My Swing (Lihu)

[Lihu]

Hand feels better, so I've started focusing on key 2. No pain, will renew my monthly for my first scoring round in 3 weeks.

Okay, no pain in my hands anyway. I got a shoulder cramp right under the shoulder blade.

Incorporating key 2 has helped me start compressing the golf ball with my MP-32 clubs. Going to need a few more practice rounds to get used to applying key 2 on the course. My average driver/iron combination is currently about 400 yards and my peak is about 440 yards, but I hope to average 430 once I fix my swing timing issues.

[Lihu]

Some practice chips with a 60 degree wedge.

Some swings just got "stuck" because of the thick grass. Trying to somewhat emulate the really thick "Florida rough".

[boogielicious]

Some practice chips with a 60 degree wedge.

Some swings just got "stuck" because of the thick grass. Trying to somewhat emulate the really thick "Florida rough".

Looks more like Serengeti rough!  In real thick rough, a pitch shot may be a better approach.

[Lihu]

Looks more like Serengeti rough!  In real thick rough, a pitch shot may be a better approach.

Yeah, someone mentioned that. Next week, I'll practice with the PW and 52 degree pitch shots.

[billchao]

Looks more like Serengeti rough!  In real thick rough, a pitch shot may be a better approach.

I pitch it out of the fairway, too. Pretty much gave up on chipping once I got the technique down.

[Lihu]

Okay, no pain in my hands anyway. I got a shoulder cramp right under the shoulder blade.

Incorporating key 2 has helped me start compressing the golf ball with my MP-32 clubs. Going to need a few more practice rounds to get used to applying key 2 on the course. My average driver/iron combination is currently about 400 yards and my peak is about 440 yards, but I hope to average 430 once I fix my swing timing issues.

Key 2 has added about 10 yards and about 10 yards of height to my iron shots. Pretty nice addition to my swing once I stop "swaying" (not really sure I do because I have not taken any video these last three days). Still doing the drills Mike gave me a couple months ago. Will probably need a refresher once I get these down.

Making about 2 GIR per 9 at this point. Long par 4s are still a struggle. If my drive is not "perfect" and my hybrid/3i shot is not quite perfect, I end up with up to 80 yards on those 475 yard par 4. Proud of my 510 yard par 5 driver/hybrid/52 degree 15 feet from the pin today. Unfortunately, it was followed by pretty bad golf. I also shanked my 3i pin high on a 190 yard par 3, that's the longest iron shank for me.

Shoulder is recovering, but what's funny is that when I was in the worst pain, yesterday, I hit my shots the furthest (poof-hiss) because I was trying to relax and not force the club. Going to have to try the "loose and gentle" method without the injury and pain.

[Lihu]

Good news and bad news.

I finally figured out why I have a muscle strain in my lead arm shoulder. That's the bad news.

The good news is that the reason is because I put so much more force into my impact with Key 2. This is why I am getting 10 yards higher/further ball flight. So, my longest iron is now 200 yards, finally. I am swinging at what feels like 60%, probably more like 90% based upon my distances.

I just need to wait for my shoulder to heal, then build it up with some pullups or something.

[DrvFrShow]

Sorry to hear about your shoulder. The good news is that it isn't the beginning of golf season, although down in So. Cal. it's nearly year round. Start with a full series of shoulder dumbbell exercises with very light weights at first and don't neglect the rotator cuff muscles. Work those with 1 or 2 lb dumbbells. They are very small muscles. Don't work heavy weights. Do lighter weights with more reps. You'll still get a burn.

[Hammer 4]

Good news and bad news.

I finally figured out why I have a muscle strain in my lead arm shoulder. That's the bad news.

The good news is that the reason is because I put so much more force into my impact with Key 2. This is why I am getting 10 yards higher/further ball flight. So, my longest iron is now 200 yards, finally. I am swinging at what feels like 60%, probably more like 90% based upon my distances.

I just need to wait for my shoulder to heal, then build it up with some pullups or something.

Hope you heal up quick dude. 2 weeks ago, I pulled a lower back muscle...it Hurt, let rest for a week, and now wear a back brace, but no pain...

[Lihu]

Sorry to hear about your shoulder. The good news is that it isn't the beginning of golf season, although down in So. Cal. it's nearly year round. Start with a full series of shoulder dumbbell exercises with very light weights at first and don't neglect the rotator cuff muscles. Work those with 1 or 2 lb dumbbells. They are very small muscles. Don't work heavy weights. Do lighter weights with more reps. You'll still get a burn.

I've been playing rounds while consciously swinging with less "speed" and effort this seems to work them without straining them too much. Icy hot helps. [quote name="Hammer 4" url="/t/71030/my-swing-lihu/198#post_1070746"] Hope you heal up quick dude. 2 weeks ago, I pulled a lower back muscle...it Hurt, let rest for a week, and now wear a back brace, but no pain...:beer: [/quote] Hope your back gets well soon. Btw, thanks guys and it's healing. The main thing is I know why I backed off 3 months ago from getting weight shift into my swing when I did something similar. I'm planning on strengthening these muscles before being too aggressive with my swing. Plus, my non-aggressive swing seems to get me enough distance when I flush the shots, anyway. It's just not my natural tempo and will take some time to learn.

[Jameson]

I must say, that your speech has motivated me a lot. I am stuck in a 20 handicap, like you were some time ago. So I have started to train harder, read a lot TST, read Lowest Score Wins, and I´m feel that I´m improving, slowly. Is a first step, I think.
So thanks for the speech, and I will ask you different questions and ways of improve in order to reach your game level (is my dream!!). ..maybe training plans or some stuff...
Thanks !!

[Lihu]

I must say, that your speech has motivated me a lot. I am stuck in a 20 handicap, like you were some time ago. So I have started to train harder, read a lot TST, read Lowest Score Wins, and I´m feel that I´m improving, slowly. Is a first step, I think. So thanks for the speech, and I will ask you different questions and ways of improve in order to reach your game level (is my dream!!).:-) ..maybe training plans or some stuff... Thanks !!

Thanks for the complements, but everything I am doing is in LSW. My current level is not even out of the first three chapters yet even though I've read the entire book three times. Honestly, if I can get three keys to more than half each, I'll move to the next level. My current dispersions are bimodal. There are more than two dispersion patterns depending upon if I properly engage my weight shift or not. The mistiming of the weight shift, can give me a left right dispersion of pulls, draws, pushes, hooks and some fades. My feeling is that I need more keys gets tighter dispersion patterns, and my shots will be consistent enough to go to the next step. So, I'm working on the keys chapter, plus the training chapter. Using the course strategies at least helps me choose the general direction I want to hit, but until I get rid of this bimodal dispersion pattern that's pretty much all I can get out of it. Aimpoint super express, I picked up in Erie really has helped my putting. I pretty much don't practice it, and to be honest I'm focused on my approach and drives at this point. So, my putting stats are at equilibrium, simply because I put no real effort once I'm on the green. So, to get where I am now, it only really took getting a longer maximum length and higher flight with my irons. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Longer drives are critical for longer courses.

[Lihu]

The good news is that my swing is getting a lot more power behind it. The bad news is I need to train my body to take the force of the swing.

Apparently, the muscle strain is all the way from the scapula, infraspinatus, teres minor, deltoid, trapezoid, and some muscles in the forearm. Putting too much weight shift before my muscles can take the extra force, so I'm going to back off key 2 until this heals and gradually add weight shift into my swing.

It was just starting to heal till yesterday, and I hit one 6i shot a little fat (actually, a lot fat taking a beaver (not just the pelt) sized divot). It still made it 160 yards, but I could feel a pain all the way down the above chain of muscles. My shoulder burned all last night, and felt better only later this morning.

On the tee box, this morning, I felt like the muscles were a little sore and decided to back off for the rest of this weekend. Maybe I'll do some hiking this weekend to keep fit.

Using the DFX Powerball to work the muscles, and a tennis ball/icy hot to massage and heal the muscles.

[GolfLug]

Lihu,

My good man, you are a true grinder. It seems like there is not much that discourages you. Props to you. Like reading your posts on this thread. Keep at it.

V

[Lihu]

Lihu,

My good man, you are a true grinder. It seems like there is not much that discourages you. Props to you. Like reading your posts on this thread. Keep at it.

V

Thanks.

Honestly, if I hadn't shot my lowest differential score ever yesterday, I think I would have gone to the ER and quit golf.

[GolfLug]

There you go making lemonade of lemons again..

[Lihu]

There you go making lemonade of lemons again..

LOL, you need to be able to laugh, even if at oneself.

[Lihu]

These are my current 2015 goals:

1) Getting key 2 with a full swing, sans injury.

2) Hope to get to 2 keys this year.

3) Start working on "ball striking".

4) Practice my short game 35% of the time I plan to practice.

5) Spend a lot more time actually playing golf.

I am working on item 1, by starting pullups, L-pullups and pushups to strengthen the upper core muscles.

Key 2 will be the implementation of what I have already been learning with MIke, but with added core strength, hope to be able to do it consistently.

Ball striking goal? I know I want to work on it this coming year, but don't really know what it entails. Will probably learn about it once I get Key 2 up to snuff.

I am hoping to get more "bulletproof" in my short game and especially putting. I still have a lot of 3 putt situations when I don't have enough time to do Aimpoint.

Spending more time playing every morning before work, seems to be good all around. It's good for my cardiovascular system to walk a few miles every morning. This also gets me used to playing golf. I would spend all my time practicing on the course, because it makes every shot count. I don't feel like I can "fix my swing" on the next ball so readily.