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MPR: The Single Digit Project


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2 minutes ago, Shankster said:

You should put Tiger’s, Justin Roses, Louis Oostuizen’s, and some of the other great ball strikers impact vs address position. You’ll notice every one of them has higher hands at impact.

I got caught up on that last year and it messed me all up.

Keep up the good work though.

Adam Young mentioned the same thing to me on Twitter.

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

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On 3/21/2019 at 8:07 PM, GolfSpy MPR said:

So I've created a Google Sheets spreadsheet to track my SkyTrak skills challenges. Here's where things stand through three attempts:

Screenshot_20190321-175718.jpg

MPR:  Nerdy suggestion - transpose your data headings and data input; ie. put the data headings going across the top row and then enter your session data as "row inputs" ... so each new date is in Column A, Row (last+1) and then next data element is in Column B, Row (last+1), etc. Then freeze the heading row(s) at top.

A sheet has more rows going down, vs columns across; it's easier to keep a growing list of data. I also find it easier to add in Column aggregates, eg. Max, Min, Median, Std Dev, etc.

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

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Another skills assessment completed. Another very solid result:

Screenshot_20190329_162659.jpg

And the comparison with previous attempts:

Screenshot_20190329-162608.jpg

A few observations. First, @cksurfdude, I'll give that approach a try. Saw your post as I was posting this time.

Second, I finally got some good results at the 105 and 120 distances.

Third, though the handicap was slightly higher than last time, the dispersion was tighter. Just need to move the pattern slightly right.

Finally, I had what seemed to be useful swing thoughts throughout. First, I traced a line with my eyes from my target back to the ball, and set up to that line. That seemed to help get everything set up well.

Second, my main thought was to imagine I was throwing a medicine ball. It's something I've been doing. Getting into my setup with that thought, imagining holding the weight of the ball, forces me to get a nice stable base. And swinging with the thought of throwing the ball down my target line freed my mind from a lot of technical swing ideas. In general, that seemed really productive.

Still doing a lot of lurching forward in the backswing through transition; I'm thinking that if I don't take the club back quite so far inside, that might help (and more importantly, might help me fight the left pattern).

 

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

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  • 2 weeks later...

So there's been a bit of a setback.

image.png

This is what happens when you're trying to work on swing form and actual results at the same time. I do not want to fall into the trap of playing "golf swing," but at the same time, there are changes to my swing that I want to make for functional reasons. In particular, I want to calm down my lunge toward the ball at the top of my backswing into transition. My weight comes forward, and I have to stand up to save the shot.

I'm decent at it, but it not a recipe for consistent golf. That said, making a swing adjustment while doing a skills assessment isn't a plan for good numbers 🙂

So there were some really ugly results in here, but one point worth noting: I actually had a predominantly right miss with the swing I was using. So although I was struggling to strike the ball well (leaving a lot of shots short), I was pretty successful in fighting off the snap hook that I get with my normal swing.

So it's still a work in progress. And I think we're getting another foot of snow this week, so I still have plenty of time to keep grinding before I face a real course.

Here's a swing from my practice at the end of last week. Still not keeping back entirely, but better than before:

 

[Looking forward to spring, not only for golf, but because I'll be doing a thorough garage cleaning.]

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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Such a nice sound. Hope the warmer weather reaches you soon! 

Unofficial WHS Handicap: 7.5 / Anti-Cap: 13.0 (Last Updated Feb. 19, 2024)

Driver: callaway_logo.png.3dd18aa65544000dd0ea3901697a8261.png Callaway Paradym TD (10.5°, -1/N), 45.75", Fujikura Motore X F1 6X | Fitting Post
3 Wood: 
cobra_logo.png.190908c8b4518eec87c087429e4343ee.png Cobra RadSpeed Big Tour (14.5°), 43", Fujikura Motore X F1 7X
20° Hybrid: PXG_Logo.png.8401024d1fb8aec46f0e790c1aa5b80c.png PXG 0211 (2020 Model), 40.25", Mitsubishi Tensei AV RAW White 90X
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logo-Ben-Hogan-large.png.98d743ae5487285c6406a1e30a0a63b5.png Ben Hogan PTx Pro, 37" 7 Iron, Aerotech SteelFiber i125cw Stiff | Club Champion Fitting
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Putter:
image.png.49fcc172a1ed0010d930fbe1c5dc8b79.png L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1, 36", 68°, Black with Custom Sightlines, BGT Stability Tour, L.A.B. Press II 3° | Unofficial Review
Grips: 
stargrip.png.4285948f41f1409613266e7803f0bbaa.png Star Sidewinder, Undersized with Custom Tape Build-Up
Ball: :Snell:Snell MTB-X Optic Yellow

Tracked By: shotscope.png.4a7089f2bddff325285b1266a61dda03.png  Shot Scope H4
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MPR good work. Don’t worry about the garage. It happens up here, you get ready to clean it in November and then it’s -2000° the next day with 14’ of snow piled up... I know first hand. Sending you a PM for something I’ve noticed in your videos, not a professional tip just a set of eyes that videos himself swinging the golf clubs too.

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Continuing to explore the features of the SkyTrak to help me reach my goal. Even since I first read Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, I've been a bit intrigued by the clock wedge system. But without a range, I've really had no way to get my numbers, and so my short game approach has been to use my SW for every partial swing shot, unless the situation explicitly called for a LW.

So the fact that the SkyTrak has a wedge matrix feature built in is great. In setup, you tell it 1) how many wedges you have, 2) what size swings you want to do, and 3) how many swings of each kind you want. The math means that your swing count will add up in a hurry. I'm doing four wedges, four size swings (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full), and five shots for each kind of swing. That's 80 shots; it took me almost 50 minutes to complete the matrix.

Here was my first result:

image.png

So the obvious things that jumps out is the major gap between the 1/4 and 1/2 swing distances. In my case, I think I need to reduce my own conception of the 1/2 swing, and maybe slightly also the 3/4 swing. I also still need to figure out how to hit a full swing wedge that doesn't just launch higher without carrying further. My desire is to have my full swing SW be 90, GW be 105, and PW be 120. I know that's possible for me; it's not a matter of speed but of consistent technique.

Anyway, the potential is there for this to be a workable system for me. I use a laser rangefinder on the course, which is an important component for making this usable.

I'm continuing to love the SkyTrak data. In addition to the matrix itself, it gives you the dispersion chart for each club. Here's my SW:

image.png

With the 1/2 swing, I had one shot that was an outlier, otherwise all the partial swings had pretty tight groupings. I really think I need to look into getting some wedges that are a degree or two flat; the wedge pulls are a regular feature of my short game.

 

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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Continuing to explore the features of the SkyTrak to help me reach my goal. Even since I first read Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, I've been a bit intrigued by the clock wedge system. But without a range, I've really had no way to get my numbers, and so my short game approach has been to use my SW for every partial swing shot, unless the situation explicitly called for a LW.
So the fact that the SkyTrak has a wedge matrix feature built in is great. In setup, you tell it 1) how many wedges you have, 2) what size swings you want to do, and 3) how many swings of each kind you want. The math means that your swing count will add up in a hurry. I'm doing four wedges, four size swings (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full), and five shots for each kind of swing. That's 80 shots; it took me almost 50 minutes to complete the matrix.
Here was my first result:
image.png.77a8166f66832c6a569f1033141d4079.png
So the obvious things that jumps out is the major gap between the 1/4 and 1/2 swing distances. In my case, I think I need to reduce my own conception of the 1/2 swing, and maybe slightly also the 3/4 swing. I also still need to figure out how to hit a full swing wedge that doesn't just launch higher without carrying further. My desire is to have my full swing SW be 90, GW be 105, and PW be 120. I know that's possible for me; it's not a matter of speed but of consistent technique.
Anyway, the potential is there for this to be a workable system for me. I use a laser rangefinder on the course, which is an important component for making this usable.
I'm continuing to love the SkyTrak data. In addition to the matrix itself, it gives you the dispersion chart for each club. Here's my SW:
image.png.062ba876368ffcd9fe92e796d8eefaf6.png
With the 1/2 swing, I had one shot that was an outlier, otherwise all the partial swings had pretty tight groupings. I really think I need to look into getting some wedges that are a degree or two flat; the wedge pulls are a regular feature of my short game.
 

Good stuff. Instead of reworking the swings, maybe add another swing in between or take a video of the lengths to make sure you are making the swing you want.

When can we all come over to build our own wedge matrix?

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Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
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Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
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32 minutes ago, cnosil said:

When can we all come over to build our own wedge matrix?

It depends. If can get here before Thursday, you're welcome anytime. Otherwise, you'll need to wait for the plow trucks again. 😫

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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1 hour ago, GolfSpy MPR said:

Continuing to explore the features of the SkyTrak to help me reach my goal. Even since I first read Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, I've been a bit intrigued by the clock wedge system. But without a range, I've really had no way to get my numbers, and so my short game approach has been to use my SW for every partial swing shot, unless the situation explicitly called for a LW.

So the fact that the SkyTrak has a wedge matrix feature built in is great. In setup, you tell it 1) how many wedges you have, 2) what size swings you want to do, and 3) how many swings of each kind you want. The math means that your swing count will add up in a hurry. I'm doing four wedges, four size swings (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full), and five shots for each kind of swing. That's 80 shots; it took me almost 50 minutes to complete the matrix.

Here was my first result:

image.png

So the obvious things that jumps out is the major gap between the 1/4 and 1/2 swing distances. In my case, I think I need to reduce my own conception of the 1/2 swing, and maybe slightly also the 3/4 swing. I also still need to figure out how to hit a full swing wedge that doesn't just launch higher without carrying further. My desire is to have my full swing SW be 90, GW be 105, and PW be 120. I know that's possible for me; it's not a matter of speed but of consistent technique.

Anyway, the potential is there for this to be a workable system for me. I use a laser rangefinder on the course, which is an important component for making this usable.

I'm continuing to love the SkyTrak data. In addition to the matrix itself, it gives you the dispersion chart for each club. Here's my SW:

image.png

With the 1/2 swing, I had one shot that was an outlier, otherwise all the partial swings had pretty tight groupings. I really think I need to look into getting some wedges that are a degree or two flat; the wedge pulls are a regular feature of my short game.

 

That's great stuff!

I can imagine once you get the thoughts and feel ingrained, you can have a 65 yard shot, for example, and think of this table and choose between a 1/2 GW or 3/4 LW depending on the needs of the shot or where trouble might be.

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3W:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES
3H, 4H: :bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR 19*, 23* Recoil 780ES
4-AW:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105
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1 minute ago, MaxEntropy said:

That's great stuff!

I can imagine once you get the thoughts and feel ingrained, you can have a 65 yard shot, for example, and think of this table and choose between a 1/2 GW or 3/4 LW depending on the needs of the shot or where trouble might be.

That's exactly what I'm hoping. And not just that: if I can swallow a bit of pride, I suspect that the 3/4 PW is going to hit the 105 number, with tighter dispersion, than the full swing GW. So it's not just having multiple options, but knowing the tendencies of those options. #data

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

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After another week of winter last week, there are hints of spring again this week. It's close to 60°, which is making most of the snow recede. Here's a look at my course as of noon today:

image.png

There are real patches of (very very soggy and dormant) grass in this picture. The driving range nearest me (about an hour west) announced on Facebook that they've opened today. So there is reason to think that this long winter is finally drawing to a close, and that I will eventually get to the course.

Got back to hitting balls again yesterday for the first time in a while. I did another skills assessment, and was just about pulling my hair out, because I seemed to have lost all the distance gains I had seen through the winter. The numbers SkyTrak was giving were like I had aged 15 years in two weeks.

There were factors here: in the last couple of weeks, I've been experimenting with playing a cut shot through my bag. I've mentioned in previous posts my tendency to a big left miss. A good friend of mine (@Erik-M, who is much better than I am) was doing some practice with me and suggested the fade for one key reason: my draw (sometimes hook) comes into the ball very shallow, to the point that fat shots can be a problem. He thought that by switching to a fade, I'd have more control over my flight (taming the left miss) while steepening impact for more consistent contact.

The concern with that switch could be a loss of distance, but when I first implemented it, that didn't seem to be an issue. But yesterday, it was. I couldn't get anything going distance-wise. I was hitting my 7-iron 140 yards, when it had been my go-to club for the 165 assessment shot.

Eventually, I figured it out. I was creeping back to lurching on to my toes through transition into impact. Once I focused on keeping my right heel down longer (there's a drill that involves putting a wedge under that heel and holding it until impact) and getting my left hip out of the way (by posting on my front leg), the distance came back for the last few targets. Overall, then, the results were middling:

Screenshot_20190416-112511.png

Those 105 and 120 distances have been my trouble since the beginning. I'm hoping to get back to those today with the better transition feel and see if that doesn't get me closer to the pin. In general, though, my dispersion patterns were decent, and I'm planning to keep cultivating the fade for the near future.

I also took advantage of the warmer temps to get back to SuperSpeed swings outside. My speeds have certainly fallen off from their peak, since I had to cease swinging for a while because of some hand pain. But I felt that yesterday's session was productive, not only for the exercise, but beginning to learn again the feel of fast.

I ended the day with Kirke, alternating shots with foams balls with our drivers. We had foot spray on the face to monitor impact and the swing radar going to check driver speed. My impact was still certainly not as tight as I want; that's going to be an matter of focus in the next few weeks. But my driver swings hit 100mph on the radar while hitting a ball. It's not awesome, but not awful either. If I can ramp that up to, say, 105 as the season progresses, while getting even more consistent at finding the center of the face, my days of having a sub-200 driving distance should be far behind me.

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

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With the numbers you continue to publish, I have no doubt single digits is in the very near future for you. Great Job! Been enjoyable to follow. 

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image.png.dee92ef6cebb2ac4a3883744fc248f12.png     Stealth 2+ 15 (Diamana PD 70 S 43")

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Great work, @GolfSpy MPR. That wedge matrix is awesome. Reinforcing my want for a Skytrak.

Looks like you're just a few warmer and dry days away from getting out there. It's going to be cool to hear how all of your practice translates to the course. 

Unofficial WHS Handicap: 7.5 / Anti-Cap: 13.0 (Last Updated Feb. 19, 2024)

Driver: callaway_logo.png.3dd18aa65544000dd0ea3901697a8261.png Callaway Paradym TD (10.5°, -1/N), 45.75", Fujikura Motore X F1 6X | Fitting Post
3 Wood: 
cobra_logo.png.190908c8b4518eec87c087429e4343ee.png Cobra RadSpeed Big Tour (14.5°), 43", Fujikura Motore X F1 7X
20° Hybrid: PXG_Logo.png.8401024d1fb8aec46f0e790c1aa5b80c.png PXG 0211 (2020 Model), 40.25", Mitsubishi Tensei AV RAW White 90X
4 Utility: 
cobra_logo.png.190908c8b4518eec87c087429e4343ee.png Cobra KING Utility (2020 Model), 38.5", Aerotech SteelFiber i110cw Stiff
5-PW:
logo-Ben-Hogan-large.png.98d743ae5487285c6406a1e30a0a63b5.png Ben Hogan PTx Pro, 37" 7 Iron, Aerotech SteelFiber i125cw Stiff | Club Champion Fitting
50°, 54°, 58°:
231036130_Edel_Golf_Logo_v2_grandecopy.png.13cc76b963f8dd59f06d04b1e8df2827.png Edel SMS, V Grind, Nippon Modus 125 Wedge| Official Review Thread
Putter:
image.png.49fcc172a1ed0010d930fbe1c5dc8b79.png L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1, 36", 68°, Black with Custom Sightlines, BGT Stability Tour, L.A.B. Press II 3° | Unofficial Review
Grips: 
stargrip.png.4285948f41f1409613266e7803f0bbaa.png Star Sidewinder, Undersized with Custom Tape Build-Up
Ball: :Snell:Snell MTB-X Optic Yellow

Tracked By: shotscope.png.4a7089f2bddff325285b1266a61dda03.png  Shot Scope H4
Bag: :1590477705_SunMountain: Personalized 2020 Sun Mountain Sync
Riding On: 
image.png.1db52ce91db040317a9ac580f1df8de8.pngBag Boy Nitron | Official Review Thread

WITB? | 2022 Reviewer Edel SMS Wedges | 2021 Reviewer Maxfli Tour and Tour X Balls2020 Participant #CobraConnect Challenge | 2019 Reviewer Callaway Epic Flash Driver

 

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So, I am self taught,  I actually bought my first new driver last month.  Cobra f8+ driver, not to brag lol. I actually have bought all my current clubs on Ebay, except the driver. I am  like a5 or so handicap.  I have been playing with Michael Riley for few years.  He has developed tremendously since we've started playing together, and if it wasn't for my epic lip it on 18 we would have been golf league champs 2 or 3 years ago.  Not that I'm bitter or anything.  His dispersion has tightened up tremendously, and his putting had gotten way better.  We've had tons of conversations about chipping vs pitching.  I think he needs top feel it around the greens more,  but that might just be what works for me. As far as the distance,  if you watch Michael swing on the course it looks like the ball should go much farther.  I'm almost wondering if he needs to play more loft on his driver?  I think he might be tentative to use his hands with his driver.  Maybe it's too keep the ball from hooking? I think he might be casting his hands before the rest of the swing gets started.  I don't really know much about the technicals of the golf swing, I'm more of a feell player and know what works for me. I played college baseball so I am used to using wrist and hands in my swing which probably helps with my distance. I could teach him how to hit the ball hard in baseball but I don't know if that would hurt his overall game. I don't wanna sidetrack the progress he's made so far to get down to a15 from where he started.  Any thoughts for me to help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks all!

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Also, about the cut swing we worked on, it wasn't for the shot shape, it was more because he consistently hit every shot before that about 2 inches behind the ball, and that's the only way I know how to tell him to hit the ball first lol

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Full disclosure: I've done a couple skills assessments that I haven't posted here. Most of them have been right around a 9-10 handicap score. I've been frustrated recently by a loss in distance that came on suddenly, and one that I couldn't isolate the reason. This one was not only affecting my wedges (I've written about that throughout this thread), but all my clubs.

The answer: relax. Just relax. Swing the club, rather than focus on hitting swing positions. Step into my stance like getting into the batter's box. In short: swing more like Kirke 🙂

That has helped a great deal. So last night, I did another skills assessment, but this time to different (and slightly longer) distances. The results were promising again:

image.png

This was the first time I have ever tried hitting in-between distances by choking down on my irons, and it seemed to be working well for me. That was a useful takeaway, one that I really think I can bring to the course.

I mentioned in another thread that Kirke and I had our first opportunity to hit balls outside last week. A driving range an hour away opened for the season. This was the first time I've been able to hit my new driver, a Rogue Sub Zero I picked up from Callaway Pre-Owned. I literally have no idea how far it was going; there were no markers on the range, and I'm not familiar with the range enough to even estimate distances. But the most encouraging thing was that the driver simply wouldn't go left. My hope is that I can spend the summer aiming down the left side of fairways and just swinging away.

Most of the snow is gone here now, except where it has been piled. We've had rain recently, so the ground is soaked. But I'm optimistic that our course might open in the next week. My Game Golf is charged up and ready to track my handicap. Let's see if this practice will pay off!

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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@GolfSpy MPR - Chalk me up as another so jealous of that wedge matrix.  That is incredible!

My swings didn't really match up with Pelz, but I use the clock theory.  My half swing I concentrate on the shaft stopping parallel to the ground.  If I am out of practice, I will tend to way overdo it.  Three quarters is a vertical shaft.  The quarter swing is a bit tricky, and I try to keep the shaft at 7:30.  These end up giving me numbers very close to 25%, 50% and 75% of the full swing.

I probably swing too hard, so this may not be very helpful, but that overcooked half swing was something that I eventually worked out.

:ping-small: G400 LST 8.5 Ping Tour 65 Stiff

:adams-small: Adams XTD Ti 18 deg 3Hy

:benhogan-small: Ben Hogan PTx 22-46 

:benhogan-small: Ben Hogan TK15 50, 54, 58 deg wedges

:cameron-small: Futura 5.5

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On 4/24/2019 at 10:57 AM, GolfSpy MPR said:

The answer: relax. Just relax. Swing the club, rather than focus on hitting swing positions. Step into my stance like getting into the batter's box. In short: swing more like Kirke 🙂

Love it!!! Less thinking and analysis, and "swing your swing!" (..now if only _I_ could heed that advice....)

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

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First round of the year!

I'm on the road this weekend in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Brought my clubs just in case a golf opportunity should arise. Low and behold, between services that I'm preaching today there was a window to go walk nine.

I played a course that I've played once before, but certainly one that I can't claim is familiar to me. It was still quite muddy, in places puddly. The course is short (I think it was 6,100 from the back tees), but par 37 on the front. The only par 3 on the front is 220 yards.

Because golf, that hole produced the highlight of my season so far. I had time to debate club selection while waiting for the green to clear. At 220, I was considering either my 4w or my 3h. Eventually, I decided that on the SkyTrak, a solid 3h off the tee is the perfect 220 club. It's a club that's likely going to draw for me with a neutral swing, so I aimed to the right side of the green (the pin was on the left). I committed to it, flew it pin high, and it stopped 12 feet from the hole. Birdie putt lipped out, tap in par. I'd take that every time.

I ended up with my normal score: a 46, 9 over for nine holes. Bogey golf.

What worked? My approach game was not bad. I hit 4 of 9 greens, which is double my normal average. I had a couple of shots in those yardages that I've struggled with 90-120 yards, and I picked the club that SkyTrak has taught me, rather than the club I think I should hit. In each of those cases, I hit the green. That was encouraging.

Short game was a mixed bag. When I made crisp contact, I had better distance control than I can ever remember starting a season with. But I had a handful of badly flubbed wedge shots, hitting the mushy ground behind the ball so that it went nowhere.

Putting was just bad. 19 putts, which is far above my average. Last season I hung around 32 putts per round; the season before, it was closer to 30. I think I can get back there, but was putting very defensively today. The greens were quicker than I would have guessed for this point in the season, and being unfamiliar, I was lagging most things close. Two 3-putts, a one putt, and the rest were 2 putts (almost all of which the second putt was about a foot). I think there's lots of ground to make up here, and my putting here doesn't alarm me; rather, it makes me optimistic that I played bogey golf while making only two putts longer than a foot.

Off the tee was surprising: on the range, the Rogue could not go left. Guess where it went on every drive today?

Stupid game.

So that's still a work in progress. However, to come out of the gates in what amounts to last year's midseason form? I'll take that. The season has begun: here we go!

image.png

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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Sounds like you started out of the gates pretty well.   Just a thing to remember about your putt counts;  if you are hitting more greens,  expect your total putt numbers to go up slightly.   

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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First round at my home course tomorrow morning, with Kirke and my dad. My parents moved up here recently, so my dad and my son are going to be my regular golf group, and I know that makes me a very blessed man.

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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Ended up playing twice this weekend, on Friday night (with @Erik-M) and then again on Saturday morning. Both times, we played the front nine at our course, a par 35. Nothing special from me: a 43 and a 46. My short game has been sloppy, but not so much in distance as making proper contact. I've hit a handful of decent approach shots, and one drive around 240, which would be a nice thing to find more often. Putting has been odd: lag putting has honestly been better than I would have anticipated, but I've missed a couple of two-footers. Gotta spend a bit more time just getting comfortable on the short ones.

All told, my handicap (in Game Golf) currently sits at 15.3, which is down (I think) .3 from the end of last season.

The most promising stat for me was this: I took my rounds so far this and compared them to the opening weeks of May last year. So far, I'm ahead in every category:

image.png

None of these numbers are great, obviously, but being multiple shots better than I was this same time last year is encouraging.

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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Grabbed a quick nine with Kirke this afternoon. Played the back nine at our course for the first time this year. Shot an 8-over 44. (Kirke shot a 43 to clip me by one.)

Positives: off the tee, I hit the ball really well, until the last two holes, where I used driver. But most holes on the back nine are either narrow or doglegs, and don't ask for driver. On those, I just kept hitting hybrid 210 in the fairway. Also, on shots where I'm making good contact, the ball is moving in a very controlled direction.

Negatives: still dialing in contact on iron shots and especially short game shots. Our course is drying but still mushy. For me, this means that fat shots are punished, and then I mix in (today especially) some compensating thin bullets.

Putting is still shaky, though Game Golf approved. Opened with 3, 1, 3, 1 putts. First three putt was a bad lag; the second was missing a two-footer. Like a good MGS member, I've been putting with the stick in. I'm beginning to suspect that it's still so unusual for me on short putts that it's a distraction.

Game Golf's evaluation of today's round:

Screenshot_20190513-175841.png

Handicap continues to trend downward, in tiny steps. Four nine-hole rounds under my belt: four-tenths of a stroke drop in my handicap, from 15.6 to 15.2.

One last note, in the interest of full disclosure: some (not all) rounds will include a single mulligan. Everything else, I'm a stickler for rules (which means that I'm currently hitting a lot of mud balls).

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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