MD/DC/VA Golfers - Twelve Monkeys Mental Divergence

[Sterling_247]

Speaking of Northwest, any idea on what kind of conditions to expect? I just paid up so I'll be making the 4 hour journey from Stafford

[dcmidnight]

I feel like a great event at Northwest would be in threesomes and every group gets paired up with a "NW rando".

Literally too many great NW rando stories to count in one thread.

[2moreTerpz]

i learned to play golf by being the rando at northwest. I was a 17 year old who would show up and see who i could get paired with.

[FAbb]

The side that they were using as the front 9 last I played it is essentially dead flat, low-lying land. You tee off down hill from the first tee, and don't come back up until the climb from the 9th tee to green. It's pretty much always very soft on that side. Then you get on the other 9, and the greens can get quite firm, depending on the weather. For as many rounds as it gets, the conditions there have always astonished me, in a good way.

[FAbb]

I almost forgot, the new 5 wood had a nice debut yesterday. I hit it off the tee a couple times on par 4s. I hit it off the tee on a par 3, and put it on the green. I hit it off the deck a few times. All solid results. I like the feel, and weight of the club. I do think it slots in between my hybrid and 3 wood, distance wise, from the limited sample.

[dsc123]

This hole? https://thefriedegg.com/8th-at-pinehurst-2/

 

I'm with pretty much everyone else on 2 and 4. I want another shot at 2, but that might be it. 4 blew me away. I absolutely loved it.

[bc_golf]

Hi all. I've been lurking for a while but must say you all seem to be a great group of guys. I've enjoyed reading the insightful posts and just how good you guys are (and how funny you guys are!)

(Full disclosure. I am trying to hit the 5 post mark so I can pm someone who posts on this thread.)

[ceejay81]

I impulse bought a used Bettinardi 2019 Studio Stock 38 Arm Lock Putter (40" length). My putting has hit rock bottom, so here we go. I need a more consistent stroke. (TWSS) I don't even feel like I can two putt from 10 feet anymore, it's gotten that bad. I'm sure this new putter will be on the BST soon

I know it's the magician, not the wand. But...new toys.

[Sterling_247]

Yep that's the one. I think they should remove the oaks on the left side, replace them with pines, and let it fill in with waste area. It would make the hole less claustrophobic in my opinion and it would then fit with the majority of the course aesthetically.

[TheCityGame]

LOL @ Fabb hitting 5 wood on a par 3.

[dcmidnight]

What do you think is your biggest issue? Tempo? Alignment? Nervy stroke?

[ceejay81]

Everything sounds like an issue right now TBH. Alignment is way off, but I feel so shaky with my stroke right now and I have zero feel. And I get a little wristy on my follow-through. I can hit 2 putts from the same spot without moving my feet and they'll end up in different spots. I'm not close to repeating right now. Even standing over a 3 footer right now, I KNOW I won't hit the hole. I just think I need a new look and want to go back to the drawing board. I'm willing to try this arm lock technique to see how it goes. Hoping it keeps things a little more steady and consistent for me.

[ALTSean]

My advice is to gamble. Nothing smooths the stroke like some money on the line.

[baddomes]

Ceejay you've got an extensive background in bowling...

 

 

...so you've got the hand eye coordination you need to be a good putter. You probably have better hand eye coordination than most people in here. Maybe you've already tried this, but what if you stopped thinking about alignment/tempo/path/pace and just got up to the putt and hit it? You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

I feel as though some of us get so hyper-focused on the mechanics that are taught to the "General Golfer" that we end up being worse golfers than if we just relied on the talent we possess naturally. Your mileage may vary.

[Sterling_247]

Couldn't have said it any better. Domes' suggestion is exactly what turned my putting around CJ. I used to be in the EXACT same situation w/ my putting game. I actually noticed it when we were playing but didn't think it was the best time to mention it

[ceejay81]

I feel fine on the practice green. I can go whack putts and not think about it. But when I'm on the course and it counts, I'm standing over the ball and have no idea where it's going or how hard to hit it. I'm too deep into my own head when putting now.

It's good advice though. Quit fkn thinking so much and hit the darn ball.

[Sterling_247]

Exactly. It doesn't mean any more on the course than it does on the practice green. Worrying about it or taking longer over the ball won't help it go in

[dcmidnight]

First Q.

Do you practice at all during the week? Even if its at night, hitting three footers on a putting mat inside for five minutes?

Or do you only putt when you are at the course?

[baddomes]

Apollo Creed suggested mini-golf to Happy Gilmore and that helped. Maybe that will work?

[aiyyer]

Both AltSean and I agree that’s a pretty creepy photo. Not sure who the corruptee is though..

[aiyyer]

Sterling, you’ll like it. Pretty good for a County course. Hoping to play this weekend and will let you know.

[TheCityGame]

@ceejay81 An arm putter might be good, but you need to test mental approaches just like you'd test new equipment.
You were involved in a thread war last year about how intensely to read putts. In particular, whether we should read them from the other side of the hole.
You're a good putter. It used to be the best part of your game. If it's not now, that's in part because the rest of your game has caught up.
I HIGHLY recommend playing some rounds where you "underthink" it. Walk around, get a feel for things, then just walk up to it and try to "roll it in" like you know it's going in.
I firmly fall in the "putting is an art, not a science" camp and I don't think armlock putters mesh well with that idea.

[ceejay81]

It's really just on the weekends before playing. Been eye-f'ing indoor putting mats so I can get some reps in when I'm not playing. Lack of practice absolutely contributes to my troubles, so that part is not lost on me. To your point, even if I hit a few minutes worth of 3-5 footers each day, that will really help things.

It was not anything I ever practiced before, but I was never close to being this poor. It's a good time to re-evaluate things.

[misplacedtexan83]

@ceejay81

as I have mention to the other guys.. if you what to borrow a putter that changes the look or feel let me know. Gladly give you something toy around with

[dcmidnight]

Dont even need something fancy, could do it on a $20 mat. But even 5 minutes a night will hugely help you.

Whatever putter/grip/stance - whatever it is you pick, just try to get 5 minutes a night in.

[ceejay81]

You were involved in a thread war last year about how intensely to read putts. In particular, whether we should read them from the other side of the hole.

I remember that one. I'm not a great reader of putts by any means, but I feel like the reading of greens aspect is separate from my troubles right now. You can give me a target to hit from any distance and I'm not going to hit it right now. I'm hitting poor putts. Need to fix that part and establish a more repeatable stroke, IMO.

 

[baddomes]

@ceejay81 I amend my earlier comment about just hitting the ball to suggest that you get the ice cube face on putter.

[img]https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/165/2U9OYQXO6OJ4.jpg[/img]

[TheCityGame]

stole this from the fried egg, but Tony Finau hit his tee shot in the water, re-teed, hit his 3rd shot 352 yards, which ALMOST drove the 526 yard par 5.

This diagram doesn't actually get it. From the description, after he hit his 3rd shot 352, he had 60 yards to the pin and hit a 5 foot shot. LIke he stubbed one.

[ceejay81]

I AM ALL IN ON SIDESADDLE PUTTING!!1!11!!

[Sterling_247]

I think I'm about to move into a set of blades fellas....never played a set before so we'll see how it goes