Swing changes leading to a great round

[sai-jin]

I met my friend who is turning pro, he taught me and helped fix a couple of things I was missing in my swing last week and for the entire week after, I went to the range, chip and putt everyday.

 

Today I went to a real tight course to play, teeing off from the tips and using R11s V3 with 3.75* open to boot.

 

It's amazing that focusing on how much I release I was able to control my balls.

I didn't miss a single green on the par 3s, plus I landed my balls 5-15ft from the pin, chip shots are the same and I never 3 putted.

 

I shot 3 over on the front and even par on the back after scoring 2 birdies. It felt like magic. This is the 2nd time in my 3 years of golf I ever scored below 5 over.

 

 

But then I wonder too... I was playing with a friend who is experienced and good to be with... perhaps having a good company helps a lot too.

[Mr_Theoo]

But then I wonder too... I was playing with a friend who is experienced and good to be with... perhaps having a good company helps a lot too.

 

It couldn't hurt. I've noticed that I tend to play better when I play alone even though its not as much fun

[sai-jin]

Yea, I'd prefer to play alone when I'm swinging bad lol.

 

But I'd rather have people around me when I"m nailing it like today.

 

Well, I'm definitely going to play a couple more rounds to test myself and see if I can average in the mid single digit score wise. I've been around a 9HC, would love to bring that down.

[sai-jin]

Been playing 3 rounds a week now and my scores have been between 3 and 7 over, so I thought I got it and know better what to fix.

 

Decided to play another round today, but this time with different irons... I went to use a 15gram heavier iron compared to my Miura.

It's an iron set that I haven't used for 6 months... I blew it. I scored 18 over...

 

I wonder if that 15 gram extra actually made a difference or it's just my off day?? Because I either hit it thin or fat a LOT.

[BIG STU]

I met my friend who is turning pro, he taught me and helped fix a couple of things I was missing in my swing last week and for the entire week after, I went to the range, chip and putt everyday.

 

Today I went to a real tight course to play, teeing off from the tips and using R11s V3 with 3.75* open to boot.

 

It's amazing that focusing on how much I release I was able to control my balls.

I didn't miss a single green on the par 3s, plus I landed my balls 5-15ft from the pin, chip shots are the same and I never 3 putted.

 

I shot 3 over on the front and even par on the back after scoring 2 birdies. It felt like magic. This is the 2nd time in my 3 years of golf I ever scored below 5 over.

 

 

But then I wonder too... I was playing with a friend who is experienced and good to be with... perhaps having a good company helps a lot too.

The KEY thing you said in your post is that you went and practiced what he taught you everyday for a week.That is where it is at. I have a friend who is one of the top instructors in the area and he tells people to practice and they don't and wonder why their game does not improve. Also playing with better players that have a good tempo and such will rub off on you. I am glad to see you doing so well Keep us posted

[sai-jin]

@STU: Thanks, I did score really well for 3 days straight, but the 4th day I played I hit all my irons fat and thin. Driver, putting and wedges (all my regular clubs) are fine, however, when I switched back to my WIlsons, I was hitting everything fat and thin.

 

 

Could this be because of the difference of about 10-15 grams heavier from Miura to Wilson or something else? I totally blew the round.

[sai-jin]

Thank you. My chips and putts have gotten even better too, but I'm working on making it even tighter specially on the longer chips.

 

right now I'm trying to figure out if 1-2 swing weight difference on irons could have caused me hitting those fat and thin shots (mainly thin). If that were the case... I won't be able to use my Wilsons anymore... =\

 

 

PS: went to the range and I hit my Miuras like a canon while the Wilsons a little thin here and there.

[BIG STU]

Thank you. My chips and putts have gotten even better too, but I'm working on making it even tighter specially on the longer chips.

 

right now I'm trying to figure out if 1-2 swing weight difference on irons could have caused me hitting those fat and thin shots (mainly thin). If that were the case... I won't be able to use my Wilsons anymore... =\

 

 

PS: went to the range and I hit my Miuras like a canon while the Wilsons a little thin here and there.

Swing weight does make a difference for a lot of people. I myself do tend to swing a heavier iron D3 but I still use stiff steel shafts in my irons. My fairway woods are graphite but heavy shafts and they are D3. My driver is a different matter It does have a heavy stiff graphite but the swingweight is D1 all my wedges are lead tape weighted to D5. I do hit a trap cut though, I can tend to get steep with my irons sometimes because my timing gets off and I do naturally use a forward press and deloft the iron. If your Wilsons are too light and you like them go the lead tape route weight them up like the Miura irons

[sai-jin]

@STU: actually the Wilsons are heavier at least by 8 grams on the shaft. It has C-Taper stiff and the Miura has PXi 6.0.

 

Driver, 3wood, hybrid, wedges are all fine, they play normal and I don't get much mishits. Just the irons.

 

So maybe I need to re-shaft to C-Taper lite or sell the clubs. But before that perhaps I should go back to the range and re-test both and compare again.

 

It was rather discouraging when you started scoring very well for 3 days straight then the 4th day you play casually you blew up badly.

[Sluggo42]

Getting back to your topic Sai,

 

I took a six week lesson a few months ago, and kinda struggled with it for a while. I was scoring ok but not fully confident. I made a slight adjustment of moving in closer to the ball at address one day at the range and suddenly started hitting a couple of good shots. I'm now into my 3rd week and it's all starting to come together. The concepts my instructor was trying to get across to me are now making sense and working.

 

Not every shot is clicking as I had three doubles on the front, but I also came an inch short of an eagle on the back. I ended up at +7 for the day and hit a lot of good shots.

 

My point of this all is to echo your post, swing changes are definitely helping my game. I suppose not everyone needs to change their swing, but I personally am getting closer to a decent swing that definitely is going to help the cap within a few months I hope...

[sai-jin]

Slug,

 

did you do the lessons 1/week or was it more? Mind sharing what you did?

It must be much tougher going down from 5.9 compared to me who is consistently between 10 and 12 to be able to hit 3-7 over the past 3 rounds.

 

 

For me, it was all about the release and making surethe club exits first before my hands do. And right now I'm able to control the draw on pitches and mid irons to a tiny degree. Still a little iffy with driver, since I still hit the occasional 10 yard fade.

[Sluggo42]

Slug,

 

did you do the lessons 1/week or was it more? Mind sharing what you did?

It must be much tougher going down from 5.9 compared to me who is consistently between 10 and 12 to be able to hit 3-7 over the past 3 rounds.

 

 

For me, it was all about the release and making surethe club exits first before my hands do. And right now I'm able to control the draw on pitches and mid irons to a tiny degree. Still a little iffy with driver, since I still hit the occasional 10 yard fade.

 

One lesson a week. My takeaway was too inside, so we got it going straight now, but it feels like I'm taking it way out now.

Making sure to drop the club inside

Strengthening the grip a hare ( although now it's very neutral again)

Standing closer to the ball, arms almost touching legs

Short chipping strategies,

Putting lines...

 

Biggest effect was getting closer to the ball. Took a bit of getting used to, but results are just a really nice ball flight

 

I need to reduce my putts from mid 30's to score better...

[sai-jin]

Oh wow, that's a lot to take in.

 

For some reason right now I'm hitting a tiny bit fat... need to figure out why.

[Mr_Theoo]

Oh wow, that's a lot to take in.

 

For some reason right now I'm hitting a tiny bit fat... need to figure out why.

 

You might be releasing the club a bit early, that's what I've noticed causes me to hit my shots fat

[sai-jin]

Spoke with my friend who taught me and he said that most likely it's my shoulder spinning out too fast, so I need to have a closed shoulder on address to counter my hip and shoulder speed.

 

Looked at my video and I wasn't casting, which was what I thought I was doing all of a sudden. I'm gonna see if the closed shoulder and slowing down the swing from the top helps get my swing back in shape.

[Sluggo42]

Spoke with my friend who taught me and he said that most likely it's my shoulder spinning out too fast, so I need to have a closed shoulder on address to counter my hip and shoulder speed.

 

Looked at my video and I wasn't casting, which was what I thought I was doing all of a sudden. I'm gonna see if the closed shoulder and slowing down the swing from the top helps get my swing back in shape.

 

One swing thought that seems to have stuck with me is:

Imagine the club is a 50 LB sledge hammer. You are standing against a wall with your left shoulder against the wall. There is a nail in the bottom of the wall, a big fat nail. Someone is holding the head of the hammer up for you and then releases it. Your job is to sink the nail deeply into the wall.

Obviously you can't throw the hammer way out to in, all you can do is let gravity swing it down. It's so heavy you can't flick it about with your wrists, you can merely guide it with a straight left arm, and use your legs and shoulders to swing it into the nail.

That probably sounds stupid to you, but for some reason that rang a bell in MY brain that when I visualize it pre-swing, it keeps me under control.

 

I guess we each have our own visual or trigger. Finding that thought is the hard part.