Hitting consistency

[duckman]

Hi fellow spys.

This is my first post, hope I have done it right.

Here in OzLand, we are now in Winter, with cool nights, rainy days, sometimes sunshine.

Perfect Golf weather for ducks like me, but we can still get out and hit which is good, sometimes preferred lies but that’s ok.

Mid 2023, I got fitted for a new Driver (head came off on the tee one day with old driver) and new Iron at a different time.

I now have a Tour Edge Hot Launch C523, Tour Edge Exotics E723 irons.

Purchased a new Cobra King Vintage Stingray putter a month ago (A mallet head) as my old Blade Putter wasn't as consistent on the greens anymore.

With the Cobra putter, I was able to get the Arccos sensors / Link. That has been amazing as I can now see where I am going etc.

I had a lesson March 2023, changed a heap of things. My handicap was 37.9 at that stage. Got down to 33.6 at end of December 2023.

Had another lesson in Jan 2024 with same person, changed one thing, follow through onto lead foot, as I was finishing up on back foot, not knowing that I was doing it.

Since then, I have come down to 25.4, WOW!!!!!! Dropped 5 shots during March alone.

Now with Arccos, I can see where and how long all of my shots are. I analyse / review each round to see what I have done and find it really good.

Using my phone (with the app) on my buggy handle, I see what the distance is to the green etc, so can plan my shots better.

After using Arccos for a while now, I am "almost" comfortable with my club distances, but still get the odd "flyer" that I'm not used to.

I have slowed greatly my swing speeds with the Irons, getting more distance consistency which is good.

The problem I still have is the lack of directional control. With the 8 Iron up, I can never count on them being straight, even half the time.

How can I fix it?

Thanks

Good golfing

The Duck

 

[MattF]

G'day mate and welcome from a displaced Sydneysider.

Honestly, more lessons and meaningful practice to try and get the consistency that you're after.

What I mean by meaningful is practice with a goal, not just mindlessly beating balls at the range. Pick a target and use that to help with getting your swing consistent.

[NM01]

5 hours ago, duckman said:

After using Arccos for a while now, I am "almost" comfortable with my club distances, but still get the odd "flyer" that I'm not used to.

 

You probably aren’t getting flyers but rather end up actually having a shot that you hit in the sweet spot. Not surprising from a higher handicap golfer. 
 

5 hours ago, duckman said:

How can I fix it?

Lessons and proper practice that should lead to more consistent contact location on the face

[cnosil]

7 hours ago, duckman said:

 

The problem I still have is the lack of directional control. With the 8 Iron up, I can never count on them being straight, even half the time.

How can I fix it?

 

Practice and lessons.  Learn the ball flight laws and you will understand why balls go the direction they do. 

 

however, I would suggest you learn about dispersion patterns.   Golf is more like a shogun than a rifle and eveyone; even pros, have a wide dispersion pattern.   For example the left/right driver dispersion for a PGA pro is about 70 yards wide.  The margin of error is measured in degrees.  Leaving the face open or closed by 1 degree will send the ball off to the left or right.  

[KC Golf]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Practice and lessons.  Learn the ball flight laws and you will understand why balls go the direction they do. 

 

however, I would suggest you learn about dispersion patterns.   Golf is more like a shogun than a rifle and eveyone; even pros, have a wide dispersion pattern.   For example the left/right driver dispersion for a PGA pro is about 70 yards wide.  The margin of error is measured in degrees.  Leaving the face open or closed by 1 degree will send the ball off to the left or right.  

I agree totally with this.  
I think a combination of LM and video is really important.  I am a visual learner and so seeing in video not just being explained what I am doing right or wrong is better for me.  Saying your angle of attack is off or your angles in your back swing need correction is hard to figure out without video.

I find it’s definitely more valuable than lessons just outside with a coach looking at your swing.  Even the best pros can’t see what you are doing with the entirety of your swing.  

This year, I have been getting better at having my hands more forward at impact and lowering my launch angle, but if I had T seen it in video I don’t think I would have been able to see and work on it.

[duckman]

10 hours ago, KC Golf said:

I agree totally with this.  
I think a combination of LM and video is really important.  I am a visual learner and so seeing in video not just being explained what I am doing right or wrong is better for me.  Saying your angle of attack is off or your angles in your back swing need correction is hard to figure out without video.

I find it’s definitely more valuable than lessons just outside with a coach looking at your swing.  Even the best pros can’t see what you are doing with the entirety of your swing.  

This year, I have been getting better at having my hands more forward at impact and lowering my launch angle, but if I had T seen it in video I don’t think I would have been able to see and work on it.

Sounds good.

I might video my swing from behind / the side and see how it looks. Will no doubt be scary to see how bad my swing is, but will give me something to work with.

The last lesson I had, the only thing he changed was to get me to follow through properly. He had me simulate throwing a ball to get used to the feel of the weight transfer, made a huge difference, as in the past, my weight was being retained on my back feet

[KC Golf]

15 hours ago, duckman said:

Sounds good.

I might video my swing from behind / the side and see how it looks. Will no doubt be scary to see how bad my swing is, but will give me something to work with.

The last lesson I had, the only thing he changed was to get me to follow through properly. He had me simulate throwing a ball to get used to the feel of the weight transfer, made a huge difference, as in the past, my weight was being retained on my back feet

Weight transfer is key.

I find watching friends hitting shots that the biggest issue is swaying instead of rotating in the swing,  it leads to thin and fat or big misses.  Posting the back leg and rotating from the start on your back swing really helps get you better rotation.  Should help with consistent contact with any club.  Try putting the camera looking straight at you with the ball between you and your body.  Try putting alignment sticks in the ground (vertically next to your body) so you can gauge whether you are swaying or rotating.  Hope that helps.

[TAGolf13]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:25 AM, KC Golf said:

I agree totally with this.  
I think a combination of LM and video is really important.  I am a visual learner and so seeing in video not just being explained what I am doing right or wrong is better for me.  Saying your angle of attack is off or your angles in your back swing need correction is hard to figure out without video.

I find it’s definitely more valuable than lessons just outside with a coach looking at your swing.  Even the best pros can’t see what you are doing with the entirety of your swing.  

This year, I have been getting better at having my hands more forward at impact and lowering my launch angle, but if I had T seen it in video I don’t think I would have been able to see and work on it.

Yes! Video is huge. Having a pro handy to help get your body into the "right" positions so that you can feel them and explain what happens when you do what can also be really valuable. Of course, that depends on finding a pro who really knows what they're seeing and doing. As a former tennis pro, I've seen lots of colleagues who didn't know what they were looking at and would give pretty poor feedback to students. That's one reason I'm reluctant to take lessons. Bottom line is to take a lesson and determine if the pro is right for you. And any pro worth their salt will use video as part of instruction in my opinion.