My Swing (billchao)

[billchao]

Needs to release his fourth accumulator faster.

Takes after his old man! :-D

[boogielicious]

Not golf, but still pretty cool:

Adorable.  You have to get him and plastic golf club!

[billchao]

Adorable.  You have to get him and plastic golf club!

Thanks! He has some plastic clubs, but they're cheapo toys, not really meant for actually hitting the ball in the air. I'll have to get him a better set. He does have a real SW, but it's too heavy for him.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Adorable.  You have to get him and plastic golf club!

Thanks! He has some plastic clubs, but they're cheapo toys, not really meant for actually hitting the ball in the air. I'll have to get him a better set. He does have a real SW, but it's too heavy for him.

I had a tiny putter with a real head than my son, then my god kids used.

[billchao]

I had a tiny putter with a real head than my son, then my god kids used.

I didn't think about taking him to a putting green. I just let him hit balls in the yard. He'd probably like to hit the ball in the hole.

[billchao]

Played today, Tamarack East. The same course I vlogged. Shot 89 (first round under 90 all year!). Played from the whites, though, because I was playing with other people and they were nice enough to put up with me filming, so I didn't want to slow us down more by having to always tee off first. The yardage difference is pretty minimal, anyway, and it wouldn't have affected my shot decisions. I'll do a full breakdown of my round later. Only got 12 holes before the camera battery died, so I'm going to have to vlog in the future in lower quality to get a full 18. Shot 7 GIR, 7 nGIR, 5 fairways. Too many putts, but I can't putt this course at all. It is SLOW. I left a couple of 4' putts short, and one long putt came to a stop in the middle of a down slope. Long game was pretty good. I kept the swing compact, and I did what I learned from @iacas , which was to ease up a little on my approaches and hit a club longer than I'd usually hit. It was much easier to make good contact consistently. Misses were thin shots and overdraws, with the odd hook. I only missed it right two or three times. Short game was so so. I hit four shots that didn't get on the green. I also hit five shots within 10'. Last note, I'm really liking the G30s. More to come, later.

[mvmac]

Nice, good playing!

[billchao]

Nice, good playing!

Thanks! I just reviewed my clips for the vlog. I actually shot 87 (I forgot to write scores down for #4 and #6 until several holes later and accidentally added a stroke on each) :doh:

[billchao]

I'm borrowing this approach from @saevel25 's swing thread, so thanks, Matt (and sorry for stealing your methodology). Not sure if I'm evaluating my SV skills correctly, but here's how the round went:

Hole #1 - Par 4, 354 yards. Slight dogleg left, there's a pond about 230 yards from the tee that covers over 3/4 of the fairway (you're not hitting the 5 yard wide strip of land to it's right). The hole is lined with woods; maintenance cleared the ground in the areas most golfers end up often, but you'd still have to navigate the tree trunks. Don't be in the woods. There are two greenside bunkers, but you're only going to be in them if you miss it short and left or right).

I hit a perfect 5 iron straight down the middle, well short of the pond; slight push draw. Left about 135 to a front pin location. I hit a PW which started right at the center of the green and drew just off it, to the left. Pitched it to about 15', then 3-putt. Hit the first one 4' short (Did I mention these greens are SLOW?) and missed the 4 footer. Ugh.

Score: +2 (+2), nGIR (1), 3 putts

- Greenside Shot (SV3)

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2 )

Hole #2 - Par 4, 390 yards. Slight dogleg right and starts going uphill about 200 yards off the tee. There's a fairway bunker on the left side about 200 yards off the tee, right where it starts to turn. Approach to the green is uphill. This hole is lined with woods that haven't been cleared. Definitely don't be in the woods. Two bunkers, again, around the green, and again, are rarely in play.

I hit kind of a punchy driver about 240 that started just a little right of center and drew slightly, so I ended up on the left side of the fairway. I was trying to ease up a little on the club and it ended up being a pretty good miss. Anything longer and I bring the woods into play, but I was expecting the driver to fade, not draw, so if I hit the fade it would have been perfect. Might have to consider 3 wood next time, because I feel like I got away with making a mistake here. Left about 140 yards to the green (again, uphill). Hit a 9 iron to the back of the green, then just missed the 30' putt for birdie. Tapped in for par.

Score: 0 (+2), GIR (1), 2 putts

- GamePlan (SV4) - I count it as a mistake, so I'm marking it down, even though I made par

Hole #3 - Par 5, 479 yards. Doglegs to the right, but pretty wide open, unless you really slice it because there is one cluster of woods on the right side of the hole. There's a long bunker that sits along the right side of the green, but the green is huge. Not much to this hole, really.

I lined up to a tree on the left side of the hole and hit the dreaded push fade with the driver. Ended up just in the right rough (Yay GamePlan ). Left about 205 to the green. I hit a 4 iron slightly fat just to the front of the green. Lagged the 40' putt to about 4', then lipped the birdie putt out. Tapped in for par.

Score: 0 (+2), GIR (2), 3 putts

- Driving (SV4) - Missed with the driver 40 yards right, but the GamePlan saved me

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2 )

Hole #4 - Par 4, 378 yards. Wide open until about 180 yards from the tee, where the tree line starts. It's a wide fairway, though, so you'd have to miss for the woods to come into play. Slight dogleg right and starts to run downhill where the trees begin. The green is flanked by bunkers and guarded in front by a pond.

I topped my driver and it went a massive 30 yards. Then I missed my 3 wood a little on the thin side, but it was the perfect shot to the left side of the fairway, exactly where I wanted to be after my drive, about 145 out. Hit a push draw with my 9 iron a little thin (also too much push) that made it to the back of the green. Two-putt from about 15' for bogey.

Score: +1 (+3), 2 putts

- Driving (SV4)

Hole #5 - Par 3, 127 yards. There are some overhanging branches from a tree on the right side of the hole that will interfere with your tee shot if you don't launch it really high (I don't) and some sadistic bastard set the white tees right in line with them. There's a large bunker in the front right side of the green if you miss it short, and a smaller bunker back left which I consider more of a backstop than a hazard (because it helps keep the ball out of the woods if you do hit it).

I tried to hit a high cut with my UW that ended up going pretty straight, so it landed left of the green. Started it left of the branches, which is good because I would have hit right into them. Pitched it too long, 3 putt from about 20' (another short first putt) for double bogey.

Score: +2 (+5), nGIR (2), 2 putts

- Approach Shots (SV4)

- Greenside Shot (SV3)

- 15-25 FT Putts (SV1 )

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2)

Hole #6 - Par 5, 452 yards (it's really more like 470, not that it matters). Pretty straightforward hole. There's water all along the left side, up to 200 yards, not in play for me. Fairway bunkers are also not in play for me. There's a copse of trees to the right of the hole, just behind the 4th tee that sits on top of a drainage creek that is in play for me if I hit my patented push fade. There is a bunker to the back right of the green (just for looks I guess?). Really a boring hole, but it does face east, so you get some pretty dramatic views of the sun coming up when you play early in the morning.

I hit a slight fade with my driver just to the right edge of the fairway. Ended up about 225 yards out, so I tried to hit an easy 3 wood to the green which I ended up overdrawing just to the left. Bladed my pitch shot over the green, then I caught the next pitch too fat and it just barely trickled onto the green. Two-putt from about 30' for bogey.

Score: +1 (+6), nGIR (3), 2 putts

- Greenside Shot (SV3) (2)

Hole #7 - Par 4, 338 yards. Doglegs to the left and runs downhill, but the biggest feature of this hole is that it's wide open. The perfect shot is straight over the left bunker which would leave you with a partial wedge into the long green. There's a bunker short and left of the green that doesn't come into play if you hit the fairway, but it does come into play if you hit left onto another hole.

I duck hooked my driver onto the rough by the green of 16th hole of the West course. Yup, I wasn't even technically on the same golf course anymore. Had about 150 left to my flag, so I hit an easy 8 iron. Stuck it to 3', made birdie

Score: -1 (+5), GIR (3), 1 putt

- Driving (SV4)

Hole #8 - Par 3, 155 yards. It was playing long because I lasered 160 to a front pin location. Water and a bunker right.

I hit an easy 7 iron thin, like 10' off the ground, right on the center of the green. Three putt from about 20' (hit the first one too long, by 3 or 4 feet, couldn't make the comebacker) for bogey.

Score: +1 (+6), GIR (4), 3 putts

- Approach Shots (SV4) - Good miss, but a miss is a miss

- 15-25 FT Putts (SV1)

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2)

Hole #9 - Par 4, 321 yards.There's a pond on the right side of the fairway at about 200 yards, 250 yards to carry it. More bunkers flanking the green that seem to do nothing.

When I used to drive the ball more consistently, I would carry the pond. I drive pretty inconsistently nowadays, so I hit 5 iron. Pushed it towards the trees right, but still short on the pond. In retrospect, I should have hit 6 iron, because I was one bounce from being in the water, and that's just too close for my tastes. Left about 160 yards to the green and I hit a 7 iron with a slight draw just to the left side of the green. Two-putt from 40' for par.

Score: 0 (+6), GIR (5), 2 putts

- GamePlan (SV4)

- Driving (SV4)

Front 9 Scoring: +6, 5 GIR, 3 nGIR, 21 putts

Hole #10 - Par 4, 362 yards. There's a pond along the right side of the fairway that starts about 200 yards out. The fairway itself kind of doglegs around it, so it's just a lateral hazard. The green is protected by a pond to the right and a bunker to the left. It's a pretty big green that slopes towards the pond.

I can't hit driver here because my miss is right, so I went the conservative route and hit 4 iron. Hooked it just into the woods on the left, forcing a punch out back into the fairway, about 160 yards to the green. Hit a perfect 7 iron with a slight push draw just a bit to the back of the green. Four-putt for triple bogey (this is the downhill putt that I talked about in the previous post that just stopped halfway to the hole). Oh, and I missed a 2 footer, yay.

Score: +3 (+9), 4 putts

- Driving (SV4)

- 15-25 FT Putts (SV1)

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2)

- Under 3 FT Putts (SV1)

Hole #11 - Par 4, 340 yards. As straight as it gets. Yet another greenside bunker that seems to protect nothing. Left of the green is downhill into some junk, so don't miss left.

I hit 3 wood here for DecisionMap reasons. Started it too far left and watched it draw just into the woods. Punched it out too long into trouble right. Had to declare an unplayable lie because the ball was tucked under a bush. Hit a little 7 iron bump and run shot to the left side fringe and three-putt from there. I had a good read on the putt from the fringe and just pushed it, but I was still within 10%, so it's still a good putt. Could have been a great putt, but oh well. Triple bogey.

Score: +3 (+12), 2 putts

- Driving (SV4)

- Trouble Shots (SV2)

Hole #12 - Par 3, 163 yards. Green is long but narrow and has a severe slope towards the front in the middle. Left is downhill into the woods, so it's dead.

I hit my 8 iron fat, short and right of the green. Left about 30 yards to the pin and pitched it to about 10'. Two-putt for bogey.

Score: +1 (+13), 2 putts

- Driving (SV4)

Hole #13 - Par 5, 492 yards. There's a pond to the right, but it's not in play for me. The hole is lined with woods and the landing area is about 35 yards wide. The green is slightly elevated from the fairway and guarded by a bunker in the front and a bunker to the right. It slopes towards the front bunker, but the greens aren't fast enough for that to matter.

I hit 3 wood because my driver Shot Zone brings the woods into play. Hit a push with a slight draw just into the right rough, about 240 from the green. Hit 3 wood to the right of the right bunker. Pitched a LW over the bunker to about 3', made birdie.

Score: -1 (+12), GIR (6), 1 putt

- Umm Nothing

Hole #14 - Par 4, 334 yards. It's an elevated tee to a wide open hitting area. The only place you can't miss it is left, because it's OB (the hole sits right along the NJ Turnpike). It takes about 240 to carry the fairway bunker on the right side and 265 to carry the one on the left. The hole is fairly straight, so the bunkers shouldn't really be in play. The green is large and "guarded" by a bunker front left (they filled in the bunker on the right side).

I hit driver over the bunker on the left a ridiculous distance (310 yards or so, by Google Earth). Had a 30 yard pitch to the flag, which I pulled. Two-putt from about 20' for par.

Score: 0 (+12), GIR (7), 2 putts

- Nothing again!

Hole #15 - Par 3, 134 yards. Another large green. There's a bunker long and left and a large pond short and right. Anything too long will hit the backside of a mound and the ball will kick into the woods.

The pin was in the front and I pushed my UW just right of the green. Pitched it to 4' and two-putt for bogey.

Score: +1 (+13), nGIR (4), 2 putts

- Approach Shots (SV4)

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2)

Hole #16 - Par 4, 383 yards. This is the hole that is sandwiched between #3 and #14, so as wide open as those two holes are, this one lets you miss it anywhere. There's a fairway bunker on the right side, 240 yards to carry it. This is probably the toughest green on the course. It sits on top of a mound and the slope comes into play on every putt. There's also a large bunker to the front right of green. Don't miss it long or left because the ball will carom off the side of the mound.

I hit driver, my patented push fade, right into the 14th fairway. Couldn't get a good yardage with my rangefinder because there were trees in the way, so I kind of just winged it. Chose 4 iron, ended up hooking it right back into the fairway just short of the green. As it turns out, it's a good thing I hooked it, because I checked the yardage on Google Earth and I way overestimated how far away from the hole I was. Pitched it to 4', one-putt for par.

Score: 0 (+13), nGIR (5), 1 putt

- Driving (SV4)

- GamePlan (SV4)

- Approach Shots (SV4)

*That's a lot of mistakes on a hole I managed to par...*

Hole #17 - Par 3, 175 yards. Bunkers on either side of the green. There is a pond on the left side if you miss it short. The tee box is at an angle to the green, which I guess throws some people off. Interesting to look at, but not a tough hole.

I started my 6 iron too close to the center of the green and drew it left. It ended up in some undergrowth, so I had to declare an unplayable lie. Pitched it to about 5' and two-putt for double bogey.

Score: +2 (+15), 2 putts

- GamePlan (SV4)

- Approach Shots (SV4)

- 3-15 FT Putts (SV2)

Hole #18 - Par 5, 457 yards. This hole is lined with trees and doglegs to the right. There's a fairway bunker on the right side that takes 240 yards to carry. Just to the right of that is a clearing in the woods that I see a lot of people hitting into, but there's no shot from there but a lateral chip back onto the fairway. There is a small pond on the right side about 90 yards from the green, and a little creek that runs through the fairway to it. The green is elevated and protected by two bunkers in the front (they actually do something!). This is one of the only greens on the course you can't really bump up on. The green has a fairly steep slope from back to front. This green is probably just a little easier to putt than the 16th, but not by much.

The landing area for my driver is too narrow (about 30 yards) so I hit 3 wood. Completely missed the flight of the first ball. None of my playing partners saw it, either, so I hit a provisional. That was a high popup draw that ended up in the left rough opposite the fairway bunker. Since I had no idea where my first ball ended up, I just played the provisional ball. I hit a layup well short of the hazard for my next shot, which left me about 120 from the green. Put my UW on the back of the green about 35' from the hole. Almost made the downhill, double-breaking putt, and tapped in for double bogey.

Score: +2 (+17), 2 putts

- Driving (SV4)

Back 9 Scoring: +11, 2 GIR, 2 nGIR, 18 putts

Total Scoring: +17, 7 GIR, 5 nGIR, 39 putts

*I apparently suck at addition. So I actually shot 88, not 89 as first stated, and not 87 as later corrected. 88, with 12 GIR + nGIR, not 14.*

Conclusion: I'm awful at driving the ball. Of the six times I hit driver, only once did I hit the ball where I was aiming. I'm letting the one good shot per round influence my decision to use the stupid club, and that's just stupid. 3 wood is actually a pretty decent option for me, provided I'm not trying to do something stupid with it, like hitting out of the rough with the ball 10" below my feet. I also need to learn my Shot Zones better. Anything longer than the 7 iron is generally unreliable.

My short game wasn't as bad as I thought it was. Once I made an adjustment, I was actually pretty good. Can't ask much more than pitching it inside 10 feet, which I started to do pretty regularly. Still needs work, though, especially on the ones I didn't get on the green.

My putting needs work. I pushed a couple of putts, but it's mostly distance control issues (which got easier once I adjusted to the speed of the greens). Green reading was pretty good on longer putts, but shorter reads need work. I actually tended to over-read the break on those, but it may be because the greens are slow.

That's about it, I think. Hopefully I did the analysis right.

[mchepp]

Why can't I swing like this on the course? Seriously, even my pivot felt different when I was there. Although I did notice the DTL shot was a little chunky, so I guess it's not that different after all.

I would love to have some of your shoulder turn and extension. Lots of improvement from your earlier swings. Great job.

[billchao]

I would love to have some of your shoulder turn and extension. Lots of improvement from your earlier swings. Great job.

Thanks! I'll trade you for your handicap, though.

I'm not able to play that often, so working on my swing is my way of enjoying golf. Though if I'm being honest, I think I enjoy working on my swing a little too much. One day, when I'm able to play more, the swing will be there waiting for me. At least, that's the theory.

---

Some DTL videos of my swing from the course:

Driver (fade)

8i (draw)

Swing definitely looks shorter. Still need to work on the wrists a little more on the driver. Have to get the BoC pointed more at my belt, too. Swinging too much to the left instead of raising the handle after impact, so basically everything that @mvmac pointed out at Golf Evolution. Not really surprised about that because the only thing I've worked on all week was the length of my backswing.

[billchao]

[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRWIxk1CG9Q[/VIDEO] I dug this video up because I think it's relevant to what I'm working on. I wasn't sure if my grip is still on the weak side, but I do know that I unload PA#3 pretty hard in my swing and get the low left club exit. I think strengthening my grip more will help me get the path more to the right and keep me from rolling my forearms over so much, which will raise the handle more after A7 (because I'll be swinging out away from my body more, as opposed to across it). Should hopefully solve the occasional push-cut that creeps in. Also going to focus more on the driver, teeing the ball higher and hitting up on it to reduce my spin numbers. That's related to the mechanical piece anyway, the driver work is predominantly setup and trying to hit the ball from a higher tee position than I'm used to.

[billchao]

Here is the vlog of last week's round. I only got 12 holes in before my battery died. Apologies in advance for some of the bad camera work. I tried to frame some different angles to show more of the course and forgot to check to see if I was on camera. Also, you can't see much on the first hole because I like to tee off at dawn. [VIDEO]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=piFAmIWVSHQ[/VIDEO] Next time I'm going to use an actual camcorder.

[mvmac]

Some really nice iron swings in there Bill, especially that one at 9:20, smooth looking swing.

[billchao]

Some really nice iron swings in there Bill, especially that one at 9:20, smooth looking swing.

Thanks, Mike. I think finding a feel that works for me to shorten my swing really helped a lot. That, and the bit I learned from Erik about easing up a bit on all the iron shots.

[jamo]

Irons looked a lot better than a few weeks ago at the outing. Far fewer chunks and dead left pull-hooks.

[billchao]

Irons looked a lot better than a few weeks ago at the outing. Far fewer chunks and dead left pull-hooks.

Thanks, Jamieson. Hopefully the next time we play, I'll make a better showing of it.

[iacas]

Time to bump up the time allotted to putting (and driving), eh? :)