1 Month to Prepare for my Metro

[trilerian]

I realize for a lot of you this isn’t a big deal, but for me, this is the tournament I play in every year.  Which makes it a big deal to me…  Anyway, my index is at a 13 right now, but I am playing horrible golf.  My best round this year has been an 85, with most hovering right around the 90 mark.  I had a string of good rounds to end the season last year which is why my index is so low right now, also most of my rounds are played by myself so I don’t post them.  Needless to say this is going to put me in the B flight of my metro, while I would struggle to place in the C.  So I need a plan for the next 30 days on what to practice to get my game to at least a point to not be embarrassed about in my flight.  I am generally a practice at the range kind of guy and I put 99% of my practice on my full swing game.  I think I am going to have to commit to a more consistent swing for right now and stop chasing what I want to hit.  Which means staying over the ball and trying to play a fade vs my preferred shot of hitting draws.  I may bench my driver for a bit, because whenever I get that club in my hand I want to hit way up and hit draws, but that is inconsistent as well.  I can hit my 4w a total of 235-240, and that is probably longer than most of the guys in my flight hit their driver so there shouldn’t be a disadvantage there.  Plus my new 4w is probably my favorite club in my bag right now, I can hit it out of the rough, off tight lies, or off a tee and unless I try to do something stupid like hit up on it, the shots are pretty reliable.  They are not perfect every time and I have some distance dispersion with the shorter shots falling around 210, but the miss isn’t that bad.  Of course if I hit it more that may change, lol. 

 

What I am really looking for is a great short game session I can get in 4-5 times a week.  I know this is where I can pick up some strokes and maybe at least save some embarrassment.  Also any mental help is appreciated as well.  I turn into a headcase during this thing…  Last year I was leading my flight with 9 left to play, all I needed was to play the last 9 at 6 over and I would have won my flight.  Instead I played the last 9 at 17 over and took 5th.  This metro is held over 2 weekends, 18 holes each day at different courses in the area for a 72 hole total.  The greens get pretty stupid for this event, the first 9 are usually decent, but by the time the dew dries they get pretty fast.  I have no idea what stimp, but they end up being the fastest greens I putt on all year. 

 

To be honest, I was having some anxiety this year over whether or not I would even play in it because my game is so bad right now.  But I made the decision to play.  And if I take last, well it won't be the first time.  The first time I played in it I took last in the last flight, well at least last of the people who finished.  There were dropouts after the first few rounds, but of the finishing players I was last.  

[SNIPERBBB]

Consistent swing with always beats desired. Trying to force draws when you're naturally a fade just doesn't go well long term unless you're chronic OTT'er.

 

Wouldn't try to make a lot of changes really. Just try tighten up everything.

 

On the course DDD, don't do dumb. Don't pick clubs or shots that require you to hit a perfect shot to avoid trouble.

Edited June 16, 2021 by SNIPERBBB

[D0ch0l1d4y]

Go buy Monte's "Use the bounce 2.0" video (at his Rebellion golf website).

 

Solid, simple techniques for a wide variety of situations and easy to practice and get decent at quickly.

Edited June 16, 2021 by D0ch0l1d4y

[trilerian]

3 minutes ago, D0ch0l1d4y said:

Go buy Monte's "Use the bounce 2.0" video (at his Rebellion golf website).

 

Solid, simple techniques for a wide variety of situations and easy to practice and get decent at quickly.

 

I already have it, thanks.  I try to "use the bounce" in my short game.  What I need is a great practice routine for my short game.  Short game practice is kind of boring to me, so I need a routine that I can pretty much "check the boxes".  Also I am trying to decide if I want to put my 60* back in my bag.  Currently my highest lofted wedge is a 54, but the 60 gets me in trouble so it is benched right now.  Instead I have D, 4w, 2i, 3h at the top of my bag.  

[D0ch0l1d4y]

Ditch the 60.

 

I play a lot of Up&Down - take one ball and just try to get up and down as much as possible I set a target of "X" number of successes depending on the time frame I have available. If I hit the target - I get a beer.

[scooterhd2]

1 month is just about the perfect amount of time to destroy whats left of your full swing by trying to reinvent yourself into a tour pro.

 

Work on some 3/4 iron shots with your short irons to develop some confidence and vision for your approach game. And start chipping and putting. I guarantee the winner of the flight will have their short game dialed in. 

[trilerian]

7 minutes ago, scooterhd2 said:

1 month is just about the perfect amount of time to destroy whats left of your full swing by trying to reinvent yourself into a tour pro.

 

Work on some 3/4 iron shots with your short irons to develop some confidence and vision for your approach game. And start chipping and putting. I guarantee the winner of the flight will have their short game dialed in. 

My intention is to kind of go hands off with my full swing.  I'm going to spend the next month trying to hit big landing zones and the middle of the green.  I'm actually going to stop trying to hit perfect shot shapes and just hit a shot...

 

Again, I know I need to work on short game.  It is something I neglect and I need a good regimen to get started with because I am not a fan of short game practice.  

[scooterhd2]

8 minutes ago, trilerian said:

My intention is to kind of go hands off with my full swing.  I'm going to spend the next month trying to hit big landing zones and the middle of the green.  I'm actually going to stop trying to hit perfect shot shapes and just hit a shot...

 

Again, I know I need to work on short game.  It is something I neglect and I need a good regimen to get started with because I am not a fan of short game practice.  

 

Theres a million different games to play. Generally you need to create some pressure on yourself, but you also need to practice and take reps. I like to put an odd number of balls down. Say 9. Hit 9 chip shots. Pick up the 4 farthest from the hole and the 4 closest to the hole (yellow marks). The remaining ball (red mark) is essentially a marker for your 'average' shot. You have 8 balls in hand, drop 1 to make 7. The goal now is to create a new average ball inside the existing one. Essentially you need to hit 4/7 inside the original mark. Repeat until you have done it. When complete, drop to 5 balls, and you need to hit 3/5 inside the average you made with the 7 balls. Then 3 balls needing 2/3 inside the mark. And so on. Basically you are giving your self some reps, but also have less chances to do better than your average. You'll find yourself quickly focusing a lot more on results. 

 

[trilerian]

6 minutes ago, scooterhd2 said:

 

Theres a million different games to play. Generally you need to create some pressure on yourself, but you also need to practice and take reps. I like to put an odd number of balls down. Say 9. Hit 9 chip shots. Pick up the 4 farthest from the hole and the 4 closest to the hole (yellow marks). The remaining ball (red mark) is essentially a marker for your 'average' shot. You have 8 balls in hand, drop 1 to make 7. The goal now is to create a new average ball inside the existing one. Essentially you need to hit 4/7 inside the original mark. Repeat until you have done it. When complete, drop to 5 balls, and you need to hit 3/5 inside the average you made with the 7 balls. Then 3 balls needing 2/3 inside the mark. And so on. Basically you are giving your self some reps, but also have less chances to do better than your average. You'll find yourself quickly focusing a lot more on results. 

 

That sounds interesting.  I can give that a try.  Any suggestions for pitching?  I'm kind of thinking that for pitching, anything farther than 40 yds I might just want to go for the center of the green.  Long putts are awful, but at least that is better than having to chip because I came up short on a short sided flag.  

[AZ_JHWK]

After you start working on the short game and seeing results you may develop an appreciation for it. It can really save a round. I'm not a great ball striker by any means, a "fairways and fringes" kind of player. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to hit 5 greens and shoot 75. That can get in an opponents head too.  Find a time where the practice green isn't loaded and take 45 minutes to an hour and split it between putting and chipping. Take six balls and chip/pitch all types of shots. Tight lies, heavy lies, different lengths, easy ones, impossible ones. Move around the green and get different angles. Same for your putting. Don't make it a grind or too long or you might not want to do it very often. I used to go out an hour before sunset maybe 3-4 times a week. Cheers!  

[naval2006]

The best practice for tournament golf is to play tournaments. I suggest if you want to compete don’t miss a tournament in your town or area.  That way you get used to it until you feel at home and you start to focus on scoring.  You’ll figure out how to play a round with whichever game you have for that day, which is the ultimate goal of amateur competition. Don’t feel you don’t belong, club and net comps are nothing to do with tv golf, it’s the “real golf for real golfers” thing.  

[Gsea]

7 hours ago, trilerian said:

I realize for a lot of you this isn’t a big deal, but for me, this is the tournament I play in every year.  Which makes it a big deal to me…  Anyway, my index is at a 13 right now, but I am playing horrible golf.  My best round this year has been an 85, with most hovering right around the 90 mark.  I had a string of good rounds to end the season last year which is why my index is so low right now, also most of my rounds are played by myself so I don’t post them.  Needless to say this is going to put me in the B flight of my metro, while I would struggle to place in the C.  So I need a plan for the next 30 days on what to practice to get my game to at least a point to not be embarrassed about in my flight.  I am generally a practice at the range kind of guy and I put 99% of my practice on my full swing game.  I think I am going to have to commit to a more consistent swing for right now and stop chasing what I want to hit.  Which means staying over the ball and trying to play a fade vs my preferred shot of hitting draws.  I may bench my driver for a bit, because whenever I get that club in my hand I want to hit way up and hit draws, but that is inconsistent as well.  I can hit my 4w a total of 235-240, and that is probably longer than most of the guys in my flight hit their driver so there shouldn’t be a disadvantage there.  Plus my new 4w is probably my favorite club in my bag right now, I can hit it out of the rough, off tight lies, or off a tee and unless I try to do something stupid like hit up on it, the shots are pretty reliable.  They are not perfect every time and I have some distance dispersion with the shorter shots falling around 210, but the miss isn’t that bad.  Of course if I hit it more that may change, lol. 

 

What I am really looking for is a great short game session I can get in 4-5 times a week.  I know this is where I can pick up some strokes and maybe at least save some embarrassment.  Also any mental help is appreciated as well.  I turn into a headcase during this thing…  Last year I was leading my flight with 9 left to play, all I needed was to play the last 9 at 6 over and I would have won my flight.  Instead I played the last 9 at 17 over and took 5th.  This metro is held over 2 weekends, 18 holes each day at different courses in the area for a 72 hole total.  The greens get pretty stupid for this event, the first 9 are usually decent, but by the time the dew dries they get pretty fast.  I have no idea what stimp, but they end up being the fastest greens I putt on all year. 

 

To be honest, I was having some anxiety this year over whether or not I would even play in it because my game is so bad right now.  But I made the decision to play.  And if I take last, well it won't be the first time.  The first time I played in it I took last in the last flight, well at least last of the people who finished.  There were dropouts after the first few rounds, but of the finishing players I was last.  

Is this a net tournament? The cities?

[trilerian]

4 hours ago, Gsea said:

Is this a net tournament? The cities?

It is the South Bend metro. It is flighted by index. Like I said, it isn’t that big of a deal, but it kind of is to me. The only reason I carry an official index is so I can play in this tournament every year.  There will probably end up being about 20 people in my flight with index between 10 and 15 and it will be the actual score you shoot for 72 holes.

[Kdaniel72]

Check out my thread on Mr. Short Games YouTube videos. He has 24 practice days that he says will trim off 5 strokes.  I am going to try in myself. He talk about some of the things that th posters on this thread  are talking about.