Cautionary tale about band aids.....

[Duff McGee]

Warning: very long story. To any new golfers out there: there are no short cuts. Learn from those of us that have been there and done that and suffered through frustration after unnecessary frustration. A few weeks ago I was struggling with my arch nemesis, the driver snap hook. Well, MVMAC had given me some advice on my swing thread and it was helping, but impatient me was really pissed at a couple tee shots. Then I remembered all the way back to high school when an acquaintance (the #1 golfer at our school) told me that "to stop slicing, grip harder with your right hand and to stop hooking, grip harder with your left." So I opened the club face, gripped hard with the left hand, barely touched it with my right (I'm talking like just resting on the handle for balance, no pressure at all) and swung straight back and forth. BOOM! 280 straight down the fairway. Thus ensued the greatest 2 week span of driving in my life. I probably hit 30 out of 35 fairways right down the middle with good distance. Only one snap hook, no OB's, it was automatic. Best 2 weeks of my golf life. Then 2 days ago, a snap hook. Then another. Then another. I figured I must be gripping somewhere with my right hand so I basically just let two fingers from my right hand just sit on the shaft. Snap hook. Block. Huge slice. Snap hook. Start freaking out. Now I'm swinging all the way across my body and tilting the club face way out. Slice to other fairway. Snap hook OB. Over and over again. Today I went OB 4 times on my favorite course that is so damn wide open you could land a 747 on most fairways. I have never played better with my irons. Hit the pin from 140 out, put it 1 foot to the pin on a par 3 187 yards with a 5 iron. All day long. Shot a 95 because I took 2 9's and a few 7's from OB. Panicked because I have my first tournament in 4 days, I drove straight to the driving range after my round and just got back, staying until sun down. Hit about 150 balls. Duck hooks, slicing out to the fairway over the net, I feel like it might be time to quit golf forever. Then it dawned on me that I am likely doing something against the basics, that there must be a reason other than my hands that I'm closing the face so severely. So I remember the hip turn thing MVMAC posted. Gee, I thought, maybe I'm not turning. I tell myself to get my right butt cheek up in the air on the backswing coil (I know this is not how it actually works but it's a swing thought that helps me). Anyway, the next 15 - 20 shots are straight with a few tiny draws, tiny pushes, and tiny fades thrown in. All would be in play during s round and all were hit solidly with effortless power and all went at least 270 to about 290. That's what I get for trying to take a shortcut and band aid my swing. It ends up that the band aid encouraged me to swing with my arms without any rotation. Nothing I did could get me to hit the sweet spot or hit it straight with that all arms swing. At first, it worked because I was still rotating. But all I focused on was the grip pressure and swing path band aid until it got to the point that instead of shooting like a 13 handicap I was shooting like someone who had just picked up a driver for the first time. This is the second time this site (and especially MVMAC) has saved me from golf hell. Thanks for all that you do. TLDR: You might think you can outsmart this game with gimmicks or quick fix tricks. It will ALWAYS come back to crush you in the end and ruin your progress. Stick with the fundamentals and practice.

[mvmac]

Then it dawned on me that I am likely doing something against the basics, that there must be a reason other than my hands that I'm closing the face so severely.

So I remember the hip turn thing MVMAC posted. Gee, I thought, maybe I'm not turning.

Good thread to start. Yes, golfer's swings repeat, whether you're an 18 handicapper or a pro . So your swing issues don't change from day to day or swing to swing. To improve and change the picture you gotta stick with your priority piece.

This is the second time this site (and especially MVMAC) has saved me from golf hell. Thanks for all that you do.

You're welcome

[Cali Ace]

Agreed on all points. For me quick fixes never pan out.

[Duff McGee]

Agreed on all points. For me quick fixes never pan out.

They sure are tempting though. It was unbelievable how I went 2 whole rounds so confident in the swing that it was just like clockwork. Like I was never in doubt of a great, straight tee shot. Reaching at least a few par 5 in 2 like it was nothing lol. Then the wheels came off badly.

[Hatchman]

Yes agree, good post, good coach, good book. Only 1/3 through LWS but helping me organize some of my thoughts and ideas. Some valid, some needing redefining and simplification. See ball, hit ball through a golf swing process. Good luck next week Duff.

[parlor]

I thought you might have a latex allergy...

I had a somewhat similar day on the course. Wednesday's driving range session was great, not a single slice with the driver - the driver did not behave as well on the course - but I still had a great round.

I believe I actually play "stupid monkey" golf so I just need to keep training so that my stupid swing is the same as my rehearsed swing.

[Duff McGee]

Yes agree, good post, good coach, good book. Only 1/3 through LWS but helping me organize some of my thoughts and ideas. Some valid, some needing redefining and simplification. See ball, hit ball through a golf swing process. Good luck next week Duff.

Thanks Hatch!