My Swing (PhiladelphiaCollins)

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

I've been Playing Golf for: 10 years
My current handicap index or average score is: 90s
My typical ball flight is: Volatile.

• Irons - Typically straight with a slight draw, sometimes with a slight fade. Never really know which way it's gonna go. 
• Driver - Mostly a fade, when I hit a good one. Really inconsistent and never know where it's gonna go. 

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Chunks and pulls

I've got a case of the chunks and I don't know how to cure it. I would say I chunk +/- 6 shots a round and have about 5 or so pulls. The pulls mainly happen whenever I tee the ball up on par 3s or short par 4s, with the occasional pull happening during an approach. I was finally able to get out to the range today and get some swings with a 7 iron on video to start a swing thread. The FO video below is me hitting a chunk pull, unfortunately I didn't get a DTL video of that.

My goal is to use this thread as a swing diary to track my progress, while also gaining insight and feedback on things I need to work on from the members of TST. 

Thanks in advance!

 

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Videos: 

 

 

 

 

[woodzie264]

I’m not one to give advice, but I think you have a great looking swing. I love the “Typical Ball Flight: Volatile.” 
 

welcome to TST!

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

10 minutes ago, woodzie264 said:

I’m not one to give advice, but I think you have a great looking swing. I love the “Typical Ball Flight: Volatile.” 
 

welcome to TST!

Thanks! It's the only way I know how to explain it. I never really know what's gonna happen.

[ncates00]

Swing looks far better than a 90s shooter. 
 

As to fat shots, my go-to approach shot feeling is to “whoosh” the club head and hit the ground—at the same time—after the ball. Helps to ensure a downward blow on the ball and get low point forward. 
 

As to directional issues, if you don’t already know the ball flight laws, I’d learn them. Assuming a reasonably solid hit, you can figure out the curvature issues based on where the ball starts and then curves. To get a hold on start line, if you have a launch monitor, use that. If not, stick an alignment stick on the ground toward the range several yards in front of the ball. That’ll help you with your start line control. Then you can work on your path to sort out the curve. 

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

22 hours ago, ncates00 said:

Swing looks far better than a 90s shooter. 
 

As to fat shots, my go-to approach shot feeling is to “whoosh” the club head and hit the ground—at the same time—after the ball. Helps to ensure a downward blow on the ball and get low point forward. 
 

As to directional issues, if you don’t already know the ball flight laws, I’d learn them. Assuming a reasonably solid hit, you can figure out the curvature issues based on where the ball starts and then curves. To get a hold on start line, if you have a launch monitor, use that. If not, stick an alignment stick on the ground toward the range several yards in front of the ball. That’ll help you with your start line control. Then you can work on your path to sort out the curve. 

Thanks for the feedback! 

What do you mean by a "whoosh"? I try to hit the ball first, but some shots I end up hitting behind the ball. I can almost feel it before it happens. It's either from bending too much at the knees on my backswing or not rotating with my hips during my backswing. But I don't if that's what's causing it. 

I'm somewhat familiar with the ball flight laws, but I need to review them. I think that'll be a great place to start. I like the idea of using an alignment stick in the ground to sort out my path. I've been anti range tools for forever and I'm realizing that is a very stupid take, especially if I want to get better. 

 

[ncates00]

2 hours ago, PhiladelphiaCollins said:

What do you mean by a "whoosh"?

Pick up a club and swing it. Do you hear the “whoosh” sound the head makes when you snap your wrists and release the club head? That’s what I’m talking about. Conversely, you can flip the club around and grab the club closer to the head and swing the grip end. It makes a “whoosh” sound. 
 

 

 

 But let me emphasize: with approach shots off the turf, it’s not enough to just whoosh the club head. I like to feel the whoosh and the head strike the ground, after the ball, at the same time. These four elements must come together. So, I still look at the ball, but I don’t really think about hitting the ball. I try to do the four things I listed above. When the four elements are put together, you get nice, ball-first, downward blow with a nice, natural full release. Or at least that’s what it feels like to me. It makes things simple and easy to repeat, for me. Frees you up to make an athletic motion instead of worrying about overly technical thoughts. 

 

3 hours ago, PhiladelphiaCollins said:

It's either from bending too much at the knees on my backswing or not rotating with my hips during my backswing.

I don’t know why this would cause fat shots. I mean, it can, but who’s to say. I think it’s more of a lack of knowing what to do/intent problem. Maybe you’re not getting the hula hoop/low point concept of the club head has to continue to travel downward even after the ball has been struck. I think if you get that concept, some things will sort out because you have the right intention. 

 

3 hours ago, PhiladelphiaCollins said:

I like the idea of using an alignment stick in the ground to sort out my path. 

I think you misread. I mentioned the alignment stick to help with start line. Face dictates start line. Using the alignment stick will help you sort out where your face is pointed. Then, you can figure out your path based on the curve of the shot—the shot curves away from the path. So, if your ball starts over the stick, but hooks violently to the left, and you struck it reasonably solid, then you know your path is too far right. Conversely, if the ball starts over the stick, but it slices violently to the right, and you struck it reasonably solid, then you know that your path is too far left. 

 

3 hours ago, PhiladelphiaCollins said:

I've been anti range tools for forever and I'm realizing that is a very stupid take, especially if I want to get better. 

Uh yeah haha. I use alignment sticks and my launch monitor all the time. Sometimes, I’ll film my swing. However, I don’t like other tools really than that. 
 

Let me know if this helps. 

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

23 hours ago, ncates00 said:

 But let me emphasize: with approach shots off the turf, it’s not enough to just whoosh the club head. I like to feel the whoosh and the head strike the ground, after the ball, at the same time. These four elements must come together. So, I still look at the ball, but I don’t really think about hitting the ball. I try to do the four things I listed above. When the four elements are put together, you get nice, ball-first, downward blow with a nice, natural full release. Or at least that’s what it feels like to me. It makes things simple and easy to repeat, for me. Frees you up to make an athletic motion instead of worrying about overly technical thoughts. 

Now I know what you mean by "whoosh". I used your approach above this evening and had very good results. I had a few chunks, but didn't have one the rest of the round after using your approach. 

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

Notes: 9 holes 4/19/21

• Driver: Everything felt uncomfortable. One good drive on the day, everything else was a Push-Fade. 
  • Needs a lot of work. Need to get a video. 
• Irons: Ball striking was good, had solid contact and a limited amount of chunks with no pulls. 
  • Need to learn my distances. 
• Pitching/Chipping:  Mostly solid contact, but not getting the ball close to the hole. Never gave myself a chance for a 1 putt. 
  • Need to focus on contact and distance control
• Putting: Good speed control, but missing my lines. Need to limit 3 putts and get the ball closer to the hole on the first putt. 
  • Need to focus of aim and lag putting. 

There was a lot to take away from this round. A few positives, but I have a lot to work on, especially my driver. 

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

Notes: 9 holes 4/20/21

• Driver: No driver today. Driving iron was my go to club off the tee, short course and tight fairways. Contact was solid, accuracy was good. I need work on picking better starting lines. This club produces a consistent draw. All my missed fairways were a few feet to the left in the rough, I would've hit those fairways I started the ball more to the right. 
  • Pick better start lines.
• Irons: Ball striking was good, solid contact and no chunks. One pull on a short par 3 and no chunks (success!). Really need to work on distance control, lots of missed birdie and par opportunities that resulted in double bogeys. 
  • Learn distances and control. 
• Pitching/Chipping:  Solid contact and no chunks. Lots of missed par and bogey saves due to no distance control. I had a lot of bad lies this round, whether it be in footprint shelfs in sand traps or weird divot like trenches in the rough. Not sure how to work on this other than not hitting it in those spots. I think this will correct itself once I dial in my iron distances. 
  • Focus on hitting targets (accuracy and distance control)
• Putting: Decent speed control and accuracy, but not consistent. Again, limit 3 putts and getting close to the hole. 
  • Focus on aim and speed control.

Decent round off the tee, but really got myself into trouble by making bad decisions. Looking back, I could have saved a few strokes that were a direct result of a poor decision. Also, need to pick better lines off the tee and work on distance control. Short game is another area that needs a lot of work, along with the driver. Those two areas seem to be the cause of my high scores. 

Goal for this week is to develop a short game practice plan.