Mini breakthrough for a relative newbie.....

Many of you will think this is silly, but I learned how to hold a club today.

I average about 6 rounds a year over the last 9 years. Terrible I know. And recently I decided I wanted to get better and serious about golf.

I was already a bogey golfer, with an estimated handicap of 15-20 (if you can actually have a handicap playing 5 times a year).

I am an athletic kid, I hit the ball a long ways, and I always have my fair share of birdies, it's the doubles and triples that kill me. I don't have a repetitive swing or a repetitive setup.

So I decided to start with the basics and review how to hold a golf club. Now my hands move as a single unit. I don't have as much wrist action and I no longer hold the club like a baseball bat in my palms. It feels very awkward to hold a club in your fingers, but I think it will be a positive change.

I even went to the golf galaxy simulator to test out a new set of irons (I currently have adams GT2 irons with graphite shafts that I bought about 5 years ago for $150).

I hit the Nike Slingshot and Taylor Made R7 irons and I was surprised to see how quickly I swing a six iron. I was regularly in the mid 120s mph and several over 130mph. It seemed like the easier and smoother I swung, the quicker the club head speed was. When I would try and muscle it, I would drop down to the 110s. I guess easier doesn't = slower club head speed.

I was carrying my six iron well over 200 yards on my stellar shots, (I averaged a little over 175 carry and about 190 with roll) and I was hitting them dead straight.

In the end, I didn't feel a dramatic difference compared to my Adams irons and I left the store empty handed (I did have an inflated ego, one my my 6 irons was 243 years, 220 carry and only 1% off center)

(I don't know if they amp up that golf simulator to get you to buy new stuff, but it sure makes you feel good)

I then headed to the range for a 2 hour practice session. All in all a very positive day at the range. I rolled the ball better than last week, chipped better than last week, and hit my irons/driver much straighter than normal.

I still feel really strange holding the club in my fingers instead of my palms, but today I feel like I made a step in the right direction.

Dude....what are you waiting on.....carrying a 6 iron 220yds and only 1% off center.....in a simulator.....you should have contacted the club company and had them sponsor you for your first two years on tour.....not unlike Happyfreakin'Gilmore.

I don't put much faith in simulators. It's what's you do on the course, and so far i have done nothing special.

lol "michelle ... go add 3 pounds to the scales in the women's locker room before you go"

either way grats on the change ! hope it works out

(ps you should never have held a baseball bat in your palms either ;))

Sounds like you're a natural. That swing speed does seem a little suspect as that speed is more typical of a pro's driver. When checking out new gear, I always buy just the 6 iron of the new set and try it out for a while before I take the dive on the whole set. Also, I buy component built clubs so I can try out a new 6 iron with different heads and shafts. Don't underestimate the impact the shaft has on the club. In my opinion it's much more important than the club head. The club head can be a feel or visual thing. The shaft on the other hand needs to have characteristics that match your swing or you're going to miss out on some power or accuracy.

As for the grip, I always find that a swing change only feels natural once my swing concept changes along with it.

Wow!!! Either bad simulator or your built like Albert Pujols with a swing speed of Gary Sheffield in his prime. My 6i is 76-80 mph with my driver topping off around 104. Good luck with the new found mechanics, may all your balls go straight and stick to the green.

When back to the range for another 2.5 hour practice session today.

I am starting to dial in my irons. Learned something else today: I don't have to grip the club so hard. Especially around the greens when chipping. I probably hit 150 chips and for the first time in my life, the great majority were in makable put range.

So, two lessons for me in two days. Grip the club properly and don't drip it so hard. Both of these tips are very basic, but that's where my game is right now. I hope to go out for my first round in 8 months soon. (I actually tried today but the course only had 9 open holes and they were freshly aerated and sanded, not worth the $40)

130 mph 6 iron. either you eat steroids for bfast lunch and dinner or you six iron was 460cc with a 45" shaft and you swing faster than bubba watson. anyway, outside of that, lemme tell you something since ur just getting started. Get that grip checked out by a pro or instructor and make sure it is legit. This is the most important thing IMO when ur starting out. Now, people will talk sheet and call bs on this, but I kid you not I dropped my handicap about 5 or 6 strokes in two hours. And all it was was a grip change. I'd been playin with too strong a grip since I started, and just decided to weaken it on the range one day, cuz I literally couldnt get a 3 iron off the ground. Took me two buckets to get used to it, and I went out and shot five rounds over the next week averaging 77, when I'd only broke 80 for times in my life previously. starting with a legit 16 handicap. I could hit high straight shots and hold every green easily and carried the long irons a lot further. I dont think theres any other fundamental that could ever lower anyone's handicap as fast as making sure your grip is correct.