My Swing (cipher)

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Good stuff Cipher!  We sound similar in that my biggest strength is also my iron game and my biggest weakness is also my driver.  Further, my driver has been a bit better overall lately thanks to a video (not Mikes, but rather James' video here: http://thesandtrap.com/t/44307/hitting-up-or-down-with-the-driver-in-an-inline-pattern/90_30#post_847924).  I will be checking out Mike's very soon here (probably on my lunch break!)

I'm mostly fascinated by the fact that you made such a drastic change with your grip.  I have an interlocking grip (with a glove) and will occasionally experiment with an overlapping grip just to see how it feels.  (By 'occasionally' I mean, I'll try it for 2 shots during one range session every year or two ;))  It has always felt like I was really only holding the club with my left hand and the right was just kind of there.  Especially at the top of the backswing, it would always feel like my right hand was slipping off the club.  Just curious, what prompted you to change your grip?

Yep I think we may be pretty similar in that regard.  I think both videos are great.  I love both of them.  Mike's video although it is targeted for people that slice, just helped give me a feel that might be working for me.  I will keep trying it and we will see.  Like I said I don't really know why it "might" be squaring up the club face better for me.  Well, I think I do actually know, I just don't want to think about all that right now, I just want to feel it.

I switched grips because I have a tendency to weaken my right hand grip when playing and practicing using the interlock.  Also with the interlock I felt like my hands always wanted to pull apart at the point where the interlock is.  I could never seem to keep it in place.  This probably sounds strange but when taking my grip(the overlap) I can feel the exact spot where the first two knuckles of the left hand are every time with the tip of the right pinky.  It puts me in a better right hand position every time.  I struggled with squaring up the club a bit at first but I stuck with it and love it now.  Also it feels really good with no glove(TWSS).  I may not be able to do a lot of things well yet, but the least I can try and do is set up well every time.

[cipher]

Not really even trying to be a stupid monkey at the moment, just trying to be brain dead. The iron swing is in a good spot right now and with the qualifier just over a week away, learning any new pieces is on hold. I am only trying to keep the feeling of what I already know and nothing else. Probably won't send any evolvr uploads in until after the tournament. Brain dead at the moment and nothing else.

[Jakester23]

Good luck bud let us know how you do.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

Good luck bud let us know how you do.

Probably not very well, but it will be fun anyway.  I have a tendency to in pressure situations, but we will see what happens. My goal is actually to be in a position to qualify next year, but I wanted to get the experience in this year.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by cipher

Probably not very well, but it will be fun anyway.  I have a tendency to  in pressure situations, but we will see what happens.   My goal is actually to be in a position to qualify next year, but I wanted to get the experience in this year.

Don't I know it!  I just finally started playing tournaments this year (the GC amtour tourneys that are gross, yet flighted) and I've yet to play "well" in any of them. Nerves up the wazoo.  Then throw in a couple brainfarts, and voila ... a 91!

I'm not too worried about it though because I know as I get more and more under my belt, I'll start feeling more comfortable, thus more confident, and add to that the fact that I'm improving, and hopefully good things will come!

I have the same goals as you, but just one generation back.  I need to get my handicap low enough just so I can register for the qualifiers (looks like most of them are 4.4 or 5.4 max cap) then I have to play shitty in a couple before I can get to the point of setting the goal of qualifying. :)

Good luck tho, I'm pulling for a!!

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Don't I know it!  I just finally started playing tournaments this year (the GC amtour tourneys that are gross, yet flighted) and I've yet to play "well" in any of them. Nerves up the wazoo.  Then throw in a couple brainfarts, and voila ... a 91!

I'm not too worried about it though because I know as I get more and more under my belt, I'll start feeling more comfortable, thus more confident, and add to that the fact that I'm improving, and hopefully good things will come!

I have the same goals as you, but just one generation back.  I need to get my handicap low enough just so I can register for the qualifiers (looks like most of them are 4.4 or 5.4 max cap) then I have to play shitty in a couple before I can get to the point of setting the goal of qualifying. :)

Good luck tho, I'm pulling for a!!

Thanks GD. What qualifiers are you looking to play in if I can ask?  Cali State AM?  Eventually I would like to play in a US AM qualifier and maybe even a US Open Qualifier.  The only goal there though would be not getting a lifetime ban.  Ha ha!  I played in my first tourney(WI State Mid Am) two years ago and actually for my level at the time played fairly well.  A par on the last hole would have given me an 84.  Nope three snap hooks off the tee later I posted a 10 on the last hole for a 90.  Ouch!

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by cipher

Thanks GD. What qualifiers are you looking to play in if I can ask?  Cali State AM?  Eventually I would like to play in a US AM qualifier and maybe even a US Open Qualifier.  The only goal there though would be not getting a lifetime ban.  Ha ha!  I played in my first tourney(WI State Mid Am) two years ago and actually for my level at the time played fairly well.  A par on the last hole would have given me an 84.  Nope three snap hooks off the tee later I posted a 10 on the last hole for a 90.  Ouch!

Well, I don't know.  I think the first on the list would probably be the SCGA Mid-Am, for which I need a 5.4 to enter.  As long as I can keep getting the handicap down, I'll keep raising the goals to shoot for a state am, US am, US open, etc, etc.  But for now, since I'm not even eligible to register to qualify for any of them, I'll keep the goals a little more reasonable.

I would also like to look into even more local events like city AM championships, but they're a little harder to find online. :)

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Well, I don't know.  I think the first on the list would probably be the SCGA Mid-Am, for which I need a 5.4 to enter.  As long as I can keep getting the handicap down, I'll keep raising the goals to shoot for a state am, US am, US open, etc, etc.  But for now, since I'm not even eligible to register to qualify for any of them, I'll keep the goals a little more reasonable.

I would also like to look into even more local events like city AM championships, but they're a little harder to find online. :)

Nice!  Sounds like fun.  You will get there for sure.

[cipher]

Just got my tee time emailed to me for the qualifier on Tuesday the 2nd at 8:40am.  I am glad it is an earlier tee time.  I like that.  I am already nervous for that first tee shot though.

[Jakester23]

What course is the tourney at?

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

What course is the tourney at?

The actual tourney is at the Bog.  There are 7-10 different qualifying sites.  I am playing at Naga-Waukee myself.  Nag sets up for my fade well, as long as I can start it in the right direction. Ha ha!

[Jakester23]

Cool I like nags don't play there nearly enough. Tear it up.

[cipher]

Cool I like nags don't play there nearly enough. Tear it up.

Will do, thanks man.

[cipher]

Nice round this morning.  Driver is starting to play nice at the right time.  I just could not drop a birdie put.  Had two nice puts on the up and down holes though.  Also a great shot out of the green side bunker on the par three.

This lip out on 9 was all that was between the 37 and my first 36 of the year.  A little wet out there this morning as you can tell you can see how the ball tracked.  I thought it was in all the way too.  I had three birdie putts under 12' and missed all of them.  Hit my lines, just did not read all three correctly.

Lip out:

This was kind of crazy.  I hit this one into a par three.  Hit it pin high and the ball spun back like a mother trucker!  The pitch mark was just so deep it had nowhere to go but backwards.  This was the 12 footer that I missed.  Ball stopped on the left edge of the cup.

[Slice of Life]

Man, so close! I'd kill for a 37 though. Haha.

On some days, I'd kill for a 47.

Looks like a couple good up and downs on 16 and 17 to save your round though.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Man, so close! I'd kill for a 37 though. Haha.

On some days, I'd kill for a 47.

Looks like a couple good up and downs on 16 and 17 to save your round though.

Yeah it was still a nice score, I know the 36 will come. I just have to stay patient and trust what I am working on.  Even though my handicap is not all that much better this year(trending to 4.3 on the 1st) the stats are showing me that I am improving.  I am hoping to be a 3 something by the end of the season.  I am hitting close to 55% percent of greens the last few weeks, which is much better than where I was before.

[Ernest Jones]

Love the pics.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Love the pics.

I got robbed on that putt, I am not sure what happened.  The ball seemed to go in the hole and then come back out.