1st Lesson: My Journey to the 70's

[tequila4kapp]

I don't think you should hit driver at all since you're new one should be here fairly soon..

It got here mid week and I went out and pounded balls immediately. The club is solid, my driver swing isn't. I will plug away at this but suspect I will need to spend some dedicated time with my teacher. The good news is I can manage my way around a course without hitting driver...although it would be nice to get that extra distance off the tee.

 

[Oregon Jack]

It got here mid week and I went out and pounded balls immediately. The club is solid, my driver swing isn't. I will plug away at this but suspect I will need to spend some dedicated time with my teacher. The good news is I can manage my way around a course without hitting driver...although it would be nice to get that extra distance off the tee.

Well thats good. What is your current driver setupid and swing (if it differs at all from, say, your 7i swing/setup)?

 

[tequila4kapp]

My stance is wider and the ball is positioned forward. I am pretty sure that part is fine/correct. I think I've got a mental block about swing plane and am just confusing myself, making it harder than it needs to be.

 

[golfinFF]

Not sure how wide is wider, but try narrowing it up a little this helped me transfer my weight better and get the club on plane more consistently.

If I'm too wide the club comes back too far outside then too far inside and flat.

 

[Oregon Jack]

My stance is wider and the ball is positioned forward. I am pretty sure that part is fine/correct. I think I've got a mental block about swing plane and am just confusing myself, making it harder than it needs to be.

Isnt your miss a block? Try slowing your hips down- dont turn thru so quickly. And try to image someone is standing behind the ball, aiming straight at your target. Try to take your driver head back outside, so far that you could hit someones right hand. If this doesnt make sence let me know. This will help with bringing it down from the inside.

 

[tequila4kapp]

Isnt your miss a block? Try slowing your hips down- dont turn thru so quickly. And try to image someone is standing behind the ball, aiming straight at your target. Try to take your driver head back outside, so far that you could hit someones right hand. If this doesnt make sence let me know. This will help with bringing it down from the inside.

Yes, normal driver miss when I'm swinging it 'good' is swing path good, attack angle good, club face open = miss right (to like 1 or 2 o'clock on the face of a clock). With my assorted tinkering I've added a gruesome low duck hook to the mix.

 

[Oregon Jack]

Yes, normal driver miss when I'm swinging it 'good' is swing path good, attack angle good, club face open = miss right (to like 1 or 2 o'clock on the face of a clock). With my assorted tinkering I've added a gruesome low duck hook to the mix.

That is typically from turning your shoulders through impact and not keeping your head on the ball (as in the spot the ball was at)

 

[tequila4kapp]

I want to preface this by saying I am not complaining or frustrated or anything. Just reporting the facts...

I felt great and was pumped to hit balls tonight so I altered the schedule with the wife and went to the range. Normally I just buy a small bucket, as i typically don't need to bang a ton of balls to see progress and get good work in. But tonight I was fired up so I went for the big bucket. I was hitting everything way short. Everything. Way. Short. 8i like 120 instead of 150, 3w like 190 instead of 230, driver like 215 instead like 250. It was absurd and got in my head and I lost focus, and I quickly lost whatever value I was going to get out of this range session.

I reached a point of realizing I'd be better off calling it a night and clearing my head...except I paid the extra money for the big bucket and I just couldn't bear the thought of wasting the balls and money. I couldn't stop. So I kept flailing away, getting the same pathetic results. I was literally laughing after seeing the results on Trackman after each shot. I would hit what felt like a mostly clean 8i and I'd think, "okay I got that one." Turn around and look and it was a 120 number. It really did become kind of stupidly funny. It was like the golf version of that scene from the Monty Python where the knight says "'tis but a mere flesh wound" and comes back for more damage.

Anyway, that's my report for tonight.

 

[golfinFF]

It happens buddy, try and look back and think were you transferring weight properly, rotating through and swinging easy.

If your like me then you may just not be swinging 100% because your trying to groove the swing. Also depending on what drill your doing it may limit the distance you can hit as well.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Mtdream]

I would be willing to bet it was where you were placing the ball....i.e. guessing you had it back in your stance (even 1/2" can make a big impact)..what was flight (height) like?...it could have been sway...as in swaying forward a little...but am guessing placement...

Do you use swing sticks/alignment sticks?

 

[tequila4kapp]

Thanks guys. To start everything seemed normal in terms of set up, ball position and trajectory, etc. As it went on and I was adjusting to figuring it out I eventually got to the point where I was messed up in the head - Am I standing too close to the ball? Too far from the ball? Too upright? Too bent over?

My unofficial working theory is that I was breaking my wrists soon after takeaway instead of doing a one piece move and that led to not loading properly at the top. But I could be way off base too. More than anything I'm just chalking it up to the trevails of being a tinkering mid level handicapper...any time I think I've got "it" the golf gawds b*otch slap me back to reality

 

[wadesworld]

I reached a point of realizing I'd be better off calling it a night and clearing my head...except I paid the extra money for the big bucket and I just couldn't bear the thought of wasting the balls and money. I couldn't stop. So I kept flailing away, getting the same pathetic results. I was literally laughing after seeing the results on Trackman after each shot. I would hit what felt like a mostly clean 8i and I'd think, "okay I got that one." Turn around and look and it was a 120 number. It really did become kind of stupidly funny. It was like the golf version of that scene from the Monty Python where the knight says "'tis but a mere flesh wound" and comes back for more damage.

Do you normally hit an 8-iron 150 at that range? I know at the range closest to me, the balls fly 10-15 yards less, probably because they haven't bought new balls in at least 5 years and they get left out in the elements for extended periods.

 

[tequila4kapp]

Do you normally hit an 8-iron 150 at that range? I know at the range closest to me, the balls fly 10-15 yards less, probably because they haven't bought new balls in at least 5 years and they get left out in the elements for extended periods.

Yes, 150 if not a little more. There was a breeze in my face stiff enough to have the closest flag nearly stiff but that want all of it. I will get out soon enough and figure it out

 

[tequila4kapp]

Three weeks ago I shot 39 on the back 9 of a round with Oregon Jack. Since then it has been a trend toward Charles Barkley like golfing, culminating with being on the wrong side of 100 Friday, my worst score in over two ears. Ugly.

I hadn't seen my pro in nearly a month. I had a lesson tonight. Within the hour I learned that I was standing too close to the ball, not bending my knees and I had let my hands get too active at the takeaway. Within the hour I was consistenly hitting the ball nice and straight. I need to do some drills to reinforce the one piece takeaway, what appears to be my most persistent swing flaw.

I spoke with my pro about not letting so much time pass between lessons...a month was too much. Next lessons are on the 10th and 24th. The journey continues.

 

[Oregon Jack]

Three weeks ago I shot 39 on the back 9 of a round with Oregon Jack. Since then it has been a trend toward Charles Barkley like golfing, culminating with being on the wrong side of 100 Friday, my worst score in over two ears. Ugly.

I hadn't seen my pro in nearly a month. I had a lesson tonight. Within the hour I learned that I was standing too close to the ball, not bending my knees and I had let my hands get too active at the takeaway. Within the hour I was consistenly hitting the ball nice and straight. I need to do some drills to reinforce the one piece takeaway, what appears to be my most persistent swing flaw.

I spoke with my pro about not letting so much time pass between lessons...a month was too much. Next lessons are on the 10th and 24th. The journey continues.

you might want to schedule a lesson early on a day where you can hit the course straight afterward so that you have those good thoughts fresh.

 

[fracisco]

Three weeks ago I shot 39 on the back 9 of a round with Oregon Jack. Since then it has been a trend toward Charles Barkley like golfing, culminating with being on the wrong side of 100 Friday, my worst score in over two ears. Ugly.

I hadn't seen my pro in nearly a month.

I can empathize. Over Easter weekend I was playing some of best golf ever. Things were really clicking: straight off the tee, getting good release on my irons, and putting pretty well.

The last two times I went out: disaster. Even worse when I went to the range. I gotta get my coach on the phone and setup something ASAP.

 

[Rdarbyh]

To shoot in the seventies you need to do two things, keep the ball in play and have a decent short game. Most courses if you played from the correct tees you wouldn't need to hit any more than a five iron off the tee to have a reasonable chance to hit the green in reg. jmo.

 

[tequila4kapp]

To shoot in the seventies you need to do two things, keep the ball in play and have a decent short game. Most courses if you played from the correct tees you wouldn't need to hit any more than a five iron off the tee to have a reasonable chance to hit the green in reg. jmo.

Thanks. Like most everyone else I leave a shot or two out there with the short game, but generally I consider that part of my game at least respectable. I struggle with keeping it in play. Your observation about being able to play a 5i off the tee is well taken.

 

[golfinFF]

Keep up the work and I'm glad your instructor got you straightened back out.

 

[majBC]

Thanks. Like most everyone else I leave a shot or two out there with the short game, but generally I consider that part of my game at least respectable. I struggle with keeping it in play. Your observation about being able to play a 5i off the tee is well taken.

I don't know where you play from (yardage wise) but sometimes it helps to play a few rounds up a tee or two just to see what you can shoot and it should also let you know what parts of your game you need the most work on. It will definately help build confidence if you shoot in the 70's, then you will know you can do it. I would be surprised if it didn't show the area that would help most would be course management followed by short game, but having not seen you play that is just a guess from what I have read in here. Good luck on your journey and remember to enjoy the process and progress, as a young man once told me swing like it doesn't matter.

 

[Mtdream]

Three weeks ago I shot 39 on the back 9 of a round with Oregon Jack. Since then it has been a trend toward Charles Barkley like golfing, culminating with being on the wrong side of 100 Friday, my worst score in over two ears. Ugly.

I hadn't seen my pro in nearly a month. I had a lesson tonight. Within the hour I learned that I was standing too close to the ball, not bending my knees and I had let my hands get too active at the takeaway. Within the hour I was consistenly hitting the ball nice and straight. I need to do some drills to reinforce the one piece takeaway, what appears to be my most persistent swing flaw.

I spoke with my pro about not letting so much time pass between lessons...a month was too much. Next lessons are on the 10th and 24th. The journey continues.

I dont know if you have the ability to video or not, but would be worth the time to get a good video of your swing...specifically, a great swing...and save it...as you are having issues, use a program like V1 or something to do the analysis on what is different...my tendency is to reach out instead of dropping hands...when I see it in video, voila I am off to correcting it....


but the key is getting a good swing recorded...then seeing it, then memorizing...

I have resulted to videoing with a GoPro camera...set to 720P and 100 Frames/second...really allows you to do some great analysis...and the quality is great so you can figure stuff out well!!!

 

[tequila4kapp]

No work for my golf game in several days as I've been laid out with a bug. I cancelled my scheduled lesson for tonight because I haven't hit a ball in over a week. This weekend is booked with family obligations and next week is very busy with kids' activities, so it doesn't look too promising for getting some good work in anytime soon. Bummer.

 

[wadesworld]

No work for my golf game in several days as I've been laid out with a bug. I cancelled my scheduled lesson for tonight because I haven't hit a ball in over a week. This weekend is booked with family obligations and next week is very busy with kids' activities, so it doesn't look too promising for getting some good work in anytime soon. Bummer.

Sorry to hear it. Get yourself better so you'll be ready to hit it hard again when the schedule allosw.

 

[tequila4kapp]

So the bug and real life responsibilities took a toll, and I haven't updated here for a while.

I have played twice recently. Had a very nice driving day but my short game left me, and that ended up being an easy 85, one off my PB. Had a 90 yesterday thanks to starting the day with a nasty case of the lefts which blew up the round right out of the gate.

No practice time to speak of during this period and it has really showed in my short game...chipping and pitching are leaving me long putts and my putting - which I'm usually pretty comfortable with - has gone south. I finally had a playing lesson tonight, which was really good. I now have an idea what was wrong with the putter, which is great.

Generally my ball striking has been decent but not great. I'm not hitting many GIRs for example, but my misses aren't punishing me either. Overall I am encouraged. I think it is a matter of when, not if, I crack the 70's.

 

[Oregon Jack]

So the bug and real life responsibilities took a toll, and I haven't updated here for a while.

I have played twice recently. Had a very nice driving day but my short game left me, and that ended up being an easy 85, one off my PB. Had a 90 yesterday thanks to starting the day with a nasty case of the lefts which blew up the round right out of the gate.

No practice time to speak of during this period and it has really showed in my short game...chipping and pitching are leaving me long putts and my putting - which im usually pretty comfortable with - has gone south. I finally had playing lesson tonight, which was relly good. I have an idea what was wrong with the putter, which is great. Generally my ball striking has been decent but not great. I'm not hitting many GIRs for example, but my misses aren't punishing me either. Overall I am encouraged. I think it is a matter of when, not if, I crack the 70's.

and the rain probably didn't help that 90. 85 is great, not a 79, but it's not a 95, or anything worse for that matter! at least your handicap is dropping, that's something to be happy about!