THP Lesson Thread

Had my first lesson ever today and it was great, really happy with what he picked up on in my swing and the cues he gave me to work on fixing them.

1. My stance was too wide and swing was too big. He had me narrow my stance considerably and dial my swing down to 80%.

2. Takeaway was inside and I was coming down a little OTT. He setup some pool noodles to give me correct plane and get me coming down on plane. It's going to take some time and a lot of practice but we were both pretty happy with the progress we made today. He even gave me a little setup to take home with me for practice.

3. I haven't been getting the club face closed and been dealing with a push or push/fade. We tried just concentrating on getting my hands turned over to square up, but I just wasn't getting shut down fast enough. Then we tried thinking about keeping the club face closed on my takeaway and BOOM!!! It was the first time I've ever hit a consistent high draw in my life! It was great!!!

4. My bad misses are stinger pushes, never knew exactly what was causing it, but he picked up on it today. My bottom half a few times would get way too fast and l would get way too much shaft lean and leave the face way open. Practiced keeping the body in sync and concentrating on keeping my legs slow and rotating together. Again it's going to take time, but I'm willing to put in the work.

Got my next lesson scheduled and I'm really excited about playing better golf. My average score is the low 90's and he felt like I could improve pretty quickly by the way today's lesson went. Overall I'm extremely happy with how it went, I'm excited to work with him and he genuinely seemed excited to have me as a student.
 
Had my first lesson of 2016 today. Was pumped for it! Hit the first ball and the fun ceased.

We started with my PW and I couldn't hit anything but topped shots, dead pulls, shanks, or wicked slices. I felt like a liar when I told him I was a 24 HDCP because nothing I displayed out there on the range showed anything consistent ... other than I was consistently horrible. He moved me up to my 7i, I think in an attempt to get me to reset and focus, but it was more of the same. We moved to partial shots and it improved somewhat, but was still awful. Eventually we went to driver and I stunk it up there as well.

He said overall that he thought my backswing was good, but something funky was going on at the top of my swing. When we moved to partial shots it improved but he said my biggest problem was my out-to-in swing. He didn't suggest any tricks (such as a towel underneath my right arm pit) because he said that would only lead to other problems, but said that I really need to focus on this - and completing my swing. He said he thought overall, despite my problems today, that I had the potential to shoot consistent mid/high 80's before July so we'll see. Going to get to the range tomorrow and just work on making consistent contact. He said to just work on getting the ball to go left for a couple of weeks and then give him another call to set up another lesson.

Damn, what a horrible lesson. I don't think I've ever felt as close to wanting to quit golf as I did after this session today.
 
Had my first lesson of 2016 today. Was pumped for it! Hit the first ball and the fun ceased.

We started with my PW and I couldn't hit anything but topped shots, dead pulls, shanks, or wicked slices. I felt like a liar when I told him I was a 24 HDCP because nothing I displayed out there on the range showed anything consistent ... other than I was consistently horrible. He moved me up to my 7i, I think in an attempt to get me to reset and focus, but it was more of the same. We moved to partial shots and it improved somewhat, but was still awful. Eventually we went to driver and I stunk it up there as well.

He said overall that he thought my backswing was good, but something funky was going on at the top of my swing. When we moved to partial shots it improved but he said my biggest problem was my out-to-in swing. He didn't suggest any tricks (such as a towel underneath my right arm pit) because he said that would only lead to other problems, but said that I really need to focus on this - and completing my swing. He said he thought overall, despite my problems today, that I had the potential to shoot consistent mid/high 80's before July so we'll see. Going to get to the range tomorrow and just work on making consistent contact. He said to just work on getting the ball to go left for a couple of weeks and then give him another call to set up another lesson.

Damn, what a horrible lesson. I don't think I've ever felt as close to wanting to quit golf as I did after this session today.

Sorry, buddy, but don't get too down on yourself. Everyone has bad moments where we question our ability. I know you are grinding, but don't let that take the fun out of this for you. I wish I knew more about the swing so I could help. Do you feel like this teach will help you to move in the right direction?
 
Sorry, buddy, but don't get too down on yourself. Everyone has bad moments where we question our ability. I know you are grinding, but don't let that take the fun out of this for you. I wish I knew more about the swing so I could help. Do you feel like this teach will help you to move in the right direction?
Thanks, I think it was just a really disheartening day. I related well to him, so we'll see how it goes. I'm going to hit the range as much as I can for the next couple of weeks, study my swing a lot on video, and do everything I can to tame this out to in swing and then go back to him and see how it goes. He was very supportive, and he did say that other than crowding the ball a bit my setup looked good ... it just all goes to hell on the downswing.

Hopefully my time on the range doesn't compound my frustration ... though that sounds like I'm setting myself up for failure today. Hopefully I can blank out my mind before then.
 
I had a lesson today and it made me realize that just about 12 months ago to the day. I had my first lesson with my current coach. We discussed my goals, game, and his teaching philosophy. He then watched my hit several balls and recorded the swings. We looked at video and the trackman numbers. He then asked me if I was willing to scrap my swing and build a new one. I initially bulked at the idea. He said I get it your a good player and the thought of starting over is not a pleasant one but you said ball striking was your weakness. With your swing it will always be your weakness. He was right while I had accomplished alot my swing broke down under pressure.

It was that day we started working on a new swing. If I said it was an easy process I would be lying but slowly the new action was becoming grooved. We took a swing that had the hands going back to vertical which lead to a big OTT move. Front shoulder would fly open on the follow through and I aimed everything 20 yds right to compensate for the big fade I played. Fast forward 12 months and my current swing has the hands getting much deeper on the back swing. The club is delivered consistently from the inside. Resulting in a tight little draw. I still have some things to work on. The club could still get a little deeper on the back swing and the driver needs work.

Overall this maybe the best my ball striking has been and have been playing some best golf of my life. Rebuilding my swing was the best thing I have done for my golf game. It was hard but I keep telling myself short term struggles would lead to long term gain. Nothing better than looking back over that past year and seeing and feeling like the hard work has paid off.
 
Thanks, I think it was just a really disheartening day. I related well to him, so we'll see how it goes. I'm going to hit the range as much as I can for the next couple of weeks, study my swing a lot on video, and do everything I can to tame this out to in swing and then go back to him and see how it goes. He was very supportive, and he did say that other than crowding the ball a bit my setup looked good ... it just all goes to hell on the downswing.

Hopefully my time on the range doesn't compound my frustration ... though that sounds like I'm setting myself up for failure today. Hopefully I can blank out my mind before then.

stick with it dude. it took a long time to groove the move you have now, so it will take some time to groove a new move. just keep remembering #3 in your signature! did he give you anything specific to work on?
 
Had my first lesson of 2016 today. Was pumped for it! Hit the first ball and the fun ceased.

We started with my PW and I couldn't hit anything but topped shots, dead pulls, shanks, or wicked slices. I felt like a liar when I told him I was a 24 HDCP because nothing I displayed out there on the range showed anything consistent ... other than I was consistently horrible. He moved me up to my 7i, I think in an attempt to get me to reset and focus, but it was more of the same. We moved to partial shots and it improved somewhat, but was still awful. Eventually we went to driver and I stunk it up there as well.

He said overall that he thought my backswing was good, but something funky was going on at the top of my swing. When we moved to partial shots it improved but he said my biggest problem was my out-to-in swing. He didn't suggest any tricks (such as a towel underneath my right arm pit) because he said that would only lead to other problems, but said that I really need to focus on this - and completing my swing. He said he thought overall, despite my problems today, that I had the potential to shoot consistent mid/high 80's before July so we'll see. Going to get to the range tomorrow and just work on making consistent contact. He said to just work on getting the ball to go left for a couple of weeks and then give him another call to set up another lesson.

Damn, what a horrible lesson. I don't think I've ever felt as close to wanting to quit golf as I did after this session today.

That definitely sounds very frustrating. But maybe remember that these guys see it all. For as bad as today was he's seen much worse. And he still sees enough in you to believe you can be in the 80s. That would roughly equate to a low double digits handicap, which would be a massive move from your current 24. Keep the faith.
 
I am continuing my struggles to ingrain the stuff from my last couple lessons. I seem to able to do it just fine so long as I am playing "golf swing" or working on the range, but put me on the course in a real situation with something on the line and I revert to a couple of my bad habits. The nature of this issue makes it quite difficult to work on...it's tough to truly simulate a pressure situation.

All that said my ball striking seems to be improved throughout the bag. I am hitting my mid and long irons quite nicely, while the contact I am making with my short irons/wedges seems to be quite good with still lots of room for improvement.
 
Thanks, I think it was just a really disheartening day. I related well to him, so we'll see how it goes. I'm going to hit the range as much as I can for the next couple of weeks, study my swing a lot on video, and do everything I can to tame this out to in swing and then go back to him and see how it goes. He was very supportive, and he did say that other than crowding the ball a bit my setup looked good ... it just all goes to hell on the downswing.

Hopefully my time on the range doesn't compound my frustration ... though that sounds like I'm setting myself up for failure today. Hopefully I can blank out my mind before then.
Don't get down on yourself. I have spent many hours in the lesson arena. I just had to find someone who could explain the problem in a simple way and then focus on one thing at a time. I decided that this year would be different so I made a grip change to start then after that was complete I took a lesson and only working on the take away. It's baby steps for me try and just change a little at a time. Panda has been awesome at answering my questions and helping me see things others could not and giving me ways to improve. Remember baby steps. Good Luck Sir
 
had a lesson yesterday takeaway and finish are good, where I loose it is once the hands hit waste high I take the club around me instead of up. So we worked on getting the left shoulder to go down under toward the ball more and under the chin instead of into it. Getting the shoulder down isn't new for me but is not easy for me to do with out lots of thought. Gonna take lots of work for me to get this right. But I'm in for the long haul and getting into the 70's

I am continuing my struggles to ingrain the stuff from my last couple lessons. I seem to able to do it just fine so long as I am playing "golf swing" or working on the range, but put me on the course in a real situation with something on the line and I revert to a couple of my bad habits. The nature of this issue makes it quite difficult to work on...it's tough to truly simulate a pressure situation.

All that said my ball striking seems to be improved throughout the bag. I am hitting my mid and long irons quite nicely, while the contact I am making with my short irons/wedges seems to be quite good with still lots of room for improvement.

Taking from range/practice to the course is tough, just relax at the ball land where it may when on the course.
 
Taking from range/practice to the course is tough, just relax at the ball land where it may when on the course.

during my makeover a couple years ago, my instructor was insistent that on the course i needed to just play golf. don't try to make new swings, just play golf. really hard to do though.
 
I'm still contemplating booking a lesson with a different teacher. I've had 2 teachers total...both have been great, and I've achieved something with each, but now I'm hitting a brick wall, and I know it's me and not them....but I'm thinking that shaking things up and seeing a different perspective might help. Anyone else been through something similar?
 
I flippin sucked at my chipping today and my short game hasn't been sharp lately (especially sand), so I set up a lesson to work on it this coming Friday at my home course. Hoping to tighten things up and start scoring a little better here.

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I am going to try a new guy for lessons. Brian Eekhoff goes between AZ (winter) and MT (summer), and I think he has a flightscope. A new golf buddy was fitted for driver by Brian and maybe had a lesson. He had good feedback. Assuming I can get on his calendar, I want to start with putting/chipping and then next work on those 20-100 yard shots that take as much feel and creativity as technique. I also want to see if I can get on his flighscope and just get some numbers for a couple of key clubs. If that all goes well, I might see what feedback he has for my basic swing. But the short game is where I need to focus.
 
I think I can finally say my lessons are paying off and truly starting to get ingrained. I feel a level of control I haven't had before and my ballstriking is just so much better and consistent.
Standing on the tee of a tight fairway holding driver and I have the confidence to pull the trigger and let it rip down the middle. I'm hitting 4 iron right now high and straight and its given me more versatility in the bag, where prior to these lessons I didn't have the ability to hit long irons.

I even got my first ever compliment on my swing from a stranger yesterday... A very wierd feeling lol.

I'm going to continue to work on my full swing and maintaining where I'm at, but it's time to shift attention back to short game and get that sharp again.
 
I've told you before, and I give you crap when we play because it's fun :act-up:, but your advancement is truly inspiring dude. Keep it up, even par is in your sights!

As for me? My lessons, swing tweaks, and new sticks are really starting to show results, but consistency with the full extension move is still not there yet. That being said, I must be doing something right when I carry a draw 6i 180-185 into a breeze and airmail a green (hint: that thing is not club selection :doh:). I'm just not comfortable committing to the extra club plus of distance that the equipment and extension are giving me.

I also had a sand play lesson Friday that fixed my technique and I think will start to give me a real chance out of the sand. Takeaway? Swing back along the feet line (outside) and swing through towards the target. I always swung along the feet line and cut across the ball previously (like a flop shot). Got a lot more consistent contact out of this method, so definitely glad I took the lesson!

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Lesson #2 booked for tonight.

Have only had 2 chances to work on the things we discussed in lesson #1 so we will see how it goes.
 
Lesson #2 booked for tonight.

Have only had 2 chances to work on the things we discussed in lesson #1 so we will see how it goes.

Thoughts on getting to the range before lesson to see how it stuck?
 
Thoughts on getting to the range before lesson to see how it stuck?


Thats the plan, he cant do it til 6:30 so Im going to go early and get some swings in. I have seen some decent results on in the iron striking side, the driver not quite as much but we didnt spend a whole lot of time on it with the lesson.
 
Time ticking for RR dude!

I think I'm solving my weight transfer issue I've been struggling with and the shoulder turn. The former was making the later impossible to do correctly.


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Ok update on Lesson #2
Lesson #1 recap is here http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...esson-Thread&p=4425188&viewfull=1#post4425188

Pre-Lesson...Thanks to mother nature and work travel Ive only been able to go to the range once and play once since my last lesson, but the time we spent on lesson #1 and what we worked on has always been fresh in my mind.

I showed up 90 minutes early so hit a large bucket of balls. 7I up to wedge felt really good after awhile, could really feel myself getting through the ball and in some cases feel the right hand "rolling over" at impact. Things got a little loose once I went to 5I, Hybo and then driver. The right appeared again so I went back to the short irons to finish up the bucket.

Once it was time we got to work right away. Scott said he was very impressed with what he was seeing early on and mentioned a few times that it was a huge difference between our first 30 minutes tonight and the first 30 last go around. Grip and setup were solid all night, I do have to keep an eye on my width at address, sometimes it gets too wide which makes it tougher for me to get through the ball.

Wedge down to 7I was solid with him, when I did miss it wasn't off the planet right, just leaked out a bit, nothing too punishing, but my contact was really good. The point of focus tonight was shortening up my swing and really trying to explode through the ball. I was by no means perfect but my overall hitting of the golf ball was MUCH better tonight. And when I missed, I could feel it right away and could point out what I did wrong more times than not, that's huge for someone like me as obviously he cant be around for ever.
After a few times going through an assortment of irons, he snagged the hybo. Let me preface this section by stating that me plus hybo has been TOXIC. I mean miss off of the planet right when I do make contact or a bunch of thins and just a heaping pile of crap. Well while not everyone was right down the middle my contact was way better and it was good to feel the ball popping off of the face. Just going to take some more work to get it straightened out to my liking.
Then it was heavenwood off the deck time. This used to be my club til I introduced it to the "rights". Similar to the hybo I was at least getting it airborn and after a few swings caught a few pretty flush and sent it straight down the middle...a sight for sore eyes.

And that lead to XXIO time and this time on the trackman. This one was tough as I was missing WAY right. Really had to focus on knee flex in my back leg and even though I was trying to square it up at impact it wasn't happening. So then we worked on 50% swings with flag targets with the driver to straighten things out but also to work on shortening the swing. Unfortunately I was still missing right so we took a break and went with heavenwood off the tee.

That club was AMAZING. I hit 25 balls, 22 of which would have been fairway bound. Even with crappy range balls I was 185-189 carry and 204ish with roll on almost every swing. I had forgotten just how lethal this club could be and the hope was this would roll over to the driver swing.....but it didn't. Still missing right face was open up to 8* (3300+ spin though) sometimes and was heading off the planet. He wondered if the shaft was almost too whippy (I know lol) so grabbed a F5 driver but it didn't do a while lot for me ( I did manage to hit it as far as the xxio had been though).
I hit a few decent ones here and there, of course my best one didn't register lol, after a while I was "forcing" my hands to roll over, which was happening too early so I was reintroduced to the old 1700 spin knuckle balls and all I could do was chuckle. Finally really got ahold of one (240 something) and I quit immediately after that. Worked on a few more wedge swings and called it a night. Again my 50 minute lesson was 90 minutes, but man time flew by.

So at the moment my key focus areas are:
1. Right knee flex
2. Shorter swing
3. Squaring clubface at impact.

Chatted for a few minutes, he was extremely positive about the session and the progress and feels I'm "really close" to making this work and can hopefully be escalated by getting some range time in over the next few weeks. Lesson 3 will be in a few weeks and weather permitting will be a split between the stuff we have been working on, and short game.

Scott has been great to work with, extremely down to earth, simplifies things and does well at focusing on the positive.

There is hope for me afterall...
 
That's awesome stuff Mike. Glad to hear it's paying off for you
 
I feel your pain on the open club face, going through the same thing. If it's not a dead push right it's a push/fade way right. Lessons are definitely making a huge difference. Going tomorrow night and I'll report back here with how it goes. Good job MD 441!
 
Good stuff 441, sounds like your on the way back to playing like you did and better when you lived down this way
 
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