Jack the Genius of Course Managment

[Delaware Golf]

Boys Jack was an amazing strategist. I have been reading his book Playing Lessons . . . produced back in the 70's when I was totin' a GI Joe Lunch Box with the PBJ and pop tarts to school. The book still resonates. Y'all gotta have this book.

I play an old style course with fast undulating greens. I used to just pound driver everywhere. Not no mo'. I hit about 3 drivers per round now. This game is about POSITION . . . just like buying a new crib . . . LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

I had been pounding driver and having alot of downhill and side hill lies. Now I hit 3 woods 5 woods and pecker woods to leave myself the most manageable lie. An example . . . there is a hole on our course #2 hdcp . . . If I bust a driver I got a 5 iron to 4 iron in . . . straight up a hill. Now I hit 5 wood off the tee and then hit pecker wood or 5 wood to the green. I can stop a pecker wood much quicker than I can a 5 iron.

Another thing to watch is playing for the fat part of the fairway. We got a short little hole and driver will leave you a little pitch. However you gotta squeeze that driver between a trap left and OB right. No more . . . now it's 5 wood short of the trap to the absolute widest part of the fairway leaving the best angle and still it's a 9 iron in.

We got a long par 3 that undulates big time back to front . . . I mean you can slap putt a ball of the green quick fast in a hurry if you are above the hole. Used to try to hit the ball pin high from 185 to 200 yards . . . No more just hit a 6 iron to the front . . . It don't matter where the pin is. Just hit it to the front leaving a manageable up hill chip/sand shot or putt.

Having a plan and the right plan is HUGE in golf . . . the score card don't give a rats azz how far you hit your big stick.

I agree with Bucket, the Nicklaus "Playing Lessons" book is fantastic...it should be reissued. You can find used issues on amazon.com for next to nothing...my experience with out-of-print books lately has been good...I received what should be a used copy...but I have been receiving brand spanking new copies.

Great post Bucket...after you learn both swinging and hitting and have the ability to execute all of the hinge actions, the Nicklaus book is the next logical step to better golf. I highly recommend throwing in Tom Watson's "Getting Up and Down book"...too.

DG

[birdie_man]

What's a pecker wood?

[EdStraker]

What's a pecker wood?

My guess is a 7 wood.

[BIG_SEXY]

I headed to the course today with:

Driving iron

irons 7-SW

putter

I hit my driving iron 250 yards off of every tee, and hit every fairway.

My short game destroyed me, but I had one heck of a ballstriking day.

My goal was to play the course how it was designed to be played, and to think and grind my way to a low score.

It was a good day playing fromt he middle of the fairway.

*** I had to borrow my playing partners 5 iron for 170-200 yd shots.