Detonator

I'm a pretty high handicap golfer and I video my swing (range sessions). I'll give a hand signal of the club I'm using and I've come up with a system of hand signals of shot results. It's hard to refute video evidence of what one is doing wrong. I've also shown it to my coach the next time I get into him so he can beat me over the head with a 9i. I think it has helped expose the serious flaws in my swing and helped me focus those down to more manageable and specific fixes that I'm committed to improve this season. I've also pounded a sh*t ton of range balls over the years with limited success. It's discouraging the amount of time I've put in vs my improvement. I don't do that anymore. I try two things now... 1. Starting with my PW, and hit a few balls. If all is going well, move up...if not, it isn't typically going to get any better for me so I stay there, go slow then graduate up. Many times, I put my right toe (trail) a foot or so behind my left heel. It helps my tempo and balance. 2. Play a round of range golf. Grab a score card and tee off as you would on the first tee. Pick two targets to stay within to hit a fairway. Then pick your approach club and range needed to hit...if you hit it, give yourself 2 putts. If not, chip or pitch to a target. If you hit it, give yourself 2 putts for bogey. On the card, you could track, FW hit, GIR (estimated) or F for fat, T for thin, HR for hosel rocket, S8iOK for snapped 8i over knee, etc. On the course, we only have one shot to get it right...this practice sorta simulates that. Try to beat your best score. I don't expect to score the same on the course but, it's helped mix things up and keep focused because range time can turn into fully automatic machine gun practice very easily.

I have broken 90 only twice (picked up this stupid game in '12) so I'm no one to give advice but I used Dave Pelz's clock method with short game. I don't have a feel for shots like one of my buddies does. I give him a yardage and he pulls the same club and can knock down a spinner or loft one up into low earth orbit...that's not my game. It's more technical than feel for me and it seems to simplify it. I'm fortunate that I have several wedges that were given to me or I found on the cheap on eBay.

I had this problem when I started in 2012. I had a strong grip and couldn't hit the left side of a fairway if you held a gun to my head; everything was a wide open face. My coach changed it from strong to neutral or weakish neutral and I could finally hit a draw. However, it did promote my trail arm getting high and closing my shoulders. I have to kinda watch this but I'd say my grip is still neutral.

I mean, to your point, my wedge game could definitely improve and it's hard to judge how chips are going to react in my backyard vs on course. There are many, many, many flaws in my swing. I'm reeeeeeeaaaalllly trying to simplify my game to make it more fun and less physically painful. Going to my pro is sometimes like when your car makes that noise and you take it to the mechanic...you know how that story ends. Haha I tend to use a SBST stroke. I tested my impact spot recently and I hit center about 55% of the time. Center toe 35 and center heel 15%. It seems like a center heel strike creates way more distance than center toe. That lends me to think another putter or really concentrated effort to hit a center.

The wise words of Gary Player. I do those things. My short game is typically the strong suit of my game. I have a range mat in my yard and can practice chips, pitches and flops. My bunker play has gotten much stronger. I have found a local pro I like. He's my third...one was a clinic type with no individual correction and one tried to rip me off constantly saying I was out of lessons. I'd say my only gripe is it's tough to get in to see my coach. He doesn't use any modern analytics...just watches the swing and suggests changes. Interestingly, I had a very strong grip when I started and never, and I mean NEVER, hit the left side of a golf course...not once. He turned it to neutral and the magic happened. I didn't think I'd ever get used to that grip but for me it helps get the face closed...I think I'm the exception and not the rule. I had a Cleveland putter that I was starting to get used to. Then someone lifted it from my bag on the range. I replaced it with a Wilson Staff Vizor. I suspect the face insert might account for some of my putting woes. I can generally find a decent line, speed is a very different story.

Oh, this season is going to be different. Playing out of a 22.1 index (down from whatever max is when I took up the game in 2012). I'm not sure what a reasonable and achievable reduction would be...20, 18, 10...scratch? 1b. Putt better. I'm not sure how to get there; maybe a fitting, maybe better mechanics with my current. I'm losing WAY too many strokes on the green. You know the ones...8 feet past then 2 feet short. 2. Get over hit impulse. I bought a GForce trainer to help with this and I think it'll help a lot. I'll probably do some work with a metronome with it. Tempo is my arch nemesis; which leads to my tragically inconsistent shots and scores. Any advice, please reach out.

Well, it seems Arnie's Army is not deployed to this AO. The king is gone but long live the king.

For sure.

Ugh, it's titanium. Looks like my options are: 1. Live with it 2. Magic marker 3. Completely refurbish 4. Strip it 5. See #1

Hi spies, I looked around for this but didn't quite find what I'm looking for. I'd like to hide or lessen the scuffs on the face of my Adams 3w (white crown, black face). I'm not really looking for an exhaustive refurbish but a rehab. I bought it used and the previous owner must have played a goat farm or out of the sand with it because the face is pretty jacked. Should I use something like Caswell's blackening gel? I'm not expecting a brand new, factory type outcome unless someone can walk me thru how to do that

I wish I could get over this. It's getting somewhat better but far from gone. I had an instructor that used to say, "the ball will talk you out of a good swing" and that is certainly true for me. I'm like the opposite of Charles Barkley...he hesitates and I devastate. I can make the smoothest practice swings and then step up to the ball and it's rarely, if ever, can I just swing the club. I've never been on a launch monitor but I'm presuming that my swing speed is fine...my smash factor is awful.

That's a very good idea. Yes, there would have to be some type of bonding properties but this is perhaps a fine solution.

It would raise the CG. Whether it would raise it to a point of "frozen rope" shots is uncertain. I tend to have a pretty high ball flight from this club so it might be okay. I think you'll agree that the slot is also not terribly deep but does extend nearly the entire crown. Your point is well taken. I don't have enough engineering prowess to decipher how a slot in the crown increases ball speed at the face of the club. Interestingly, it appears that Adams covered the ghost slot in the tight lies 2 with the same paint used on the crown. It's likely not worth the trouble. I just wondered if anyone tried it and what they experienced.

Hi spies, I have an Adams superspeed LS 3 wood. You know the one...white crown, black face and sole but it has the visible slot on the crown. I really like the club but like the looks of the tight lies 2 where they mostly hid the slot and made it a "ghost slot". I was thinking of trying that same think on this club with something like Simpact 85a pourable urethane. The info states it stays flexible yet tough...sounds about right for this solution. Any thoughts? I've tried other fw woods and this one refuses to leave the bag. At the end of the day, I can live with the slot but it would be nice if there was a viable solution for the look if it doesn't affect club performance. My thought is Adams did it so what could go wrong...probably a crap ton but just thought I'd ask. Thanks, Detonator

Wouldn't it be the center of mass located very tight to the center of the blade face? Hatchet vs a horseshoe to create a more stable flight. Top of the line clubs are targeted at top of the line players. So, all things being equal (ball, wind, face groove depth, etc) if Iron Byron was charged with shaping a shot, it doesn't seem unreasonable that a tight blade would perform better than that of a big cavity back with perimeter weighting. I'm referring to small, incremental changes to swing path and face orientation, not the huge banana ball I can hit with my CB clubs.

Yes, that and clubhouse responsibilities make it a tough to see him regularly. The club fitter does offer video and data capture, which I think will be helpful. He also said he has some coaches that he can recommend. This guy is my 3rd. The first one was a clinic type thing with no individual flaw correction. The second guy was also tough to see and constantly tried to tell me I was out of lessons when I paid for more...got the sense he was trying to rip me off. This third guy is great just tough to see. I finally broke 90 under him and first HIO. I know where I am giving up strokes...not shocking...tee shots (penalty strokes or heading left on a dog leg right), chipping/pitching (not close enough) and putting. I keep some notes of my rounds on the scorecard. Like, 5/2 for score and putts. Left, right or down arrow if I missed the fairway. Check mark for GIR. Last round was comical army golf. The round previous was a tale of two nines; front nine were misses right, back nine were misses left.

Interesting. I could pick @McGolf 's brain for hours. Unfortunately, he is about 3 hours away. Fortunately, there is another golf digest fitter about a 9i from my home (John Dranschak - Dead Solid Perfect golf) if anyone has any feedback. I'm playing sort of a mixed bag right now. TM R-15 driver, Adams 3w, Wilson staff progressive iron/hybrid combo 3h-pw, Cleveland CB-16 52deg, Top-flite 56 & 60 (when they were owned by Callaway). I am a basket case right now...I like the local pro I've taken lessons from but he is hard to see. When I do see him, it exactly like when you take your car to the mechanic for that noise...you know where I'm going with this.

Link? I've been playing for a few years but thinking of getting fitted. I'm still a high handicapper with HH swing flaws so being fitted seems like it will likely only factor out ill-fitting clubs (if my current set is indeed ill-fitting).

Thanks for the invite. I'm going to pass since I'm playing a comical brand of army golf right now. I've only gotten out about a half dozen times this year and while my game, in general, is tragically inconsistent, this year is something especially terrible.

How long? I played a few times growing up but started really trying to learn the game/build a swing in 2012. I've broken 90 only twice...I'm currently a 22, down from a 36 I guess. Love? The lifestyle, being outdoors, the attempt to get better at a frustrating game. What brought me here? I like reading about equipment and tips to get lower scores. From? Central Ohio. I don't really have a home course. I play relatively open courses to work on my game typically. Best and worst? Hard to say what the best thing is. The worst thing is winter. Living? I had a long career in national security/defense. I left the company for a small tech start-up and ended that after 3 years. I'm remodelling our house and will find something after the major portion is done (after golf season....shhhh) User name? I used to blow s*** up.

Portland traffic is real. We also played Langdon Farms, Chehalem Glenn, Huron lakes Greenback, and the severely fun par 3 tracks at McMenamins Edgefield. I left a lot of strokes on those courses...in exchange for some incredible beers.

I was on a business trip to your great state a few yrs ago. I got to play Camas Meadows. It is a bit of an odd layout, even with the cart GPS we got turned around more than once. Overall a fine facility...nice clubhouse with good food, nice heated practice area, reasonable green fees. The course drained fairly well from the downpour it got right before our tee time. Being from Ohio, it seemed hard to find a bad golf course in Oregon/Washington.