pbclubdude

Just played the worst round I have played in I don't know how long.  Back would never loosen up and just brutal outcome.  Had I not already committed to this and being the first time to play with this bunch, I would have taken the day off.  
In hindsight, I probably should have anyways.  
At least the weather was nice!

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

The golf gods urged me to play today. I had to appease them.
Got to the course at 8:30 and it was empty. I only saw two other groups out. A twosome walking and a threesome riding. Played the front well with my usual no warm up. Two birdies and 1 bogey on the front. Back 9 was interesting. 12th hole par 3, I shanked a 7 iron. Now I’m short right. Branches overhead and a trap in front of me to a front pin location. I ran one up the left side of the front of the green missing the trap by a foot. Just what I was trying to do. But it didn’t stop and rolled off the back of the green. Then hit a flop shot and holed it and somehow walked away with par.  Then birdie, then a par then another birdie. Fast forward to 18 which is a par 5 with an island green. I’m sitting at 2 under for the back at this point. I hit a good drive then followed  with a good 5 hybrid to within 10 yards of the river. All that is left is a 60 yard shot over the river to the pin on the island green. With birdie on my mind and sitting in the middle of the fairway (which is hard pan now in this section) I freaking thinned it. Across the river, across the green, and down the left side into the water hazard. Took my drop, pitched on and drained the putt for a 6.
All in all a good day with two sand saves thrown in. Totaled out with a 2 under round of 70. But no matter how good the day was you remember the screw up on 18 and what could have been a 68 or 69. 
But just happy I’m still playing golf in December and it was 73 degrees.

Likely played my last round of the year today (I live near Philly). Was 50 degrees and had rained since last night. Wet but not soaked. Ended up shooting a personal best of -1 70 (par 71). A good day to know your distances as there wasn’t much rollout or spin with the damp greens so pin hunting was in order. Thrilled with my score but this shot was the highlight: Par 3. 153 yards. 9 iron. Closest to a hole in one I've ever been. 

I hate those days. Especially when playing back to back days. 

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

Played really bad today. Shot 85 when I normally shoot 75ish. Nothing was in sync. Just one of those days where I woke up a different player than the day before. Just lost standing over the ball. All in my head. Zero golf mojo. Humbling, frustrating, disconcerting......all the things....

In today's society, clubs don't want to say anything to slow golfers or golfers breaking the rules. It might hurt someones feelings.

Thats great to hear!! Great job!!! I am sure you will be a force come spring!

Thank you for your positive outlook @pbclubdude. You are absolutely right. Tempo is king and too often do I find myself a passenger of a doomed wagon in the downswing following a bad/rushed transition.
Like many things in golf: Less is more. A smoother swing often results in a better/more efficient strike and better launch conditions. Ultimately: More yards per mph which is something that we always like!
A smoother swing/better tempo also helps me with proper sequencing. I’ll keep this aspect in mind. Thanks for pointing that out🙂.

Just overall, all your best shots were in-tempo and unhurried from the top. You can see the difference in the bad shots. It appears that unhurried transition you have is key to consistency. Consider looking for consistency in that smooth transition. You are really hammering it btw. You are seriously not that far off of really going low. 

Lessons are of course, the way to go. However, if you are not going that route here are a couple of minor things that might also help: I was watching the last swing on the video of driver. At the top I noticed you are cupped but the head/face is not open. It is square to your forearm as it should be. This means that when you square/flatten/neutral your wrist you shut the face. In other words, your grip on the club is closed at address. The face is closed as you grip the club to begin with. In order for it not to be closed at impact you have to maintain a cup of that wrist (not happening) or make other adjustments to your swing path. Ideally you want a flat slightly bowed wrist at the top with the head/face even and parallel to the forearm. You do that with a cupped wrist. You move that wrist flat at any point and that face is dead shut. 
I have the same issue. The fix is to turn that shaft more open then grip it. Align the back of your left wrist with the face. At address it is going to feel wide open and like you could go right. This is neutral though. You WILL go to the right if you cup that left wrist at the top. So that has to end. Put a popsicle stick in the glove to remind you. You have been making compensations with this wrist position and it does cause inconsistency. If this is the case with all your clubs I think you will see a marked improvement in every club with this fix.
The rest of your swing will follow naturally as you have so many good attributes already. Your shallowing is fine. Its all about the face for you. Align the wrist/face and flat wrist at the top. Drop into the slot just like your doing and BAM! I'm excited for you! 
Go to it before your weather changes!!!
 
 
 

When tackling a major swing change .. aka shallowing. I personally suggest a good teaching pro. Either online or in person. Trying to do this on your own can really mess up your swing for a long long long time. It’s almost better to swing naturally. Then add in a manufactured shallowing move. Just my opinion. For an online lesson I would suggest Monte Scheinblumh

Just watched a few videos on getting stuck. I was not fully aware of this aspect. Most definitely, I was so obsessed with getting shallow that I neglected (and probably exacerbated) other issues.
The feeling of having shoulders closed to target a bit longer will most likely help (thanks @pbclubdude).
I had already been paying a lot of attention to arms movement at the start of the downswing so what comes next is focusing on firstly bringing my hands in front of my chest and not firing the hips (and shoulders of course) prematurely. Once everything is lined-up, unleash hell and square the club face with body rotation without the need for the hands to flip in order to catch up (is it close or similar to what you had in mind @Goober?)
In summary, working on my sequencing seems to be the new priority right now!

It looks to me like you just need to hold the shoulders closed a fraction longer. Feel closed slightly at impact. That should let the hands catch up as you rotate through. Swing looks really good. You are very close. Your tempo is very good. I think this idea may sync things up.  

I am plying it at 46 inches, cut from the butt end only. I have a Midsize CPX grip on it. Easiest club to hit in the bag. 

I have a G425 max head and an auto flex on the way.  I’m glad to hear that the standard set up works well for you.  I was going to go buy lighter weights but I’m just going to give the standard set up a try.  

A smooth tempo is for sure needed to get the most out of this shaft. Personally, I use a G425 max with the standard weights in place. Stripe the thing all day long. If you havent yet, try the stock weights as intended. I experimented with lighter weights, but it was not until I went with the standard setup that I had real success. 

Thanks for posting this! I ordered the Gen5 7.5 degree back when it was on super sale with the Fujikura Motore X F3 5- R2 with hopes of doing something similar to this. I have my normal Project X Evenflow T1100 6.0 60G shaft that I have used with previous Gen1 and Gen4 heads so figured it would be worth trying the Motore. I swapped weights and lofts but none of that mattered really since I could not consistently find the center of the face with the Motore shaft. Swapped it back to the Evenflow and I suddenly started getting better contact. I wish I would have seen this before I ordered I probably would have just got the Riptide with no upcharge. Now you have me thinking maybe I can get them to swap it out for me? If not maybe I should try this Garafalloy Pro Launch Blue. Looking forward to the rest of your testing! 

Autoflex is an amazing shaft. It requires the user to have an even tempo and a smooth direction change. Once that's done however its turn and burn. For me, long, dead straight and money well spent. It is for once, a {way} overpriced and overhyped golf gadget that works. For me it works as advertised. 
The Graffaloy PLB are on my 3 and 5 woods. They are my attempts to inexpensively replicate the Autoflex. They work great but are not Autoflex. However,it is an amazing shaft and I encourage everyone to pick it up in regular flex if you are used to stiff and give it a try. For around $60 it is inexpensive and very underrated imo. Do not cut the tip. Just butt trim it to 46". The real big difference between the two is the butt end of Autoflex is almost as flexible as the tip end. The Graffaloy is much more conventional with a stiffer butt end, particularly in relation to the tip end. I believe it can tolerate a less smooth change in direction, making it more "universal" in appeal than Autoflex, not to mention the price difference.
The PLB will require some reps to get used to the flex into impact. Let me tell you, when you get it right it is just oh so pure feeling. 
Dechambeau uses a regular flex for long drive competition. There is something to it.
Lastly in my experience both shafts play well with standard head weights. I play a Ping G425 Max on mine. Rip it. A lot. 

Yikes!  And that's why most of those have cages fully surrounding the driver.
 

A smooth tempo is for sure needed to get the most out of this shaft. Personally, I use a G425 max with the standard weights in place. Stripe the thing all day long. If you havent yet, try the stock weights as intended. I experimented with lighter weights, but it was not until I went with the standard setup that I had real success.