"5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge November 2017

[Ty_Webb]

5 hours ago, iacas said:

One of my main problems with the "open" stance is that the ball is effectively moved BACK in your stance and the leading edge is given more of a chance of catching.

Interesting - the issue that I was trying to correct, which had caused all sorts of nasty problems was a slide with my hips into the ball. That got me steep and the face shut down and too much speed, so I had to bail out with my hands or I'd hit it way too far. That caused all sorts of yippy type issues. Opening my feet and my hips, but keeping my shoulders square kept the club moving in the right direction, but allowed me to have already cleared my hips, so I didn't need to move them in my forward stroke. That let me stop the slide, which was an absolute godsend. 

The lesson i learnt this in cost me an arm and a leg, and unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to repeat it. Suffice it to say it was worth it for the new lease of life it gave my game and the guy that gave the lesson has a pretty solid pedigree. He knows of what he speaks. Anyway. It seems to work for me. I hear you on the moving it back. Back feels more comfortable to me. My head is a bit of a mess when it comes to my chipping, so anything that works I'll go with.

[onthehunt526]

11/22/17:

I hit some short irons  (8-iron thru 48°) at about 70-75% speed. Most of the focus was contact. It seems like this works to get the "feeling" of great contact... I nailed about 5 of them right on the sweet spot... Around 145-150 yards with a 8-iron with about 3/4 speed... I only hit my 8-iron a couple yards further at my normal 80-85% speed.

Edited November 23, 2017 by onthehunt526

[Lihu]

21 hours ago, Lihu said:

Still practicing steepening my swings with irons, hybrid and wedges. This seemed to get me my high flight back, and the divots seem to be much cleaner off grass.

The shallower swing is likely better for my driver and wood. I'll have to practice and see how it works out on the course. Pitching stroke is finally getting more solid. I can brush through really thick rough now. Trying to get more spin without a more aggressive swing. Just swinging naturally letting the arms hang freely.

Have not tested the shallower swing for driver yet. Still working on my iron swing. Using a mirror with a club simulator at the top and transition making sure the shaft is straight on the target line with relaxed arms.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Lihu

[Ty_Webb]

Snuck a few minutes in the basement earlier before we were cooking turkeys and the like. Then had a go on the sam puttlab. Using he t-stroke and the Mi putting template I got my scores pretty high. The t stroke also feels much more natural at square so I am getting there. 

[iSank]

Toughest day yet, took a red eye Honolulu to Atlanta then drove to Bama. Reunited with my clubs from our Pinehurst trip so I took my clubs out back and took several tempo swings with each. The weight felt good, great to have the putter back. Then focused most of my time with my driver and 8 iron. 

Happy Thanksgiving, 11/23

Thankful to enjoy this game.

[onthehunt526]

11/23/17:

Happy Thanksgiving! Wedge swings in the yard. Focusing on the feeling of "chopping wood".

[Lihu]

9 hours ago, Lihu said:

Have not tested the shallower swing for driver yet. Still working on my iron swing. Using a mirror with a club simulator at the top and transition making sure the shaft is straight on the target line with relaxed arms.

Tried to setup at a 1:30 spine angle for driver, but my Thanksgiving feat kind of got in the way of practice.

 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

[iSank]

Hit a bucket at the range worked on good contact, and tempo, then played 18 at Ross Bridge Alabama. What a lovely day!

11/24

[Lihu]

21 hours ago, Lihu said:

Tried to setup at a 1:30 spine angle for driver, but my Thanksgiving feat kind of got in the way of practice.

1:30 seems to work really well for woods and irons. The reverse K is a little more exaggerated with the two woods more so with driver. Teeing up lower gives me a lower running shot and it's not really optimal. Higher tee about 2 3/4" off the ground with a 3 to 3 1/2" tee seems to work well. Have to setup with the ball almost setup outside my lead foot. Feet about 2' apart with a slight bend in the knees. The feel at release is a whip like motion. I'm not attempting to hold the lag too long and just letting gravity pull it out of the cocked position and same with the arm accumulator. Relaxed on the downswing. Gives the most distance with the least amount of effort. My irons up to 5i were pretty decent with the new steeper lie angle. I could even get one good shot out of my 4i. 7i to 6i are still a little low, but at least acceptable. 8i is a nice towering flight (for me), I know only one person who hits it higher, but he comes in super steep with the shaft in front of his forehead. Now sure if what he's doing is more correct or not? Leaking power a bit less than my last attempt with the conscious arm accumulator, so the whipping feel might be more correct? Need to see how well the shots work on the course. I feel like the shots are clean though? We'll see tomorrow or Sunday.

The high tee with setup at the outside of my lead foot gave me the most carry and roll on the driving range at the Santa Anita range. Pulled a lot of shots even though the "blur" looked inside out? Still need to find out what's going on with that?

It was really hot today so the flights were pretty long and high. Will have to wait until cold weather to see if it's all the same. This was a planned rest day, but I ended up hitting 120 balls again.

It's going to take some time for me to get used to these setups, but I'm making a little bit of progress.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Lihu

[Ty_Webb]

I managed to snag a few minutes this morning putting in the basement. Lining up the line on the ball and trying to have it roll end over end. Hopefully getting out to play tomorrow. Should be fun. 

[onthehunt526]

11/24/17:

Putted in the living room after work for a bit with Zoey in her papasan.

[Lihu]

16 hours ago, Lihu said:

1:30 seems to work really well for woods and irons. The reverse K is a little more exaggerated with the two woods more so with driver. Teeing up lower gives me a lower running shot and it's not really optimal. Higher tee about 2 3/4" off the ground with a 3 to 3 1/2" tee seems to work well. Have to setup with the ball almost setup outside my lead foot. Feet about 2' apart with a slight bend in the knees. The feel at release is a whip like motion. I'm not attempting to hold the lag too long and just letting gravity pull it out of the cocked position and same with the arm accumulator. Relaxed on the downswing. Gives the most distance with the least amount of effort. My irons up to 5i were pretty decent with the new steeper lie angle. I could even get one good shot out of my 4i. 7i to 6i are still a little low, but at least acceptable. 8i is a nice towering flight (for me), I know only one person who hits it higher, but he comes in super steep with the shaft in front of his forehead. Now sure if what he's doing is more correct or not? Leaking power a bit less than my last attempt with the conscious arm accumulator, so the whipping feel might be more correct? Need to see how well the shots work on the course. I feel like the shots are clean though? We'll see tomorrow or Sunday.

The high tee with setup at the outside of my lead foot gave me the most carry and roll on the driving range at the Santa Anita range. Pulled a lot of shots even though the "blur" looked inside out? Still need to find out what's going on with that?

It was really hot today so the flights were pretty long and high. Will have to wait until cold weather to see if it's all the same. This was a planned rest day, but I ended up hitting 120 balls again.

It's going to take some time for me to get used to these setups, but I'm making a little bit of progress.

Practiced in front of a dark window acting as a mirror this morning. Making sure my spine is between 1:00 and 1:30. Putting the whip motion into my club simulator.

Still a bit sore from the week of hitting a lot of balls. 1000 full swings for the week with about 200 of them "going for it" for speed training, plus 2 rounds and short game practice. A little bit too much for me. . .

[Ty_Webb]

Played today. They had a frost delay about an hour and got to play the last hole in virtually the dark. I hit a lot of good shots and putted solidly. The greens weren't great, but the work I'm doing is clearly paying off. Still stuff to do, but that's what we're here for right?

[iSank]

Well this game called the “Iron Bowl” took up the majority of my day but got back to the hotel with time so I practiced putting on this lovely hotel room carpet. Tomorrow we see the Judge, as in RJT golf course.

aloha from Alabama 

[onthehunt526]

11/25/17:

Easy swings with the spatula today, focused on flat left wrist and finishing my backswing.

 

[iSank]

Took about 20 swings trying to be consistent then played 18 on The Judge an RTJ Capitol Hill Course. Good fun, too many 3 putts and too many sixes. 11/26

[Ty_Webb]

I spent time today working on my backswing feel of keeping my left arm off my chest. It’s not something that I can successfully focus on when I’m swinging for real so the practice with it will hopefully ingrain the move so I can reach unconscious competence. 

[Lihu]

Driving range. Practiced my whipping motion trying to use the least amount of effort possible. Minimizing my motion while trying to maximize the snap at impact. It’ll take some time to do this.