What Are You Working On?

[mvmac]

Hi, I don't know if this is the right thread, and if it is not, I apologize. I didn't want to start a new thread, and I just wanted some help in trying to make sense of what's happening to my game at the moment.

I started playing about 4 years ago, and worked my way to a solid 16 handicap in 2012. And then because of work and travel, I went cold turkey and didn't touch a club for about 8 months. Started back again a couple of months ago. After a few rounds, my drive was back to normal, putting and chipping as good as ever.....but....my approach shots with irons have gone to the dogs.

Here's the strange part I don't get. I am shanking my irons off the fairway, but hitting it sweet off the tee on Par 3's ! My approach with woods and rescue off the fairway is great, no worries.

Now I am so traumatised by using irons off fairways, I am using rescue/wood for my approach irregardless of distance and relying on my solid short game to save par, or sometimes, bogey !

Why is this happening ?

Thanks

Cheers

Ray

Might be a good place to start

http://thesandtrap.com/f/4180/member-swings

[Sibbanator]

I'm working on posting correctly on to my right side in my backswing. I tend to slide to the right on some occasions. I also have a problem with my right foot posting up too soon in the downswing. I need to have the right foot planted on the ground, or rolled slightly inwards at impact.

My biggest problem is not being concistent on the course. I can be on birdie puts and par puts for some holes, and just totally trainwreck on some other ones.

There is so much I want to improve on, but i need to have patience. Learning to swing properly takes time to accomplish, and i just need to realize that, and not be so hard on myself.

All in all, i'm looking forward to some real practice time this winter.

[Wardy]

I've still got a slight fade on my shots and they're going too high as well.

I'm thinking I've got a swing plane issue (out to in?) and maybe standing too close to the ball causing a steep impact.

Is there anything else that would cause this?

[hacker101]

Working with my short irons off the tee, should be the easiest to hit. In the fairway no issue on the tee what a wreck. Was at the range last night, only clubs I hit was Wedge thru 8i and a few lobs shots on the last couple balls.

[saevel25]

When my back is loose enough to swing, a lot of slow swing work inside. Mostly the back swing, more weight forward, and then key number 4.

[c peterich]

On backswing ..I'm working on taking it back more vertical. Where the butt of the club points inside the ball or Eyeline. When I yank it in too fast..I take it back real flat and inside..and get a flat shoulder look. Once you get the backswing right, transition is so so much easier. That will be my goal this offseason,,really don't need to hit balls to work on this

[Rfordeagle]

I'm working on whatever evolvr tells me to do. Right now the piece is keeping my right shoulder down longer. Mostly using slow reps with mirror work. Soon I will add speed and my own video to see if its better. Also working on my pitching and using the bounce.

[tiger1242]

Working on 2 big keys for my golf game.

The first one is the 50-90 yards wedge shot, I have to get much better and more consistent with these shots. Right now It's all about distance control and a solid descending strike while keeping my weight forward. I've been going to the range and just hitting these shots over and over

The other thing I'm working on is my take away, I generally make pretty good contact on all my full shots yet my accuracy is horrible, especially with my irons. I miss left and right, hook and slice, just all over the place it's very frustrating. I believe this is due to an inconsistent take away which gets my swing off my intended plane for the whole swing.

I've been doing this drill where you put a golf ball behind your club face and begin your take away pushing the ball backwards. If the ball goes back and slightly inside you did it right, if it goes very inside, straight back, or away from you you did it wrong. I've actually been doing it with a wiffle ball bat and basketball at work :)

[rkim291968]

Focusing on mid to long iron shots to reduce unnecessary OBs when playing 2nd shot.   And bunkers, bunkers, and bunkers practice to get out of deep bunkers cleanly in one try.   It's taking me close to 2 tries on average to get out of them.

Now, I am doing a lot better getting out of huge, deep bunkers in one try.   Am moving on to distance control.

I just added working on hitting out of rough with hybrid.  Well, actually, there is no way to practice this at my range so I am just using it more in field play.   I resorted to hitting iron (P - 3 depending on "roughness" of the grass) b/c I can't seem to use 3H or wood to get the ball cleanly out of rough.   I think it's b/c I "sweep" with those clubs.   By adding a little more turn in back swing, I was able to strike down a bit more and it has worked so far.

[AnotherLefty]

I am working on the following:

1. correcting a hook that I have developed with my mid (5, 6, 7) irons.
2. my mental game when on a par 3. This used to be the strongest part of my game but after a few bad rounds I struggle to keep the ball in play on par 3's. Its very frustrating.
3. learning to let go of a bad shot BEFORE I hit the next shot

[Russtopher]

Tempo, and as a side product, club path. When I get too fast, I can't start from the ground up. It's an arm swing, I come over the top, and I'm dead. Working on having a slight pause at the top of the backswing where I can gently slide my hips and then start rotating from there.

My biggest problem so far is finding that feel that'll allow me to do just that. I've tried the right instep, right big toe, left big toe, you name it. I recently tried feeling it in my upper left thigh, which has helped keep my left (leading) knee over my ankle, instead of kicking way inside. We'll see if I can keep that feeling working!

[hacker101]

Went to the range last night, it now seems like I am working on just hitting the ball!

What a bummer!!

[Ernest Jones]

Went to the range last night, it now seems like I am working on just hitting the ball! What a bummer!!

Hopefully that means you're on the edge of a breakthrough. Have you been working on any significant changes? It's always darkest before the dawn. ;-)

[hacker101]

Hopefully that means you're on the edge of a breakthrough. Have you been working on any significant changes? It's always darkest before the dawn.

Thanks I hope that is true. But all I have been working on is my short irons, trying to get consistency and letting the irons do the work.

It seems I am muscling them to force the shot, not sure how I picked it up.  I am also hitting a lot of shots behind the ball now so they are fat but this only happens on the tee. Because of this having issues with the short par 3's, but as our coach had said last week just swing the club you already F'ed up the shot.

I think he is trying to get me to relax, but this is what is keeping me from breaking the low 80's, into the 70's I pick up to many strokes on the short holes.

[hacker101]

I am working on the following:

correcting a hook that I have developed with my mid (5, 6, 7) irons.

my mental game when on a par 3. This used to be the strongest part of my game but after a few bad rounds I struggle to keep the ball in play on par 3's. Its very frustrating.

learning to let go of a bad shot BEFORE I hit the next shot

Having the same issue as your #2 on the par 3's was my best part of the game now it just stacks up shots and ruins my score.

Feel for you!

[Foursum Golf]

I come over the top and cut across the ball a bit. Season has ended here so I'll have to practice indoors until spring.

[crazyscotsman]

I am working on putting.  I have used Stan Utley's method for about four years.  When I am on, I am really on but cannot find the consistency from week to week.  I switched to Geoff Mangum's method and have been practicing and using it for about a month now.

Making a huge difference - especially the consistency!

[Stretch]

I am working on really squeezing my elbows together in an effort to look a little more like this.

Still have some way to go ...