“Working” the ball....do you do it?

DNice26

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Albatross 2024 Club
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Curious if you guys try and work and flight the ball in practice, on course or both?

How many “windows” do you practice? By windows (For those that may have never heard the term), I referring to low, mid, high and center, left and right. In theory there are 9 of them.

Do you practice windows at the range? If so, all 9 or how many?

If you dont practice this, have considered it?

For those that do, or consider it, do you think your current equipment helps or hinders your ability to hit all 9 windows?

Any other ideas on the topic I’ve missed that you consider, practice or would recommend?

Lots of curious questions....feel free to answer any that speak to you.

cheers!
 
I will work the ball off the tee a bit. I can go draw or a fade. Irons I tend to hit more straight, but can flight them down a bit when needed.
I don't practice enough but will try to work it on the range before a round if I have time.
 
A couple years ago when my swing was it’s best - I could do the bottom six windows, fade was the best the left was lower percentage but had more confidence to try it.

I struggle with ball flight, flighting high is always a struggle.

Now probably 4/5 of the windows and it’s all low left
 
As a high handicapper, I really don't have the game to try to flight the ball in windows. I will try on occasion to work the ball off the tee a little bit on doglegs. But, my shots into the greens are always to the fat part with the correct distance. If I improve enough this year, I may try to flight the ball and work the ball to the pin. But, I still need more work on consistency first.
 
The modern ball has made working the ball much harder for most recreational golfers; with the old balata balls of yesteryear it was much easier to "work" the ball and actually "play shots". Lots of straight line, point A to point B, golf being played these days.
 
Depending on the shape of the hole I will alter my grip a bit to open or close the club face. That's mainly to eliminate the other miss. I can cut it a ton, but can only draw it a little.
 
Sometimes, you simply don't have a shot if you don't at least try.
Big bends in either direction aren't really that hard.
It's the subtle stuff that takes high level skill.

Also, high draws and low fades are very difficult for me. Just can't do it.

But if you just need a big banana in either direction, you can learn that in an hour.
 
I mostly attempt working irons and when I do it’s due to necessity to get around trees or I’m in jail. I’m not in control enough to play it just to access a certain pin better. Im starting to practice doing it to hold against stronger winds. It’s not consistent enough though to be a weapon haha. Sometimes I’ll super draw into a wind coming off the left and the wind doesn’t even touch it haha.

I do practice it a bit in the range but I don’t range very often. Maybe 1 time a month ish. I’ll hit windows up and low. Much better at hitting it lower than higher due to my swing delivery. I really want to learn the full ish power low shot like a semi stinger. But that’s tough haha.

driver wise I try not to work it as I have enough trouble staying consistent with it in one direction.
 
I try working the ball when necessary on the course. The key word in that phrase is "try". I do the window drill on the range and can do some but not others. I take that back I can do most of the windows but maybe not exactly when I wanted it. ;)
 
I can fade any time, but have no control when it’s going to show....or how far it’s going to fade, at least with the driver I can draw most hybrid/irons at least some, but the amount of draw is generally a crapshoot. So mostly I try to play a straight ball.
 
Outside of my natural draw I don't try changing flight unless necessary. It's one less variable for me to screw up when I'm playing.
 
My natural shot is pretty darn straight.....If I have to work the ball. Normal stance. turn face to target as in hood or open...maybe less club hood more open. very slight stronger or weaker right hand grip to match whether fading or hooking. My ball striking is average but when shot dictates changes from norm my execution gets better.
 
Nope, I embrace the fade.
 
Adding to my first response. I practice working the ball both ways thinking I will eventually add that to my play. But I'm not sure that's true. I will purposely try to turn the ball on specific tee shots where it is necessary or recovery shots around something. For approach shots I will keep playing for a straight shot that take my shape of the day and typical misses into consideration. I'm more focused on increasing GIR than taking on certain pin locations.
 
My idea of "working the ball" is finishing with the same ball I started the round with! :)
 
I never acquired the technique to work the ball. Working being fades, or draws. That pretty much makes me a one dimensional play I suppose.

My normal ball flight is medium/high, that heads towards my targeted landing area. Towards the end the ball's flight, it will curve a little left, or right. Sometimes there is no noticeable curve.

Even with different curves my dispersion is acceptable......most of the time.
 
I tend to try and control trajectory more than anything, I have a natural draw and struggle to shape the ball left to right. I do spend most of my practice time to hit high, mid, and low shots.
 
I love moving it left to right. I feel I can't control it right to left. I can flight it down if needed and still work the ball. As far as seeing "windows" na...not me, I just TRY to hit what I want it to do.
 
Curious if you guys try and work and flight the ball in practice, on course or both?

How many “windows” do you practice? By windows (For those that may have never heard the term), I referring to low, mid, high and center, left and right. In theory there are 9 of them.

Do you practice windows at the range? If so, all 9 or how many?

If you dont practice this, have considered it?

For those that do, or consider it, do you think your current equipment helps or hinders your ability to hit all 9 windows?

Any other ideas on the topic I’ve missed that you consider, practice or would recommend?

Lots of curious questions....feel free to answer any that speak to you.

cheers!

I mostly practice my weak ones, or the ones I feel need the most work for success in my game. I do it mostly at the range. There are a couple that I struggle with, that I basically practice as my warmup before every round.

I feel like my current equipment helps and hinders. My irons are more balanced and consistent when working the ball. My driving less so and I have a hard time working a high fade. Some equipment changes make it easier, but it's mostly a swing issue. I just used my 20 second phone drawing skills (lol) to illustrate my strengths and weaknesses with them kind of like an MLB HotZone chart. Note - My swing produces a very high ball flight naturally.

Driver
20200125_141035.png


Irons


20200125_141507.png


Not perfect but gives a general idea of the areas I can work on.


edit: Although I work on it regularly, I apply it on course less often than many of my peers. I tend to stick with the most natural flight if possible.
 
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I should practice this on the range. Instead I do it during my round when I have no choice.
 
I never try to practice those shots. I usually can create them on the course just fine. My only weakness is trying to flight an accurate low-mid shot. My goal this year is to fine tune a baby draw in most clubs that its consistent and predictable.
 
I’m better moving the ball high and low than left and right. My natural shot shape is a draw. The only time I really try to move left or right is when I need to get out of trouble and even then it is a bit of hit and hope.

The new balls make such craft difficult.
 
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