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Posted
On 12/31/2017 at 3:25 PM, iacas said:

5_minutes.svg.d4c131a17764cc67bea1183eb5Welcome to the "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge for 2018!

Please read as the rules have changed!

Yes, for all of 2018! I'm changing it up. Rather than do this monthly, we're going to have an ongoing challenge. Here is how you can earn the coveted award you see to the right.

  • Make a detailed post describing your practice every day during the month. "Going to the range later" doesn't cut it, nor does "worked on my chipping today."
  • Describe what you did for at least five minutes of practice (indoors or out, with or without golf balls, etc.).
  • No back-dating or pre-dating posts or practice sessions.
  • When you've gone four weeks (28 calendar days) in a row, missing at most two days, make your post in bold, red text to let everyone know that you're on a streak.
  • Every day after that, so long as you're still 26 of 28 or better, post in bold, red text.
  • If you had a streak, but lose it, post again in regular old black, non-bold text. Be honest; this is golf we're talking about.

Once you've earned the award, give it to yourself here: https://thesandtrap.com/awards/category/2-site-awards/. You should be able to figure out how to do it. (Note: do it on a computer or tablet as the "Add New" button doesn't appear on mobile devices.)

What's different about this? Your "month" basically can begin any time. If you're stopping in and it's the 17th, you can start your streak right now, and a month later, have the award. Before, you had to wait for the month to change on the calendar.

Enjoy and practice hard!

Practicing my putting after work. I put five balls on the carpet and a mug on the other side. Once I make 3 out of 5 I can stop. If I leave any short or they go to far and fall off the rug, I restart. 

Focusing on speed and hitting my mark 3 inches in front of me. Trying to gain consistency and discipline in all aspects of my putting game. 


Posted

Day 29 (9 Dec 25) - PW dink and rolls as well as low flighted chips.  Dink and rolls - set up with club head toe down/heel up to promote low flight, plenty of roll out.  Low flighted pitches - club flat on the ground to get ball up a Rick more and check more.   No more than 10yds total distance - focus on getting the ball to finish near (within 10’ dia circle) the target “pin”…

Ping G400 SFT 10deg  R flex
Ping G410 3w R flex
Ping G400 3h and 4h R flex
Taylormade SLDR 5i thru PW graphite shaft R flex
Cleveland CBX wedges - 50, 54, 58 or 52, 58 (depending on my mood)
Odyssey Versa or White Steel #5
Srixon Q Star

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Posted

Day 435 - 2025-12-09

Got some work in between lessons with a beginner and some juniors.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 119 12-9

Flow practice tonight with some skill work for club awareness. Still have getting to lead side as a primary focus. Was hoping it would feel more natural, need to keep drilling it. 


Posted

Day 15: mirror work. Going slow, working on feels in the downswing. 

-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

 :aimpoint:

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 30 (10 Dec 25) - Played the midweek shootout (best weather day this week).  Decent day off the tee and approaches were solid, putting game was off (tbh - was using a spare putter (from grandson’s stash) that proved to be not quite the stick for me) as I had five 3putts (very uncharacteristic).  A good day of exercising patience on the green.

Ping G400 SFT 10deg  R flex
Ping G410 3w R flex
Ping G400 3h and 4h R flex
Taylormade SLDR 5i thru PW graphite shaft R flex
Cleveland CBX wedges - 50, 54, 58 or 52, 58 (depending on my mood)
Odyssey Versa or White Steel #5
Srixon Q Star

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 120 12-10

started with flow swing and getting to lead side work. Recorded face on and swing just looked worse and worse the longer I practiced. Something seems to be off lately. Need to adjust. 


  • Administrator
Posted

Day 436 - 2025-12-10

Light on the full swing work today, but I did a chipping competition against the girls. I won. 😉 

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 16: did my drill on my back deck. Trying to slow down the downswing a bit so I can really get the hands feel. 

-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

 :aimpoint:

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 121 12-11

Practice session this morning. Slowing the swing down. 3/4 swings, Getting to lead side better, trying to feel more in sync with swing. Hit foam balls. Good session overall. 


Posted

Day 31 (11 Dec 25) - Regripped my #1 putter and spent some time rolling the rock.  Worked on lagging the ball to set distances (ladder drill) and overall tempo.  

Ping G400 SFT 10deg  R flex
Ping G410 3w R flex
Ping G400 3h and 4h R flex
Taylormade SLDR 5i thru PW graphite shaft R flex
Cleveland CBX wedges - 50, 54, 58 or 52, 58 (depending on my mood)
Odyssey Versa or White Steel #5
Srixon Q Star

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Posted

Day 437 - 2025-12-11

Got some backswing work done on GEARS today after testing out a few things. Backswing looking pretty good, generally speaking. I can…

  • Hinge a little earlier.
  • Stay right a little longer.
  • Keep a little trail knee flex.

I'll continue with that the rest of December, then re-assess. It may go to the middle of January or so, before I can do the downswing stuff again.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 17: did a stack session. 

-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

 :aimpoint:

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Posted

Day 438 - 2025-12-12

Did a little work with the Swingyde. Backswing can actually be a little tiny bit less rolled now, which is a good thing. I'm doing a good job of not really doing the wrist stuff.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 122 12-12

flow drill again tonight. Doing the drill quite a bit, i like it and its helped alot. Focus on rotating and getting to lead side. Only hit a few foam balls. Things were clicking tonight. 


Posted

Day 32 (12 Dec 25) - What was the Friday shootout became a practice round due to lack of enough players (temps kept a lot of the regulars home).  Used it to dial in some playing distances as I played back a set of tees to force alternate club selections.  Plenty of long approaches - every club was put into action thru the course is 18 holes. Was not a GiR day but rather nGIR (5 up and down pars).  Pin placement was tough - the smallest miss would see the ball roll just as far past or even off the green.  Was a great day of battling what the course was dealing. Overall - I finished 5 strokes over my average score of 86. 

Ping G400 SFT 10deg  R flex
Ping G410 3w R flex
Ping G400 3h and 4h R flex
Taylormade SLDR 5i thru PW graphite shaft R flex
Cleveland CBX wedges - 50, 54, 58 or 52, 58 (depending on my mood)
Odyssey Versa or White Steel #5
Srixon Q Star

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 18: drill swing in my garage after getting home from work. 

-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

 :aimpoint:

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 123 12-13

Rotation and getting to lead side work. Recorded face on. Hit a few foam balls but did plenty of rehearsals today. 


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  • Posts

    • Just some clarifications.  Something to try out. It is something Rory does. He extends his left knee, which closes his hips a bit, but it also shifts him right. It was something we were trying. It could help be a trigger for the backswing and get me shifted right. Also help with my left knee flexion.    More focus on this^. I have to nail this, or the downswing will just be dead.  Less of this^ Got clarification from @iacas that the numbers might be over what they actually are. So, this was much closer to A or A- rather than like B or B-. Something to keep an eye on, but much better now. Anything associated with me overturning/swinging needs to be monitored, lol.  Focus on this^ Drills. Slam the medicine ball down and behind me. Going to search Amazon for a soft medicine ball I can throw. With it being like 5lbs, it is not that physically demanding. It definitely gets the feeling of how to throw the club down behind you with the arms.  Staying tall, similar to the medicine ball, but swing the club down hitting the ground way behind the ball. Not 100%, but don't be afraid to thump the ground.   Not much of drills for the left leg. Just a lot sooner. Because I have tons of knee bend going from A3 to A5, it is probably going to feel like I don't load the left leg that much but just extend it. Might incorporate some medicine ball exercises for this.  On a side note, I been thinking of this since the last lesson (January). The final swing for me is going to probably feel superfast/quick. I went and looked at an older GEARS swing. The backswing was like 1.3 seconds, and total time of 1.6 seconds.  A long backswing, a quickish downswing (0.3-ish seconds). A 4.4 to 1 tempo (PGA Tour is 3:1)  On the swings where I was doing the downswing stuff on Sunday. It went to 1.4 seconds (13% reduction), and the downswing went to 1.1 seconds (15.2% reduction). A 3.9 tempo. Getting closer to 3:1. I could tell the swing was going to be shorter/quicker when the torso turn runs up against hips that restrict the turn. Especially when I do the right arm stuff much better. It was like, "Oh crap, I stopped turning".  If my swing was closer to PGA tour averages, 0.75 second backswing and 0.25 second downswing. That is about 30% quicker than the baseline swing. Which will probably feel like 50% quicker. I might play around with a metronome. Just so I can get use to how fast I have to do this. I may need to speed up the right arm stuff. Not going to try that now, just maybe for later. 
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