Hi all,  

As some of you know, I am away this week but it doesn't stop me - thankfully, with the help of this wonderful invention the internet - from writing to you from the somewhat more sunny and warm climate of Vilamoura in Portugal. As usual the game of golf (and its gods) make it very easy for me to find subjects to write about:

I have been very lucky this week (as you can see by the picture) to be residing in a beautiful apartment overlooking the 8th hole at one of my favourite golf courses in the world, Oceanico's Victoria, which hosts the Portuguese Masters every year. The 8th is a lovely little par 3 of around 150 yards with one of the largest bunkers you've ever seen in front of the green. Every morning I have enjoyed having my breakfast watching groups playing the hole below me and it has made for some very entertaining viewing. I have seen all sorts of interesting shots: quite a few clean tops, some very big slices (even with shortish clubs) and the odd hook.

What is very interesting is to note what is commonly happening. On day one the pin position was middle-back. I would expect good players to play just short of such a flag so I wouldn't chastise anyone for coming up 5 to 10 yards short. Where do you think most people, and I mean 90%, ended up? Short right, either just on or actually short of the green. Day 2 saw the perfect pin for all these players - front right. The result? Of course - 90% in the bunker short, or right of the bunker on the approach. Today the flag was middle back again and I watched a few groups do the normal and then a three ball of young players, possibly pros, came to the hole. They all looked like they could play (a little too much swing technique was practised before they struck their shots but clearly they were all very good players) and sure enough the result was two players pin-high, fifteen feet right, and one just long and left as he just turned his shot over slightly.

This is of course not a new thing to be pointing out. It has long been mentioned that amateurs, and by that I would mean specifically people with handicaps from around 9 upwards, tend to think they hit the ball further than they actually do. Since I have opened my swing room this has been highlighted as people are surprised by how far SkyTrak says they are hitting their clubs. I'm afraid it doesn't lie chaps and chapesses - what is more of a pity is that it keeps confirming that I'm not hitting it as far as I used to either.

I played the hole this week myself. I had 148 yards to the flag but it was into around a one club wind. I hit a comfortable 7 iron around 150 yards now so, only having a 7 iron with me, I knew I was a club short and in trouble. I put the ball back in my stance slightly and shut the club down but didn't quite get it. Sure enough I came up a yard short of the green. Fortunately, I chipped and putted but this really does highlight how important it is that you know exactly how far your clubs go. It is of no relevance at all what number is on the bottom of the club, just that you know how far it carries! That last word is very important - you must know your carry distances rather than how far the ball eventually ends up going.

So, this week your lesson and task is to find out, whether on your own on the course or using a ball monitor system like SkyTrak, (yes, I offer gapping sessions which tell you accurately how far your clubs go) what your clubs carry distances are. If you think about it you should only need to find out a few - the rest should (of course this does depend on the clubs' lofts being accurate) be equal gaps between. DO NOT let your ego get involved! Just because your mate hits his 7 iron 150 yards does not mean you have to try! If it's a 5 iron for you then that's the club you need to hit.

I absolutely guarantee you two things: firstly that the vast majority of you will discover that you had an inaccurate view of how far you hit your clubs and secondly, that if you learn your true distances and apply them to your golf - that it will save you a number of shots each round!

(One small point: it is important to still think of the shot in front of you and how your ball flight would affect how you approach it. There is no joy in pitching a club pin high if you can't stop the ball because you hit a flattish flight or if it's a longer club you are having to hit. You will need to pitch it shorter so bear this in mind with your club. However, if you're playing a hole with a bunker short of the green then you have to use the club that you know will carry the bunker. That might mean playing for the back of the green but better that than a bunker shot for most of us.)

If you need any help with this or if you would like to book a gapping session then pop in, give me a call, or click here. It really will help your golf.


 

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I'm looking forward to seeing you all this weekend so see you then.