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I'm calling 'Uncle' - It's lesson time

Nate

Nate

My Friends Call Me Big Time
Albatross 2024 Club
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Feb 23, 2011
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Location
Dallas, Texas
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When does one know when it's time to throw in the towel? Waive the white flag? Call Uncle? This last weekend was that moment for me.

This winter I started noticing an issue I was having with my 30-60yd chip shot, pitch shots, flub shots, whatever you want to call them. I first would chalk the "miss" up to a hard winter fairway or maybe the lack of grass was to blame for the fat shot. And there was probably something to that.....at first. But since it has carried over to this spring and I can't seem to shake it off. Last weekend at our MGA event, I hammered 4 drives down the fairway to within 30-50yds to the green. All 4 holes I missed the green with my pitch and walked off the hole with a bogey. +4 on those holes where I should be even par at worst but probably throwing in a birdie or two from that distance. Unacceptable. Flat out. Each shot went about 20yds and fat.

So I've called in for some help. It's been about 7 years since I dabbled in a golf lesson but I think I need one now for this shot. I'm doing something wrong and I need a set of eyes to see it. So anyways, this Saturday I venture into the lesson world with hopes of fixing this chipping "yip" I've developed. Don't belive me? Take a look back at my VHOTD with Cookie and BigTex a couple weeks ago (3 minute mark):

 
Good for you Nate! Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
Just my 2 cents but looks to me like you are using all hands and not much body movement in the shot(s).
 
Every time I see one of these "its lesson time" threads I say the same thing. Best decision you and I ever made. Each and every time I take lessons it helps and is always a good thing. Its never is a miracle fix or makes me a scratch golfer but dumb little things creep into my swing that I need another set of eyes to fix. Good luck Nate and Im sure you will have this worked out in a matter of weeks.
 
Best of luck with the lessons Nate
 
Hope you get it fixed quickly Nate! The chunks are a score killer, and just absolutely deflating.
 
A lesson is a great idea. I would suggest a complete change in technique for that shot, and as someone else pointed out already turn your body back and through. The only two shots in golf where you can use your arms only and not turn your body going back and through are at the 19th hole.
 
Good luck Nate, go get that fixed up and get back to making birdies on those holes buddy!
 
Dude look at your video again, you're not following through at all on those pitch shots. You're stopping your hands almost immediately after impact. Not saying that's your fix, but that's definitely part of it.
 
good stuff Nate i struggled with the same thing the past few years and my lessons have improved my short game so much i actually just had a pitching lesson today at Golftec and went out to the local par 3 today and was hugely impressed with the improvement even today. keep us updated and good luck!
 
Good luck with the fix Nate. Lesson's from someone standing right there that can adjust every move is the only way to go.
 
P4B and tdinbr....there is probably something to what you are saying cause it does look like that on the video. My backswing looks long but then no follow-thru. Errrrrr.
 
Nate said:
P4B and tdinbr....there is probably something to what you are saying cause it does look like that on the video. My backswing looks long but then no follow-thru. Errrrrr.
Click to expand...

Told ya the other day on FB. Stop the decel!
 
Nate said:
P4B and tdinbr....there is probably something to what you are saying cause it does look like that on the video. My backswing looks long but then no follow-thru. Errrrrr.
Click to expand...
You're a much better golfer than I so I don't feel right giving you advice but I take about a little over half that back swing and accelerate to almost a full follow through on those shots. You might try a little of that on your own before getting the lesson....but I know a lesson will prove most valuable for you.
 
Nate, I struggle with this every now and again. I notice I have to focus on keeping my shoulders in place. I.E. Not dip
 
One-T said:
Nate, I struggle with this every now and again. I notice I have to focus on keeping my shoulders in place. I.E. Not dip
Click to expand...

This is a big point. I catch myself doing that at times.
 
Im having the opposite problem. My chipping has gotten a lot better, now I just cant hit a ball when it needs to go more than 10 yards.
 
Nate this game we love, called golf can kick the best of arses. Having a good pro look at you and then practicing what he recommends, for the fix is invaluable. You can do it buddy and once you get that 50 yd in stuff fixed, you are going to be lethal :blob:!
 
Good for you Nate...let us know how it goes!
 
Best of luck.
 
Everyone needs a lesson now and then. Even the best players in the world (other than Bubba) have someone watching them and their game. I had my first in 1972 or 73 and my last two weeks ago. Good luck with the lesson!
 
So I took the lesson on Saturday and I'm glad I did. I'll get right into it....my stance was too narrow. He wanted me to take a more wider and athletic stance. I was dipping my right shoulder/arm sometimes during the downswing which was causing the fat hits. He also wanted me to keep my chest constant through the swing. I think this was a big key to me. I really started trying to keep my chest still and avoid dipping it one way or the other. He also wanted me to take the 60 degree out of the bag for awhile and only use the 56, AW and PW depending on what shot I needed to hit. Yes, this is going to require a lot of practice to get those distances down and where I'm confident to hit each shot with those clubs. Another key was to really let the club do the work and basically take your body out of the swing so the club can do the work. That's hard because the my body really wants to take over to manuliplate the loft on the wedges.

But I got to a point where I really was hitting some great 50-75 yard shots with my 56 and AW. He said to practice having a full shot, a 75% shot and a 50% shot with the PW, AW and 56 degree. I think that will help. It's hard for me to stay still on these shots as my body really wants to get ahead of the shot for some reason. I guess that the aggressive part of me...wanting to go down and at everything I hit.

On another front I think the Vokey wedges are staying in the bag. I took them to the lesson with me (haven't played with them in over 2 months and actually tried to sell them here) and the head pro saw I was playing with the older Callaways (X's) and commented how heavy they were. Then picked up my Vokey's and said there was no reason why I shouldn't be hitting these well. After the lesson I agreed. Here was a pic of the 56 degree cleaned up:

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And here was the 56 degree after 400 balls during and after the lesson:

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I have some work to do but this was a great start. So glad that I put my ego aside and got the lesson. More valuable than any piece of new equipment could of done for this situation.
 
glad to hear the lesson helped you out, Ive struggled with the short game for a few years, the guy I go to has been great for everything but the short game, I wanted to kill him after our 1 short game lesson, so I might try elsewhere and hope to have some results as you have
 
Nice update Nate! Sounds like that lesson really paid off. You were grooving the 56* nicely by the looks of it. Also like the idea of dropping the 60* and getting those distances down. Lately, I have really enjoyed the 40-60 yard shots with the 50 or 52*.
 
Thanks for the update Nate and great feedback there. Glad you're back on track man, keep it up!
 
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