"5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge July 2017

[djake]

4 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

DJ, a couple of things to consider:

• You are trying a finesse greenside shot with a long-shafted club. Even if you choke down, it's a long shaft - probably 5" longer than your putter. One thing you can do is stand a little more upright - like for a putt - this will smooth out your stroke and give you better control.
• Some people find it helpful to bend the left and right elbows slightly at address to increase the pendulum motion. Caution: not everyone likes this adjustment.
• Realize that you need a bit of green to work with on this shot. If you have small greens, or a short-sided shot where you only have 10 feet to go from fringe to cup, you may have trouble with too hot a shot.

Remember to use both hands to sweep the shot motion back and forth. Also, you need to use it a few times to get used to it. To practice a semi-odd shot like this, go out on a slow day and play three or four holes. At each green, hit about dozen 4H chips from different spots to get used to various looks for the shot.

Let us know how things work out on the 4H chip.

Thank you for advice, I will give this a go and let you know how it works.  I have a fantastic putting green where I can work on this.

[Shindig]

July 21.  Had a bunch of things to do around the house today -- a good recipe for trips to my practice room, especially coupled with getting an evolvr analysis last night!  Had four 5-minute breaks during the day for just this.

I took slow backswings, checking that I was closing the face more than before at A2, A3, and A4.  As I don't have my mat yet, I didn't take a downswing at all... despite having taken several dozen backswings.

I also was cautious to flex my left knee in towards the ball instead of towards the target as I had been doing.  That was ... a bad weight shift.

All of the above was done with a plush ball sitting there and using a 7-iron to address and swing.  

Tomorrow will be interesting -- it's an important day to me (if we're talking about days that mean something to me but not to others, it's probably top one, again, not including days that have meaning to me and others) and so I will be playing golf.  This means I probably should have waited until I got back after tomorrow's round to look at the evolvr analysis, but what's done is done.  

[todgot]

July 21:  Played 6 holes tonight after work with my wife and son.  Not a lot of practice but had a nice relaxing night.  Earlier I used the Orange whip for about 10 minutes... working on shoulder turn to prevent coming over the top.

Edited July 22, 2017 by todgot

[onthehunt526]

7/22/17:

Rehearsal swings today trying to simulate where I am supposed to be at impact. Trying to feel as if I'm getting my hips out of the way at impact, so I can be in a more powerful position... After you hit a few consistent 160 yard 8-irons, you'll want to be in a more powerful position.

[socialputts]

7/22/17

Playing 9 holes at 5pm.  Will get there early and work on lag putting for 15 mins.  Over 100 degrees and dragging a bit today, need to focus on maintaining concentration.  Shooting for a 43 or better.

[Shindig]

July 22.  Played 18.  Can't post game golf yet because they need to update a green for the course's re-routing.   13 G+N, but only 5 GIR.  

Also discovered on the range I might not have been practicing as well as I could have and I kind of deluded myself into thinking some shots at the range can always be practiced at speed.  OOF.  No.  Bad shindig.  Despite being 22-for-22 this month, I'm debating whether I should DQ myself for July for ineffective practice (defeating the spirit of the thread).  I'll still practice the next nine days either way (and many after that).

[WUTiger]

July 22

Worked for 15 minutes. Reviewed Hank Haney "hinge and hold" wedge video.

Then, checked out my takeaway and positions for short wedges in the mirror.

[todgot]

July 22:  played 18 holes at my home course.  Played from the back tees and struggled a little.  Shot 86 with 4 doubles.  Every double was basically due to not getting a pitch shot on the green. My short game was not sharp and even when I was on the green I was in a bad spot.  Playing from the back tees really exposed my weakness with the driver.  I had hoped to be able to video my swing this weekend but it's looking doubtful at this point.

[socialputts]

7/23

Played 9 holes yesterday.  Quite a roller coaster.  Had 4 pars, 2 triples and a snowman on a par 4.  Shot a 49.  Had to start on #2, which is the hardest hole.  Started par,  par, triple, snowman.  Ended up parring the two toughest holes on the course and butchering a few others.  

Chili dipped a few chips, so worked on chipping into my chipping net today with my 58 degree wedge for 15 mins.

Off the tee I'm either really good....or gone.  Either a nice fade with the driver or pulled left.  By the time we got ot play #1, I decided to try a driver, which isn;t really necessary.  Bombed it, but went too far.  Three chips later, two from under trees, I was on the green and 2 putted for a 6.  

Above all things, I think I need to work on my mental game.  I have the shots, just not consistently.

[WUTiger]

July 23

Practiced putting for 10 minutes. Worked inside 10 feet; I want misses to go past at least a foot to prevent putts from veering off of raised cup lips.

[onthehunt526]

7/23/17:

Shorter slow swings working on getting my positions right. But I need to stop working on stuff, per se, and go with what I have right now..... Club championship is next weekend.

[WUTiger]

7 hours ago, socialputts said:

Chili dipped a few chips, ...

Make sure you're pulling through with left hand (if R-handed). I sometimes fail to do this.

[Shindig]

Very slow, discrete stepped swing parts in my practice room.  All began addressed at a ball, but no ball contact was made.

* A1 to A2, keep face closed.

* A2 to A3, face stays closed, left knee kicks towards ball (was moving forward here -- this fix is a priority)

* A3 to A4, try to get face looking up.  I'm struggling with this one.

From a comfortable A4, I move down suddenly (is this a mistake, pace wise?) to "shaft parallel in downswing" (I forget the term, I should look it up) with my hands in front of my *left* pocket -- I was casting the club a lot in my last video too.  I didn't do this on every backswing.

This was well over five minutes' worth today, and hopefully changes the picture going forward.

??? for 23 this month.  I did something that I thought was practice each day so far (23 for 23 on that), but Friday and yesterday's revelations might mean that my "practice" was, at best, ineffective.

[todgot]

July 23:  long day with my daughters bithday celebration and a day at the lake.  Took some time to hit some pitches and chips in the backyard.  Still working on shoulder turn to get in a good position on the back swing.  Spent a few minutes with  the orange whip.  

[onthehunt526]

7/24/17:

20-40 yd pitches in the yard. Focusing on dealing cards with my right hand.

[boogielicious]

June 24 - Mirror work at the gym. Focused on my new Evolvr work to improve hip rotation prior to impact. The feel is at P5.5 to have my left hip rotate back so I am more open at impact.

[socialputts]

15 hours ago, WUTiger said:

Make sure you're pulling through with left hand (if R-handed). I sometimes fail to do this.

Thanks, I have a tendency to abbreviate my swing and not release the club sometimes.  About to work on this again right now

Edited July 24, 2017 by socialputts

[socialputts]

7/24

Hit 100 balls with my 58 degree, focused on rotating and releasing the clubhead through contact to avoid chili dipping.  Was hit or miss for the first 10-15, after that I achieved solid contact.  Pulled a few, than got into a rhythm and begane to vary distances.  Shorter chips usually lead to a breakdown in form so the last 30 balls were short chips and I executed them well.  Will reinforce this several more times this week with wedges as well as irons.