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Hooker - Going back to my roots

Ole Gray

Ole Gray

Mayor of the Woodshed
Joined
Dec 31, 2008
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Location
Watkinsville, Georgia
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This golfing year has been pretty much a disaster for my golf game. I decided early in 2012 to change my swing drastically and stay with it for a year. Learning how to fade the ball was a HUGE deal for me to stick with. I had battles going back and forth between the two swings until finally I got totally out of sync. There was no trust what so ever in where to aim my shots. Nothing but uncertainty filled my mind on the tee box.

Move back a year ago and there was only one way my ball flight was going, which was right to left. Making a commitment to consistently cut the ball was a bad mistake. So in short I'm all screwed up with no consistency what so ever. I got to go back to being a hooker, so I'm signing up for lessons tomorrow (course closed on Monday) to revamp my swing, back to my natural and comfort zone type swing. Sure I had bad days with the old hook but I had many more good rounds, playing a shot that felt normal. The monster hook was what I was trying to get rid of but it only showed it's ugly head when my swing got way too fast. Most of the time when in sync, it was the baby draw and oh my goodness that sweet little thing looked and felt might good. I got to go back!

I'm going to post my progress after a few lessons. I can't wait to start the 2013 golf season back in the saddle again!

For those of you who knew her, Mrs Graybush is coming back in 2013 :D
 
Good luck, Gray!
 
We've all been there OG, good luck with the lessons and full steam ahead for 2013!
 
Now that you are settled in and everything, things will get back to normal buddy. Good luck and I cant wait to follow along.
 
Good luck, OG! One thing this golf season has taught me is to not fight my natural swing. I play a fade with my driver, and it's a comfortable swing to me. I know where my ball will go, and I know what the results will be. I tried for the longest time to change it and hit a small draw, but all that did was bring in multiple misses off the tee for me. Embracing my power fade has been a huge help to my game, and I had to learn that I needed to embrace my natural ball flight and find a way to make it work.
 
Awesome to hear Bill! When you committed to playing a draw/hook, it worked very well. I hope you commit to the work and it shows off in your scores.
 
It's funny how you want the other shot when you are hitting a fade/draw. I've worked hard to get rid of my fade and I'm not in any hurry to get it back though. There are times that it would come in handy, but it's not a great shot for me.
 
I know I speak for multiple folks who have played rounds with you before and after the change when I say "It's about time". I think that is a very good decision for you Bill.
 
Really glad to hear the positives in your voice OG!! Play YOUR game man! I know next year will be better for you and KellyBo.
 
adwillingham said:
I know I speak for multiple folks who have played rounds with you before and after the change when I say "It's about time". I think that is a very good decision for you Bill.
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This!!!!

Then WHEN you and KB come to the THP Invitational in Myrtle, you will be wrecking folks.
 
War Eagle said:
Good luck, OG! One thing this golf season has taught me is to not fight my natural swing. I play a fade with my driver, and it's a comfortable swing to me. I know where my ball will go, and I know what the results will be. I tried for the longest time to change it and hit a small draw, but all that did was bring in multiple misses off the tee for me. Embracing my power fade has been a huge help to my game, and I had to learn that I needed to embrace my natural ball flight and find a way to make it work.
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Good buddy you know exactly what I'm talking about!


JT723 said:
Awesome to hear Bill! When you committed to playing a draw/hook, it worked very well. I hope you commit to the work and it shows off in your scores.
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The best shots I hit all day at Bears Best was when I hit those two little draws. In fact they were the only good shots I hit all day :bulgy-eyes:



Thanks guys for the support and well wishes. It seems odd for me to be taking lessons to get my old swing back. The problem now is, even though I can pull off the right to left shot, I don't trust it enough now to own it :confused2:. I going to get that sucker planted back in my mind, so when I get on the course, instinct will kick back in.
 
Who else just saw the title of this thread and was curious???
 
Good luck, OG, and I'll be happy to see the ol' girl Graybush around, hehe.
 
War Eagle said:
Good luck, OG! One thing this golf season has taught me is to not fight my natural swing. I play a fade with my driver, and it's a comfortable swing to me. I know where my ball will go, and I know what the results will be. I tried for the longest time to change it and hit a small draw, but all that did was bring in multiple misses off the tee for me. Embracing my power fade has been a huge help to my game, and I had to learn that I needed to embrace my natural ball flight and find a way to make it work.
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This post resonates with me. I went through a period of forcing myself to do things off the tee and it led to me trying to place the ball more than just swing. I've become all about MY swing now, its mine and I want to own it rather that trying to fit a square peg in a round hole so-to-speak.
 
That's awesome OG, and good luck! I want to see you get this back and wreck fools!
 
Jman said:
This post resonates with me. I went through a period of forcing myself to do things off the tee and it led to me trying to place the ball more than just swing. I've become all about MY swing now, its mine and I want to own it rather that trying to fit a square peg in a round hole so-to-speak.
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This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Jman you hit it on the head brother! I quit swinging through the ball , lost distance, and actually let fear take over my swing.


Damaikis said:
That's awesome OG, and good luck! I want to see you get this back and wreck fools!
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Like you did at Bears Best! I want to be like Dam :blob:
 
Ole Gray said:
This golfing year has been pretty much a disaster for my golf game. I decided early in 2012 to change my swing drastically and stay with it for a year. Learning how to fade the ball was a HUGE deal for me to stick with. I had battles going back and forth between the two swings until finally I got totally out of sync. There was no trust what so ever in where to aim my shots. Nothing but uncertainty filled my mind on the tee box.

Move back a year ago and there was only one way my ball flight was going, which was right to left. Making a commitment to consistently cut the ball was a bad mistake. So in short I'm all screwed up with no consistency what so ever. I got to go back to being a hooker, so I'm signing up for lessons tomorrow (course closed on Monday) to revamp my swing, back to my natural and comfort zone type swing. Sure I had bad days with the old hook but I had many more good rounds, playing a shot that felt normal. The monster hook was what I was trying to get rid of but it only showed it's ugly head when my swing got way too fast. Most of the time when in sync, it was the baby draw and oh my goodness that sweet little thing looked and felt might good. I got to go back!

I'm going to post my progress after a few lessons. I can't wait to start the 2013 golf season back in the saddle again!

For those of you who knew her, Mrs Graybush is coming back in 2013 :D
Click to expand...
Once a hooker always a hooker! Good luck OG, go get em buddy!
 
Sounds like a great plan OG.

While I'd love to hit a straight ball, I'm just not that good yet, so don't mind the hook if it's controllable. When it turns into that really low shrimpy thing, it's frustrating, but so is the high right popup...at least for me. Have fun. :D
 
Funny you should post this OG as I decided to do this as well. While I wasn't a hooker, my tee shot forever was a draw that would only become a snipe hook when I overswung/didn't finish my backswing. For the last two seasons I tried to get away from that and weakened my grip as the draw made it tough to play a lot of dogleg rights. All that I ended up doing is lead to me having no confidence off the tee as I never knew where the ball was going as I now started to hit high fades on random occasions. Well, three rounds ago I decided to go back to my old grip and it has been very freeing of my brain to aim down the right side of the fairway and trust that the ball will either go straight or end up on the left side of the fairway. A man's gotta know his limitations I guess. Good luck to you.
 
Haggis said:
Funny you should post this OG as I decided to do this as well. While I wasn't a hooker, my tee shot forever was a draw that would only become a snipe hook when I over swung/didn't finish my back swing. For the last two seasons I tried to get away from that and weakened my grip as the draw made it tough to play a lot of dogleg rights. All that I ended up doing is lead to me having no confidence off the tee as I never knew where the ball was going as I now started to hit high fades on random occasions. Well, three rounds ago I decided to go back to my old grip and it has been very freeing of my brain to aim down the right side of the fairway and trust that the ball will either go straight or end up on the left side of the fairway. A man's gotta know his limitations I guess. Good luck to you.
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Thank ya Haggis and what you said ^^^^, is exactly where I'm at now. This thing of trying to be someone you're not has got to stop. I going back home :thumb:
 
The worst is when you make changes to better your swing, it gets worse and then you can't get back. I'm in the middle of that right now. Lessons may have to be the fix. Good luck with getting it back. Let us know how it goes.

I will say that given the choice between a fade and a hook, I'd take a hook any day of the week. The ball goes considerably further IMHO.

Now the question I must ask is whether you're going back to your Snakes at the same time? :D
 
ryebread said:
The worst is when you make changes to better your swing, it gets worse and then you can't get back. I'm in the middle of that right now. Lessons may have to be the fix. Good luck with getting it back. Let us know how it goes.

I will say that given the choice between a fade and a hook, I'd take a hook any day of the week. The ball goes considerably further IMHO.

Now the question I must ask is whether you're going back to your Snakes at the same time? :D
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That is exactly what happened bro. I just had to tinkle with what was a pretty good thing and in the result screwed up what I had. Granted I was not going to make the Tour anytime soon :laughing: however I could strike the ball solid and I could count on it.


I was a hooker with the snakes huh :D..... Hmmmmmmm :cobra: ya never know :thumb:
 
It's always good to go back to a hooker, buddy. Good luck with the changes!
 
I hear ya buddy....I have been working really hard to learn to draw the ball....it's a long road but I am slowly getting there.
 
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