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Need some help-advice type question! :)

• Doctahpaul 38 Posts

  Sat, Jul 13 2013 7:04 PM

  OK..Been plugging along in this game pretty much wingin it for 4-6 weeks last fall and the same recently.  I enjoy the game but really need to start thinking about how to play in regard to spin and all that stuff.  I do somewhat but then I read all these messages and get confused a bit....a lot tonight actually.  Seems like opinion is always 50-50 on so much and in this forum, it can be easy to get confused for a relative noob like me!

       Forgiveness with a club-what exactly is it?  If you hit, like with a  real club, a bit off center on the clubface and how the club adjusts for it?  Was looking at putters.  I have the level 51 Nike. I think it's like 3.5 acroos the board on ratings. Next one is the Daytona, which doesn't seem to have better ratings yet people rave about it.  Then I read about how the nIke leave putts short and so forth....can anyone explain this thing a bit?

    Now with spin. Form what I read now full backspin seems to give many people less backspin than 3/4, and if you hit a driver with 3/4 backspin you can kick out of the rough better yet with no spin it sticks dead in it..? Not sure I get this.  I though the ball always spun, just more or less in either direction.  Now more is less and vica versa?

     I have finally started hitting my chips and pitches better except when I get in no man's land and cannot hit a full swing wedge since it seems anything less, approaching 50%, on a chip or pitch is a mishit for me.  Been using the punch to get better variety of yardage but I am a bit off on the above..

     So if anyone can tell me what they know a bit..spin-why is less more and so forth.....RATINGS on the clubs-which matter more, do any matter more?  Forgiveness? is it what I think?

  I always though a lower degree lofted driver gave you lower trajectory but it doesn't seem to be that way.  Many 9 andeven 8 degree lofted ones have a high trajectory. 

  Ok..if you can figure out a few things I don't really understand please throw in your $.02! I will appreciate it.  Short of testing a lot more than I do, you may be a bigger help to me!

  Doc

• mantis0014 8,946 Posts

  Sat, Jul 13 2013 8:51 PM

  If you look at the specs of a club set... the more dots in foregiveness means... if you slightly miss the ding it's more foregiving and the ball won't go way too much  right or left angles... most of the time.....lol

  The Nike and Ghost putters are very precise putters.....  meaning if you are very good at putting then you might want to use one of these... if your just learning the game then those putters might be too good for you to use as you might struggle..... the Daytona Rossa is cheap and also a very good putter to use and will basically last you forever and a day.

  Spin can be used in many ways....  from trying to stop the ball on greens or getting more distance from your tee and approach shots.  If looking at the specs again on Balls and Clubs... the more dots in spin.... means the spin you can get fron your shots.

  In strong Tailwinds.... a little bspin can keep the ball higher in the air for longer and kinda ride the wind to gain distance.

  In certain situations... top or back spin can get you extra distance....  Approach shots, when you find yourself inbetwen clubs... top or no spin in the lower club selection can get you the extra yards needed.

  When you get to Legend Tier....  you come across tee shots with a tree infront of you... Full bspin will get you over that tree... if you use no spin then you will hit the tree and start swearing....lol

  Always good to get clubs sets with Med-High Trajectory.....  helps on course like Beth... with elevated greens... your shots will travel higher and dip down to green....  instead of (with low trajectory) travel lower causing the ball landing sooner or shorter which might cause a few problems

  Anyway...enough from me...lol      Your still learning the game... keep at it.... the more games you play the better you'll get... Even start to takes notes with every shot you do.. Each game you play will be different, but you can have simular shots again ...then look at your notes from the last time and go from there....

  -Roger

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Sat, Jul 13 2013 9:09 PM

  Hi Doc, I will try and answer a few things.

  Doctahpaul:

  Forgiveness with a club-what exactly is it?

  From the FAQ -

  Precision: Defines generally how close to the aiming point the ball will land based on where you hit on the swing meter

  Forgiveness: Displays how much Distance and Precision the ball will lose if not hit perfectly

  The nike putter is soft on putts under 10 feet, like it has rubber cushioning it. Add two feet in addition to what you calculate. Over 10 feet it is fine (and a very good putter IMO).

  As for spin, yes some say full spin results in less spin. Hmmm I am not sold on this theory. Full spin does lessen distance but the backspin is still generated and at a greater velocity. However I seldom use full backspin, as you lose control of the ball when it lands. It pays to know where to approach to on the green as this severely impacts the spin. As a rule of thumb, I use more b/s to an elevated green with none or t/s to a green below your feet.

  Never use less than 50% of power on a shot, it will invariably give a bad result. Use punch for these in inbetween shots - this is the most under utilized shot and add clubs to your bag.

  With all your short shots, work out how far each shot flies, and then rolls out with all the spin used. This will dial your short game in.

  Finally, whatever clubs you use, especially puuters, take your time to understand the clubs, and what they can do (and if you change balls, this will throw yardages out).

  Forgiveness is nice for someone like me who cannot hit the ding frequently, but prescion is required the further you move back on the tees.

  Hope you can make some sense of my ramblings

• Wheels65 744 Posts

  Sat, Jul 13 2013 9:57 PM

      'Lotsa' good questions there!  You have progressed quite well and when I reached your level I started asking the same questions.  I am an average player and there are lots of members here who can answer your questions better - but since none of them have stepped up - here my shot ;- 0
  
  1. Here is a link to a good discussion of precision and forgiveness from SgtBilko:
  
          http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/145845.aspx
  
  2. Spin - several good threads on this recently - without writing a book on this subject, anything said here will draw out the nitpickers. The following are GENERAL observations - there will always be exceptions to them. Some of this stuff is pretty basic but I am not 'talking down' to you -
  
        In this game, back spin generally keeps the ball in the air longer and makes it roll shorter after landing.  So - if you have a tail wind, using back spin will make the ball travel farther through the air and give you longer overall shot. .  This is especially valuable with high loft clubs on approach shots to greens. If there is a bunker between your ball and the pin, it may be possible to get over the bunker and stop your ball quickly - IF you have a "high spin' ball and high spin wedges (like the ones that you have in your bag).  However, your Rapture Irons are rated medium/high for loft and only 2 dots of spin - so dropping a tight shot over a bunker & stopping the ball quickly will not work as well with these irons as with your wedges.
  
        If you have a headwind, especially on the 'hurricane' UK courses, you don't want the ball to stay up in the wind more than necessary but you would like to get as much distance as possible out of it.   In this game, if you use 'top spin' the ball will 'go to ground' sooner but roll much farther than it will with back spin. I use full top spin for headwinds because, when I mapped my clubs, the ball went further this way.
  
        The effect of "spin" on performance is directly related to the spin rating of your ball. You are using the L48 Nike with 3.5 dots of spin (good).  Do not keep changing the type of ball that you use.  Every ball has its own characteristics and it is foolish to expect a L33 Cally to behave as your Nike does just because they have the same spin rating.  I note this because:
  
  3. For lack of another descriptor,  better "course performance" is what we are all seeking and is at the heart of your questions.  After you calculate how far you want the ball travel and how much offset you need to correct for the wind, the next question is what club, what spin, and what power - right? 
  
  Have you "mapped" your clubs yet? WGT gave each club a 'rating' distance - do you know how accurate it is?  I'm not saying that WGT is lying - please the conspiracy thread is elsewhere! For example, your Rapture Pitching Wedge is rated at 110 yards. Here are the types of shots that you can take with a PW: Full, Punch, Pitch, Chip, and Flop. In addition you can apply spin to your ball.  So which type of shot and with which spin do you get 110 yards of travel?
  
  When you have "mapped" your clubs, you will know (pretty accurately) which club to choose and what type of spin to apply.
  
  To map the clubs go to 1 course (BPB Back 9), practice game, low wind (still hoping WGT will give us a 'no wind' option), with your ball of choice. Get on the fairway, choose the club, choose the spin, DING it toward the pin. Now record how far it traveled when it hit the ground and how far it rolled to the stop. When the screen moves for the next shot: pull the aiming triangle back toward to Tee box (i.e. direction opposite to your first shot). Choose the same club & spin - DING it back up the course & record "air travel" and  and ground roll.  Average the numbers to cancel the effect of wind and record them on your 'Club Map"
  If you don't DING it, your numbers will not be quite as accurate. This is a boring & expensive exercise (I used over 2 sleeves to to map my irons).
  
  Others may have better information for you but I hope this helps and wish you luck!

• Doctahpaul 38 Posts

  Sun, Jul 14 2013 11:50 AM

  Thankyou guys...am trying to figure out my clubs and hitting.  Have done most with the wedges and that part of my game has improved.

  I like the Raptures because of the timer..may have to try a better lofted set and overcome the faster timer.

  And I am still in the wish we had a practice tee and putting green camp.  There are times I just want to hit the same club and shot over and over, and times when I want to practice on the course itself...maybe someday.  Just don't understand why they haven't done this yet? Was it posted somewhere why we don't have one?

• alosso 21,066 Posts

  Sun, Jul 14 2013 12:42 PM

  Your equipment is state of the art for your level, no quick change necessary.

  Next stop lvl 59 - G20 or lvl 69 - RBZ.

• chris5214 1,937 Posts

  Sun, Jul 14 2013 2:43 PM

  all good info from the posters above ..

  if u want, send me a friend request & i'll send you some more detailed info on how to use spin & their effects ..

  best of luck

• mantis0014 8,946 Posts

  Mon, Jul 15 2013 2:23 AM

  Doctahpaul:

  And I am still in the wish we had a practice tee and putting green camp

  Not sure about the Tee....but you can practice your putting and aproach shots by starting a practice game...

  When you reach the green....  if you miss the putt, just hit it back to where you were and try again.... allowed 10 shots a hole and doesn't affect you average if it's a practice game...not Ranked Round

  You can do the same with you approach shots...  hit you approach... if you don't like it  ... hit it back and try again.

  Take notes... write down club used, wind, how far it went...etc  and keep updating your notes until you are comfortable with a shot.

  -Roger

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Mon, Jul 15 2013 2:54 AM

  Just further to what Roger said - use the Par 3 Course for your short game (practice mode) , play for bunkers and rough and take notes of spin, strength and shot types.

• WeidaDeNei 298 Posts

  Wed, Jul 17 2013 12:19 PM

  Exactly what he said. The best of par 3 course really is great practice. Practice mode from the red tees.