My Swing (saevel25)

[saevel25]

Ok, new video my putting stroke. I think it looks better. I am missing the golf ball behind the ball, so the putting stroke is going inside nicely. I am not pulling putts because the ball isn't wacking the 3-pack of golf balls I set up as a barrier.

Set up is better. Ball not as far forward as before. My hands are in a good position. I feel relaxed over the ball. My eye sight is just over the hosel of my putter (so just inside the ball).

Backstroke and Forestroke look pretty good with length of putting stroke.

[saevel25]

Besides playing horribly yesterday. Had a great time at Whispering Woods.

Update on things I need to work on.

Full Swing

1. Continue on the backswing piece, but less so now.

2. Work on my hips being open at impact more. Pinch those thighs together going into the finish. Its a push against the ground with the left heel and extend.

3. Get the handle of the golf club going up and to the left more in the finish.

Short Game - Just need more reps to get some better distance control. Need to re-read the drills in "Lowest Score Wins".

Putting

1. Make sure putter is flat on the ground before taking grip and then stance.

2. Work on not pushing the putter head out to the right through impact

[saevel25]

Here is my 7 iron. I think @mvmac forgot to take off a bad shot. I circled the ones that were clumped together better. Just kinda strange that the oval would extend that far down. I really don't see another shot down near the 150 yard area.

Distance 191 is a bit juiced for me. I usually hit it about 183-185 club.

This was my 56 degree wedge. This was a bit more typical of the yardages I see, about 115 yards is typical full sandwedge distance.

[saevel25]

Down the line view. Backswing is decent, length of the swing was really good. Same piece as usual, hips more open at impact.

Head is pretty steady, weight is forward, hands are inline. Just need to work on getting more extension at impact.

At set up versus at impact. Too much lateral shift, not enough rotation and extension of the hips at impact.

[iacas]

At set up versus at impact. Too much lateral shift, not enough rotation and extension of the hips at impact.

Pretty much.

In other words… what I told you in March was your next piece.

Plus, you still overswing on the course, so your backswing is still in need of work as well.

[saevel25]

Plus, you still overswing on the course, so your backswing is still in need of work as well.

LIES!!! , Oh wait this is Erik saying this, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[Jeremie Boop]

Pretty much. In other words… what I told you in March was your next piece. Plus, you still overswing on the course, so your backswing is still in need of work as well.

It's strange how the swing can change on the course.

[jamo]

It's strange how the swing csn change on the course.

It's just you ( @saevel25 ) and Tiger, buddy!

[cipher]

Pretty much.

In other words… what I told you in March was your next piece.

Plus, you still overswing on the course, so your backswing is still in need of work as well.

Is it actually possible that he could gain even more distance when he gets the "next piece"?   That is just hard to imagine.  Can't wait to see this one play out and how it changes the picture for Matt.

[saevel25]

It's just you (@saevel25) and Tiger, buddy!

Hey now, that is just mean!

Is it actually possible that he could gain even more distance when he gets the "next piece"?   That is just hard to imagine.  Can't wait to see this one play out and how it changes the picture for Matt.

It's strange how the swing can change on the course.

Overswinging can do that to you. The killer of timing and good contact!

[cipher]

Ha ha, the only reason I asked that is because last summer I looked an awful lot like the A7 Above and after I changed the picture I immediately had ten more yards on my irons and at this point it is 15 more yards.

[saevel25]

Ha ha, the only reason I asked that is because last summer I looked an awful lot like the A7 Above and after I changed the picture I immediately had ten more yards on my irons and at this point it is 15 more yards.

I wouldn't mind that

[Jeremie Boop]

Ha ha, the only reason I asked that is because last summer I looked an awful lot like the A7 Above and after I changed the picture I immediately had ten more yards on my irons and at this point it is 15 more yards.

I really need to get into that position in my swing.... I think I'm losing a lot of speed and power I'm nowhere near it. I want another 10-15 yards too

[saevel25]

Well today was a case of Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde.

Driver, pretty good tonight. Hit some really solid strikes. The best ones were when I really got that extension feeling going. Good progress there.

Irons were more solid. I had NO HOOKS!! YAY!!! I hit some good push draws.

Putting is still bad. So this week the STIMP dropped about 2. They had them close to 10's last week. They were running about a 8.5-9 this week. I averaged about 2 feet short on a lot of putts. Drove me crazy. I just didn't want to commit to hitting them firm enough.

Pitching was mixed, bag. Overall pretty solid. Had one bad pitch on a par 3.

7 nGIR

5 GIR

17 putts

Overall things felt much more balanced and in control today. Got to keep at the practice. I NEED to get to the short game area this week.

[Abu3baid]

7 nGIR 5 GIR 17 putts

I noticed this with everyone, so I'm not picking on you, but just wanted to ask.. Wouldn't it be easier if instead of counting the GIR as nGIR that we treat the nGiR separately? Obviously when you get a GIR it is an nGiR so I don't see a point in counting it again.. I only would want to know why happened with the shots that I didn't hit GIR on.. So, with that said I would say I hit: 2 nGIR 5 GIR Granted maybe there is another reason why everyone does this, but it just seems repetitive to me to count the GIR again when talking about nGIR. Would love to hear your opinion on that!

[saevel25]

Just how I count them on my card. Technically I am incorrect on that, nGIR should not include GIR's. They are shots that end up off the green but with in 20 yards of the green. :-D

[Abu3baid]

Just how I count them on my card.

Technically I am incorrect on that, nGIR should not include GIR's. They are shots that end up off the green but with in 20 yards of the green.

I was just wondering, no big deal.. it's your stats keep them in any way that helps you analyze and improve your game!

[saevel25]

I got this idea from Erik, and I decided go with it. Here is a hole by hole look at how I played Whispering Woods on Sunday. I will title this,

How a 6 handicap played worse than a bogey golfer!! Let the train wreck begin!

►Hole 1 - Par 4, 426 yard dog leg to the right. The tee shot is slightly up hill and then the approach shot goes back downhill to the green. There is OB left, and thick woods to the right side. The green is guarded by two front bunkers, and there is woods over the back.

I was hitting a push to push fade on the range before. So I decided to go with that shape for the day, or at least until it changed on me. So my target line was down the left center of the fairway. My shot was a slightly pull fade that ended up in the rough. For my approach shot, I had about 140 yards left to the pin. I had to contend with the thin tree you can see in the image above. I decided to go above that tree. I took my Pitching Wedge (145 yard) club and tried to hit a high soft shot. Well, the ball came out great, and it flew a few yards above the tree, but the ball carried over the green!!!! I must have caught a flier lie out of the wet rough. The ball flew about 155-160 yards! I was lucky to find my ball just next to the tree line. I took my 60 degree wedge and hit it to the top of the hill, leaving myself about 2 yards from the green. Next time, I need to pace off that yardage and make sure I am making a correct backswing length. I marked my wedges with yardages for half, 2/3 and 3/4 shots for a reason, USE THEM! I tried to just feel out the yardage from below the green and didn't do so well. I chipped the ball to about 15 feet, the greens were soft and the first hit got some check on it. I then two putted for my double bogey.

Score: +2, nGIR: 0, GIR 0, Putts: 2

►Hole 2 - Par 3, 152 yards straight away, bunker sits off to the left. There is a pretty steep slope to the left of the green that kicks everything into the woods.

Pin was in the left of the green this day. So I took my 9 iron (160 yard) club. On the range I was hitting some nice push to push draws with my irons. So I aimed towards the middle of the green, if I hit a push draw I would be in the center back. If I hit a push I would be back right. I just wanted to stay towards the right side of that green. Well with all my good intentions, my shot ended up being a chunk to about 50 yards short of the pin. From the first green, I knew the greens were soft. So I pulled my 52 degree wedge and hit a lower pitch shot to the middle of the green and it took a nice bounce and came up to about 10 feet from the pin. I then two putted for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+3), nGIR: 0, GIR 0, Putts: 2 (4)

►Hole 3 - Par 5, 512 yards. Straight away hole, with OB to the right and woods to the left. Pretty wide landing area though. The rough wasn't that penalizing Sunday.

This hole I took out the driver. This hole it is better to miss to the right side because the ground slopes to the left a bit. So I aimed down the center and hit a slight push to the right side of the fairway. Then the ball rolled a bit back to the center. I was left with about 210 yards to the hole. The green is guarded by two bunkers in the front, and woods on the left and over. I took my 4 iron (215 yard club) and aimed at the center of the green. I was going to play the push draw. I ended up hitting a low draw (kinda miss hit the ball) into the front left bunker. I totally underestimated the amount of sand in the bunker and chunked it out into the rough. I then chipped it to about 15 feet and two putted for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+4), nGIR: 1 (1), GIR 0, Putts 2 (6)

►Hole 4 - Par 4, 288 yards. This is a pretty tricky par 4. It's about 275 yards to the green. A hazard runs along the left side of the fairway and cuts in front of the green, which is offset to the left from the fairway.

I took a 3 hybrid on this hole. In hindsight I would probably taken a 4 iron instead next time. I aimed down the right center of the fairway to keep my distance away from that hazard. I hit a big push over the cart path on the right and up the side of the hill. The ball proceed to hit @mvmac and the ball got a lucky bounce closer to the hole . I still had a pretty tricky lie with the downhill slope, and the hazard in front of the green. I had about 80 yards to the center of the green. I took my 56 degree wedge out and opening my stance a lot, I swung along the slope of the ground. I ended up pulling it towards the front edge of the green. Not a bad shot, but would have like a little more room away from the hazard. I had about 45 feet for birdie and three putted for bogey!

Score: +1 (+5), nGIR: 0 (1), GIR 1, Putts 3 (9)

►Hole 5, Par 4, 282 yards, another short par 4. Pretty straight away with the green sitting to the left of the fairway. The green is guarded by two large bunkers up front and two small bunkers left and back right. Woods guard the left side and over the back of the green.

This hole I knew going long or hitting it left was not good. So I took out my 3 wood and choked down and hit a low bullet. When I hit lower shots, I tend to hold on to the shot and hit more push than draw. So I aimed down the right side and hit a nice push draw, but the ball took a pretty big bounce and it ended up going through the fairway. Should have taken the 3 hybrid instead. I was left with about 45 yards to the center of the green. I hit a nice pitch shot to about 20 feet and two putted for par.

Score: 0 (+5), nGIR 0 (1), GIR 1 (2), Putts 2 (11)

►Hole 6 - Par 3, 183 yards. A straight away par 3, with two bunkers that guard the front of the green.

On this hole the wind picked up a bit and was into our face. So I clubbed up to a 6 iron. I aimed at the middle of the green for this shot. I didn't hit a good shot, I came up short and left in the rough between the bunker and the green. The pin was set in the front that day and I chipped it to about 10 feet. I ended up two putting for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+6), nGIR 1 (2), GIR 0 (2), Putts 2 (13)

►Hole 7 - Par 5, 523 yards, a dog leg left par 5. The tee shot constricts about 270 yards from the tee box, with a fairway bunker on the right and a few trees on the left.

For this tee shot I took my driver because I knew I could carry that bunker on the right. I was still hitting the push shot, so I aimed down the left side of the fairway and hit pretty weak push cut. My ball ended up ballooning a bit and came up just short of the bunker on the right by about 6 inches. This left me with about 250 yards to the center of the green. I pulled my 3 hybrid and took a few practice swings and didn't feel anything with ground contact that should have bothered me, since the ball was so close to the bunker. I did have one foot in the bunker, but that didn't bother me either. When I hit the 3 hybrid, the ball came out strange. It hooked, but it looked like the ball had some top spin, because instead of going out and turning left, it nose dived to the left. Maybe it came out like a knuckle ball a bit. The swing felt nothing like a snap hook. The contact after the ball was a bit chunky as my club hit some compacted sand as the divot went into the bunker a bit. Still, just a strange ball flight. The ball ended up going left towards the hazard. I was lucky enough to not end up in the hazard. I had about 135 yards left. So I pulled my pitching wedge and hit a slightly chunky shot into the front left bunker that guards the green. From there, I hit a chunky bunker shot to just on the green. I two putted for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+7), nGIR 0 (2), GIR 0 (2), Putts 2 (15)

►Hole 8 - Par 4, 423 yards. A pretty tough hole. I might consider it the toughest hole on the course in my opinion. A long par 4, the fairway goes out about 250 yards then it is all downhill to the green. There is a hazard on the right, with a very steep slope before it. The left side is guarded by the woods. The green has the hazard encroaching infront of it, and a steep slope over the back that runs all the way to a creek.

This tee shot, I decided to take a 3-wood and choke down on it. I wanted to hit it about 250-260 yards, to keep it just short of the slope to the hazard. If I take a 3 hybrid on this hole, I would probably end up with about 190-200 yards left to basically an island green. So, I wanted to challenge where the fairway shortens on the left. This was my first bad tee shot on a par 4 or par 5. I hit a hook into the woods on the left. I was able to find the ball and pitch out to about 145 yards from the green. I hit a pitching wedge to the front of the green, about 45 feet away. I ended up two putting for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+8), nGIR 0 (2), GIR 0 (2), Putts 2 (17)

►Hole 9 - Par 4, 374 yards, a dog leg left par 4 that is all up hill. Fairway bunkers guard the right side through the fairway, and a woods and hazard guard the left side.

For this tee shot, I pull my 3 hybrid to lay back before the bunkers. I took aim straight at that first fairway bunker and hit too much push with too little draw. I ended up in the fairway about 150 yards from the center of the green. I took my 9 iron from here. I aimed towards the center of the green and hit a pretty weak shot that ended up front right. I was able to chip up to about 20 feet and two putt for my bogey.

Score: +1 (+9), nGIR 1 (3), GIR 0 (2), Putts 2 (19)

►Hole 10 - Par 4, 451 yards, a beastly hole. Just a straight away par 4, and LONG! There are woods to the left and OB on the right (driving range). The green is slightly elevated with a false front.

I took Drive on this hole. I mean it is 450 yards long! I just aimed down the left center of the fairway and hit a big tee shot that left me about 150 yards out. I pull my 9 iron and aim towards the center of the green. I hit a weak straight draw to the front left side of the green, just in the rough. From there I pitch it to about 15 feet and two putt for my bogey. The bogey train continues!

Score: +1 (+10), nGIR 1 (4), GIR 0 (2), Putts 2 (21)

►Hole 11 - Par 3, 451 yards, a straight away par 3. Nothing really guarding this green at all. Just make sure you clear the hazard that runs about 75 yards in front of the green.

This hole was in to the wind a bit, so I clubbed up to my 7 iron. The pin was back left. For this shot I aimed at the middle of the green and hit a straight draw over the green back left. Not where you want to be. I then pitched it on and the ball just ran to about 35 feet from the hole, near the front of the green. I then proceed to hit my putt to about 4 feet and miss the 4 footer for bogey. Got out of there with a double!

Score: +2 (+12), nGIR 1 (5), GIR 0 (2), Putts 3 (24)

►Hole 12 - Par 5, 518 yards, a straight away drive with a slight dogleg right for the approach shot. A big hazard cuts the fairway in two about 340 yards from the tee box.

On this hole I took driver out. I aimed towards the left center of the fairway. I was still hitting slight pushes and push draws. This drive, I absolutely killed the ball. I ended up having about 195 yards left to the green for my 2nd shot. The ball ended up center of the fairway. On the approach shot, I had a downhill lie and a few thin tall trees block the line to the green. So I decided to play a push fade into the green. I wasn't comfortable with hitting the push draw over the trees with a 5 iron from a downhill lie. I ended up hitting a pull left that came close to going into the trees. I was left with about 50 yards left to the green. I pitch shot that landed in the center of the green and rolled to about 25 feet from the pin. I didn't want to go at the pin because the green was much thinner at that angle. I proceed to hit my first putt 5 feet past the hole and then miss the comeback for par, ended up with bogey! COME ON RIDE THE TRAIN, THE BOGEY TRAIN!

Score: +1 (+13), nGIR 1 (5), GIR 1 (3), Putts 3 (27)

►Hole 13 - Par 4, 356 yards, a short par 4 that has a hazard that cuts the fairway in two about 260 yards from the tee. It is about 285-290 yards to carry. There are two fairway bunkers on the right, it takes about 210 yards to carry them. There are woods to the left of the fairway as well.

I take out my 3 hybrid on this hole because I can clear the bunkers on the right and still stay short of the hazard. I aim down the center of the fairway and hit too much push and too little draw. I end up clearing the bunkers on the right, but stay in the rough. I end up in some different type of grass, much more fine bladed fluffy stuff, and the ball is above my feet. I have about 120 yards left to the green, so I take my 52 degree and try to hack it out towards the green. The ball ends up shooting 45 degrees right, and no it was not a hosel rocket. The ball hit the toe of my club and the face must have been wide open. The ball ends up going into the hazard. So I take a drop in the trees. I have an alley toward the green. So I pull out my 7 iron to punch it and proceed to push the ball into a tree. The ball ricochets to the right. I end up with another alley to the green and punch a 6 iron to about 25 feet (A really good shot!). I end up two putting for my triple bogey. The bogey train has derailed, we are on train wreck city now!

Score: +3 (+16), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 2 (29)

►Hole 14 - Par 3, 184 yards, a long par 3 with bunkers that guard the left side of the green from front to back. There is also a bunker that guards the front right of the green.

I take out my 7 iron on this hole, and try to hit a full stock push draw. I aim towards the center of the green and then hit 12 inches behind the ball. Luckily my divots are much more shallow these days and I end up skimming through the tee box and still hit the ball towards the green. I end up with about 60 yards left to the green in the rough on the right. I take my 56 and hit a pitch shot way too hard and end up on the back of the green about 50 feet away. I then hit a putt that ends up 6 feet to the right and 2 feet short . I miss the 7 foot putt for bogey and end up three putting again. I never felt comfortable over the ball, should have backed off the putt.

Score: +2 (+18), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 3 (32)

►Hole 15 - Par 5, 536 yards, pretty much a straight away par 5. Hazard does come into play on the left side about 260 yards out. A fairway bunker sits on the right side about 290 yards from the tee box.

On this hole, I planned on hitting the same push to push draw I did on the previous hole I used my driver. On this shot, I hit a straight draw left into the trees. I was lucky to clear the hazard on the left and had an opening to punch out down the fairway. I had about 60 yards to the end of the fairway, and another 30 yards to the hazard that cuts the fairway in two. I proceed to pull my punch shot into a tree and have it kick right. Luckily this gave me an opening to the green, about 200 yards out. I take my 5 iron and proceed to chunk it into the hazard about 70 yards away. I drop in the rough, and leave myself about 145 yards to the green. I pull my pitching wedge and aim towards the center and hit a shot that ends up about 25 feet from the pin. I two putt for my double bogey.

Score: +2 (+20), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 2 (34)

►Hole 16 - Par 4, 300 yards. The famous hole 16, as seen in the "How would you play this hole" thread. A short par 4 that is slightly up hill till you reach about 60 yards from the green, then ascends steeply to an elevated green. Three bunkers guard the front of the green.

I took driver on this hole because if I end up short, I would have an easy pitch or a bunker shot. I know missing left is more dangerous than missing right. I played this hole before, and the 15 fairway isn't too bad. So I aim over the left edge of that right green side bunker. This is were the brain fart comes in on this shot. I proceed to disregard all the feeling I had on my previous good drives and try to KILL the ball. I end up hitting a pull hook 70 yards left into the left side fairway bunker on hole 17! From there, I hit a 52 degree wedge into the front left greenside bunker. I proceed to chunk the bunker shot about 10 feet forward, keeping it in the bunker. I then blast out to about 30 feet from the pin. I roll the ball up close and tap in for my double bogey!

Score: +2 (+22), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 2 (36)

►Hole 17 - Par 4, 398 yards, a dogleg left with fairway bunkers guarding the left and right side where the fairway bends left. A hazard sits along the left side of the fairway just past the bunker on the left.

At this point it is #Matt-is-OUT! So I decide to take driver on this hole. I aim down the center thinking that if I push it, I will be past the bunkers on the right. I proceed to hit a straight draw into the hazard on the left. I drop the ball, and have about 95 yards to the pin, which is back and right. I know this green has a severe slope to from the back left to the front right. So I aim towards the left side of the green and hit a low three quarter 56 degree wedge. The ball lands on the front left and proceeds to roll out to the back right fringe. This turned out to be a good spot because the pin was about 2-3 feet away from some critical slope (ball will not stop rolling). I ended up putting up to tap in range, and got out of there with my bogey. My playing partner was towards the center of the green and above the pin, and his ball was on his last rotation, got to that 2 feet mark and then proceeded to roll off the green. Really nasty pin placement.

Score: +1 (+23), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 1 (37)

►Hole 18 - Par 4, 411 yards all the way uphill dog leg to the left. A hazard cuts the fairway in two about 290 yards from the tee box, and two fairway bunkers guard the right side straight away.

I took driver because I just didn't care anymore. I was going to blast a drive, screw it. I aimed down the left edge of the fairway and was going to hit a draw. I mean the last three drivers ended up going left. Well #Ball-doesn't-want-to-obey-Matt-anymore, I hit a pretty weak push cut into the trees through the fairway. I ended up about 6 inches from a tree root, and had about 150 yards to the green. I wanted to hit something easy because of the tree root, so I pulled a 7 iron as was going to punch one up there. I ended up chunking it, probably because I wanted to clip it so I didn't smash my club into the tree root, so I flipped a bit and hit behind the ball. The ball ended up going into the hazard. I dropped and had about 100 yards left to the pin. I pulled my 52 degree wedge and hit three quarter shot to the middle front of the green, about 25 feet from the pin. I two putted for my double bogey.

Score: +2 (+25), nGIR 0 (5), GIR 0 (3), Putts 2 (39)

Conclusion

I don't think my game plan was incorrect. I took driver when the other option was 3 wood and the distance loss would be too much compared to the accuracy gained due to any sort of penalty for hitting the driver. I wasn't pin seeking today, I even aimed some pitch shots away from the hole to make sure I was on the green. I was trying to play my shot shape I had on the range. The primary thing I saw was my approach shots were not solid at all. Which was surprising because I was hitting the irons so well on the range before the round. Honestly my main concern going into this round was my driver and that actually showed up for the most part. From where I was on the course, I should have hit way more greens. I also putted horribly. My speed control was terrible on a lot of putts. My short game sucks. It just isn't something I practice nearly enough. I know 60% full shots, 20% of my time on short game. Well my practice time on short game is probably 5%. Need to give more time on that. Still, the approach shots were just BAD!!

No clue why the range didn't translate to the course. It did for the driver. Maybe I was worrying too much about what Mike was having me do with the hips piece. In the end it was just a bad day on the course for my iron game. When that went bad it showed my glaring weakness that is my short game!

In the end I ended up with a 97 (I forgot my 2nd bunker shot on hole 16, that is why I posted a 96 in the "What did I Shoot Today" thread, oops )

I had 5 nGIR and 3 GIR, NOT GOOD!!

39 putts, 2.17 putts per hole, BAD!!!

On 3 holes I took an extra short game shot, BAD!!!

For the first 12 holes I stayed away from the hazards, then I had 4 balls end up in the lateral hazards on the last 6 holes. Just fell apart there!!

Well there is my round in all its glory. I might chalk this up to just a bad day. Yesterday I had a league match and I had 5 GIR with 3 nGIR. Basically in 9 holes yesterday I had the same approach shot stats as I did on Sunday for 18 holes.

GOLF IS HARD!!!

P.S. If you quote this post, PLEASE delete anything you are not responding to. This is a very long post and I don't want GIGANTIC quotes taking up my swing thread. thanks!!!