My Swing (Jetfan1983)

[JetFan1983]

I made my first hole in one today!

OK, fine... My dad and I were teeing it forward and playing the red tees, so it was only from 63 stupid yards. From the tips, the course is 7100 yards and like 74.0, 141 or something, so it's a hard course, but obviously... yea it was the forward tees.

And even though it was so short, I honestly don't even give a shit. Mid-ball-flight I said "that might go in," and it took one hop and dropped. I hit the sweet spot, and it did exactly what I planned on it doing.

And you know, I have been practicing the 60 yard, 70, yard, 80 yard wedge shot quite a bit lately because that's a big weakness of mine, so... yea, this was special.

We had to go right after the round (we only played 9), so I couldn't buy anyone drinks, but maybe I'll do that next time if anyone's around at the bar.

Some potentially annoying news for me is that I have to get an MRI on my shitty elbow/triceps on Wednesday... thing's been killing me now for 2+ years and it's time for me to find out what's wrong... You'll see in my last post I referenced this injury, and it's simply just not going away. So this may be the last time I play for a while, but who really knows.

This game can be so intensely brutal that I'll take whatever I can get and run straight to the bank with it. My first one! Without this community here, no way I make this hole-in-one today. And again, I don't care if it was from 63 yards. I still had to carry water and the angle from 63 yards makes the green considerably smaller than, say, the tips, where it plays 220. It's a peninsula green and there was a 20 MPH wind if that makes this post less obnoxious to a purest.

Anyways.... again, I know, it's 63 yards, but this still counts, right? I think it does.

[Golfingdad]

I made my first hole in one today!

OK, fine... My dad and I were teeing it forward and playing the red tees, so it was only from 63 stupid yards. From the tips, the course is 7100 yards and like 74.0, 141 or something, so it's a hard course, but obviously... yea it was the forward tees.

And even though it was so short, I honestly don't even give a shit. Mid-ball-flight I said "that might go in," and it took one hop and dropped. I hit the sweet spot, and it did exactly what I planned on it doing.

And you know, I have been practicing the 60 yard, 70, yard, 80 yard wedge shot quite a bit lately because that's a big weakness of mine, so... yea, this was special.

We had to go right after the round (we only played 9), so I couldn't buy anyone drinks, but maybe I'll do that next time if anyone's around at the bar.

Some potentially annoying news for me is that I have to get an MRI on my shitty elbow/triceps on Wednesday... thing's been killing me now for 2+ years and it's time for me to find out what's wrong... You'll see in my last post I referenced this injury, and it's simply just not going away. So this may be the last time I play for a while, but who really knows.

This game can be so intensely brutal that I'll take whatever I can get and run straight to the bank with it. My first one! Without this community here, no way I make this hole-in-one today. And again, I don't care if it was from 63 yards. I still had to carry water and the angle from 63 yards makes the green considerably smaller than, say, the tips, where it plays 220. It's a peninsula green and there was a 20 MPH wind if that makes this post less obnoxious to a purest.

Anyways.... again, I know, it's 63 yards, but this still counts, right? I think it does.

Hell's yeah it counts!!!!  It's not going to be at the top of your career list when all is said and done, but it's still a one!!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

[14ledo81]

Counts in my book.  Congrats.

[JetFan1983]

@Golfingdad and @14ledo81 Thanks for the replies. Yea, this certainly doesn't deserve its own thread or anything (hence why I put it here), but it still "felt" like a true hole-in-one (hey, no "feel isn't real" comments, guys! ). I mean, obviously we were playing within the rules of golf despite playing so far forward, and it was still a par 72.

The red tees are actually an amazing experience. I'm learning just how much your mental approach to a hole actually matters -- of course, I always knew it mattered, but I didn't truly understand how much until playing this far forward.

For one thing, the par-5 fifth hole is only 435 yards. I walked up to that tee licking my chops, knowing I'm very possibly going to make a 4.... so then it hit me (not today, but when I first started playing this far forward)... why do I approach 435 yard par 4s tentatively? If the hole said "par 4" on it, I'd be a bit nervous about my drive, my approach, etc. But when it said, par-5, I just walked up and busted it down the fairway, excited over the opportunity to make 3, or at worst 5. The reds get you in this scoring mindset that I've never really had. Sure, par-5 fairways tend to be wider and the greens tend to be larger, so maybe that plays a role, but I still think it was interesting to note the difference in mindset just purely based on what someone deems "par."

I may have mentioned this realization in a previous post on this thread, I'm not sure.

[billchao]

Anyways.... again, I know, it's 63 yards, but this still counts, right? I think it does.

Yup, totally counts! Congrats! :dance:

[JetFan1983]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Anyways.... again, I know, it's 63 yards, but this still counts, right? I think it does.

Yup, totally counts! Congrats!

Thanks, Bill!

Partial wedges are so humbling for me because I feel like I should knock those close, and when I don't (which is too often), it's a wake-up call as to my true abilities. So when one of these finally goes in, it's a relief that maybe my touch is getting better.

[Golfingdad]

Yea, this certainly doesn't deserve its own thread or anything (hence why I put it here),

Maybe not, buuuuuut ...

I walked up to that tee licking my chops, knowing I'm very possibly going to make a 4.... so then it hit me (not today, but when I first started playing this far forward)... why do I approach 435 yard par 4s tentatively? If the hole said "par 4" on it, I'd be a bit nervous about my drive, my approach, etc. But when it said, par-5, I just walked up and busted it down the fairway, excited over the opportunity to make 3, or at worst 5. The reds get you in this scoring mindset that I've never really had. Sure, par-5 fairways tend to be wider and the greens tend to be larger, so maybe that plays a role, but I still think it was interesting to note the difference in mindset just purely based on what someone deems "par."

I think this absolutely does deserve its own thread!  I've thought about trying to make similar ones, but never figured out quite how I wanted to word it.

Sure, par-5 fairways tend to be wider and the greens tend to be larger, so maybe that plays a role,

Seems to me like properly designed holes should be the opposite, no?  If they are going to call it a Par 4 and make it 460, then they should make the fairway and green easier to hit than something they call a Par 5 that is only 470, right?

Anyways, another comment on the mindset thing.  So, let's say you come to a green light par 5, under 500 yards, or 465 or whatever.  Like you said, you're thinking 'woohoo, I'm gonna birdie this baby!"  Then you hit a poor tee shot into the woods or something, and you automatically jump too "well, that's OK, I'll just lay up and try and make birdie that way."

But if it's a long Par 4, I feel like we are more likely to persuade ourselves to attempt something stupid because we're told that it's supposed to only take us 2 shots to get to the green.  But, (and this is mostly assuming we're talking stroke play here) that is really silly.  The only thing that should matter to us is the best possible option for the next shot.

[golfballs01]

I love using the magnetic pointer when demonstrating this aspect. I would like to add though, when the ball is in an uneven lie, changing the lie angle to what we feel is normal to us, will render the sole of the club uneven with the hitting surface. When the ball is below the feet and the club is adjusted to a flatter angle to correct the alignment, the heel of the club will contact the ground and the to will not. On the other side, where the ball is above the feet and the club is adjusted to a more upright position, correcting the alignment of the face, the toe of the club will strike the ground and the heel will not. I have always been taught and it found to be affective, to slightly choke down on the club when the ball is above the feet, and as a right handed player, aim to the right to compensate for the change of face angle due to the slope based on the amount of loft and slope angle, then take a normal swing. When choking down, the club is shorter so clubbing up one to make up for the lost distance will work. This will tend to promote a little draw in the shot so that needs to be taken into consideration as well.

If the ball is below the feet, seeing as we can't lengthen the club, we have to bend more at the knees, trying to simulate as much of a normal swing as possible, then consider the same things. How the face will be presented to the ball relative to the swingpath, the amount of slope as well as loft on the club, which will tend to promote more of a fade or slice, all need to be considered. This all has to be done while maintaining balance. With careful pre-thought, one can do just fine. I like the way the videos reveal the effect of the slope. That magnetic tool is one of the best things ever invented. You can't argue with what is clear to see.

Great post.

Christopher Warner

[JetFan1983]

I think this absolutely does deserve its own thread!  I've thought about trying to make similar ones, but never figured out quite how I wanted to word it.

Anyways, another comment on the mindset thing.  So, let's say you come to a green light par 5, under 500 yards, or 465 or whatever.  Like you said, you're thinking 'woohoo, I'm gonna birdie this baby!"  Then you hit a poor tee shot into the woods or something, and you automatically jump too "well, that's OK, I'll just lay up and try and make birdie that way."

But if it's a long Par 4, I feel like we are more likely to persuade ourselves to attempt something stupid because we're told that it's supposed to only take us 2 shots to get to the green.  But, (and this is mostly assuming we're talking stroke play here) that is really silly.  The only thing that should matter to us is the best possible option for the next shot.

Haha, yea, definitely. All good points. As for starting this thread, maybe I'll do it eventually, but feel free to start it yourself if you can get the wording right.

---

Here's a DTL seven iron swing from today.... Pretty lame swing right now. Lots of toe hits. I'm trying to feel like the sweet spot gets throw outside the ball to combat this. Also, my elbow positioning is all funky and my backswing is way too long and shallow.

I'm having a really hard time keeping the backswing steep and then being able to shallow it on the way down. Like, a really hard time. Anyways.... swing's not too good at the moment, but I'm trying to shorten and steepen it on the way back and then shallowing it on the way down, but it's been really hard.

In this swing here, I'm not thinking about my backswing at all. I'm just trying to control elbow positioning. It's hard.

The good news is my head is staying fairly steady these days, and my A6 doesn't look too bad.

[mvmac]

Here's a DTL seven iron swing from today.... Pretty lame swing right now. Lots of toe hits. I'm trying to feel like the sweet spot gets throw outside the ball to combat this. Also, my elbow positioning is all funky and my backswing is way too long and shallow.

Yes I agree it's shallow to steep, A6 is okay though, inline with the hands. Do the opposite and I think those toe hits will go away.

[Golfingdad]

Yes I agree it's shallow to steep, A6 is okay though, inline with the hands. Do the opposite and I think those toe hits will go away.

@mvmac ... I assume that if the A6 just matched the A3 that would work as well?  Do you think it's easier to shallow out the downswing by steepening the backswing?

[mvmac]

@mvmac ... I assume that if the A6 just matched the A3 that would work as well?

Do you mean A5?

I think it's pretty tough to match up A3 and A5. There are few few players that go shallow to steep (Phil Mickelson) but the majority of players are a little steeper on the backswing than they are on the downswing.

Do you think it's easier to shallow out the downswing by steepening the backswing?

Yes.

Weight transfer and pivot sequencing also plays a big role

[JetFan1983]

@mvmac

I can make my backswing steeper if I want, I just can't find the golf ball when I do it.

But let's say for a second my A3 is steeper. Should I increase the shit out of the flying wedge on the downswing in order to shallow it?

[mvmac]

@mvmac

I can make my backswing steeper if I want, I just can't find the golf ball when I do it.

But let's say for a second my A3 is steeper. Should I increase the shit out of the flying wedge on the downswing in order to shallow it?

No, that could actually steepen the shaft, depending on how you do it. Generally the shaft will shallow on it's own when it's steeper on the backswing.

[JetFan1983]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

@mvmac

I can make my backswing steeper if I want, I just can't find the golf ball when I do it.

But let's say for a second my A3 is steeper. Should I increase the shit out of the flying wedge on the downswing in order to shallow it?

No, that could actually steepen the shaft, depending on how you do it. Generally the shaft will shallow on it's own when it's steeper on the backswing.

OK. I'll do that and just see what happens.

I hate regression. Stupid injuries.

[JetFan1983]

Sorry, @mvmac . I'm double posting because if I edit, you guys may miss this since I posted that ^^^ 12 minutes ago:

So just get steep like Grant here, and I should find shallowing easier. The above photo is of A4 (top of the backswing).

[mvmac]

Sorry, @mvmac . I'm double posting because if I edit, you guys may miss this since I posted that ^^^ 12 minutes ago:

So just get steep like Grant here, and I should find shallowing easier. The above photo is of A4 (top of the backswing).

Yeah, more like this guy

[JetFan1983]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Sorry, @mvmac . I'm double posting because if I edit, you guys may miss this since I posted that ^^^ 12 minutes ago:

So just get steep like Grant here, and I should find shallowing easier. The above photo is of A4 (top of the backswing).

Yeah, more like this guy

LOL, that guy would beat me by 10 strokes right now

Alright, I'll figure this shit out. James sent me some simple stuff to think about.