deuce
Grenade!
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
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- 17,203
- Reaction score
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- Thread starter
- #26
Weather finally cooperated and got my second lesson in.
We started with putting again, he had me do a lot of lag putting. Discussed the importance of speed (over direction), and finding the right speed to keep it close to the hole for those "automatic putts" within 3 feet (which is why he told me to keep using that "four corners drill" he taught me the last time I was there). He noticed that I once again was lifting up my head, and he started sticking the shaft of putter to the side of my head so that it acted like a blinder. Once he did that, I sunk a 35' putt. Go figure. Take home: keep my head down. He also pointed out that I had a tendency to not keep my feet even (back foot was back an inch or so) and he wanted me to square that up. Also reinforced the need to take a smooth stroke, and not stab at the ball, but overall he was happy with my putting. Another tip he gave me was that for really close putts, to not get distracted or tempted to look at the cup with my left eye, to just keep it shut while putting. That seemed to help.
Then it was off to the chipping range. He had me take out my 56(SW), 50, and 45(PW) and he showed me the stance he wanted me to start out with. He did say that his stance is much more open, but he wanted me (what I will call) squared up for now. We talked about delofting the club for a longer roll, and how to open or close the clubface, but basically he just wanted me to get the basics down this go round. Bring the club up no further than 9 o'clock and finish at around 3 o'clock, with the clubface below my hands. Ball back in my stance. Had me shoot for the center pin, and I was about 5 or so feet off the green (he did admit that in most circumstances I'd be better off putting from that range, especially if the grass was short, there were no impediments between me and the cup).
First problem that cropped up? The head. For some reason I can't seem to keep it down. I also kept pulling the club up too far, which caused me to decelerate through the ball, which left me way short. Or, if I lifted up my head (more often than not), I would top the ball and send it skidding across the green. Finally I imagined my spine being fixed, and my shoulders and arms forming a triangle and "rotating" along that hinge, and it started coming together. I was definitely better with the PW, so that will be my "go to" club for chipping for now from that distance.
He then showed me the 5 ball drill, where I need to chip five balls onto the green and then putt. I need to make 4 of 5 putts. Do that three or four times, making between 12/14 to 16/20 putts. If I do that, move onto my four corner drill. If I don't, start over. Obviously it's in my best interest to get them close to the pin.
Then we moved about 50 feet back and tried chipping again. The ugly "foot lift" cropped up there, and he made me correct that. He also pointed out that sometimes I leaned back, which resulted in me hitting behind the ball. So I need to STAY OVER THE BALL. The last thing he noticed was that when I brought my club back to 9 o'clock, the face of the club was pointing upwards, and the clubface was also behind me. He told me that at that point, the toe should be pointing up, the shaft should be parallel with the ground, and the shaft should not be pointing behind my body (with the club head behind me). So I definitely need to continue to work on the spatial placement of my club during my swing. That's going to take some work, but it's something I can easily work on at home to get it ingrained into my muscle memory.
Overall I think it was a productive lesson. We're going to meet next Friday, and he didn't charge me again. Not sure how he is paying his bills if he keeps giving me lessons for free. We talked a bit about accuracy over distance, and so I really think I'm going to play nothing over my 4h the next time I go out. He told me to bring my driver, and at least take a few swings with it, but not to get discouraged if I don't hit it straight. Next lesson will be chipping and putting again, then we'll move to the range. After a few range lessons, then we'll get on the course. His thinking is that if he can correct the little things in my short strokes, it'll prevent them from ballooning into big problems with the big swings.
Anyways, good lesson. Now to practice for the week!
We started with putting again, he had me do a lot of lag putting. Discussed the importance of speed (over direction), and finding the right speed to keep it close to the hole for those "automatic putts" within 3 feet (which is why he told me to keep using that "four corners drill" he taught me the last time I was there). He noticed that I once again was lifting up my head, and he started sticking the shaft of putter to the side of my head so that it acted like a blinder. Once he did that, I sunk a 35' putt. Go figure. Take home: keep my head down. He also pointed out that I had a tendency to not keep my feet even (back foot was back an inch or so) and he wanted me to square that up. Also reinforced the need to take a smooth stroke, and not stab at the ball, but overall he was happy with my putting. Another tip he gave me was that for really close putts, to not get distracted or tempted to look at the cup with my left eye, to just keep it shut while putting. That seemed to help.
Then it was off to the chipping range. He had me take out my 56(SW), 50, and 45(PW) and he showed me the stance he wanted me to start out with. He did say that his stance is much more open, but he wanted me (what I will call) squared up for now. We talked about delofting the club for a longer roll, and how to open or close the clubface, but basically he just wanted me to get the basics down this go round. Bring the club up no further than 9 o'clock and finish at around 3 o'clock, with the clubface below my hands. Ball back in my stance. Had me shoot for the center pin, and I was about 5 or so feet off the green (he did admit that in most circumstances I'd be better off putting from that range, especially if the grass was short, there were no impediments between me and the cup).
First problem that cropped up? The head. For some reason I can't seem to keep it down. I also kept pulling the club up too far, which caused me to decelerate through the ball, which left me way short. Or, if I lifted up my head (more often than not), I would top the ball and send it skidding across the green. Finally I imagined my spine being fixed, and my shoulders and arms forming a triangle and "rotating" along that hinge, and it started coming together. I was definitely better with the PW, so that will be my "go to" club for chipping for now from that distance.
He then showed me the 5 ball drill, where I need to chip five balls onto the green and then putt. I need to make 4 of 5 putts. Do that three or four times, making between 12/14 to 16/20 putts. If I do that, move onto my four corner drill. If I don't, start over. Obviously it's in my best interest to get them close to the pin.
Then we moved about 50 feet back and tried chipping again. The ugly "foot lift" cropped up there, and he made me correct that. He also pointed out that sometimes I leaned back, which resulted in me hitting behind the ball. So I need to STAY OVER THE BALL. The last thing he noticed was that when I brought my club back to 9 o'clock, the face of the club was pointing upwards, and the clubface was also behind me. He told me that at that point, the toe should be pointing up, the shaft should be parallel with the ground, and the shaft should not be pointing behind my body (with the club head behind me). So I definitely need to continue to work on the spatial placement of my club during my swing. That's going to take some work, but it's something I can easily work on at home to get it ingrained into my muscle memory.
Overall I think it was a productive lesson. We're going to meet next Friday, and he didn't charge me again. Not sure how he is paying his bills if he keeps giving me lessons for free. We talked a bit about accuracy over distance, and so I really think I'm going to play nothing over my 4h the next time I go out. He told me to bring my driver, and at least take a few swings with it, but not to get discouraged if I don't hit it straight. Next lesson will be chipping and putting again, then we'll move to the range. After a few range lessons, then we'll get on the course. His thinking is that if he can correct the little things in my short strokes, it'll prevent them from ballooning into big problems with the big swings.
Anyways, good lesson. Now to practice for the week!