There are many tips for hitting our fairway woods properly to maximize distance. I know what I need to do to be successful, but what works for me may not work for you. Regardless, I found a video that encapsulates how I hit a fairway wood and hybrids. It is nothing new, but something fundamental that most golfers should know and understand. Of course there are other tips, but these three are suffice for today.
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Hitting Solid Irons Produces Great Golf Scores
Lower golf scores is the goal for every golfer. Sure, there is the odd player who does not care about their score, however these golfers are a rare breed. Many amateurs struggle with hitting consistent irons and as a result their (my) scores rise higher than expected. The major problem I have noticed relates to players trying to help their ball with respect to distance, direction and flight. They feel that their ball needs some assistance to achieve their desired outcome, when nothing farther from the true truth is the reality. There are many reasons for the conundrum, however I will focus on one fix that applies to all shots; a universal approach is a better way to describe it.
Continue readingHitting An Uphill Lie In Golf
Virtually every round of golf requires a shot from an uphill lie. Regardless of the course I play, uphill, downhill and sidehill lies are all part of my round. Because I know this, I have taken the time to practice all three lies in order to reduce the scores and eliminate my frustration from duff shots. There is a technique to successfully hit non-flat lies and today, we are going to discuss hitting an uphill lie.
Continue readingPSA: Revisions To The World Handicap System
Golf Canada recently announced revisions to the world handicap system. I am still trying to determine if these changes are worth the paper they are written on; to be fair, it does need some reviewing and I will delve deeper into the changes over the next few months. For now, here is what Golf Canada released:
https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/the-ra-and-usga-announce-2024-world-handicap-system-revisions/(St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) – The R&A and the USGA today announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity. The latest revisions will go into effect January 17, 2024.
Significant updates to the WHS include:
- Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf Courses Within the Course Rating System: The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards [1,370 metres] to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating®, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 750 yards [685 metres]. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
- Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played: Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential. For some countries, this means that 9-hole scores will be considered in the calculation of a player’s Handicap Index immediately after the day of play, rather than waiting to combine with another 9-hole score.
- Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent: The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms, which will be complete by 1 April 2024.
- Enhanced Guidance on Conducting a Handicap Review: The role of the Handicap Committee is vital to the success of the WHS and the Rules recommend that a Handicap Review is conducted regularly, or at least once a year to ensure a Handicap Index® remains reflective of a player’s ability. New reporting tools have been developed that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.
There is more to the article released by Golf Canada. I only included the talking points at this time. The changes, on the surface, appear to address some of the system challenges dating back to 2020 and might be better for the game. We shall see. As I said, more to follow in the upcoming months.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Improving Our Putting Stroke Indoors
Many golfers are settling down for a long winters nap. I know mine has started and I am already feeling the itch to play some golf. Knowing I will not hit the links anytime soon (I will not be traveling this winter for golf) I try to utilize the indoor space of my home and garage. Today, I am focusing on improving my putting stroke in my basement. I have a fair bit of room and as such can try many different drills to keep the rust off my putting stroke. I found a video that will lower my putts per hole that is easy-peasy and repeatable
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The Grateful Golfer 