Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

I bought the Garmin Approach S40 watch during the time in 2020 when we were not allowed to leave the house. It arrived quickly and was ready to use out the box. It's a no mess no fuss item and can be used straight out the box.

Why did I buy the Garmin S40?

I bought the S40 because I want to:

A) MAINLY track my distances with each club accurately over a long period of time to know my TRUE on-course distances. I also want to track my improvements in distance after taking lessons for my swing.

B) I want to keep fairway, green and putting stats. The fairway stats are more for knowing which side I miss the fairways on to rectify my alignment and direction issues. I want to hit more greens since my lessons and love to track improvement.

Difference between the Garmin Approach S40 and S20

I'm always looking to save some bucks but I looked at them side by side online and the S40 beats the S20 for me on the following 3 aspects:

The S40 has a COLOR, TOUCH screen which may not seem important but after receiving it, I am so happy I did not get a black and white screen. The S20 has a black and white screen and it's not a touch screen.

The one and only other feature which the watches do not share is that the S40's strap can be replaced easily. 

Is the difference in price worth it?

I like to look at these higher end purchases like this:

Will I miss the extra $150 I spent on a newer, more intuitive model that I will NOT regret buying? Will I miss that cash in 2 years which is the amount of time I hope the watch lasts? Well on average, that's $8 per month over the 24 months that I intend to have the watch. Will I miss $8 per month? No, that's two shitty Starbucks coffees a month!

Will I regret buying a cheaper model, when I realize I actually wanted the color touchscreen? Yes I will. And I don't like buyers remorse!

So with that flawless reasoning, I purchased the much nicer, touch screen, with color, GPS golf watch, the S40.

They have equal number of courses at around 35,000 worldwide and they connect to the Garmin app on the phone. I like the S40.

Garmin Approach S40 Full Review

Comfort

I don't wear any jewellery and I thought this would be the big stumbling block. The strap however, has many holes in it to fit any size you could imagine. I forget that it's even there and I wear it high enough above my glove so it doesn't interfere with play at all.

Ease of Use

There is a simple USB charging cable that you get in the box and it's a specific Garmin one, so don't lose it. It plugs into the back of the watch and it charges very quickly.

Simple Start up

1. You switch it on, tap the home screen which says "Play Golf"
2. The watch then finds satellites and depending where you are, this may take a while so do it at least 5-10 minutes before your tee time.
3. It will prompt you to select one of the courses on screen and then ask you if you want to keep score. I do keep score on it.

On-the-Course usage

From there, you just hit your shots, and the watch will automatically detect when you have hit a shot. It must be from some sort of sensor in the watch to know there was a strong enough jerk on the watch to imply a shot was hit. 

It prompts you to select which club you hit from that spot and then as you walk, it tracks the distance you hit the ball on the screen. That's pretty cool to know for immediate feedback on your drives.

Once you get to the ball again, you don't need to do anything funny. You just hit your shot, and the watch will have prompted you when you look at it again, to select a club again. 

At the end of the hole, it will ask you to insert your score, your number of putts, if you hit the fairway, right rough or left rough and if you have any penalties. Then it changes to the next hole. It's THAT easy. 

Important info displays easily

The watch allows you to see the following which is highly valuable:

A. Distance to the front of water and bunkers. As well as the distance to CLEAR the water and bunkers.

B. The distance you need to hit the ball to reach the 200 yard, 150 yard, 100 yard and 50 yard distance markers. This is incredible info for lay ups on par 5 holes. 

You can scroll through all this info on the bottom of the screen using up and down arrows.

Back Middle Front of the greens every shot

You can, at any time find the distance to the back edge, the middle  and the front edge of the green from any position on the course.

This is the difference between a rangefinder and a GPS golf watch. You don't need line of sight with a GPS golf watch. This has been valuable on blind shots on a few occasions. 

Change the pin location on the watch

If you click the screen you can see the green view and use your finger to drag the flag around the green to get a better idea of the distance to the pin. I have used this when my caddie forgets to bring my rangefinder. It's not PERFECT but if you know the course well enough, it's useful.

Battery Life is excellent

I always charge it the night before the round and have never used it for more than one round in a row without a charge.

However, when I finish the round, without fail so far, the remaining battery is always 78%. So it loses 22% charge over 18 holes. I would hazard a guess that you could easily do 3 rounds without charging this watch, perhaps even 4. 

Check latest price of the S40 now

Statistics and post-round analysis

The Garmin Approach S40 syncs up to your phone if you download the Garmin Golf app. 

There is no point to this watch without this feature for me. I want it for statistics and information of my play to go over rounds and track progress.

Sync with your Garmin phone app

The number one priority for me on the watch is to know my distances. I want to make better decisions with the right club in my hand whenever I am facing a shot. The "Club Performance" page in the app gives me that.

Too often we are suckered into using the scorecard distance of the hole, minus the distance left to the pin to calculate our driving distance. That can leave a false impression and devastating results.

The next important thing I want to know is WHERE am I missing the ball on the tee shots? I want to find a reason, and adjust accordingly. The Greens in Regulation statistic is just to track a total number. if I am hitting more, I am getting better and closer to scratch.

Map of your round is saved

This is a great feature to go through to correct the information on your round. The watch sometimes doesn't pick up a shot so you can add it in. 

When i say it doesn't pick up the shot, its usually the opening tee shot only, when you haven't located the satellites in time. You can change the club you inputted into the watch on the course here as well.

Sometimes you click the wrong club after the shot. Not to worry, you can just edit it later in the app. 

This is a great feature to go through to correct the information on your round. The watch sometimes doesn't pick up a shot so you can add it in. 

When i say it doesn't pick up the shot, its usually the opening tee shot only, when you haven't located the satellites in time. You can change the club you inputted into the watch on the course here as well.

Sometimes you click the wrong club after the shot. Not to worry, you can just edit it later in the app. 

Check latest price of the S40 now at Amazon

Negatives of the Garmin S40 GPS watch

So far, there are only a couple of things I find annoying but are not really related to the watch per se - more about the user failure (me).

You need to get the satellites located at least 5-10 minutes before your tee time. Don't wait until you're standing on the tee waiting to tee off with your group to find the course you're playing. On two occasions, I waited too late and the watch vibrated when it found signal on my backswing on my opening tee shot.

The watch used to pick up practice swings as actual swings but that has stopped after I upgraded software. That is a very good improvement because if you take a swing nowhere near your ball talking to your friend, it would add something to edit. Thankfully that is no no longer an issue. 

No statistic for where you miss the greens. I would like to see a stat to show if I miss greens short, left, right or long. That would be the only really big upgrade I would make. 

Final Thoughts on the Garmin Approach S40

Define what you want a watch for. If it's for specific distances to the pin, you'll need to touch the screen and move the flag around. The advantage being that you can always see it even through trees and over hills. 

If you want it to track middle, front, back distances to the green, then it's a real winner. If you want to keep track of your club distances and work out exactly how far you hit each club, then let me tell you friend, it is the best purchase you can make. I love my Garmin Approach S40 and I hope you will too.

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene
*Read our review guidelines.

Waddaplaya Golf Polo

Created for the tropical heat - fun patterns

Three Sixty Six Golf Shirt

Great stretchy blend - tons of colors

Little Donkey Andy Polo

Short and long sleeve available

A Long sleeve polo shirt is sometimes an option to if you want to keep the sun off your arms. Have a look at the bottom of the page if you want to see my solution which I use often out here in Thailand. UV sleeves.

This spandex/nylon blend will be a perfect feeling for you on the course and if you're worried about the cancers on the forearms or just don't like too much sun, the long sleeves are a great option. 

EAGEGOF Golf Shirt

Cool patterns and perfect spandex mix

Lovely blend of 85/15 with the poly and spandex. These patterns are not as loud and bright as the Waddaplaya Golf shirts mentioned above but are definitely more interesting than plain golf shirts. 

Underarmour Playoff 2.0 polo

Cool patterns and perfect spandex mix

Important features of hot weather polos are moisture wicking, quick-dry fabric, and anti odor technology.

The Underarmour offers all of the above and with all the options available, it's one of the best golf shirts for hot weather on the market. The fabric is created to wick the moisture from your body and is built for comfort. I used to wear only Underarmour before the creation of Waddaplaya Golf polos and I would wear them again if I stopped wearing Wddaplaya. 

Underarmour sponsor Jordan Spieth and he stays dry around Florida under intense pressure year after year. 

Important information when buying golf shirts for hot weather

Are long sleeve polos good for hot weather?

Long sleeves are a good idea if you like to keep the suns rays off your skin when doing outdoor activities. Direct contact on your skin will burn you and with a long sleeved polo made of the right fabric, you can remain burn-free and cool as it wicks moisture away. Many people in Thailand that I play with, wear long sleeve shirts on the golf course and are perfectly happy. 

What color shirt should I wear in the heat?

After 4 years of producing my own line of golf clothing, I can tell you with certainty there are situations where polos can actually heat you up. That situation is when the polo is BLACK. A black-color polo will make you hotter as it absorbs the heat. White is a good color but so are almost every other color besides black. Black is best worn only in the early hours of the morning or late afternoon. Midday heat is intense in a black shirt. 

What fabric works best in hot weather shirts?

Whatever you use, do not use cotton or silk. These are often promoted as the best fabrics to wear but they trap your heat inside the shirt as the sweat is absorbed from your skin. It turns your shirt into a sort of wetsuit sauna.

The best fabrics are polyester blends. Usually a fabric like spandex is blended in at about 10% of the total fabric of the shirt. It gives the shirt a good stretch and when you swing, the polo will flex with your body and not restrict you like cotton does. 

What aspects of the shirts make them good for hot weather?

Your comfort while standing still and walking

When you put on the shirt, it should feel smooth and not itchy or scratchy. Waddaplaya polos are a find blend of either 10/90 or 8/92 for spandex/polyester and it gives them a silky feel. 

Some polos from Nike can feel a little itchy because the tech requires that texture and I cannot personally play in the shirt because it bothers me all the way round the golf course. When you introduce sweat, it creates a wet sandpaper feeling. 

Always be sure that you trust the brand that makes your golf clothes and understand that certain designs, like ones with breathable holes in them might be a bit itchy on your skin. 

Moisture management system of the fabric

Cotton

Cotton absorbs sweat and holds it like a wet suit sauna. It gets saturated easily with very little evaporation. This will cause sweat to drip into your shorts and be absorbed by your undies and your trousers or shorts. Eventually the shirt will have so much sweat that you develop those white salt rings on your shirt after they dry. This will also cause a heavy smell in the shirts in the armpits and near the bottom of the shirt. 

The biggest hindrance is that cotton will make your head feel like it wants to explode from trapping in all your body heat. Also when you make a swing, the cotton will cling to your shoulders, restricting your movement. 

Synthetic golf tech fabric

Synthetic fabrics used nowadays are designed to do the opposite of cotton. They hold the sweat but wick it and so it evaporates as you walk and play and as the wind hits you. This frees up more space in the fabric to keep wicking sweat from your body into the fabrics to evaporate some more. The shirts smell less over time and they hold color much more efficiently than cotton.

What fit do you prefer?

Waddaplaya golf polos are a larger cut so can be a nice normal fit. If you prefer something athletic or slim fit, be sure to check out your chosen brands fitting chart. Online, most manufacturers, including Waddaplaya golf, use a sizing chart where you can measure your own favorite golf shirt against their chart and select the correct size for you first time. 

UV protection

Some shirts will have their UV protective rating listed. If you want something with a high factor, you can find them in the product descriptions to match up. Mostly, fabric blocks sun anyway so you should be good on that front. 

Check the washing requirements

Follow the instructions of the manufacturer because they want your shirt to work in the hot weather forever. Usually you don't want to wash these at very high temperatures so cold wash is preferred. Machine washing is generally okay as well. Driers might be touch and go so always check because of the technology they use in the shirts. It might be destroyed by excessive machine heat. 

Do not use fabric softeners as they will mess up your shirts ability to be moisture wicking. Standard wash is the best for hot weather shirts with standard soap. Usually the fabrics are sublimation printed so color run is rare but always keep colors away from your white clothes. 

What should you not wear when golfing?

I have a great guide on what to wear golfing, but generally, no denim, no sandals, no track pants, and try wear golf shoes, collared shirt and button up trousers or shorts. No football or hockey jerseys either. 

Conclusion

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

I've been using The Voice Caddie SC300 (Swing Caddie) since June 2020.

We're all a little skeptical about these types of products because they aren't TRACKMAN, GCQUAD or FLIGHTSCOPE! But those big setups cost $25k whereas the Voice Caddie SC300 is less than $500.

Click for Golf Sidekick SC300 discount 

What can you measure with the SC300?

And yes, I took the skepticism to the SC300 when I started using it. But It didn't last too long because the SC300 actually does work. The SC200 is a cheaper model which works just as well.

The variables you can measure are:
1. Swing speed
2. Launch angle
3. Ball speed
4. Total carry and total rollout.

They are displayed after every shot and the sound can be switched up on the machine to have a lady tell you out loud, how far the ball went.

BUT what do we do with the data that we can collect?

The SC300 communicates and syncs with an app on your phone so you can store the info to review later. You can also use the MySwingCaddie app while you're hitting balls and it will show you an estimated ball flight and give you a 'trackman'-style display to see your numbers.

Once you have this info, it's so easy to do what I like to use it for:

1. Swing Speed

Swing Speed Part 1

I like to know my swing speed on my EASY swing (105-108mph) and my HARD swing (113-117mph) on the driver. This confirms to me that the shaft I'm playing is fine and that I CAN in fact hit the driver "softly" and trust it will work.

Swing Speed part 2

I like to see how consistent I hit my partial shots inside 120 yards. This year in 2020, I'm focusing on NEVER hitting my wedges FULL. So when I want to find out how fast I am swinging the wedge in relation to distance it goes, I can groove a consistent swing for every distance inside 100 with different clubs. Brilliant stuff!

2. Carry Distance

I don't care about BIG numbers. What I care about is accurate numbers for approach shots. I don't want to know my rollout distance with a 7 iron. I know my 7 iron will stop within a couple feet of the pitch mark so I need to know the CARRY distance so I can trust that the ball will clear bunkers, water and also, NOT reach the back of the green if there is trouble there.

What I usually do is separate my range time over a week or so and hit 2-3 clubs every session to really give myself a decent AVERAGE distance. I take the AVERAGE (the app will calculate this for you) and then I compare that to the MODE. The mode is the number that appears THE MOST OFTEN in a set of data. 

I find with the SwingCaddie SC300, the AVERAGE is VERY accurate over a big sample of 50 shots. I use that AVERAGE as the first part of my thinking. Then I take the number in the data that appears most often, and I use that as my other part of my distance range. This helps to learn to hit your irons.

So let's say my data looks like this:

Number of shots: 50
7 iron average: 171 yards
Number that appears MOST often in the data: 169 yards (18 times out of 50 shots)

I conclude that my 7 iron range is 169 - 171 yards so I will use this range on the golf course to know which club to hit.

3. Hard vs Soft Shots

You can also use it to check your MAXIMUM HIT with a club and know that if you really have to step on a shot, it will go the distance you need. For instance, my 6 iron is my 181-186 club but when I really whack it, it will go 197-202.

I also have a shot where I put my feet about 8 inches apart and hit softer shots. I like to check how far those shots go. The less stable base means I have to swing softer, so I can check with my 9 iron, which normally goes 138-143. When I take a narrow stance, the SC300 tells me it's a 120 yard shot. That's great information to know to build an arsenal of shots. 

4. Speed Gains

When you're exercising for flexibility and strength, you can use the SC300 to measure if you're actually picking up speed from your efforts. I've seen how my swing speed has gone from a MAXIMUM with the driver of 109mph to 117mph in about a year and a half.

Click for Golf Sidekick SC300 discount  

Click for Golf Sidekick SC200 discount  

Can the Swing Caddie SC300 improve my game?

Swing speed knowledge

When you compare your HARD swing to your EASY swing, you can notice the difference between the two can be very minimal. That can really show you that you don't need to step on your shots. You can swing smooth and know that you may only lose 5 yards. Better yet, you may find you PICK UP yards when you're not swinging fast!

Carry distance confirmation

This is the NUMBER ONE factor in golf that amateurs just do not know. This was a blinding realization for Brian (B Dog) on my channel. We went to the range with the SC300 to work out his carry distances. 

He was completely shocked when his distances were 10 yards shorter than he thought. He was using his TOTAL distance  (including rollout) for his shots on the course. 

You'll find yourself in a lot more water, missing the greens in the bunker short of the green and overshooting greens if you do not know your carry distance. You can imagine, B Dog was short of the green very often. After finding out his true carry distances, he immediately hit 5 more greens per round.

When you know that you can clear the hazards, bunkers, water, you can make MUCH better decisions in shot selection.

Average distances versus maximum distances 

When I know how far I can go with a maximal strike, I can be confident when I really need a pressure smash-shot. These hard shots mean your iron shot will go longer distance but perform like a shorter iron.

For example, if I step on a 6 iron, I know I can carry it 202 yards for sure. The difference is that often, the height of the shot matches my 7 or 8 iron, so it comes in soft, with tons of back spin on a hard shot. A 5 iron that goes 202 will not come in as high as that and will release more. 

Is the Swing Caddie SC300 worth the time?

I've used it since 2020 and didn't want to recommend it until I was sure it was legit. It works brilliantly and I've used it up against a Track Man and the averages and numbers are within yards of each other. Is a Track Man 100% accurate? Who knows, but it's the market leader and costs $25k.

I've compared it to the actual real life shot on the golf course. There is often wind and uneven landing conditions out there, and the SC300 reading are within 5 yards either side of the shot. If it says 276 on the machine, it's usually between 270 and 280 on the range finder, shooting back to the tee.

For the price, it's brilliant.

Battery Life

This thing goes and goes and goes. I've charged it maybe 15 times in the last year. It comes with a USB cable that you can charge in any adaptor. 

Storage

It doesn't come with a bag or anything, so what I did was buy a cheap $2 scuba diving suit fabric bag with a zip to keep it in. Isn't it pretty?

Remote Control

It was a super easy, well laid out slim remote to change the settings and clubs and things. It's light and you can keep it in your pocket as you play. 

App to Sync Data

The greatest part is the app you can download and sync your practice data with. It stores it on the phone and you can go through it to see how you did with each club and see your averages. Brilliant. 

Concluding tips and tricks for the SC300

It can be tricky when you first use the machine. You can try the Mevo plus review and the Skytrak review as well.

It works best when you put it about 6 or 7 feet away from the ball. You never have to put it so close that you think you'll hit it. In fact, it doesn't work when it's that close. 

At the range, if you're hitting off mats, you want to have something the same height as the mats to place the model on. I often fold a towel to the height of the mat and place it behind the ball, maybe 7 or 8 feet away. 

The unit works in good and dull light. I have no idea how, but it picks the ball up during evening sessions when we can no longer see the ball with our own eyes. 

SC300 - GOLF SIDEKICK APPROVED click for special discount

Mini-guide to the Best Golf Bags

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

The Best Golf Stand Bag for Walking

Stand bags have come a long way. Nowadays, the best golf stand bags have stronger legs, more club dividers, more pockets, less weight and can be used on carts. A double strap to distribute the weight comfortably over your shoulders is going to add enjoyment to your game.

The Best Stand Bag: PING Hoofer

Vital Statistics

Pros

Cons

Vital Statistics

Pros

Cons

Sun Mountain Maverick Cart Bag

Vital Statistics

Pros

Cons

Sun Mountain C130

Vital Statistics

Pros

Cons

The Best Golf Bag on the Cheap - One & Done

Taylormade Golf Pro Stand Bag

Vital Statistics

Top Cheap Stand Bag Alternatives

1. Taylormade Golf Pro
2. Sun Mountain 2022 3.5 Ls Stand Bag
3. Cleveland Stand Bag
4. Tangkula
5. Founders Club

The Best Golf Bag Rain Covers

Rain Tek Rain Cover

This Rain Tek waterproof golf club rain cover attaches to any brand of bag. It's secured onto the cart with Velcro straps.

If it looks like you can't access any of your pockets, Rain Tek have included two side access zips and one lower access. There's even a rainproof pocket for your scorecard.

Simply the best golf bag rain cover on the market.

Sun Mountain Dry Hood

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

Chipping is the most overlooked part of the game yet it doesn’t rely on power or strength or flexibility. Anyone with a brain with half an ounce of brains in it can do it at the same level as the pros.

You don’t need Brooks Koepka biceps to chip well and you don’t need to be 6 ft 5 to dunk a chip.

So why do so many of us ignore it?

Usually it’s ego – most guys just want to hit the big booming drive but don’t realize you need to get stronger physically before you can swing it faster to hit it longer. Lots of guys think it’s boring, but do you think signing for your first 79, 89 or 99 is boring? And that’s how you break your scoring barriers, by shaving strokes around the greens.

Chipping and putting will slash 10 strokes

In fact, I’m going to make a massive claim and tell you that after reading this guide and doing the things in it, you can shave off 5-10 shots within 3 rounds.

I understand what you think though. I sucked at the short game for a long time. I thought it was a mystery and fell into the same victimhood trap of watching better players and thinking they can just chip because they were born like that.

What a load of horse twaddle! Just read and watch the stuff below and go try it. You’ll be a new man and a lower scoring man in no time. Chicks dig guys with good short games.

Is the Short Game Really THAT Important? I Wanna Hit Driver dude!

If you really can’t get the ball off the tee box and you’re leaving more balls short of the ladies’ tee, then you probably need to get that sorted out by visiting a coach or reputable pro.

But if you can get the ball airborne in the general direction of the fairway and hit it near the green in two or three shots, I’ll bet the short game is where you can shave off some quick strokes.

I’ve played so much golf with mid to high handicappers. Literally 20+ years of it and the one thing in common is usually a shoddy short game. I have a friend, Didi who hits a driver 220 yards off the tee, uses mostly fairway woods to get near the greens and plays off an 8, with one of the craziest swings you’ve ever seen.

Play GOLF not GOLF SWING

Did can chip and putt like a machine. He practiced it because he knew that was his key to scoring. He know he wouldn't be very long or very skilled in the elite version of golf. He didn't focus on getting a beautiful swing. He focused on SCORING. If you focus on scoring, you will score lower. But too often people focus on their mechanics on the course or the pursuit of a professional level swing.

Chances are you will never have it. So play with what you got. 

Do me a favor...

Next time you play a round; I want you to mark down how many shots you take on each hole inside 50 yards. From inside 50 yards, keep a separate count, tallying up the total number of strokes to get into the cup.

If you’re green side and getting up and down in two shots 50% of the time, you just need to practice and don’t need to read this article. But if you’re taking three or four shots around the green often, this is for you.

How to Chip Guide for Dummies

The basic idea I use for showing you to chip is to simplify the technique and remove all doubt regarding the balls interaction with the ground, so you can make consistent chips with consistent results.

To remove the doubt and fear of how the ball will react to the ground, the GENERAL PREMISE is to GET THE BALL ROLLING on the green as soon as possible. This is achieved by the technique outlines below and is the surest way to avoid those inconsistent results you may be used to.

Lofting the ball too far onto the green with a high loft club is a guaranteed way to get the chipping yips. Doubt, fear, insecurity all creep in because you don’t know if you’re going to leave it short, if it’s going to spin, if you’ll teeth it across the green or duff it 1 foot in front of you.

My technique combined with getting the ball rolling ASAP will stop these doubts and fears and make you love chipping.

Pick one club to chip with all the time

Before we get into the technique, you must select one club to start chipping with. I suggest the Pitching Wedge but you can use a 9 iron, 8 iron, or any wedge just please do not use a 58° or 60° to start with. We will introduce them much later when you’ve mastered the techniques and have confidence.

Technique: How to Chip Like a Playa

There is one infallible technique to use for chipping. Follow this to the letter and you will go from the skuller, the fluffer and the flipper to the chipping extraordinaire.

Step 1: Open your stance, feet together

With full golf shots, we have to rotate our lower bodies from square to the ball to square to the target. With chipping, I want to eliminate that aspect of the swing to make it super simple. You can improve your club control with chipping with your short irons.

By presetting your lower body open to the target – essentially aiming your feet left of the target line – we make it simple for our body to rotate through the shot automatically.

By putting your feet close together, you make sure you have no possibility of falling onto the back foot to scoop the ball in the air (explained more below).

Step 2: Ball Position - Front or Back Foot Only

I want you to commit to two balls flights only – high or low.

I would suggest starting with the back foot as we want to get the ball rolling as soon as possible with my technique. If you find you’re hitting the ball before the earth, you can move it to the front foot.

If you play it off the middle of the stance, you’re not committing to a ball flight which is a recipe for disaster as COMMITMENT is the only key to good execution.

Step 3: Hands ahead of the ball at all times

By setting your hands ahead of the ball, you prevent the temptation of “flipping” the ball in the air by flicking your wrists.

This is the death blow for chipping. Any time you scoop with your wrists at the bottom of the swing, you bring shanks, duffs and skulls into play. The consistency is just not there with the scoopy scoop. Wth the hands preset in front of the ball, and a forward shaft lean, you will be preset in a FANTASTIC position to make crisp, clean, consistent chips every time.

Step 4: Weight on the Front Foot

You must place all your weight on the front foot. In fact, you should be able to chip standing just on your front foot.

Why do we do this? This will stop you from falling onto the back foot to try scoop the ball in the air. This is one of the most common things I see in a golfer whose chipping is suspect. A wide stance and the desire to help “lift” the ball into the air while transferring weight to the back foot.

This hurts me deep inside but it’s easy to fix!

Execution of the chip

Now that your body is set up to make a perfect chip, the actual execution is where you’ll most likely fail when chipping. Used in conjunction with the above technique, this is how you chip like a BOSS:

Read the green. Is it uphill, downhill, right to left, left to right?

This is exactly the same process as you would do when putting. But I want you to really and truly envision that ball jumping off your club face and take the line you see on the green, all the way to the hole.

Now, on that LINE you saw in your mind, find the SPOT on the green you think the ball should land to react the way you think it will react and roll up to the hole.

This SPOT is where you want to land the ball.

Because you’ve read it, you’ve envisioned it, this SPOT is all you’ll focus on and your only desire in the moment of the chip is to land that ball on that SPOT. I can’t stress enough how important this is to chipping.

At this stage, the hole means literally nothing. You’ve made your plans, you’re happy with the SPOT and you know if you land it on the SPOT, you’ve executed the shot you want.

Use your practice swings to gauge your power level to get the ball to land on the SPOT and roll out to the hole.

But How Do I Know Where the SPOT Is?

Well my good man, you need to practice. But just a little bit. 

You need to get to a practice green and hit some chips and watch how they react. With experience, this process becomes so easy that you’ll wonder how the hell you were never a chipping maestro before. (Practice section is at the end of the article below).

Once you understand how the ball reacts to the slopes, greens and your particular shot profile which is unique to you, then you actually don’t need a green to practice on.

You can practice anywhere just hitting a spot. It’s that simple. Once you know how to hit a ball onto a SPOT with the TECHNIQUE described above, chipping is merely a copy paste exercise wherever you are playing.

Changing Clubs

As you get better at chipping with your one single club, you’ll we well grooved in the ability to hit the SPOT. But there comes a time when you may need to use a club with less loft for a longer chip or more loft for a shorter chip.

That’s the best part of this system. You use the EXACT SAME swing and power level, just change the club. You still pick a SPOT and then you swing the new club with the same motion you used with your usual chipping club.

Let’s say you use a PW most of the time, but now you have a really long chip – something like 25 yards with loads of green to work with. Now you know your pitching wedge is great for this type of chip but only from maybe 15 yards.

Those extra ten yards requires you to chip it on too far and you don’t know how it will react with a pitching wedge.

So now you find that spot close to the front of the green. Then you pick a lower lofted club like a 9 iron or 8 iron. Swing it the exact same way you would with the pitching wedge and watch it land on your spot and run up to the hole. That’s how easy this is.

The opposite is also true. If you have a downhill chip or a short chip, find your spot within a yard of the front of the green and select a higher lofted club. If you use your PW to chip most of the time, use a 52° or 56° club and watch how it doesn’t run out as far as the PW!

Subscriber learns to hit a proper chip shot

Check out minute 3:12 for the moment TBone learned to hit a chip shot

Frequent mistakes when chipping

Using a 58 or 60 degree wedge for chipping 

There are exceptions to this but in general, mid handicappers and high handicappers should avoid these clubs because they’re much harder to get right with consistency of spin than a PW, 52° or even a 56°. It’s not only the loft but also the bounce of the club and size of the sole that affects the shot.

A lob wedge often has less bounce and a thinner sole which means it will dig into the ground. We want something with a larger sole to glide through the turf and make chipping easier to stop chunked and duffed chips from hitting it fat.

These clubs also sometimes spin a lot, and sometimes don’t if you aren’t a qualified artist with them. The technique outlined above with a lower lofted club produces balls that spin the same way and roll out the same way every time.

Thinking you need flop shots

I’m a single figure handicap (between 3 and 5) and I have to hit flop shots maybe once every three rounds. The rest of the time, I am hitting bump and runs like I describe in this article. If you find yourself needing to hit flop shots, your course management may need work and in that case, I suggest watching my Youtube videos on the topic, and reading my article on HOW TO MISS A GREEN LIKE A BOSS.

The only time you need to hit a flop shot is when you’re short-sided. Instead of covering this fundamental flaw with a band-aid called the flop shot, get to the root of your problem and discover the beautiful world of golf course management strategies.

You can find my strategies on my Youtube channel.

Lastly, here is another video on chipping with some of my practice drills at minute 1:48

Conclusion

NOW GO PRACTICE AND GROOVE THE FEELING!!!! BECOME THE PLAYA YOU WERE MEANT TO BE.

It's all very well reading this playa, but I urge you to get out to the practice green and start learning. This will take you maximum 10 hours of concentrated practice and grooving to get. 

Once you learn these techniques, you will just need to adjust your landing spot depending on the green speed and slopes of the greens wherever you play. I believe everyone can chip like a pro, YOU INCLUDED. No go forth and conquer the hell out of everyone.

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

How to break par imperfectly

In this guide, you’ll learn how I shot a 71 even though I hit some terrible shots. Shooting good scores doesn’t come from perfect rounds of golf – they come from managing the score by eliminating big errors by playing wise shots when things don’t go your way.

I’ve already written this guide to breaking 80 by using my 6-6-6 Sub Eighty System.

The Trlple 6 philosophy of realizing that you’re not perfect and can make mistakes is essential to better golf. We’re never perfect and to strive for perfection, with an expectation of actually achieving it will result in extreme disillusionment and eventually you’ll give up on golf.

I know, because I quite three times over the last 20 years.

The Mind is most important when breaking par

But to really go low, we need a much more measured approach mentally. We need to be stronger in our decisions, we need to remove stress, tension and uncertainty.

We also need to be so focused on what we want to do... in little spurts...while at the same time, letting go of all that focus.

I’ll explain more below, don’t worry.

You can break par with the game you have

The most important aspect of breaking par is easily this mental side of the game. You actually don’t need ALL the shots. You don’t need to boom it 320 off the tee like Rory. You just need to jam with what you got and realize what you don’t got and avoid that!

In this guide, I will focus on the following processes and concepts:

1. THINK and PLAY boxes for a better pre-shot routine to take you to the next level
2. Strategizing off the tee
3. Dealing with disappointment and bum shots
4. Playing shots you know in a more effective manner through planning the hole
5. 100% commitment to shots
6. Control the things you CAN control and forget the rest
7. Post-shot routine
8. Other instant game simplifying tactics and gadgets

Reading materials to break 70

At this stage, I have to advise you to buy this book: Every Shot Must Have a Purpose. Without a doubt, this is the single best investment in my golf game I’ve ever made. This book is the inspiration behind this guide.

It contains so much mental game insight and after I read it, the next day I shot this round of 71 at Dynasty Golf Course in Bangkok. That’s just how powerful the concepts are.

Key Concepts to Breaking Par in Golf

1. STRATEGIZING OFF THE TEE

I played some poor shots off the tee in this round but it showed me that I need to play stress-free golf rather. If I am uncomfortable on the tee, I need to change my tactic or club.

It's always better to hit a shot you feel 100% confident on than to just pick up the driver or whatever it is you bash into the trees every shot.

What I could have done better in this round, is select the clubs off the tee that felt comfortable and would also set me up with an easier NEXT shot. 

Set yourself up an approach shot into the green from your best distance and club. We want to hit greens in regulation to break par so it's easiest to do it from a place where you have maximum confidence.

2. DEALING WITH BUM SHOTS AND DISAPPOINTMENT

There was a time when I tied golf to my self-esteem and self-worth. There are a lot of guys who do that and we get upset because we hit an imperfect shot.

We know we can do better and so we get so frustrated with ourselves that we can’t let it go. That spoils a few holes in a row and then the round goes out the window.

The best thing you can do is let go of the idea of perfection and come to the realization that you don’t practice enough and you’ll never be on the PGA Tour.

That was a big one for me. I lived in a delusional world where I could hit Tour quality shots and in my fantasy, I could keep up with the top 10 golfers in the world. 

Learn from your bad shot and then endeavor to do it differently in the future. Then go hit your next shot by focusing only on that next shot.

You can’t control the shot you’ve just hit, but you can control your reaction and your focus on the next shot. Hit the shots you can hit and jam with what you got. It’s perfectly fine you can’t do certain things, just have the strength of character to accept it and move on.

TOP TIP TO MOVE ON FROM THE PREVIOUS HOLE: Start planning the next hole and respect each hole individually, that they need to be planned as one individual hole apart from any others. Stay in the moment and set up your next shot with the current one.

3 THE NEXT SHOT IS A MOMENT IN HISTORY, MAKE IT COUNT

By focusing purely on the execution of the next shot, you’ll automatically forget the previous, whether it was good or bad. The most important is that you make sure that this shot you’re standing over is one you are comfortable with and are confident you can do it.

You must plan it in your mind, imagine it, envision the details of the shot and become engrossed In the shot. Any doubt or distraction will mean a poor shot and more frustration.

It’s ultra-important to always pick a shot you KNOW you can hit. Often in stressful situations, especially after a bad shot, we “chase losses” like a gambler trying to win back his last stake he lost. We get emotional and make bad decisions.

Plan where you’ll hit the next shot and how you’ll do it. Think about the layout of the hole. Where is the best miss? Where’s the best part of the green to putt from? Where’s the place you don’t want to be? What’s the least stressful shot you could possibly hit here? Sometimes that’s a lay up. Sometimes it’s a shot to just short of the green. Sometimes it’s just not the Tour shot but the simplest stress-free shot.

4 COMMIT 100% NOTHING LESS

If you aren’t 100% committed to a shot, you’re done. This is so huge, it’s sad that it’s not discussed more.

To be committed to your shots, you need to know your shots. Once you’ve identified the shots you can hit, you must strive to eliminate the ones you can’t hit. You can work on those at the range every day before introducing them. Playing shots that you are NOT 100% SURE about on the course is guaranteed failure of execution.

For now, it’s all about what you CAN do. It’s not going to be perfect the first time out, but eventually you’ll be able to say to yourself, okay, I can’t hit this draw shot with the 3 iron, let me rather hit the 5 iron just short and because I CAN chip and putt, I am sure I can get up and down.

Maybe it’s the driver. If it’s giving you issues, just leave it out the bag and use your trusty hybrid or fairway wood off the tee. 

5 PUT YOURSELF IN POSITION TO HIT YOUR SHOTS

So you’ve got your shots you can hit, but now you need to hit your shots in a way that sets up good situations to actually hit them!

I can hit a hybrid with a draw

I can hit a driver with a fade

I can hit my irons high

I can hit my mid to low irons with a draw

I can hit my longer irons with a fade

I can chip and putt like a boss

I can pitch the ball to within 7 feet or so very often from inside 70 yards

I love green side bunkers

I do not hit a good flop shot

I was having problems with chunking my full wedge shots

110-115 yards, I didn’t have a shot for

I can’t draw the driver

I don’t hit a good hybrid off the fairway but good off the tee

3 iron is not great off the fairway

What does this mean?

I want to avoid situations around the green where I’ll be short sided so I never have to flop it. I want to leave myself anything but full SW, GW or LW into the greens. I don’t want 110-115 yard shots into greens. I just don’t have a club or shot that I’m confident in. On holes where a fade with the driver is not possible, I should hit a draw with the hybrid or 4 wood. Off the fairways I may need to hit a shorter club from long distance and pitch and putt. 3 iron and hybrid can end up anywhere, left or right which causes more pain than necessary.

I want to maximize my CAN DO shots and get myself into those positions more often to make birdies and save pars.

6 THINK & PLAY BOXES 

The single best thing I picked up from the book was this concept.

There are two imaginary boxes. One behind the ball called the THINK box. The other box is next to the ball where you play from which is called the PLAY box. The two boxes are separated by the imaginary DECISION LINE.

We walk up to the ball and on the way, we need to be assessing everything. Wind strength & direction, stance, hazard location, pin location, distance to the hole, distance to clear hazards etc.

Once we have our club selection, we need to visualize the hell out of the shot. You must rehearse the shot in your mind from the THINK box. In this rehearsal of picking your aiming point, focusing on the landing area and feeling the shot, we MUST commit to this plan 100%.

There is no compromise here playas, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITMENT.

Once set, we walk across the DECISION LINE into the PLAY BOX. The DECISION LINE represents a boundary for our mind. Once we commit to a plan, we walk across that line and forget everything else. No more thinking at all, no doubt, no fear nothing!

Then we execute the shot in the PLAY BOX. We just hit the shot we planned! Any fear or doubt that comes into your mind means you MUST back away and reset. If you hit that shot with even a hint of fear or doubt, you’ll not execute the shot well. Now if the plan was good, you’ll be okay most of the time, but you’ll notice your most bum shots come from lack of commitment and allowing fear or doubt to creep in.

This is the opposite of STRESS-FREE GOLF. Doubt and fear is a stress. Hit shots you can hit and COMMIT to them NO LESS than 100%. 99% is just not good enough! Once in that PLAY BOX, your mind is free of any thoughts at all. Just a blank canvas.

7 POST SHOT ROUTINE

After your shot, it’s very important to react in a way that will let you continue playing well.

Instead of getting angry and overly emotional, we need to aim at reacting neutrally or positively only to shots. If you hit a good shot, enjoy the moment and remember the feeling for the next one.

If you hit a poor shot, it’s vital to understand why you hit a poor one. Was it lack of commitment? Wrong club selection? Did you estimate the wrong distance?  Is it even a shot you know how to hit? There are many factors and if you can identify the issue, you’ll be more accepting of the result.

Calling yourself an idiot or telling yourself you suck is recipe for disaster. You’re not as crap as you think. You’re more consistent than you think. But you need to understand what happened.

If you made a wrong decision, just make a better one next time.

If you picked the wrong club, then you actually hit a good shot with a good plan, just a small error. Take more or less club next time.

If you missed a putt because you misread the green, you probably actually hit a good putt. Your putting doesn’t suck, your green reading sucks.

I can guarantee, you do not suck at golf. You don’t suck at certain parts of golf.

8 CONTROL THE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL AND FORGET THE REST

Have you played golf with that guy who swears, shouts and curses all the time, working himself up into a frenzy? Have you seen the guys breaking clubs? Have you played with that dude who blames literally everything for his game except himself? The weather, the slow players, the grass, the water, the sand in the bunkers, the political situation?

That guy may be you!

I know I would always look for excuses like a punk. That book I mentioned really does a good job of putting it into perspective.

There is such a fine line between a 75 and a 69. It’s actually easy for us to shave off those 6 shots, and we have all the shots, but we will need to be in control of our thoughts, our decisions and the following things we CAN control:

• Our physical shape: fit or unfit
• Sleep: this is my biggest problem – not sleeping enough and playing poorly
• Club selection
• Shot selection
• Planning of the shot
• Focus on the shot
• The clubs we take to the course
• Our clothing
• Our attitude
• Our reactions
• Our emotions
• Our equipment
• Nutrition
• Commitment to a shot
• Your marital status

What we CAN’T control and must totally not allow to affect our purpose and mood:

• The weather
• The layout of the course
• The course characteristics
• The previous shot
• The result of a shot
• The bounce of the ball
• Our playing partners’ mood, attitude, actions
• Slow play in front of you
• Pushy players behind you
• The price of the golf
• Speed of the greens
• Food in the kiosk
• The hotness of the drinks cart girl
• The distance the other guy hits it past you
• Dustin Johnson’s massive drives you can’t hit
• Everything else you can’t control but that you let affect your mental state!

KEY GADGETS AND ‘HACKS’ TO IMPROVE INSTANTLY

1. Get a rangefinder.
2. Knowing distances to clear hazards, distances to fairway bunkers and all sorts of info will really help you to make confident swings at the ball. Knowing you can clear certain things while also knowing you can’t reach certain things off the tee helps your game immensely.
3. Shooting to the front of the green and back of the green can also help you to know how far back you can go or how short you can go on approaches. I don’t know why I didn’t have one of these much sooner.
4. Know your distances and drop the ego
5. Know the exact distances you hit your clubs. By this I mean the distance you hit your clubs 80% of the time. Not the one in 50 shot you hit your 6 iron 210 yards, but the distance you hit it 80% of the time which is more like 185 yards.
6. Ego shots will leave you in the bunkers short, the water hazards short.
7. Forget the other guy’s club selections - I was affected by the fact the other dude I am playing with might hit one less club than me meaning he is way stronger or longer. It would make me try keep up and I would end up short of the target every time, or trying to force a shot which is not what we want. Then I realized my clubs were 10 years older than his and the loft on them was 3 degrees more per club. Now when someone hits a 7 and I hit a 6, whatever! Just play your game and be happy to jam with it the way it is!

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

The Bare Bones Breaking 100 System for Beginners and High Handicappers

I went left handed to show you playas how to break 100 using the tactics and strategy created for the Way of the Playa. 

Now, I reckon I can help any guy break 100 over a period of a couple weeks.

But what I find is most guys want the quick fix. The one little secret that’ll get them to 99 ASAP.

Breaking the DELUSION of how to break 100

There’s no swing thought or fancy technical move I can show you to break 100 in golf. There are plenty of pros online and in the magazines to perpetuate that fantasy.

And if you’re looking at your swing as the biggest milestone to breaking 100, you’re almost certainly looking in the wrong place my good man. Swinging something at something is quite a natural move considering we used to swing things at things so we could eat.

I can’t show you how to hit the driver straight because to be honest, if that cub is putting you in positions where you're losing strokes, put it in the back of the car! You don't need it to break 100 for now. Emphasis on FOR NOW. Bring it back later but let's give it a breather for a few rounds.

I also can’t and will never show you how to overhaul your entire swing.

Because you don’t need to! You can swing it good enough my man!

My system is even better

I’ll show you how to break 100 by just thinking and strategizing better on the course while also using a handful of clubs.

No swing changes, no mechanics, no BS. This stuff works immediately and as you get more confident with the process, it will change your game forever.

I promise you.

Important notes for the doubters and haters and victims of their circumstance

• I am in no way ambidextrous. I can not throw a ball, write my name, brush my teeth or cut with a knife left handed.
• I had never hit a golf ball left handed in 21 years of playing golf until this experiment
• I did this to prove that my theory of how to break 100 in fact works and is actually a boatload of fun to put into action.

Stress-Free Golf Breaking 100 Outline

Beginner swing with 25 years of golf knowledge

CONTROVERSY STARTS: Most people will poo-poo my ideas. They think it’s more fun and worth it to go for the one in a million shots not even the pros would go for. I strongly disagree with the notion that it's vital to hit driver and try make birdies when all you're trying to do is break that first scoring barrier of 100. 

When I say split a 200 yard shot into two manageable shots, people lose their minds. Other people misinterpret that to mean split the distance into 2 shots of 100 yards. The point of this entire system is to tailor it to you. You are the star of this show. 

They think it’s more fun to lose golf balls and have a one in 500 chance of making a birdie.

These are people who will NEVER break 100. I guarantee it. They haven’t learned to maximize their talents and control their games, their emotions and their brains. They call my strategies "boring golf" but this is monkey brain thinking - instant gratification nonsense. Golf is a never ending process and it all starts with basic and solid fundamentals much like a martial art.  

Counting up your score and penciling in a 99 is never boring my good fellows. It’s even better when the guy laughing at you for boring golf has shot 115 for the 100^th time with no improvement, as you smugly sip that first beer, feeling the alcohol surge into your legs and that sh*t-eating grin spreading across your face.

Break 100 consistently with the Bare Bones System

That’s you playa - the strategizer, the plotter, the discerning golfer. 

Benefits of the Bare Bones Breaking 100 System

• Fewer lost balls
• Stress-free golf experience
• More fun due to total control of your game and emotions
• Lower scores
• Arming yourself with the foundations of THINKING and course management needed to break 90 and 80 so you advance much quicker
• Practice becomes simpler and structured with so much less to work on
• An arsenal of shots that will serve you VERY well in your quest to get into the 80s
• A lighter golf bag
• A cheaper bag of clubs
• An outlook that if you let it spill over to your daily life, may in fact make you a happier person. How men play golf is how we are in real life. Rushers on the golf course are rushers in real life. Screamers and shouters on the course are also like that in daily life. Look around next time and notice how this is always the case. Let’s try get you more in control, simplified and getting more enjoyment out of golf and life.

Step 1: Learning to hit the golf ball and finding the RIGHT clubs.

I learned a big lesson here.

BUY THE RIGHT CLUBS! BUY MODERN CLUBS! BUY FORGIVING CLUBS!

It wasn’t easy finding left handed clubs in Bangkok and I had to settle for some Honma irons. They’re great quality but the design was not suitable for a new player.

The leading edge was too sharp and the sweet spots were too small on these irons. I had to get rid of them and in the end received a free set of Nano irons from a friend in Bangkok.

The Honma set were shocking. I could barely get the ball in the air and after 5 range sessions, I thought this would be an impossible task. Then I hit the Nano’s and I realized just what a big difference a game improvement iron makes.

Basics I followed to learn to hit it lefty

I only have a few basics when it comes to hitting a golf ball. These basics come from playing cricket and other bat and ball sports.

• Swing to 75% so I don’t overhit the ball and try smash it. The limited backswing will mean you have a much larger margin for error because hitting too hard is the biggest problem guys trying to break 100 have. We don’t need to smash the ball and we must trust the club to get it in the air. Swinging easier often makes the ball go further due to less tension in muscles anyway.
• Focus on finishing the swing and standing tall at the end. The ball merely gets in the way. We can’t strike AT the ball. We have to swing through it as if it weren’t there. THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GET. The only reason golfers hit crap shots is because that ball gets in the way of their thinking and they start going hard AT the ball.

That’s all I worked on to learn to swing.

Purchase the best clubs that you can afford

Avoid buying clubs just because they’re the cheapest or they’re the only ones around. 

If it were possible, I would have bought a Taylormade M2 single 7 iron to start playing but I couldn’t get one in Bangkok. These new irons just make the game easier and more fun.

My advice: Buy a single MAXIMUM SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT iron. These irons are designed with a thick bottom and rounded edge so they slide through the turf and get the ball airborne easier. The sweet spot is massive and it’s almost impossible to mis-hit a ball. New or used makes no difference.

The other option is to buy a set like the Cobra F7 or Taylormade M2 2017. Just make sure it's from the last 5-6 years. You won't regret that.

Once you get more comfortable with golf and get REALLY good at your 7 iron, you can either buy a set or keep adding individual second hand irons. I will show you how to do that further down.

Please AVOID difficult to hit clubs. This will include anything that says "muscle bacl "blade" "tour preferred" "tour" "players club" in the name or descriptions. Cavity back, super game improvement irons are your jam here. 

Take a look at this article about the most forgiving golf clubs available.

Step 2: Learn club distances ASAP

After I learned to get the ball in the air regularly, I recorded the distances I hit the clubs. Now this is very tough as a new golfer because one can go 130 yards, and the next with the same club can go 145 yards. Recording a distance range is a better idea, let's say 130-140 yards for your 6 iron. 

Use the distance you hit MOST OFTEN, not he maximum

Record the distance you hit that club most often! By most often, I mean if it goes 125 yards 6 out of 10 shots, you must record that club's distance as 125 yards for when you need to hit it on the course. 

Be careful not to fall into the trap of EGO GOLF. Ego golf is when you hit a shot that you don’t know how to hit just because you hit it one time out of 50 tries. This sounds like fun to try hit a glory shot, but in the end, you’ll be so frustrated, it’s just not worth it.

One time out of 50 you will feel like a hero. The other 49 times you are going to kick yourself all the way round the course.

Knowing your distances will help you when you are on the course to make sure you hit it in the right area to score better

Step 3: Play on a golf course to learn and discover things

I played my first ever round left handed to see how I would do without too much thinking, using a limited number of clubs.

I played with a 4 hybrid, a 7 iron and an Approach wedge as well as a putter. I noticed that these four clubs are really all I would need to break 100.

While I didn’t shoot below 50 for the first ever nine holes, I did get close. I think I made a 10 on the last and if that was reduced to just a 7, I was looking at a score of 50 on my first nine holes ever left-handed. It gave me a lot of food for thought and that’s why I recommend you remove some of your clubs from your bag.

Audit your golf bag quickly for problems

Get rid of the problem clubs immediately. You won’t banish them forever, but we’re going to do a game audit. Get rid of the problem clubs that cause you to lose the most strokes.

Usually this is the driver. Most high handicappers and guys trying to break 100 shouldn’t have a driver in the bag - I did say MOST, not all. If you can genuinely and honestly hit a driver reliably and it does not cost you strokes, you should continue.

A hybrid, maybe a fairway wood or even a 6 iron is a fine club to hit off the tee. Whatever you can hit the longest while also being consistently in the direction you need it, without finding penalty shots.

In my first ever round, I found the 7 iron went the best and I used it off the tee. Hell I used it everywhere.

What I learned from the first ever nine holes of left handed golf:

• Chipping and putting is so vital. I could’ve saved a ton of shots if I had played really well from inside 80 yards and on the putting greens.
• My theory of only a handful of clubs works.
• Hitting the greens from inside 100 is vital to lower scores.
• Practicing the four clubs in my bag until I am really good with them will improve scoring and prepare me well to drop the score even lower. Being GREAT with 4 clubs is better than being mediocre with 14.
• Grass is so different to those synthetic turf range mats. Earth reacts so differently to range mats that you should try and learn to hit a golf ball on grass driving ranges.
• It’s so important to forget the result and just focus on finishing that swing to completion. Just let the club hit the back of the ball on its way through to the finish of the swing.
• I’ll need to work on hitting a hybrid to get a little more distance. It wasn’t going that far but I was hitting AT the ball with it for some reason.
• I’ll need a chipping club, a pitching club, a tee club and a lay up club.

Step 4: Go to the range and work on current strengths

Too often we go to the range to hit the driver only. Or we just hit shots for no reason and without thought.

I went to the range with set objectives before my next round:

1. Work on putts inside 8 feet because most chips will end up inside 8 feet. All I did with this was putt inside my condo by practicing on a mat on a steel ruler trying to keep the ball on it til the end. 
2. I didn’t worry about anything that requires too much skill for my beginner level. I focused on what I can do and what I feel I can easily get right just through good technique.
3. No flop shots, no driver, no 5 wood, no long irons…just the things above.

Step 5: Play a round of golf and THINK, FOCUS AND STRATEGIZE

Know your distances

Armed with my distances, my general shot shape and my short game fine-tuned, I played another 9 holes a month or so after the first one.

My distances and clubs I liked:

Hybrid: 140-160 yards

7 iron: 120-130 yards

PW: 100 yards

SW: 80 yards

Half sand wedge: 50 yards

General shot shape: FADE

Chipping club: SW

Set goals for your round

For my second round of 9 holes, my goals were to:

1. Attack par 3’s for pars if possible because I could hit one of the greens for sure.
2. Really try score less than a 7 on the par 5’s by not being intimidated by the distance. Play par 3's as par 4's. Play par 4's as par 6's and play par 5's as par 6's too.
3. Get myself into good approach positions. I always want to approach greens from 120-130, 100, 80 or 50 yards. That’s what I had discovered were my favorite shots by practicing the clubs and recording the distances they went.
4. Finish my swing, swing it at 75% and have fun.
5. Avoid all hazards (bunkers and water) by hitting very far away from them.
6. Don’t count the score at all until after the 9 holes.

I shot a 49! Second time out and I proved my theories and system

Stay in control of the game, do not be controlled by the game

Hitting a 7 iron and a SW might seem like boring golf but it’s a lot more fun NOT losing golf balls while remaining in control all the time. 

You'll be more relaxed on the course and in turn you'll shoot better scores. It's science bruh.

Interesting holes in this round:

Hole 2 - commitment is key forever in golf

I focused more on getting the ball close for a par.  In the end, I didn’t commit to the shot and left it short in the wrong area. It resulted in a double bogey whereas if I had just committed to and focused on GETTING THE BALL ON THE GREEN –ANYWHERE, I would have had a good chance to two-putt for bogey.

Hole 5 - confidence is vital so milk it when you feel it

The hole suited my eye perfectly. Just aim it and with the confidence I have from knowing my distance and shot shape, I could swing freely. Stress-free golf due to confidence and trust. Par and my first ever green in regulation!

Hole 6 - focus on the shot at hand and then execute the shot

Requiring maximum concentration, I hit my 4^th shot onto the green. That’s a testament to what you can do when you have to focus. We should use that type of focus on every shot.

But the biggest lesson from that hole is that we CANNOT be intimidated by the length of a hole. Honestly, we’re gonna make doubles – it’s going to happen. A double on a 440-yard hole is merely hitting the green in 4 shots, four shots of 110 yards. Instead, I tried to hit my hybrid too hard and then did the same with the second shot. I should have trusted my game and the fact all I needed was to hit it on the green in four.

Hole 8 - break the hole into smaller chunks 

That is one of the toughest par 3’s I have ever played. When the wind comes up, it blows toward the water and you’ll find more guys in the water there than not. I don’t have the distance to hit it with my 7 iron and I didn’t have the full confidence to hit my hybrid which would have reached.

Instead, I just hit my 7 iron to the fairway and accepted this is a very very short par 4. Second shot, I would pitch it on from 30 or so yards.

With the pitch, I needed to aim left of the pin because in line with the pin and to the right of the pin was water. I just used the wrong club there and should have pitched with the PW. But that’s the level of thinking you need. Don’t just shoot at flags – sometimes there is water behind it or there is a downslope and if you hit it a little too hard, you’re in a bunker or water hazard which will end in tears.

Hit only comfortable shots you KNOW how to hit on the course

Only hit the shots you CAN hit while on the course. This is stress free golf. 

We don’t ever want to feel stressed over a shot. We want to feel totally relaxed because we trust ourselves. Hitting a driver when you have NO IDEA where it’s going will destroy your 4 hour round in less than 30 seconds.

Play stress-free shots and you will enjoy your round more than you can ever imagine.

What I learned through this round:

• I need a more aggressive chipping club, something with less loft because the SW was being lofted too high. I will use PW in future. My technique was great, but my execution was poor due to club choice.
• To be able to break 90 (or less than 45 on 9 holes), I’ll need a longer tee club, maybe something around 170 yards which I discovered would be my 5 wood. That is something I’ll work on away from the course. You can’t introduce what you’re not confident with onto the course, until you’re confident!
• Hitting shorter clubs like a hybrid off the tee allows for bigger margin for error whereas a driver or low lofted fairway wood brings more trouble into play as it goes further and further offline bringing water hazards, bunkers and OB into play.

Main points to break 100 in golf every time

1. Get a game improvement set or get one or two individual irons. Something with a nice big surface area of club face and big fat sole. You’re going to be in trouble with a set of low handicap clubs.
2. Play what you know – remove what hurts you. Be a stress-free playa. If your driver costs you 10 shots a round, what is it doing in the bag? Do you fluff a 60° all the time? Drop the ego and leave the thing in the car.
3. Learn your distances and shot shape as accurately as you can.
4. Chip and putt practice is essential and using the proper technique will bring you lower scores.
5. Use ONE club to chip with – I prefer a PW.
6. Use ONE club to pitch inside 50 yards with – perhaps SW or PW.
7. Find ONE tee-off club – usually not a driver unless you’re great with it. Most often it will be a 4 or 5 hybrid, a 5 or 7 wood; or perhaps a 6 iron. I like the 4 hybrid.
8. Find ONE or TWO irons you hit well so you can attack greens or you can lay up to an easy approach distance. I prefer a 7 or 8 iron, or both.
9. Train yourself to not swing so hard and focus on swinging more like 75-80% power. Control your power by limiting your backswing. The club has been designed to get the ball in the air and you DO NOT need to hit it harder to get it airborne.
10. Break up long approaches that are out of range for you into two or three shots. If you can hit a 7 iron 140 yards, and you have a 190 yard shot into the green, hit two sand wedges and be safer.

Summary

Playas, that is essentially how you break 100. It's a fantastic goal but we often don't know how to go about it just banging out heads against the wall.

We worry about all the wrong things: our swing, our clubs, our whatever. Swing the way you swing, enjoy the game and think more on the course. 

I know you can break 100, I have no doubt. If you can shoot 115, I reckon you can find 10 shots just around the greens where you could save shots. Another 10 just by making better club selections that are stress-free instead of the high stress shots you're used to.

Now go forth and conquer!

Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Matt Greene
*Read our review guidelines.

Cleveland Smart Sole C Wedge

Best for long bump and runs and greenside chipping

Pros

Cons

Square Strike Wedge

Wide sole and upright stance for simple back and forth chipping

Pros

Tour Edge Hot Launch 4 Chipper

Big mallet style chipper for slower greens

Pros

Odyssey XACT chipper

Highest quality chipper face and easy alignment

The X-Act chipper from Odyssey is a higher end piece of equipment made by putter specialists and is my top recommendation for best chipper to keep in the bag for life. 

My experience with the Odyssey X-Act:

• The sole of the Odyssey X-Act is made like a hybrid so it skims off the ground to always ensure good contact
• My highlight of using the X-Act was the urethane injected face which makes the chip shot feel soft - it's unique in the chipper category
• Their specialized chipper grip was excellent to stop my over-active wrists 
• The chipper grip helped to use my same putting stroke on the chipper because I also use a thick grip on the putter
• Lines on the back of the putter for alignment make it so easy for me to line up my shot 

Another unique feature of the Odyssey was that I could move my hands around the large grip to play around with where I felt most comfortable on the chip shots. 

Recommendation: I recommend this club to high handicappers who use too much wrists in the shot. At 37 degrees of loft, it's similar to a 7 or 8 iron but has much more forgiveness and softness thanks to the urethane injected face. 

Pros

Wilson Harmonized chipper

One of the most popular chippers in the world

The Wilson Harmonized is one of the most popular chippers and is unique on the list because it only has 32 degrees of loft so it's almost like chipping with a 7 iron. 

My experience with the Harmonized chipper:

• I found the club head nice and heavy so I could chip from all kinds of lies and surfaces
• The longest shots I could hit with success were around 30 to 35 yards maximum
• Most amazing was when I tried it from compacted hard sand bunkers - you hit the exact same shot as a chip and the ball comes out
• Very impressive to use to roll up between hazards if you are scared of a distance inside 80 yards or so

It always takes time with chippers to dial in the amount of back swing and power to use to get the club rolling correctly for your green speeds but this club is so versatile. You can use it from so many positions and for the price, you will not find a better bang for buck.

Recommendation: If you have trouble with speed control or striking the ball with the 7 or 8 or 9 iron around the greens, the Wilson Harmonized can take your confidence up a level. The distance control is superb and you won't FOMO hitting low lofted irons around the green again.

Pros

Why chippers work so well

When to use a golf chipper vs a wedge

Avoid double-sided chippers

Is a chipper golf club illegal?

The rules of golf say chippers are allowed in tournament play. The club must not be longer than a 7 iron, and must have a round grip, not a putting grip. There must be only one striking surface on the club so no two-way chippers. 

The verdict

Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by Matt Greene

I love bunkers. Let me say that again. I love bunkers! I never fear being in one because it's always a unique challenge to hit a good shot out of them. But with practice and the right fundamentals, it gets much much easier.

I hope my enthusiasm for bunker play reaches you and that with some of the tips I am going to show you, you become a great bunker play. Or at least get out of the bunkers first time!

Check out my channel playlist for bunkers HERE and enjoy. Time in the bunkers is supposed to be fun! Not dread-inducing.

How to play out of bunkers first time every time

After playing golf with mostly mid to high handicappers throughout my 20 years on golf courses, the number one issue I see when guys struggle with bunkers is merely incorrect technique with lack of practice.

Normally a couple things go wrong and keep the ball in the bunker:

1. Stiff wrists
2. Using a chipping technique
3. Hitting down into the sand with the leading edge 
4. No follow through on the shot
5. Entering the sand too far behind the ball
6. Trying to clip the ball off the sand
7. Simply never practicing bunker shots at all

With just the basics I want to show you below, you'll be able to get out of any bunker any time. But we need to build that foundation of basics from the ground up so you can be more confident to start trying new shots and getting cute and fancy with bunker shots.

DISCLAIMER: Bunker shot technique is tricky to start with and you'll feel really mentally blocked to be able to swing a club in the manner I present to you, but practice and losing that fear of failure will go a long way to building massive confidence. There is no way around it - practice and stick to the process.

My technique for every bunker shot in one video

To get started, here is a video from my channel to show you the basic techniques I use. Below the video, I go into more detail regarding each shot.

Green Side Bunker Shot Technique

No theory and fluff here, let's get down to brass tacks.

First, your main objective next to the green in a bunker is to GET OUT. You can always chip or putt from the fringe or even over the back of the green if you catch it a little thin. But we just DO NOT want another bunker shot from the same bunker.

Not only is this frustrating because it's still in the sand, but you might roll back into your foot marks which makes it super difficult to get out on the next one. Add to that the embarrassment of staying in the sand and you're likely going to hit a bad shot.

Your secondary objective is to get it anywhere on the green if you can. Even if you get it 3 feet out the bunker onto the fringe, you can still hole that putt or two putt it to save an acceptable score. 

When you move to next level ninja jedi bunker maestro, you can look at holing or putting bunker shots very close. For now let's get you OUT and ON THE GREEN.

1. Open stance

Your feet should aim to the left of your target in an obvious way. So your front foot should be pulled further back than a normal shot where your feet are lined up parallel with the target line.

WHY? This encourages a stroke that cuts across the ball to help bounce the club off the sand and impart some back spin on the ball.

2. Open club face

Opening the club face means you can expose the sole of the club to let it enter the sand first. We don't want to enter the sand with the actual leading edge of the club because it will dig into the sand.

We want to enter the sand an inch behind the ball and opening the club allows us to present the sole of the club to the sand first. The sole bounces off the sand and scoops under the ball, taking the ball out of the sand on a pillow of sand.

3. No forward shaft lean

Forward shaft lean means the hands are ahead of the club head and this encourages a downward strike on the ball. If we do this in a bunker, the club digs in and the ball will pop up momentarily and stay in the bunker.

We want to get our hands in-line or behind the golf ball on a bunker shot to encourage an open face and expose that sole to the sand. This gives us a great chance to enter the sand and with the wrist action we are going to use, skim through the sand and get the ball airborne.

4. Loosen up them wrists!

To release the club and get it under the ball and moving forward out of the sand, we need to take the club back and hinge hinge hinge the wrists. I like to get the feeling I am doing it with my right hand. 

Stiff wrists are a killer in green side bunkers because you can't release the club properly to get it to skim through the sand. With stiff wrists, you can either dig into the sand and duff it or skull it - either way not ideal.

5. Enter the sand one inch behind the ball and follow through

It's easy to get the jitters at the top of the swing and decelerate or stop the swing when entering the sand. What I would like you to work on, sir, is trying to slap that sand one inch behind the ball with the sole of the club and follow through to a full finish.

This is a scary idea I understand, but if you try this at the practice facility, you will gain so much confidence. You'll probably hit some duffs and skulls to start with but within 20 or 30 balls, you''ll be able to get the ball out of the bunker first shot.

KEY POINT: Slap the sand with the sole of the club using your right and and then follow through and feel like your right wrist is catching rain drops from above. Your club head will often be ahead of the ball initially and that is exactly what you want. Accelerate through the impact zone all the way to the top of the swing.

6. Practice your butt off

Hardly anyone will go to a practice bunker and work on these shots because they aren't very glamorous, but I tell you what guys, nothing impresses other golfers like the ability to get out of a green side bunker and put it to a foot. 

Get down to a green side bunker facility and draw a line behind the ball where you want to enter the sand. Remember to hinge your wrists on the way back and again on the way down after follow through. Slap that sand with the sole of the club using your right hand and finish your swing. 

My only other request is that you don't have anyone along your target line in the distance. You need a clear area so you feel free to make some mistakes when you teeth the ball - which will happen. But golf is a process not a destination so even when it feels like you're going nowhere, keep pushing and you'll come out the other side a better bunker player.

Troubleshooting bunker shots

I tried hitting before ball but it doesn't come out the bunker.

Remember the backward shaft lean. Remember to hit the sand ONE inch behind the ball - often people enter 4 or 5 inches behind it with the downward striking mindset. Check where you're entering the sand during practice and adjust and remember to hinge those wrists and slap the sand, not dig in!

Which club should I use?

Check out my article on the best wedges for sand and start with a 56° if you're really unhappy in the bunkers. You can then start experimenting with the low wedge and gap wedge as you improve. But for a start a 56 degree sand wedge with 12 or 14 degrees of bounce will serve you well.

If you play golf at a course with no sand in the bunkers, I am afraid you'll need to use a chipping technique as this technique above requires some sand to be in the bunkers. If your bunkers are truly horrendous, I would recommend joining another club or, more easily, avoiding the bunkers at all costs!

But clipping the ball clean off the sand works so well!

It probably works well 20% of the time. The technique above gets me up and down out of bunkers around 60% of the time. 

If the bunker lip is really low, putt it out.

This works if your sand is not too fluffy and the lip of the bunker is pretty square with the sand and there's no big lip. 

Last Updated on February 4, 2024 by Matt Greene

The par 4 planning

In the image below, you can see how much space exists on the green over the bunker. You have 12 to 18 feet of green beyond the bunker until you hit the back edge.

If you take the bunker completely out of play and hit the ball left of the bunker, you have 30-40 feet of space to land the ball without going over the back of the green. Think smart. 

Use enough club

Careful of the sucker pin

Sometimes short is the play!

Where are the bail out areas?

Where's the biggest landing area?

Know your distances as precisely as possible

The Mental Game

Remove negative language and negative thinking

Positive internal monologue

To drill it or die it in?

Extremely Key Concept

Quick and Easy Tips to Break 80

Get custom-fit shafts

Draw a stripe on a coin and your golf balls

How does a line on the ball for alignment work?

Is an alignment aid in golf legal?

What you need to add an alignment line to your ball

Select the correct tees

Select the correct tees based on your drive distance

Select the correct tees based on length of par 4's

What if everyone else is playing off longer tees?

Play with better players

Join a matchplay league

Can I break 80 without a driver?

How many golfers can break 80? 

How many putts per round to break 80?

You need between 28 and 32 putts to break 80. If you hit 6 greens in regulation and get up and down on 6 holes, you can potentially use between 28 and 32 putts to break 80. 

Do I need lessons to break 80?

Conclusion