Question:

I played my first competitive round for 9 months yesterday (only 4 rounds in total in that period ) and struggled to a miserable 81. It was blowing a gale out there. I don’t know what the windspeed was, but I overshot a 200yard par with a 7 iron (normally hit it 150). Although I tend to hit the ball quite high, I can play low punch shots with my irons ok. My problem is trying to hit low drives. If I put the ball back in my stance and tee it lower, I hit a big push/slice. If I then try to turn my hands over to get a low draw, I hit a slappy dragging hook. What’s the best way to drill the ball low into the wind?  Get your FREE web-based e-mail and newsgroup access at:                 http://MailAndNews.com  Create a new mailbox, or access your existing IMAP4 or  POP3 mailbox from anywhere with just a web browser.

Response:

I played my first competitive round for 9 months yesterday (only 4 rounds in total in that period ) and struggled to a miserable 81.

If it’s true that misery loves company then I want to feel your pain and shoot an 81. Dave Clary/Corpus Christi,TX http://www.geocities.com/texasp38 RSG Roll Call http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/claryd.htm

Response:

<snip high, I can play low punch shots with my irons ok. My problem is trying to hit low drives. If I put the ball back in my stance and tee it lower, I hit a big push/slice. If I then try to turn my hands over to get a low draw, I hit a slappy dragging hook. What’s the best way to drill the ball low into the wind?

I ‘m no expert on the golf swing – I usually avoid thinking about what I’m doing, rather I simply try to get a feel for hitting different types of shots.  I suggest you go to the range and experiment with all sorts of ways to hit the ball low and decide which method *feels* right and yields the best result.  Start out with little half swings with your driver trying to hit it along the ground. For the record  I do not think teeing the ball lower is the way to go –  my instinct would be to hit downward on the ball (to avoid topping it) which would result in a high shot, for me anyway. I know I didn’t really answer your question, but I’m a believer in using your senses to learn how to make shots happen.  It’s not easy to explain, but it’s almost like addressing the ball and wondering what the swing should feel like to hit the ball low rather than wondering what you should *do* to hit the ball low.  To me it’s simply putting the ball a little back and making a swing where it feels like the club stays low on the follow-through and chases the ball after impact. Lumpy.

Response:

: I played my first competitive round for 9 months yesterday (only 4 rounds in : total in that period ) and struggled to a miserable 81. : If it’s true that misery loves company then I want to feel your pain : and shoot an 81. If a PGA tour player called an 81 "miserable" on a very windy day after not playing for months, I could agree with that.  Anybody else… nope. If you are less than a 2 index, maybe it’s a bad round, but "miserable"? C

Response:

That was 11 over par. My handicap is 5.6. The miserable part (apart forom the score) was struggling along through the wind. I couldn’t play a single ‘normal’ shot. I think I was swinging OK, but every shot was a low punch straight into the wind or a short iron sailing 20 yards over the back of the green. Also, my putts were blowing off-line. I couldn’t relax at all and didn’t really enjoy it. I didn’t mean to sound big-headed. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : I played my first competitive round for 9 months yesterday (only 4 rounds in : total in that period ) and struggled to a miserable 81. : If it’s true that misery loves company then I want to feel your pain : and shoot an 81. If a PGA tour player called an 81 "miserable" on a very windy day after not playing for months, I could agree with that.  Anybody else… nope. If you are less than a 2 index, maybe it’s a bad round, but "miserable"? C

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