Learned a painful lesson today.

**groovezilla79** · April 20, 2010

I decided to go walk 18 holes today at a cheap local course. The day started normally and arrived at the 6th hole 1 over on the day. Since the 6th was a longer par 4, I tired to give it a little extra and ended up pushing the ball out to the right. When I get down to the ball, it's right next to a large oak tree. I have about 8 inches between the ball and the tree so Im thinking I caught break... but my approach ended up being the penalty. I didn't realize at the time, but just under the surface of the ground was a fat tree root. When I made my swing, I took a nice divot right into the root and felt like I broke my right wrist. I shook it off and finished the hole, but found myself in some pain on the next tee. I decided on my approach on 7 to grip a little tighter with the right hand to try to neutralize it. WOW.... I wish I had hit that root years ago. For the rest of the day, I hit every iron shot as crisp as I ever had. Even with some sloppy putting on the back nine, I ended up shooting 3 over 74. Hopefully once it heals 100%, I can incorporate my find into my game with those same results.

**saevel25** · April 20, 2010

Well a common notion is that if you want to hit a fade, grip tighter with the left hand. If you want to hit a draw or hook grip tighter with the right. If your misses were constantly right, it could have been that your grip pressure was off. Maybe you always had a stronger hold on the club with the left hand.

**Titleist_ProV1x** · April 20, 2010

I decided to go walk 18 holes today at a cheap local course. The day started normally and arrived at the 6th hole 1 over on the day. Since the 6th was a longer par 4, I tired to give it a little extra and ended up pushing the ball out to the right. When I get down to the ball, it's right next to a large oak tree. I have about 8 inches between the ball and the tree so Im thinking I caught break... but my approach ended up being the penalty. I didn't realize at the time, but just under the surface of the ground was a fat tree root. When I made my swing, I took a nice divot right into the root and felt like I broke my right wrist. I shook it off and finished the hole, but found myself in some pain on the next tee. I decided on my approach on 7 to grip a little tighter with the right hand to try to neutralize it. WOW.... I wish I had hit that root years ago. For the rest of the day, I hit every iron shot as crisp as I ever had. Even with some sloppy putting on the back nine, I ended up shooting 3 over 74. Hopefully once it heals 100%, I can incorporate my find into my game with those same results.

Sorry to hear about your hand, pain is never any fun, but you did discover that a stronger right hand can and will straighten out a ball for you, let us know how it goes when your other hand is pain free .....

**clg82** · April 20, 2010

Well a common notion is that if you want to hit a fade, grip tighter with the left hand. If you want to hit a draw or hook grip tighter with the right. If your misses were constantly right, it could have been that your grip pressure was off. Maybe you always had a stronger hold on the club with the left hand.

So if you don't mind me asking....if you grip the club tighter with your right hand it may be able to fix my slice? I keep having trouble staying consistant with my drives and I think this may be my problem......

**ks8829** · April 20, 2010

I guess you found the root of your problems

**stiffdogg06** · April 20, 2010

So if you don't mind me asking....if you grip the club tighter with your right hand it may be able to fix my slice? I keep having trouble staying consistant with my drives and I think this may be my problem......

You just may be holding onto the club too tight. A tight grip will restrict your hands from turning over causing the face to be left opened and in result, causing a slice.

Vice versa for a hook. You may be having too much hand action and a little tighter grip is needed.

**laconic517** · April 20, 2010

gripping tight with the right hand is a great way to shank the ball from personal experience. Hopefully that doesnt happen to you!!

**Dub** · April 21, 2010

Way to tough it out.

Funny way to learn but you never would if you hadn't continued and perservered.

**groovezilla79** · April 24, 2010

gripping tight with the right hand is a great way to shank the ball from personal experience. Hopefully that doesnt happen to you!!

I wouldn't really say I grip it tight.... just a little tighter than normal. I'm taking a week off to let the wrist heal, so I won't be playing again until next Wed or Thurs... so we'll see what happens then. Hopefully I'm on to something and it wasn't just a fluke.

**authentic_golfer** · April 24, 2010

Better man than me, 'zilla. I'd have shaken my arm like Rodney Dangerfield in 'Caddyshack' and headed in for a brew.

Like you, I'm curious if you're really onto something, or if it was a bit of a fluke. I've had instant-lesson experiences (not like yours) that produced amazing short-term results, but ultimately proved to be fool's gold.

Hope your discovery is the real thing. Oh, and that your wrist feels better soon.

Cheers,
Sean

**doctork** · April 24, 2010

That's gotta hoit!

I've hit concrete that was covered by leaves (twice!) and rocks hidden under a thin layer of dirt. But never made full-on contact with a root.

As far as your improved ball-striking, funny how often great discoveries come by complete accident. Hope it sticks.

Cheers,
DoctorK

**groovezilla79** · May 3, 2010

Well I finally made it out to the range to see if I was on to something. First off, the wrist felt really good and should be 100% healed. Thanks everyone for the words of encouragment.

Secondly, the stronger right hand grip pressure did help out my ball striking, but not in the way I thought. The range was soggy today after yesterdays heavy rain, so my divots were very very pronounced and easy to read. Using the stonger right hand and anaylyzing my divots, I found I was actually coming out to in a little bit and pulling or pull/fading the ball. So, from there, I worked on two things:
1.) getting square at address.
2.) getting my right shoulder going down instead of coming out at the start of the downswing.

These two things helped me get my arms infront of my body and pretty much elimiated that pull fade I was seeing in the first 20 balls or so. Tomorrow, I take it to the course and see what happens. Either way, this was probably the best sports related injury I've ever had!

**saevel25** · May 3, 2010

OUCH, hit a root. Man, that hurts... I've had tall grass basically rip the club in my hand before, that hurst alot, especially when someone like me who grips the club a bit tighter than most, my left wrist was not happy after that. Glad to see your wrist is better. A good exercise for the rist, take your golf club in one hand and just rotate your wrist side to side. This will strengthen it. If it gets to easy, get a 5lb weight and just rotate it side to side and up and down, keeping your forearm steady.

**Dartguy** · May 4, 2010

That reminds me of a day I had caddying at Valhalla years ago. My player hit his tee shot down by the creek on the right on 16. The ball was right against a tree root. He asked for a club, and I suggested he just take a drop. Too much can go wrong. He over-ruled....and it all went wrong! The ball hit the root and hit the guy right between the eyes! Broke his sunglasses in half and left a nice cut on his forehead! He took a drop from there, and I could tell he also was feeling some pain in his wrist.

Listen to your caddies!

**Ash1974** · May 4, 2010

I guess you found the root of your problems

LMAO that is great

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Learned a painful lesson today.

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