The Most Dangerous Thread

[GolfSpy MPR 9,159]

We've all been there. You're on the range. You're watching a YouTube video. You've picked up a golf book.

And suddenly it strikes you: this is the magic secret you've been searching for your whole golf life!

That swing fault you've had forever disappears. You're striking it like an Iron Byron. You've figured out golf.

[pause for chuckle]

From a comfortable distance, we know how this story ends: the magic lasts for a while before disappearing again, and the search for the magic resumes.

But I wanted to start a thread to capture to magic moments. When inspiration strikes and you've figured out golf (again), post your new key here. This thread is the most dangerous thread: full of everyone else's quick fixes . But it's also a reality check: when you solve golf again and have to come post in this thread, the mere act of posting is a reminder that the solution is temporary. And as an added bonus, reading this thread might introduce you to your own next solution to golf!

[GolfSpy Stroker 10,093]

play "golf" not "golf swing" .... 

[GolfSpy MPR 9,159]

Having started this thread, I'll go first.

I've been fighting the early extension since I started swinging a club. This winter, I'm taking dead aim at it, attempting to build a swing that depends more on body rotation than hand timing.

I'm not sure why the idea occured to me, but in my last practice session, I realized that my trail knee immediately starts forward, toward the ball, in transition. My change of intention, then, was to think of driving my knee down the line, rather than toward the ball. If you try it (this is a key to any "I've solved golf story"), you'll find that it's very hard to get your hips extended to the ball when your trail leg is turning down the line.

So I've figured it out! Stay tuned for updates

[Mr. 82 3,524]

Well, it's not anything new, or anything you've not heard before, but I typically forget these two fundamentals at least 18 times a round.  It's the only lesson my Dad ever gave me as a kid, and pretty much everything is self taught, but the first two things my old man every said to me were, "keep your head down and your left arm straight."

Interestingly enough, these two fundamental thoughts are the foundation of any good golf swing.  And generally if I can remember to do these two things, I make a good swing and solid contact and pull off a good shot.  But more often then not I am distracted.

• Distracted by the weather.  (Man, it's so freaking hot today, I'm sweating bullets, or it's windy and I'm thinking about how many extra yards to factor into a shot because of the wind in my face, or it's too cold and I'm struggling with whether I should wear that extra pullover, or leave it off.  I think the weather is the biggest distractor in golf honestly.)
• Distracted by the cart girl.  (I'll leave this one to your imagination, but you know the drill; you are cruising along, and -1 after 5 holes when all of a sudden, here comes Chelsea the cart girl in her yoga pants and tank top, ready to serve you an overpriced PowerAde or beer.  Then after she leaves you go double bogey, bogey, bogey, because your mind is still focused on her.)
• Distracted by the golf course.  (Man that was just a crappy lie I had on that last fairway.  It's not my golf swing or the clubs I am using, but this stupid golf course is so messed up that I can't hit a decent shot to save my life.)
• Distracted by my playing partners (Geez, I've been in the woods on every hole looking for this dude's ball.  Can he not hit a fairway sometime today?  Or, you know the guy, he's a Lee Trevino knock off, who never shuts up.  Just talks and talks and talks, no matter where or when.  Can he please just shut up sometime today?  Honestly, there are so many variables with playing partners that when you find a dude you are comfortable playing golf with you become lifelong friends, and find ways to tee it up with him as often as possible.  Meanwhile, the dude you can't stand, well, that free round at that primo course I will just pass on, because I'd rather have a colonoscopy then be forced to play another round of golf with that asshat.)
• Distracted by your cell phone. (Now this one isn't typically me, as I stick my phone in the bag and put it on vibrate, never to be looked at again until we are in the parking lot throwing our clubs in the car after the round.  But more and more I see people that are simply glued to their phones all round long.  And maybe I am old school, but man, that's why I play golf, to get away from cellphones and distractions, and all of life's BS.  And if you are reading this and you are glued to your phone all round long, for whatever reason; perhaps it's time to reassess your life and priorities.  What did you do before cellphones on the golf course?  And I've actually trained my wife that she can try and text me during a round, but she knows I won't see it until I am done playing.  Heck, there used to be a rule at a lot of private clubs that did not allow cellphones on the golf course or even in the clubhouse.  But now, that's pretty much not happening anymore as cellphones are like a virus that has infected just about anyone and everyone.  The worst example of this behavior were the two guys I got paired up with while they were on vacation.  I had to tell them that it was their turn to hit as they were so engrossed in their phones that I think they forgot they were actually there to play golf.)

[kingcscott 795]

Loving in a place that allows for year around golf. It does get cold and frost delays happen here in Georgia, but, i haven’t used the range more than once or twice in that last couple years. I practice on course while playing alone. I just dont see gains by slapping balls on the range. The range doesnt allow for the odd lies or variation of targets the gold course does. Also, i am a one set kind of guy and dont want to use my beautiful weapons to hack at dirty, well used range balls. I do practice putting at the practice green. But i have found more answers while being on course than not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bens197 5,575]

The single best tip I ever received was from my best friend and golf nemesis since starting at age 7.

He wasn’t a long hitter and for 5-6 years, he absolutely owned me; most notably on the green with the hands down best putting stroke I’ve ever seen.

He finally pulled me aside one day and said, Steve, you’ve got to find some tempo in your stroke. Once you find tempo, make sure you accelerate though the ball.

Everyone here has seen instructors talk and talk and talk about the keys to finding their swing.

What he did that day was use the perfect language to communicate exactly what I needed to hear. It wasn’t what he said, rather how he said it.

I have been an incredibly good putter since that day and I’ve convinced myself that I can make anything inside 10’.

Full disclosure, that’s not the case but my confidence is there.


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[alfriday101 883]

#1.  Working toward the perfect swing is a never-ending rabbit hole of frustration.  Practice to improve skills and good technique will follow.  

Edited November 18, 2019 by alfriday101

[alfriday101 883]

#2.  Feel is not real.  Many golfers use this as an excuse.  Instead, they should be working on their awareness so that what they feel is real.  Once a golfer can feel what is actually happening, then they can improve quickly and retain/ingrain the improvements.    

[alfriday101 883]

#3.  Answer the question, "Why do you play golf?"   I mean really sit down, think about it, contemplate the question and answer it for yourself.  The new perspective may fundamentally change the golfer''s approach.  

[Mr. 82 3,524]

1 hour ago, alfriday101 said:

#3.  Answer the question, "Why do you play golf?"   I mean really sit down, think about it, contemplate the question and answer it for yourself.  The new perspective may fundamentally change the golfer''s approach.  

I play golf to pass the time.  I don't have much else going on in life, so golf is the ultimate time waster.  And I'd rather waste time on the golf course, versus getting fat and lazy sitting in front of the TV and never leaving the house.  I'd like to stay active, and golf is the outlet for me to stay active.

And it's also a social networking type of thing as well.  All of my current friends play golf.  Well, let me put it this way - if someone doesn't play golf it would be hard to be my friend, because as much of my free time as is possible is spent on the golf course.

[JohnSmalls 5,567]

More times than not, my swing flaw is due to a breakdown in tempo.  To boil that down a little more specifically, it is at transition where my biggest problem is found.  If I remain focused on the ball at transition and don't rush into my downswing, my ball striking improves significantly, as does my swing speed. 

[RI_Redneck 95]

1 hour ago, alfriday101 said:

#2.  Feel is not real.  Many golfers use this as an excuse.  Instead, they should be working on their awareness so that what they feel is real.  Once a golfer can feel what is actually happening, then they can improve quickly and retain/ingrain the improvements.    

Well put. I detest the comment "Feel isn't Real"because I have spent a HUGE amount of time educating my Feel so that it is quite close to Real. When you get right down to it, Feel is really all we have when playing.

This actually leads right into my "key"..... If it feels right, the swing is okay. If the ball isn't going where it should, it's an adjustment issue. Pay attention to the details.

BT

[PlaidJacket 7,718]

"Free Your Mind"

Take your existing swing and learn how to score. Granted some decent fundamentals are good to have but they don't have to be perfect. Not by any means. Learning to score is different from learning how to play this game. I've known and know tons of people that play golf but they've never really learned how to score. 

[LeftyHawk 513]

this is an interesting thread. For me trying to "fix" any part of my game the first thing I try to focus on is the "why?". If I can wrap my head around that I'm usually able to correct what the issue is.  I don't remember where I read it but somewhere I read "The ball will tell you what you're doing wrong.....if you're willing to listen" After reading that I really started to ponder exactly what that meant. Now when I strike a ball and it goes not where I intended, I try to understand why it went that way. Like solving a puzzle or riddle, I find this to be more interesting at the range where I can try several "answers" to find the best one for the issue at hand.

One example was my driver, being left handed I was always slicing my drive severely to the left. After a lot of thought on "why" and reading many books I came to understand that the reason for the slicing was the relationship of the club face to the ball at point of impact!. WOW, what an eye opener. My thought was all I need to do is adjust the club face at point of impact to get my drive to go straight. After many, many hours at the range, and trying hundreds of things I finally got my drive to go straight.... at least once, after several many more hits, another one straight!. Long story short these days I am pretty consistent at hitting the fairway off the tee, when it goes awry I can usually correct it on the next hole.   

So my big take away was trying to understand why the ball does what it does!!!!!

Chris

[cksurfdude 7,529]

Ha ha .. soooo many "magic tips" .. and so little time... 

Great topic, and honestly (really!) .. in large part due to reading through these forums over the past few years, I only work on things that I've gotten directly from an instructor during an in-person lesson. That said... my current magic move to help me both (1) get my body rotating in sync with the arm swing and (2) rotating through on to the front foot is to "pull down" with the lead shoulder from the top of the backswing. Of course, this has to be combined with the other magic move of pushing off of the back foot and ............. and ......................

[PlaidJacket 7,718]

2 hours ago, cksurfdude said:

and ......................

it's Magic! 

[Shankster 24,577]

It ain’t dangerous unless there’s a Shankster shanking around somewhere.

I picked up a bad “tip” from a YouTube thing and it messed me up entirely for a long time, still messed up really.

The thing that gets me is when everything is going great for months, you feel like nothing has changed, yet one day out of the blue the hits the fan, and you are searching for what the heck went wrong.

One bad shot and the doubts creep in... “oh shoot I got that one towards the heel”, and bam-o the next one is right off the hosel.

Or “dang that one leaked a little right” only to duck hook the next one off into the abyss.

Or my favorite “that was on the toe”, so the next shot is even further out towards a groove less portion of the club.

“Hit it fat” only to hit it fatter on the next shot...

“Thin to win” and the next one is a samurai sword that chops the darn ball in half...

Pull a putt only to push the next one.

What a frustrating game this is.

When all that happened is you made one bad swing... it changed your entire mindset and you try to change your whole swing that had been working for EVER...

If you are wondering this is a true story that I deal with every year.

Just hit the ball Alan...

[heribertomaya 16]

These are a few of my best swing thoughts I have picked over the years that had a marked impact on my game:

-Keeping back to the target (staying with shoulders "closed" through Impact).   This fixed my overly fast hips/shoulder rotation in the downswing which was causing huge blocks in my case, since I was leaving the club way behind.  Similar to this, is Bobby Lopez' 2 o clock drill (keeping your eyes and making sure your chest is pointing at 2 o clock at impact (12 being straight at the ball)

 

-Hands forward at impact/coming down with left hand in downswing -  This instantly fixed my flip at the time and added 1-2 clubs yardage with all my irons. Almost magical for any flipper.

 

[Kenny B 21,620]

6 hours ago, heribertomaya said:

These are a few of my best swing thoughts I have picked over the years that had a marked impact on my game:

-Keeping back to the target (staying with shoulders "closed" through Impact).   This fixed my overly fast hips/shoulder rotation in the downswing which was causing huge blocks in my case, since I was leaving the club way behind.  Similar to this, is Bobby Lopez' 2 o clock drill (keeping your eyes and making sure your chest is pointing at 2 o clock at impact (12 being straight at the ball)

 

-Hands forward at impact/coming down with left hand in downswing -  This instantly fixed my flip at the time and added 1-2 clubs yardage with all my irons. Almost magical for any flipper.

 

This has really helped me over the past several months.  I need to make a bigger backswing... I'm old, so I don't turn very well.  When I make a bigger turn, my tendency is to start down from the top with my upper body, and really bad things happen when I do that.

I have to focus on transition with the lower body first, and keep my back to the target as long as I can.  I've had good results when I do this.

[Kenny B 21,620]

18 hours ago, Shankster said:

It ain’t dangerous unless there’s a Shankster shanking around somewhere.

I picked up a bad “tip” from a YouTube thing and it messed me up entirely for a long time, still messed up really.

The thing that gets me is when everything is going great for months, you feel like nothing has changed, yet one day out of the blue the hits the fan, and you are searching for what the heck went wrong.

One bad shot and the doubts creep in... “oh shoot I got that one towards the heel”, and bam-o the next one is right off the hosel.

Or “dang that one leaked a little right” only to duck hook the next one off into the abyss.

Or my favorite “that was on the toe”, so the next shot is even further out towards a groove less portion of the club.

“Hit it fat” only to hit it fatter on the next shot...

“Thin to win” and the next one is a samurai sword that chops the darn ball in half...

Pull a putt only to push the next one.

What a frustrating game this is.

When all that happened is you made one bad swing... it changed your entire mindset and you try to change your whole swing that had been working for EVER...

If you are wondering this is a true story that I deal with every year.

Just hit the ball Alan...

Everything is correct... except that one about "on the toe".  What is this toe shot??  That's a part of the club that I'm not familiar with.