My Swing (saevel25)

[saevel25]

I hate when that happens. If only you had a better mental game.

I know if I had a mental game I would be a PGA tour player, damn!!!

Nah, I just got in a funk of wanting to lean away from the target in by downswing, causing me to block the shit out of the ball. This is bad when you have a hazard on the right hand side

Tee Shot = Hazard

Drop 2 hit 3

3rd ball = Hazard

Drop 4 hit 5

Pitch 6 across the green

Pitch to about a foot (I was PROUD of this Pitch!!!!), tap in 8

Next hole, I three putt for a bogey, miss a 3 foot putt. My putting wasn't good. I hit 8 out of 9 greens, and had 17 putts. YEA!!! Putting needs some work. I just couldn't get the putts to the hole tonight. The reads were pretty good, but left about 3-4 putts short.

Did you play with the sldr's?

Yes I did, I sadly have to say this, I LIKE THEM  A LOT!!!

Hole number 11 is a 170 yard uphill, so I hit the 8 iron to about 20 feet.

Hole number 12 is a 170 yard downhill par 3, I hit the 9 iron to about 25 feet

Hole number 18 I jacked a 4 iron off the tee.

I know, only three times, but we play a short course so I am hitting a lot of 56 degree pitch shots. The shots I did hit, I like a lot. I am not sure if I would like the clubs with the 90 gram shafts in them. My request for X-stiff got me the C-Taper 130 gram shafts. They just FEEL solid swinging them. Honestly they don't really go too high overall. They do seem to stay in the air longer, but they drop softer. I really like these clubs. I am wondering how they do in windy conditions. You can flight them  lower, and hit draws and fades. I was messing around on the range before playing 9 holes. I was able to hit both fades and draws. They don't move as much as my Mizuno-MP59's, but really I don't need to move a ball that much majority of the time.

[CarlSpackler]

8 for 9.... I would say they like you too.

[saevel25]

Just some footnotes on my golf swing from last night. The driver was OK, got me into trouble on one hole.

10th hole, Thin to win drive

14th hole, I hit a huge toe pop up driver

15th hole, I slight hook

16th hole, MASSIVE block to the right, and slightly thin.

17th Hole, BIG PUSH hook

So, a bit wild with the driver.

Irons were much better, all of them were pretty much nice push draws.

So there is clearly something I am doing wrong with my driver. I think it probably is my length of my swing, and I tend to loose my steady head in my downswing. I find I fall away from the target and with a too inside swing causes those block and thin shots. When I don't and the path is too inside I hit big hooks. Need to get those hands less behind my body, and shorten the swing. I did that with a 3 wood out of the rough and hit it about 250+ yards to just front right of the green on a par 5.

Putting still sucks, need to work with the stretchy string to relearn how to hit putts online. Sometimes over the ball I am just finicky. I'll stand over the putt and see my feet and think, "Crap I am aiming right with my feet". So I will change it, and things go all bad. My perspective standing over putts is not good right now. Just no confidence in where I am aiming. It isn't the putter, its how my body lined up that is bothering me.

[Jeremie Boop]

Just some footnotes on my golf swing from last night. The driver was OK, got me into trouble on one hole.

10th hole, Thin to win drive

14th hole, I hit a huge toe pop up driver

15th hole, I slight hook

16th hole, MASSIVE block to the right, and slightly thin.

17th Hole, BIG PUSH hook

So, a bit wild with the driver.

Irons were much better, all of them were pretty much nice push draws.

So there is clearly something I am doing wrong with my driver. I think it probably is my length of my swing, and I tend to loose my steady head in my downswing. I find I fall away from the target and with a too inside swing causes those block and thin shots. When I don't and the path is too inside I hit big hooks. Need to get those hands less behind my body, and shorten the swing. I did that with a 3 wood out of the rough and hit it about 250+ yards to just front right of the green on a par 5.

Putting still sucks, need to work with the stretchy string to relearn how to hit putts online. Sometimes over the ball I am just finicky. I'll stand over the putt and see my feet and think, "Crap I am aiming right with my feet". So I will change it, and things go all bad. My perspective standing over putts is not good right now. Just no confidence in where I am aiming. It isn't the putter, its how my body lined up that is bothering me.

Only thing I can comment on is the putting, since that seems to be going pretty well for me. I do the same thing where I look down after lining up the put and thinking I'm standing offline. After many times adjusting and finding I was right to begin with I started just trusting the line set up on and focus only on the distance I need to hit. Which, as you pointed out, is my main problem. Side note, did you play the TM irons this round also?

[cipher]

Just some footnotes on my golf swing from last night. The driver was OK, got me into trouble on one hole.

10th hole, Thin to win drive

14th hole, I hit a huge toe pop up driver

15th hole, I slight hook

16th hole, MASSIVE block to the right, and slightly thin.

17th Hole, BIG PUSH hook

So, a bit wild with the driver.

Irons were much better, all of them were pretty much nice push draws.

So there is clearly something I am doing wrong with my driver. I think it probably is my length of my swing, and I tend to loose my steady head in my downswing. I find I fall away from the target and with a too inside swing causes those block and thin shots. When I don't and the path is too inside I hit big hooks. Need to get those hands less behind my body, and shorten the swing. I did that with a 3 wood out of the rough and hit it about 250+ yards to just front right of the green on a par 5.

Putting still sucks, need to work with the stretchy string to relearn how to hit putts online. Sometimes over the ball I am just finicky. I'll stand over the putt and see my feet and think, "Crap I am aiming right with my feet". So I will change it, and things go all bad. My perspective standing over putts is not good right now. Just no confidence in where I am aiming. It isn't the putter, its how my body lined up that is bothering me.

To the bold, were we separated at birth or something? Brother? The thing that has helped me with the driver is feeling the the inside tip of the right toe just touching the ground into A10.  Obviously from my thread I need to keep focusing on that.  Don't know if that is something that would help you or not.  Can't help you with the putting.

[CarlSpackler]

If you drive for me, I'll putt for you. Deal?

[saevel25]

Lets go through the damage here,

Off the Tee

Driver: Snap hook into hazard, Snap hook into left rough, hook into left rough, block cut right

3 wood: Slight pull cut (strange one), push draw

Irons, 70-100 yard snap hook into a hazard, Hook, Push Draw

Approach shots

Full Iron shots: Push Draw, Push Draw, Push Draw, Pull Cut (played this one around a tree, good 2nd shot on a par 5), Pull (ball was 6 inches above my feet)

Pitch shots: Short (can't commit to hitting them with any speed), Chunk, Chunk, whiff (I was pissed after chunking another one and was trying to hit a pitch with one hand), great (2nd try at a one handed pitch to about 1 inch tap in, golf is mocking me)

Putting = HORRIBLE

I three putted from 40 feet from the fringe on a par 5. I missed about 3 putts that were inside 5 feet. I three putted about 4 times. I actually stopped my putter in the backstroke to walk away because I couldn't take the putter back the way I want. Just horrible, everything feels uncomfortable over the ball.

So, in summary. If I have a short irons I can hit push draws really nice. If I get a long iron, I snap hook the hell out of it. My driver I am snap hooking everything. My pitch shots are still hit and miss, and my putting is AWOL!!!

Well actually I went to the practice green afterwards, and set up a putting practice station on an uphill straight putt. I just wanted to get use to hitting the ball where I aim it. I found out I was standing too upright. When I bent over more, and got my elbows closer to my body and got my arms more relaxed I was hitting putts really really well. So here is to hoping I figured something out.

I think my swing is stuck in regression to the old swing and sometimes having the good swing. It's just a cluster F**** right now!!! I got from hitting 8 out of 9 greens last Thursday to playing bogey golf.

The thing is, I was hitting the ball good on the range. No clue right now, just in golf limbo!!

I will be going to the driving range later this week for some video time. I'll get some video of my long irons and my driver.

[Jeremie Boop]

I wish I had something helpful or insightful for you, all I can do is sympathize with you. Only thing I can think of is maybe you are getting too flat with the longer clubs and/or armsy with your swing, just going by what I do. Of course to assume that you have any of the same problems I have is a bit of a stretch with the level your game is compared to mine.

[CarlSpackler]

Sounds like my round tonight. Hit some awesome shots but overall scoring was not there. Quite a few pars and missed birds, but too many "others".

[saevel25]

I wish I had something helpful or insightful for you, all I can do is sympathize with you. Only thing I can think of is maybe you are getting too flat with the longer clubs and/or armsy with your swing, just going by what I do. Of course to assume that you have any of the same problems I have is a bit of a stretch with the level your game is compared to mine.

Not sure if it is too flat, as i am still getting my hands too deep.

Sounds like my round tonight. Hit some awesome shots but overall scoring was not there. Quite a few pars and missed birds, but too many "others".

Yep, just not consistent at all. Since I have no short game, missed greens basically are 95% chance of getting a bogey.

Basically I need to keep working on my priority piece, and get back to hitting shots at 60-70% tempo. My short irons were much smoother and easier swings than my tee shots. My driver was horribly fast tonight. Besides that, I need to work on my pitching and putting. I know a good golf swing is in there somewhere, just need to make it more consistent.

[CarlSpackler]

Yep. Stick with it and stay positive.

[saevel25]

Well, one problem I see, I am over swinging the club way too much!!!!

This swing is much better. I think I still need to stand further away from the ball. That is a 6 iron, I think it causes me to get a bit too steep. The ball flight seemed too low for me. The backswing isn't too bad. Still can get that clubhead in a better spot. The camera angle isn't on my toe line, so the club looks a tad inside than what it is. Overall its good progress from about 4 months ago. The swing thought for this swing was HALF SWING!!! So, to @Jeremie Boop , it does take some practice to get the timing down, but trying to make a half swing does work, and produces a much more consistent ball strike!!!

Decided to do a Face On view, haven't done that in a while. Stance could be a bit wider for a 6 iron, and feet could be flared a tad more.

I like the impact position. The hands are inline with the ball and the right shoulder at impact. The right foot is banking. The weight is forward. Though I do lean back a bit with the upper body in the downswing. Overall the impact position looks solid.

Ok, time for the driver. Shockingly, I fixed it when I started to take half swing feels. I guess overswinging was causing me to loose a lot of my first three keys, and I was hitting snap hooks. I didn't hit one ball that even remotely hooked at the driving range with the shorter swing.

Ok this one I didn't succeed on the half swing thought. Need to practice this feel more. Hit a nice straight fade, cleared that fence that I laser'd at 255 yards away from me. The fencing is about 20 yards high.

Face on driver view, not too bad. Still a tad too long in the backswing, but it felt solid hitting the ball. I catch the ball with probably a slight down angle of attack, or pretty close to zero angle of attack. Could catch it more on the upswing. Probably could set up with a bit more spine tilt at address.

[iacas]

Maybe 1/4 swings…

Just kidding. MUCH better.

Hopefully Sunday we can look at JUST your short game and putting.

[iacas]

I agree with this 100%. Even though my putting has been lack luster this year, it hasn't been due to distance control, but my ability to start the putter on the line I aim. Distance control improved so much when I went to a heavier putter head and 40 grams of counterbalance.

So post a video of your stroke so I can start to get some ideas.

Some 30-foot putts would be fine. Unless you're struggling on the really short ones or something.

[Jakester23]

Your transition is so effortless. Im very jealous. Do you think you have been over swinging with your driver?

[saevel25]

Your transition is so effortless. Im very jealous. Do you think you have been over swinging with your driver?

I am 99.999999999999% sure I have been overswinging my driver. Compared to what I was trying to feel today, compared to what I was doing on the course. Today's swing felt very short and very compact.

[Jeremie Boop]

So, if I just tame my overswing I could have a handicap like yours? Obviously not, I don't have nearly the right impact position. Though I never thought that having the ball too far back in my stance would be the cause of my flipping at the ball. In all honesty, it is nice to know that making a small*ish* change to my swing like shortening my backswing could result in some major improvements in striking like you've indicated. If you could be honest with me here, Matt, how much of my problem would you say is simply a product of my overswing?

[saevel25]

So, if I just tame my overswing I could have a handicap like yours? :-P  Obviously not, I don't have nearly the right impact position. Though I never thought that having the ball too far back in my stance would be the cause of my flipping at the ball. In all honesty, it is nice to know that making a small*ish* change to my swing like shortening my backswing could result in some major improvements in striking like you've indicated. If you could be honest with me here, Matt, how much of my problem would you say is simply a product of my overswing?

Over swinging can cause a whole assortment of issues, from poor contact, to poor position in the backswing, to flipping the club, to loosing keys 1 and 2. Also having the ball too far back promotes a flip because with the weight forward you have to flip to bottom out earlier or you will top the ball. I think you would improve a lot if you cleared out those things. If anything you'll make it easier to seek consistent contact, whatever that may be from a fade to a draw.