Love Golf?

[passedpawn]

Just bought new shoes. My old shoes felt like the wrong size... Because they were. 12 wide instead of 13 wide.

Got some New Balance golf shoes, which fit us wide feet folks, in the correct 13 2E size. Makes walking 18 much more bearable.

They're spikeless though, so when I start wearing out the tread I guess I'll just have to buy a new pair...

I always buy shoes one size too big, and 4E width on Zappos. This is due to an arthritic great toe that must have the space, lest I be hobbled and walk like Quasimodo. Zappos makes it easy to find these wide sizes.

I don't think I bought my golf shoes there though. Not sure where. But they are roomy, just the way my angry toe likes it. In fact, I will get the exact same shoes when I wear these out. Lovejoy.

 

[passedpawn]

I've been researching tennis elbow quite a bit now... From what I understand, what you're looking at is golfer's elbow. Tennis elbow is on the upper/outside of the forearm, golfer's elbow is on the under/inside of the forearm.

This is really bothering me. From reading some golf forums talking about it, it sounds like a lot of people have it much worse than me. But I need to get a handle on it.

I found (through the forums) the Super 7 Exercises for Tennis Elbow. Basically some simple stretching and light weight forearm strengthening exercises. So I'm going to try to go through those a couple times a day. Also thinking about adding turmeric supplements to my daily regimen as a natural anti-inflammatory.

But the stuff I read on the golf forums it scared the hell out of me to the point where I realized I need to take this seriously. It's not going to just "go away" like other various aches and pains.

Getting old sucks.

Just eat lots of yellow curry. BTW, if you decide to cook with fresh turmeric root, it'll change the color of any plastics. Well, I say "change", my wife says "OMFG, you f****** ruined the g**d*** nylon cookware and the f****** food processor". (the appropriate response is "meh, I like the new color").

I take two alieve before I do anything like golf or tennis. Mostly for back, not other parts.

 

[Kee]

I've been researching tennis elbow quite a bit now...

But the stuff I read on the golf forums it scared the hell out of me to the point where I realized I need to take this seriously. It's not going to just "go away" like other various aches and pains.

Getting old sucks.

My early days of golf led to tendinitis (or tendinosis) of the left elbow. It never was severe, and it doesn't really bother me now, but it never completely went away either. Attempting to lock out my left elbow on the swing probably did the most damage, but the quantity of balls I hit was surly a contributing factor.

The rehabilitation exercises should help after the acute inflammation subsides.

 

[passedpawn]

Boys and I had a beautiful day at Westchase Golf Club.

 

[applescrap]

Havent played in idk 2 or 3 weeks, sucks. Snowed and then it stayed. Finally clear, but hit some good shots last time. Hit a splendid 258 yard 3 wood to 8 feet for eagle. Missed putt. Do you know this joke...You know how to make an eagle? You make the putt. Been too long since I had the real joy of telling that one. Firm cool ground we can hit some far ones here. My 3 wood in florida goes 190.

Talk about walk a mile in a mans shoes. I wear 12 4e. Sorry to hear passed. Sounds like you manage that well. My fil has that from years of skiing the back of vail. Hes tough as hell and that one hurts. Ugh these narrow leather fj I got with some tourney book money hurt. My feet have been described as hobbit.

Mom gave me samsung watch for xmas. I love it and bought golf app to track my shots and give me illegal club advice oh and wife gave me net so I might wood shed a little, set up simulator maybe
...?!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Great day for golf. Managed 6 pars and a birdie. Of course I finished +18 sure to a few blow up holes. Still good times.

 

[passedpawn]

Great day for golf. Managed 6 pars and a birdie. Of course I finished +18 sure to a few blow up holes. Still good times.

I finished right at an even 100 today. Dammit. So many little missed oppos to keep it at 2 digits.

Tarpon Springs Golf Course. My youngest boy (at flag, below) loves it because it is wide open - very few places to lose a ball here. It's just OK in my book. Every time we play there we see this bald eagle. I caught it on the video below.

 

[applescrap]

Cool man. Nice video. Good shooting guys. I played good. Birdied 5, never do that its 194 back there. The golf app golf pad is really cool, tried to mark shots and all that but didnt keep up. With gps flyover, easy to mark shots and see how far they were hit. Honestly having fun going through this course I supposedly know so well because I play it all the time. Haha, found out I have been aiming away from bunkers I could never reach. The first hole I have been fearing this right bunker. Its 290 out, and all but out of reach unless I was trying to slam one for some reason. Watch was ok , but the Garmin's was easier and less tricky for this single purpose. Might have to retry using it.

 

[user 246304]

Tried to remember the old Sam Snead saying, to grip the club like you would a baby bird. Firm enough that it won't fly away, but not so hard that you harm it.

Have no idea how I got here but wasn't aware so many of you golf. Then saw this quote and I laughed. Sam Snead is a famous golfer, I'm guessing? (I can only hear your collective derision).

I fenced as a kid. My teacher was Albert Urenda, originally from India (if you've ever seen the movie The Great Race, Master Urenda did the actual swordplay in the "castle duel.".

In my early lessons with foil, this was the exact line he used with me. My young eyes venerated the man who intoned this with his E. Indian accent, his breath of onions, a kind face and patient soul. It seemed all so exotic and sagacious. It was truly a lifelong lesson that found application in many places.

Now I find out it comes from a guy called Sam Snead.

 

[passedpawn]

Have no idea how I got here but wasn't aware so many of you golf. Then saw this quote and I laughed. Sam Snead is a famous golfer, I'm guessing? (I can only hear your collective derision).

I fenced as a kid. My teacher was Albert Urenda, originally from India (if you've ever seen the movie The Great Race, Master Urenda did the actual swordplay in the "castle duel.".

In my early lessons with foil, this was the exact line he used with me. My young eyes venerated the man who intoned this with his E. Indian accent, his breath of onions, a kind face and patient soul. It seemed all so exotic and sagacious. It was truly a lifelong lesson that found application in many places.

Now I find out it comes from a guy called Sam Snead.

Golfer Chi Chi Rodgriguez was famous for using his club like a sword after a good putt. Not sure he's handling it like a fledgling though.

 

[Kee]

Have no idea how I got here but wasn't aware so many of you golf. Then saw this quote and I laughed. Sam Snead is a famous golfer, I'm guessing? (I can only hear your collective derision).

Just by coincidence, I watched a youtube match (although it was stroke play) between Snead and Nicklaus yesterday. (1963 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf). Snead was past 50, Nicklaus was 22 or 23. It came down to the last putt.

Paddy Harrington has an excellent video on how to grip the club that I've watched multiple times, partly for the entertainment value. A good portion of the lesson is convincing anyone watching that unless you have the proper grip, you are doomed to lead a life of misery, at least on the golf course.

 

[passedpawn]

Just by coincidence, I watched a youtube match (although it was stroke play) between Snead and Nicklaus yesterday. (1963 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf). Snead was past 50, Nicklaus was 22 or 23. It came down to the last putt.

Paddy Harrington has an excellent video on how to grip the club that I've watched multiple times, partly for the entertainment value. A good portion of the lesson is convincing anyone watching that unless you have the proper grip, you are doomed to lead a life of misery, at least on the golf course.

Every time he described what you SHOULDN'T do, and why, and the result, he was describing me. Frick, got to get to the range today and work on my grip.

 

[user 246304]

Golfer Chi Chi Rodgriguez was famous for using his club like a sword after a good putt. Not sure he's handling it like a fledgling though.

HAHAHA!!!!

That's awesome, Andy. What a character. Thanks for that.

 

[Kee]

Every time he described what you SHOULDN'T do, and why, and the result, he was describing me. Frick, got to get to the range today and work on my grip.

I've played with a bad grip and made compensations because of it, but I'm determined now to do things the easy way. A proper grip simplifies the swing.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Every time he described what you SHOULDN'T do, and why, and the result, he was describing me. Frick, got to get to the range today and work on my grip.

I was happy... I grabbed a club from the garage and based on everything he was saying, my grip is textbook.

What do you guys like? Interlock, overlap, or baseball? I'm an interlock guy myself.

 

[passedpawn]

I was happy... I grabbed a club from the garage and based on everything he was saying, my grip is textbook.

What do you guys like? Interlock, overlap, or baseball? I'm an interlock guy myself.

I used to be an interlock. For 10 yrs I played with that grip. Then I took some time off (raised some kids) and when I got back into it, baseball. Maybe I'll go back to it.

I just walked out and swung a club. Turns out, my standard grip is per Padrig's recommendation - I don't palm it, as he warned against. So, maybe I'm not so far off after all.

 

[Kee]

I was happy... I grabbed a club from the garage and based on everything he was saying, my grip is textbook.

What do you guys like? Interlock, overlap, or baseball? I'm an interlock guy myself.

I used an interlock for years (probably because Jack Nicklaus's book was one of the first I read) but had to switch to an overlap when my right pinkie was bothering me.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

When I started getting serious about golf in my teen years, I was overlap. I don't know when exactly I switched to the interlock, but it just felt more natural to me.

It's weird. If I grab a baseball bat, I have to consciously tell myself not to interlock!

 

[applescrap]

Awesome story. Cool you got to study with a master. I realized later that a few music teachers I had are masters (lucky) and that some of the things they taught me were in part their presence. I would love to get into that, I tried it once with electric touches on the tips and it was fun as hell. She blew my mind teaching me a little wrist hit was a point. Makes sense, thinking a sword hits your hand and wrist, probably gonna be a serious issue in battle. She could kiss that tip at any moment all over a person. Someone here was into kendo that looks fun being honest.

Sam was a fantastic stick and athlete. Self taught he stated the swing was simply that soft grip key and tempo. He led on with that pleasant hillbilly routine but he was way smarter than that and knew a lot about the swing. He was known as a good teacher.

Reminds me of a story Harvey Penick the great teacher and golfer tells. His book the little red book is known as one of the best lessons on grip, in case you didnt know, and that would be strong leaning as well which hopefully everyone knows. He tells this story about how he was giving a speech at a dinner or something and someone said look at harvey, he is holding that golf club like a fine violin. Cant quite recall where he goes but I know it included the idea of a club being a fine instrument. I knew the feeling well, after idk 15 years of playing guitar I started feeling it. A touch and a feel on the instrument that is part and paramount to playing iron maiden or Luis bonfa. Piano as well. I bet everyone has this touch on something, a kitchen knife, a cigar, a wrench.

I don't have that with the club. I want more feel, I think one should feel the club head back there, like a weight on a rod. Idk if it's my big hands or if I need a little tape on the clubs to help. I felt a heavy head once and liked it.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I don't have that with the club. I want more feel, I think one should feel the club head back there, like a weight on a rod. Idk if it's my big hands or if I need a little tape on the clubs to help. I felt a heavy head once and liked it.

I think that's part of the reason I ended up with such heavy clubs when I was fit 20 years ago. I had major tempo problems when trying to swing lighter clubs. I even have steel shafts in my driver because every time I tried to pick up a graphite-shafted driver it felt like I was swinging air.

I suspect that might be one of the changes that comes with my next set of clubs though... I think I might be able to go lighter and now that I'm a little older and more mature (and probably won't be trying to swing so hard) maintain a good tempo even with a lighter club. But I doubt I'll ever go "light" relative to average...

 

[mullet6577]

Managed to get a round in week before last while visiting my parents. First time touching a club since around the same time last year. Started birdie,par,bogey,birdie...went downhill from there but ended up shooting 90 after starting the back on an 8.
Since grip has been mentioned recently, here's what a bad grip will do (this was one round on this glove, and it started tearing around 11)

 

[Kee]

I played again yesterday, same course (Woodland Hills) same tees (seniors), and had a nice, enjoyable round. The seniors' group (usually 8 to 10 guys) my friend plays in invited me into their game of skins and "greenies" and joked that they may have to negotiate down my tentative handicap (I netted 3 dollars). My iron play is still a work in progress my chipping sucked,( I putted everything I could from way off the green), but drove the ball ok and made some putts.

Should I mention that the long layoff has actually improved my course management skills? Probably not, the golf gods may be listening, but I used to go for every pin, now I don't hesitate to bail out to the safe side.

I really like the "new" irons I was trying out, (well worn Mizuno MP-60, circa 2007 or thereabouts, too cheap on ebay to pass up). Now, if I can just hit them on the course the way I do on the driving range . . .

 

[passedpawn]

I played again yesterday, same course (Woodland Hills) same tees (seniors), and had a nice, enjoyable round. The seniors' group (usually 8 to 10 guys) my friend plays in invited me into their game of skins and "greenies" and joked that they may have to negotiate down my tentative handicap (I netted 3 dollars). My iron play is still a work in progress my chipping sucked,( I putted everything I could from way off the green), but drove the ball ok and made some putts.

Should I mention that the long layoff has actually improved my course management skills? Probably not, the golf gods may be listening, but I used to go for every pin, now I don't hesitate to bail out to the safe side.

I really like the "new" irons I was trying out, (well worn Mizuno MP-60, circa 2007 or thereabouts, too cheap on ebay to pass up). Now, if I can just hit them on the course the way I do on the driving range . . .

Have you considered one of these? It is GREAT for me from within 20 yds of green.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/love-golf.626122/post-8825864

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Should I mention that the long layoff has actually improved my course management skills? Probably not, the golf gods may be listening, but I used to go for every pin, now I don't hesitate to bail out to the safe side.

I found that as well. My first game back in July [5 year layoff, 1-2 rounds/year for the years before then] I just took 5 iron off every tee except obviously the par 3s. I did a great job keeping the ball in play. I had a round this past weekend where the 9th hole is a short par 4 (~315 yards), but you have to either carry 220 off the tee or the smarter play is to lay up WELL short of a creek to avoid a downhill lie. I played that hole with a PW off the tee and a 5 iron into the green, and made bogey with a chance at a reasonable par putt (~14 feet and mostly flat). If I'd pulled driver off the tee I might have had the exact same chance at par/bogey, but a MUCH higher likelihood of a ball in the hazard, OOB, in the 1st fairway, etc.

I really like the "new" irons I was trying out, (well worn Mizuno MP-60, circa 2007 or thereabouts, too cheap on ebay to pass up). Now, if I can just hit them on the course the way I do on the driving range . . .

"Range me" could damn near break 80 lol!

 

[Kee]

Have you considered one of these? It is GREAT for me from within 20 yds of green.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/love-golf.626122/post-8825864

That looks interesting, but my plan A is to actually practice chipping. There's really no excuse for my lack of practice, since I have room in my backyard and time on my hands.

 

[Kee]

I found that as well. My first game back in July [5 year layoff, 1-2 rounds/year for the years before then] I just took 5 iron off every tee except obviously the par 3s. I did a great job keeping the ball in play.

I didn't carry a fairway wood in my bag, that helped my decision making process and probably saved me a couple of strokes, since I would have been tempted to go for at least one par 5.

 

[Novacor]

Santa came a little bit late, now I just need to wait for the weather to change so I can try out my new toy.

 

[user 246304]

I've played with a bad grip and made compensations because of it, but I'm determined now to do things the easy way. A proper grip simplifies the swing.

This is a reach but you've all got me intrigued with your approaches to grip. Some if you may know this already but in kenjutsu or kendo (any Japanese swordsmanship with two-hand grip. Iaido, the "way of the draw," typically gets there, but starts with an explosive, simultaneous draw-cut with right hand, usually finished with one or more two-handed "finishing strikes" or when encountering multiple armed opponents), the emphasis is a kind of "squeezing" the sword, something like a wet towel, hands "screwing in" towards each other to say it clumsily, base knuckles of both index fingers lining up more or less along the rear of the tsuka or handle, in line with the mune or rear/spine of the blade. The index fingers extend slightly forward, as if "joining" the blade itself. Unlike a chopping instrument, you cut more with the feeling drawing and extending, something like fly-casting - slicing through the arc. The strength is really in your pinkies through your right and middle, with the indexes quite loose, floating almost. Your power is through the left hand and your guidance is through the right. This is all rough approximation.

Any comparisons with any of the grip approaches you're discussing?

 

[user 246304]

Just curious, but anyone golf Half Moon Bay?

 

[Kee]

The strength is really in your pinkies through your right and middle, with the indexes quite loose, floating almost. Your power is through the left hand and your guidance is through the right. This is all rough approximation.

Any comparisons with any of the grip approaches you're discussing?

Most golf instructors would not argue with Ben Hogan that the left hand grip is mostly felt in the pinkie and two middle fingers, the right hand grip mostly in the middle two fingers. (He preached that power was in the right hand, but that the right hand would take over too soon if the grip was wrong). Hogan had a drill where he'd swing the club with his right thumb and index finger off the club to minimize their influence. His first book, Five Lessons, the Modern Fundamentals of Golf, had several pages and a lot of detail devoted to the grip and most of it holds up, but there are some top players today that fall outside the range that Hogan would have recommended. (Dustin Johnson's done ok with a strong right hand grip. He's the number 1 player in the world).

To be clear, unconventional grips can work, as long as the wrists are hinging properly and the clubhead is delivered back to the ball the same on every swing. But most instructors would not know how to help you if your unconventional style stopped working. Paul Azinger had (at the time) what was considered a crazy strong left hand grip and was lucky enough to go to an instructor that realized it worked for Paul's swing. The instructor (I don't remember who it was) told Paul that he'd only take him as a student if he did NOT change his grip.