What Are You Working On?

[ks8829]

I am working on my putting. I practice lag putting and putts within 3 - 4 feet.

I made 3 birdies yesterday and came close on 2 more. nothing like having confidence in your putting so much that you feel you can make anything.

[seattlemudder]

I'm working on my tempo - making sure I don't get too quick which is where I often go wrong. Getting a range finder Bushnell V2 has really helped me. Knowing the yardage to the flag helps me pick the right club and to trust it.

[JaY_B]

Cant remember if I have posted in this thread before, so here goes (it will be different now anyhow)

Having decided that my swing got to technical, I have completely changed my approach to the game, for the summer I will largely forget technique and focus purely on controlling the clubface and ball flight (As my coach, Paul Eales says the task will perfect your technique, not the other way round) its a very new approach to golf to me (coming from the super technical background) but feel that it will be the stepping stone to the next level of golf, joining a golf club without a flawed handicap system will also help :p

When working on the short game, I try and keep every stroke as simple as possible, using different clubs to hit different shots, I.E. 6 irons for flops and lob wedge for chip and runs, just playing around and having fun I suppose, stops the practise from getting boring and vastly improves your array of shots around the green.

Putting - after getting on the SAM putting lab I am trying to stop my putter from going inside the line closed and then outside the line stil closed (in other words trying to avoid a 'hook' stroke)
Hitting a lot of putts from inside 10 foot to really get some confidence going on the greens.

Mentally - Learn to look 'cool' on the course at all times, for me this means staying as calm as i can mainly after a bad shot or a bad run of holes etc.

Competition - Start entering National events instead of county, really push myself.

[CarlSpackler]

I'm working on my tempo - making sure I don't get too quick which is where I often go wrong. Getting a range finder Bushnell V2 has really helped me. Knowing the yardage to the flag helps me pick the right club and to trust it.

Making a full shoulder turn and not rushing the downswing from the top.

[bunkerputt]

Working on a LOT. The big ones right now:

#1 Get in the zone on every single shot. This takes a long time right now, but I'm getting faster and better at it. I have to play a lot of rounds on my own because my buddies get too frustrated and say I just need to lighten up. When I'm in the zone, I can call putts from 6 feet out. Otherwise it's 2 seconds after it lips out. It's way more interesting the first way. Plus, it feels like my hands get really heavy and tingly and my mind is transported to a happy place far away

#2 Listen to my body. I can't always swing the clubs the same speed every day. Some days I'm 5 yards shorter, some days 5 yards longer. Don't expect to hit 5 yards longer on a 5 yards shorter kind of day. Keep realistic expectations for what my body is capable of THAT DAY. This keeps my attitude in check as well.

--Mechanics--

Full swing:

1. Let my left knee kick in a tad on my backswing
2. Bigger hip turn
3. Shorter arm swing
4. Don't let hands drop down during transition
5. Consistent weight distribution at setup
6. Consistent ball position for each club relative to left foot
7. Firmer right side
8. Wider stance

Putting:

1. Think Smooooooooth....feel the speed of the putt in my obliques and abs pre-stroke.
2. Lag putting
3. Alignment

Short Game:

1. Pause at the top for tempo
2. Don't throw the right hand at it
3. Get the body turning through

--Course Management--

1. Stay cool and don't get angry
2. Be honest about everything
3. Play whatever swing I brought that day the smartest way I can

[Amused]

I'm relatively new to playing golf...I've played a few rounds here and there over the past few years, but I've never really dedicated myself to playing consistently and getting better until now. With that said, the driver is something that I've never hit well (being a shorter guy), so it's been left out of my bag for...well, forever

This year, I put it back in my bag and it's been my main focus at the range. I'm working on adjusting to the longer club length and just making solid contact. In the past, I was consistently blocking or slicing the ball, which is totally opposite of my natural light draw, so straightening out my drives is my goal. Distance is for another time

[PV_Louie]

Being new to the forum, it's interesting to read what others are working on. For me it's as follows:

1 - Don't necessarily use driver on every driving hole. Consider the length of the hole and only use driver if 3W won't put me in a 7I or less on the approach shot. It's all about hitting fairways for me. When I do, I make par more then 50% of the time, worst case bogey.

2 - Think a little more. I tend to be a feel player but at times I'll get off track of some fundamental technical aspects of my swing.

3 - Eliminate the card wrecking double or worse. It seems that no matter how well I'm playing, I'll have a double or worse on each 9 and it ruins my score. This ties into item #1.

That's it. A simple goal of a single digit handicap for now!

[Smith285]

I need to work on hitting more fairways. I just ended my college baseball career and still carry way too many habits over from the batters box to the tee box. Mainly, I need to quit trying to hit the ball 300 yards every time because it just ends up a fairway over.

I also need to work around the greens, avoid turning birdie putts into bogeys (and double bogeys) and avoid blading chip shots and sending it over the green. I have a tendency to hit the ball either too hard or too soft on pitch shots, so I need to work on my touch there. Basically a lot of stuff that will come with more and more practice and more experience.

I could also use some lessons and an upgrade to my Acuity beginners set of irons, but I need to find employment first!

[EngineerGolfer]

I'm continuing working on my two swing thoughts that have worked well for me for about five years: Stay with the ball, and finish the swing.

Stay with the ball: keep my head still (not down but still) through impact
Finish the Swing: make a full follow through so I sweep through the ball (this probably costs me distance because I don't hit down on the ball and the danger of sweeping all my shots is getting "flippy" with the clubhead ahead of the hands. But it keeps me consistent and mostly straight off the tee and with my iron approach shots)

I had a disastrous flirtation with Stack and Tilt earlier this season which had me really frustrated. I don't play or practice enough to integrate such a radical swing change so I abandoned it two weeks ago and am having much more fun on the course now!

[Massless]

I am currently working on the lob shot. I understand how to do it now it's just a matter of being able to do it consistantly. Also I have the goal of establishing a handicap this summer as well.

[lumpuckeroo]

Good posture, I tend to slump, with good posture, my ball striking is vastly improved.

[CarlSpackler]

I am working on excuses to get out of work and play more golf.

[$2 Nassau]

trying to find a way to consistently hit the ball well off the tee. Whether it be with the driver, 3 wood, etc. But I really need to hit better tee shots and stay out of trouble.

[TMburner09]

putting,and trying to be more consistant with driving...

[pjsnyc]

I've been working on my weight shift - namely from the top of my backswing through the ball. The reason being that I've been able to control the ball much better the past year (maybe 1 or 2 lost balls per round), so extra distance would be nice

How its going? Aside from the occasional duff off the tee with driver, its going great and really promoting a nice draw to the ball as opposed to my stock fade shot.

[Leftygolfer]

I am working on a weaker grip. Well just getting comfortable. Also moved 2-3 inches away from the ball. And staying down through shots. All this is based on what my pro has suggested.

[CarlSpackler]

I am heading to the range at lunch to work on a drill that is supposed to keep the small muscles out of the swing. When I was doing this Saturday morning in my lesson, I was hitting balls dead straight or with just a touch of fade. The drill goes like this:

• Take normal setup
• Cock wrists and hold
• Start backswing and then swing through hitting the ball

The moment of impact feels so much better and ball flight is very consistent.

[IPL4YFORKEEPS]

Right now....I'm working on driving the ball straight