First Range Session (Overhaul)

[Travtex]

Had my first post grip-change session, today. Granted, probably not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it was pretty surprising how much WORK it was to implement what was essentially shifting my hands around a couple inches.

As my swing vid helpers noted, my grip was on the extreme side of Strong Grip. Basically, my top hand thumb was pretty much pointed down the target line, and my bottom hand was more or less under the club, with comparable thumb position.

My Shiny New grip has both thumbs directly on top of the grip. Some observations/questions/rants at random:

* Dispersion seems better. I was wildly inconsistent before with full-on pull hooks and skyball pushes... Now, for the most part, my mishits are going straight. Just a fat/thin issue.

* I hit a few actual slices. I wasn't even that bummed. Relative to where the fairway would've been, my slices were less slice-y than my hooks were hook-y.

* Took a while to get contact down. Feel like I'm having to really DRIVE my hips more aggressively, though off the top of my head that seems counterintuitive. I -feel- like I'm having to slide more than rotate. I'm making best contact when I feel like I'm just driving my arsch directly toward the target, almost downward (I might have been rising up, before).

* Lost a touch of distance, but not much. Better trajectory -- Probably hitting the same ballspeed, just higher.

* When I got a bit tired, I started hitting lazy pushes again. Think that was just being sloppy.

In conclusion, I'm liking the grip change so far. I'm not booming it like I was before, but... two things 1.) It's probably a lack of comfort with the new grip slowing my swing down, 2.) Even if not, I'll trade improved control for distance any day.

I ended off the day hitting some pretty fun flop shots that I hadn't been able to pull off, before. Kinda funny on the range, though -- Looks like you just made a horrible mistake when you take a full swing and the ball squirts straight up and then sticks about twenty yards in front of you.

Drives... Meh, probably about my usual. (I'm not sure this makes sense. My problem before was irons too boring, driver too high. I changed the grip and I'm hitting high floater irons and line drives with the big stick.... ) Average in the 250 range with 225-230 carry. Occasionally uncork one that ends up 270-280

(Only two of them, today. They're pretty fun at my new home driving range -- There's a lake at about 300 yards out, and at the edge of the lake is the 10th tee which aims at an island green on said lake. If you put one in the lake, or hit somebody's cart wheel... you know you've smacked the crap out of it.)

EDIT to add: Almost forgot... Hit my first shank, today, too. What the HELL?! No wonder they piss people off so much.