Pete's Programme (Single Digit to Tour Player)

[MacDutch]

Wow, Pete this (thread) is still getting better. Really like what is happening, also the help Eric will provide. Ferrari? So when are you gonna tell us you won the lottery :-)

[Nosevi]

Thanks mate (b101) . I think Dan and I are coming at this from totally different directions - he's seeing how good he gets testing a given hypothesis (whether he's following it or not is open to debate), I'm focused on the goal and will do what I need to in order to give myself a halfway legitimate shot at it. I think it's slightly ironic that you say you'll get more out of seeing where I go than with Dan as one of his stated aims is to inspire others by allowing them to join him on his journey. I'll be honest, my only aim is the end goal. If by achieving it someone happens to be 'inspired' that's fine by me but that's not really the aim. I know that sounds selfish but it's really just the truth. I think Dan slightly shot himself in the foot by making the decision not to really engage with 'supporters' and in reality his journey is far from being shared (there's simply no detail). Look forward to seeing where my swing goes from here, lots of work ahead and I very much think the part I've written in bold holds true - I'll have to accept a step backwards to move forwards, but club matches are pretty much over and I wasn't due to play in the only remaining one anyway. I think it's time to nail the swing and in reality I'm guessing that'll take until at least next spring. Lots of time in the swing studio over the winter should help, at least with those facilities I'll have no excuse as weather or day light hours will be no factor :-)

[Nosevi]

Hi @MacDutch , nothing as exciting as that. Long story but did have an unexpected 'windfall' together with an unexpected income when I left the military. At some stage I'll recount the story but have to dash as I'm off for short game practice with Jess.

[mvmac]

to fix these things properly I'm going to have to take a major step back before going forwards - do you think that's fair to say?

Yeah I don't think it's going to be a major step back, it might feel like crap once you start working on it (because it's different) but there is a good chance your ballstriking will start seeing improvements fairly soon. As long as you're practicing properly and really changing the picture, you'll be fine.

I actually helped a buddy of mine with a similar piece and the next day we played in a tournament together and he played some of the best golf of his life. Just saw him a couple days ago and it's steadily getting better. He has to feel it a foot in order to change it an inch, but even an inch better can make a big difference with the strike. Point is, you can still play good golf while working on your swing.

[Nosevi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosevi

to fix these things properly I'm going to have to take a major step back before going forwards - do you think that's fair to say?

Yeah I don't think it's going to be a major step back, it might feel like crap once you start working on it (because it's different) but there is a good chance your ballstriking will start seeing improvements fairly soon. As long as you're practicing properly and really changing the picture, you'll be fine.

Sounds good to me, I was prepared for "Yep, it'll set you back 6 months or so." Either way I'm happy to put in some effort to make some changes.

On a different subject today's short game practice with Jess went well. We met a guy called Sam Whitaker who we both know pretty well on the putting green so had a bit of a 3 way practice session for a bit. Sam's off plus 4 but that's very much a travelling competition handicap rather than a social 'stay at home' type one. Sam plays the international amateur circuit and spends much of his time bouncing round the world going to what we term elite amateur tournaments. He won the Hampshire Hog a few weeks ago (which will mean nothing to you all I'm sure but it's one of the bigger Amateur tournaments over here) and was just back from the British Amateur Championships but many of his tournaments are on different continents let alone different countries. Not sure if final selection has been made but he's a fairly sure fire bet for the England International team next year.

http://www.englandgolf.org/news.aspx?itemid=7694&itemTitle;=Hampshire+Salver+success+for+Saunders&sitesectionid;=38&sitesectiontitle;=News

Anyway, I took a few vids, most of which were Sam trying to explain the nuances of Aim Point to Jess. You'll need the sound up to hear but essentially Sam was trying to convince Jess it worked......... which it did every time:

Just as an aside Sam was trying out a new 2 iron that Callaway have sent him to try. In line with most top amateurs Sam isn't short of equipment as every time I see him someone has sent him something to have a go with.

Jess and I practised chipping, putting, pitching, bunker play and as normal it ended in a competition.......... which as normal she won. Only just this time - I won 2 games she won 3.

I'll get jess to hold the camera a bit next time but this time I just took a few vids for this thread to show a few things we practised as demo'd by Jess. Let's face it she's more photogenic anyway :)

One handed pitching drill. I was rubbish at this so even if she does do a bit of filming next time you'll be lucky to see me doing it. Perfect pitch every time from her though:

Bit of bunker instruction. To be honest our practice sessions together are similar to mine with Brian (who's swing stills I posted above) - they practice and instruct, I learn and 'copy'.

And a pic of my practice partner. Really is a rough gig this golf (just kidding, I practice quite hard but we do have good fun on our combined practice sessions which I guess we do about 3 times a week)

Last bit of 'news' is Brian's been away in a tournament and did pretty well, particularly in the last round. He was actually 8th rather than 9th which is pretty good out of 160 odd pros I'd say. It was at Chart Hills down in Kent so not the easiest track out there, much as he made it look that way on his final round. Had a text and we're meeting up for a practice session as he passes through 'home' on his way to a tournament on the Challenge Tour over in Ireland next week.

One thing I have learned in the few months of my programme so far is you can put a price on the kit I've got in my swing studio, or the cost of lessons or even the price of my golf course membership but one thing that is helping massively is practising with people like top amateurs or tour pros and you can't put a price on that. It's not just seeing them hit great shots, it's seeing HOW they practice. It was all part of my list of things I wanted to put in place and I'd argue it's one of the most important. 'Shadowing' Brian on the run up to a tournament and walking the fairways with him during one was both a fantastic insight into what I'm aiming at and a great motivator.

More soon, especially after I see what I'm going to be doing swing wise

[Faksakes]

Great updates and look forward to seeing the process and swing changes Pete. I have to echo that changes don't have to mean a big leap back in scoring. I've had coaches that it was the case and others where I got better right away. Depends on the teacher imo and of course the students dedication which is not an issue here.

[Nosevi]

Great updates and look forward to seeing the process and swing changes Pete. I have to echo that changes don't have to mean a big leap back in scoring. I've had coaches that it was the case and others where I got better right away. Depends on the teacher imo and of course the students dedication which is not an issue here.

Thanks

[parlor]

Keep it up Pete!

[Nosevi]

Will do :-)

[Nosevi]

I said a while ago that I wouldn't post repeatedly, just from time to time and I'm concious of the fact I've not really stuck to that. I've had the time so have posted a little more than usual though.

Today was a morning of short game and an afternoon in the swing studio for a joint session with Brian. How I do at short game is pretty easy to sum up - when I keep my weight on my left side I do pretty well, when I don't, I don't. It's pretty much that simple. I'm sure there are plenty of good drills to ensure you keep your weight left (for a right hander), if anyone has a particular favourite please feel free to post as it really is a weakness of mine.

The long game session with Brian was pretty constructive. Due in equal measure to the only picture that I can be sure (or pretty sure) I know what Erik is going to say when he posts his vid and from constant nagging from Brian to get my set up square and not closed I've started practising with an alignment rod on the ground. Simple solution and I'm sure eventually square will start to feel square to me rather than massively open which is how it feels now. I still managed to set up a little closed when I checked on video (which takes some doing when you have a day-glow rod sat on the ground in front of you to line up with) but it was less pronounced. I seemed to be able to strike the ball ok from this more square position, it'll just take some getting used to.

Apologies for the low light - on slow mo you really need sunlight and there wasn't any by the time I was recording this. In future I'll try to only record during the day rather than the evening.

Set up wise this is actually a lot more square. It probably looks a little more closed than it actually is as the camera is to the right of my toe line due to the fact it sits on a window shelf and I can't move it much further left so you have a little parallax error (ie the edges of the mat look like they're pointing in as they are outside the camera line - clearly there are square to each other).

And in slow mo:

Swing wise I'm clearly not trying to change anything until Erik posts his analysis vid but it felt as if my hips opened up a little more and the ball flight was about 1 degree down from what I'm used to with this club. Not sure of the significance but feel free to enlighten me if anyone has any ideas.

We ended with a longest drive competition the catch being you couldn't draw the ball it had to fade which Brian just pipped me in (310 yards vs 305). I tend to compete against all of my practice partners during our sessions as it focuses the practice session, adds a little fun and shows me in no uncertain terms how far I have to go. Besides the fact, I've found all the good players I practice with are hugely competitive as am I. No competition on or off the course is ever 'handicapped' as that would be pointless - I'd prefer to lose on equal terms rather than win with an artificial advantage.

As I said, Brian won but I was stubborn enough that I stayed back 'after class' until I beat his best. It's something I tend to do after the competitions if I lose (which is often but not always these days, I'm getting closer) and sometimes it can take a while to do.

Brian's now off to play in a tournament on the Challenge Tour (Challenge Tour is to the European Tour what the Web.com is to the PGA Tour) so most of my joint practice over the next week will be with Jess. He's also just heard he's got an invite to a European Tour events later this year. It's early days in his pro career but both of these constitute a step in the right direction.

Last bit of news is totally un-golf related but I recently lost a family vote. I said we didn't need two kittens (mostly as since the death of our cat, next door's moggy basically lives in our house anyway as him and our cat used to 'hang' together) the rest of the family said we did. Belle and Cassie arrived a few days ago and have not stopped causing mayhem yet. My iphone 6 can slow down the golf swing and show a ball moving at 150mph in clear definition but it wouldn't stand a hope with these 2. 9 weeks old and more trouble than they're worth - right now they appear to be learning the art of 'curtain climbing'.

[MacDutch]

Haha, look like angels fight like devils these cats.

[Nosevi]

Haha, look like angels fight like devils these cats.

You're not wrong. Was sitting in an armchair a while ago and got run over by them as if I wasn't there ............. about 7 times. I eventually caught one, held her up and asked her exactly what she thought she was going. She purred, bopped me on the nose and scarpered off. We've had kittens before, not sure I have the energy to do it again!

[iacas]

I posted my analysis (almost 27 minutes) here: http://thesandtrap.com/t/72433/my-swing-nosevi#post_1178418 .

I don't think it's the type of change where you should shoot high scores for awhile before it clicks and you get better. I think you'll hit some WEIRD shots now and then, but on the whole, you should see slow and steady improvement.

[Nosevi]

I posted my analysis (almost 27 minutes) here: http://thesandtrap.com/t/72433/my-swing-nosevi#post_1178418 .

I don't think it's the type of change where you should shoot high scores for awhile before it clicks and you get better. I think you'll hit some WEIRD shots now and then, but on the whole, you should see slow and steady improvement.

Thanks Erik, very much appreciate that. I'm bound to have some questions as there's a lot in there and if you honestly don't mind I'll ask when I've had time to go over it all in my mind.

One thing I would say is that far from being against what my instructor (who I've not seen in a couple of months - totally my fault rather than his, particularly as I've already paid for the time) has told me I need to do I'm struggling to find anything you've said that is contrary to what he's said I need to do. He is far from happy with my swing at this point . What you have done though is put a few things in a different way and explained them in a way I 'get'. You've also said why which to me is key - I need to know the why or I don't do it. Call it being stubborn (which you know I am) but I need to know why I'm doing something so thanks for taking the considerable time to explain the 'why' for each change you'd like to see, not all instructors do. I also like some of the ways you've said to visualise things like stabbing the pig, that makes sense to me.

I think you nailed it when you said I do ok despite my swing due to being able to generate good speed and having above average hand eye coordination, but I totally accept (now) that will only take you so far. When I say that you are totally on the same track as my instructor here's a shot of my impact position when I started (no honestly, that is an impact position as you can see the ball just airborne) vs where I was doing some setup and swing changes he wanted me to make. I've lost the swing as V1 dumped them all on an update and it's only a practice swing but hopefully you can see some things in this that are along the lines you would like me to go in? The red line was put on over the ball position to highlight my head position.

Thanks again, it's been a real help and has really helped explain why I need to make these changes as well as how to make some of them. Best I get to work

[mvmac]

The simplest piece and yet what can also be the hardest piece will be making the set-up changes stick. It doesn't take any "talent" to grip the club properly but you'll want to revert back to what feels comfortable. So make sure to run through your "checklist" when you address the ball. Getting the grip and hip/axis tilt stuff right is going to be very important. Point is, don't ignore the simple stuff, get it right so you don't have to fight some compensation when it comes to the dynamic parts of the swing.

[Nosevi]

The simplest and yet what can also be the hardest part will be making the set-up changes stick. It doesn't take any "talent" to grip the club properly but you'll want to revert back to what feels comfortable. So make sure to run through your "checklist" when you address the ball. Getting the grip and hip/axis tilt stuff right is going to be very important.

Thanks I will do. A recent lesson involved a few things one of which was bumping my hips to the left (ie towards the target) at setup to give axis tilt. You can probably see that in that practice swing impact position above. Have I done it? Nope. Will I now? Absolutely. I think the biggest eye opener is that Erik has pretty much said exactly what my instructor has been trying to get me to do but perhaps said it in a different way and a few of his explanations really work for me. I like having the video to refer to as well so if at all possible could you leave it up, Erik? All in all I'm very grateful for the time spent and will set about making these changes. Deep down I know I've got about as far long game wise as I can through being able to hit the ball pretty hard and having pretty good coordination when it comes to squaring the club face. Erik's analysis has given me the kick in the butt I perhaps (or definitely) needed to start listening to my instructor and make the changes I need to make in order to move forwards.

[Nosevi]

Point is, don't ignore the simple stuff, get it right so you don't have to fight some compensation when it comes to the dynamic parts of the swing.

Yep, get that now. I've been falling back on 'talent' to make up for poor technique and that will only get me so far - another thing my instructor has told me. Guys on either side of the Atlantic are telling me the same thing. Probably about time to start taking some notice :-)

[skithepowder]

Really interesting thread.

You said before you started this properly you went from an 18-20 handicap to 5 while working in a year or 2? How often were you having lessons and how much practice did you do to achieve this? At this stage you didn't have your GC2 I take it?

That in itself is a pretty massive achievement I think!