John Robins: “Operation single figures is officially GO!”

A visit to Precision Golf proved fruitful for Bad Golf’s John Robins as the comedian’s bid to get to single figures got underway.

In his exclusive Today’s Golfer column the award-winning broadcaster, YouTuber and co-president of Beef’s Golf Club, explains why every amateur golfer should be following his lead.

I’ve been writing this column for two years now, and it was always intended to represent the bad to average club golfer in a world of tour pros and launch angles. I’m far more interested in how a 36-handicapper can break 100 for the first time rather than agonising about whether the Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5 is giving me the best spin around the green. However, even a duffer wants to be the best golfer they can be.

After a dismal start to my Club Championships this year I knew I was in trouble. I was 12-over at the turn and any hope of playing to my 14-handicap was out of the window. I decided to see if I could at least string two pars together to finish mid-table. In my head, I would compete in matchplay against the rest of the group to keep focused. I often use little mini-games as a way of keeping myself interested or focused and I think a lot of amateur golfers could benefit from this when you think your game has gone.

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It paid off and I shot three-over for the back nine.

Even though I’d let myself down overall, it could have been a lot worse and it showed I had the potential to shoot single figures more often. I’d had a glimpse.

It’s good to set yourself goals every so often, even if that’s just to get out more, try to put less pressure on yourself, or just put together a bit of a short game. So, I decided that if I have the potential to play off single figures, I’d best put the work in now while I’m still (relatively) young.

I took a bit of a golfing inventory: Mentality good. Driving much improved. Putting OK. Iron striking average. Short game poor. Fitness and flexibility getting better.

Before attacking the problem areas I wanted to check nothing was working against me, be that my clubs, my body, or my swing, and there was only one thing for it. Before beginning operation single figures I needed a full golf MOT.

Everyone who reads Today’s Golfer knows that getting a proper fitting is important. But I don’t want new clubs right now, I just wanted to know what areas needed work, and if any tweaks could help me on the way. Facilities that offer this kind of service are few and far between, but luckily I have one very such place just a few miles down the road. Precision Golf.

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It’s hard to describe what they’ve got going on down there in an unassuming business park in Byfleet, but it’s pretty much a one-stop shop for your golf game, with a state-of-the-art testing, teaching and fitting facility.

First up was a full bag assessment where my swing and impact data were analysed to check if my clubs were the right specifications. Every single one was weighed and adjusted over the course of a three-hour session. We tried different shafts, adding weight, removing weight, changing lies and tweaking lofts. It was the most time I’ve ever spent thinking about golf clubs (and I think about golf clubs a lot)

Because they’re not tied to any brand, they aren’t trying to flog you the latest or most expensive gear. They want to help you find out how well each club in your bag is performing for your swing, and also how well they match with each other. I’d not really thought about whether I had the right wedges for my irons or the right 3-wood for my driver, but if you’re swinging a 7-iron followed by a lob wedge it makes sense for them all to align.

At the end of our session, my fitter suggested moving up one swing weight in my irons and going down four swing weights on my wedges. I’d never even heard of swing weight before but checking the specs of my clubs online showed that, yes, my wedges were super heavy and my irons a touch light. Two grams were added to my irons and my wedge shafts were replaced. Job done.

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I’ve always wondered if my hands were too big for my clubs and, it turns out the club feeling like a stick of spaghetti isn’t conducive to the low scoring required to become a single-figure golfer. New midline grips it was then.

After an hour in the workshop, my clubs were ready. But we weren’t done yet. The centre also had a gym geared around fitness for golfers and, having been working hard on my fitness in 2022, I was keen to find out what benefits it had been having. I went for an assessment and, while I’m certainly no beefcake, I was proud to see it had. During my one-hour session with instructor Kate, I was shown some new stretches and exercises to improve the muscle groups I was struggling with, which should increase my flexibility and the power in my swing.

Then (yes, there’s more) I had a biomechanical assessment to work on any injuries and check my joints and back were all functioning as best they could. It’s not often we get the treatment Tour stars do, but I felt we were leaving no stone unturned in order to begin Operation Single Figures. I’ve struggled with back and hip pain from time to time and was amazed to find out my left glute is 40% stronger than my right! Who knew?! So away I went with more exercises to improve my old righty, and perhaps balance out my swing.

Before I finally went on my way, I still had time for a half-hour lesson and the wonders continued. One of Precision Golf’s coaches turned my fade into a draw in the space of two swings!

So here I am, bags packed full of information and a set of clubs I can no longer blame for my blobs. I’m 40 now, and if I can get a single-figure handicap by the time I’m 45 I’ll be over the moon. Just skip forward 65 columns to find out how I get on!

READ NEXT: Inside Precision Golf’s £1m Lab

LISTEN NOW: Beef’s Golf Club

John Robins and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston create the dream golf club with the help of the listeners and a host of star guests in this hit podcast from Crowd Network.

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