How To Lower Your Handicap
How Far Should I Hit My Driver, Equipment
Practice Background
I’ve had 5 different golf coaches/instructors in my life and all helped me and gave me valuable information. I’m using some from each instructor in designing my practice routine. Before really getting into my routine I need to do a few things concerning clubs and balls especially since I’m trying to get back to a 0 handicap.
Driver
Your distance with your driver should be in the 2.5 to 2.7 times your club swing speed. Another way to calculate distance is your ball speed times 1.75. These are approximate. I need all the distance I can get with my driver so I can hit more short irons into greens. If you are below 2.5 you need to improve it. Try to hit the ball in the center of the clubface. Having the right golf ball can make a huge difference as well! I’ll go into this more later, compression, types etc. My swing speed is currently 88 mph and I hope to increase it a little as I practice more. I expect to get to 2,65 so 230 yard drives. I’m getting a TaylorMade fitting, Callaway fitting and a fitting by an independent PGA professional who I trust implicitly where i will try many brands. These fittings are all at outside driving ranges. The shaft is extremely important, flex, kick point, weight as well as the head, loft. A spin rate around 2100 will allow for a good roll out on your drives. So, I might be getting a new driver or just changing the shaft on my current driver. Update. After trying numerous drivers and shafts my best option is getting a new shaft for my driver. Typically you will gain 3 yards per year with new drivers, So, if your driver is 2 years old with the correct shaft for you, 6 yards is your expected gain if you switch to a new driver. A note about different driver brands. All companies have to conform to the standards for making drivers and all try to push the limit. The result is there typically isn’t much difference from brand to brand.
Irons
There are many types of irons from game improvement to tour and many in between. If you’re just starting some inexpensive irons will work fine. Longer irons are harder to hit so a 5,6,7 might be best for your shortest iron and hybrids in place of the longer irons. For me, it’s a bit difficult. i use to play with blades 1-SW, but they are not forgiving on off center strikes, What I require is irons that will give a close grouping on shots, distance is secondary. I’m looking at irons just below pure blades so there will be some forgiveness on off center strikes but irons I can shape shots with as well. I’ll probably go with 4-AW,SW. Instead of a longer irons I’m currently using a 7 wood so I can have more height on the ball when shooting at the green to hopefully stop it better. I carry a 5 wood instead of a 3 wood for the same reason. Again, the golf ball you use makes a huge difference.
What’s In Wally’s Bag
Driver is a Callaway Epic Flash with senior shaft. 5 wood is a Callaway Maverick with senior staff. 7 wood is Callaway Razor Fit Xtreme with senior shaft.
Irons are TaylorMade 2021, P790 4-PW,AW with regular steel shaft. 52 deg Cleveland RTX wedge and TaylorMade 56 deg SW.
Putter is a Callaway Odyssey White Hot OG #7 DB, 35″.
Bag is a Sun Mountain C-130 cart bag.
Golf ball is still up in the air.
Putter
You use your putter on every hole. You hear all the big name brands in putters and with some it’s a status symbol. Here’s the key with deciding what putter to use. I recommend trying different types of putters, any brand, any price range and go to a putting green. putt some 2,5,10,20,30,40 foot puts with each one. If you take the putter straight back or with little arc there is a shaft for you. If you have an arc a different shaft will work better. Most putters will state in the description the preferred putter line for the shaft. Putters typically come in 33,34,35″ shafts. You’ll have an idea what works best for you after getting on the putting green.
You are looking for feel, balance and a putter you are comfortable with. If you can lag putts from a distance within a few feet that’s good. Having confidence in short putts is important as well. Find one you’re comfortable with and then it comes down to practice. You can greatly reduce your score on the putting green.
Golf Balls
Quite possibly, the most important of your game is the golf ball you use. i swing my driver at 88 mph so I want a golf ball with 70 compression or less for maximum distance. If you want a pure distance ball they are some of the least expensive and have a minimal amount of sidespin which helps to keep reduce slicing and hooking.
There is a trade off between distance and spin. I’m looking for a ball that I can stop on the green in a hop or 2 that gives me the most distance. I am still testing several golf balls, brands of golf balls. I have found no site that has all the data I need.