Wormkiller

Taking up competitive golf this year has been a huge lesson in humility for me. It really is a totally different game compared to social rounds. Playing to the exact rules under pressure has shown me, to be honest, that I'm a lot worse at golf than I thought I was. Its hit my self-esteem at times when I think of all the hours and money I've put in to improving and yet I can still be prone to shooting high 100+ scores. Its also made me appreciate and enjoy the process of trying to improve. I love practicing - its never a chore. Its something I genuinely love to do more than any other hobby I have. I'll never give in. Its making me more resilient.

Who are the greatest under and over performers in the history of The Ryder Cup? How has it hurt/enhanced their legacy?

You could have used less words to let everyone you’re a flog, champ.

I've recently moved to putting while looking at the hole, and am having better success with my lag putts. Is there many people out there that use this method with success?

Hello all, I just want to shoot some hypothetical situations out there to get opinions/advice. I come across these situations often at my home course. Firstly, I'm a 18 handicapper with a 170m (187 yards) approach shot to the green on a long par 4, with the table top green surrounded by bunkers and swales. Should I lay up with a 135m 8 iron to the fairway and aim to pitch on and two putt for bogey (see below), or go for the green with my 5 hybrid, with a high chance of missing into the bunkers/surrounding swales? Secondly, a 488m (534 yards) thin par 5 and tiny table top green bunker in front and a run off into sand and roots at the back. I'm always happy to take bogey on this hole. Off the tee do I play a 3 or 5 wood and aim to keep it in play for 3 shots up the fairway (eg: 3 wood, 5 hybrid, PW to before the bunker at the front with a fourth shot pitch onto the green - see below) or risk driver off the tee and a long approach with a 3 hybrid/5 wood? Ill have more hypotheticals to throw at you. If you want specifics about my game including stats feel free to ask - I track every round on Shotscope. Cheers

Far too many variables at play in a round of golf to give a standardised response. But one thing stroke gained data shows that is indisputable - the closer the better.

While mats are generally forgiving for fat shots, if you're used to hitting well behind the ball on fluffy grass with ingrained idea of a golf swing that you're meant to try and scoop the ball up then maybe that's your problem. Post a video.

Would the player with the best short game in the world at the moment even get up and down for par laying up on par 3's most of the time? I'm not sure... To maintain a 4 handicap there's not much room for error...

The slyness of WRX’s humble braggers is becoming more impressive every post. ”I’m just a lowly 6-7”

Im not sure how hitting a few drives with a different ball and visually and subjectively noting ball flight in a sport where a few mm to either side of the sweet spot makes a massive difference to shot outcome is credible evidence to draw conclusions.

Do you practice putting at home, if so what aids do you use and how well has it transferred to the course?

I do a lot of this practice, but still I really struggle to translate it to the course.

I get more satisfaction getting a ball on a fairway and keeping the ball in play the whole way up compared to smacking a driver OB or in the trees to be honest.

Hello all. Looking for some advice. I’d love to be able to club down off the tee to guarantee myself a shot on the fairway. On holes where using my 5 Wood, 3 hybrid, 5 iron is the natural best play (because of doglegs, hazards) I hit the ball confidently. Likewise, off the fairway and range my consistency is solid with these clubs. For example, I never miss with my 5 Wood on the range. It’s so easy to hit. And my 3 hybrid is my favourite club. I love hitting it off the fairway for approach shots or long lay-ups.But when I tee off on longer, straighter holes with these clubs with the intention of just getting the ball in play, I have a tendency to hit big hooks, leaving me in a worse position than if I hit driver or 3 Wood. There is something about standing on a tee box that changes everything. Maybe I subconiously am trying to hit these clubs further, with more power than what I should be. Id love to be able to use these clubs at times to guarantee me a fairway hit (think Golf Sidekick's Way of the Playa) and set me up for bogey and a decent score for the hole for stableford, as opposed to risking a penalty using a longer club.Exhibit A: 1st hole and 10th hole at my home course are doglegs. Rarely will I miss the fairway playing 5 wood to the dogleg. Second hole is a long, thin, straight par 5. 11th hole is a long, thin par 4. More often than not I’ll massively hook my 5 wood left into the trees. It’s very frustrating.Can anyone relate and/or possibly offer advice?

Marcus’ idea of approaching practice, which he talks about in this vid, has transformed my game maybe more than anything else