golf tip

The secret of playing consistent golf is gaining control of the ball. This can be achieved by always using up to 70% power and not using full available power. As a golfer gains confidence and control of the ball, he may increase power progressively up to a maximum of 90%. Never try to increase distance by increasing power in your swing. Simply use a longer club and hitting the ball in the same way as always, using the same power, same grip, same swing, same set up every time. Let the club decide the distance. Do not increase power in order to get more distance. Change the club to a smaller number (longer shaft and steeper face angle).

The difference in ball distance between irons is around 10 metres. Last week I tried out a 6, 7 and 8 irons at the lake side. The balls all landed around roughly the same spot; but the ball hit with a longer iron rolled further after landing. From the 100M mark I usually use an 8 iron for the green. That means I will use a 7 iron from around 110M and a 6 iron from 120M and a 5 iron from the 135M marker. At the lake side I noticed that all my balls landed in roughly the same spot but rolling 10M further with the next longer iron. Of course there are other variables to consider

like the condition of the fairways, lie, slope, bounce, wind direction etc. All these variables are outside our control. We leave these alone and control what can be controlled: our power. Then we will find that we can actually play to our handicap quite regularly, if we do not try to birdie every hole.

If I bogey every hole, I will return a score of 5x18=90 which is quite a respectable score for my handicap of 16 (+2  or 2 over.) There is no real need for an amateur to attack every single hole.