So I took a lesson today for the first time in forever...Second Update

[Bobbers]

I'm pushing 72.  As in years, not average score.  My idol, once upon a time, was Corey Pavin so you have an idea of my general size. 

Never a long hitter of the ball, time and age have caused me to move up to the yellow tees (if it comes down to the most forward set of tees I'm givin' it up )pride won't let me consider that move).  Even with that move up I remain the guy in the instructional pages at the back of the magazines described as "you hit the ball straight but a lack of distance puts pressure on your game..."  Yeah, that's me, to a "t" unfortunately.

I inquired about lessons at the course I play most often and booked a lesson for early this afternoon.  Arrived early and was encouraged to warm up in one of the indoor bays with the trackman turned on so I could see the numbers.  My goal, and it's humbling to put it in print, was to see if I could get my drives to carry 175-180.  That's not a typo, the first number is in fact a 1...

Hit some balls, they were Pro V1's so I was confident the numbers weren't being influenced one way or the other by the use of range balls. 

I was glad I was alone.  Average clubhead speed was a whopping 69.8 mph.  I seriously considered paying for the lesson, packing the bag, heading home and reading up on Pickle Ball or Cornhole.  The internal dialogue was along the lines of "I knew things were bad but damn it, Bob, this is humiliating, embarrassing, ridiculous, and pathetic.  What the hell are you doing here???"

Yeah, I'm good at personal pep talks.

And then Pete was there.  "Ready to go?", he asked.

I know understand, intimately, what a deer feels like when caught in a vehicle's headlights.  Except I was hoping the impact would happen and the misery would end.

I've known Pete for many, many years, fortunately.  "I'm game if you are, but you can end this any time you want if it's a waste of your time, ok?", I said.

He watched me take a few swings and asked me if I'd ever seen my swing on video.

"No, I stopped watching horror movies a few years ago", I offered.

I was right, seeing my swing on video was what nightmares were made of.  If you've ever watched Seinfeld and watched Elaine "dance" you'll have an idea of what I saw when I looked at the video.

Flatter than the proverbial pancake, hands choking the grip as though the butt of the club was a cobra intent on ending my life.

What I saw bore absolutely no resemblance to what my mind was telling me I was doing while swinging the club.  None, zero, zip, nada.

I guess the good news, if there is such a thing in this situation, is that things were so execrable to start with that any suggestion that "stuck" was bound to be beneficial.

By the end of the half hour (it only seemed like eternity) club head speed was up to 75-76 mph and I was starting to get the "feel" of the changes I need to make.

More importantly?  Pete was clear, factual, patient, professional, supportive, willing to answer questions, offered accurate feedback, and kind.

I'm playing tomorrow, Thursday, and Sunday.  I'd rather spend time at the range but the commitments have already been made.  Here's hoping...

Oh, my next lesson is a week from tomorrow. 

Wish me luck.

[MacTourney]

8 minutes ago, Bobbers said:

I'm pushing 72.  As in years, not average score.  My idol, once upon a time, was Corey Pavin so you have an idea of my general size. Never a long hitter of the ball, time and age have caused me to move up to the yellow tees (if it comes down to the most forward set of tees I'm givin' it up )pride won't let me consider that move).

Wish me luck.

Last time I played with my wife I played her tees too and had an absolute riot.  The game didn't really change, I still had to make shots, I still had to make putts, only the yardage changed.   Screw pride, accept the challenge.  

Good luck with your lessons!  

[Bobbers]

15 minutes ago, MacTourney said:

Last time I played with my wife I played her tees too and had an absolute riot.  The game didn't really change, I still had to make shots, I still had to make putts, only the yardage changed.   Screw pride, accept the challenge.  

Good luck with your lessons!  

Thanks, Mac, I appreciate it.

[cnosil]

41 minutes ago, Bobbers said:

 

Wish me luck.

You don't need luck.  Just take in the information and see what you can do.  Doesn't matter if you hit it 180 or 280 golf is a sport everyone  can enjoy.  

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, Bobbers said:

Wish me luck.

I agree with @cnosil.  You don't need luck.  It sounds like the changes that Pete made were a huge step in the right direction.  He sounds like a keeper for an instructor.  For me the game of golf is not so much about the score, but about the journey to make improvements.  I keep finding ways to improve my swing and how to play the game.  That is what's fun for me now.  

I pushed 72 so hard that I ended up at 75.  We have similar games.  I moved up a tee box to our senior tees a few times last year, and I decided that this year I would make the move permanent.  Yes, I can... sometimes... shoot lower scores there, but more importantly it made the game much more fun.  If I move up one more set of tees, I will be at the forward tees with my wife.  I suspect that will happen in a few more years, but we will likely be hitting the same distances anyway since she is only 66.  Our club has a bunch of guys that play from the forward tees every day.  I don't think they care, and I certainly don't!!.

[Bobbers]

Played a course a bit southwest of Milwaukee today, place called The Broadlands.

Long story short (pun somewhat intended), I did something I haven't done in at least ten years.  Hit three drives that measured 220, 205, and 200 respectively.  Hit three others not quite as long but, for me, they were in the respectable category.

I didn't find it easy to concentrate on what I was trying to accomplish with the swing; lighten up the grip pressure, swing more upright than I have been, let the wrists roll, don't cast the club, etc. while at the same time keeping in mind what I was trying to accomplish with the shot.

Gonna head to the range tomorrow so I can focus solely on the mechanical issues and try to develop some muscle memory/"feel" for what I'm supposed to be doing.

The other thing that surprised the hell out of me today was that I was actually a wee bit over the green, in two, on two different holes that measured just over 350 yards from the yellow tees.  Haven't had those two decent shots on the same hole in I don't know how long, let alone do it twice in the same round.

In short while it was a really hot day here (94 degrees by the time we finished), it was fun and there was enough "transfer" from the lesson to the course to offer me some encouragement.

[Bobbers]

Went to the range this morning before the temperature reached 90 again.  Much easier to practice the new moves on the range, for me at least, compared to trying to do it while playing on a course.

Trying to reduce 4-5 ideas/concepts from the lesson into one or two thoughts as I prepare to execute a stroke.  Too many swing thoughts tend to be overwhelming for me and nothing useful happens.

Session went well, ended up hitting a bunch of 8 iron shots toward the end of the bucket of balls and the trajectory was much higher than the old swing produced and probably an average of 12-15 yards longer as well.

Playing tomorrow so I'll see if today's practice translates into a more consistent level of performance and improvement.

[MyWifesSwingCoach]

I look forward to hearing your progress, sounds like you have a very good instructor also. And I wouldn't let how you feel about your game affect your enjoyment of the game. I have a buddy that I have been trying to get out on the course with and he seems to have a sentiment similar to how you were feeling.

Ultimately, you should do what you can to enjoy the game more (which sounds like what you are doing with the lesson, so good on you). It would be sad if you were to give up the game because you were so hard on yourself.

[Bobbers]

Played a round today.  Weather was fantastic and I was with three friends who I'd describe as "the ideal group", everyone gets along, everyone is friendly, nobody has an "attitude".

Weird day.  I seemed to blank on what I was trying to do for most of the round.  By the same token I was really focused.  Distance wasn't what I was hoping for off the tee but the rest of the round was, for me, above average.  Shot a 47 on the front, eh, caught fire (for me anyway) on the back nine and carded a 41.  No three putts, holed a par saver from the fringe on a testy par 5.  Six one putts.  Chips and pitches were, for some reason, pretty good.

Back to the range tomorrow to try and build some muscle memory.

All in all a good day, and certainly an enjoyable one with the guys I was with.

[JalanK]

Changes will take time, but you're on the right track. Only advice I have is not to rush when it's your turn to hit. Take practice swings before you address your ball, while others are hitting (out of their sight line of course). One real practice swing as fast as you normally swing - avoid the slo-mo practice swing. Step up and go.  One last piece of advice - make a full turn backswing, don't be in such a hurry you rush it. Full backswing. Play well.

[Bobbers]

On 6/23/2022 at 5:16 PM, JalanK said:

Changes will take time, but you're on the right track. Only advice I have is not to rush when it's your turn to hit. Take practice swings before you address your ball, while others are hitting (out of their sight line of course). One real practice swing as fast as you normally swing - avoid the slo-mo practice swing. Step up and go.  One last piece of advice - make a full turn backswing, don't be in such a hurry you rush it. Full backswing. Play well.

Hit the range today, which given it was in the 90's and humid might not have been the smartest move but hey, when you're after something you do what you have to do, right?

The backswing isn't, as I figured out today, my biggest problem.  It's clearing my right hip on the way down that's messing me up.  Hence I developed this move where I jerk my left elbow back, if that makes sense, in order to create a path for the club head to the ball.

The longer the club the bigger the issue; I was hitting an 8 iron really well (for me) on a very repeatable basis.  Hell, I even played around with my 7 iron instead of the 7 hybrid I normally use; again with very positive results.

So it's back to the range tomorrow before it gets too toasty to work on trying to get the hips into the swing and lose the "jerk" move.

[JalanK]

Clearing the hips - a necessity for a good swing.  Here's a video from Jason Glass - Rotational Sports trainer, where you might find something to help you. I've gone through his program a couple times, and it helps.