Crosshair Golf Blog
June 25, 2010
How far do you hit your 5 iron
How far do you hit your 5 Iron?
You will here this question or “what club do you use to hit 150 yards?” Either way, you should have a answer. Why, because if you are wanting to score better, then this is good information to have.
If you walk up to any Pro Golfer and ask “How far do you hit your 6 iron?” Their answer will be something like “163 Yards” not 160 yards or 165 yards, it will be 163 yards, they will know exactly how far they hit each club. The better Pro’s will know how far they hit all their clubs in different weather conditions, different altitudes, etc. You give them a situation or climate and they will know how far they hit the clubs in their bag.
For us weekend warriors we do not need to know exactly how far we hit each club, but we should have a good idea. We need to be close, 5 yard increments is probably fine for us. This information is good for scoring and for safety. For instance, A new golfer is out on the course. He is 150 yards to center of green. He does not know what club he uses for 150 yards so he grabs his 3 wood. He sends his ball through the windshield of a brand new Caddy in the parking lot, Loses $5.00 skin, and worst of all he got a quadruple bogey. But worse than that, he could have actually hurt someone.
OK, what do you do? After you have had a few lessons, get out to a driving range, preferably a driving range that allows you to hit off the grass. You might want to take several trips to the driving range. Each time you go try to hit 10 to 15 balls with each club and make notes as to distance. Once you know these numbers, you will see your scores drop and your enthusiasm for the game rise.
If you do not have the time to measure each and every club, then just take your 5 Iron. Lets say that after a few trips to the range, you have determined that you hit your 5 iron 160 yards. You can now estimate 10 yards per club in either direction. Your 6 iron 150 yards and your 4 iron 170 yards, etc.
Now you are ready to see a yardage marker, pace off your ball and put it in the center of the green.
So I will ask you again. How far do you hit your 5 iron?
June 4, 2010
Try the Putting Green for a change
How many times do we show up early for a round of golf, grab a bucket of balls, and head out to the driving range and hit all the balls with our golf driver? Too many times if you ask me.
I think it is time we start hitting the putting green and improving our scores instead of always taking out the driver and trying to improve our sexiness. Let me ask you this. What is so sexy about a 300+ yard drive followed up by a 4-putt?
A par 72 golf course has probably four par 5′s and some of those are probably dog legs that require a lay up. You might have some long par 4′s that you can get away with the driver, even though you should probably lay up.
All golf courses, regardless of length and number of holes, have one thing in common. To finish every hole, you must putt. That’s right, you have to take the putter out and use it at least once, probably twice, and all too often three times on every single hole you play.
So, don’t buy that bucket of balls and try to be the long drive winner. Instead, grab a handful of the balls you use every day, hit the putting green, and win the round, time and time again.
June 3, 2010
The Golf Frustration Blues
I am in the middle of the fairway, 150 yards out, no wind, no shadows. I take my 8-Iron and go through my routine. I address the ball, keep my head down and wham……Worm Burner. You guessed it, I topped the ball.
Simple 94 yard par 3. You can do this every day. Except some masochistic course designer thought the fairway between you and the hole is a great place to put a pond, maybe he likes fishing. But I digress, my ball is in the water. I do not know why, this is a shot I make all the time when there is no pond in my way.
They say that golf is a “Mind” game, or golf is a “Mental” game. Well, I am here to tell you “They” are wrong. Golf is a head game. It gets in your head and torments you. It beats you down. It makes you do crazy things like pay $500.00 for the newest, latest, greatest, driver. A driver that will send the ball farther and straighter than any club before. That is, until you get it in your hands and slice the ball onto interstate 90 that runs along the par 5 5th.
So, why do we do it? Why do we keep going to the course, weekend after weekend? I will tell you why. Sometimes that Golf Bug that has gotten in our heads is asleep. We step up to the first tee and take out our Driver and hit it straight and true. Then, hole after hole we make sweet shots and finish, maybe not with a pro tour score, but we break 100 or even 90.
We beat the demon in our heads.
May 5, 2010
Meet the Clubs #5 The Golf Wedge
So far you have met The Golf Driver, Fairway Woods, Golf Iron Sets, and Hybrid Irons. Now it is time to meet the Golf Wedge.
What is a Wedge? Well, it is pretty much an extension of your Golf Iron Set. Some golfers think of the wedge as its own category. But, no matter how you look at it. it is a higher lofted Golf Iron.
Because wedges are higher lofted clubs they are used for your short game or to get out of trouble. No matter what the reason you choose to use a wedge, do not expect a whole lot of distance. Although, if you watch the Pro’s play, they will hit a wedge 100 plus yards, the average golfer should not expect the same results.
As with all the other Golf Clubs in your bag you need to learn how to use them and then experiment until you find what wedges fit your comfort zone. I, for example, am very comfortable with my iron play. In my set I have opted to not carry a sand wedge and have replaced it with a 60 degree wedge. Find what works for you.
The person who is probably the best wedge player ever is Phil Mickelson. I have seen Phil from about 5 yards off the green, take one of his higher lofted wedges, hit the ball with a full swing, and the ball goes straight up travels about 10 yards and drops on the green. As well as ability, you will need confidence when using your wedges.
What Golf Wedge should I get? Well, I would suggest starting out with a 56 or 60 degree to start, learn to use it, practice with it and go from there. You might find that wedge play is not for you or you might find that you love it.
If you are interested in a new custom discount Golf Wedge give us a look and see if something interests you.
April 23, 2010
Is it a Thriver or a Thriller
The new Acrer XDS Thriver Driver is a thrill for all that pick it up and let it beat on that little white ball.
Is it a Golf Driver ? NO. Is it a #3 Fairway Wood? NO. It is a Thriver.
Did you ever notice that when a Pro is trying to preserve a lead, or just keep it on the fairway when they are having a bad day with their driver. They will usually grab their #3 Fairway Wood, opting for accuracy in lieu of some distance off the tee.
So, do you have trouble hitting fairways off the tee, or do you want that little extra edge at your local golf club tournament, maybe you just want to teach your friends a lesson. Whatever the reason the New Acer XDS Insider Thriver will be an asset for your golf bag.
Some of the best innovations in Driver Design and the best aspects of the #3 Fairway Wood were combined to give you the best of both worlds off the tee.
The designers of this club said. “The head shape and contour on the crown was specifically designed to encourage one to swing the driver on an inside-out swing path. Plus the XDS Insider’s internal weighting creates a draw enhancing ball flight on center impact. The masking on the crown using our exclusive Square Optical Alignment System, cleverly disguises the closed face angle to provide a “square” appearance so one can just trust their natural swing.”
When you let the big dog eat but it does not like what you are feeding it, your shot is long but wrong and you end up in the rough, or even worse, the woods. The # 3 Fairway Wood in your bag will put it on the fairway, but it just does not have the distance. The Acer XDS Insider Thriver is the Golf Club that needs to get in your bag!
If you are interested in the New Acer XDS Thriver visit our product site for all your discount golf club and clone golf club needs. www.crosshairgolf.com
April 9, 2010
Meet the Clubs #3 Golf Irons
The basic Golf Irons set consists of 9 clubs the #3 thru #9 plus the Pitching Wedge and the Sand Wedge. There are also Wedges of varying lofts that some consider golf irons while others relegate them to the “Wedge” category.
Golf irons fit into 2 sub categories. Blade Style or Cavity Back. The beginner golfer or occasional golfer should probably choose the cavity back golf iron. The cavity back iron is just what it implies, the back of the iron is hollowed out creating a cavity. This causes the weight to be distributed around the edge of the iron, this is helpful for the beginner or casual golfer. The blade style is a solid head which usually means a smaller head. Blade style irons are a bit harder to master but once you do you will be able to work the ball much easier that with a cavity back.
The lofts on a golf iron progress up with the club numbers. The #3 iron being around 20 degrees of loft and the Sand Wedge being around 55 degrees loft. Also the irons get progressively shorter usually 1/2″ per club.
Golf irons are hit off the fairway and out of deep rough, you will also tee off on par 3′s or short par 4′s with an iron.
Also available is the #1 and #2 Iron which have smaller heads and lower lofts. These irons are not widely available, but if you look you can find them. They are also called “Driving Irons”. These clubs are very difficult to hit, but if you master them they can be a valuable asset to your bag.
Beginner golfers and occasional golfers sometimes have a hard time hitting the long irons, the long irons being the #3 and #4. If you find yourself having difficulty with these clubs try replacing them with a Hybrid Irons. We will talk about Hybrid Irons in a future post.
Golf Irons are a very important part of your game and you will find yourself using 1-3 different golf irons on every hole.
For information on the other types of clone golf clubs we have that you’ll need for your bag, check out our What are the Golf Clubs in a Set article, and the Meet the Clubs #4 Hybrid Irons article.
April 3, 2010
Meet the Clubs #2 The Fairway Woods
Why are they called Fairway Woods? The reason being they used to be made of wood. Now, they are made using the same materials as the Driver. The Golf Driver is also a wood, it is the #1 wood but it is referred to as the Driver. Sometimes people refer to fairway woods as fairway metals.
The most common fairway woods are the #3 and #5. Although you can find some fairway woods ranging from #2 up to a #15. Starting with the #3 Fairway Wood the loft is around 15 degrees (this varies +/- a degree or 2 depending on the manufacturer) the lofts get greater the higher the number fairway wood you have i.e. the #5 is around 19 degrees the #7 24 degrees and so on.
The Fairway Wood is designed for what it’s name implies, playing off the fairway. Because the head is larger and shaped like the driver you can expect to get some distance. You will not get as much distance as the driver but a #3 wood in the right hands will go 200+ yards.
Since the advent of the Hybrid Iron many golfers are opting out of the #5 and #7 fairway woods and going with comparable lofted Hybrid irons.
Deciding which fairway woods you will carry will depend on you and your personal game. I, for example, only carry a #3 fairway wood and a #1 Hybrid Iron, the #1 hybrid iron is comparable to a driving iron, more on that later. So, for the beginner, get the #3 and #5 Fairway Wood along with a Golf Driver for your wood set and once you start getting better, get rid of what you do not need and get other clubs you do need.
Take a look at our article covering all of the different kinds of clone golf clubs we offer that comprise a full set in our What are the Golf Clubs in a Set article. And be sure to follow our series with the next Meet the Clubs article where we discuss Golf Irons.
March 28, 2010
The Golf Driver and Distance
460 cc golf driver, the cc stands for cubic centimeters, 460 is the maximum allowable for playing golf. you can get your golf driver with a much larger head but it is illegal, so don’t bother. These larger driver heads are usually used for competitive distance drivingin which the rules of golf do not apply.
So, the first step in getting more distance from your golf driver is the ball. We will not, at this time, get into a deep discussion about the different golf balls and what they do. We will talk about that some other time. For now, just find a ball that you like that is designed for distance. Golf balls designed for distance have less spin when the club head initially strikes the ball.
Step 2 is to get a golf driver with optimum loft. Optimum loft is different for everyone so I can not really tell you what loft you should get. Experiment with drivers of varying lofts and when it is right you will know. I, for example, tend to hit golf shots very high with all my clubs, so to get optimum loft on my driver I had to drop to 8 degress of loft to get optimized. Slower Swingers might find that a 12 or 14 degree loft driver is optimum for them. A general rule of thumb is the stronger your swing, the lower the loft.
Step 3 tee it high and let it fly. Conventional wisdom is to tee the ball so the center line of the golf ball is about even with the top of the club head. Now, however, some instructors are saying the ball should be even higher. Tee it up so the club head only reaches about 1/4 the way up the ball. Now you know why 3 and 3 1/2″ tees are getting more and more popular.
Step 4 get the ball farther up in your stance. You want the ball at least even with your forward foot, (left for right hand golfers and right for left hand golfers) you can even go a inch or to forward of your lead foot. Just remember, the farther forward the ball is in your stance the less control you will have so your strike needs to be right on. You need to find what is most comfortable and accurate for you. You do not have to move the ball all at once, experiment and practice and slowly get the ball farther up in your stance.
Step 5 get a bulls-eye, hit the ball in the center. You are probably wondering why I say this. Well, it is simple, most of us do not hit the ball in the center. We line up in the center of the ball, but we do not hit the ball in the center. You tee the ball, you take a couple of practice swings, you address the ball, set the club head on the ground behind the ball to line it up, and then WHAM, the ball goes anywhere except the fairway. The reason is this, the club swings like a pendulum. It does not go up and down, it swings.The first thing to remember is that the ball is 3″ in the air. OK, with that knowledge, try this test. Tee the ball up, place the club head on the ground centered behind the ball, then with your arms outstretched lift the club head to the ball. Is it centered now?
This is not unusual, so chalk it up as a learning experience. Just start experimenting and testing. Move back a bit and do the test again and again until you find your own sweet spot.
Finally, you need to hit the ball on the upswing. Everybody’s swing is different, so you will need to have your swing observed. It might only take one lesson. Just tell the instructor you want to make sure you are hitting your drive on the upswing and then he or she will observe and make corrections for you. You might not need a lesson for this you might find that perfect swing on your own. Remember, your golf driver is your friend.
October 16, 2009
Fourteen Sticks in a Sack
Per U.S.G.A. rules you can have 14 golf clubs in your bag.You can only have 1 putter, in fact, you can only have one club set up like a putter. For instance, some people have chippers in their bag, these clubs have to be set up like an iron even though you stroke them like an iron. The rest of the clubs are up to you. Phil Mickelson, for a while, was carrying 2 drivers.
What do you have in your bag? When I got my first set about 7 years ago, I had the typical Driver, #3 and #5 Fairway Woods, 3 thru 9, Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge iron set, and a putter. That is 13 clubs, I felt I needed 14. At that time hybrids were in their infancy and they were more like woods than irons, so I got one. I got one that was similar to a #7 wood, it was the first to go.
Then I got rid of the #5 wood. Now, when I get new clubs I only get the Driver and #3 for woods.
I got rid of my Sand Wedge and now i have a 64 degree wedge, in the sand i open the face of my pitching wedge, it works for me. And I now have a Hybrid equal to a #1 iron.
I have a putter also, that makes my set 13 clubs. There is no rule that states I have to have 14 clubs, but I will probably get another wedge.
Basically, my message in this article is this. Get the clubs you use, if you use them you need them, if you don’t use them then you don’t need them. Do not get clubs that the Pro’s use because they use them. I love to watch Tiger play. I am inspired by his playing, he carries a 5 wood and I have no intention of getting one.
If you are new to golf or have no Idea what clubs you need, then get the basic set. Driver, #3 and #5 Fairway Woods, 3 thru 9, PW, Sw Iron set, and a putter. Then if you are not hitting your long Irons, (#3 and #4) try replacing them with some hybrids. Get some wedges if your short game is strong. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment.
As you learn the ways of your clubs don’t worry about the 14-club rule. When you are out with your buddies for round just tell them you are bringing a few extra clubs to try out, as long as you are not in a tournament or league event they shouldn’t mind.
After a few months you should have the perfect set, although, it will only last a month or so before the next best thing comes along. Enjoy many years of collecting Golf Clubs.
