What One Thing Changed Your Game the Most?

[snapfade]

What was your "a-ha" moment or whatever when something you struggled with just clicked? For me it was being taught, by an instructor, how to properly make a little pitch/chip around the green. Showed me a little drill that had me holding an alignment stick along the shaft and not have it hit my body, along with a few other things associated with it. But that small lesson, opened a whole world so to speak, after I got it down pat, I was saving several strokes a round. I think that really re-lit the fire. What about you guys? 

[Double Mocha Man]

The aha moment when I went from a 100 average as a teen to one day shooting an 81 on a new and tougher course.  So my aha moment was a shot of confidence.  I never looked back.

[FlyingAce]

Mine was when my instructor figured out the perfect setup for my driver (without changing my swing) to improve the chance of hitting the sweet spot. I have since increased my driving distance significantly and that really helped with my game. He also taught me how to draw/fade at will and that also helped alot!

Edited February 5, 2020 by FlyingAce

[ncates00]

2 minutes ago, snapfade said:

What was your "a-ha" moment or whatever when something you struggled with just clicked? For me it was being taught, by an instructor, how to properly make a little pitch/chip around the green. Showed me a little drill that had me holding an alignment stick along the shaft and not have it hit my body, along with a few other things associated with it. But that small lesson, opened a whole world so to speak, after I got it down pat, I was saving several strokes a round. I think that really re-lit the fire. What about you guys? 

Kinda two things.  1) seeing on video that because of my stronger grip, I tend to have the clubface shut at the top.  Grip changes haven't worked, but I cam across a feeling of "twisting the grip" clockwise throughout my backswing got me to point the toe of the club down more to get the face square.  It has allowed me to neutralize my start line and curvature.

2) my coach had me "painting" the elbow plane going back, and then re-painting that same elbow plane on the downswing.  That along with #1 above, have become my only swing thoughts and have been great for my game.

[Patch]

Having a highly qualified combo swing instructor/club builder,  who taught me to swing the club head towards right field, while I was aligned, and aiming towards center field. 

[p1n9183]

Avoiding sway in my back swing. Keeping the head in he same spot untill impact. That made my worst shots not that bad. 

[Zesty]

Aimpoint Express.

[Darkfrog]

I feel like I have a new "aha" moment with full swing stuff every couple weeks, so can't say there is one thing with regards to full swing shots for me. 

Outside of full swing, the biggest game changer for me was randomly trying out a claw grip with the putter. I don't recall the tournament, but sometime in the last 12 months (at least I think), I watched Justin Rose put on a great putting performance and noticed he used a claw grip, and thought I would try it out. Not sure what it is about the claw, but it made a big difference in my putting.

Close second would have to be a 5-minute chipping lesson my instructor gave me. I mentioned that I was shanking 20-30 yard chips, and she helped me get that sorted out. I'm still pretty bad at short game shots, but I rarely leave myself a second short game shot to get on the green anymore.

[IowaGreg]

What was your "a-ha" moment or whatever when something you struggled with just clicked?

Still waiting impatiently for that,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 

[snapfade]

On 2/6/2020 at 1:47 PM, Zesty said:

Aimpoint Express.

I watched a handful of videos on that, and once I understood what was going on I see some merit to it. Hows it working out for you?

[arturo28mx]

Understanding  the concept of swinging "on plane"

.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 2/5/2020 at 4:30 PM, ncates00 said:

Kinda two things.  1) seeing on video that because of my stronger grip, I tend to have the clubface shut at the top.  Grip changes haven't worked, but I cam across a feeling of "twisting the grip" clockwise throughout my backswing got me to point the toe of the club down more to get the face square.  It has allowed me to neutralize my start line and curvature.

2) my coach had me "painting" the elbow plane going back, and then re-painting that same elbow plane on the downswing.  That along with #1 above, have become my only swing thoughts and have been great for my game.

If I had to think about all that while trying to hit a golf ball, I'd be paralyzed! 

And there was no "one" thing that did it for me. It was a succession of little things that got it done. How to properly grip the club. How to not swing outside in! How to NOT hang onto the club like grim death! How to really use your legs in the golf swing. These were all accomplished over a period of time, and after many trials. 

[dagolfer18]

Over the summer, I had a few lessons with my coach, and he switched my grip (old grip was closer to a baseball grip than an actual golf grip) to an overlap. Since then, I’ve been hitting the ball a lot more consistent.

[downbylaw11]

well, i don't know if it was an Ah ha type moment, but it was a fairly rapid thing.  It was when I consciously tried to add more rotation on my downswing instead of trying to have fast hands and roll over the forearms at impact.  I dropped about 10 strokes in a span of 2 months and became a much longer driver of the ball going from maxing out around 260 total if i hit a bomb to averaging more about 275 with the odd smash over 300 which is a pretty good feeling.

[ncates00]

17 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

If I had to think about all that while trying to hit a golf ball, I'd be paralyzed! 

Nah it's just two feelings- twist the grip in your hands as you take it back and bring the club back down the same plane on which you took it back.  Pretty simple.  Both are required because I tend to have the face pointed up at the sky at the top (shut), and I tend to squat and drop the club too much underneath the plane.  Feeling the grip twist gets the face more open at the top, which allows me to bring the club down the elbow plane instead of shallowing so much (due to the shut face) and early extending.  This makes for a much simpler swing and one that requires less timing for me.

Edited February 8, 2020 by ncates00

[nevets88]

I wouldn't say this is a one shot deal but an on going slow improvement thing. Watching swings of good golfers, a lot of them, all different, young, old, women, one armed, one legged, etc... I started to see patterns and matchups and was better able to break down my swing better. But I still need a qualified pair of eyes to guide me though. I never get tired of seeing someone do it a different way.

[Shindig]

Learning how to practice.  This includes learning what the point of a lesson is.  

[bwdial]

Keep the clubface square throughout the swing.  Obvious to some, but lost on my until a recent lesson.