Your Ah-ha moment?

[Hackabilly 162]

What was that moment, idea, thought, or maybe routine that moved your game from one level to the next? If you remember what you changed each time, that lowered your handicap, that would be great too. I'm about a year and a half in to playing more often and actually trying to get better, but haven't found that thing that has helped me turn the corner yet. There are tons of articles out there that give tips for breaking 100, 90 or even par but I'm hoping (as usual) the MGS community can bring a "real life" spin to this. Plus you folks can be pretty dang entertaining to boot, I look forward to hearing your stories!

 

-Will

 

just starting to build my set

irons: Adams pro A12 3-pw KBS tour

woods: zenith orbiter 3 and 5

driver: Bombtech Grenade 9* Stiff

wedges: tour edge 56*

[Shankster 29,804]

Stronger grip, saved my life. Or at least my golf game. And hours upon hours of wedge game practice. I now need hours upon hours of fairway metal practice, and this game will get easier.

 

 

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[Kenny B 28,562]

I have Ah-ha moments all the time, but they are quickly followed by Ah-sh!t moments.  But that's golf.  I think we all go through days where everything clicks, but it doesn't last.

 

When things started coming together for me was when I gave up trying to develop my own swing, following tips from magazines then later when videos became common.  I picked the type of swing I was looking for and found a teacher and golf school to show me how that golf swing was supposed to feel.  Refreshers are needed because I find that I slip into a bad habit by inadvertently listening to someone telling me a good way to gain more yards using a swing that isn't mine.

[dadivots 336]

All there for me.

Stronger grip. Big difference was that finally a flat left wrist and square club face throughout were just part of my swing. All the toe up or rotate this or that was gone.

Went and found out what the pros really do, not what some minolta swing vision dude said they do.

I think what KennyB says is awesome. Its common thought that you cant do what the pros do and have to have all these bandaids for your swing just to get close. Then more bandaids. Not true. With THE correct ideas and swing mechanics playing to your best ability is quite possible. And the changes are usually quick and quite surprising. Then comes the work and un-learning with real results. A case in point has alwasy been the short guys like Pavin or Leonard who had big success. They did it different, and were therefore shorter, than the truly greats who had distance to begin with. Short was 270+- and 300 is nothing new. Whats new is joe blow can do it. When some guy next to you on the range weighing a buck twenty five can hit it 300 down the pipe it just proves that the technology is in your hands too, and the skies the limit for all of us.

And a change in thinking or approach is usually not done until the clubs are almost on the curb waiting for the trashman.

Which is why KennyB is really on to something......

[cnosil 20,678]

My aha moment was taking lessons.   I know people have the ability to learn how to play on their own; we hear about self taught pros all the time.   My guess is that the self teaching took many hours of dedicated practice.   

 

I would avoid all magazine and TV tips on how to improve your swing.   If you don't apply the right fix, you won't fix your problem and could make things worse.   As Kenny said,  Aha  moments quickly become ah-s*** moments.  If you want to read tips,  read about how to do course management or develop mental strength.

 

In my opinion,  find a pro and work on the basic fundamentals or grip and setup.  

[Golfspy_CG2 29,574]

I think Kenny said it best.

 

There have been many occasions where I thought I found the key to my swing.

 

Only to not be able to find it again.

 

I will say I finally got it through my thick head last year that a really good short game is one of the quickest ways to drop strokes.

 

While I don't claim that mine is really good. Its much more consistent this year than anytime in my golf life.

 

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[Kansas King 478]

In high school my pro taught me the method of Manuel de la Torre. 7 years later I haven't changed and have been a single handicap since. Read "Understanding the Golf Swing" by Manuel de la Torre if you want a natural way to play the game. Warning: it is profoundly simple.

[Kansas King 478]

I guess my advice would be to follow the swing principles of one method. Don't try to combine 300 different tips into one swing. Watching Michael Breed for one hour has the power to ruin your golf swing for weeks.

[Hackabilly 162]

I guess my advice would be to follow the swing principles of one method. Don't try to combine 300 different tips into one swing. Watching Michael Breed for one hour has the power to ruin your golf swing for weeks.

Haha that last sentence makes so much sense!

 

just starting to build my set

irons: Adams pro A12 3-pw KBS tour

woods: zenith orbiter 3 and 5

driver: Bombtech Grenade 9* Stiff

wedges: tour edge 56*

[PlaidJacket 7,733]

I guess my advice would be to follow the swing principles of one method. Don't try to combine 300 different tips into one swing. Watching Michael Breed for one hour has the power to ruin your golf swing for weeks.

 

I'm not so sure about that. I've been playing a long time. 40+ years with a few short breaks or disruptions along the way. My swing isn't a model of any one method or personality. I have taken bits and pieces of good solid fundamental advice along the way and made a game of it. A tip here and there and some good instruction has worked well for me. Everyone is different. So, I can't become Ben Hogan, or Adam Scott, or even Jim Furyk for that matter. What works for these guys works for them. As everyone knows; the moment of truth as the clubface meets the ball is all that really matters anyway. Everything you do before that is your business.

[JDHolmes 208]

Ah ha moment was when i decided to actually think about course management and where i wanted to hit my second shot from.

 

Another...dont hit a trap.

 

Another...there are very very few miraculous revovery shots...quit thinking par and shoot bogey if youre in the woods.

 

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[TBT 3,808]

I think Kenny said it best.

There have been many occasions where I thought I found the key to my swing.

Only to not be able to find it again.

I will say I finally got it through my thick head last year that a really good short game is one of the quickest ways to drop strokes.

While I don't claim that mine is really good. Its much more consistent this year than anytime in my golf life.

Sent from my LG-D850 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

I can't tell you the number of times something's has "clicked" and I'm suddenly flushing every club in the bag and I think "Holy Crap! This is what I've been looking for!" Only to go out the very next day do exactly the same thing and can't swing my way out of a wet paper bag!

[Kenny B 28,562]

I can't tell you the number of times something's has "clicked" and I'm suddenly flushing every club in the bag and I think "Holy Crap! This is what I've been looking for!" Only to go out the very next day do exactly the same thing and can't swing my way out of a wet paper bag!

   The golf gods got you for thinking like that.

[Golfspy_CG2 29,574]

   The golf gods got you for thinking like that.

So true. They don't let us get big heads for very long at all

[Honest Wes 113]

I have Ah-ha moments all the time, but they are quickly followed by Ah-sh!t moments. But that's golf. I think we all go through days where everything clicks, but it doesn't last.

 

When things started coming together for me was when I gave up trying to develop my own swing, following tips from magazines then later when videos became common. I picked the type of swing I was looking for and found a teacher and golf school to show me how that golf swing was supposed to feel. Refreshers are needed because I find that I slip into a bad habit by inadvertently listening to someone telling me a good way to gain more yards using a swing that isn't mine.

Johnny Miller called those wood solutions, works only one day.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Flipper554 881]

What was that moment, idea, thought, or maybe routine that moved your game from one level to the next? If you remember what you changed each time, that lowered your handicap, that would be great too. I'm about a year and a half in to playing more often and actually trying to get better, but haven't found that thing that has helped me turn the corner yet. There are tons of articles out there that give tips for breaking 100, 90 or even par but I'm hoping (as usual) the MGS community can bring a "real life" spin to this. Plus you folks can be pretty dang entertaining to boot, I look forward to hearing your stories!

-Will

just starting to build my set

irons: Adams pro A12 3-pw KBS tour

woods: zenith orbiter 3 and 5

driver: Bombtech Grenade 9* Stiff

wedges: tour edge 56*

Never really had a moment that comes to mind. I worked at a golf course when I was a kid and never thought about playing, it was just a job. When I joined the Airforce some friends convinced me to play and I shot 94 the first time out. Didn't know at the time that it was a good score but I beat two of three guys. After that I was hooked, there was no driving range in the area and even if there was I was poor as dirt at the time. Where I lived there was a large courtyard with a little tree about 30 yards from my side yard. So I would spend hours chipping and pitching balls at that poor little tree. When I went to the course I would chip and putt as much as could. After about 5 years of doing this my cap was down to three. My thought process at the time was I could get near any green in regulation and if I up and down consistently I would score well. It has served me well over the years, I may not be the best ball striker but inside 100 yards I feel very confident that I'm getting up and down. So I guess without knowing any better I taught myself to score.

[GolfSpy_APH 5,086]

Week to week I find small but important things in my game to tweak and change that I would consider ah-ha moments.

The biggest thing two things I found this season are a) 7 iron bump and runs. Not great for all courses but definitely helped my short game.

getting myself to my comfortable yardage for shots into the green. For so long I always tried just to hit it far and get as close as I could regardless. Now I like being really anywhere from 90-135 yards and feel extremely comfortable with those shots in. Often on shorter par 4s rather then using driver/3 wood to get as close as possible I will take 5 iron to get me to my comfortable yardage.

 

 

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[tony@CIC 20,481]

Week to week I find small but important things in my game to tweak and change that I would consider ah-ha moments.

The biggest thing two things I found this season are a) 7 iron bump and runs. Not great for all courses but definitely helped my short game.

getting myself to my comfortable yardage for shots into the green. For so long I always tried just to hit it far and get as close as I could regardless. Now I like being really anywhere from 90-135 yards and feel extremely comfortable with those shots in. Often on shorter par 4s rather then using driver/3 wood to get as close as possible I will take 5 iron to get me to my comfortable yardage.

 

 

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Danbrook

 

I just discovered the 8 iron (in my case) 'bump and run'. I always had a inconsistent short chip shot. More a function of yips rather than technique. Played with someone a month ago that used an 8 iron for 'bump and run' This definitely improved my game

 

 

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[STUDque 12,146]

Danbrook

 

I just discovered the 8 iron (in my case) 'bump and run'. I always had a inconsistent short chip shot. More a function of yips rather than technique. Played with someone a month ago that used an 8 iron for 'bump and run' This definitely improved my game

 

 

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Once I discovered the 8 iron bump, my mind was opened. Up until that point I just assumed you use a sand wedge for everything around the green.

 

Ever since then I've been able to be more creative around the dance floor.

 

 

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[Rtracymog 792]

I realized that when I hinged my backswing, I didn't really get a full hinge. In my practice swing I now take a half swing with a hinge and regrip before I take my shot. A little more power and much more consistent flight and ball striking.

 

 

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