Practicing in the snow and cold

[Lonnie96]

Still 3 months from opening play and we have a foot of snow on the ground.I have dug out a 10 foot x 10 foot area to hit balls this winter.When the temps get up to the 30's I will man up and shell out a few in the open fields around our home.Sure beats hitting off of the indoor-outdoor heated mat ranges.Anyone else do this?When season starts I'm also in mid season form doing this a few times a week

[hckymeyer]

Still 3 months from opening play and we have a foot of snow on the ground.I have dug out a 10 foot x 10 foot area to hit balls this winter.When the temps get up to the 30's I will man up and shell out a few in the open fields around our home.Sure beats hitting off of the indoor-outdoor heated mat ranges.Anyone else do this?When season starts I'm also in mid season form doing this a few times a week

I go to one of the local simulator's a few times over the winter.  Then I'll hit balls in the back yard once it's nice enough.  Hit about a small bucket this past weekend.  I'm cautiously optimistic that my course could open in the next week or two.

[Lonnie96]

I go to one of the local simulator's a few times over the winter.  Then I'll hit balls in the back yard once it's nice enough.  Hit about a small bucket this past weekend.  I'm cautiously optimistic that my course could open in the next week or two.

i used to do the simulator thing.It was fun,but hitting off of turf (even if slightly frozen) is the way to go.I remember I used to go to an indoor facility quite often and came out in the season hitting everything really fat.Those mats and such really did havoc for an early release that I can't get rid of.The mat makes a bad shot good

[hckymeyer]

i used to do the simulator thing.It was fun,but hitting off of turf (even if slightly frozen) is the way to go.I remember I used to go to an indoor facility quite often and came out in the season hitting everything really fat.Those mats and such really did havoc for an early release that I can't get rid of.The mat makes a bad shot good

True you have to be careful, but when it's -20 outside and the alternative is to not hit golf balls I'll take the simulator every time.

 

I'd rather try and keep a somewhat grooved swing through the winter and worry about hitting a couple fat shots early in the year than not hit golf balls for 3-4 months.

[Mr_Theoo]

I take lessons year round at golftec. This is my 3rd year there and it's helped my game a lot. The first year was a little rough when it came time to play because I was hitting it fat a lot.

 

Last season I was talking to one of the other pros there and I made a comment about how I hate the mats because it makes my outdoor game suffer and he told me to stop worrying about the mats and focus more on the strike because a good strike indoors will be a good one outdoors. That one thought helped my transition to grass

[Lonnie96]

Nice on theoo

 

I'm in the middle of some swing changes from online golf as well.Unfortunately no matter how much I groove it in a mirror or practice it the results never show on the course.I always revert back to my old ways to advance the ball when I'm playing.Almost where our natural swing motions are what we are stuck with.Changing ball position and stance will change,but the swing always stays the same

[wbealsd]

I really don't like hitting off mats, but particularly at my age, I really need the exercise and I already know I'll need to adjust to real turf when I can finally play outside.

 

It's not really that tough to make the adjustment, as long as I'm in shape to play.

[Kenny B]

Nice on theoo

 

I'm in the middle of some swing changes from online golf as well.Unfortunately no matter how much I groove it in a mirror or practice it the results never show on the course.I always revert back to my old ways to advance the ball when I'm playing.Almost where our natural swing motions are what we are stuck with.Changing ball position and stance will change,but the swing always stays the same

It's why my instructor always tells me that if you are trying to make a change, don't play golf!  You can not change a habit; you have to replace it with a new habit.  Replacing a habit requires new drills and repeated motion until the change becomes so familiar that it is dominant and replaces the old habit.  If you really want to make a change, you can not practice for a little while, then go out and play.  The result is the same ol,' same ol' because that is "comfortable" to the mind and body.

[Lonnie96]

It's why my instructor always tells me that if you are trying to make a change, don't play golf!  You can not change a habit; you have to replace it with a new habit.  Replacing a habit requires new drills and repeated motion until the change becomes so familiar that it is dominant and replaces the old habit.  If you really want to make a change, you can not practice for a little while, then go out and play.  The result is the same ol,' same ol' because that is "comfortable" to the mind and body.

good point.But how long does it take to change when you have been doing the previous for 3 decades?Been doing an exclusive drill for over a year (daily 30 mins in the mirror) and when I swing it never shows. Sadly it feels like I'm doing it

[Kenny B]

For me, the biggest adjustment from mats to turf is the type of turf.  Mats allow me to mishit the ball (fat) and still have a fairly decent shot.  I can also have very good ball striking days where I am pinching the ball perfectly off a mat and while that inspires confidence, the memory of it is short when I am out on a course where the ground is soft.  There I can pinch the ball perfectly, but there is not the same compression as off a mat and the ball doesn't fly like it does off the mat.  So that is a little discouraging.  (The turf was a lot different in Florida this past month; that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)  If the turf is firm, then all is well.  Right now, we have firm fairways because we have had very little rain.  I see rain coming later this week, so we will see how my ball striking changes with wet turf interaction.

[Kenny B]

good point.But how long does it take to change when you have been doing the previous for 3 decades?Been doing an exclusive drill for over a year (daily 30 mins in the mirror) and when I swing it never shows. Sadly it feels like I'm doing it

The change depends on the person.  When I first committed to the single plane swing, I spent about two months doing drills without really hitting any balls at full speed (such as it is    ).  Also, trying to do it on your own is not the best method.  A coach is needed to periodically monitor your progress.  If you aren't doing the drills correctly, you can actually get worse, and all the effort is wasted.

[sp0rtsfan86]

I hate, hate mats with a passion. The one golf course I go to in NJ has mats, even though they are the crown jewel of the area. I've learned more or less not worry about the shot itself but just work on making solid contact. The second anyone makes a really truly cheap and realistic green is the day that I will be installing it instead of flooring in my house.

[Dhuck Whooker]

A couple of ranges are using higher quality mats, less bounce and shock. Better than hitting balls off the bedroom rug.

It is easy to tell when a shot is hit fat, it goes phlunk, click (bad) instead of click, phlunk (good).

[Kenny B]

A couple of ranges are using higher quality mats, less bounce and shock. Better than hitting balls off the bedroom rug.

It is easy to tell when a shot is hit fat, it goes phlunk, click (bad) instead of click, phlunk (good).

   I think a person's handicap is directly related to their percentage of click, phlunks vs. phlunk, clicks.

[Lonnie96]

I have a lot of patience when it comes to golf.Which is weird side I give up on everything else. That being said, when I get a drill to work on I stick to it as long as I can. Tons tons of mirror work/ half speed swings in a net etc etc.But for some reason it leaves me when taking a full swing . It isn't like I haven't tried to drill it for months or even a year with some drills. I have no understanding why it leaves when it is full speed. Mentioned earlier that it honestly "feels" like I am doing it at full speed as well. But a properly setup camera doesn't lie , and my look goes back to the same swing fault. I honestly believe some of us are plaqued with an ingrained swing that we will never fix. Best we can do is just play for the miss our swings produce and work hard on the short game.That formula yields me the best seasons and scores throughout the years. Eventually we have to play golf, and either the drills and hard work will show or not

[Kenny B]

I have a lot of patience when it comes to golf.Which is weird side I give up on everything else. That being said, when I get a drill to work on I stick to it as long as I can. Tons tons of mirror work/ half speed swings in a net etc etc.But for some reason it leaves me when taking a full swing . It isn't like I haven't tried to drill it for months or even a year with some drills. I have no understanding why it leaves when it is full speed. Mentioned earlier that it honestly "feels" like I am doing it at full speed as well. But a properly setup camera doesn't lie , and my look goes back to the same swing fault. I honestly believe some of us are plaqued with an ingrained swing that we will never fix. Best we can do is just play for the miss our swings produce and work hard on the short game.That formula yields me the best seasons and scores throughout the years. Eventually we have to play golf, and either the drills and hard work will show or not

I can't argue with that.  I fully changed my swing 10 years ago and do pretty well, but there are times when a shot just happens that comes from my past.  Ugly.

 

You say you do the drills with the mirror and half swings.  Have you done full swings at very slow speed with the mirror?  Look for checkpoints in your proper swing that you can see in your slow motion swings.  If you can hit them repeatedly, it should over time change your swing.

 

Have you read "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle?  I think you would find it very interesting.

[Lonnie96]

Yep,did all of that.Slow motion drills full swing and even half speed with a ball. The motion changes show in half speed swings with a ball . When I swing full I lose it all , but feels like I'm doing it ironically. And when I just swing it is completely gone .Been doing these anti ott drills for over a year daily. Just not kicking in and mah never I guess . How it goes , swing to ingrained the wrong way