Forums

Made Master Tier and Looking For Some help....

• jpalermo 8 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 6:00 PM

  Made master tier and am not extremely happy about it because it is much more difficult.  Any tips from the masters out there?

• OaktheToke 409 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 7:04 PM

  Sure man.  Besides the obvious "practice,"  an equipment upgrade is necessary.  The reason I say that is because you are teeing off from further back than you were when you were at the pro level.  The yardage can be made up by using a better driver with increased distance.

  You need a Master level driver, either the R9 or the G10.  Most prefer the R9 because its slightly longer and lower trajectory, minimizing wind impact.   The G10 is supposedly slightly more forgiving on mishits.   

  If I was suggest another option it would an upgraded distance and spin ball perhaps the Tour SD balls.  They'll give you even more distance, probably about 5-10 yards, and a lot more spin.  The spin will help get balls the check on approach shots by using backspin.

  A last suggestion would be a new set of irons, either one of the master sets (G10 or Tour Preferred Burner) or the Rapture Pro's.  Looking at the equipment comparison charts and posted feedback threads should help you decide.  There are some masters that still play with the starter set, but very few.   Try getting the driver and playing with a better ball first though.

  I don't like telling people to spend money on here, but in order to compete as a master level player you need one of the 2 drivers so you can have a chance to reach the greens in 2 shots and not always have to hit a long iron.   This plus a better ball should really help to make your rounds much more enjoyable.

• jpalermo 8 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 8:40 PM

  I am almost anti-spending more money on here.... Dropped $20 to get to where i am and not really wanting to spend more.... but that all makes sense and i guess im going to be the highest avg score master on the game

   

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 8:59 PM

  jpalermo:

  I am almost anti-spending more money on here.... Dropped $20 to get to where i am and not really wanting to spend more.... but that all makes sense and i guess im going to be the highest avg score master on the game

   

  jpalermo, it takes time. More time than money. Some game improvement can be purchased here, but not much. The Master tier is the end of the line for more players than I wish to remember. It is not for the faint of heart or the weak of spine. It is for the best of the best. Stay with it, give it much time. It is very difficult. Give it its due.

• OaktheToke 409 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 9:40 PM

  If you're going to spend hours on here $10 isn't for a driver and a few balls isn't all that much considering your time investment.  Do you live in a state which allows you to play match play challenges or Ready-Go's.  A 9-hole score of 2 under par will at least get you your entry back for most Ready-Go's and anything better will usually get more.  Match Play challenges are also a way to earn credits by wagering them against opponents.  Between these 2 methods of income most better played on here won't have to invest another dime for quite a long time.

  Also, are you 18 with a credit card?  There are free offers to fill out that will earn you instant credits.  Netflix gets you like 1800 and the Free Credit Report one gets you like 2000.  The only catch being that you must cancel within the trial period or else they will charge your card.

  Besides, look at Sweetiepie, she's playing with vastly inferior clubs to most master players yet she's sportin an impressive average.  Not to shabby, ay?  Gotta be the skills that pays those bills.

  A wise man once told me "don't blame the arrow, blame the indian."

• jpalermo 8 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 9:44 PM

  am i stuck here @ master or will they eventually raise my level back up?

• dorkfeatures 712 Posts

  Fri, Jan 22 2010 10:22 PM

  Hi 

  Once a Master always a Master - sorry.

  I to have just turned Master and it does take a lot of getting use to, and you must buy that 8.5 driver if nothing else.

  I spend a lot of time on the practice fairways, I'll get there eventually. Currently at BPB, I am kinda On Par or -1 / -2 which is OK for now. Am hoping to improve though - with time.

• AtlantaCoaster 645 Posts

  Sat, Jan 23 2010 4:58 AM

  I think patience is the key.  You will drive yourself crazy if you think you have to do everything perfectly from the moment that you are promoted up a tier.  I didn't - and still don't do everything perfectly.  Probably never will.

  Practice and ENJOY honing your game and perfecting your skills to adapt to the new situations.  Challenge yourself to take some ENJOYMENT from these challenges.  After all - it is a GAME.

  My opinion differs from others here - who also hold valid opinions - (take from us what is useful).  IMMEDIATELY - Change NOTHING.  I do not advocate an immediate change in gear.  Adapt your game to the new situations and take your game AS FAR AS IT CAN GO with your current gear.  This takes some weeks.  Decide where the "holes" in your own game are before you buy gear.  And change ONE THING AT A TIME.  If the biggest hole in your game is DISTANCE - then that is when you might consider a Driver upgrade.  You might be surprised to know that IN MY OWN CASE, I never bought (yet) a "Master Driver" - the biggest "hole" in my own game after a few weeks at Master level turned out to involve my SHORT GAME - and specifically WEDGES.  So I upgraded those (in early January).  That is now beginning to bear fruit as I have been adjusting them into my game - I have now had my first taste of scoring 30 (2 times) for 9 holes and I EVEN HAD A 29!

  TAKE PRACTICE in the form of some Match Play or Stroke Play MULTI-PLAYER rounds and OBSERVE other people from your tier - how do they play?  How do they escape from bad situations?  OBSERVE THE GEAR THEY USE AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PEOPLE USING THE GEAR.  Do they like it?  What is is accomplishing for them?  USE the CHAT function!

  The bottom line:  IN MY OPINION - You are now playing from longer tees.  That is a big adjustment all by itself.  Get used to that one thing for right now WITH YOUR CURRENT GEAR.  If you change gear ON TOP OF adjusting to the longer yardages, you will have several "moving pieces" - and this can undoubtedly lead to frustration AND a skyrocketing average (which seems to hold importance to you).

  Some additional "reading" - other posts which you might find useful:

  "Why Have You Not Bought The Master Driver? - My Reply

  Playing For FUN vs. Obsession With Averages and Tiers

  10 WGT Nightmares:  A Pictorial Essay And Discussion - Some Game Tips In Here

  In closing - No need to be UNHAPPY with your promotion to Master - it means your game has matured nicely.  Enjoy it!

  Best Regards,  AtlantaCoaster

• pillsy 489 Posts

  Sat, Jan 23 2010 11:13 AM

  you've already got a lot of upgraded equipment (driver, woods, wedges, putter).  you just need to play more and get to know the course/greens and work on course management.  i made master with the starter clubs, and i will admit, it did suck, but i learned to get as much out of them as i possibly could, which meant knowing how to play each hole to get the best results (EXECUTING that plan, however, didn't always work).  i also played a ton of CTTH to try and earn credits, which i used to buy my 1st upgrade (R9 master) which made the game fun again (it's really depressing when you can't reach the fairway from the back tees with the wally-world driver).

  so just keep playing, practicing, and getting to know the courses better.  shouldn't be that hard since there's all of 2 of them...

• jpalermo 8 Posts

  Wed, Jan 27 2010 11:45 PM

  Ok I bit the bullet and got the g10 master irons and driver.  WOW.  Huge difference.  ((open mouth insert foot))...