What/How Did You Practice Today?

[NM01]

17 minutes ago, cnosil said:

@JerryB  100% agree with this.  Watch most every professional golfer on the driving range and they are using alignment rods.  

The reason many get out of alignment is because of the parallax. The further away the target the more we look like the target or ball is going to start way out of the actual target. We have to train our mind to accept that and to trust alignment.

Milo Lines had a video or two on it in his course I don’t recall if he has YouTube videos on it, there have been some others, I believe malaska has one (Milo was under Mike for awhile). 
 

While you can work on getting body aligned to two parallel sticks you won’t be able to overcome the parallax issue and train your mind in the garage. This needs to be done with actual targets and hitting the ball

[JerryB]

@RickyBobby_PR @cnosil Yes, exactly!!  It's not so much that I'm pin hunting (although I'm guilty of that too often) it's more of the concept of the second alignment stick that didn't really click in my head until yesterday.  In my head that second stick didn't make sense because how could it be parallel and also point towards the target?  (In other news, I'm surprisingly dense at times.) I have to line myself up to a point just left of my target

Mike Birbiglia had a funny bit where he would do or say something really stupid and then demonstrate the waves of realization cascading over him once he figured out how dumb he was.  This was me several times yesterday.

[MacTourney]

Aiming us before aiming the club face can cause issues, which is what sticks on the ground tend to do, with the end product.    Sticks on the ground can serve a purpose but getting engaged to them can be more risky than keeping them as a one night stand.    Repeat a swing that hits hard and flush then aim that, like Trevino advocates,  if you have a sound walk-in to the ball, and there are couple real good ways to do that.  Champions Golf Club has an unwritten rule about sticks, leave them home.

Here is a great way to use sticks.

https://www.secretgolf.com/videos/profiles/bradley-hughes/drills/bradley-hughes--aim-drill

 

[vandyland]

Hit 50% shots (between shaft parallel and arm parallel) and working on hitting start lines and watching ball flight. After hitting about 30 a little wipey, I came to the conclusion that my clubface should be more "square to path" going back rather than closer to toe up (technically open). 

Edited April 17, 2023 by vandyland

[Merlin1313]

While I was playing on Saturday, I remembered how we (MGSers) were talking about "bump and runs". There wasn't a lot of people out because of the weather, so I practiced around the greens with my GW and found out that its a really great club to do that with. It was really easy and effective(except for the couple I chunked or bladed). It's a lot better in the long run than using my LWs or SW. I scared the cup quite a few times and actually hit the pin twice.

After playing and figuring out that I was doing MULTIPLE things wrong with my backswing, I figured what was wrong and was the cause of my less than stellar play.

I revisited my Jim Hardy DVDs and after about 2 minutes in each section of the backswing DVD, I figured out everything I wasn't doing right. I went into the back yard and retrained myself on the proper form and actions. Went down to the local park and practiced what I'd relearned. It's AMAZING what happens when you properly execute your backswing.

[Haro]

placing a dime 3 feet past  the cup and visualizing  rolling the golf ball to that spot really helps me  and just letting the ball drop into the cup as in the way

I use to aim at the cup and I lipped out at lot, 

It feels like when I played basketball  when ever I had success in free throws I would aim for the back netting and I was able to visualize the ball swishing   If I aim for the rim i would hit the rim or rim out

Obviously for a layup it was different  can use the rim hoop as a target   I think that like analogy  like inside 2.5 feet for a putt

Edited April 17, 2023 by Haro

[Dweed]

Temps dropped 45 degrees over night and lots of snow showers. Tough to take when last week was in 70's-80's. Had to hit balls into the ole net in the barn. Swinging when it's 42 degrees is a slow process. Maybe midweek it'll be back to 50's.

[cksurfdude]

On 4/16/2023 at 9:06 PM, Shapotomous said:

After about 3 more holes of miserable golf we decided to play a little differently instead of leaving.  We would each choose a club for each other and we had to use that club for all shots on that hole.  

Of course!!! Such a great solution to the otherwise intractable problem of s.l.o.o.o.w play! Thx for that

So from now on instead of just standing there irritated and grumbling at the antics and bumbling of the group(s) in front of me .. gonna drop another ball and practice using different clubs to chip or bump & run to a spot, or maybe challenge someone to an impromptu chipping contest or work on distance control on hybrid or wood putts...

Amongst Jimmy Buffett's many fun songs one has the lines... "Like the jitterbug .. it was just so plain and simple .. it had plumb evaded me"

[ZackS]

Went out after work and continued my practice/testing of the Mizuno RB Tour and Wilson Triad balls. Found a little par 3 course by work. Was not in the greatest shape but $15 it was a fun little walk and good practice.  Another windy day but not a bad thing for testing the balls since I live in Texas and wind performance is important. I was impressed with both ball. Mizuno seemed very good into the wind but have some durability concerns.

[GaryF]

A week ago I had a lesson and we did the 2 ball drill to address my OTT issue.  Secondarily, I get a lot of pull draws and really struggle with iron accuracy,  I rarely shank, actually never, but do come OTT.  I really struggled with the drill, and never hit the target ball cleanly.  

The next 2 days, I played 9 holes and played reasonably well.  Then played Saturday and had one of my worst rounds over the past few years.  Went to the range today to erase Saturday.  Started off ok, but not great then gradually started feeling better and more in rhythm.   At the end, I decided to try the 2 ball drill.  I hit about 35 balls.  First 5 were 3/4 swing gap wedge.  Next 10 were 7i, next 20 were 6i.  Every hit was clean.  It really forced me to come inside, and I never once grazed the outer ball.  And even better to my surprise, my shot dispersion was very tight at the target. 

[mikeanthony]

10 hours ago, cksurfdude said:

Such a great solution to the otherwise intractable problem of s.l.o.o.o.w play!

Myself and our Sunday group have gotten spoiled with 7am tee time starts (anywhere from being within the first 3 to 4 groups out) over the past 4 to 5 years, we're finished within 3.5 hours and back in our cars by 11am ... but my goodness, the occasional times where we tee off anywhere after 12/noon, it's awful. 

But I will admit, I play better during the afternoon hours with my body being awake, the warmer weather, morning dew has burned off, the ball goes a half-club to a whole club further ... we have a rule that we'll play a nicer course with higher green fees if we're going to do an afternoon round. Not as crowded, "generally" better players LOL or golfers that are familiar with pace of place etiquette, and it isn't a 5+ hr round. 

[JakeSmith2316]

So the snow finally melted and the courses opened which meant I could work on my practically new bag of clubs and start to get a feel for them. Main thing was just make good contact and focus on the bottom of the swing path being in front of the ball with my irons and wedges. Biggest thing I learned was that my 54 and 58 need to have a little different swing, which I figured would be the case. Overall was a good range day to open my season and I hope to get out and play by the end of the week. 

[Big moose]

I posted here for help with my chipping and pitching, well I tried different options and found out I was standing way too close to the ball. I moved 6 to 7 inches from the ball and started hitting really nice shots. Thanks to anyone who tried to help I really appreciate that. 

[jbern]

I was having trouble hitting my line when putting on the course last week. So I bought one of those cheap putting mirrors off Amazon to check where my eyes were. I used it last night, and my eyes were not even on the mirror when I set up to the ball the first time. All I could see was the top of my hair. After feeling super awkward for the first 5 minutes, I think things are coming around.

[cnosil]

15 minutes ago, jbern said:

I was having trouble hitting my line when putting on the course last week. So I bought one of those cheap putting mirrors off Amazon to check where my eyes were. I used it last night, and my eyes were not even on the mirror when I set up to the ball the first time. All I could see was the top of my hair. After feeling super awkward for the first 5 minutes, I think things are coming around.

Dumb question, where do you think your eyes should be and why? 

[ZackS]

2 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Dumb question, where do you think your eyes should be and why? 

They should be in your head. You have real issues if they aren't.

[cnosil]

5 minutes ago, ZackS said:

They should be in your head. You have real issues if they aren't.

I guess his wanting them on the mirror is a bad thing

[jbern]

11 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Dumb question, where do you think your eyes should be and why? 

Totally agree with @ZackS! hahaha

As far as seeing your eyes in the mirror goes, I try to have my left eye over or just below the ball (see circle below). Seems to really help me see the line and get the putter more square and down the line at impact.

 

[cnosil]

1 minute ago, jbern said:

As far as seeing your eyes in the mirror goes, I try to have my left eye over or just below the ball (see circle below). Seems to really help me see the line and get the putter more square and down the line at impact.

 

Was just wondering if you were going by the outdated notion that eyes needed to be over the ball that many instructors and putting videos  promote.  

[Kenny B]

 

1 minute ago, jbern said:

Totally agree with @ZackS! hahaha

As far as seeing your eyes in the mirror goes, I try to have my left eye over or just below the ball (see circle below). Seems to really help me see the line and get the putter more square and down the line at impact.

 

Putting with eyes over the ball great for some people; not for everyone though.  If it works for you, great!  

 I have my eyes over the ball, but my putter was fitted by Ping in that position.  The lie angle must be adjusted to fit the way you stand over the ball.  My wife does not have her eyes over the ball, and putts as well as I do.

[chisag]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Was just wondering if you were going by the outdated notion that eyes needed to be over the ball that many instructors and putting videos  promote.  

 

... One of the many "starting points" in golf. Most may find a straight back straight through works better with your eyes over the ball and on the line and those with a gate or arc stroke may find eyes inside the line 1-3" works better. Much better. That said, everything golfer is different and putting is uniquely personal.  

[Merlin1313]

So- it was actually yesterday- but....... When I went out Saturday my backswing was ALL bassackwards and I couldn't find the ball for a majority of my shots. I tried numerous different things to correct it (EXCEPT- going back to the basic parts of my swing). It worked for a while then something else would not be right. When I got home, I thought about where my MAIN issues were and it was in the backswing. After watching my DVD and practicing in the backyard and nearby park, I figured out what I was doing wrong. 

I went to the range last night and tried to see if I had made any "real" improvements. I'm thinking I did

Edited April 18, 2023 by Merlin1313

[jbern]

2 hours ago, Kenny B said:

 

Putting with eyes over the ball great for some people; not for everyone though.  If it works for you, great!  

 I have my eyes over the ball, but my putter was fitted by Ping in that position.  The lie angle must be adjusted to fit the way you stand over the ball.  My wife does not have her eyes over the ball, and putts as well as I do.

It’s definitely not for everyone!  One of the best putters in the league I played in last year stood about 45 degrees from his line and about 30 inches away from the ball and would just drain putts all day. I wouldn’t take putting lessons from the guy, but man was I jealous.
I am about as straight back straight through of a putter as you can get which is why I think it helps me. I also think that the mirror in general, no matter where your reflection is, is going to help build consistency.   

[revkev]

On 4/17/2023 at 9:20 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

The reason many get out of alignment is because of the parallax. The further away the target the more we look like the target or ball is going to start way out of the actual target. We have to train our mind to accept that and to trust alignment.

Milo Lines had a video or two on it in his course I don’t recall if he has YouTube videos on it, there have been some others, I believe malaska has one (Milo was under Mike for awhile). 
 

While you can work on getting body aligned to two parallel sticks you won’t be able to overcome the parallax issue and train your mind in the garage. This needs to be done with actual targets and hitting the ball

I don't know - You can work on an intermediate target in the garage - when I'm hitting into the backyard net I always go behind the ball, visualize what I want the shot to look like, picture some sort of hole that I regularly play and have an intermediate target a bit in front of the ball just like on the course.  Maybe it's that I don't want to waste any swings at my age but I'm always trying to have a purpose when hitting a golf ball.  Of course it's best to hit balls live but there are things that can be worked on without that.  

[IndyBonzo]

I just couldn’t stand looking out the window anymore, and snuck over to the range to hit a small bucket. This was after doing a little research about why I was hitting everything thin and rightward.  It was the grip, stupid.  My grip was way too weak. I reverted to the stronger Freddie Couples grip, and it clicked. The bounce and power were back, and the accuracy was back with a baby draw.  My inventive golf brain will find something else to screw up next. But that was a relief to find out that nothing more fundamental, or should I say more difficult to remedy, was wrong.

[NM01]

1 hour ago, revkev said:

I don't know - You can work on an intermediate target in the garage - when I'm hitting into the backyard net I always go behind the ball, visualize what I want the shot to look like, picture some sort of hole that I regularly play and have an intermediate target a bit in front of the ball just like on the course.  Maybe it's that I don't want to waste any swings at my age but I'm always trying to have a purpose when hitting a golf ball.  Of course it's best to hit balls live but there are things that can be worked on without that.  

The true parallax can’t be seen in the garage. The further the target the bigger the parallax. If you have a target 200 yards out it’s going to look at lot more to the right than if you had a 100 yard target. 
 

Using an intermediate target is good because you can track from  the target back to your intermediate target and line up to that. The thing is most people don’t line up properly to start with and then get over the ball and focus on the target and get even more out of whack

Not sure what any of this has to do with wasting shots. If one goes to a range to practice alignment or they do it in the garage it’s the same number of swings, the value of being on a range for getting proper alignment to longer targets is going to be better for the golfer.

Practice in a garage or net is great for working on swing mechanics because it removes result of the shot from affecting what the golfer does next

[revkev]

13 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

The true parallax can’t be seen in the garage. The further the target the bigger the parallax. If you have a target 200 yards out it’s going to look at lot more to the right than if you had a 100 yard target. 
 

Using an intermediate target is good because you can track from  the target back to your intermediate target and line up to that. The thing is most people don’t line up properly to start with and then get over the ball and focus on the target and get even more out of whack

Not sure what any of this has to do with wasting shots. If one goes to a range to practice alignment or they do it in the garage it’s the same number of swings, the value of being on a range for getting proper alignment to longer targets is going to be better for the golfer.

Practice in a garage or net is great for working on swing mechanics because it removes result of the shot from affecting what the golfer does next

Lots of people just whack balls into a net aimlessly in the same way that my middle schoolers blow through a bucket before I can even tell them to pick out a target and work on grip, alignment, preshot routine, etc.   Whether it's a shot into a net, a ball on the range or on the course I try and treat it the same way - that's what I meant by "wasted" shots.

 

I do agree that there the ideal is to practice on a range to a target at distance.  I also agree that for some reason - the parallax sounds like a great movie  some people have issues with proper alignment to a target at distance.  I'm simply saying that hitting into a net is not without benefit, even for alignment.  I would not ignore alignment while hitting into a net that's for certain.  

[Bang60]

3 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... One of the many "starting points" in golf. Most may find a straight back straight through works better with your eyes over the ball and on the line and those with a gate or arc stroke may find eyes inside the line 1-3" works better. Much better. That said, everything golfer is different and putting is uniquely personal.  

I’m not sure how I do it I just putt and sometimes great and sometimes lousy

[Shiram]

1/2 and 3/4 wedge shots - dialing in my 10y gaps from 20-120 yards.

[EasyPutter]

7 hours ago, Merlin1313 said:

So- it was actually yesterday- but....... When I went out Saturday my backswing was ALL bassackwards and I couldn't find the ball for a majority of my shots. I tried numerous different things to correct it (EXCEPT- going back to the basic parts of my swing). It worked for a while then something else would not be right. When I got home, I thought about where my MAIN issues were and it was in the backswing. After watching my DVD and practicing in the backyard and nearby park, I figured out what I was doing wrong. 

I went to the range last night and tried to see if I had made any "real" improvements. I'm thinking I did

@sirchunksalot Jason I think you have a kindred spirit here who also keeps Dr. Scholl's in business with foot powder spray!  

Hey I wonder what @Yellow Ball thinks about all that white powder getting on a clean "other" color jacket?