DoctorYikes

Well, to be fair -- That's the flattened version.

Exactly. He took the vid straight into V1 on his phone, so I'm not sure forwarding it along as a regular video file is an option -- I stopped adapting to tech about ten years ago, hah. Either way, I'll get something together in the next day or two. I've been meaning to get video to the extent of carrying my tripod and camera around in my trunk for the past week. (Probably meaning my jury rigged method of keeping a flip video on a tripod has melted loose and fallen off.) Just been in the mode of more course than range, lately. Free time's at a premium. :D

I think a 175 yard 7 iron is a minimum to be taken seriously on the internets. Kinda funny, though to be fair I have seen some dudes just blasting it out there. Probably a greater percentage of those guys who actually obsess enough about golf to hang out on a forum dedicated to it. THAT said, I'm usually considered a long hitter when I'm playing with others. More often than not, I'm THE long hitter of the threesome/foursome/whateversome. Don't say that to show off but to say that I really have a nut a 7 iron to get it to go 175. That, and probably deloft it a bit. I'm pulling a 7 at about 160. I'll sail over the occasional green, but it'd have to be downhil with a blustery tailwind for me to even think about pulling a 7 at 175, ha ha.

Hi all, This is my third year of the game, having made a change from a lifelong martial arts career after nagging injuries had me spending more time in recovery than fighting. Took up golf at 35 years of age. Up until this year, I hadn't been able to break 100. Then, this July, I went on a tear over about three weeks... Shot 102, 100, 97, 94, 87 for my last five rounds. (Stunk up the course during a scramble since then, so I'm sure I'm not at a place where I'm consistently going to break 90, but still happy with the strides taken.) So, I went to a pro I'd spoken with some times before. I know him to be pretty particular, so I figured he'd fulfill my primary requirement -- Direct Honest Feedback. He told me in kinder terms that my swing should have me in single digits pretty easily, so I'm probably just screwed up in the head. *laugh* No doubt he's accurate, as I tend to lose most of my strokes via idiot penalty strokes. Primary problem is getting my tempo and sequence out of whack. Put me up on his V1 app and ended up comparing me to a left-handed Bernhard Langer (Never would've thought of that one, actually... but the positions are similar). Slightly under plane in the backswing, dead-on plane in the transition/downswing. He spent a good bit of time happy about my transition (Little front knee kick toward target while the club is still going back). QUESTION PART: So, the upside out of the way... Here's where I get a bit confused: He's advised me to work on a more level/flatter shoulder turn in the backswing as well as some extension/flexibility drills... Place my hand on a club placed opposite my trailing hip and reaching through with my trailing arm -- Seems to promote a steeper shoulder turn in the downswing. MEANWHILE, I read regularly about the problem of being too flat in the shoulders on the backswing, and too steep on the downswing. Anyone have any insight on this? I'm going to ask him, now that I've had time to process it all of course, but I am curious to see what the Internet Golf Gurus think. Now, my primary miss is a hook -- Is the too flat/too steep theme that floods online articles and message boards advice geared toward slicers, perhaps? Double checking because I'm a bit gun shy with pro instruction.. I've had pros telling me to 'aggressively rotate my hands' through impact, backward ball flight laws, etc. Track record with trying to get lessons has not been great.

I'm still a newbie hack, but chipping and pitching is all that saves me from complete oblivion. I do kind of a hybrid between what I picked up from Mickleson and Utley. Back with the shoulders, through with the hips, hinge and hold, and accelerate through the ball. Only time I make those chunkered ugly hate myself chips is when I'm not aggressive through the ball. Same grip as my full swing, which is actually coming together now that I'm coming at it from a "really long pitch shot" perspective.

My best swing thought is no swing thought, but it's harder than it sounds for me. Last few rounds I've adopted a Mike Weir waggle into the routine that's working wonders, for now. I get all my obsessive neuroticism out of the way behind the ball. Get lined up, kind of "rehearse" my takeaway to where my wrists set, watching the path of the clubhead. Ease back down to the ball, and pull the trigger. If I start thinking, I need to back off. (Also harder than it sounds.)

One of my favorite sticks is my split-the-difference club. 58*.

I hit ny 3 wood 250. My driver, not so much. Struggle getting the face around and either push or snap a hook. So I back off and can hit it straight... almost as far as my 3 wood, which I should have been hitting to start with, haha.

I think what helped me the most... or at least what's working for me right now... getting a good feel for lag, particularly on the index finger of my trail hand. Even on very short swings.

I like clampett's book, but the whole aiming point technique messes me up something fierce. I tend to skull it... and in one seemed to swing over it altogether. I manage better looking at the ball and not thinking about it too much. Got a good pic of my divot the other day... bottom out pretty close to four inches past the tee (iron shit). So, it's working, whatever it is. Kinda wish the AP worked a little better for me. Ironically "trust the swing" doesn't feel as reliable as having a specific spot to focus upon.

My major chipping woes went away with one thought. Accelerate Through The Ball. No more thins fats or full blown stupids. My accuracy still needs some work, but most of that is inexperience. I'll land the ball right where I wanted to only to find it was a horrid idea.

I haven't heard anything regarding Tapatio, but living out of state the past two years and not knowing any golf people, I wouldn't have. Got my first full nine in almost two years in yesterday at Woodlake. Ball striking is in desperate need of attention. I actually had ZERO three-putts, and still managed to hack my way up to a +12, haha. Donated two balls to the various water hazards and blasted a third into scrub deep enough to call off the search before it began. Only looked at one birdie put, and I pulled it when a swan charged across the green at me during my putting stroke. (What's the ruling on that? Heh.) Had a few of those shots that keep you coming back to the game despite sucking furiously at it... the birdie putt approach shot was from about 180 in pretty deep rough after hooking my tee shot off target. Only pulled the big stick twice. Historically, I avoid it because I've tended to blast ballooning push shots with it. Both went nice and straight for the most part. GPS put them at 234 (ugh) and 272. The 270 was absolutely useless, as I put it down the right side of the fairway on a 600 yard dogleg left. 350 to the green, hah.

Hi, all. Recently moved back to San Antonio after a couple years away for work. I'd picked up the game a little while before that, and didn't have much opportunity to play during my time further north. Looking to get a club membership and get more enthusiastic about playing now that my new job and location are so much more conducive to golf playing. I would consider myself a pretty green beginner... my best nine hole round was a +8, though I haven't broken 100 (rarely had the time to sneak in a full 18). Don't really know anyone who plays in the area, but still hoping to at least get out there a couple times a week. I'm one of those Lefty Weirdo types.