Backhoe

cutshot878 - No, sorry. I thought I'd hit 'reply' to the original post. My apologies. I must have been having delusions of competency again.

We're all built differently. Some people will raise their arm straight up and the thumb will naturally want to be up but for others it may be more toward the 3 o:clock position. The idea is to adopt a grip that will naturally return the clubface somewhat square to the target line at impact. If you otherwise had no problem with their teaching method grant your instructor the courtesy of talking with them first. Try to determine what they had in mind in moving your grip to a neutral position. It is true that for every action there's a reaction and they may have had one in mind but you responded in a different way than they expected. BTW, I'm normally a bit on the weak side of neutral but change the strength of my grip from very weak to very strong depending on the shot-shape I'm looking for. That accompanied by opening and closing the stance and clubface at address will give a golfer a wide range of slot selection. A few weeks ago a gentleman at the range asked me if I knew how to hit a deliberate slice. I showed him, hitting 45 degrees left of the target and having the ball slice back to the green (easy). Then I demonstrated taking the ball in the other direction with a high hook (hard). These are shots you don't want to have to hit as they're really low percentage. Better to not get in that position but nice to be able to deal with it should one get an unlucky bounce, the match is on the line, and there's little choice but to take the chance.

Cargo shorts really aren't that far off knickerbockers length-wise. Just add blousers and argyle socks and you're in. I looked on La Gorce's website and couldn't find a thing on dress codes. Of course I'm surprised they'd let common rabble like me on their website. This got me thinking so I looked and sure enough: nudist golf courses do exist. One in Sweden where nudity is permitted (brrrrr) and one in France where, of course, it's mandatory (but then the way France is going nobody there will be able to afford clothes for very much longer anyway.) And now back to my original post. I suspect the members complaining were associated with a basketball organization so often victimized by Jordan and the Bulls. They were simply doing a little payback.

I just happened on this book recently. My only regret is I hadn't discovered it sooner. The most important point for me was discovering how to make a correct lateral hip move. I'd previously just moved over straightening the left leg. This caused me to get 'stuck' far too often so I was unable to turn my hips in anything but an artificial and contrived fashion with the result being an over-the-top heave and all that goes with it. Once I learned from Dante's 4MM to keep my knees bent, pointing them ahead of the ball as I made the lateral move I discovered that I could now keep the hips leading aggressively . This kept the stretch between my upper and lower halves intact which helped accelerate the club. The left leg straightening very late in the process as the club is releasing helped that even more. So my normal 150-yard carry 8-iron started jumping out another 10 yards. I haven't really been able to use the preset wrist in the manner described. It seems my wrists aren't built as normal and I can't get even half the 35 degrees of radial deviation described when the wrist is kept flat. So, I've stayed with what I have, i.e. a cupped left wrist and an open face. Even still, this doesn't seem to cause a problem now I've learned how to make the correct lateral move.

I'm definitely a range rat. It's come to be that even thinking about going out on a course causes me to become nauseated. It just gets worse if I actually try to play. Sad, I know but at least it clears the way for people who really are players and do enjoy the game. To me exploring the golf swing is a lot of fun so I'll be happy to support golf in a way that brings me joy.

I'm 160 yards out but with trees between me and the green which I cannot get over. Aimed into the clear some 50 yards left with a 16.5 fairway metal, opened the club face and left it wide-open at impact. The shot stopped on the fringe so I was putting and was able to get up and down for par. I practice these on the range along with deliberate hooks. They are pretty low percentage but can be fun to use in a scramble situation when you've already got a safety shot in place.

I have to agree. Right now the game of golf is struggling. People are leaving golf because it is simply too hard to initially learn. We really need a teaching platform that can get the bulk of the new players up to a level they can feel good about their game quickly. The Golfing Machine does not provide that platform.

Why yes, I do like to play in the rain. Not only do the fair weather golfers dissolve but so does the course marshal so if I find a problem area, like some combination of ball above or below the feet and on an up or down slope or a really deep bunker I can stop and hit as many balls as necessary before moving on. During inclement weather I don't necessarily play a given number of holes. I pay for 18 but just work until I've got in 4 hours or my boots fill up, whichever comes first. During the winter I play a 9-degree driver to avoid plugging. I turn the club over pretty aggressively for a low ball flight. The rooster tail put up by the ball also makes locating it a cinch.

I think the grip is one of the most individual areas of the game. It's worth getting the advice of a club fitter as its vital the grips be the correct size for your hands before you can find the grip that's right for you. I was fine with the overlap grip but with a naturally cupped left wrist at the top I found I was twisting the club in my right hand. The Nicklaus-style interlock grip never felt comfortable to me. The way my wrists hinge causes a lot of tension with that grip. I now use a double-overlap interlocked grip (little finger of the bottom hand between the middle and ring finger of the top hand.) It locks my hands together in a way that lets them work as a single unit. I don't recommend it for anyone else but just to make the point that one simply has to keep trying until you find what's right for you.

I think the grip is one of the most individual areas of the game. It's worth getting the advice of a club fitter as its vital the grips be the correct size for your hands before you can find the grip that's right for you. I was fine with the overlap grip but with a naturally cupped left wrist at the top I found I was twisting the club in my right hand. The Nicklaus-style interlock grip never felt comfortable to me. The way my wrists hinge causes a lot of tension with that grip. I now use a double-overlap interlocked grip (little finger of the bottom hand between the middle and ring finger of the top hand.) It locks my hands together in a way that lets them work as a single unit. I don't recommend it for anyone else but just to make the point that one simply has to keep trying until you find what's right for you.