We've launched the new forums! Read more here

The THP Range/Practice Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm actually talking about a big exercise ball like this one.

Yoga%20Ball.gif


Instructor has me squeeze it between my knees and either take core swings or to hit balls with small swings. It's just a way to help me isolate my upper half a little.
 
Hawk said:
ddec, how'd the lesson go? It's raining here today, but I'm holding out hope that it'll stop and I'll get mine in.
Click to expand...

It went good. Some things to work on. I was hitting my irons well(DPC's) and all felt fine. Worked on a few things, mostly trying to keep my front hip from flying out on my downswing. But as far as things I've been working on for the last few weeks, like my grip, my takeaway, tempo, and length of swing, all of those things were much improved and were good last night so I'm told.

Did some drills like adding an extreme amount of flex to my knees, and standing both closer and further away from the ball. Really focused on the front hip. Do you think that exercise ball thing you do would do anything to aid that?
 
I honestly don't know buddy. I'm not even totally sure what you mean when you say that lol.

Sounds like you're on the right path with the little things. That's gotta mean the rest will fall into place soon.
 
Back to the range tonight to work on tempo, all the new clubs in my bag lately has me swinging for the fences. Need to get that corrected quickly.
 
Hawk said:
I honestly don't know buddy. I'm not even totally sure what you mean when you say that lol.

Sounds like you're on the right path with the little things. That's gotta mean the rest will fall into place soon.
Click to expand...

things are looking up, at least last night. If I can just control my weight shift and hip action things should be just fine.
 
You're a good golfer buddy. It'll come back to you.
 
Hawk said:
You're a good golfer buddy. It'll come back to you.
Click to expand...

thanks. Hopefully it does sooner rather than later. This year has been one big struggle so far. I am signed up for a County wide tournament Friday. Hopefully I can react to some competition and that will up my focus and so forth.
 
It very well might. I'm guilty of sort of slugging through weekly rounds sometimes. Having a competitive environment always helps focus and lose the stupid swing thoughts.
 
I had a great practice session last night. The back nine was completely empty, so I practiced for about 2.5 hours on the course. The focus was short game but I hit every club in the bag a couple times. Still working on dialing in my new clubs but I was hitting the ball well.
 
JConn said:
I had a great practice session last night. The back nine was completely empty, so I practiced for about 2.5 hours on the course. The focus was short game but I hit every club in the bag a couple times. Still working on dialing in my new clubs but I was hitting the ball well.
Click to expand...

I love on course practice time.
 
This is a putting game you can do with your buddies or with anyone on the putting green that is obviously practicing their putting. I call it the 3,9,6,12 game. You can do more if you have more people. You set up tees at, you guessed it, 3ft, 9ft, 6ft, 12ft, and start putting around the circle. Scoring; if you leave the putt short you go +2, you make the putt you go -1, if you go more than 2 ft past you go +1, the goal is the first one to get to -5 wins, you could make it lower if you want. It makes it fun and you can meet some new people on the greens, it's crazy how that three footer can be so tough when you are -4. It all about lagging and making putts and giving the ball a chance.
 
Driving range at Breakfast Hill one hour before my round. I hit wedges, short irons, 3-wood and driver. Finished off with chips and putts. Smoked my drives, hit ok wedges and good putting. My chipping short game let me down for making par on several holes.
 
Went back out for another range session this evening in an attempt to solidify yesterday's work. I am very pleased with how everything is progressing.

I can feel my wrists hinging (I think properly) on the takeaway now. The result is a much more powerful swing with much less effort. Focus is now on the left shoulder turning back and the wrists hinging. Then, it's just a matter of turning through.

I also noticed that I am hinging my wrists differently with shorter and longer clubs. I've never noticed that before. When I hinge/set my wrists early on lower irons (6 and below), the contact seems much better. I get the same result when I hinge/set my wrists later (the feeling is just past waist level) with my 5i and above. It's a pretty amazing feeling when it's working properly.

It's still a work in progress, and it still feels a little funny. But, my contact is so much better now, especially with my irons.

I'm playing this weekend, and it will be interesting to see how this swing translates to the course.
 
Playing lesson was fun. Instructor is a fun guy to hang out with and apparently one hell of a golfer. Didn't really have much going while we were warming up, but he gave me a single swing thought to work with - firm right knee. Took me a little while, but eventually started hitting the ball pretty good. Didn't play bad, but I've played better. Hadn't played the course before and it was pretty difficult for me in spots. Hit a few shots that I was proud of at least. Most of the course management advice he gave me was stuff I already did, so that made me feel good. Still have some work to do before Chicago, but I think I'll come ready to play well.
 
I was on vacation for 10 days with no golf. Went back to the range last night and it was ugly! Going to have to go back tonight and work out the kinks as I forgot all of the little things that I was working on. Thankfully when I got home I remembered most of them and what to fix when I go back.
 
Hawk said:
Playing lesson was fun. Instructor is a fun guy to hang out with and apparently one hell of a golfer. Didn't really have much going while we were warming up, but he gave me a single swing thought to work with - firm right knee. Took me a little while, but eventually started hitting the ball pretty good. Didn't play bad, but I've played better. Hadn't played the course before and it was pretty difficult for me in spots. Hit a few shots that I was proud of at least. Most of the course management advice he gave me was stuff I already did, so that made me feel good. Still have some work to do before Chicago, but I think I'll come ready to play well.
Click to expand...

sounds like an enjoyable time. Last time I did a playing lesson I learned quite a bit and always find it good to hear more course management thoughts. Sometimes I think hearing and seeing different ways to play holes and shots is very helpful because my initial thought is not always the right one. Any drills he gave you for that firm right knee?
 
ddec said:
sounds like an enjoyable time. Last time I did a playing lesson I learned quite a bit and always find it good to hear more course management thoughts. Sometimes I think hearing and seeing different ways to play holes and shots is very helpful because my initial thought is not always the right one. Any drills he gave you for that firm right knee?
Click to expand...

Same ones I've been slacking on for two weeks :D Exercise ball between the knees. Trying to force a turn instead of a slide.

It's coming along, but needs more work. With vacation I'm behind on practice, both at home and on the range. Bad timing on my part.
 
30 minutes of yard drills and had a little realization, so I wanted to take it to the range asap. Took the boy with me and we split 100 balls. Hit it really nicely. Just what I needed.
 
Made a slight tweak to the driver swing tonight and it paid off, big time. 5/7 fairways tonight. No penalties off the tee. Now to see if it carries over to a tournament I am playing tomorrow. I'm optimistic, we will see.
 
Went out with my son to hit balls tonight. He'd hurt his finger earlier in the day and said after a few swings it was hurting again, so I got to hit all my balls and his.

Pretty darn happy with the results. Dispersion was tight, ball flight was penetrating.
 
What I sort of figured out last night is that I can take about 2/3 of the shoulder turn I was taking, as long as I get a good hinge, and not lose any speed, while hitting the ball cleaner and without flipping. Instructor kept telling me to keep a firm right knee so I didn't get my weight so far outside my right foot, but I just couldn't make it work. It really just seemed impossible at the time.

So I took his advice on drills and after some time doing core swings and working with the exercise ball I realized I had no problem keeping a firm right knee to a certain point in back swing, but as my turn got bigger, I started to lose it and started swaying back. In addition, I think the flip comes into play because I have to work to get back to the ball so hard. So, I just toned down the turn and focused on picking up my speed from rotation in the downswing rather than a big backswing, consciously tried to hold the hinge on my downswing and there it was. Seems so stupidly simple. Obviously a little more flexibility in my shoulders could probably help me as well if I wanted to get that turn a little bigger without sliding, but that'll have to come in time.

Glad I was able to hit the range afterwards, because dry swings can be deceiving at times, but it was all there when I put a ball in front of the club too.
 
Headed over to the range for some shirt game work then a lesson. Looking forward to getting back out there. The time off this week due to work travel was driving me crazy.

I've been really happy with my wedges as if late so now I'm hoping to start getting even closer to the pin
 
Hawk said:
What I sort of figured out last night is that I can take about 2/3 of the shoulder turn I was taking, as long as I get a good hinge, and not lose any speed, while hitting the ball cleaner and without flipping. Instructor kept telling me to keep a firm right knee so I didn't get my weight so far outside my right foot, but I just couldn't make it work. It really just seemed impossible at the time.

So I took his advice on drills and after some time doing core swings and working with the exercise ball I realized I had no problem keeping a firm right knee to a certain point in back swing, but as my turn got bigger, I started to lose it and started swaying back. In addition, I think the flip comes into play because I have to work to get back to the ball so hard. So, I just toned down the turn and focused on picking up my speed from rotation in the downswing rather than a big backswing, consciously tried to hold the hinge on my downswing and there it was. Seems so stupidly simple. Obviously a little more flexibility in my shoulders could probably help me as well if I wanted to get that turn a little bigger without sliding, but that'll have to come in time.

Glad I was able to hit the range afterwards, because dry swings can be deceiving at times, but it was all there when I put a ball in front of the club too.
Click to expand...

Am also working on the Right knee, in relation to a Sway problem. I do find it interesting that you are having the problem at your better level of play. Having seen posts about "4golfonline" youtube help, I tried the tip of letting the right knee flex inwards before the backswing. seemed to help. if nothing else was "mental" help. Did this at the Range last evening. learning the Driver. not worried about distance, but trying not to sway. My sway was causing the ball to push right a lot (at best). Feel like I improved a lot..or at least have the basic mechanics to work on. As I say not a lot of distance. yet :) edit: also my body/swing seemed to like the right foot back a few inches as in a Draw setup.
 
It's Saturday morning and I should be at the range. Kind of don't want to go since I know I will shank the heck out of it there. . Maybe I will just putt
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top