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Dramatic improvement following a critical insight?


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A couple of years ago, I decided that I wanted to get better. At that time I rarely broke 100. So I took some lessons from Golf Tech and got consistently into the 90's. Since then I've I've bought a lot of DVDs, read books, watched youtube videos, etc. I think my ball striking got a little more consistent, my handicap dropped a couple of points, but my distance didn't improve. A well struck 7 iron for me has always been 140 yds. Recently, I picked-up Jim Hardy's Plane Truth and its been something of a revelation. I took some of his one-plane ideas to the range and after about half a bucket, I was hitting (some of) my shots 170-175 with the 7 iron. Finishing the bucket, I grabbed another small bucket to try his tow-plane version. After about a dozen balls I was again hitting my 7 iron about 170 yds (with a little more dispersion). Two days later I went back to the range and replicated the results. Since then I haven't hit any balls due to weather and a minor knee surgery. I feel like I finally understand how to power a golf swing; however, I can't count how many times I've thought I was on to something only to find that either I wasn't, or that it had escaped me. Anyway, I'm wondering if such dramatic insight/improvement experiences are at all common in learning the swing. Since I cant play right now, I cant test the theory and I'm hoping to hear similar stories of how your swing improved after some critical insight.

It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear.

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Great post Crappy and welcome to the forum. I would not say I have replicated those results. I do not hit a 7 iron 170 and what is more, I really do not want to. Yeah, I would love to be able to hit the driver 300 yards down the middle every time but I am pleased with the distance I hit the ball now with my irons. Well, in the summer anyway.:D

 

My epiphany, actually two of them. The first is pay no attention to that faster is farther crap. It is all about solid contact and fast comes from proper swing not trying to swing fast. My best hits happen when I think I am swinging slowly.

 

The second, and perhaps most important as far as lowering the score is that it is all about putting. The goal is to get to putting in the least amount of strokes and then in the hole in the least number of strokes. This means is the purpose of the drive is to set me up to aim at the green. The purpose of the approach shot is to get it on the green so I can putt. I can make a putt from any where on the green. (I can not necessarily do.) So when on the tee box, my goal now is to get the ball in play. This relieved a lot of pressure on my game. There is not near as much pressure on a putt for birdie or par as there is a putt to keep from getting a double bogey.

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I have had a few breakthrough moments in my game. Sometimes something just clicks, to the point where you just can't imagine how you ever played prior to the new realization. I had a breakthrough moment early last year and wrote about it in a thread titled "Relaxed Power" or something like that. I went on to play my best golf ever through the year, and posted my career best score and first time under par. A late season illness set me back quite a bit and that combined with winter weather has me struggling a bit to find where I was, but the keys are still there in my head and I have little doubt that I will be able to get back to where I was and hopefully improve upon it.

 

Get out and hit balls whenever you can focusing on the new feeling. It is as much about visualizing what you are trying to do and keeping your body ready to execute when you can finally bring it to the course. Don't let yourself forget, but don't worry too much about pushing for immediate results when the weather and your body are not going to let that happen.

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I am also a fan or the Relaxed Power Tyk talks about. I just downloaded the Jim Hardy's book so I will give that a look see and get back to you. I think I will run to the course and wack a few balls before I read it.

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:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

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:titelist-small: ProV1  

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Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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...... however, I can't count how many times I've thought I was on to something only to find that either I wasn't, or that it had escaped me.

All the damn time. When you figure out how to combat it...let me know!

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I am also a fan or the Relaxed Power Tyk talks about. I just downloaded the Jim Hardy's book so I will give that a look see and get back to you. I think I will run to the course and wack a few balls before I read it.

Downloaded to your iPhone?

MENTOR, L4 COACH & TRAINER  FIRST TEE GREATER HOUSTON
HDCP: 8.3  (GHIN: 3143312)
In my bag, April 2023
:titelist-small: TS3 Driver & 4 Wood Hzrdous Smoke Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:titelist-small: TS2 Hybrids  Mitsubishi Tensei Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:mizuno-small:  MP-59 5-PW; KBS Tour (Regular Flex)
:titelist-small: SM8 Wedges

EVNROLL ER2  Putter
SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND BALL
Sun Mountain Cart Bag
:Clicgear: 4.0 Push Cart (I'm walking 9 outta 10 rounds!!)

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Downloaded to your iPhone?

 

I downloaded it to my Kindle which is on my iPhone and on my Android (poor man iPad). Started reading it already.

:ping-small:G430LST 10.5° on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Driver 

:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

:918457628_PrecisionPro: Precision Pro  NX7 Pro

All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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I downloaded it to my Kindle which is on my iPhone and on my Android (poor man iPad). Started reading it already.

I just figured out how to download books. Let me know what you think of it.

MENTOR, L4 COACH & TRAINER  FIRST TEE GREATER HOUSTON
HDCP: 8.3  (GHIN: 3143312)
In my bag, April 2023
:titelist-small: TS3 Driver & 4 Wood Hzrdous Smoke Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:titelist-small: TS2 Hybrids  Mitsubishi Tensei Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:mizuno-small:  MP-59 5-PW; KBS Tour (Regular Flex)
:titelist-small: SM8 Wedges

EVNROLL ER2  Putter
SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND BALL
Sun Mountain Cart Bag
:Clicgear: 4.0 Push Cart (I'm walking 9 outta 10 rounds!!)

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I have had a few breakthrough moments in my game. Sometimes something just clicks, to the point where you just can't imagine how you ever played prior to the new realization. I had a breakthrough moment early last year and wrote about it in a thread titled "Relaxed Power" or something like that. I went on to play my best golf ever through the year, and posted my career best score and first time under par. A late season illness set me back quite a bit and that combined with winter weather has me struggling a bit to find where I was, but the keys are still there in my head and I have little doubt that I will be able to get back to where I was and hopefully improve upon it.

 

Get out and hit balls whenever you can focusing on the new feeling. It is as much about visualizing what you are trying to do and keeping your body ready to execute when you can finally bring it to the course. Don't let yourself forget, but don't worry too much about pushing for immediate results when the weather and your body are not going to let that happen.

 

Tyk - Just read the post you refer to - NICE. Answered my question and taught me something too. Might even help explain why my insight worked as well as it did - I was able to quit worrying about positions and mechanics and just concentrate on the much simpler matter of which muscles should be used to apply the energy that ultimately moves the club on the appropriate plane. All of the other swing movements (or lack thereof) were already pretty well ingrained and I was able to get out of my own way.

It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear.

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Tyk - Just read the post you refer to - NICE. Answered my question and taught me something too. Might even help explain why my insight worked as well as it did - I was able to quit worrying about positions and mechanics and just concentrate on the much simpler matter of which muscles should be used to apply the energy that ultimately moves the club on the appropriate plane. All of the other swing movements (or lack thereof) were already pretty well ingrained and I was able to get out of my own way.

 

I was going to ask what in particular gave you the critical insight that led to the improvement? But you just answered it.

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:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

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In the last few months I made an adjustment that more consistently gives me that explosion of power that feels so effortless. It's something I would get 5 or 10 percent of the time maybe. It feels like a wave of energy traveling down my arm and snapping through the club into the ball. You can't muscle it or force it to happen. You have to let it happen. Now I get that on almost every shot. I figured out how to repeat it. Now I say that from the improvement I've seen indoors as I haven't been able to play for a while. Sometimes taking to the course can be entirely different. But I'm pretty confident I can keep it. It has to do with a particular way I move for one. But especially my tempo. I've learned to get that down by feeling the club. It tells you how to move if you let it. I know, sounds corny. But it gets rid of mechanical thoughts for me. I always say, there's two things that are a death sentence to a swing. The worst is thinking about hitting the ball. That makes it the target instead of where you want it to go. Your brain automatically tells your body to move differently when the target is on the ground in front of you. The second is thinking about HOW to swing. Both of those things take your mind off the real target and intent which gives you little chance to pull the shot off.

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The worst is thinking about hitting the ball. That makes it the target instead of where you want it to go. Your brain automatically tells your body to move differently when the target is on the ground in front of you.

 

Yes to this! I think about it a bit differently though, I try to not be ball or target oriented, I like to get myself set up and concentrate on rotating. If I set up right, and swing right, then the shot will be right, right? I all the time tell myself "you are not hitting a ball, you are making a good swing with a ball in the way"!

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Adams XTD Super Hybrid 15* - Stock Fubuki S
Adams DHY 21* - Stock Matrix Ozik White Tie S
Mizuno MP58 4-8 Irons - Fujikura MCI 100 S
SCOR 42,46,50,54,58* - SCOR/KBS Genius S
STX Robert Ingman Envision TR 35", Iomic grip

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I just figured out how to download books. Let me know what you think of it.

Ok. I read over this book rather quickly. I have not put it to practice and I would not say that there was a "Eureka Moment" , there were some "Aha Moments".

 

"Eureka moments" may come.

 

There is a lot of conflicting golf instructions and he does a great job of seperating it into two distinct swings. And this is an excellent way to spend the cold winter and $9.90 on Kindle.

:ping-small:G430LST 10.5° on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Driver 

:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

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There have been a couple of "Eureka Moments" in this book and even a "Holy Sheep Sh!t, Batman!!! Moments." I will finish the book and put some stuff into practice but I can safely say that the problem that I have fought 15 months is solved. This will probably end up as its own thread but this one vs two plane book is good stuff. I did brave the snow this morning and hit a few balls and the results were outstanding.

:ping-small:G430LST 10.5° on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Driver 

:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

:918457628_PrecisionPro: Precision Pro  NX7 Pro

All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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I would say there have been 3 aha moments that have really changed my golf game. The first was the Dave Pelz Putting Bible.It is not because this book is the only method for how putt correctly. Instwas it gave me a method and fundamentals to learn with drills to practice that gave me confidence in my putting. This resulted in great putting inside 5 feet, Very few three putts and feeling like any putt at least had a chance to drop. It also gave a lot of cold hard stats about the fact that even pros miss most of their outside ten feet. That helped me not beat myself up so.much when I missed. This resulted in a 3-5 stroke drop. For someone who was a 10 handicap at the time that is a sizable drop.

 

The second, and I would contend most important aha moment was The short game Bible. My putting benefited so much how could I not go to the next one. I know Rover Rick says it's all about putting, and winning a tournament requires a good putting week. But research shows that all tour pros hit it about the same and all.putt well too. However the only stat that That seems to have a direct correlation to money on tour is getting down in two inside 125 yards. It explains how Tom Kite who was not the longest or straightaway hitter, nor the best putter was the all-time leading money winner fora while.

This book convinced me to practice my short game like a madman. I could already chip and pitch well. But the book taught me to work on my distance wedges and bunker play. The results were up and downs for pars when my swing was off and lots of.birdies on short par fours and 5's. It also makes your full swings better because I don't worry about missing because I am confident I can get up and down. It also really frustrates the guys who hit it twenty yards past you and hit more greens when you beat them because you Chip and putt better. This got me to +2. Granted I was playing and practicing 5 days a week then. Now I am scratch and I play once a week and when I practice it is almost nothing but short game.

 

The final was Mental books like Golf is Not a Game of Perfect and Golf is a Game of confidence. The main thing here was to stay focused, pick specific targets, play smart, and trust myself and not do swing thoughts while playing. This has helped me now that I play less by making me more consistent and not doing stupid things. I shoot fewer 66' s these days, but I also shoot fewer 78' s.

 

In conclusion if your swing is good enough to keep.you in play and get at least close to greens in regulation, If you have a well.rounded weakness free short game, if you can make most of then inside 5 feet and not three putt and if you can stay target oriented in the present not making stupid mistakes you can be a single digit or even scratch golfer.

 

The problem I this goes against everything the golfing world tells you.Spend less time on the long game, the things you are already good at and new equipment and more time practicing the tedious things like three footers and distance wedges, and worry more about where you hit it and not how far you hit it.

 

I'm sorry I'll get off my soapbox now.

It's all about the short game, unless you can't keep it in play!

What's in my Bag:
Driver: Adams Speedline Super LS 10.5 with Excalibur T7+ tour stiff shaft
3 Wood: Adams Speedline Super LS 13 degree with Excalibur TFW Tour stiff shaft
Hybrid: Nickent 6DT 19 degree Aldilla Voodoo NV Stiff shaft
Irons: 4-9 KZG Tour Evolution with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 tour 120 x flex shafts
Wedges:49 degree Dave Pelz wedge with a Nippon N.S. Pro Modus tour 120 x flex shaft. 54,64 Dave Pelz wedges with Rifle spinner shafts 59 Degree Scor wedge with rifle spinner shaft.
Putter: Bentinardi Ben Hogan Big Ben Center shafted 33 inches with best grips custom pistol putter grip.

Ball: Titleist Pro V1X, Callaway Hex Chrome +

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I know Rover Rick says it's all about putting, and winning a tournament requires a good putting week.

 

True, sorta. If you are a great putter it relieves stress on the rest of the game. And getting on a soap box is an occupational hazard for you.:D So preach on.

 

What I really meant was that I had a killer short iron and wedge games for years. Anytime I was within 120 yards you could count on me being within 10 feet of the hole. However, you could also count on me two or three putting from 10 feet. The guys I played with for years laughed at me about my lack of putting skills. Then one week I had a putting breakthrough and after I made the putts on three consecutive holes they started talking about how we needed to change our betting system because I had learned to putt. The sad part is they were right.

 

If, and I plan to find out tomorrow, what I read and did in the snow today translate to the course this is a significant Eureka moment. But honestly I have spent very little time on my long game. Short game and putting is where it is at. I agree with that. If I can get my long game issues ironed out I can compete with the big boys at the club.

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:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

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All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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True, sorta. If you are a great putter it relieves stress on the rest of the game. And getting on a soap box is an occupational hazard for you.:D So preach on.

 

What I really meant was that I had a killer short iron and wedge games for years. Anytime I was within 120 yards you could count on me being within 10 feet of the hole. However, you could also count on me two or three putting from 10 feet. The guys I played with for years laughed at me about my lack of putting skills. Then one week I had a putting breakthrough and after I made the putts on three consecutive holes they started talking about how we needed to change our betting system because I had learned to putt. The sad part is they were right.

 

If, and I plan to find out tomorrow, what I read and did in the snow today translate to the course this is a significant Eureka moment. But honestly I have spent very little time on my long game. Short game and putting is where it is at. I agree with that. If I can get my long game issues ironed out I can compete with the big boys at the club.

this is funny. I am currently reading plane truth as well, I am hoping that by making sure my one plane fundamentals more solid and not mixing the two theories I can get a little bit of my old consistency back without having to play everyday. I want to compete in state am tournaments but I also want to spend time with my family.

It's all about the short game, unless you can't keep it in play!

What's in my Bag:
Driver: Adams Speedline Super LS 10.5 with Excalibur T7+ tour stiff shaft
3 Wood: Adams Speedline Super LS 13 degree with Excalibur TFW Tour stiff shaft
Hybrid: Nickent 6DT 19 degree Aldilla Voodoo NV Stiff shaft
Irons: 4-9 KZG Tour Evolution with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 tour 120 x flex shafts
Wedges:49 degree Dave Pelz wedge with a Nippon N.S. Pro Modus tour 120 x flex shaft. 54,64 Dave Pelz wedges with Rifle spinner shafts 59 Degree Scor wedge with rifle spinner shaft.
Putter: Bentinardi Ben Hogan Big Ben Center shafted 33 inches with best grips custom pistol putter grip.

Ball: Titleist Pro V1X, Callaway Hex Chrome +

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this is funny. I am currently reading plane truth as well, I am hoping that by making sure my one plane fundamentals more solid and not mixing the two theories I ucan get a little bit of my old consistency back without having to play everyday. I want to compete in state am tournaments but I also want to spend time with my family.

I have some of both going on right now.

:ping-small:G430LST 10.5° on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Driver 

:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

:918457628_PrecisionPro: Precision Pro  NX7 Pro

All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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I feel like the swing theories sort of came together as a way to teach someone what is most efficient and easily repeatable. However that is more of a new concept in golf I think.

I just got done reading an article by Bruce talking about "Play Swing or Play Golf" >> http://www.bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/2013/01/play-swing-or-play-golf.html

 

This got me thinking about my first ever golf lesson at 3years old (I can't really remember it honestly). However, I do recall that I was given a club to hold and taught to swing with the goal of controlling the shot. I did take lessons form a PGA Teaching Pro when I was little. However, I highly doubt that the instructor would have bothered with swing philosophy to a 3 to 5 year old, just a grip thing here and a small tweak there in posture and tell you to swing away.

 

Why not just learn to hold the club properly, learn to address the ball properly (aim, posture, etc), then just figure out how to hit shots and control it?

Callaway Epic Max 12.0 (-1/N) @ 44.50" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7 Stiff

Callaway Epic Speed 18.0* @ 42.75" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-8 Stiff

Callaway Mavrik Pro 23.0* @ 40.00" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 HYB Stiff

Sub-70 639 Combo (5-P) w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Stiff, Standard Length, Weak Lofts (27-47, 4* gaps)

Callaway MD5 Raw 51-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 55-13 X-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 59-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 63-09 C-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Golf Swing & Putting -- Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting)

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I just got done reading an article by Bruce talking about "Play Swing or Play Golf" >> http://www.bargolfinstruction.blogspot.com/2013/01/play-swing-or-play-golf.html

No to stray too far OT, but every link you've posted to one of Bruce's articles has been a great read....thanks for doing that.

MENTOR, L4 COACH & TRAINER  FIRST TEE GREATER HOUSTON
HDCP: 8.3  (GHIN: 3143312)
In my bag, April 2023
:titelist-small: TS3 Driver & 4 Wood Hzrdous Smoke Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:titelist-small: TS2 Hybrids  Mitsubishi Tensei Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:mizuno-small:  MP-59 5-PW; KBS Tour (Regular Flex)
:titelist-small: SM8 Wedges

EVNROLL ER2  Putter
SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND BALL
Sun Mountain Cart Bag
:Clicgear: 4.0 Push Cart (I'm walking 9 outta 10 rounds!!)

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I feel like the swing theories sort of came together as a way to teach someone what is most efficient and easily repeatable. However that is more of a new concept in golf I think.

I just got done reading an article by Bruce talking about "Play Swing or Play Golf" >> http://www.bargolfin...-play-golf.html

 

This got me thinking about my first ever golf lesson at 3years old (I can't really remember it honestly). However, I do recall that I was given a club to hold and taught to swing with the goal of controlling the shot. I did take lessons form a PGA Teaching Pro when I was little. However, I highly doubt that the instructor would have bothered with swing philosophy to a 3 to 5 year old, just a grip thing here and a small tweak there in posture and tell you to swing away.

 

Why not just learn to hold the club properly, learn to address the ball properly (aim, posture, etc), then just figure out how to hit shots and control it?

 

That sounds great for a beginner and especially a young beginner, but what about a 48 year old engineer with a single digit handicap who has back problems and has read, seen, and heard 87 different ways to make the golf swing in his life. I know how to make the ball do what I want it to except go a really long way. But there is a lot of competing information out there and this book does a good job of clarifying it.

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That sounds great for a beginner and especially a young beginner, but what about a 48 year old engineer with a single digit handicap who has back problems and has read, seen, and heard 87 different ways to make the golf swing in his life. I know how to make the ball do what I want it to except go a really long way. But there is a lot of competing information out there and this book does a good job of clarifying it.

 

I think in your case, or my case, or most of us on this forum, we might just be better off doing what is talked about in "Seven Days in Utopia" when he tells his "disciple" to write down what works for you in the way you want to swing the golf club based on your past success then whenever you get off go back to those fundamentals so that you can develop trust in YOUR SWING. Stick to your grip, your preferred shot shape, your swing. Then comes the hard part. Stop listening to whatever the flavor of the month swing teacher says everyone should be doing and trust that the motion we have worked to make consistent for years and years is good. Then play lots of golf and practice our short games and putting.

 

That seems to be what most of us are advocating here.

It's all about the short game, unless you can't keep it in play!

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Bro, you're in the same boat as I(minus the age, engineering background & bad back, where I'll substitute two knees that have undergone a combined 12 surgeries, though i'll take these over your back, as I wouldn't wish a bad back on my worst enemy!), and that's why I said that some of JM's stuff may not be for us, however for basically the majority of guys & those others who've posted on this thread, I would read & retread his posts very carefully.

 

He'll, I do, and even if ya don't implement the material, it's valid, accurate & grounded in fact, not opinion. That last part of that sentence is critical with me, and there's none on this forum better than Jeremy, IMO.

 

Anyways, have a good one Bro. I'm goin home today :-)!!!!

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

 

Finally, you are getting paroled. Do what your parole officer says or you will find yourself back in the joint.

 

 

I am playing golf in 1/2 an hour so I will know more about this then.

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No to stray too far OT, but every link you've posted to one of Bruce's articles has been a great read....thanks for doing that.

Yes that it is I was a little OT in posting it but it seems that all I read in instruction anymore is "how to swing" not really "how to play golf" regardless of your physical abilities.

 

 

That sounds great for a beginner and especially a young beginner, but what about a 48 year old engineer with a single digit handicap who has back problems and has read, seen, and heard 87 different ways to make the golf swing in his life. I know how to make the ball do what I want it to except go a really long way. But there is a lot of competing information out there and this book does a good job of clarifying it.

I understand where you are coming from, and I'm sure the book is a good read. I wanted to kick up a storm of conversation about modern teaching versus old teaching / playing styles. As a 48 year old with back problems you will have limited motion in the golf swing thus effecting you directly and preventing you from making a swing method style swing. You have learned indirectly how to play around your restrictions to a high level (single digit handicap). There is a TON of information out there and tips, knowing how to filter it is 1/2 the battle. I like the last quote in this post about having convection in YOUR swing and not wavering from it unless you 100% have to because of physical changes. Looking at Arnold Palmer swing a club now you see a lot of the same motions just a shorter backswing thanks to limited range of motion.

 

 

HaHa, it's great to have ya drop in JM. For those of you that are new & are not familiar with him, I would say go back and read his prior posts, and think about what he has to say very carefully. I'm not saying that you're gonna agree with everything that he's written or writes, as I haven't, though I will say that it is well thought out and credible and accurate, it just may not be right for you. However, that being said, if you followed 90-93% of his recommendations, you'll be a much improved play. Fairways & Greens 4ever :mizuno-small:

Thanks for your kind words Richard.

 

 

I think in your case, or my case, or most of us on this forum, we might just be better off doing what is talked about in "Seven Days in Utopia" when he tells his "disciple" to write down what works for you in the way you want to swing the golf club based on your past success then whenever you get off go back to those fundamentals so that you can develop trust in YOUR SWING. Stick to your grip, your preferred shot shape, your swing. Then comes the hard part. Stop listening to whatever the flavor of the month swing teacher says everyone should be doing and trust that the motion we have worked to make consistent for years and years is good. Then play lots of golf and practice our short games and putting.

 

That seems to be what most of us are advocating here.

As corny as it sounds there was a ton in Seven Days in Utopia that were not Hollywood at all and really was good advice. I agree you have to know your swing inside and out what other people do doesn't matter. The only person to overhaul their swing drastically even once that is a hall of fame member or future hall of fame member is Tiger Woods. Imagine how many more wins he could have if he stuck to the 1999 swing and the knee didn't blow out on him. You name a player from the Nicklaus era or earlier, look at their swing from start of career to end, you won't find many changes unless something physically happened to them to force it.

 

 

As a side note I figured that the conversation on the book was pretty much covered so I wanted to stray a little OT for a minute about instruction in general in information out there now a days. Sometimes as a really accomplished golfer (single digit) like myself, we NEED to go back to fundamentals and play more carefree like a child would to break our personal scoring barriers.

 

Maybe you agree maybe you don't but just wanted to toss it out there, as someone said before KISS theory. Simpler is better and this is a game meant to be fun.

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Callaway Epic Speed 18.0* @ 42.75" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-8 Stiff

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Sub-70 639 Combo (5-P) w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Stiff, Standard Length, Weak Lofts (27-47, 4* gaps)

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Callaway MD5 Raw 55-13 X-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

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Here is the best advice I have ever given and the best "aid" you can get. Go to the store and get you one of these to put in your bag (get the mini version 4.5 X 3.25").

Comp notebook.jpg

 

Write down any swing change that you are working on and take notes on feel, ball flight, and of course positive/negative results. I do this for any change, whether it be mental or physical. Once I get something that works repeatedly, I write it in my "playing pad" and look at it every time I go to the range or course. It really helps during tournament play, to go to it and remember what you need to do to play well. I also have these for tournament courses that I play, with notes about each hole on the course.

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RP, thanks for the Tamayo book recommendation I just ordered it for my kindle. As for my "aha" moment, I don't expect a 170 yd 7-iron to become part of my game from now on (if ever). What I took from Hardy's book is that I was working at cross purposes with regard to how to power a swing, and it definitely simplified my movements. I've since bought all his books and most of the dvd's and as much as I'd like to take a lesson from a plane truth certified instructor, the only one in my area (and he must be a good one) goes for $175/hr. So, I'm gonna see what I can get out of the self-study material before I make that investment.

 

Thanks for the responses everybody. I'll be playing Friday for the first time since that range session, I'll report back with the results.

It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear.

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I went to the course today, 42* and had to wait until after the snow melted and the course opened up. The course was a sloppy mess. Very little carry because of the temperatures and no roll at all. However, I did get to wack the ball around and actually played quite well, considering I was hitting 2 & 4 & 5 irons instead of 8, 9, and wedge.

 

I just deleted 6 paragraphs that told my life story in golf and am skipping ahead to the meat of this post.

 

According to Hardy in this book, if you swing the club to the top on plane and make a one plane swing, and you start the downswing with a hip turn not slide, it is impossible to be too aggressive with your shoulder turn and come over the top. This has been my problem. I read and have been trying to implement Joe Dante's Four Magic Moves to Play Better Golf. His third move is a lateral hip slide to start the down swing. You must have passive shoulders also.

 

On the course, I get carried away and swing the shoulders too aggressively and pull hook the ball 40 yards. So I went to the course today armed with a new swing. I had been working on this for a while but needed this last piece of the puzzle.

 

Interestingly enough I did not see the immediate results I was hoping for. Most of it was the weather, but since the range was closed my first swing this way was the drive on number 1. It was not pretty. nor was the second shot, nor the third. I was hitting 4 and not on the green. I got up and down for bogey and went to the next hole. 2 great shots later I had a 6 foot birdie putt on the hardest hole on the course. My ball striking from that point was pretty solid but it was not until the 15th hole that I saw any distance improvement. And this was about when I started to feel comfortable with the new swing.

 

Now I have been striking the ball solidly for quite some time but with new swing I do believe that I can go after it harder and not fear the hook. Time will tell but so far I would say that Hardy was right. Oh, I also shot a 74 today which is pretty good considering that I was making a swing change in less than ideal conditions.

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Here is the best advice I have ever given and the best "aid" you can get. Go to the store and get you one of these to put in your bag (get the mini version 4.5 X 3.25").

Comp notebook.jpg

 

Write down any swing change that you are working on and take notes on feel, ball flight, and of course positive/negative results. I do this for any change, whether it be mental or physical. Once I get something that works repeatedly, I write it in my "playing pad" and look at it every time I go to the range or course. It really helps during tournament play, to go to it and remember what you need to do to play well. I also have these for tournament courses that I play, with notes about each hole on the course.

 

This is some REALLY GOOD ADVICE, thanks to JBones for including that.

Callaway Epic Max 12.0 (-1/N) @ 44.50" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7 Stiff

Callaway Epic Speed 18.0* @ 42.75" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-8 Stiff

Callaway Mavrik Pro 23.0* @ 40.00" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 HYB Stiff

Sub-70 639 Combo (5-P) w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Stiff, Standard Length, Weak Lofts (27-47, 4* gaps)

Callaway MD5 Raw 51-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 55-13 X-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 59-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 63-09 C-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Golf Swing & Putting -- Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting)

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Interesting that this topic came up now. I've had Hardy's The Plane Truth for several years without ever getting much benefit from it. But I have been struggling with a backswing that goes too much inside, and a swing that is too much in to out. Obvious problems with my swing plane that I just couldn't get worked out. Then I happened to see the Master Class version of the book in a used bookstore and picked it up. The Plane Truth Master Class really goes into details and drills on how to make the correct moves. There is one drill called "Close the A Drill" that solved all my problems. It was the key I needed to get the backswing moving correctly. Now I'm getting those nice shallow divots that point exactly where I'm aimed. I'm hitting the ball solid and straight and I don't have to worry about fighting a hook. I can even play a fade now which was impossible with my old move.

 

This is going to be my "go to" book for the swing from now on. I can't recommend it enough.

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Interesting that this topic came up now. I've had Hardy's The Plane Truth for several years without ever getting much benefit from it. But I have been struggling with a backswing that goes too much inside, and a swing that is too much in to out. Obvious problems with my swing plane that I just couldn't get worked out. Then I happened to see the Master Class version of the book in a used bookstore and picked it up. The Plane Truth Master Class really goes into details and drills on how to make the correct moves. There is one drill called "Close the A Drill" that solved all my problems. It was the key I needed to get the backswing moving correctly. Now I'm getting those nice shallow divots that point exactly where I'm aimed. I'm hitting the ball solid and straight and I don't have to worry about fighting a hook. I can even play a fade now which was impossible with my old move.

 

This is going to be my "go to" book for the swing from now on. I can't recommend it enough.

 

Well, I certainly swear by this book now. It solved my problems. I have only had it a few days but went out today and played 27 holes and was 2 over. I did not even do any drills. Just turn the shoulders all the way back and then all the way through. I am hitting the ball as far now as I did during the summer.

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:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

:918457628_PrecisionPro: Precision Pro  NX7 Pro

All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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