hi,

my name is Jack i live in Worcester Park just outside London in a place you may all know as Surrey.

I don't like to say this but i have to admit i'm a beginner, i started playing golf when i was about 10 with my grandad, i went down the driving range with him about 4 or 5 times and as he got older he played less and i just didn't play at all, partly down to finiacial reasons, as £10 a week pocket mopney didn't really help me buy a set of golf clubs. 

i'm now 19 coming up to 20 and at the end of september, me and my 3 closest mates were all playing Tiger Woods 08 on the Xbox360. We were all having a laugh but realised why don't we all just start playing instead.

So we all bought a set of clubs each, i used my dads clubs from when he went through a spell of playing and we have played since the last week of september thorugh to this day at least 1-2 times a week except when it snowed around the country.

i struggle to afford the pay and play golf courses as it is so my game is entriely based on what i have taught myself, i know i should really get lessons and no doubt i will but not whilst i'm still on a trainee's wage.

Anyway, i'll get to my questions as i don't want to bore you with my golfing life story. lol

My first question being - i'm a pretty big guy and when i hit a drive well it will go forever and i seem too get a lot of distance on the shot, however this is not always the case, as about 80% of my shots are going straight, straight, straight and then bang it curves to the left. and usually out of bounds.

Has anyone got any tips on how to change this from happening and keep it going straight straight striaght until it has safely landed on the ground.

My second Question - my grandfather who now doesn't play as much as he would love to as he is getting older and isn't as mobile as he used to be, has recently bought me a rescue wood, he said it was a pretty good make "Ben Sayers" and it feels good to swing. My problem is that i don't understand when to use it, my understanding is that you can use them for a tee-shot but it must be hit off the ground. and you can also use them off the fairway. am i correct in thinking this and has anyone got any tips on how to use one of these. this may well come into my first question as i also tend to hit this shot straight straight straight and then left at the end. lol.

it seems strange that only my drives seem to go off to the left. because my iron shots off the tee seem to generally have a lot of height and a fair bit of distance on them. obviously not all the time but most of the time my iron shots are spot on. for a beginner anyway.

My thrid and final question - when chipping on to the green, i find that some go very well. i keep the triangle between my shoulds arms and hands. but some seem to just get scuffed and go about 3 inches in front of me and i seem to hit into the ground and end up with losts of mud grass all over the club, which is obviously very annoying considering that counts as a shot everytime i do it. any tips for chipping on to the green from up to 20 yards out?

thanks for reading if anyone does, i'm sorry if i've mumbled on but hopefully someone with a bit more experience can help.

thanks in advance.

Welcome Jack,

First question - are you a leftie or a rightie (handed)?  This will affect the answer you get to your first question.

In answer to your second question, you swing a rescue in exactly the same wasy as you would use an iron.  Think of it as a funny looking six iron and you won't be far out. It replaces a long iron but is easier to hit and you can use it anywhere - tee, fairway, rough.  You do not have to hit it off the ground when teeing off, but you are better teeing it quite low. 

For your third and final question, instead of swing like you would normally, swing the club like you do a putter.  Based on the club you are using and the amount you swing it you will get varying carry and roll, and you will have to experiment/practice to get the distances right.  In general, a 9 iron going 20 yards using this technique will have 10 yards of carry and 10 yards of roll.  Obviously a PW will have more carry and an 8 iron less carry.  You select the club based on how far you want it to carry and in gereneral you want the first bounce to be on the green. 

Thanks Chris,

 by the way i'm right handed. for future knowledge.

i appreciate your answers. so am i right in saying, i shouldn't look at the rescue wood as if its a driver, i should look at it as if it is a long iron. which can be played in pretty much any situation a 6 iron could be used in?

thanks again, i appreciate it.

Depending on the loft, the rescue will replace (usually) a 2, 3 or 4 iron.  It's designed to be swung like an iron but is much more versatile.  Yes you can use it anywhere you would use a 6 iron, but in tough lies such as heavy rough you will get a better connection. 

Given that you are right-handed, the right-to-left ball flight is a draw.  Don't complain as most golfers would love to have that as their usual shot shape.  USUALLY over-drawing is caused by doing too much of something, like over-rotating the hands, but can just be down to you having an in-to-out swing plane (the club starts close to the body and moves further from it as you swing).  It can also be a combination of two or more of these.  Without seeing your swing, I couldn't comment on which it is and there are many on here much better versed in swing mechanics than me. 

As a first step, I suggest setting up, taking your club back in the normal manner and then bring it back down in the usual swing manner until it is at the point where it will contact the ball.  Have a look at the club head.  Is it still sqaure to the target?  If the club head is now aiming left, you are over-rotating your wrists. 

ok,

thanks chris you have been a great help.

i will try out your tips tonight when i go down the range before i watch the mighty chelsea stomp all over Juventus. lol.

i was thinking maybe i'm over-rotating, thats why it goes left alot of the time. i'm trying to find a good prioce on lesson at the moment, but it does seem like alot of money for an hour of a pros time. but considering how much my friends have improved its definately worth it.

thanks again chris, speak to you soon.

One more thing, if the club face is pointing left in the check above (known as closed) it's worth checking your grip.  Prior to starting the swing, your left thumb should be pretty much on top of the grip and if someone was stood directly in front of you they should be able to see no more than two knuckles on your left hand.  If there are more knuckles showing, your body will correct it as the swing comes through causing that closed club face.  It really could be something as simple as that. 

Welcome to the site Jack. As a fellow high handicapper, I can say from experience that forgoing a game or two of golf in favour of some lessons will do far more good than harm. Once you get some solid basics behind you, your golf will be so much more enjoyable. Sure you will still hit some duff shots, but it will provide you with more consistancy through out your whole game.

 Hi Jack, Paul has a point.  lot to be said seeing a pro before you get into too many bad habits.

Hi Jack, I would reiterate the comments above, go get a few lessons you will see a vast improvment given the right tuition. I would add that if you do decide on lessons, try and find someone who has proven experience, maybe someone of your friends have used and you have seen improvment in thier game after lessons, there are plenty of pro's out there whos only interest is to get thier wages who will go through the motions without showing any real interest in you. Good luck with your game for the future Jack.

Welcome to the site Jack   re the thumb, it should actually be just off centre to the right if right handed rather than dead centre on top.

Thanks for the comments guys, i actually got an email yesterday offering a free 30 minute golf lesson trial. so i jumped at the chance and if i feel an improvement then i will certainly think about getting some more, its just so expensive and on a trainee wage, my money will be gone before i've even started the month if i start having lessons as well.