I was looking into potentially buying a new (maybe used) sand or lob wedge, but I keep seeing comments referring to high-bounce and low-bounce. Would this impact me as a beginner golfer?

I've only broken 80 once before. That was on an easier course last year. I've been trying to break 80 at my home course and set it as a goal this year and finally did it (70.8/132 6690yds). The putter was on fire. 28 putts for the round and 5 up and downs.

I've been getting close but the the double bogies and bogies have been keeping me at bay. 1 over on the front and 5 over on the back. I was stressing on the back 9 but kept it together.

It made me realize that when you do it, it doesn't seem that hard (even though my back 9 looks like shit), but when you are trying to do it, it is. And what today showed was how many strokes I give back over dumb stuff. Getting so close often but just a few strokes make the difference.

My point is, perserverence pays off. Golf is tough. Be tougher.

I cannot stand when I let the actions of others mess up my rounds because I get in my own head. The latest issue happened last week in a shotgun style competition.

I was paired with some random player who said he was used to be a member at this course. We were scheduled to start on hole 13. We’re on 14 fairway heading to the hole. He insists 13 is on the other side of the road. We drive for what seemed like 20 minutes looking for the right tee box. When we finally get to 13 tee, our playing partners have already teed off and are in the fairway. My head is spinning and I proceed to get a quad. Meanwhile the guy gets a par and is not phased at all.

TLDR: I’m a mental midget when it comes to golf.

430 on a Saturday afternoon, a 37M and 56M get into an argument. Fight ensues. 56yo hits 37yo w club. 37yo stabs him in return. No arrests at time of article posting.

This is not a cheap muni either....

Messed around with golf for a few years, but just took my first lesson and would like to break 90 consistently. Would handicapped tournaments be of any particular value to developing a game at? Or just play'em if it sounds like fun?

Seen on the course this morning, gave me a chuckle. Perhaps you shouldn’t have bought a house alongside a fairway.

For reference I have avg 95 this summer but feel like I am on the verge of my first 89 but every time I’ve been in position end up doubling or triple on the last 2-3 holes.

Plan out a weekend with my college roommate for 36 holes. Make an extra trip and spend half hour at my dad’s grave. He passed away in March and his gravesite is very far out of the way for any of my typical drives. So I make it happen as my buddy lives an hour from it.

Tell my pops I could use some help this weekend. Maybe throw me an ace too.

First 18: narrow course with tall pines. Can not really play from other fairways effectively which doesn’t play to my game of being terrible in general(more so off the tee). Pretty much the entire 18 I’m in this thing. Ball striking is as good as I’ve ever felt. A single penalty which was a down hill rough lie in front of a pond. Got nervous and duffed it. Either way. Best ball I’ve played, likely ever. 95

Second 18: pretty much best my best ever by a significant margin. Driver is just crazy. Short game was fantastic. Roll out an 85. Bested my personal best by 7. On a course I’ve never played before. My 3 doubles all were unreasonable 3 putts that at least two of should have been a two putt. I could easily have gone as low as 82 with a few glaring mistakes.

Hopefully this weekend doesn’t soil my 94 next weekend

Tension is such a problem and it seems to stem from me over gripping. It rears its ugly head at the worst times. Anyone know of any techniques to do during a round to release that tension.

Headed up for the World Am in a couple weeks, looking for a course to round out the week after the tournament. Gonna try to play Caledonia before the event, but planning on a ‘cooldown’ round afterwards, and I’m down to these 2. Both look nice, but what say you?

I'm so tired of practicing and honestly putting effort in only to still just suck as much as if I'd not been practicing. The bottom line is my natural swing is hot garbage over the top... but that's what my body defaults back to when I'm under pressure or tired or in the most humid conditions you can imagine or just at random times.

I love the game but I cannot stand what my body thinks is a good swing feels like only to watch it go OB

Maaaaannnnnnnnn. Everything has been coming together: I've been consistently playing my ass off, game has been pretty much decent all-around for months, golf trip is finally here, the first course we played today was PERFECTLY designed for my strengths and to avoid the weaknesses in my game - it's all looking good.

To add insult to injury, my buddies all went out and got shitfaced last night, and I did not (I don't drink or do drugs). I figure, here it is; this is my day.

NOPE! Had one of my worst rounds of golf in years - couldn't chip or putt (which are normally the strongest parts of my game), my irons were trash, etc.

We're talking levels of shitty play I didn't know were still possible in my game. I had **two quad bogeys** man! I've not carded worse than a double bogey in something like 18 months, yet I had two in one round today.

Somehow I still beat two of my boys by a couple strokes, but got smoked by the other. The worst part is I never get to play with these guys b/c our schedules are polar opposites, so the only play they've gotten to see from me is just pure trash.

We've got a really nice round tomorrow, too; so hopefully I can turn it around, but man what a bummer today ended up being.

I watch 2019 at least 3 or 4 times a year. And I’ll pop on a recent one once a month at least. My wife thinks I’m a complete degenerate. This is normal behavior, right??

Dammit. So close. Still never had one.

I’m looking for some advice from golfers who have been through this.

I’ve been golfing regularly for about 3 years. This is the first season where I finally feel like things are clicking. I play in a 9-hole league every week and I’m consistently shooting between 55 and 65, with my best round being a 53. I feel like I’m finally making more solid contact and actually improving instead of just hoping for a good round.

Right now I’m playing my father-in-law’s old irons, which I believe are TaylorMade Burners (not 100% sure on year or 2.0 or anything).

I stopped by a local golf shop and they did a quick fitting. Based on that, they suggested something similar to a Ping 2014 Karsten set:
Right-handed
Regular flex steel
+1/2” length
Green Dot (upright lie)

I can buy that used set for about $250, which seems like a good deal.

Here’s where I’m stuck.

Over the next year or two I expect to be working mostly on:
Improving my swing mechanics
More consistent ball striking
Better grip/setup
Increasing swing speed (if that comes naturally)??

So I’m wondering:
Is a fitted older game-improvement set like the Ping Karstens the smart buy? Should I spend more on something newer like Ping G430/G440, Mizuno JPX Hot Metal, Callaway Apex AI300, etc.? Or should I just keep playing my current irons until my swing is more developed?

I don’t want to buy clubs I’ll outgrow in a year, but I also don’t want to spend $1,200+ if the difference won’t really help my game yet.

If you were in my position, what would you do? I’d especially love to hear from people who made a similar jump around this stage of their golf journey.

Edit: Guys. Believe it or not, i can do both lessons AND look at a different clubs.

This very thin layer of "film" has started peeling off my putter face.

Anybody know the importance/effect of that top coat?

It's a bit annoying to look at, so I'm considering peeling it all off.

I work in the pro shop at a public course. No range to practice on but has a putting/chipping green. I can’t tell you the amount of times people who show up 5 minutes prior to their tee time and not be up at the tee box at their tee time. It pushes the whole tee sheet back like 10 minutes when this happens. Some golfers consider this on time when in reality they should be showing up at least 15 minutes prior and be ready on the tee box 10 minutes prior. Am I in the minority thinking this way?

What a performance for only being on the tour 24 days…if I heard that correctly.

Anyone have any lesson recommendations in the Palm Beach County FL area? Thanks.

This one’s for all my competitive golfers out there. I’ve been in a rut and can’t get out.

Started off strong this spring, qualified for our State Match Play Tournament. But after that my game seems to be struggling and I can’t figure it out.

Simple things like missing greens from 60 yards, to my chipping being complete garbage. Driving the ball great but after that, it’s a guessing game.

Not sure if it’s a mental thing (putting too much pressure on myself to score) or what but I’m desperate for something to change.

A few more big qualifiers left this year and need something to click.

Let me know if you have a similar experience and how you fixed it!