My Swing (phillyk)

[phillyk]

After the pro am, the times I've went out to hit balls, my swing was completely lost. Well, in the sense that i tried to hit my normal draw and it would cut instead. It still went basically straight but I hated the feeling I got from those shots. After a few days of trying a couple ways to get it back my smooth draw back, I found that my left arm had been bending slightly somewhere in my swing and it inevitably led to the fade. So, I got that fixed now, and my swing feels soooo much better. 

[phillyk]

Lightbulb!! I was reading "the most important angle" thread and it smacked me in the face.  It's kind of annoying really.  When I give clinics or lessons, I can hit the most perfect shots for demonstrating something, but when I go out to play on my own, I can't hit the darned thing the same way as in those demonstrations.  When I'm working with someone new to golf and I'm giving them the motions and helping them find the right "feels" during the swing, I usually talk about that whole angle thing and impact position.

As in my previous post, I've been struggling to find my swing. It went away and I've been compensating in my last few rounds by hitting intentional hooks as I play, because I love that shot and I can control it remarkably well (most recently I shot 71, -1, from the blue tees, 6600yds, by playing a hook all day).  It's definitely not something I want to bring around everywhere, but it was a temporary solution to help me find a feel that'll put me on the right track.  After reading the important angle thread I realized what feel I've been missing.  I knew I was flipping a bit but I couldn't get my weight shift or timing right to fix it.  The feel is that I return the club to approximately the same position as my setup with the hands leading.  It seems obvious, but for some reason I've missed that point for a couple weeks.  Just need to go play a few rounds to get it back into routine.

[phillyk]

Since my light bulb moment, I've been playing good golf.  I've adjusted my grip because it got even weaker than I normally am and it helped make a more consistent strike.  Like my blog entry said, I recently got back from Port Saint Lucie Florida from my PGA seminar education.  But, I got to play Wanamaker course at PGA Golf Club, which I wanted to do for the history of the place and to also play on bermuda grass in preparation for the Newport Cup.  I shot a 37 from the tips on the front with rental clubs, and then the 90 degree heat and humidity got to me on the back (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it ).  Either way, it was interesting seeing to play and see how the spin is effected from the grain direction.  I can't say I noticed a significant change in breaks from putts.  Except when the ball was slowing down on a breaking putt, it curved harder than I thought.  The ball sits nice in the fairway.  So, I feel somewhat ready to tackle the Talamore courses.  Just hit the center of the green and hope to sink a few putts.

[phillyk]

Since my last update, I've had a tendency to over-draw the ball.  Which is fine, because I'm taking out the right side, but I also want to make sure it doesn't get away from me.  I've tried different things to limit my hands turning over at impact. What I've found, with most of my clubs, is if I think about the heel of the club pushing out a little bit or leading with the heel, that I'll get a nice push-draw.  If I forget to do that it'll be a straight-draw.  With this thought, I've gained 2 ball flights with my driver.  The leading with the heel gets me a high cut, and the normal straight through swing, gets me the straight-draw.  This makes me slightly nervous, but so long as my rhythm is steady, it should be fine.  I played 9 yesterday from my course's tips and hit tee to green very well.  We'll see how the next few days go.  I have a tourney Thursday.

Edited August 29, 2017 by phillyk

[phillyk]

Played from the tips at my course today and put together a solid round. It's been a while since my last one. I hit the ball well, kept myself out of trouble (some lucky breaks) and sunk a couple putts. Shot a 70 from 7000yds, 74.8/149. 

11 GIR, 4NGIR, and 2 sand saves. The other came from me hitting a tree on my approach. I put the 3rd to 15ft but I still missed the putt. My other bogey was from not getting up and down on one of the NGIR. I had 4 birdies. First was a 180yd par 3 and put it to 15ft. Second was a par 5 and put my second shot in greenside bunker, got it close on the third shot. Third birdie was another par 5, put my approach from 50yds out to 10ft. Fourth was on the last hole, par 4 and put my approach from 100yds to 5ft. 

I had a few close calls for birdie but greens were on slower side and I left a lot short but on line. 

I have a tourney Monday so this was a good time to put things together. 

[iacas]

On 8/29/2017 at 11:59 AM, phillyk said:

Since my last update, I've had a tendency to over-draw the ball.  Which is fine, because I'm taking out the right side, but I also want to make sure it doesn't get away from me.  I've tried different things to limit my hands turning over at impact. What I've found, with most of my clubs, is if I think about the heel of the club pushing out a little bit or leading with the heel, that I'll get a nice push-draw.  If I forget to do that it'll be a straight-draw.  With this thought, I've gained 2 ball flights with my driver.  The leading with the heel gets me a high cut, and the normal straight through swing, gets me the straight-draw.  This makes me slightly nervous, but so long as my rhythm is steady, it should be fine.  I played 9 yesterday from my course's tips and hit tee to green very well.  We'll see how the next few days go.  I have a tourney Thursday.

Sounds like the type of thing that will work for about a month. You're gonna be up against it come, oh, October 19th or so.

[phillyk]

I'll make sure to update my swing saying how bad it is, in mid-October. 

[phillyk]

I played in a pro am yesterday.  I will write this as I think about my round and go through it all, because it was interesting and my opinions of the round may change as I go.

I have played at Fairwood G&CC before but it was not enough I guess, because I had a lot of great shots that turned out horrible because of going through a dogleg I didn't know I'd do or just plain bad luck.  I hit the ball great overall.  But short game, once again was a let down and now is priority 1 for practice.  It's so stupid to not have at least a decent short game.  

The weather played a factor, because it was 46 degrees when we teed off with a heavy dew sitting on the grass, so the ball picked up grass clippings and had no spin for the first half of the round or so.  I started on hole 10.

#10 - par 5 - 535yds:  I take driver and aimed down the right side of the fairway because it'll go straight or with a draw.  Well I pushed it a tiny bit, maybe enough to be no more than 5yds from the fairway, but it went into the trees and I was thinking I'd be fine.  I get to the ball only to realize there is a fence line that sticks almost out the fairway.  It was an OB fence line for the residential properties that I didn't know were there from the tee.  So no relief.  Punch out to FW.  I hit a great 3wood to 5ft short of the green, and I royally chunk the chip.  I could feel it that I was yippy (UGH!).  2 putt bogey.

#11 - par 4 - 370yds:  I took 3 wood because I wanted to keep it mostly straight and run down the fairway.  I over-drew it a tad. It ended up just off the fairway in a decent spot to approach green from.  I hit the shot well from 70yds, but with no spin, it took off and ended up 25ft away or so.  Easy 2 putt par.

#12 - par 3 - 170yds:  Funny, i had to use a 7 iron on every single par 3 this round.  Kinda weird.  This one, my club slipped in my hand around impact, so the face stayed open and I ended up 6ft or so into the rough but pin high with a easy looking uphill chip.  And I over hit.  Honestly, this one I thought I had hit perfectly, but with no spin because of being wet and grassy, the ball rolled out to 15ft away with a weird break.  Missed it and made bogey.

#13 - par 4 - 390yds: This is the hardest hole on the course and the toughest green I have ever played because of being on the wrong side.  I hit the driver down the pipe and left me 95yds uphill approach to the green.  This green has 2 levels, the bottom has lots of room but the upper level in the back is smaller and tough to stay on, and the ridge between the 2, I kid you not is 7ft of steep hill.  My approach was bad course management.  I should've used the bank behind the green to stop my ball and let it trickle back.  But no I wanted to put the ball just past the pin, and I left it just short enough that it catches the 7ft slope and comes back the 50ft and off the green.  At this point, I should've thought to use that bank behind the green, but I didn't.  Chip up and ball comes back to my feet.  I smack a putt and the ball comes back to my feet. Smack another putt and it barely makes it up.  Then I sunk that 15 footer to save double.  Stupid, stupid green. I'm not a fan.

#14 - par 4 - 385yds:  Dogleg right, with a down hill slope in fairway somewhere out there.  I hit my cut with the driver just perfectly.  I have 65yds in and hit the most beautiful shot of the day, up to that poing. It was on a line and distance that it wouldn't have stopped more than 5ft away.  My buddy said it one hopped, hit the hole/flagstick or both, and bounces out to 25ft away.  Super unlucky break.  2 putt par.

#15 - par 4 - 363yds:  Hard dogleg right.  This hole was the biggest not knowing the course mistake.  I saw a tree near the corner that I thought was still 30yds away from the end of the FW.  I measured 240yds to the tree.  Ok, nice easy 3 wood, just take a normal swing.  I hit it perfect, should be right in the middle.  NOPE! That darned tree was the END of the FW.  That ball was in someone's house.  Well back to the tee with 3iron and put it down the middle.  I had 135yds out and just barely pushed my PW into a tree guarding the green.  Bad chip because it was lying in a hazard and 2 putt for triple.

#16 - par 3 - 169yds: This one was uphill, so like I said before, 7 iron.  I put it pin high in the fringe just left of the pin and about 15ft away, so it was a good hit.  2 putt par.

#17 - par 4 - 380yds:  Dogleg right uphill.  I went with driver again to hit that nice cut I did before, but my foot slips somewhere in my swing and I pull it hard into the left trees.  I managed to hit a decent punch shot up to 30yds out.  Chunked the pitch (STUPID!) and 2 putt bogey.

#18 - par 5 - 564yds:  First mostly flat hole we've played that round.  I hit my driver, very well, up a small hill that ends up on the right side of the fairway.  I'm left with 270yds or so.  I took out my 3 wood or over-drew it a little bit, again into a tree, and gave myself a clear shot from 50yds to the pin.  I leave it just shy of the green with a 15ft putt from the fringe. 2 putt par.

So for that 9, I hit a lot of great full swing shots, I just had mistakes around the green and from not knowing where a tree was in relation to a dogleg.  But I knew that the course was about to get a lot easier, so I just wanted to grab a few Coors Lites and finish strong. 

#1 - par 4 - 369yds:  Mostly flat open tee shot.  I pulled out driver and I'm honestly not sure what happened.  My buddies say I hit it low on the face, but it felt high off the toe.  The ball flight was a snapper.  I had to punch it around a tree, but these hooking punches are a specialty of mine. I left it barely short of the green, and as before a nice CHUNKED chip.  I was pissed after that.  Just happened way too many times already.  2 putt bogey.

#2 - par 4 - 311yds:  This is a hogen's alley type hole.  Tight, with a bunker guarding the left half of the green and the pin just behind it.  I pulled out driver and I wanted to draw it, but it stayed mostly straight.  It ended up pin high, about 15yds away from the pin.  This was the first hole I noticed the greens and fairway had dried up and were catching spin, because my chip spun more than I expected and stopped 15ft away.  But i finally made a putt and got my first birdie of the day.

#3 - par 3 - 179yds:  7 iron but this was actually the wrong club.  I gripped down on the club because it was downhill but it was also down wind, which I hadn't noticed.  I hit the tee shot really well, just right of the pin, but it landed on the green and rolled into the rough just beyond the green.  And finally made a good chip shot that left me with a tap in par.

#4 - par 4 - 390yds: Dogleg right up a hill to the green.  I hit driver and planned to cut it again, but this one I pushed.  It ended up ok, but I had to go over a tree, which wasn't difficult, but I couldn't see the pin.  From 105yds, I hit my 52 off the toe, but it still ended up on the green, but right.  So left a 25ft birdie putt. 2 putt par.

#5 - par 3 - 190yds.  Downwind again, so yeah you guessed it, 7 iron.  But this one i over-drew into a bunker.  I was told the sand was soft from my guys but there was hard pack under neath that I missed, so I hit the bunker shot too long.  2 putt bogey.

#6 - par 4 - 353yds:  Slight dogleg right.  I was looking at the fairway from the tee box and saw some trees out there.  I should've taken the time to range find the distance.  I pumped my driver right down the middle and I get down there to see my ball was underneath these trees.  I went too far, left myself 50yds that I had to punch out from.  I just rolled off the green and got my 2 putt par.

#7 - par 4 - 261yds: Slight dogleg right again and around some trees.  It is uphill to the green with bunkers guarding the front and left of the green.  I took 3 wood, opened the face slightly, aimed left of normal and took a normal swing.  It looked absolutely perfect.  Landed over the bunker and short of the green, and bounced up to 30ft away for eagle. The flight of the ball was right in line with the pin, so it had to have bounced right next to it.  Anyway, got my 2 putt birdie.

#8 - par 4 - 350yds:  And once again, it is a dogleg right and what do I do, I hit my driver through the fairway.  But this time, there was nothing to tell me how far was through the fairway.  I ended up next to the cart path and it was one of those concrete curbs.  My swing and stance didn't get impeded by the curb but it was close enough that, mentally, I was disturbed a bit.  I hit the 50yd shot to 20ft above the hole. 2 putt par.

#9 - par 5 - 545yds: This was my hole.  Slightly downhill tee shot dog leg left (ooo how about that!) and it was the LD hole for the tournament.  There are 3 divisions: pros, ams 0-10, and 11+.  I smoked my drive.  A nice little draw.  Not sure where we teed off from for specific yardage, but my ball was 195yds from the middle of the green, so it was a big hit and I did get the LD for the day (something nice at least came away from the day).  Of my 3 other guys in the group, 2 of them also had good drives to put them on the board for LD (only one of them ended up winning it though).  From 195, the pin was back and the approach is back uphill.  I gripped down on a 4iron and hit a draw in there that I thought would be really close, but I guess it rolled out to much and I was left 25ft away just into the fringe.  I finished with my 2 putt birdie.

Yeah, I went 44/34 for the two nines.  2 completely different nines in score.  I hate being more than 6 strokes (I picked a random number) a part.  It's annoying because you know the low score was out there, but I had those mistakes early on that cost me a lot of strokes.

Like I said though, my full swing was on today.  I didn't have too many mishits.  I just had mis-judges for how the hole played, but also I SUCKED at short game.  Putting was ok, I had several putts I left in the center of the hole but short.  But realistically, putting was ok.  Short game was terrible.  Too many shots I left out there.  I know what to practice though.  I'll keep the full swing practice going, but focus a bit more on those chips and pitches from less than 30yds away.

[phillyk]

Well I'm an idiot... of course it's one of those things that someone needs to smack me for.  Today I realized as I was playing that I started flipping my wrists instead of holding off for my pitches. So I'd skull it a lot as my tempo increases and as I get more nervous because I'd been sucking. First few pitches after the realization have been back to normal. Glad that's over. 

[phillyk]

Played another no six round today. I had an eagle, birdie, and two bogies for a 71. But it felt like a bad round. Approaches just weren’t on point.  I had some good sand saves and scramble pars. I missed one shorter putt for birdie, but all the other birdie putts were from too far away. At least my misses are getting smaller, it seems. 

[phillyk]

Now that it's nearing the end of this season, it's time for a summary (that I can remember). My goal this season was to lower my tournament handicap down to scratch from a 3 or so.  I started the season by playing 1 over in a couple of events.  The middle of the season was rough with several rounds of 77.  Then at the end, I managed to get under par a couple times.  The tournament handicap is not quite scratch, but it's close.  I don't know what the actual number is. So goal was not achieved, but I feel good about how I finished.

My progression this season has been interesting.  I started around a 0, normal cap, moved to 1 in May and down to +0.9 as of Nov 1st.  The last few seasons have been inconsistent.  I would have some really low scores and some really high scores.  This is the first season, that by the end, I feel as if I'm consistently shooting good scores.  Except for my Pinehurst No 2 score, I didn't shoot above a 77 in my last 20 or more rounds.

I can see the difference in my swing from the beginning of the season to now.  As we can see from my posts on this thread, I've had consistency issues in my swing for a couple years.  I hadn't been able to settle down on a rhythm or pattern.  In the last 2 months, I've found my rhythm and by sticking to it, I'm getting consistent and predictable strikes of the ball.  I had pitching/chipping mechanical problems recently, but I feel as if those are settled, mostly.  So, everything is coming together and the scores have shown that.  

This off-season, I want to grind down on the full swing more to keep this rhythm going and make my approach shots better.  Better meaning, closer to the hole on average than they are now.  Chipping and pitching is hard to do in off-season, but I'll try to keep the mechanics going.  Based on my current play pattern, I am planning for another US Open qualifier in May.  But that's a long ways off still.  I'll monitor my play and see how I feel come March. 

My goal for next season is to definitely get my tournament hdcp to scratch and to win one of my chapter events.  Another would be to make it to sectional qualifying of the US Open, if I try.

[Phil McGleno]

You are an instructor or just a shop guy?-I ask cuz you mention winning a chapter event.

[phillyk]

I do more shop stuff than instruct. But, I plan to do more instruction in the future. Its just hard to get a good foot in the door as an assistant professional. 

[coachjimsc]

1 hour ago, phillyk said:

Its just hard to get a good foot in the door as an assistant professional and make any money.

You forgot to add that part. Like we discussed at the NC. 

[Phil McGleno]

2 hours ago, phillyk said:

I do more shop stuff than instruct. But, I plan to do more instruction in the future. Its just hard to get a good foot in the door as an assistant professional. 

Then what are you going to do about your swing?-Cuz it will not sell lessons and I am not sure you will be able to demonstrate things properly.

I saw it in the video-

I am not a one swing for everyone and I am glad that you have found a way to be a +1 with that motion-But-People will judge you, I do not know if you can demonstrate drills or things properly or well. And those People are potential students.

Yes there is a Do as I Say and Not as I Do but that does not work for parents or grandparents and does not work in business very much either.

You obviously have some hand-eye coordination and talent so-If I were you I would spend a lot of time reworking to have a more normal looking swing.-It is important to your business if you want to teach more I think.-But if you want to play more and play well maybe that is not the right call.

Just my opinion.-Dismiss if you want I will not care.

[klineka]

11 minutes ago, Phil McGleno said:

I do not know if you can demonstrate drills or things properly or well.

Then why the hell are you saying he wont be a good instructor and wont get students? You just admitted you dont know his ability to coach, yet you are trying to say he wont be able to get students? That make no sense.

If I was going to be looking for a potential new golf instructor, I would not ask to see him swing or a video of his swing before I chose to use him as an instructor, and I bet the majority of his potential students would be the exact same way, because quite honestly, as a student I dont care about my instructor's swing, I care about how good he is at making MY swing better. Thats it. I might ask his handicap, but I would be more interested in his experience and what tools he utilizes to analyze my swing, not way his swing looks like. 

His own personal golf swing has very little to do with how successful he will be as a golf instructor. 

He doesnt need to "spend a lot of time reworking to have a more normal looking swing" (which could take years) as a prerequisite to becoming a successful golf instructor.

Edited November 2, 2017 by klineka

[Phil McGleno]

I hope I can do this right.

9 minutes ago, klineka said:

Then why the hell are you saying he wont be a good instructor and wont get students? You just admitted you dont know his ability to coach, yet you are trying to say he wont be able to get students? That make no sense.

That is not what I said-I said I do not think with that action that he can demonstrate things well. And even if he can he does not do some of the things in the golf swing that he would be demonstrating.

ANd what I said makes sense-That his swing will scare away potential students.-THe ability to demonstrate a good swing is important. Your swing is marketing. Fred Couples has a better swing than Nick Price in the eyes of many because it looks better-And PGA Tour players who give lessons get people to line up for them even though they probably can not teach worth a lick.

If you are a nobody AND you have a goofy weird swing you are putting up roadblocks.

9 minutes ago, klineka said:

If I was going to be looking for a potential new golf instructor, I would not ask to see him swing or a video of his swing before I chose to use him as an instructor, and I bet the majority of his potential students would be the exact same way, because quite honestly, as a student I dont care about my instructor's swing, I care about how good he is at making MY swing better.

You do not know how good he is at making your swing better-Not before you choose to spend $100 or whatever. Looks are important and everyone judges other people by how things look.

Never mind that I do not think he will be able to demonstrate things as well-That is a real thing that goes beyond looks.

9 minutes ago, klineka said:

His own personal golf swing has very little to do with how successful he will be as a golf instructor.

Sez a non-instructor.

9 minutes ago, klineka said:

He doesnt need to "spend a lot of time reworking to have a more normal looking swing" (which could take years) as a prerequisite to becoming a successful golf instructor.

Could just take a few months.

[phillyk]

9 minutes ago, Phil McGleno said:

Then what are you going to do about your swing?-Cuz it will not sell lessons and I am not sure you will be able to demonstrate things properly.

I saw it in the video-

I am not a one swing for everyone and I am glad that you have found a way to be a +1 with that motion-But-People will judge you, I do not know if you can demonstrate drills or things properly or well. And those People are potential students.

Yes there is a Do as I Say and Not as I Do but that does not work for parents or grandparents and does not work in business very much either.

You obviously have some hand-eye coordination and talent so-If I were you I would spend a lot of time reworking to have a more normal looking swing.-It is important to your business if you want to teach more I think.-But if you want to play more and play well maybe that is not the right call.

Just my opinion.-Dismiss if you want I will not care.

Haha, I know I have a weird looking swing, but it gets the job done.  I do not have plans to make it normal looking.

The demonstrations I have done are generic drills that apply to anyone, which means any type of swing.  Most of the drills I have students do, are to create certain feels of movement in their own swing, not mine.  It's their results that matter.  If they want me to do more demonstrations, maybe I'll swing lefty instead 

For comparisons, I'll use their favorite PGA Tour player or someone like that in slo-mo.  But, it's certain moves I point out, not an entire swing, because everyone swings slightly different and I don't want the student to try something I don't intend.

I do get what you are saying, but I don't think it matters as much as you think.  My old instructor swings cross handed (left hand low) and he's one of the more popular instructors in the area, and he very rarely demonstrates things himself.  He has videos and tools for everything and can relay the information well.