Long hitters playing from the tips regardless of handicap

[chippa13]

> @SNIPERBBB said:

> > @MountainKing said:

> > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > > >

> > > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> > >

> > > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> > >

> > > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

> >

> > Good lord, some of those holes aren't even 20 yards, even more impressive is there looks to be more than a few holes that are long enough you have to hit a driver on.

>

> Yeah...I can hit 3w on most holes and still have a wedge in hand on my second shots for the par 4

 

If you almost always have wedge for your 2nd shot then the course is too short. If I don't use every club in my bag then I'm disappointed.

[MountainKing]

> @chippa13 said:

> > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > > > >

> > > > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> > > >

> > > > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> > > >

> > > > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

> > >

> > > Good lord, some of those holes aren't even 20 yards, even more impressive is there looks to be more than a few holes that are long enough you have to hit a driver on.

> >

> > Yeah...I can hit 3w on most holes and still have a wedge in hand on my second shots for the par 4

>

> If you almost always have wedge for your 2nd shot then the course is too short. If I don't use every club in my bag then I'm disappointed.

 

Is it tho? Looking at the Tour Championship, out of the 12 par 4's, most of the players were outside of 150 yards on 4-5 holes, I believe Sunday Rory was outside of 150 only 3 times. Xander I think was over 150 5 times, but he hit less than driver on a lot of holes. That course played at 7400 for them. If you're in that 280-300 range, even at 7000 yards you're going to have a wedge or short iron into a majority of the par 4's and you're up near the green in 2 on at least half the par 5's.

[SNIPERBBB]

It's 6000 from the whites. Blues are 6300 and tips are 6700. Tonight from the whites I had 7 and 5 irons into the par 5s and the par 3s. Longest approach on the 4s was 140 PW. Smooth 2 under for 9.

 

Obviously I'm not disappointed as I get to hit a variety of partial wedges which are a lot more interesting for me to hit than full irons.

 

Club championship this weekend so we will be back on the tips.

[BiggErn]

I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

[chinaski]

> @SNIPERBBB said:

> > @MountainKing said:

> > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> >

> > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

>

> Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

>

> When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

 

LOL. That place is wide open. You can miss three fairways over and still have a shot at the green there.

 

 

[jkim27]

> @BiggErn said:

> I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

 

Huh? There are like 20 GPS apps out there.

[chinaski]

IMO if you can't break 90 you are playing the wrong tees.

[BiggErn]

> @jkim27 said:

> > @BiggErn said:

> > I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

>

> Huh? There are like 20 GPS apps out there.

 

I trust shot link and trackman. Everything else is just a guesstimate.

[Augster]

> @MountainKing said:

> > @cmagnusson said:

> > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > I'm still trying to figure out how your group can be that great off the tee, with one of the hardest clubs to hit, yet be bad enough with a short iron in the hand to where you end up shooting in the 80's and beyond. You're averaging 295 off the tee with those numbers and 60 percent of the fairways hit. Those numbers put you in the middle of the pack on the PGA tour on any given week. I'm not sure how you can swing that well off the tee yet not any other sense of a game, but I guess that's not the point.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > With that said, play where you want if you're enjoying yourself and not holding anybody up, you don't need any of our opinions on the matter if you're happy.

> > >

> > > Sadly those players are common enough. Played with several of them.

> >

> > Very common, I'm one of them. My last 10 rounds I'm averaging 56% of fairways hit, but only 29% GIR.

> >

> > Drivers are the most forgiving clubs in the bag, you're on a perfect and controlled lie, and almost always have a bigger target. I have no idea why people have a hard time grasping the concept that fairways are easier to hit than greens.

>

> Driver most forgiving? That's a new one.

 

This.

The putter is most forgiving. How many putters have you put OB and had to rehit? Or hit into the water? Or hit it into the rough with a nasty lie? For me? Zero. I’ve pushed and pulled a LOT of putts over the years. I usually still have another putt and I’m closer to the hole than I was.

 

I get 5-10 penalties or tough lies in the rough with the driver each round. I’ve never putted a ball behind a tree and had to waste a shot punching out.

 

The driver is only “more forgiving” when compared to yesteryears’ drivers. You’ll still hit way more fairways hitting 8-iron off the tee instead of driver.

 

 

[MountainKing]

> @BiggErn said:

> > @jkim27 said:

> > > @BiggErn said:

> > > I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

> >

> > Huh? There are like 20 GPS apps out there.

>

> I trust shot link and trackman. Everything else is just a guesstimate.

 

GPS is generally accurate to within a few yards. GPS isn't going to tell you it's 295 and you come to find out the next day it was off by 50 yards without some really bizarre conditions. . Even if it's off by 10 yards, which is highly unlikely, you're still in the 285 to 305 range.

 

You're just as likely to have an off reading from TM as you are GPS.

[SNIPERBBB]

> @chinaski said:

> > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > >

> > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> >

> > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> >

> > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

>

> LOL. That place is wide open. You can miss three fairways over and still have a shot at the green there.

>

>

 

I've seen two fairways...I hit an epic toe shank off #1,par 5, a few years ago, it carried over 18, the creek, then onto #12. Made par.

[PoolPond]

If length is not an issue, you should actually shoot around the same scores and you handicaps will drop. Length is not an issue for me and I can shoot the same scores day in and day out from our white tees and our black tees. But when I shoot those scores from the blacks, my cap drops.

[lchang]

> @chippa13 said:

> > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > > > >

> > > > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> > > >

> > > > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> > > >

> > > > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

> > >

> > > Good lord, some of those holes aren't even 20 yards, even more impressive is there looks to be more than a few holes that are long enough you have to hit a driver on.

> >

> > Yeah...I can hit 3w on most holes and still have a wedge in hand on my second shots for the par 4

>

> If you almost always have wedge for your 2nd shot then the course is too short. If I don't use every club in my bag then I'm disappointed.

 

Rory, Dj, and JT are disappointed all the time with all their wedge approaches! :p

[bobcat]

A long hitter playing from the tips who is not 'scratch' makes no sense to me....Perhaps they do it just so they can have a convenient 'excuse' for poor scoring!

[jkim27]

> @PoolPond said:

> If length is not an issue, you should actually shoot around the same scores and you handicaps will drop. Length is not an issue for me and I can shoot the same scores day in and day out from our white tees and our black tees. But when I shoot those scores from the blacks, my cap drops.

 

This is what I found. I was at 6.8. Played two rounds from the tips and shot 85 twice. Index dropped to 6.6. I guess another question: is that necessarily a good thing? Especially when playing/betting against some light sandbaggers who enjoy having a slightly higher index.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

> @jkim27 said:

> > @PoolPond said:

> > If length is not an issue, you should actually shoot around the same scores and you handicaps will drop. Length is not an issue for me and I can shoot the same scores day in and day out from our white tees and our black tees. But when I shoot those scores from the blacks, my cap drops.

>

> This is what I found. I was at 6.8. Played two rounds from the tips and shot 85 twice. Index dropped to 6.6. I guess another question: is that necessarily a good thing? Especially when playing/betting against some light sandbaggers who enjoy having a slightly higher index.

>

 

Always negotiate strokes amongst people you know for betting purpose. Never bet with strangers. Period. Why use a system to play a game with that specifically discourages what you're attempting to do.

[chippa13]

> @lchang said:

> > @chippa13 said:

> > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> > > > >

> > > > > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> > > > >

> > > > > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

> > > >

> > > > Good lord, some of those holes aren't even 20 yards, even more impressive is there looks to be more than a few holes that are long enough you have to hit a driver on.

> > >

> > > Yeah...I can hit 3w on most holes and still have a wedge in hand on my second shots for the par 4

> >

> > If you almost always have wedge for your 2nd shot then the course is too short. If I don't use every club in my bag then I'm disappointed.

>

> Rory, Dj, and JT are disappointed all the time with all their wedge approaches! :p

 

I'm golfing for fun and challenge, they're golfing for ridiculous sums of money. You really shouldn't try to equate the two.

[Stanks]

You play your game and don’t worry what others think. All I ask is that you keep up with the guys in front of you as best possible. So

If you’re a 20 and playing tips and keeping up with those 5-10s in front of you then no fault is yours.

People are too worries with what others think when it comes to his. If they laugh at you, fight them in the parking lot or something (joke).

[MountainKing]

> @chippa13 said:

> > @lchang said:

> > > @chippa13 said:

> > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > > @MountainKing said:

> > > > > > > > @SNIPERBBB said:

> > > > > > > > Fairways here are only 20 yards wide at best so that argument don't hold much water here...

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Where you playing with fairways that narrow? That's crazy. I'd probably be a lot better driver of the ball if I played courses with fairways that narrow, most of what they're building around here now you can land a 747 on.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Lookup Cliffside golf course Gallipolis Ohio on Google Earth and use the tape measure tool. Especially check out the hole directly north of the clubhouse.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > When I go play other courses, I have a hard time missing a fairway unless I dead block one or snap hook.

> > > > >

> > > > > Good lord, some of those holes aren't even 20 yards, even more impressive is there looks to be more than a few holes that are long enough you have to hit a driver on.

> > > >

> > > > Yeah...I can hit 3w on most holes and still have a wedge in hand on my second shots for the par 4

> > >

> > > If you almost always have wedge for your 2nd shot then the course is too short. If I don't use every club in my bag then I'm disappointed.

> >

> > Rory, Dj, and JT are disappointed all the time with all their wedge approaches! :p

>

> I'm golfing for fun and challenge, they're golfing for ridiculous sums of money. You really shouldn't try to equate the two.

 

Regardless of why you're playing, the game is played against par. If you're not shooting par or near that then the game is already a challenge for you. On the flip side, some might argue that it's too easy for the pros, but I guess most average fans want to see those guys light up courses. It's cool to play it how you prefer to play it, those kind of statements just kind of make me curious.

[chippa13]

Pros are playing against the field, not against par. The guy with the lowest total score wins. It makes no difference what "par" is on a particular weekend.

[Kevlar10]

I have been playing the back tees almost every round this year and I’m a 13-14 handicap. I don’t always use the driver off the tee; sometimes it’s a 3w or 2i (yes, I hit a 2i) depending on the layout. My weakness has been the long irons so I get more practice with them if I hit off the back tees. I guess I’m considered a long hitter. I played 5 rounds this weekend on a trip and averaged 270+ with my drives if you take out the two pulls and three semi-slices that I had. I am normally relatively long and straight and I see the tight fairways as a challenge. Most of all I have fun and play at a decent pace. But I digress.

To the OP; if your friend is a 20+ handicap, he probably doesn't play that often and maybe he should pick tees that he is comfortable with. Don’t worry about blues or whites, pick the distances that use his driving distance to his greatest advantage and fit the game he wants to play. As long as he doesn’t hold up others, just have fun.

[North Butte]

> @BiggErn said:

> I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

 

Not that anyone cares how far I hit it (nowadays I hardly care myself) but if you ever see me post that I hit it such-and-such yards that is always measured with my laser.

 

It always confounds me when people talk about an "XXX yard drive" they hit and then go on to say it's because they had 7-iron into the green on a 420 yard Par 4. In my experience, that sort of ded reckoning can easily be off 30-40 yards depending on where the tees are set, the hole is cut, whether there's a dogleg and whether the hole is actually measured correctly at all.

 

If you carry a laser, it takes a lot of effort to maintain an unrealistic, dreamy idea about your driving distance. If you think you're a "260 hitter" and the laser says that one you just nutted down the middle was 238...then I hate to break it to you but you're a "238 hitter"!

[burnsniper]

Tee selection is a balance of length and skill. Personally, I look for three things in choosing which tees to play:

 

1. Course Rating and Slope - prefer around 72/134

2. Total Distance ~6,600

3. Course set up that requires me to hit every club in the bag.

 

 

[padget]

> @"North Butte" said:

> > @BiggErn said:

> > I often wonder how some people measure their drives.

>

> Not that anyone cares how far I hit it (nowadays I hardly care myself) but if you ever see me post that I hit it such-and-such yards that is always measured with my laser.

>

> It always confounds me when people talk about an "**** yard drive" they hit and then go on to say it's because they had 7-iron into the green on a 420 yard Par 4. In my experience, that sort of ded reckoning can easily be off 30-40 yards depending on where the tees are set, the hole is cut, whether there's a dogleg and whether the hole is actually measured correctly at all.

>

> If you carry a laser, it takes a lot of effort to maintain an unrealistic, dreamy idea about your driving distance. If you think you're a "260 hitter" and the laser says that one you just nutted down the middle was 238...then I hate to break it to you but you're a "238 hitter"!

 

How do you get your measurement? Wait for your drive to stop and laser it from the tee box? I have had (2) lasers and they won’t pick up a ball for me. Could be user error as I don’t have the greatest eyesight or steady hands, or maybe you are using a different method. I always just used the hole length and then once I arrived at my drive and lasered the flag I could subtract that distance. I think that method is what you are describing as inaccurate or approximate, and I would agree. Thanks.

 

[QEight]

You can use GPS and be within 10 yards. Or you can try to laser the tee, players, washer etc from the ball.

[North Butte]

On a shot that goes pretty straight at the flag, just laser the flag before and after and subtract. Easy.

 

On a shot that goes offline you have to do it a bit differently. I laser a tree or something in the distance that's directly in line with where the ball ended up. Then laser the same thing once I arrive at the ball.

 

If it's 355 to the flag from the tee, then you drive it into the left rough 30 yards offline a 200-yard shot will leave your farther than 155 from the flag, because of the angle. That's why using a distant reference in line with the ball is important.

 

Of course if you're keeping track of how far you hit it in terms of game improvement or course management, maybe what you'd really want is "net distance". I mean if I had 355 from the tee and I drove it way crooked, it might nice to know that my "200 yard drive" only got me 170 yards closer to the hole!

 

P.S. I have a image stabilized Nikon 80VR rangefinder. Up to about 160-180 yards on a flat fairway I can actually laser the ball on the ground. But I don't trust that to be accurate so I use the "laser before and after then subtract" method, usually.

[jkim27]

> @QEight said:

> You can use GPS and be within 10 yards. Or you can try to laser the tee, players, washer etc from the ball.

 

Yeah I don't get why using GPS isn't the best method. Everyone has a phone and can get one of the dozens of free apps out there. All come with a shot measuring function. Stand on the tee and hit track shot then go to where your drive lands and Mark it again. GPS is accurate to less than 5 yards so you're talking total 10 yard possible error. I don't think anyone really gives a crap if your drive was 280 or 290.

[North Butte]

I don't have a phone with me when playing golf. And my laser is going to be in my hands anyway on most holes.

GPS apps also tend to flake out and be off by way more than 5 yards, admittedly only occasionally but the laser is pretty much always right.

[dan360]

Play from the back. Sounds like you’ll do less waiting which means less holding up groups behind you.

 

A friend hits long off the tee but can’t pitch n putt at all. Not even a little bit. Plays to a 22 hdcp. His short game should be renamed skull n cross-the-green bones.

 

He plays from the back tees normally and normally out drives the rest of the group who play from the white.

 

211 yard par 3 hit a smooth 6 to 22 feet and 4 putted.

[MountainKing]

> @"North Butte" said:

> I don't have a phone with me when playing golf. And my laser is going to be in my hands anyway on most holes.

> GPS apps also tend to flake out and be off by way more than 5 yards, admittedly only occasionally but the laser is pretty much always right.

 

You're not the first to say this so there's clearly something to this. I have a buddy of mine who has had issues as well, the only difference between him and I is he pockets his and I don't, if he keeps it out of his pocket for a few minutes it eventually seems to catch up. I know the Garmin devices aren't the speediest at picking up the satellites once they lose them. If that's potentially what's causing it and that's where you keep it, it's a totally worthless device to you since you don't have minutes for things to re-sync. Laser is going to always give the best reading and is more reliable (as long as your shooting the right target) than any other method IMO.