulls out his whole set of irons and hands them to the kid saying, "maybe these will work better for you".

True story. His kid still uses those clubs.

Fantastic story!

[ODBAL]

A few months back my son finally gave in to my begging that he take up Golf.  He is 16 and has played baseball so he took to it quite well.  First thing I did was got him some lessons, and a good set of clubs (Hibore Driver, Nike CCI Irons).  Today we played our first "real" golf together.  18 holes, we played a 2 man scramble at a fairly tough course and shot a 78.  It was great, both had a really good time and we even managed to use a few of his shots!

[Banshee7]

My dad, brother, girlfriend and I went golfing today.  My girlfriend has never touched a golf club before and after 3 holes she was hooked!  So now i'm looking for a good set of womens clubs for her

[Shane]

right now playing to about a 16 hdcp...

Ben Hogan CS-3 driver and 3 wood, Hogan #3 hybrid, Hogan FTX 4-P and Hogan Colonial wedges (49/52/56), and Hogan Baby Ben putter (actually a Betterdini, which Mizuno now owns).  Can you tell I like Ben Hogan?  Altho i do have a set of Cobra irons as back up.

I also volunteer at the Valero Texas Open - for the past 3 years) on hole #18 as a marshall - you know, the guy who holds up the "quiet" signs.. ironic, huh? lol...  some pros are nicer than others... Hal Sutton and Lee Janzen are two of the more cranky ones.  Saw Daly choke last year, but the playoff between Justin Leonard and Jesper Parnevik was awesome.

[RedTop]

Shane,

If you ever get up to Austin Area and want to play.....Let me know via PM here. I play at a nice course. Be fun to play sometime and beat you like you beat me on AH

[RedTop]

A few months back my son finally gave in to my begging that he take up Golf.  He is 16 and has played baseball so he took to it quite well.  First thing I did was got him some lessons, and a good set of clubs (Hibore Driver, Nike CCI Irons).  Today we played our first "real" golf together.  18 holes, we played a 2 man scramble at a fairly tough course and shot a 78.  It was great, both had a really good time and we even managed to use a few of his shots!

I wish my son had of taken up the game.

[Gixer]

I wish my son had of taken up the game.

My mum says the same thing, especially when I started racing.. Even my girlfriend at the time started trying to get me into other sports when I was into singles/sidecars and speedway.

I spent months trying to get her to come along to a race, nice to have company but mainly so she could drive the van and help with the gear. After almost a year she finally came along, only for me to get run over 400 meters from the start and have my worst accident of the season. 



<S>...-Gixer