What/How Did You Practice Today?

[RickyBobby_PR]

29 minutes ago, CarlH said:

As you know, feel and real aren't always the same.  Doing the drill, I was very deliberate about holding the pause.  But, on the course, I would think that my feel of a pause would really be just a more deliberate change of direction.  

For sure feel and real are completely different and especially in the golf swing.

The hope would be that is how it would translate to the course but unless you do that in practice along with the drill it may not.

Like I said it’s a great drill and feel. 

[chisag]

2 hours ago, CarlH said:

I have never been one that paused at the top of my swing, so this was an interesting drill.  It may merit exploring the pause deeper to see if it improves my ball striking on course....not a long pause, but the feel of one, anyway.  @chisag-- any thoughts on an intentional pause?  I did notice that the move helped ensure that I finished the backswing (which is a fault that I occasionally find in my swing)

 

... I started out copying Fred Couples swing and developed a natural pause making sure I started my swing with my lower body and it has stayed with me. Just an ever so slight but obvious pause at the top of my swing so you are preaching to the choir. It wasn't something I tried to do, it just happened and I stayed with it. I also think it is a great drill and as you said it can help your downswing sequencing as well as identifying potential problems in your swing. I used to with students and a few made it part of their normal swing. 

... I watched Larry Mize on the practice range at Riviera in the early 90's and he was hitting 3 irons to a wheelbarrow on the right side of the range, actually hitting it quite a few times. He would swing to the top of his backswing and freeze, turn his head to see the positions of his hands/club head, make minute adjustments and then turn back to look at the ball and and start his down swing. He would follow it with a normal swing and alternate with the drill. One of my first experiences with just how good these guys are because there was no difference in trajectory and distance between his drill swing and his real swing.  

[RichL85]

Since the house caught the plague last week we have all been staying home and I've been able to work from home. Most of the family is pretty much recovered with a few lingering symptoms so I took a chance to set up the Spornia net to hit some balls. Considering not being at 100% and not having made any swings for a few weeks, I was not too unhappy with where my swing is. The weirdest feel that seems to work for me is to think of the shaft being in line with my left arm at the top. It's obviously no where near there in actuality, but that's what I'm thinking at that point to minimize the tendency to cup the wrist. I've got a few other things to work on, but things are coming along pretty well. Once I'm feeling better I will need to head to the course to get a few rounds in during the slow season at work. 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Lots worked on. 
 

range was focusing on a new feel my coach gave of getting my lead shoulder up and out. Got to video this time. I can get that move to work up to half swings. Full swings I still dip instead of move it up and away. Driver was also rough. Was struggling with face contact. Even tried my other shafts I have and they were worse. Then practiced some long clubs off a tee since I’ll need to use them that way Saturday. Strangely, after I hit my first 4w on a tee, anything and everything was top city with my clubs. Trying to just shake it off as a swing change happening and hope it self organizes in time. May need to move to external thoughts. 
 

Moved to the putting green. Tried a gate drill with tees. That is hard!  Worked on it with lag putts of different distances. Then the Tiger face control drill which I struggled with. When I did it without heads up putting I was fine. 
 

Lastly moved to the chipping green and experimented with targets and different lies. Trying to take from the Four Foundations book of just getting it on the green and close to the hole. Don’t be cute and let your natural dispersion work for you. Also messed with the face going open and closed. Can hit some nice two hop and stops with it square to close. Open face can get some high balls but more thins happened as it feels I am sliding the club under. 
 

Happy Grinding all!

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

range was focusing on a new feel my coach gave of getting my lead shoulder up and out.

I saw you post about this the other day. This is the first time I have heard a coach not talk about lead shoulder down at the start of the transition as knee flex increases in both knees. 
 

Curious to see the video of what he’s trying to get to happen.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

I saw you post about this the other day. This is the first time I have heard a coach not talk about lead shoulder down at the start of the transition as knee flex increases in both knees. 
 

Curious to see the video of what he’s trying to get to happen.

Because dipping too much for me causes my hands to work in the wrong direction instead of down in transition 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Definitely and interesting thought and approach to fixing and issue.

I know he’s all about matchups but I’m surprised he’s not trying to fix other matchups to get you in a better position to make the transition.

Will be following to see how this move works for you 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

8 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Definitely and interesting thought and approach to fixing and issue.

I know he’s all about matchups but I’m surprised he’s not trying to fix other matchups to get you in a better position to make the transition.

Will be following to see how this move works for you 

It is. We have been together since March and he has helped me a lot in terms of my takeaway and getting to the top. My shoulder mobility is low so he has to get creative in matchups that work for me. So far I am almost a club longer compared to my fitting 2 years ago with the lessons he has provided. 

[chisag]

Just now, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

It is. We have been together since March and he has helped me a lot in terms of my takeaway and getting to the top. My shoulder mobility is low so he has to get creative in matchups that work for me. So far I am almost a club longer compared to my fitting 2 years ago with the lessons he has provided. 

 

... One of the things I told my students was their lessons are designed for them specifically so don't give others advice about what worked for them in a lesson. I often gave advice that was "fundamentally incorrect" but helped the student get to where they needed to be. As an example, asking a student to move their head away from the target by a full 2' on their backswing. Of course I didn't want them moving their head 2' but because they had a reverse pivot and actually moved their head toward the target on the backswing, asking the to move it 2' backwards often helped them keep a steady head that didn't move much at all but to them it felt like moving it 2' backwards. This is one of the reasons I rarely give advice to anyone already working with an instructor because I don't know that instructors plan for that student. Glad to hear your instructor is working for you!  

[GolfSpy TCB]

On 7/4/2022 at 1:29 PM, PMookie said:

Went to the range and chipping area today for about 2 hours. Hot as blazes! Sweated through 7 gloves, two of them twice!!! As always, I got things going on the range, just hoping it will someday transfer to the course!!!!

I feel you PM!  

[cksurfdude]

Made a small bit of a self-discovery in the past few days ... one of my (many) swing problems is my balance is off... Guess I'd read about this tip somewhere so have started doing some training swings, including with an Orange Whip, with my eyes closed - really helps to very literally feel where things are going "wrong"!!

[edingc]

Getting back to working on changes from my last lesson. Been guilty of playing too much and not being as focused on making the changes I need to make when I'm on the range.

Trying to get to a point where my face in a lot more stable through impact. My "natural" swing is more of a rolling release, which is fine when my timing is on, but is miserable when it's not. My coach wants me to feel my right arm coming underneath more through the hit. 

Figured out I really need to work on my pivot/turn to get this working correctly, otherwise I hit blocks or thin fades if my trail hip doesn't get out of the way. Practiced with my Super Hybrid, which I almost never do, and hit some really solid ones that hit the fence at the end of the range on a couple hops. I was very happy with that. Just need to be able to take this to the course now.

[cksurfdude]

Practiced at the the range a bit today, after a bunch of putting practice (and then a little workout and a shower).

But the more interesting thing to relate - after all that sat on the deck (yes with a cold one) overlooking the first tee and the putting green .. there was one (30ish?) younger guy and one (70?) older guy each working with dropping a ball just in the rough off the green...

Younger guy: lob wedge, small chipping stroke.

Older guy: putter and the "putter pop".

Both were equally effective at getting the balls close to the little flags they were going for, buuuut.... Obviously both require a lotta practice to develop that good touch!

[sirchunksalot]

Took @chisag's advice today at the range. I warmed up with wedges where I promptly shanked the first five balls until I figured out I wasn't rotating on the short shots. 

After that I hit a few more iron shots to warm up, then started the drill. Since I was hitting of a mat, I could only set up about five balls at a time to hit, step, hit, step, etc... It was eye opening to see how well I hit those shots without setting up like normal. I went through several rounds doing that and I'll say I was pretty gassed after a while. 

I finished the day doing the Monte wait drill I saw on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgXUq2OJoty/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

When I did hit normal shots, it wasn't quite as good as the last time I got out. I'm going to chalk it up to not being able to get out last week and hit. I was staying back too much on my follow through which is frustrating because I can take practice swings and it's so good. It's all a work in progress and I'm excited to see where my game goes from here. 

[revkev]

So I got new glasses this week. The change in prescriptions from the last one to this one is significant. 
 

Predictably that really messed me up. I couldn’t get comfortable, didn’t make consistent contact and had a few that were down right embarrassing. 
 

The good news was that I saw every shot even though they were all over the place. I’ve had times over the past 6 months when I saw zero shots. 
 

Hopefully I get used to these quickly - like before tomorrow afternoon’s round 

[RichL85]

Sent off some new videos for critique. Today the swing felt pretty good and seeing about 1.5 clubs more distance than I was when I started the lessons. I know I'm still leaving some distance on the table, but hitting these distances with what I call my "lazy swing" is still a pretty significant improvement. I am likely my harshest critic (aren't most of us?) but every time I see video, I just see pure laziness in my swing. The biggest thought for me recently is feeling like my hips start moving towards the target pretty early. If I don't feel like I exaggerate that early I end up staying back throughout the swing. 

[Shapotomous]

12 hours ago, revkev said:

So I got new glasses this week. The change in prescriptions from the last one to this one is significant. 
 

Predictably that really messed me up. I couldn’t get comfortable, didn’t make consistent contact and had a few that were down right embarrassing. 
 

The good news was that I saw every shot even though they were all over the place. I’ve had times over the past 6 months when I saw zero shots. 
 

Hopefully I get used to these quickly - like before tomorrow afternoon’s round 

I tried transitioning to new glasses a couple years ago and the 'script change (distance only glasses) was enough to throw me way off when swinging at the ball.  I couldn't get used to it (probably wasn't patient enough) and ditched my glasses while playing.  The downside is I have a really hard time following the ball flight in certain light / sky conditions.  

I have not been practicing enough this summer and my game is showing it with inconsistency.  I got the wedges out last evening and hit the 57* and 53* for about 50 balls each.  After the first 10 i felt less "herky jerky" (technical golf term for my swing!  ) and had the ball flight and dispersion I was hoping for.  If I missed it was consistently a few yards left which is better than the inconsistent 2 way miss I have been seeing on the course.  I need to get serious about practicing this week for next saturdays mid atlantic spy get together and especially the wedge fitting session!!

[mikeanthony]

18 hours ago, sirchunksalot said:

Took @chisag's advice today at the range. I warmed up with wedges where I promptly shanked the first five balls until I figured out I wasn't rotating on the short shots. 

+1 on having done that many a times.

And also did the same this morning, took my wedges and putter only to the course and spent a good 90 minutes in the short game area. Embarrassed to say it’s been a while since I practiced bunker shots, and it felt nice to hit some good shots and mentally feel rewarded. 

With putting, found a straight line to the hole, about 9ft out … lined up each putt, did my routine, and just practice a good stroke and head down thru contact. 

[cnosil]

23 hours ago, sirchunksalot said:

 I warmed up with wedges where I promptly shanked the first five balls until I figured out I wasn't rotating on the short shots. 

Better to hit those kind of shots are the range.   Been doing some wedge stuff at MGS and hit a few shanks and when they hit the walls they have an tendency to bounce around quite a bit....gotta be alert when inside 

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Better to hit those kind of shots are the range.   Been doing some wedge stuff at MGS and hit a few shanks and when they hit the walls they have an tendency to bounce around quite a bit....gotta be alert when inside 

Are you saying you "christened" the walls?  

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, Kenny B said:

Are you saying you "christened" the walls?  

I am not the first nor will I be the last;  wet wedges tends to create some issues.   They used to have TVs but they got hit a few times......I never hit one of them.   

 

[Kenny B]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

I am not the first nor will I be the last;  wet wedges tends to create some issues.   They used to have TVs but they got hit a few times......I never hit one of them.   

 

I've hit my side wall many times in my hitting bay, and they fly all over!  When I try something new and when I am just warming up, I always start with Almost Golf Balls.  I do have a large window behind me on the left wall that I worried about.

That hitting bay is gone now. It was demolished last month and new concrete footings and floor was poured 2 weeks ago.  Walls are going up hopefully tomorrow, and I will soon have a new hitting bay with heat and A/C.  The walls will be well-protected, but that large window will still be there so there has to be no chance that balls will be bouncing around.

[RichL85]

Consecutive days of solid practice. Something is seriously going wrong in the world today. Most frustrating part of the day was the launch monitor not picking up the ball. Had quite a few shots that felt and sounded good to look back and the only thing it caught was clubhead speed. I'm tempted to take my clubs down to Santa Clarita tomorrow and find a course after I finish up work for the day. In theory it's a better way to spend the evening compared to hanging out at my hotel like usual. 

[Prodigal Duffer]

I’m coming back to the game from a very long hiatus. I’ve been hooking my shots hard, so today I practiced the fundamentals - grip, twist, and pull. Used Birdie Balls in the backyard. Super fun way to practice and it makes it hard for me to skip.

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, RichL85 said:

Consecutive days of solid practice. Something is seriously going wrong in the world today. Most frustrating part of the day was the launch monitor not picking up the ball. Had quite a few shots that felt and sounded good to look back and the only thing it caught was clubhead speed. I'm tempted to take my clubs down to Santa Clarita tomorrow and find a course after I finish up work for the day. In theory it's a better way to spend the evening compared to hanging out at my hotel like usual. 

Used to do that all the time.  I spent many hours after work on Kirkland AFB in ABQ at their golf course.  Well, it was on the way back to the hotel anyway!  

[JerryB]

Been leaving a lot of putts short lately.  Having little experience I figured the best solution is to add a couple strips of lead tape and hit the basement for some practice.  Spent a good 40 minutes moving up the ladder up to about six feet. 

Making minor adjustments, I think I've determined that I need to line up the putter ever so slightly on the heel side of center.  I also seem to strike it with better control if I set up an inch or two behind the ball rather than directly behind.  

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Went to the course after the gym. Brought my plane mate just to get feels for pitching. Then hit various pitches out of different lies to the different pitching practice greens with my 54 and 58. Was some fun practice.

Incoming I have the Putting Sword with eyeline mirror and some target circles coming in. Gonna take my short game by the horns while my swing is still coming into form

[Kenny B]

2 hours ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

Went to the course after the gym. Brought my plane mate just to get feels for pitching. Then hit various pitches out of different lies to the different pitching practice greens with my 54 and 58. Was some fun practice.

Incoming I have the Putting Sword with eyeline mirror and some target circles coming in. Gonna take my short game by the horns while my swing is still coming into form

It's about time!!    Just kidding.

Practicing the short game is a lot more fun for me than full swing practice.  I enjoy practicing different shots to the same target and creating different lies... with the same club as well as changing clubs.  I learn what shots I'm better at, and I will spend more time on the shots I'm not... if I feel that they are worth putting into my arsenal.  

I don't spend much on putting drills, since I am not focused on the ball when I putt.  Since I look at the hole during my stroke, I spend my putting practice time making sure that the face angle is square during the strike by using a right-hand-only stroke... ala Tiger.  Once I feel good about the stroke, I then spend the rest of putting practice getting the speed correct by putting to random distance holes... always mixing it up.  Building feel.

I can see that putting aids would be beneficial when looking at the ball during the stroke.  You have to make sure that your setup and stroke is repeatable.  

Biggest problem I see when people putt is movement of their lower body.  Tendency is to rotate a little; probably a carryover from swinging other clubs.  I did that, and I have to check for that during practice.  When I make my right-hand-only putts, my left hand is on my hip.  If I rotate, I can feel it.

[mikeanthony]

Whenever life gets me busy and distracted, I need to make a more concerted effort to visit the forum to see all the “how’d you play and practice posts” … it’s motivating. 

Was able to squeeze in a range sesh this afternoon … started with GW, to 9i, and by 7i I was soaking in sweat and felt my grip beginning to slip a few balls into the 7i. 

Good stuff all around … took a break and went to driver, and for once, all straight to slight baby fades with every ball. It’s been a looong time since I didn’t have at least one driver ball sweep wayyy out to the right with a sweeping fade. Still struggling to get the driver swing speed over 100 though. 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

1 hour ago, Kenny B said:

It's about time!!    Just kidding.

Practicing the short game is a lot more fun for me than full swing practice.  I enjoy practicing different shots to the same target and creating different lies... with the same club as well as changing clubs.  I learn what shots I'm better at, and I will spend more time on the shots I'm not... if I feel that they are worth putting into my arsenal.  

I don't spend much on putting drills, since I am not focused on the ball when I putt.  Since I look at the hole during my stroke, I spend my putting practice time making sure that the face angle is square during the strike by using a right-hand-only stroke... ala Tiger.  Once I feel good about the stroke, I then spend the rest of putting practice getting the speed correct by putting to random distance holes... always mixing it up.  Building feel.

I can see that putting aids would be beneficial when looking at the ball during the stroke.  You have to make sure that your setup and stroke is repeatable.  

Biggest problem I see when people putt is movement of their lower body.  Tendency is to rotate a little; probably a carryover from swinging other clubs.  I did that, and I have to check for that during practice.  When I make my right-hand-only putts, my left hand is on my hip.  If I rotate, I can feel it.

Ya i heads up putt too but my alignment at times worries me. What i got them for was alignment and start line. if i can nail those down, then i know my green reading needs work.

The wedge practice was the most fun session i had in a while.