Forums

Frustrated Master

• g433a 28 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 2:44 PM

  Hi,

  I've been here just over a month now and really like the game. Once I'd got the hang of the basics I made pro quite quickly, and then just when I thought I was getting to the stage where I could compete I shot a 30 and got moved to master. I know the 30 wasn't the only reason, but that was the last game I played as a pro.

  I was going to carry on with the clubs I had (Raptures) because each time I'd bought equipment with a faster meter I suck really bad with them and go back to the slow ones after a couple of bad scores.

  That was the theory anyway. My trouble is I'm not the sort of person who can be just ok at something... I have to try to be the best I can, and if my best is only ok then I get frustrated. When it goes well, I can get lowish 30's or mid 60's with my pro raptures, but as you'll know that isn't good enough to compete with the best on here, which isn't good enough to make me want to keep coming back for more.

  With that in mind I've bought better (longer driver and more accurate irons) clubs in the hope that I'll eventually be able to compete in the master tier, but once again with the faster meter I can't stop the bar anywhere near the 'excellent' line to save my life (most of the time) and I'm scoring worse than before... again!

  So sorry for the really long post, but the question to all those that have risen through the ranks and would quite easily hand me my butt on a plate is.....

  Did you struggle getting used to a faster meter, and will it get better with time?

  I've got no problem with putting the hours in if it'll get there in time, but I just don't want to be chasing an impossible dream if struggling with the meter now means I'll pretty much always struggle with it.

   

  Thanks for reading, and for any advice that anyone can offer.

• OaktheToke 409 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 3:37 PM

  g433a:

  Did you struggle getting used to a faster meter, and will it get better with time?

  Yes, there is a learning curve, and in fact everyone does struggle from time to time.  I'm not as accomplished as some of the expert vets on here, but I've played against many in match play.  Even they don't ding the meter every time, but they do have a superior short game and course knowledge.  Playing the same 2 courses over and over hundreds of times and you learn where you want to be and where you don't want to be.  

  For example, hole #6 at Kiawah, the approach is very simple to a wide green, but even a slight miss to the left leaves you with a tricky little put that is missable, but leaving it to the right makes for an easy birdie putt.  Aiming for a target a yard or so right of the hole increases the possibility of a birdie.  Every green has spots on it that are more user friendly for birdie and par putts.  Hit to those.

  The best masters have a short game that is on point.  Anything 50 yards and in is stuck within a yard or two 9 times out of 10.   They are like a magician right around the green despite the lie.  They know which shot is best to use, and with what type of spin, in most occasions.  This and putting is where they mostly differ from players in ability.  

  You're currently using the GI2-D ball which slows down your meter to almost the same speed as the slower Raptures without the GI2 ball.  It just takes some getting used to.  Personally, I can go multiple shots in a row dinging the meter and then go multiple shots in a row when I'm not.  Its just a matter of capitalizing on the opportunities when I'm hot and minimizing the damage when I'm not.  I also sometimes switch back to my Rapture Pro irons sometimes when I'm having trouble dinging the G10's or just to switch things up.

  So to make a long post short, the keys to getting to the upper echelon are most likely course knowledge and short game.

  Perhaps others have differing opinions.  Happy hitting.  You'll get it.  It just take a little time and a whole lot more patience.........unfortunately. :(

• dickie40 37 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 3:40 PM

  No real advice but some observations from someone who is in the same boat. I use the raptures also and they have saved the bacon more times than I can count. Although you will be teeing off from the tees in the next county the raptures will still hack it at Kiawah. Right now I am sucking wind at Bethpage. For a time I tried a "feel" ball in hopes to slow the meter enough to try some of the less forgiving clubs with some success. Then something interesting happened - I went back to some of my "no feel" balls just to use them up and I found that I could hit them just as well as balls with +1 or +2 feel. Remember that when you are playing in the Master Tier you are playing with the very best so who would want to play at any level less and have the amount of respect that one deserves. I intend to keep at it and improve my game as much as I can. If there ever is an 8 degree Rapture Driver we can be up with the leaders. Good luck.

• g433a 28 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 3:51 PM

  Thanks for the replies guys.

  I was using the GI-SD ball with the Raptures, but got the slowest one I could for the G10's (still looks much faster than before though) in the hope it would help. At the moment it doesn't lol.

  I agree about the Raptures being able to compete better at Kiawah, but they just don't land softly enough in the long irons to lose the distance with the Rapture driver at Bethpage. One thing I won't do though is use a different set at each course. 

  I guess it's just more practice.

  Any more views?

• holebrowser 21 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 4:27 PM

  When I made master I got the G10's and the meter speed killed me for at least two weeks, maybe three. I made it worse on myself after getting discouraged with the speed and kept switching back to the raptures to keep my avg. up. Finally I decided that the only way I was going to learn was to get rid of the crutches. I sold the raptures so I couldn't use them anymore. In time you will get used to the meter and like Oak said somedays you can ding the meter most shots, somedays you can't but it's the short game that counts. Drive for show, putt for dough. Happy hitting.

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 5:41 PM

  It is the Master tier. Just to get here means you can play. To go further with improvement, as we all want to do, will come. But slower. It takes time to create a way to shave another stroke, or two off of where you are at the moment. It comes so slowly, that one may be unaware of progress until all of that progress comes to a head and you break 60, not by luck, mind you, but by slow, skill progress and knowing what shot you are going to hit next just by seeing the current shot land. I shot a 75 earlier today on Kiawah. A fine combination of missed fairways, poor iron shots, crummy pitches and chips and a frozen putter in the mood play as much as possible. Actually, I learned and benefited from it. I hope.

• dorkfeatures 712 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 6:04 PM

  Hi g433a,

  I am in exactly the same boat as you are my friend.

  I have been on here 20 months and turned Master about 2 weeks ago. I actually turned Master very very quickly once I upgraded my driver and 3W. All of a sudden I was having ocassional Eagle putts, then nailed a couple and bingo I shot 61 at Kiawah.

  Yesterday in a practice round at Kiawah I shot 80 - can you believe that. Lost 3 balls :-( Totally disillusioned I trudged off to bed. When I woke I kinda realised that I hadnt slept well for 3 or 4 nights and maybe that was a part of the problem :-)

  I recently bought the 8.5 Driver which gives me good length off the tees, but on BPB I am still not reaching a couple of holes in two. Oh yeh - the eagle putts have dried up to lol.  I'm finding myself kinda back where I was in the Pro tier before I upgraded my clubs shooting -1, -2,  or around par, which is just not good enough.

  Since I turned master I have spent most of my time practicing,  then venturing out for the occasional round. I'm not bothered about protecting my ranking at all - no way I can play to it right now. I just dont see the point of going out for a round and shooting 75, I can learn a lot more practicing.

  Sorry to drag on - hey if your up for some practice rounds I would be more than happy to accompany you. Maybe we could help each other out  - cant do any harm.

  Cheers

  Doug

  PS - I'm originally from Manchester area, before I emigrated out to Australia many many years ago. Where are you from?

   

• marioh 1,055 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 6:07 PM

  The double whammy of changing tiers and changing shot meter speeds.

  Either switch back to your normal set and get fully adjusted to master tees, then switch clubs.

  Or

  Play a few practice rounds with the default ball and experience the fast swing meter in all it's glory.   Then when you switch back to the GI or GI2 ball, it won't seem as fast, lol.

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 6:27 PM

  SweetiePie:

  shot a 75 earlier today on Kiawah

  It was in ready go...that was the point of it.

• ThreeSpot 476 Posts

  Sun, Jan 24 2010 6:35 PM

  g433a, similar experience here. I felt like I was really starting to get in a groove from the Pro tees with my Rapture Pro clubs when I made Master about 3 weeks ago. I bought the G10 Master driver, 3W and irons right away. The last 3 weeks have been all about relearning the courses from the Master tees, mastering the Master meter and experimenting with balls. My average went up over 70 a few days into it. Some days I couldn't ding it even with GI2 balls. Sometimes I could get into a rhythm even with "no feel" balls. Well, I am happy to say that today is the first time I have gotten my average back below where it was when I turned Master. Surprisingly enough, it was using Tour SD ("no feel") balls. It just felt right today. I'm still experimenting and I'm certain I'll still have my ups and downs, but I'm getting more comfortable with the courses, the clubs and how the balls affect my game. I'm going to put in the work to take my game as far as it can go. That's what it really comes down to.