DaveP043

No, Ground Under Repair has a specific (technical) Definition in the Rules of Golf, that Definition does NOT include random damage made by golfers. The Putting Green IS unique in the way it is treated within the Rules of Golf. Ever since 1960 you've been allowed to lift your ball at will, clean your ball, and repair pitch marks. You can be penalized if your ball played from the green hits another ball at rest on the green. Continued evolution to agronomy and maintenance has led to more recent changes, now accidental movement of a ball on the green is not penalized, and you can repair almost any damage. Its an interesting question for the "divot-relief" proponents, would you prefer to make things "equal" all over the course? Play your ball down on the green, no marking and lifting, no cleaning, no repair of any damage.

The only people doing this piling on are the great nebulous "you". Not any individual, but the people who play the game are inflicting these problems on themselves and on other players.

If the Player or the Opponent (in Match Play) lift the Player's ball, look at 9.4 (Player moves own ball) or 9.5 (Opponent lifts Player's ball) to see if there's a penalty. Also notice that 9.7 discusses a ball marker which has been moved. But in Stroke Play, you don't have an Opponent. Each and every other player is an Outside Influence. Look at 9.6 to see what happens if an Outside Influence moves your ball, or ball marker. You put it back. And look if you like, but you'll never find any restriction on moving or picking up a Moveable Obstruction or a Wrong Ball.

There's no penalty for tapping down a ball marker. In fact, if its stroke play, you can pick up another player's ball without penalty. As @cnosil has pointed out, its a little different in match play, but accidental movement is not penalized. But a better course of action is to ask (require, actually) the marker be moved if you think it might be in your way. Not quite, the ball may always be replaced by the Player, or by the person who moved or lifted the ball. 9.4 applies to your own ball, not to any other ball on the course. In stroke play, any other player is an Outside Influence, and ball other than your own is a Wrong Ball as well as a Moveable Obstruction, and there's no penalty for moving either.

Will it measure clubhead speed without hitting a ball? If so, you have what you need. If you can only get clubhead speed when hitting a ball, I don't think you'll get the full benefit from any of the programs. You might want to read the Stack review we did to learn a bit more. Positive reinforcement is a good motivator, and Stack is designed to provide that regularly. There are probably 20 or more different weight combinations available, and the program cycles you through them, a different set (typically 4 different weights) for each session. It might be 3 or 4 sessions before a specific weight returned to the line-up. The "standard" weight set is 195 g, and I've gained 6 or 7 mph at that weight, over close to 40 sessions so far. That's slow, steady progress, but there were significant intervals with no speed increases with that weight. But it was rare I went more than 2 sessions without a speed increase in at least 1 of the weights used. If you can only measure "contact" swings with your driver, you're probably not likely to see those frequent positive signs of progress. Consider also, the Stack wants you to make swings with an intensity that you'd never use if you actually care about there the ball goes, or even care about hitting the ball at all. Part of the growth hinges on you simply learning to go fast without caring about anything else. You just will not do that when there's a flat(ish) clubface and a ball to be hit.

Its nearly impossible to make a large number of changes simultaneously. To me, a good instructor will identify the single most important change that a player should make, and help the player with images and drills to accomplish that change. That's not a quick fix necessarily, it may still take weeks or months to ingrain a revised movement. Once the player has that change under control, its time to move to the next most important change to make. All of this will move the player towards that so-called ideal swing, but most of us will never make it. While I DO think there are some consistent commonalities among the swings of good players, I don't believe there's a single ideal swing. Even given full body functionality, different body types and strength levels will swing differently. I actually think way too much of the "canned" instruction for the masses pushes players towards some instructors' ideas of "ideal", and that's not going to be helpful to significant percentages of players.

In about two weeks I'll be playing Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill (my wife was the primary planner for this), so there's another course off the list. I've been to Ireland and Scotland a few times, but I've never been to Northern Ireland, so Royal County Down is a dream. And I'd love to get back to Royal Dornoch, still the favorites of all the courses I've played. I think Spain and/or Portugal are on our radar too.

I'm not so sure, I believe there will always be longer and shorter players. The raw numbers will change, median distance will probably increase, but some players will have a distance advantage over others. And for the rest of us humans, we'll never be playing the same clubs to the greens as the tour pros do, even if we move up a bunch we'll still be hitting more club to most greens.

I have a small tripod with flexible legs, and I attach it to my golf bag to get the appropriate height. Mine is made by ubeesize, they sell through Amazon, this one is similar to mine: https://www.amazon.com/UBeesize-Phone-Tripod-Wireless-Compatible/dp/B07837W5NX?th=1 I did have one made by Joby, but after a while it wasn't able to maintain certain positions, the "joints" had become loose.

I don't imagine the author is seriously suggesting that we move WAY up. But it really does illustrate that we're NOT going to play a golf course in a similar manner to the PGA Tour players, and its even MORE unlike the PGA Tour experience if we move to longer tees. Good players who average 270 off the tee aren't going to move up to 6000 yards, and normal humans like me who might carry the ball 200 aren't going to play at 5000 yards. On the other hand, each and every one of us should look at playing a shorter course, and be safe in understanding that we're not being wimps, we're only trying to get the PGA Tour experience. "I wanna play the tips, see what the pros see". Not a chance!!

While I suggest you should do what you want, anyone who is playing in accordance with the Rules of Golf can't use that. That group is a lot larger than just the professional tours. This math doesn't work, unless you've made a typo. 15% of 150 is 22.5 additional yards, not 15. One thing that I think becomes important in the wind, I try to be less "judgmental" in evaluating my shots. My dispersion will naturally become larger as I mis-read the wind speed or direction, as gusts and calm moments occur, etc. Solid swings and good contact will regularly produce disappointing results. Windy days become a real exercise in patience and acceptance.

To me the best bit was the idea that for the same wind speed, you lose more going against it than you gain going with it. I think its common to think of a specific wind speed as a "one-club wind", when it might be a half-club going downwind, but a full club going into the wind.

The "number" the article doesn't really help with is estimation of wind speed itself. Its relatively simple math to add 5% of the shot distance or subtract 3% or whatever, what's difficult is saying "This is about 10mph helping me". Nothing wrong with the article, but it really does come down to experience in similar conditions. So my answer, I make an educated guess!

I'm sure I've said it in some other thread, but I'll say it here, I agree completely. You don't, you still have the preferred angle, and generally a pretty level stance. What about an unfilled divot hole that's partially grown over? When does the relief stop? Or maybe a bare spot? How about if the mowers scalp an area? Temporary Water IS a reason for relief, under Rule 16.1

Its interesting, I tried my wife's remote-controlled CaddyTek, and found it to be distracting. I much prefer to operate it manually, a small knob for the speed, and a hand on the back to steer. We're all different. Separately, operating it manually has a much smaller chance for "operator error". I've seen trolleys being operated by "butt-dialing", I've seen them get out of range for the remote, seen two I can specifically remember being dragged out of a pond or creek. Whatever you do, be careful around water!

Yeah, de-heading the driver is the other thing I've done. Be sure you remember what the settings were so you can put it back on correctly. I have a Club Glove bag and stiff arm, and travel at least a couple of times a year with my clubs, and have never had an issue.

I don't know about the "best", but I use a QOD https://qodgolfusa.com/ I'll be starting my 6th season with it. Positives, it folds up REALLY small, customer service has been great, the price is among the lowest. Negatives, it does NOT have a remote (I prefer that), but a remote is available on new models. I believe you can search to find reviews of the Stewart units, and I have friends using Motocaddy trolleys.

I'm happy to help, learning the rules has been fun for me, and helping others makes it worth-while. This particular example is not unusual in the way that one rule points you to another rule, and down the line. The Penalty Area relief tells you to take relief based on a different rule that specifically tells you how to take relief. The rule about dropping then directs you to the rule about placing if the ball doesn't stay in the relief area. That's why I made the point about the tools within the Rules that help a Player to follow these jumps from one rule to the next. Its one thing to learn the rule governing one specific situation, its a much more valuable thing to learn how to use the rules as a whole.

To me, a really good instructor has two skills that differentiate him from someone who really understands the golf swing but doesn't teach. First is the ability to look at a swing, see the apparent problem (early extension was mentioned by @RickyBobby_PR), and be able to determine the underlying cause of the problem. The second skill is to be able to find a way to explain it to the player so the player understands how to change the underlying causes. As you say, everyone is different, it might take 3 or 4 or 5 different images or drills or whatever before the player really understands. Lots of us can see the symptoms, few of us can determine what causes the symptom, and even fewer can find a way to help the player make the appropriate change.

Amen! I know I'll never play them all, there will always be a new one to explore, more than plenty enough to last the rest of my life. I'll also add, most of the times I've made a trip for golf, including Ireland and Scotland, I've never approached it as a "once in a lifetime" thing, as if I'm ticking off boxes on a long list. I prefer to think of exploring, with the option always available to return if I have enough fun the first time. One thing I'll suggest for folks, take these "bucket list" trips as early in your life as you can. I'm 68, and although I'm still good for walking golf courses (11 rounds in 10 days in Scotland last July), I know the time will come when I won't be able to do it. I'd hate to have too many courses remaining on my "to-do" list when that time comes.

The reason this is confusing is that you don't know enough. Neither do I, and I've been playing golf for more than 50 years. "Generic" instruction aimed at a mass audience is quite likely to be the wrong thing for any individual player. I don't doubt the credentials of either instructor, I DO doubt your ability to diagnose your own swing. Go see a proper instructor who can evaluate your swing, and provide suggestions/instruction/drills to address your specific faults.

One "secret" is the understanding that you can't always accomplish anything on your own. You can't "dig it out of the dirt", as was said about Ben Hogan. Practicing a lot, but using the same techniques you're using now, will make you more consistent at that poor technique, but will probably have a serious limit on how much you improve. Accept that, and go get a short-game lesson. And THEN put in the work to make whatever changes are necessary. There's no "magic bullet", it takes both improvements to technique and practice.

The "perfect world" fantasy list would start with Augusta National, and Cyprus Point. I've played a fair bunch of the courses others have listed here, Kapalua, The Old Course and a good number of others in Scotland, Whistling Straits (all but the Irish), Sand Valley/Mammoth Dunes, Pinehurst/Pine Needles/Tobacco Road, a fair number in Ireland (the Republic, not Northern), and within a month I'll have been to Pebble Beach. In the group of "possible but unlikely" I'd include Northern Ireland, (RCD probably), the Sand Belt in Australia, the amazing New Zealand courses, and Cabot courses in Nova Scotia.

I'll point you to the spots in the Rules that matter, I hope you'll look these up for yourself. Lateral Penalty Area relief is discussed in Rule 17.1d(3). That says you must drop the ball in the Relief Area in accordance with 14.3, which describes a few required elements in an acceptable drop. 14.3c(2) talks about a ball that's dropped in the right way that comes to rest outside the Relief Area. As you say, you drop it a second time within the relief area. If it once again ends up outside the Relief Area, you Place it at the spot where the ball touched the ground first on the second drop. Note that this may not be "C", you don't have to place or drop it on the Reference Point. If it won't stay, after 2 attempts, you find the nearest point where it WILL remain in place. I know this is a long answer to a short question. I recommend that people learn to use the rules themselves. Here's a link to the USGA version (the R&A version is identical). https://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-clarifications/rules-and-clarifications.html#!ruletype=fr&section=rule&rulenum=17&subrulenum=1 Note that if you see a term in italics, that term has a definition, and clicking on the word will take you directly to the Definition. If you see another rule referenced, click on that rule and you'll be transported to the other rule. Or download the free USGA Rules app for your phone. Its really designed for ease of use.

Stroke and Distance penalty relief is available any time, for any reason. Its listed as one of the options in Rule 17 (Penalty Area) and Rule 19 (Unplayable), but 18.1 says you may take S&D any time.