My Swing (saevel25)

[iacas]

A tad steeper shoulder turn, the hands can still be a bit higher and out in front of my chest more.

Shorten it up a bit. Pinch the elbows together. Umbrella. :) (I think you'll know what that stuff means. If not, we'll clarify on April 4.)

Just curious, does having a stronger grip promote taking the clubhead inside on the backswing. When I have the clubface slightly open at address, with the strong grip I just can't get a bad feeling that I will just roll the hands over and take the clubhead inside when I am trying not too.

It can. Tougher to feel the right hand kind of "staying on top" if it's already "under" a bit.

[saevel25]

Just some stats from Game Golf 2014

Performance by distance,

GIR (200-225 yds): 40%

GIR (175-200 yds): 30%

GIR (150-175 yds): 48%

GIR (125-150 yds): 52%

GIR (100-125 yds): 80%

GIR (75-100 yds): 65%

GIR (50-75 yds): 72%

GIR (Inside 100 yds): 68%, w/ 0% left or right, 16% short and 11% long.

Performance by club,

GIR (4 Iron): 48%

GIR (5 Iron): 13%

GIR (6 Iron): 50%

GIR (7 iron): 33%

GIR (8 iron): 25%

GIR (9 iron): 55%

GIR (PW): 47%

GIR (52d): 80%

GIR (56d): 79%

GIR (60d): 88%

Just some strange numbers. I really like my 9 iron, 6 iron, and 4 iron for some reason. That 40% GIR from 200-225 yards is just stupid good. Still it is only 8-10 shots. So not a big sample size.

I need to work on my distance control  inside of 100 yards to get that up.

I won't even talk about my driving. Something I know I need to work on.

[CarlSpackler]

You have a higher GIR% from 200-225 than you do from 175-200. Interesting.

Did you join Beavercreek yet?

[Lihu]

Performance by club,

GIR (4 Iron): 48%

GIR (5 Iron): 13%

GIR (6 Iron): 50%

GIR (7 iron): 33%

GIR (8 iron): 25%

GIR (9 iron): 55%

GIR (PW): 47%

GIR (52d): 80%

GIR (56d): 79%

GIR (60d): 88%

You have a higher GIR% from 200-225 than you do from 175-200. Interesting.

Curse of the 5i. . .

[Abu3baid]

Just some stats from Game Golf 2014 Performance by distance,  GIR (200-225 yds): 40%  GIR (175-200 yds): 30% GIR (150-175 yds): 48% GIR (125-150 yds): 52% GIR (100-125 yds): 80% GIR (75-100 yds): 65% GIR (50-75 yds): 72% GIR (Inside 100 yds): 68%, w/ 0% left or right, 16% short and 11% long.  Performance by club, GIR (4 Iron): 48% GIR (5 Iron): 13% GIR (6 Iron): 50% GIR (7 iron): 33% GIR (8 iron): 25% GIR (9 iron): 55% GIR (PW): 47% GIR (52d): 80% GIR (56d): 79% GIR (60d): 88% Just some strange numbers. I really like my 9 iron, 6 iron, and 4 iron for some reason. That 40% GIR from 200-225 yards is just stupid good. Still it is only 8-10 shots. So not a big sample size.  I need to work on my distance control  inside of 100 yards to get that up. I won't even talk about my driving. Something I know I need to work on.

Isn't strange that you are better from 100-125 than you are under 100? It seems to me the smart play for you would be to always lay up to 100-125 as you will hit the green more often from that distance. Do you agree?

[Lihu]

Isn't strange that you are better from 100-125 than you are under 100?

It seems to me the smart play for you would be to always lay up to 100-125 as you will hit the green more often from that distance. Do you agree?

Or he can just spend more time practicing half swing wedges. . .

[Abu3baid]

Or he can just spend more time practicing half swing wedges. . .

I'm talking about if he was going to go play right now... Not what he is going to do in the future.. He is hitting 80% greens from that distance its pretty good.. So yeah he can work on it, but if he was going to play wouldn't he take the higher percentage shot? It's a good 10% better than inside 100 right now. It's about the game you have and not the one you wish you have.. I read that some where I think :)

[Lihu]

I'm talking about if he was going to go play right now... Not what he is going to do in the future.. He is hitting 80% greens from that distance its pretty good..

So yeah he can work on it, but if he was going to play wouldn't he take the higher percentage shot? It's a good 10% better than inside 100 right now.

It's about the game you have and not the one you wish you have.. I read that some where I think :)

Maybe he doesn't see this situation that often?

[saevel25]

So yeah he can work on it, but if he was going to play wouldn't he take the higher percentage shot? It's a good 10% better than inside 100 right now.

It's about the game you have and not the one you wish you have.. I read that some where I think :)

Not really. I looked at the shot spread and the left/right dispersion is really good. Its just distance control. That just needs reps. If anything I can consider in game situations as good practice.

---

First round of the year, and it was a doozy! I play in a league that plays on a pretty easy course. Not much water. Most lies are pretty flat. The greens are sloped. Lots of 2's and 3's, and some instances 4's. Most of the greens are elevated slightly for drainage so most shots will bounce away from the green than on.

Hole 1: I hit a slightly heeled cut driver just in the rough. I had my 52 degree wedge left and hit it fat. I had no turn on the shot, all arms. I ended up about 10 yards short of the green. I pitched on to about 15 feet and two putted for my bogey +1

Hole 2: A medium long par 3 uphill. The hole usually plays about 15 yards longer than the yardage. My tee shot was a thin straight draw that ended up in the bunker. If it wasn't thinned it probably end up left in the trees. It was one of those stinging thin shots that hurts the hands. It rained just before we started and the bunkers were full of wet sand. I took a hefty strike and almost took the club out of my hand. Lets just say the ball went about 2 yards. On the next attempted I ended up about 20 feet past the pin. I two putted for my double bogey +2

Hole 3: A medium downhill  3. This hole usually plays about 15 yards shorter than the yardage. The tee shot on this one I couldn't get comfortable over the ball. I kept thinking the clubface was closed.  I ended up hitting a chunky toe'd shot that ended up about 30 yards short of the green. My divot was about an inch inside my tee. On the 2nd shot I pitched the ball to about 15 feet, just off the back of the green. I was able to putt from the fringe and two putted for Bogey +1.

Hole 4: A short par 4, slight dogleg right with the way the tee box is oriented. I took driver and smashed a drive down the left side just in the rough. I then proceed to chunk my 56 degree wedge about 20 yards short of the green. The third shot  I pitched to about 20 feet and two putted for my bogey +1.

Hole 5: A straight away par 5. I pulled my tee ball about 75 yards left of the fairway. This course is open so it didn't cost me any penalty strokes. I then chunk a hybrid about 100 yards forward. I then thin a 9 iron into some trees that it should have gotten over on a good strike. This was another one of those shots I felt really uncomfortable over. The club never felt right in the hands. I just couldn't get settled over the ball. I then had to try to punch an iron and I ended up hooking the ball into a bunker. It took me three tries to get out of the bunker. Really really bad wet sand. These bunkers do not drain at all. I ended up two putting for my quad bogey +4

Hole 6: Short par 4 downhill, can be drivable with a very good tee shot.  I pulled another tee shot way left. I ended up on another course. The course I play has two 18's. I was able to hit a 3/4 wedge shot to just off the back of the green. Which is was fine.  A tree was blocking my shot to the middle of the green. I chipped on and almost sank the chip, the ball just clanked on the flag stick. Got an easy tap in for my par +0.

Hole 7: A straight away par 5 with OB right. Again I pulled my driver way left. Nothing over there to hurt my score, just my pride. I had about 250 yards left. I took 3 wood out trying to hit a controlled shot that could run up to the front of the green. OB is still closely right of the green and a bunker guards the left side. I was tired of bunkers. I ended up hitting a low shot that had too much draw on it and hit a tree on the left side of the fairway. I then punched on to the fringe and two putted for my par +0.

Hole 8: A medium par 4 that dog legs left a bit. This hole was straight into the wind and I bombed a drive to the center of the fairway. I had about 100 yards left in and hit a toe-ish over-draw that ended up just on the right side of the green. I was able to two putt for my par +0.

Hole 9. I always take an iron or hybrid on this hole. OB is right with the parking lot. The OB infringes more and more towards the fairway as you get closer to the green. Trees constrict the left side as you get closer to the green. There is a big fairway bunker on the right side that takes 3-wood out of my hands as well. I demolished a 4 iron shot to just in the left rough. I again hit a very clankly, toe-ish draw that ended up on the right side of the green. I was able to two putt for my par +0.

Some thoughts on my shots. Right now I am having issues getting comfortable over the ball. Alignments feel off for me. I feel good with the driver, but not the irons. The grip feels off. When I grip the club, the clubhead looks like it is pointing left to me. A lot of times the right hand feels too underneath the club.  When I open the clubface then the club just feels weird gripping it. Standing over the ball I feel too upright and it feels like my arms and shoulders are pointing to the right.

As for the swing. I think I am getting early extension on the shot. Just makes sense with the chunks and the thin shots, not really taking a good divot after the ball. With the history of my swing faults this seems the likely case. I think I get away with it for the driver because I want to hit up on the ball.

In summary: +9 first 5 holes, +0 last 4 holes. I if I played a tough course I would probably have lost 6 golf balls and shot +18.

[iacas]

Do you have any recent video?

Did you join one of the courses yet?

[saevel25]

Do you have any recent video? Did you join one of the courses yet?

Just the video I posted last week.

[cipher]

Matt, we both need to work on getting off the tee this year.  I am going to play my tree lined course pretty much for the most part.  If you have not picked a membership, maybe pick the one with the tightest driving holes possible.  It does not look like there is a ton of room for us to miss big out at Moon Valley, so we should really work a lot on that over this spring and summer.

[saevel25]

Had a lesson up in Erie, PA. For backswing I need to get my left arm to travel up the toe line more. I need to make sure I turn and not just move my arms. Downswing I need to let the club fall more down, them fire through with the body. Addressing the ball I need to get a more reverse k look. A small piece here would be getting my head to turn, I get it leaning the wrong way during the backswing. The drill for the backswing is to get the arm up the toe line. The hold, let the right hand get soft to drop the club down. Hold and fire through with the body. Some images from my swing and the drills.

[JetFan1983]

Good stuff, Matt. Thanks for sharing.

[iacas]

The dot on the right is where you can take the BOC without it being "bad" or "too long."

Remember, too, you suffered from over-draws and low shots, as well as contact that isn't always great for a single digit player. The body stalling contributes to all of that, and the body stalls because the hands are so deep at the top.

[saevel25]

Just some thoughts after playing nine holes tonight.

First, my driving of the ball is way better than last year. Getting that swing path less severe has helped alot. I just got to stay patient and not try to swing hard with my arms or I pull to pull draw the ball.

Next, I need to be aware of my set up with my irons. Need to get that bit of tilt in the set up.

Also, I need to keep working on the backswing piece. A few irons were a bit of over draws and having contact issues. So a bit of regression tonight.

Finally, I need to spend a few days on my short game. Just not consistent at all. Had a few good pitches. Then I had a ton of bladed pitches tonight. Ping Pong back and forth across the green is not fun. deal the cards, do not let the right elbow to slide behind me on pitch shots, keep it relaxed.

On a side note. I need to ride in a cart more often. Carrying by bag, swinging the golf club and standing a lot just inflames my left IT Band to the point i hurts to bend over to pick the ball up and makes it tough to commit to the finesse shots. I can hit driver because it is a full shot. On those small turns its hard to get that going with that hurting.

[saevel25]

Went out to the short game area at the local municipal course. Worked on getting some solid contact on pitches. Need to be more turny, less armsy, more relaxed, less rigid, more glidy less steep.

Also worked on my bunker play. Need to be more solid in the legs, less body rotation muscles it out and more flippy glidy. I got pretty good, I got a good tight grouping on the green.

[saevel25]

Well the short game practice did not stick.

hole 10: 100 yards in, chunk the 3/4 wedge shot. 60 yards left in, thinned the ball over the green.

hole 12: Hit the iron shot on the unswing, thinnish, but the ball went very high and drew way too much

hole 13: 75 yards in, hit a thinned wedge over the green.

hole 14: 5 iron from 220 yards, hit it chunky, but it was clanky. I think I skimmed the rough and hit the ball on the upswing. It flew about 120 yards.

hole 17: 70 yards in, caught the 3/4 wedge shot slightly thin, not totally thin, so got away with it

So yea, not really taking any divots at all. Catching a lot of stuff thin and not a good thin. Good thin would be slightly thin that doesn't end up that much short, like 1 or 2 groves. This is out of balance thin that is very flippy at impact. Just can't mesh the backswing and transition right now. All out of sorts.

My guess is I am swinging way to hard. Though when I try to swing easier I end up chunking more than thinning.