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KellyBo & Gray -- Diary of taking Lessons

This is where I take lessons. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=113141647499

I went out and played 7 holes yesterday but it was rainy and cold so I left. I was hitting the ball really well. Taking time off is good for the game! I've also been working out hard at the gym. I'm going to get more flexible and in better shape. Can only help improve my game!
 
I played 27 yesterday morning at Little Fishing Creek, think I need to get over to Jonesco in a week or 2, Tommy Bass from my church plays there regularly and I sometimes come over with him. Hope to see you there soon, and keep working hard on the lessons, I can then get freebies lessons from you and Ole Gray. :smile-big:
 
Dang - Tommy and I go WAY back! I work at Jonesco and was there during his recent church tournament! We're playing tomorrow. Come join us!

DawgDaddy said:
I played 27 yesterday morning at Little Fishing Creek, think I need to get over to Jonesco in a week or 2, Tommy Bass from my church plays there regularly and I sometimes come over with him. Hope to see you there soon, and keep working hard on the lessons, I can then get freebies lessons from you and Ole Gray. :smile-big:
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He is a great fellow and Wanda is a great lady. I played in that tournament, everyone received 2 pounds of his excellent barbque, my team won (lucked) the 1st flight and received 4 more pounds. I guess you will agree his barbque is about as good as it gets, he usually cooks it several times a year and is very generous in giving me a pound or 2. I would love to play tomorrow, only thing is I am thinking I will be driving the church bus tomorrow evening to pick up kids and am not sure I can fit it in. Oh, and please don't believe anything Tommy says about me.
 
I think there are going to be a lot of good playing days next week so we will get together whenever you're ready. Just send us a PM and it's on! I get off at 1pm M-T so a 1pm tee time would be perfect.

DawgDaddy said:
He is a great fellow and Wanda is a great lady. I played in that tournament, everyone received 2 pounds of his excellent barbque, my team won (lucked) the 1st flight and received 4 more pounds. I guess you will agree his barbque is about as good as it gets, he usually cooks it several times a year and is very generous in giving me a pound or 2. I would love to play tomorrow, only thing is I am thinking I will be driving the church bus tomorrow evening to pick up kids and am not sure I can fit it in. Oh, and please don't believe anything Tommy says about me.
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Good for you and Gray! We're due for a snow storm in the next couple of days. By the way KB, my HI is a 13.2. LOL But, since I can't play that'll no doubt go up come Spring. :)
 
Had a playing lesson with coach today. Today was COLD and very windy but we toughed it out for 9 holes. That man can putt better than anyone I have ever seen! I would give anything to have his short game. Oh, I did have his short game briefly today! Haha. Let me explain.

I actually a had a good start with a drive down the middle and an excellent fairway wood (was actually off back of green), chip and one putt for par. Shock! I think I actually impressed my coach!

The 2nd hole was a par 3 water hole that played about 135 out. I didn't hit it well and it went to the right, landed on a hill and rolled back into the water. Oh well. So imagine me standing on the right side of a seawall with about a 30 yard shot over the water to the flag that was about in the middle of the green. I took one practice swing that felt really good, set up and hit the best pitch shot I've ever hit! The ball landed so pretty onto the green and rolled right into the cup! :shock: My coach and I just started laughing and I told him it was ON now. Impressed him again! I was so excited because I usually struggle so bad on these play lessons.

So on the 3rd hole I proceeded to screw up my drive, hit a tree, fade into the rough, chunk a chip, etc for a triple. :at-wits-end:

Long story short, it was cold, I hit some really great shots and some bad shots along the way. He taught me a lot about trouble shots, course management, and then talked to me afterwards about the improvements he is seeing.

I still have a long ways to go but I am mentally stronger, working on getting physically stronger, and am going to patiently work on my game with the right attitude and reasonable expectations. Had such a good time today. I love this game.
 
I'm so happy & proud of you for having such a great playing lesson!
 
Great report, I know you are serious about your game and it will improve. Although in my estimation you have a pretty good game right now. Take it easy on Ole Gray. :smile:
 
Had a great lesson today. Coach had some new drills for me to work on during practice that really makes you think about your normal ball flight pattern and targets to shoot for based on that pattern. I can't wait to practice them. Another thing he drilled me on today was about the "think box" and the "play box". The think box is an imaginary box behind the ball where you go to find your target, line, visualize and have swing thoughts, etc. The play box is where you actually set up to the ball and swing. He wants me to start using the think box area for all my thinking and the play box for playing and quit thinking so much when I step up to the play box.

I hit a ton of iron shots today with a nice mixture of good shots and misses. My misses were caused by things like flipping my hands on impact, sliding forward, opening my clubface on the back swing and trying to help the ball up. I asked him if I am casting or swaying and he said no so I was happy about that. I started out using a 9 iron to my target and I was missing the green short, pulling the shots, etc. Coach retrieved my 8 iron, I started swinging easier and my shots were hitting the green nicely. More club, easier swing works like magic.

We also went to the putting green and he talked to me about letting the ball die to the hole in lieu of trying to hit it firmly to the hole. I hope I can explain this like he did! If you roll a ball firmly to the hole, it just about has to be dead center of the hole in order to drop which means you have a smaller target to shoot for. If you roll the ball to die at the hole, you have a much wider hole to shoot at because it can easily die into the hole from the sides too. He gave me some good putting drills to do also.

I asked my coach if he thought I could get my drives to about 220 if I get my swing right. He said I would rather your drives be 200 consistently in the fairway than 220 in the trees. He's so right! I'm going to really concentrate on a smooth tempo and accuracy in the fairway is my only thought.

Coach told me I hit the ball far for a woman (he meant old lady) but I am losing so much distance because of what I am doing on impact. It's obvious when I hit the ball pure today because it went so much further. One day I will be able to do that consistently with a big divot in front of my ball instead of behind it!

Oh yeah. He told me that if ever I wanted to buy a training aid, I should try the Tour Striker. I told him Ole Gray has two of them. He told me I should practice with it. He wants me to bring it to the next lesson with me.
 
Nice write up KellyBo, keep up the good work.
 
I had a really bad case of the snap hooks at our get together last weekend at Setho's home course Highland Walk. It got so bad the harder I tried to correct it the quicker the ball would snap to the left. Grip adjustment, swing tempo mod, swing plane adjustment, nothing worked and frustration was peaking. You know how it feels when you just want to throw your hands up and give up. Well I did on many of the holes because it was that frustrating. I finished the round but inside I was not a happy camper. I was going to put the clubs down for a break and see our swing coach. I was even embarrassed to see him. Instead I rode up to our golf course this afternoon to see KellyBo and get out for a while on another beautiful day. Kelly told me they just got the new Cleveland Mashie and SL290 43gram driver in. She gave me a couple of ball machine coins and told me to head out and see how I liked them. When I got to the range one of my friends who happens to be a local high school golf course was on the range with his son. This guy is a 2 handicapper who really knows the game and has been coaching high school golf for a long time. I told him of my disaster this past weekend and he said let's look at your swing. He did not try to change my hook as he knows I have done that all my life. He had me square my club head towards my target, and then placed another ball on a tee three feet in front towards first base. Then he had me spread my feet a bit more so they would be even with my shoulders. He then had me think about having my chest cover the ball through the swing. Once I squared the club face, swung out towards first base and finished with the toe of the club up, I was hitting beautiful draws again! No snap hooks. He then said let's go out on the course and see how it works on different holes. He worked on a few more flaws he saw and helped me with my wedge game. I was flipping my hands through the ball instead of keeping a forward press with the hands ahead of the club head, left foot back a bit etc. I suppose it was meant to be that my friend and long time High School golf coach, was on the range. I was feeling really out of sorts because of the dreaded snap hooks and awful play.

P.S. I LOVED the Cleveland SL290 43 Gram Driver!!! I played nine holes with it and with the correct swing in motion it was sweet :thumb:
 
Glad you got past your bad round Gray. You know as well as I do they happen to all of us from time to time. Best thing to do is learn what you can from them and move on and put them pint he rear view mirror!!! Glad you had a friend there today to help you out, you'll do fine next time out I am sure.
 
Good stuff Gray, I know you were fustrated but you kept it in and gamed it. Good to know it was something a good eye could fix pretty quickly for you. I plan to come over and try the driver this week myself.
 
White Rhino said:
Glad you got past your bad round Gray. You know as well as I do they happen to all of us from time to time. Best thing to do is learn what you can from them and move on and put them pint he rear view mirror!!! Glad you had a friend there today to help you out, you'll do fine next time out I am sure.
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DawgDaddy said:
Good stuff Gray, I know you were fustrated but you kept it in and gamed it. Good to know it was something a good eye could fix pretty quickly for you. I plan to come over and try the driver this week myself.
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Thanks guys! The SL290 is there for the demo and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. If you and Tommy are going to play this week, send me a pm and I will join ya. I need to practice what I was taught today!
 
I tried the 290 yesterday at a Cleveland demo day. Did not work for me as well as I would like, so my search continues, not that I must get a new driver but it is nice to shop around.
 
Gray very cool to hear you got that all fixed up. Sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes. I love reading this thread as you and KB are really two of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Always hoping for the best for both of you on the course!
 
Yoccos1981 said:
Gray very cool to hear you got that all fixed up. Sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes. I love reading this thread as you and KB are really two of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Always hoping for the best for both of you on the course!
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Yoccos -- We are so looking forward to seeing you again in May! Thanks for the kind words buddy.
 
Same here Gray! I keep saying it but one of these days Im going to make it to a GA get together.


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Great to hear he was able to help Gray. How cool is that running into just the person you needed to get back on track. Good stuff.
 
thedue said:
Great to hear he was able to help Gray. How cool is that running into just the person you needed to get back on track. Good stuff.
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Duey -- It was like a gift from someone who had watched my anguish and provided the relief I needed. There is a clubhouse where social events, wedding, birthdays, retirement, etc. parties are held and it is between the golf shop and the driving range. When I turned the corner to the driving range and saw Brent, I felt like man, here is your help on a silver platter. The cool thing is I did not have to ask or bother him, he came to me and asked how things were going. I told him about my battle with the snaps and he spent 30 minutes, then nine holes of golf working with me. I felt like my golf soul was healing right on that range! It's funny how things work out and sometimes if we are humble and open with our problems, help is right around the corner :thumb:
 
I had a lesson in putting today after complaining that I am really struggling in that area. Coach put some kind of gadget on my putter and had some type of monitor to analyze my putting stroke. He had me hit some putts and then went over the analysis with me on the computer. My numbers were compared to a tour pro's average numbers. I was good at squaring my putter (thanks Seemore) but my path was inconsistent which really screwed up all the other stuff. The computer program he had was really neat for seeing all the variances and showing me specifically what I need to work on the most. It was really obvious which numbers were a result of a good swing path and which weren't.

Although I wasn't fitted for my Seemore, coach felt like the putter was fine since I have no trouble squaring it to the target.

We went out to the putting green and he put up large nails with string and had me putting with my putter against a board and in line with the string. It became obvious that one of my problems was that I was guiding a bit with a finger that I had lying down on the shaft. We changed my grip so that no fingers are pointing downwards. By putting against the board he used and changing my grip, I had a very consistent straight back and through stroke. Once we practiced for a while, we went out to their par 3 course to putt without any aids.

He talked to me about the importance of a routine on each putt. Once I decide the line of my putt and aim my ball using the line on my ball, I should then concentrate on the speed of the putt. I should take the time to really think about the speed by imagining that I am rolling/throwing the ball and/or taking practice swings while looking at the hole. Once I decide the speed of my putt, I should square myself and the putter to the line on the ball and not hesitate for long before putting. Do not try to reassess the line or speed once I set up as it will be distorted from this angle, especially since I am right eye dominant. He got onto me a couple times for looking at the hole once I set up to the ball. He said make your decision on speed with your practice putt, step up and square to the ball and make that same stroke. Looking at the hole again after setting up only adds new thoughts to what you've already determined in your practice swing.

He worked with me for a long time on several things but emphasis was on a proper path of putter, not looking up, having a routine, and MOST importantly, learning distance control. He had me stroking the putts pretty darn good before I left. Practice! Practice! Practice!
 
Definitely some things to take back and consider KB. I love reading what you do and the lessons you learn. There is always good information.
 
Yoccos1981 said:
Definitely some things to take back and consider KB. I love reading what you do and the lessons you learn. There is always good information.
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Thanks Yoccos. I have a hard time putting my lessons into writing. There is always so much more that I learn but don't write down. Bobby is a great putter and I would give anything to be as good as he is. I have never seen anyone putt better. I know this is the quickest way to cut strokes off my score for sure! Seems so simple but it's not for me.
 
Sounds like you'll be Scratch by the outing and its great that your able to have the opportunity to work on your game !
 
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