"5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge June 2016

[Rainmaker]

1 hour ago, RandallT said:

Loving the insights into swing tinkering you have, @Rainmaker. Always a good read! I'm taking the opposite approach right now from you: getting one piece, doing it over and over and over, not tinkering much. Who will win our little competition for who improves first with these contrasting styles?

Oddly enough . .I'm trying to work on one piece until I get it right . .but I keep finding that other things need to be fixed in order for me to get it right, lol.  My teacher tells me what to work on . .and all this stuff is me trying to figure out a way to do what he wants me to do.  Like when he told me to "keep my legs steady" . .probably the best example . . he was right - I did have a huge sway and lunge - but there was no way I could take it out and still hit the ball.  That sway and lunge was the magic that made it all work!.  So he sort of pulled the foundation out from under my crappy swing.  I couldn't sway anymore . .I had to at least reduce it or he'd just get on me again about it at the next lesson.  After a whole bunch of crappy shots, I'd realize something like my clubface was way open or I'm not transferring my weight at all or I'm not engaging my core enough, got the sequencing all wrong, etc.   

It has felt like a bit like going around and around with the 5 keys . .but I am definitely improving.  I'm using both the 5 keys and my instructor to not get completely out of whack . .ie . .that my fixes really are fixes and not compensations. 

I wouldn't know how to have a contest, lol . .I have no handicap and hardly ever play . .although I'm trying to play more and more.  I can tell you this . .I used to suck!  How much less I suck now is hard to measure.  I can break 90, though . .that's not sucking too bad by most people's definition.  I used to not be able to break 100, so that's definite improvement.  I'm going to feel like I suck until I at least break 80 . .which is not within view at the moment.   

 

[Lihu]

More modified half swing drills in Bar Harbor ME. Going hiking to work on my much needed cardio.

[boogielicious]

20 minutes mirror work with predominantly slow swings. Worked on the transition at A4 to A6. I used the feel of my right elbow drawing in and forward more while I rotate and slide.

[RandallT]

One hour at range. Slow motion A4-A6, followed by soft swing. Reviewed instructor notes. Checked positions via video. Much of focus was right knee, right elbow, and loose left arm to not get stuck on chest. Also did full swing video as check on progress- posted to swing thread. Some improvement from May, but lots more to go. 

[onthehunt526]

6/8/16:

39 days in a row posting.

I worked on accelerating though the ball with all clubs today. I wish I could take this to the course... Because it seems like it's working well. Playing tomorrow at some point, probably in the late a.m. to see how my game is progressing... After 89 last Friday with @krupa I'm hoping I can finally put together more than 5 holes.

[MiddleTees]

Slow mo backswing drill using mirrors and net inside and pitching. Then out to range and hit balls as if playing 9 at home course. Scored similar to inside routine, good or mishit, now adding direction to contact. Mishit = 2 strokes, good = 1 and a general 2 putt for each hole. Today's score was 60 Not far off actual real scores.

 

[WUTiger]

Played 18 with senior group this morning. First day after lesson.

Good news: Hit fairly solid iron shots all day. Only chunked one full iron shot.

Bad news: Had six 3-putts. Trying to use AimPoint: I'm getting good reads, but I'm having speed problems on putts. Too much analysis?

Hit and Miss: My Drives. Smoked four of them, longest going 240 and 260. Had six other pop-ups that went 100 to 150 yards (thankfully fairly straight). Pop-ups are a stance and takeaway problem.

Shot 95 on day; had looooongshot chance to hit 90, but was five over on last two holes.

Highlight: From a fairway bunker on Par 4 No. 11, put a 9-iron shot 8 feet from pin and sank putt for birdie.

[saevel25]

There was a league at Beavercreek tonight and I didn't want another 2+ hour round this week. I went to the short game area at another course. My pitching is getting really better. My putting is still a mess. 

[Jeremie Boop]

More on course practice time tonight. Short game under 25 yards doing much better. Putting still hit and miss. Tee shots were ok, but not as good as they have been. Was a bit more wind tonight than there has been but I was able to adjust for it for the most part, so that part of my game is improving.

[Lihu]

18 hours ago, Lihu said:

More modified half swing drills in Bar Harbor ME. Going hiking to work on my much needed cardio.

Did some rock climbing with my family to build up the cardio.

Swing transition drills using the A3 to A6 slow motion part of my modified half swing.

[Valleygolfer]

6/8/16

Spent an hour at the range sorting out my driver and hitting wedge shots.

[onthehunt526]

6/9/16:

Did some chipping drills in the yard for about 10 minutes this morning. I'm focusing on keeping my speed up on my chips so that the acceleration stays consistent. 

I am going to play later, I just have to go do some prep at work first... The things I do to keep my hours up...

[RandallT]

15 minutes mirror work. Main focus was turning hips and shoulders at a faster rate to get to A6 in the proper alignment. Also bowing left wrist- or just prevent cupping. Full slow swings, stopping to confirm each, correct as necessary.

[MiddleTees]

More slow mo backswing drill this time trying to be very aware of club face position and pitching via quickie pitching video technique, all inside using net.

[Dinoma]

Played 36 holes today, which was quite a test given the various swing changes I have been working on since I started lessons a couple of months ago. Pleased how they are starting to embed, main misses from not releasing on the driver and a couple of double crosses with the mid irons.

[Jeremie Boop]

League night tonight. Didn't take the time to go out ahead of tee time to warm up and it showed. Started off struggling from the tee unfortunately, first 3 holes took about 1/2 of the total time for the 9 hole round so I wasn't able to loosen up until the fourth hole. From there I was able to get to bogey golf though I did struggle with putting a bit. Approach and recovery shots weren't too bad though.

[Valleygolfer]

6/9/16

Hit a bucket of balls on the range and was striping them. Took it to the course and was doing well for the first 5. Driver started leaking right throughout the rest of the round. Putting still an issue.

[Rainmaker]

Half slow-motion, half full swings today.  I definitely acquired some new stuff over the last week - but if I were to take it to the course right now, I'd be struggling to make contact.  Some recent changes:

*using my core muscles to control my swing - helps eliminate sway.  I've got that feeling of being really coiled up and on the inside of my trail heel at the top.   

*standing a bit closer to the ball at address - promotes a more narrow path to the ball.  I was definitely too far way . .100% . .probably still am.

Weight transfer - Key 2.  I feel like I've *got* this . .if it's the only thing I think about.  If I do a great weight shift, I'm going to do some other things wrong.  So, obviously, I don't *got this*, lol.  But I am having several good indications of proper, or even slightly exaggerated, weight shift .. the most obvious is the flexing of my glutes through impact.  Even when I don't think about it, though, I'm ending up more on the heel of my lead foot and I don't really have a "squashed over" lead foot anymore. .so that's good.  

I'm still confused between arms and core in the downswing.  It feels like the best I can do, outside of drills, is to put the bottom of my swing at or just a fraction past the ball.  Even on my best swings, my low-point is about 50% short of where I think it should be.     

When I do hit the ball, I'm hitting it way harder.  I can tell the spin-rate is increased even hitting into my net.  I can get the ball to occasionally skip on the concrete after it leaves the net (I'm hitting usually 8 or 7 iron).  I've cracked 4 golf balls in the last 3 months . .I guess from skulling and blading them so much.  I have a Net Return so I usually hit the same ball over and over until it breaks.  I'm using 5 year old balls . but I've gone from cracking 1 a year to more than 1 a month.  Is that a good thing?  I don't know, lol.    

I'm really stoked for my lesson tomorrow . .I need to get my practice re-prioritized.