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  • Moderator
Posted

Day 1 - 3/27

Chipping at the local course.  Played last weekend for the first time in 4.5 months after elbow surgery around Christmas. Meh.
 

Definitely need to go back to just making solid contact. Chipping from 10-15 yds, then back to 20-30 yd shots. 

Driver: :callaway: Rogue ST  /  Woods: :tmade: Stealth 5W / Hybrid: :tmade: Stealth 25* / Irons: :ping: i500’s /  Wedges: :edel: 54*, 58*; Putter: :scotty_cameron: Futura 5  Ball: image.png Vero X1

 

 -Jonny

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Posted

Day 223 3-28

Practice had the same focus as yesterday, with wrist arching, went waaay slower. Felt much better about it. Hit a foam balls and recorded. 


  • Administrator
Posted

Day 543 - 2026-03-28

Got there early and got some swing work in. Only six or seven 😄 minutes. Tomorrow's gonna be rough.

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 20

(28 Mar 26) - Continued work on drill work with takeaway and overall alignment.  Hit a few hard foam balls with 7i.  

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 21 (29 Mar 26)  - worked through a series of chipping drills (low flighted wedges to full bump and runs with the 7w). All focused on the takeaway path using an alignment rod.  

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 224 3-29

1st short practice was flow and wrist arching. Later in the day got a longer session working on better hip/chest turn in backswing. 


  • Administrator
Posted

Day 544 - 2026-03-29

Got some work done before Junior Elite and a little bit after waiting for a student some of you may know. 🙂 

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

Back in the saddle after a vacation.

Day 1: Played 9 holes. Everything was about a C, and finished about +7 (wasn't really keeping score). Hit some good shots, but most were just okay. I've got some work to do before real golf season starts.

  • Like 1

-- 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 22 (30 Mar 26) - Worked with the local Christian academy golf team today in their practice session at the course.  

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 225 3-30

Correct hip and chest turn and then worked on wrist arching. Recorded and hit foam balls. 


  • Administrator
Posted

Day 545 - 2026-03-30

Longer day (not all teaching), so I did some work at home while watching the Pens game. Two point conversion was good.

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 2: 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

Posted

Day 225 3-30

Not hinging as early in the back swing and correct hip/chest turn. Did drills today. 


Posted

Day 23 (31 Mar 26) - Short game work focused on initial takeaway before heading to school team golf tournament.  

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 546 - 2026-03-31

Mirror work between lessons and while watching (mostly listening, as there wasn't much visual to look at) a presentation on Zoom.

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 (edited)

Day 3: did some work with foam balls and filming outside. I think it’s looking pretty good. Sped it up a bit and priority piece looks decent. 

Edited by DeadMan

-- 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 24 (1 Apr 26) - went to the course - worked with alignment rod on swing path thru the ball on the range before working with the kids on the golf team.  

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 547 - 2026-04-01

I didn't practice today, but I get a freebie, and wanted to keep track here and update so I don't forget the date or count tomorrow. 🙂 

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 16, May 20.  Today, in between Zoom meetings, I spent some time hitting balls in the golf room adjacent to my home office.  As of this writing, I've hit two dozen, all with a 6-iron, with the same slow swing and lifting arms emphasis of my last lesson.
    • I played on Monday at Rancho Park.  I missed the green with my second shot on the long par-4 11th and had 32 yards left to the pin from the rough.  I hit it to 3 feet (in one shot) but I proceeded to three-putt from there.  Just kidding, I made the putt for a par, gaining 0.81 on that hole (total, not with that putt).  But the pitch from 32 yards in the rough to 3 feet gained me 0.79 strokes, my highest gain on any single shot all day.  I think that's a decent way to decide what the shot of the day was for a round that was stroke play but without a competition going on, just out with friends. Other candidates for best shot of that round (both of these gained at least 0.5 strokes compared to 5 handicap) - a "chip" (using a putter) from light rough left of the #7 green, 12 yards from the pin (uphill then downhill, breaking) to under a foot.   And then again, at hole 13, from 18 yards from the pin in the fairway, putt uphill but fairly straight, to two feet.  Amazingly, none of my drives all day really stand out as great and only two as "very good."  Two also stand out as poor.  Yet, that one round, I lost 0.03 strokes driving compared to a 5 handicap baseline.  Small sample size but encouraging.
    • Yay, back at it! Just a short practice session in doors today. Somehow it is 30+ degrees cooler today than it was yesterday. Though, I am not sure I am in for 89 degrees!!!! I probably had heat exhaustion yesterday playing volleyball.  Just getting stretched out today. Getting some feel back. Mostly feeling like the club works down behind and then out to the right as I do my wrist stuff. Just need to do turn and hip stuff better to get a bit more right side forward at impact.   
    • I originally got self-fitted, with some Ping Eye 2 Orange Dots. My score dropped ten stokes on 9 holes in our golf league when my partner suggested I do that years ago. When I did that, I googled the chart, not realizing that the chart was the older Ping Eye 2 sizing chart. So it said I was orange dot. Then, recently, I learned that there was an older chart for Ping Eye 2s, so I re-measured, and it appeared I was a red/purple dot. Purples are hard to find, but reds aren't, and I had a credit at PIAS, so I grabbed a set of Ping Eye 2 Plus red dots to try out. There are some differences in the shape of a Plus vs a classic, and the Plus club is about 1/4 to 1/2" longer than the classic clubs (orange and brown, see below). Then, for grins, I bought a set of brown dots from eBay because I wanted to experiment with even flatter lie. Brown dots are very difficult to find. Very rare indeed. I don't want to upgrade to a newer set of clubs without having a fairly good understanding of my fitting/sizing. I have long arms, longer torso, shorter legs (Alpine Man build). And here is what our results look like between the three using some impact tape (7 iron). The red dots do sit upright at address, and I can't see how you would make solid contact with the toe up, but contact at swing does not equate to address, I realize that. But the tape shows red dot hitting mostly off toe. The Orange Dot and Brown Dots are similar. But I think orange dot is also a bit more toe-oriented (there is one mishit on there that looks heel but I recall that as a mishit). The Brown dot seems most proper on the face, albeit slightly more dispersed. I am thinking I want a flatter lier - that I am a Brown Dot and not an Orange Dot. I will hit one more session using a 5 and a 7 to be sure (I had only enough tape for a 7 this time). Thought you guys might find it interesting. The lie angle definitely matters.
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