My Swing (Lihu)

[Golfingdad]

They use this hole for parking? Doesn't anyone worry about getting their car damaged?

LOL.  I've never parked there - I always park on the North side.  Even worse though, because it's on a hole adjacent to the driving range.  Luckily so far, I haven't been hit.

[Lihu]

They use this hole for parking? Doesn't anyone worry about getting their car damaged?

They only park when I play because they know I'll get it close to the green.

Quote:

Originally Posted by billchao

They use this hole for parking? Doesn't anyone worry about getting their car damaged?

LOL.  I've never parked there - I always park on the North side.  Even worse though, because it's on a hole adjacent to the driving range.  Luckily so far, I haven't been hit.

The last time they had a football game there, they left burger and hot dog buns and I had a shot land right in one. My partner probably would have preferred it if I cleaned and placed that one.

[DrvFrShow]

Or the time I hit a 9 iron approach to the 9th hole and skulled it over the green and it went up into the parking lot which was not marked by out of bounds markers, cart path transit to the 10th hole and hence a cart path. I nearly hit the beverage cart. Drop at point on something other than road no nearer the hole.

They avoid parking the cart there now.

[Lihu]

Or the time I hit a 9 iron approach to the 9th hole and skulled it over the green and it went up into the parking lot which was not marked by out of bounds markers, cart path transit to the 10th hole and hence a cart path. I nearly hit the beverage cart. Drop at point on something other than road no nearer the hole.

They avoid parking the cart there now.

Equally embarrassing, but at least you didn't spray parts of a soggy hot dog or burger bun on your playing partner (s).

[Lihu]

Both are practice rounds.

Sunday, Altadena Blues: 41

Hole 1: Nice drive past 20-30 yards past the 200 marker. 5i shanked 20 yards short of the green, pitched and 2 putt. bogey

Hole 2: 5i off the tee, bounced off the top of the tree 20 yards short again. pitched and 2 putt. bogey

Hole 3: Thinned my tee shot about 220, 52 degree into the bunker, 2 out and 2 putt. double

Hole 4: Pushed my 7i far left. pitched and 2 putt. bogey

Hole 5: Pulled a drive into the driving range fence, but it somehow spun over the bunker into the fairway. 6i just short of the green. chipped and 2 put par.

Hole 6: Crowned the driver into the bunker. PW out of the bunker right of the green pin high. putt on. putt par.

Hole 7: Drove into the left tree. 6i just past the back pin. putt on and putt par.

Hole 8: Drove 20 yards short of the green (drive of the day), chipped and just missed my birdie. Tap in par.

Hole 9: Drove 70 yards short of the 200 yard marker. 3W (first time I pulled it out for a long time) left pin high in deep rough. Pitched out of the knee deep rough into ankle deep rough. I'll stop and mention that my new swing is really strong now. I hit my 60 out of the rough onto the green taking about 2-3 pounds of grass with it just off the green. 2 putt bogey, but that shot from the rough felt really good!

Morning, Brookside Course 1 Blues (6800 yard tees): 44

Hole 10: was a rushed tee shot and I decided to take the drive again (3 off the tee), thinned my hybrid and it bounced into the ditch and back out again onto the green. putt for bogey.

Hole 11: pulled the tee shot close to the distance of middle of the pond to the right. Hybrid hooked pin high on the tee box on hole 2. 60 over the trees onto the edge of the green. chipped and 2 putt bogey.

Hole 12: Pulled my shot to the right of the hump. It must have rolled a long way to get there. Hybrid off a pine tree to the middle of the fairway on 13. 60 to just off the green (that shot felt really nice). putt on and putt for bogey.

Hole 13: 5i from near the back tee right into the bunker. The flight was perfect. It was on its way right onto the green and it ticked that little branch on the blocking oak tree on the left. Pitched out and putt for par.

Hole 14: Drove to the hump and bounced off the left hump into the middle of the fairway 60-80 yards short of the tee box area of 2. 52 degree setup in the front of my stance into the bunker. pitched out and 2 putt for bogey.

Hole 15: Drove right into the giant pine tree on the left, the ball ricocheted into the rough are for a good shot to the green. Pulled out my 3W again. I nailed that shot. I hit the cart that was parked on the side, and the golfer took my ball. Serves me right, but I didn't think I would reach given how I was hitting my 3W. Dropped from where it hit the cart. Chipped and put for "birdie". IDK how to really score that one if I were actually playing.

Hole 16: Pushed my shot to the last tree on the left just past the bunker. 9i fade attempt. Went straight. Chip and 2 putt bogey.

Hole 17: Hit the maintenance vehicle parked in front of the right bunker. Chipped and 2 putt bogey.

Hole 18: Drove right into the tree above the electrical box and rolled back onto the cart path. Hit a pine tree. Hit another one. 7i from 160 to the green, which must have hit something because it rolled off into the cart storage shed. 60 from the cement floor of the storage shed to the green. 2 putt for a triple.

My scores have not decreased as of a couple months ago, but given the way I played those holes, I was surprised I played as well as I did.

The length of the courses no longer feels like a potential obstacle.

So, I think I need to practice for quite a few more rounds. My direction and consistency will continue to be lacking, as I still feel a little bit uncomfortable with my new swing. It does not feel that natural yet. There are definitely still  "timing" issues, as I still feel kind of animated during my swing. I need to consciously think about every motion and I'm sure it is "jerky", at least that is the way it feels.

[bmartin461]

So, I think I need to practice for quite a few more rounds. My direction and consistency will continue to be lacking, as I still feel a little bit uncomfortable with my new swing. It does not feel that natural yet. There are definitely still  "timing" issues, as I still feel kind of animated during my swing. I need to consciously think about every motion and I'm sure it is "jerky", at least that is the way it feels.

Lihu,

I think you are a point now with your swing that you should start posting your rounds.  In this last example, shooting 41/44 gives you a combined differential of 13.2, well within range of your current index.

I think you should continue to practice on the range obviously, but it's time to play!

Maybe put it out for a vote/poll?

:)

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

So, I think I need to practice for quite a few more rounds. My direction and consistency will continue to be lacking, as I still feel a little bit uncomfortable with my new swing. It does not feel that natural yet. There are definitely still  "timing" issues, as I still feel kind of animated during my swing. I need to consciously think about every motion and I'm sure it is "jerky", at least that is the way it feels.

Lihu,

I think you are a point now with your swing that you should start posting your rounds.  In this last example, shooting 41/44 gives you a combined differential of 13.2, well within range of your current index.

I think you should continue to practice on the range obviously, but it's time to play!

Maybe put it out for a vote/poll?

:)

Nooooo. . .sigh, okay, I'll start scoring rounds. However, if I end up in that cart shed again. . .

[billchao]

Lihu, I think you are a point now with your swing that you should start posting your rounds.  In this last example, shooting 41/44 gives you a combined differential of 13.2, well within range of your current index. I think you should continue to practice on the range obviously, but it's time to play! Maybe put it out for a vote/poll? :)

I second this, @Lihu . I'm not sure why you play so many practice rounds and no real rounds. Is it just because you're working on something? Because everybody is always working on something... A handicap representa your potential, given the current state of your game, and not where you think or like it to be. It just seems like you're bordering on vanity cap/Dan Plan territory :-P

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmartin461

Lihu,

I think you are a point now with your swing that you should start posting your rounds.  In this last example, shooting 41/44 gives you a combined differential of 13.2, well within range of your current index.

I think you should continue to practice on the range obviously, but it's time to play!

Maybe put it out for a vote/poll?

:)

I second this, @Lihu. I'm not sure why you play so many practice rounds and no real rounds. Is it just because you're working on something? Because everybody is always working on something...

A handicap representa your potential, given the current state of your game, and not where you think or like it to be. It just seems like you're bordering on vanity cap/Dan Plan territory

Okay, I'm a vanity capper!

I'll update my handicap from 12.8 to 13.2 as @bmartin461 calculated.

[bmartin461]

Okay, I'm a vanity capper!

I'll update my handicap from 12.8 to 13.2 as @bmartin461 calculated.

No, 13.2 is just the combined differential from you last two 9 hole rounds.

It would go into the pool of rounds to calc the index, it is not your index unless by coincidence.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Okay, I'm a vanity capper!

I'll update my handicap from 12.8 to 13.2 as @bmartin461 calculated.

No, 13.2 is just the combined differential from you last two 9 hole rounds.

It would go into the pool of rounds to calc the index, it is not your index unless by coincidence.

I was joking with @billchao , and as my listed handicap is not going to be used in any sort of competition I figured it would be safe to plug in these two scores as if they were.

Seriously, though and to answer both of your questions, my swing feels very unnatural and I don't feel like I know where I am going to be hitting the ball. It goes about the right distance even with a mishit, but a shank/thin/hook will put it off line quite a bit.

This is why I don't actually think my last several 18 and 9 hole rounds in addition to these two will be representative of my handicap. I would be around an 10.3 + these two rounds a a few others that I actually kept score like my "92-ish" in FL from roughly 6600 yards and a bunch of others in the low 40s for 9 hole rounds.

The other thing is that I don't go to the range that much anymore, I practice my form on the course on every swing and against a net at home. Maybe that it a little misguided, but it's relatively cheap for me to do as I have a virtually unlimited weekdays only monthly pass.

[Lihu]

From the gold tees on 15, I hit 3 shots in 50F temps. 251 - 260 yard shots. Just starting to get the feel for a more consistent swing. This is the most consistent volley of balls I hit off the tee.

[DrvFrShow]

Nice. If I had money I'd move to So Cal.

[Lihu]

Practice round:

Brookside (played from as far back as I could. 7228 from the gold tees and possibly 7300 yards from where I played???):

Hole 1: Skipped

Hole 2: Skipped

Hole 3: Long shot 20 yards short of the left bunker, hybrid to the right past the oak grove on the right rolling to the edge of the grass. Chipped off the hard pan/grass short of the green, chipped onto the green and 2 putt for the double

Hole 4: Hit the cart path. Ended up just left of the big pine tree on the left (thank goodness), 52 to the approach, bump and run (9i) and putt par.

Hole 5: Cut to the other fairway (course 2 14), 52 to the green side bunker, pitched out rolling off, 2 putt bogey

Hole 6: barely made the middle of the fairway just past the bunker, 3W over the hump near the tee box of 3, 7i to the back of the green, bump and run that ran too far, 2 putt bogey.

Hole 7: Drove into 2 fairway. 6i setup at the front of my stance intending to hit over the trees. I thinned it and it ran along the ground to the green side bunker, chipped and 2 putt bogey.

Hole 8: Skipped

Hole 9: Hooked my 3W into fairway on 10, 7i hitting every branch on the big elm tree like a pachinko game (kind of did this on purpose too) landing on the green, 2 putt par.

Hole 10: Drove left of the right bunker. The shot was a low fade that rolled a long way. Shank 4i into the ditch, chipped out again (IDK how my ball hasn't runs off into the water for 4 times), 2 putt bogey. (Not going to rely on luck anymore, the gold tees are way too far to reach in 2 with that ditch in the way).

Hole 11: Drove to right (in the light rough) of the fence with the big hole in it that blocks the green on 8. (Drive of the day from the gold tees, around 285 yards), hooked 3W into the grove of oaks that blocks the tee box on 2 almost pin high. duffed my 60 degree, hit another one to the edge of the back of the green, chipped and 2 putt double. (felt good that I almost made pin high in 2 shots from 560 yards)

Hole 12: Drove 30 yards short of the hump on the right. This was also a pretty good drive. However, I picked a really bad day to experiment with playing from this far back. My foot slipped off the back of the tee box and I almost fell off the back of the tee box on 12 onto the walkway. Hybrid hooked into the usual place but this time pin high in the ladies tee box on 13. 52 degree overshot the green. chipped back on and 2 putt double.

13: 5i to the bunker on the right. 2 pitches later, out. 2 putt double.

14: Cut my drive deep into the fairway/rough on 2 between 5 and 2. 9i to the area in front of the green. Chipped and putt for the luckiest par of the day.

Things went even more downhill from here. . .

15: Cut a drive into that large pine tree on the left. Hybrid hit another the smaller pine tree on the left. 9i hit another pine tree before kind of knocking it's way to the other side of the fairway. 9i to the green. 2 putt. bogey.

16: Perfect drive just short of the left bunker. 8i to the right of the green. Chipped to the fringe, chipped too far rolling off, putt back up the slope, putt. double.

17: Shanked my 6i 20 yards short of the green, let out a really loud profanity (which I regretted as it echoed through the Rose Bowl). Chipped and just missed my putt for another bogey.

18: Drove into the bunker on the left (in the fairway of 10), chipped onto the fairway. 3i to the right of the green 5 yards short. Chipped and 2 putt. double.

I don't plan to play from the back anymore. Although it looks like it was my short game that is not quite good enough today, the reality is that the distances are so long it forced me to use longer clubs than I can hit accurately. My drives need work so I don't cut my drives. I only had 2 decent drives today.

The 18 over on 15 holes from an approximately 7300 yard course distance just indicates that this distance is way too far for me to play. Guessing 800 yards less would be my comfort level.

Two things changed from when I was playing well, 1 is my distance and with it my expectations. I expect to make par 5s in 2 and it is forcing me into worse situations. The other is that I expect to use shorter irons on my second shots. This puts a lot more pressure on my drives. I might try to use my old strategy with my new swing, but the temptation is really high to use this new strategy. IDK what would work better in the long run, though.

Great workout, though!

[Lihu]

Spotty results at the grass range this evening.

My outside-in swing is only just starting to get better. My timing is not even close to what I feel can be optimal. I get some decent shots, but still feels like there is "more" that can be tapped?

The feel of a good swing is that my arms spin around my body on a "hinge" all the way through impact with the wrists releasing the club somewhere near impact.

The start of the motion is with the hips turning with all my weight on my back foot. My torso is a single unit turning at the hips, and my weight shifts naturally towards my lead foot. When my hip is facing the target somewhat, I feel like my shoulders start to turn with the arms trailing behind it. . .

There is nothing "controlled" about the release. I don't feel comfortable not being able to "gauge" when it should happen to optimize the speed?

I'm starting to ramble, but I wanted to take some notes of my current "feel" during good shots. . .which don't happen often enough.

[Lihu]

Brookside Course 1 (74.8/134 7228 yard tees): 45 front 9, 2 bogeys and 1 par on the back Holes 10, 11, 15.

Hole 1: Hit a low burner to within 80 yards, missed the green, putt uphill putt in. par

Hole 2: Hit short of the bunker, 6i right of the bunker on the cart path, chipped behind the pin, chipped near, putt.  bogey

Hole 3: Pulled my drive into the first tree on the right, PW out, 3W to near the green in the wood chips on the left, chipped out of the chips, chipped on and putt. double

Hole 4: Drove into an oak tree on the right over the hump. 6i hooked to the front of the green, chip, 2 putt. bogey

Hole 5: Drove almost the distance of the green just past the electrical box on the left of the green left of the cart path. chipped past the hole, chipped out of wood chips back onto the green, putt. par

Hole 6: Pulled my drive short, right between the bunker and the ladies tee box. 3W into the water, 7i drop to pin high. chip and putt. double

Hole 7: Pulled a drive into the left bunker, hit hybrid into the tee box on 2, pitched onto the green and it rolled to the pin. putt. par

Hole 8: Hybrid into the water, 60 degree drop to the green just missing it, chipped right next to the pin, putt. double

Hole 9: Drove deep into the fairway on 10, 7i knockdown to the front of the green, chipped past the pin. 80 foot lag putt and a real fight for bogey

Hole 10: Drove to the far edge of the right bunker took a drop out of the GUR, 7i to 18th ladies tee box. 60 degree to the tee box on 12, flop shot to the green, lucky 10 foot putt. bogey

Hole 11: Drove to 15th fairway rough almost the distance of the green on 8. Hybrid took a notch out of a tree. 4i 20 yards short of the green, chip on, 2 putt. bogey

Hole 15: Drove into the large pine tree on the left again. Rolled a 3W shot to 60 yards. 60 to the front of the green, chipped past the pin chipped in, par. Ended the day with this par.

The gold tees are really, but I could get used to playing them for the exercise. It's a really substantial workout playing from 7228 yards. . .So, I ended up playing them again because I got stuck behind some guys who played them, and they really didn't belong there. I would have had to wait for two/three shots from each golfer before playing if I played from the Blue or white tees. Even I feel like I belong on the white tees with the one exception of my super long drive on 5, which was aided by the fact that the ball rolled something like 30-40 yards on the cart path and hard pan.

Per the request of at least two members here, I am starting to play actual rounds.

I will add that I felt like I played a lot better today, and that the two lateral hazards cost me a lot. If weren't for those, I could have shot close to my best performance even though I didn't hit a single fairway today.

My ball striking was horrendous, although my strikes are sounding a little more "solid". I got one decent strike with my 6 iron today, but my aim was off. I hit my hybrid too close to the heel on my par 3 190-ish forced carry. Missed it by less than a yard. My 3W was not terribly good except on the 3rd hole when I needed to recover from a really bad drive, it was probably the best shot I ever made with the 3W at about 250 yards total distance aided by cart path and hard pan? My drive of the day was into a wooded area, I guess it was only the length that made it a "good" drive. If I had used my PW instead of my 8i to "bump and run to the green, I would not have overshot the green by so much and might have had a chance at birdie.

Once I get used to the new swing, I'll work more on the mechanics again so that I might hit straighter?

[chris3putt]

Hi Lihu, Great to see you playing real golf

Reading through the round above, it seems most of your trouble off the tee comes from pulling your drives. Seeing that I can have the same issues, I was wondering if you have a specific plan/drill to correct it?

[Lihu]

Hi Lihu, Great to see you playing real golf

Reading through the round above, it seems most of your trouble off the tee comes from pulling your drives. Seeing that I can have the same issues, I was wondering if you have a specific plan/drill to correct it?

I have no real solution at this time, but I am guessing I will have similar priorities as before even with my new swing.

The differences are that I am loading my wrists first on the takeaway and raising my lead arm about 10 degrees higher than my shoulders. The two things combined seem to be giving me immensely more power behind my swing. I suspect that my old swing was too "flat", but I don't really know the terminology that well.

So, I'm just getting used to my new swing , and the pulls are probably because I am taking my arm much higher (like OTT) and not compensating for it in the body position? I do hit straight drives and I also cut my drives as I don't hook or slice that much. It seems like if I could position my body "straight" every shot then I can drive where I want.

I also have been shanking my irons. Good shots, then a bunch of heel shots or shanks.

EDIT: I was really disheartened when I saw my scores from yesterday's practice round 18 over on 15 holes, but when I calculated the differential I didn't feel so bad. Then I decided to play in 70 yards from yesterday's distances and try a scoring round. It was not great, but reasonable considering the two major changes I am making.