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(How To) Taking Your Lessons To The Course


Midpack
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Taking Lessons To The Course  

11 members have voted

  1. 1. When you're making a significant swing change (that feels unnatural or hurts your results short term) after a lesson(s), do you?

    • Implement that major change on the golf course immediately come what may
      7
    • Keep the change on the driving range until you're comfortable with it, and revert to your old form for handicap rounds in the meantime
      2
    • Make sure to get in a driving range or other practice session in with the new swing before playing a handicap round again
      2


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I've been scheduling lessons to allow follow up practice at the driving range and maybe even a solo practice round on a course before taking my "new swing" for a league/handicap round. I had a lesson last night and I was very erratic with the new changes - I am talking about major changes that feel unnatural, not minor tweaks. Since there was no time to practice, I decided to skip today's league play (first absence this summer).

To me my options were to revert to my old swing in the hopes of scoring better, or skip today. In retrospect, since I want to improve first and foremost, skipping today was probably a mistake. For all I know though I expected worse, I might have surprised myself even with the new "unnatural" swing and played better, I'll never know.

The video below doesn't provide much insight but FWIW. And I read another opinion that said in essence "go for it, and don't be afraid of losing balls." So while I'll still hope to get in at least one driving range session with a swing change before playing for handicap, I think from now on I'm just going to go for it come what may.

Thoughts/comments?

https://www.golftec.com/blog/2016/08/golf-tips-golf-lessons-to-course/

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I take whatever I picked up from a lesson and implement it into my daily routine right away, including rounds. I'm less liable to forget feels this way. Plus I've never walked away from a lesson hitting it worse than I went in, so there isn't any reason not to change immediately.

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Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

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Depending on the change, I may hit the range a few times to practice it, before playing another round again.  But once I make the change, I try my best to stick with it.  I think it would be counterproductive to the long term goal otherwise.

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Damn the torpedoes!  Full speed ahead!  

In der bag:
Cleveland Hi-Bore driver, Maltby 5 wood, Maltby hybrid, Maltby irons and wedges (23 to 50) Vokey 59/07, Cleveland Niblick (LH-42), and a Maltby mallet putter.                                                                                                                                                 "When the going gets tough...it's tough to get going."

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As long as the major change isn't a longer pre-shot routine, or if the major change doesn't add any time from when you get to your ball and you hit it then I say bring it to the course. 

If anything from your lessons/range time extends the time you hit your shot, then I say leave it on the range.  There a people behind you that can hit a ball better that will be waiting and watching...hit your shot, watch where it goes, take your medicine, hit your next shot...just do it quickly.

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I work on the range, but I take a simplified "single thought" to the golf course.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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Honestly, I have usually treated shots on the course like shots on the range but I'm trying unlearn that habit.   As long as I'm hitting it okay I can keep it simple but if I hit some wayward shots I tend to over experiment. 

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I struggle with this often...taking changes to the course.  What I've done this year is tried implementing those changes a bit more aggressively than I have in the past.  It's resulted in some pretty good rounds but some that went a bit sideways.  I think I'm better for it though since I've found what worked and also figured out what swing thoughts I need during the round.

Take yesterday for example...our league did a par three night (ranging from 195 to 100 yards).  The first four holes I couldn't quite find the center of the club.  I basically put myself back on the range on the next shot and thought about the things I was working on and it just clicked.  On the last five holes I hit every green and four of those were dead on line.  Made a couple short birdies and felt really good walking off the course.

I think the happy medium for me is to use those 9 hole rounds to fully implement changes and take the range to the course.  If I'm playing an 18 hole round with friends and want to post a score I probably won't be grinding as much and go with what I have.

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Fairways and Greens.

Dave
 

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(edited)

Yep, I've concluded I made a mistake by bailing on league play yesterday after my lesson the night before. I'll try to hit the range at least once after any lesson, but I'm going to implement any changes immediately even if that means taking it to the course when I may not be ready (I was very erratic during the Tue night lesson). Sometimes I may score as well or better, other times my scores may balloon (for a while). But I want to get better above all, so reverting to old form doesn't make sense. I'm prepared to lose some balls to get better. Thanks!

Edited by Midpack
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3 hours ago, Midpack said:

Yep, I've concluded I made a mistake by bailing on league play yesterday after my lesson the night before. I'll try to hit the range at least once after any lesson, but I'm going to implement any changes immediately even if that means taking it to the course when I may not be ready (I was very erratic during the Tue night lesson). Sometimes I may score as well or better, other times my scores may balloon (for a while). But I want to get better above all, so reverting to old form doesn't make sense. I'm prepared to lose some balls to get better. Thanks!

I think you're on the right track.  Try to enjoy a round or two though and don't force things when you want to play for a score.  Putting what you've worked on "in play", so to speak, is a good idea though.  Those 9 hole or practice rounds where you can hit an extra shot or two with swing-changes on the course are great for building confidence and good habits.

Fairways and Greens.

Dave
 

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Functionally, I think I end up taking something around the "average" between my old swing mechanics and what I'm working on.  When I'm working on the range, I try really hard to implement whatever I'm working on that day - rehearsals, super-slow swings, half-swings - resulting in all kinds of stuff (shanks, 50 yard 7-irons, etc.).  

When I'm on the course, I'll take 1 or 2 thoughts from what I'm working on, but incorporate them into a normal-paced swing.  I don't film myself on the course, but based on feels, ball flight, etc. I'd estimate that I'm able to execute the swing change at somewhere between 20-60% effectiveness depending on a variety of factors (the type of change, where I am in the process etc).  Then just keep working and try to get to 100% and then move on to the next thing.  I've found this to be the only way I can enjoy playing and try to improve at the same time.  

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One of the problems with taking changes straight to the course is managing to keep the changes.  We all want to play well and compete properly so once those changes start throwing in a few mad shots and poor holes the temptation to revert back or "dilute" the changes can creep in.  It's strange isn't it, we often take lessons because we need to change but the minute it starts causing a problem we revert back to what we are trying to get away from.

I always stick to the range and get some practiced in soon after the lesson and try to get confidence with the changes to understand them and see some results.  I have "chickened out" on the course before, which has defeated the object of the lesson.  Partly my own lack of commitment maybe but it's not easy to struggle for 4 hours and keep doing it, so I don't put myself under that pressure now.  This has been my experience.

Driver - Cleveland Launcher XL270
3 Wood - Cleveland Launcher HT FL3W
Hybrid - Adams A12OS 4h
Irons -  Mizuno MP54 5i - Pitch
Wedges - Cleveland 588 Rotex
Putter - Rife Mr Beasley
Remember, P23 - V4 !!

 

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I chose the 2nd option (Keep the change on the driving range until...).

Not that I think that's the correct thing to do, only that for me it takes a very long time for a change to take over.

Jon

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Note: This thread is 2394 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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