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Posted

Day 36 - 2026-01-25

Quality 75 minutes at the range. More grip work based on coach feedback, lots of exaggerated moves. Getting more consistent with video self-review. Results good I think but need to keep grinding.

-Chris Brooks

I've blogged about my wanderings since 2003. I love roaming throughout the USA looking for remote public golf courses to play.

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Posted

Day 482 - 2026-01-25

Had one lesson today (one earlier yesterday, another moved back a week due to the weather), so I got some swings in and headed home to do some snow throwing.

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

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Posted

Day 7 (25 Jan 26) - Caught a few moments break in the cold misting rain (thankfully no ice) to continue the lead arm drill mixed with standard chips/pitches.  Today with the 7i - so more of a bump and run than true pitches in shot types.  Primary focus is on squaring the face using just the lead hand….

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

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Posted

Day 165 1-25

Flow drill with arm reconnecting. My main focus was on the flow drill and re-connection, I tried to be intentional on arching wrist in down swing too, although I didn't do as well as I have been with it. Recorded swings and hit a few foam balls. Pause at the top of the backswing. 


Posted

Day 61: simulator for an hour this morning. Played Harbor Town and shot a respectable 76. Then spent the last 20 minutes playing around with some feels. 

-- 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:

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Posted

Day 23: 2026.01.25

Managed a quick nine holes in about an hour at New Zealand's northernmost course. Was a bit windy to get much feedback on swing changes but good to get out there.


Posted

Day 25.  1/25.  Despite a busy schedule today, I was able to do a bit of putting (on a carpet, to a cup) and some chipping and pitching (indoors, off a mat, into a net, real balls).

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Tour Edge Exotics C723 21 degree hybrid.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Posted

Day 24: 2026.01.26

Got home late so some slow swings outside. Looking to do some filming early this week to see how much I have managed to ingrain the new motion.


Posted

Day 37 - 2026-01-26

Film review in the morning, 30 minutes of putting practice in the afternoon. 20 distance control, 10 4-8 ft putts. 

-Chris Brooks

I've blogged about my wanderings since 2003. I love roaming throughout the USA looking for remote public golf courses to play.

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 166 1-26

Worked on a few things tonight. Rechecked grip and made sure i was OK there. Ive been getting a bit off.  Then worked on arching wrist in downswing. Pause swing at the top.  Hit foam balls. 


Posted

Day 8 (26 Jan 26) - Braved the cold for an abbreviated session - still working on the lead hand solo drill, mixed with solid two hand pitches.  Club of choice today - Pw for those 25-30 yds chips/pitches.  

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 483 - 2026-01-26

Plenty of putts today in working with a student on his putting.

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 26, 1/26.  This is a repeat of yesterday (that is, I did the same thing -- I'm not claiming yesterday's practice "counts" for today).  Some putting on the carpet, cup drill, and also some chipping and pitching on the mat.  

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Tour Edge Exotics C723 21 degree hybrid.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted

Day 62: did a stack session. Did some slow rehearsal swings during rest breaks, working on lowering and then turning in the backswing. 

-- 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 25: 2026.01.27

Hit ~20 balls at the range working on rotation in backswing. Got some filming done for upload.


Posted

Day 9 (27 Jan 26) - More of the same - started with lead arm only, moved to both hands with 9i.  Wrapped up the day when grandson got in from school with a little closest to the pin pitch shot fun in the backyard. 

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 167 1-27

Arching wrist in downswing focus. Pausing at top before downswing. Hit foam balls. 


  • Administrator
Posted

Day 484 - 2026-01-27

Lots of re-schedules today, so I did some work at home. Winding down my January and going to start working on the downswing soon.

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

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  • Posts

    • Day 262 5-12 Got an early practice session in this morning. Arms off body was the main focus with getting chest through with speed, I did much better with wrist arching through the downswing.   
    • Yea, developing a proper shot zone for that approach should would be helpful. If you are bringing OB into play more than you like, then it is either needs to be an accepted reward for the risk. If you hit 10 shots from that tee ball landing area. If like 1 ball goes OB, that could be outlier shots you need to discard. If more than that is creeping in, then it is probably not the correct shot.  Maybe it needs to be more nuanced. Maybe you hit more shots OB from the left side of the hole than right due to shot shape. If you hit it left to right, maybe being on the left side makes you aim further right, bringing in OB right. It could be an aiming issue. 
    • Thank you, @saevel25.  First two points, definitely, and those are things I can do.  PGA Tour average being 3.0 from 100 yards in the rough (or 160 in the fairway, per ESC) is a great reminder that a 5 is a really good score on a par-5 and the occasional six isn't anything to be upset about, as long as I played it intelligently.   I'm playing in less than a week, and I checked the three par-5s against ShotScope's 5-handicap baseline.    My last par on two of them yielded a 0.23 stroke gain (each), while the last one had -0.07 on my last par (I wonder if ShotScope measures straight-line distance, because there's some slight bending going on). Hmmm, that last one, especially with between the ropes.  I think I'll go through my past rounds later today and see where I'm losing strokes there -- I would guess it's on my second shot, since that one makes me nervous because of O.B. left and right on the second shot.  Yet, I think I can hit a hybrid from my typical tee shot landing area and have a distance wedge into the green.  
    • Goal 1) Keep the ball between the ropes. The ropes being where you have a full swing at the ball to advance it as far towards the green as possible. Not in trees, bunkers, hazards, long grass, OB, etc...  Goal 2) Advance the ball as far as possible towards the green with respect to your shot zone. Keep the ball in play, ideally in the fairway, but the rough is not terrible. Stay away from hazards, including bunkers. Ideally, you will in play with a short iron, distance wedge shot, pitch shot, or on the green. If this is the case, then think of it as having a par 3 that is the distance left on the par 5. If you are hitting a full swing short iron, then that is going to be difficult to get par than bogey. PGA Tour is 3.0 from the rough from 100 yards. This might be where fairway matters the most.  PGA Tour rough is tougher than what we usually play. If you get can this close to 50/50 for par/bogey than you will most likely end up more pars than bogies on par 5's. You would probably be better than 50/50 if you end up closer to the hole. This is where the advice would be, aim at the center of the green with full swing shots into par 5's. 
    • Wordle 1,788 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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