Stupid Changes

[Travtex]

So I was at the range today, and stumbled upon yet another idiot breakthrough.

I'm finding that idiot breakthroughs are VERY common for the adult beginner.

Anyway, I was having my usual inconsistency problems. Kerblammo, there goes a 150 yard 7-iron. Kerthunk, there goes a topped wormburner. Chunk, there loiters a fat shot. Etc.

At one point, my pro was checking distances nearby, asking me about work and so forth. And I'd noticed how casually I was tapping balls into position with a completely different hand position than my Newb Swing Grip.

On a whim, I kept that grip and struck a couple of solid 3 woods. (This being the first time I'd HIT solid 3 woods shots.)

Considering, I asked the pro about it. I can tap balls around on the ground without even looking when my top hand is in THIS position. It's awkward in my Neutral Golf Swing position. Golf pro just nods and tells me 'So hit it that way'.

Abruptly, I discover the ability to hit my 3 wood and my driver. Somewhat excitedly, I try out my wedges, irons, etc... More solid contact, though there are certainly issues to be worked out.

Some ponderings from this experience:

1) What the hell? Changes so subtle and stupid make such drastic differences.

2) That led me into a REALLY strong grip. Is this bad, or just 'That's what your body likes to do to line up'?

3) Really Strong Grip makes a weird angle on the club at address. With my short irons, for example, I'll have the ball inside my rear foot and my hands at center. Is that workable?

4) Follow-through with weirdly strong grip feels awkward at times. It's like my follow through whips the club shaft OVER my head rather than behind it. Bizarre?

5) Stop asking random apathetic people online and just listen to my pro?

[Nickynoodles]

I would go with what works best for you. Listen to your pro. When i was in a driver slump i was hitting my 3 wood dead straight. Pro told me "Hey what would you rather do, Hit your driver 15 yards further but take drops all day, or hit a 3 wood right down the middle". He said hit your 3 wood till you get your swing back. Thats what i did and i got my swing back. If its taking strokes off your game keep doing it.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

On a whim, I kept that grip and struck a couple of solid 3 woods. (This being the first time I'd HIT solid 3 woods shots.)

Haha. Not to discount the value of golf lessons for players of any skill level. But how much do you pay to stand in front of a guy to tell you do just do whatevr you feel comfortable doing?

I taught myself to swing when I was younger and every single point you make.. really strong grip=weird address angle=everything moves back=follow through where you just about hit yourself in th ass with the club.. that was me man. It absolutely works. Right, wrong, whatever, it just works (for some people). Too many people go out, swing the club, hit the ball like shit and go for lessons. Then the natural learning curve is skewed because you're looking for something instead of letting something find you. I played that way for about 6years before changing my grip, ball position, etc.. and I think honestly that without th ability to just go out and cultivate my own golf swing as opposed to just model it after ideals I wouldn't hav the drive now to get better. Don't ever trade intuition for accepted technique. Your statement - I can tap balls around without even looking like THIS - is the essence of what you need to embrace trying to learn this game.

[Travtex]

Haha. Not to discount the value of golf lessons for players of any skill level. But how much do you pay to stand in front of a guy to tell you do just do whatevr you feel comfortable doing?

Hah! If only I could make 45 bucks an hour to offer such advice... I'd be a psychologist (*badumching*). Haven't taken any actual lessons from the guy, yet, but I do intend to once the schedule meshes. He just offers pointers now and then because I'm buzzing around the practice grounds ten hours a week, heh.

I taught myself to swing when I was younger and every single point you make.. really strong grip=weird address angle=everything moves back=follow through where you just about hit yourself in th ass with the club.. that was me man.

Feels completely bizarre when I don't get my hands over. The follow-through is more like... Have to go to my martial arts vocabulary to explain it; An abaniko. Something from arnis where you fan-smack the stick over your head at an inside-to-out angle.

I don't care if I end up kicking myself in the face on every follow-through, so long as the ball goes where I want it. Actually, I saw someone who's name I don't remember doing the same thing on some special on Golf's Weirdest Swings or some such on Golf Channel a week or so ago. I was laughing at the guy, so it's poetic justice.

It absolutely works. Right, wrong, whatever, it just works (for some people).

Hitting a rock with a tin can on a stick certainly requires more precision than it looks. I spend a lot of time tweaking body positions, ball positions, hand positions... so I tend to forget about what I bring to the table and take for granted: Body type/arm length/flexibility. One weirdly atypical tendon changing an angle of flex somewhere, so on and so forth.

My poor girlfriend has been trying to learn. Having to watch me is probably the worst possible thing she could do. *laugh* I'm lefty, 5'9" with a 74-75" reach. She's 5'2" with proportionate arms. (Inside joke being 'T-Rex arms' versus 'Gibbon arms'.)

Don't ever trade intuition for accepted technique. Your statement - I can tap balls around without even looking like THIS - is the essence of what you need to embrace trying to learn this game.

Thanks. Seems like a tricky balance with regard to developing one's own bad habits, but I guess the 'bad' habits are the ones that don't make the ball go in the right direction.

[lobsterzilla]

haha you have a 75" wingspan ... what in gods name ? Are you sure that's right ?

[Travtex]

haha you have a 75" wingspan ... what in gods name ? Are you sure that's right ?

Stats from the MMA days:

5'9" 170lbs 74.5" reach. Gibbon arms.

[unkle_77]

gorillas have shorter arms than that

[Travtex]

Long arms are beneficial, apparently. I finally got into a swing monitor recently while shopping for a replacement driver for my old uniflex Slazenger Cheapomax 5000.

Last time I was in one, I'd only been playing about a week, so I've been estimating my club head speed based on THAT, which was a feeble 75-80mph. This time, every single 'smooth and easy' swing was within 0.5 of dead-on 95mph with around 0.5 to -0.5 on the club face angle. (I liiiiiiike consistency.)