My Swing (Lihu)

[Lihu]

I've been Playing Golf for: a little over 3 years; 1 and a half years where I was actually hoping to improve.

My current handicap index or average score is: Bogey

My typical ball flight is: High

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: More efficient swing.

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Videos: To be posted in subsequent posts.

Like most beginners with no idea about a golf swing,I swung out of my shoes 3 years ago. I took 10 beginners lessons at a local golf course in Pasadena. My swings started like a wild baseball swing and I managed to hit the back fence once in a while. That was my goal, of course. I got really sweaty and tired, and eventually strained my shoulder muscles.

About a year and a half ago, I decided that I wanted to lower my blood pressure, lose weight and get more fit. I figured golf was a good answer, as I enjoyed playing rounds with my family.

The first step was weight loss (about a year and a half ago), I weighed around 220. I hit 400 to 600 balls per day for months and managed to get my weight down to 190-ish. Now I am back up to a little less than 200, but feel much more healthy and lowered my blood pressure well within normal limits.

I got the bug to improve a little over a year ago, and joined this forum. I floundered around for about a year with minimal improvements, and finally got some 5SK help less than 2 months ago. This has helped me make the largest strides to my golfing. Suddenly, everything my regular coach has been telling me is starting to come together.

I am going to start posting videos once I get my backyard setup cleaned up a bit. The hope is to get good insights from all the bloggers here.

Thanks.

[mvmac]

From the first lesson

[Lihu]

Eaton Canyon, 9 hole course, from the Blue tees. Rating would be 67.5/122 par 70 if played twice. Sunday- 4 pars, 2 single bogey, 1 double, 1 triple for a 42, average drive 256 yards Today- 6 pars, 3 double bogey for a 41, average drive 245 yards, 1 bad drive out of the 6 holes that you need to drive. Had some issues with my 60 degree wedge which put me in a two to 3 putt situation. Most of the shots lost were around the green. Made GIR 2 times today.:-) I hope I can break 40 soon. The main improvement to driving more consistently has been to stand more upright, and feet closer. Still using the reverse K. My iron swings feel like a pendulum swing, kind of relaxed. Same with pitches and chips without the wrist motion.

[Lihu]

Beautiful morning, nice views here in So. Cal. Took some compensation time off to play Eaton again this morning.

However, I am regressing a bit. Carded a 44 or 4 strokes higher than yesterday afternoon. 6 bogies, triple, 2 pars.

Mostly green conditions were nice and dry and warm. Not used to the sudden shifts in speed of the greens. The putts felt like they were rolling over Velcro. Had a couple times where I chipped twice. Had two birdie putts only to par and bogey.

Just a kind of overall bad day of golfing with some good shots. Maybe I'm too tired.

Finally carried that stupid bump (230 yards to carry on google maps with 30 yards elevation gain) on the 7th hole uphill 330 yard par 4

It was around a 250 yard uphill drive. Since it carried the bump the drive got over 10 yards of roll rather than the usual minus 5 yards.

Hit into the fence on the last Par 5 because I was too greedy wanting to cut the dogleg. Needed to whack that out with a 3W, lost a stroke over my playing partners.

Had fun, but need to spend a little more time analyzing the situation to avoid making stupid mistakes.

[Lihu]

Using a stronger grip and putting more lag to reduce trajectory height.

Will try out these changes this weekend.

[Lihu]

Making some progress with Mike and Dana...

Still need to keep the lead arm even more relaxed.

After much coaching:

Still a little steep on the downswing. Working on better pizza delivery.

[Lihu]

Using a stronger grip and putting more lag to reduce trajectory height.

Will try out these changes this weekend.

Neutral grip is better, more bent over stance (about a 2:30 position). This seems a more natural way to create lag.

Long clubs hit much better.

Working on the balance position and making consistent reference points for setup. Like the reverse k angle, the hand location, head position, etc.

[inthehole]

very nice looking swing - I've been playing exactly the same amount of time as you & your swing is a whole lot better than mine !!         With that swing, you'll be breaking 40 very soon ...

[Lihu]

very nice looking swing - I've been playing exactly the same amount of time as you & your swing is a whole lot better than mine !!         With that swing, you'll be breaking 40 very soon ...

Thanks for the complement, but the credit for the swing goes to Mike and Dana. My short game is really bad.

Breaking 40 on 9 is the hope.

[hacker101]

Thanks for the complement, but the credit for the swing goes to Mike and Dana. My short game is really bad.

Breaking 40 on 9 is the hope.

WOW you are really getting a nice swing togather, great job on all the hard work!

[inthehole]

Thanks for the complement, but the credit for the swing goes to Mike and Dana. My short game is really bad.

Breaking 40 on 9 is the hope.

I had a taste of it this year - was playing great at the toughest course I play - par'ing a lot more than usual.     Made the mistake of counting my score after the 8th hole  & thought I would finally break 40, then doubled on the 9th hole to end up with 40 even.    Had to laugh ... it was crystal clear at that moment the golf gods don't give up <40's until you've paid your dues and EARNED every bit of it.

[hacker101]

I had a taste of it this year - was playing great at the toughest course I play - par'ing a lot more than usual.     Made the mistake of counting my score after the 8th hole  & thought I would finally break 40, then doubled on the 9th hole to end up with 40 even.    Had to laugh ... it was crystal clear at that moment the golf gods don't give up <40's until you've paid your dues and EARNED every bit of it.

I am with you all, thinking I broke in to that magic 70's only to find out on the last whole i blow it out.

Consistently turning in 40 on the front 9 thinking I can shot below that on the back I will card a 40, 41 or 42 what a bummer!

Or I card what i thought was a 78 and my son corrects my math to a 81!

[Lihu]

San Dimas Canyon for the first time! 6400 yards 71.7/126

Got a birdie on a par 5, 2-4 putts and 8-3 putts, 4 bad chip shots, 4 misdirected pitch 80 yards. Pin high and further on two par 5s in two shots. First time teeing off a 380 yard par 4 with a 3i and hit the approach with the 3 just short of the pin after it hit the side of a hill containing a green-side bunker. There was a lake in the middle of the fairway with a 300 yard forced carry.

I used my MP32 with the X-stiff KBS Tour shafts today. Did not seem to affect my game and distance as much as my short game non-prowess. It felt good pulling a 9i when everyone else is using an 8i to 7i, or to use a 4i when everyone is pulling a hybrid or wood.

My playing partners were a bit surprised by my lack of green side skills after seeing me hit my approaches. Today was an okay iron game, fair/poor wood game and a miserably bad short game. I'm going to need some serious instruction on the short game. Lost about 20 shots to short game/putting errors. Imagine getting GIR or pin high and close on most of the holes and 3 putting or 4 putting? Barely broke 100.

I think I also need to get my driver/3W/18 degree hybrid fitted. Whenever I use the PING I-20 the current woods and hybrids feel good, and when I use the Mizuno with the X-stiff shafts everything else feels really "floppy".

[Lihu]

Santa Anita again. Started off really bad, but started to par things after the 7th hole. Learned a lesson about why people don't use extra stiff shafts till they have played many years. My core muscles are so sore, that by the 15th hole I could only hit woods and irons lighter than the 8 iron. On the last hole I played, I got to the top of my swing and just felt like I couldn't move back down again. There was a momentary loss of muscle control, while my screaming core muscles were telling me to stop, right now or else. Well the "else" happened, and the muscles got their way. . . As I toted my heavy, and with every step getting heavier, clubs back to the car I realized something. Use the ping i20 with the CFS stiff shafts on the second days, or just alternate between heavy and light clubs if I need to play multiple days. Played okay, started parring more holes, even though my core muscles whimpered with every shot. Made more greens than usual, until my muscles gave out. Nailed the 195 yard par 3 with my 4i to the center of the green, or course, the flag had to be tucked all the way at the back. One other kind of good feeling is the that the woods feel completely weightless. I can't wait until it becomes more normal to hit the heavier irons.

[hacker101]

Santa Anita again.

Started off really bad, but started to par things after the 7th hole.

Learned a lesson about why people don't use extra stiff shafts till they have played many years. My core muscles are so sore, that by the 15th hole I could only hit woods and irons lighter than the 8 iron.

On the last hole I played, I got to the top of my swing and just felt like I couldn't move back down again. There was a momentary loss of muscle control, while my screaming core muscles were telling me to stop, right now or else.

Well the "else" happened, and the muscles got their way. . .

As I toted my heavy, and with every step getting heavier, clubs back to the car I realized something.

Use the ping i20 with the CFS stiff shafts on the second days, or just alternate between heavy and light clubs if I need to play multiple days.

Played okay, started parring more holes, even though my core muscles whimpered with every shot. Made more greens than usual, until my muscles gave out.

Nailed the 195 yard par 3 with my 4i to the center of the green, or course, the flag had to be tucked all the way at the back. One other kind of good feeling is the that the woods feel completely weightless. I can't wait until it becomes more normal to hit the heavier irons.

Lihu why play two different sets of clubs that would seem very difficult to nail down the difference's in distance, flex, weight?

Just a question.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/71030/my-swing-lihu#post_930009"] Santa Anita again. Started off really bad, but started to par things after the 7th hole. Learned a lesson about why people don't use extra stiff shafts till they have played many years. My core muscles are so sore, that by the 15th hole I could only hit woods and irons lighter than the 8 iron. On the last hole I played, I got to the top of my swing and just felt like I couldn't move back down again. There was a momentary loss of muscle control, while my screaming core muscles were telling me to stop, right now or else. Well the "else" happened, and the muscles got their way. . . As I toted my heavy, and with every step getting heavier, clubs back to the car I realized something. Use the ping i20 with the CFS stiff shafts on the second days, or just alternate between heavy and light clubs if I need to play multiple days. Played okay, started parring more holes, even though my core muscles whimpered with every shot. Made more greens than usual, until my muscles gave out. Nailed the 195 yard par 3 with my 4i to the center of the green, or course, the flag had to be tucked all the way at the back. One other kind of good feeling is the that the woods feel completely weightless. I can't wait until it becomes more normal to hit the heavier irons.[/QUOTE] Lihu why play two different sets of clubs that would seem very difficult to nail down the difference's in distance, flex, weight? Just a question.

Just easier to hit, the swing weight is much lighter. I don't really need to adjust anything to swing either club.

[hacker101]

Just easier to hit, the swing weight is much lighter.

I don't really need to adjust anything to swing either club.

If it works for you that is great, it would seem to me it would jack your tempo going from set to set.

But sure sounds like you are putting a nice swing together that in the end will be consistent.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/71030/my-swing-lihu#post_930782"] Just easier to hit, the swing weight is much lighter. I don't really need to adjust anything to swing either club.[/QUOTE] If it works for you that is great, it would seem to me it would jack your tempo going from set to set. But sure sounds like you are putting a nice swing together that in the end will be consistent.

I have been using 6 sets of irons, never had an issue before. Btw, I am starting to really like the MP32 with the stout KBS shafts.