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Rambler goes to GolfTEC

ShotScope
I've got a lesson Saturday. Possibly Sunday afternoon. Not sure what my girl has planned yet since that's her only day off. I'll let u know though. I have practice time Thursday as well.

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I had a mildly successful practice session on Saturday. Not as solid, overall, as last session, but I hit some good shots, and used the driver a good bit. Next practice on Monday.
 
Fell on ice trying to load my car for my lesson yesterday....let's just say I won't be swinging a club for a bit. Back is in bad shape. Good luck tomorrow!

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dhartmann34 said:
Fell on ice trying to load my car for my lesson yesterday....let's just say I won't be swinging a club for a bit. Back is in bad shape. Good luck tomorrow!

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That sucks! Hope you heal fast.
 
Did not have a very good practice last evening. A few good bits, but some of my early - in - the - swing uglies were really apparent. The worst of these is the swing length. I really have no concept of how long my swing is during the swing. Even when I try (and feel) a half shot, it's full length, just a bit slower speed.

Anyway, I need to find a way to shorten my swing, or at least find some feedback device that will let me know, so I can get that part improved.
 
Had a good lesson and practice session this week. Key items from my last lesson were still pretty much there, but we did touch on them, again, to make sure I don't ignore them. Then, he had me really focus on my casting. In viewing the video, I'm fine with retaining lag/angles up to the point my forearms are just above parallel to the ground. At that point the casting motion really kicks-in, and is more than gone by impact. That, plus my natural rotation and I fight the lefts.

So, the focus was to really try and hold-off on my release (try to hit a fade). Really made a difference in a few of areas. Along with my thoughts from the last lesson, the ball-flight still started just right of target and had a nice drawing motion. It also started to reduce my loss of lag at impact; not a lot, but noticeable at impact. This added 8+ yards back to the distance that went bye-bye when I started the lessons (I lost 15 to 20 yards, depending on the day). Anyway, a couple other positives were a lower right shoulder through impact and a higher finish (versus a more "left" finish). All of these let me see a real nice draw versus my "reduced" hook.

Liked what I saw/felt. Going to take some effort to get rid of that massive casting motion, and I still struggle with keeping my left knee stable at the top of the backswing. I'm good with progress, though.
 
Thanks for keeping up with this thread, Rambler. I hope it all works out for you in the end.

So what do you think is good for a high handicapper? I want to get a package, but can't swallow the $700 it'd cost me for a 10 lesson set (and that's with the March discount!). I'm thinking maybe I should just get the swing eval and take a piecemeal lesson or two.
 
Splendorlex said:
Thanks for keeping up with this thread, Rambler. I hope it all works out for you in the end.

So what do you think is good for a high handicapper? I want to get a package, but can't swallow the $700 it'd cost me for a 10 lesson set (and that's with the March discount!). I'm thinking maybe I should just get the swing eval and take a piecemeal lesson or two.
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I would definitely suggest going with a lesson series, whether it's with GolfTec or with someone else. I have tried the lesson here-and-there approach, and it didn't work for me (I might pick something up several months later, which didn't really help). The initial cash outlay isn't something to just dismiss, I know, but it will end up being the best golf money I have spent over the last several years.
 
Splendorlex said:
Thanks for keeping up with this thread, Rambler. I hope it all works out for you in the end.

So what do you think is good for a high handicapper? I want to get a package, but can't swallow the $700 it'd cost me for a 10 lesson set (and that's with the March discount!). I'm thinking maybe I should just get the swing eval and take a piecemeal lesson or two.
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You can do monthly payments as well if it helps.

The practice time and the per lesson costs really make the packages amazing. I just noticed today that the march deals come with a club fitting this year as well which is new. Signed up for a putter fitting for next week.



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They have the third bay open now. I've got a lesson this morning....I want to demo a few clubs as well.

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dhartmann34 said:
They have the third bay open now. I've got a lesson this morning....I want to demo a few clubs as well.

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Saw that the 3rd bay is now open, that's a good thing; it was getting harder to find open times.
 
Had an hour long practice session, yesterday. Overall, swing was iffy, but I still feel like a little progress was made. Continued to focus on positions in the downswing. One swing thought that seems to be helping is to try and keep my right elbow close to the body on the backswing. Swing is a little more compact , and less lengthy when I do it right. Additionally, it helps me attack the ball more from the inside.

I still have 8 lessons left, but we started talking about what to do after this lesson group. I plan on playing a lot this season, so a group of full swing lessons, continuing during the season won't get the time and effort needed. So, we're going to continue on the current path, thru the remaining lessons, and I plan on purchasing another pack later this year, right around the time they have the end-of-year sale.

What I think that means, is I won't be directly tackling the casting problem during this lesson set - just too many other things to keep working on. But, I plan on doing the best I can to have other stuff in place, so I can spend a bit of time on it, without it being the primary focus. That will be for the next lesson set.
 
OK, so I have now played two 9-hole rounds, both of which I posted a 42. Now, that's a score I will definitely take, but with the lessons, I'm evaluating the rounds a bit different than just scoring.

Round 1
Driver - Direction and trajectory were good. Distance was average. Zero bad misses.
FW/Hybrid - Direction and trajectory were average. Distance was below average. One bad miss.
Irons - Direction and trajectory were not good. Distance was not good. Several bad misses (chunkers and big hooks)
Wedges - Similar to irons

Round 2
Driver - Direction and trajectory were below average. Distance was below average. One bad miss.
FW/Hybrid - Direction and trajectory were above average. Distance was average. Zero bad misses.
Irons - Direction and trajectory were below average, but better. Distance was below average. One bad miss.
Wedges - Average overall, but helped my scrambling

So, relating the above to the lessons... It's really a mixed bag. Still a lot of things going on in my head, so I spend some time trying to quiet the thoughts pre-swing. Getting outside, where I can see the divots, really makes a difference for my understanding of what the club face/path are through impact. I am still really struggling with avoiding the big hook. The pro's swing thought for me is, "Hit a fade". I have yet to hit a mostly straight ball, much less a fade. Will continue working with the pro on this, because it is important for me to work on the swing fault that leads to my big miss.

Distance? Still really frustrated with this. I am playing iron shots 1.5 to 2 clubs more than I have in years. I'm trying to put the distance concerns on the back-burner, but sometimes ego gets in the way.
 
Sigh... Played another 9-hole round after work. So, that's 3 9-hole rounds, and my ball striking has been progressively worse, each round. Even with the swing thought and emphasis to try and hit a cut/fade, to reduce my drawing/hooking, I am actually hitting it even further left on full swings. Anything I can use a partial swing on seems to be usable, but off the tee, or mid/long approach shots are a huge issue.

I will be asking the pro to work very specifically on this for the next couple of lessons. I need to get this sorted, as my first tournament is only a couple of weeks away.
 
I have the 3 lesson plan too. I am a lousy golfer-struggling with a reverse pivot. 3 lessons in and he is teaching stack and tilt. Not so sure about it.
 
ranchonodinero said:
I have the 3 lesson plan too. I am a lousy golfer-struggling with a reverse pivot. 3 lessons in and he is teaching stack and tilt. Not so sure about it.
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Thanks for chiming-in rancho. That's interesting regarding the stack-and-tilt. I have to admit, I like some of the concepts, but not as a complete overhaul (only my layman opinion, though). Hope the lessons do work for you, though.
 
I appreciate all the info. I have decided to try a local golf pro instead of golftec this year. Golftec is like double the price and I am just skeptical of their program, if I don't see a vast improvement with my lessons i'll bite the bullet and try it and pay the crazy prices for Golftec next winter
 
Haven't posted specifics, in a while, because I took a short break from the lessons. A couple of reasons:
1. The weather finally turned, and I needed actual course time for both the sake of my game, and the sake of my sanity. (Stupid long winter)
2. Frustration with distance loss was making me more frustrated than I had imagined, even while trying to put the ego away.
3. I was really curious/anxious to see what would hold-up when on course.

My early season, on-course time has been really helpful in showing me where I've made progress, and where I still need work. Things that have made a huge difference... Consistently setting up to the ball with a better stance and starting positions. Slowing the start of my swing. Mostly, a consistent ball flight. Things I still need to work on (that I knew about and were identified during the swing evaluation and lessons)... While I'm more stable up to the top, I still get some collapsing of the left knee, due to an overly long back swing. It's better (including a slightly shorter back swing), but needs work. My downswing is still a mish-mash of starting motions; not driven from the ground-up; not driven, really by any particular starting move. Because of this, I am still fighting a very pronounced casting motion.

Even with the above, I honestly can't complain about the state (and perhaps improvement) in my game. In the past, my early season scores have been in the 90s (usually mid-90s), and I get down into the 80s in late May or early June. So far, this season every round has been in the 80s (I have some debate about one round, as the score I captured was lower than the score a playing partner captured, so I'm focusing on the 9-holes where the scores matched). And, I'm leaving a lot of scoring on the course, with some questionable "short" putting, and blow-up holes on Par 5s (AAARRRGGGHHH!!!)

Pro and I agree that the downswing and casting will take more time/effort to work through, and that it might not be best to try and tackle that during the peak season. So, I have 8 lessons remaining, and will hold at least 2, if not 4 of those for specific short game topics (short-game lessons are 1-hour, outside, so take up 2 lessons each). Next indoor lesson and practice session is tomorrow.

Oh, and to my ego problem with the distance... So far, I'm hitting a few of my clubs the distances I expect to (based on past performance). 8 iron down to LW are flying the distances I expect. Driver has been OK, and 5 wood is becoming a go-to club.
 
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Cowboy08 said:
I appreciate all the info. I have decided to try a local golf pro instead of golftec this year. Golftec is like double the price and I am just skeptical of their program, if I don't see a vast improvement with my lessons i'll bite the bullet and try it and pay the crazy prices for Golftec next winter
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Not a problem, cowboy. It's not cheap, that is for sure, but in my winter climate, having the indoor time (including launch monitor) really helps. I am debating what I will do next winter, though. I like the pro I am using at GolfTec, but I realize that I am feeling very "confined" in the indoor hitting rooms, and I believe this impacts my swings (dhartmann and I have discussed this a few times). Near the end of the season, I will likely reach-out to some of the teaching pros that give lessons at a local golf dome, and then decide if it will be GolfTec or the golf dome over next off-season.
 
Rambler I like your progress so far, coming out firing scores into what you used to end the season at is fantastic. Keep working hard and you'll go lower.

What is causing the blow up holes on the par 5's?
 
From my experience playing with Rambler I think most of the par 5 issues have come from second shots and short game issues. He's solid off the tee and hits the 5 wood like no other. Once he gets his short game (50 yards and in, plus putter) going I have no doubt he'll be under 80 every round.

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golfinFF said:
Rambler I like your progress so far, coming out firing scores into what you used to end the season at is fantastic. Keep working hard and you'll go lower.

What is causing the blow up holes on the par 5's?
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True test will be next Monday - playing first tourney of the year. The start, so far, has me feeling more confident in my ability to play better and continue improving. I know being more confident will help me throughout the season.

As to the par 5s... Thus far, it seems those are the holes where the swing goes away off the tee. One round, in particular, saw 2 par 5 blow ups, that both started with bad tee shots. Same exact issue happened during last Sunday's round.
 
dhartmann34 said:
From my experience playing with Rambler I think most of the par 5 issues have come from second shots and short game issues. He's solid off the tee and hits the 5 wood like no other. Once he gets his short game (50 yards and in, plus putter) going I have no doubt he'll be under 80 every round.

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The one that hurt the most, at Renwood, was when I hit my drive very well, but it was dead straight rather than my usual right to left.

No doubt that I'm losing strokes out of the sand and with the putting. Somewhere north of 5 strokes per round, at this point. (And that's with some improvement in my chipping and putting).
 
Rambler said:
The one that hurt the most, at Renwood, was when I hit my drive very well, but it was dead straight rather than my usual right to left.

No doubt that I'm losing strokes out of the sand and with the putting. Somewhere north of 5 strokes per round, at this point. (And that's with some improvement in my chipping and putting).
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Yeah there wasn't much power draw on that straight ball.....but you sure looked confident making that swing!

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dhartmann34 said:
Yeah there wasn't much power draw on that straight ball.....but you sure looked confident making that swing!

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I definitely was - couldn't understand why I was the only one hitting driver. LOL! I'm planning on playing next Sunday; barring crazy wind, I will hit driver there, again.
 
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