Jarrod Putnam

I always would be furious when I first began playing. It is hard at first, but hitting a golf ball how you want...well...that is a good feeling...hard to explain haha. Nothing else is the same as hearing that crisp clean shot.

It couldn't hurt to work on it. I was in the same situation awhile back, but I focused in simply hitting the ball straight first and maybe hit a dozen attempted draws. It really is purely up to you as to when you start practicing this really. If you feel confident in your "normal" shots for the time being, why not mix in some shape shots? I went through an entire bucket at the range purely to work on my draw. At first I was trying the method you are doing (closing the face) but I couldn't do a thing with it. So I tried having my back swing come more inside, then on the downswing bring it to the outside so it feels extremely exaggerated. That worked for me personally though I still am trying to get it down pat. I somehow can hit a draw at will with a 56 wedge, but maybe 6/10 with my 7 iron...go figure.

No I haven't yet. I thought id try and find out what the cause of it was and if I could remedy it. I haven't been able to find anything about it online whatsoever.

I was having the same issue. I could bomb my driver but my iron play was sickening to say the least...As Glen said, it sounds like you are lifting your head at the last second. What fixed my ball striking was just SLOW DOWN. Focus on keeping your eyes down at the ball. I know it gets old hearing that from people (my dad would say it to me all the time, thus starting an argument) but the simple things can cause the biggest problems.

I got them from Dicks Sporting Goods, so I hope they aren't fake lol. Regripping is in my head at the moment, unless I can remedy this problem.

I got a set of Nike VR Pro Cavity irons about a month ago and I keep getting a white powder like substance on my grips? I wash it off with water on a range, and itll come back shortly after. My friends have suggested that it is my glove, but ive used 3 different gloves since ive had the irons and it is the same with all of them. Anyone have this problem before? It really is killing the "gripping" capability of the grips themselves. It makes them feel like 5 year old grips that are worn to hell. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

I usually take some swings when I first start at the range, or if I start getting off a bit. But on the course I almost always take a couple swings.

:D How can you turn this possibility down?

My train of thought it was kills my game. I was always frustrated when I would be hitting the ball nice and clean, then id duff a shot or two and it would get to my head. I realized that if my head is cluttered with worrying about my game than I can't hit the ball. Once I relax, my game explodes XD Gets a bit annoying that the only thing holding me back is my head. I guess it's better than having a bad swing or something that holds you back.

Indeed. Ive been hitting almost 500 balls almost daily for the past month. Got my swing in good shape, that is for sure

Mind you im not on of the best players around, or have had experience in giving people instructions but...I had the same type of problem. I would over analyze parts of my swing WAY to much. Though it sounds stupidly simple...just slow your mind down, don't think about whats happening with your head on your back swing. Just be aware of your problem (in a non "crap crap crap, get the head square ASAP" way). You know you normally hit the ball how you would like, so you KNOW you can swing how you want. Just don't think about it so much. I always thought when people told me to "clear your head", they were being as cliche as "keep your head down", but it is quite a huge factor. My game was horrendous in the past. I fixed little parts of my swing, but was still duffing the ball, and getting SUPER slices. With just a tweak or two, and not thinking about it so much in my setup, im hitting the ball better than id ever dreamed. Give it a shot I guess and see if it helps. I know it helped me alot, even when I thought something so simple couldn't mess up my ball striking so dramatically.

A bit better of a picture of the swamp hazard. It's a bit hard to see the actual water, but once you go right of the fence you are up to your knees in swamp.

The guy who gets far to full of himself is one that makes me want to start fighting them. One of my friends is like this when we hit the range, and it completely screws my game up because it makes me so annoyed. Also the person who simply doesn't follow golf etiquette to any extent. It won't ruin my day, but I feel that it should be common knowledge if you are going to play at a course (of course there are extremely rare occasions that you can't get THAT mad) As for people who take to many swings, plays extremely slow or fast, they don't really bother me. In my eyes, do what you gotta do to play your game. Of course there is a limit. Don't do 15 practice swings, or make a single hole take an hour.

AWM how exactly do you analyze your swing with your laptop? I assume a swing program of sorts? Or simple recording and slowing it down?

With the pitching, how close was the target you were trying to hit? If it was intended as a full swing, then you need to bring the club around ALOT more. Your club is almost at the top of your swing. But like I said, depends on what you were shooting at.

Just began with a little pause during my chip shots. Helps me quite a bit.

It is always going to help if you practice at your home. But it is also good to hit the range also. Both have their benefits. It probably comes down to person to person on what helps the most. Ive been using my buddies yard to practice within 140 yards. My short game has exploded with improvement. Just today I was hitting shots that last week I wouldn't have dreamed of. I would stand 5ft in front of a horse shed that was about 10ft tall. I was popping it over the shed with my A Wedge and getting absurds amount of backspin surprisingly consistently. I almost never stress to much over backspin, but now im psyched I have that skill in the making. Meanwhile the second I hit the range, I couldn't hit that shot if you had a gun to my head. It's just how it works for me. But others are the opposite. What is happening to you is what would happen to me CONSTANTLY. Id hit a nice shot up to the green, but once I would try and do a close little chip, id punch it trying to get underneath the ball to give it a bit of spin because I focused way to much on NOT sending it well past the green into the woods, or id get distance as if I kicked the ball. Personally I began to focus more on the increase loft to compensate for my hesitation. I would get it nice and high with the increased loft and the ball wouldn't become to active since it came in from so high. So I did not have to focus TO MUCH on backspin (though the past month ive been slowly improving my ability to get a nice backspin consistently). Id suggest giving that a shot, and focus on one or the other to start out with the short shots and see if that helps a bit. What club are you using for these shots? Have you ever considered getting a higher loft wedge? (depending on what you are currently using of course) But the main thing is just keep doing it over and over and over and over range or yard depending on you're preference until it clicks for you. Hope I could be of some help.

My dad got me into it around 4. He would take me to the course as his "caddy" and let me hit some custom clubs he got for me.

Never heard of birdieballs. Gonna have to look into em, thanks! Yeah it is mostly for short game, but my swing has carried over into my long irons quite a bit. We are just going for shot consistency at the moment. Hell, just today I was there from 8:30am to about 3pm hitting balls the entire time, maybe 30 mins of stopping throughout. Hitting close to 500 balls a day really gets your swing ingrained into your head hhaha

I was intending to use an app on my iPhone which allowed me to slow down the recording to a desired speed, along with sketching in the video. I ended up fixing the part of my swing that I was trying to see in the video before I got a chance to actually try it. But the application was pretty decent quality. Recording your swing can help alot (if you get a chance lol)

Please excuse me if this wouldn't be the correct section. "Golf Courses & Architecture" seemed more of a course area, not so much range/practice areas. I know another thread exists on this subject, but it has been dead for a couple years. Im hoping this one won't die in as weak of manner as the last. So where & how do you guys practice that isn't JUST on the range? Do you have your own personal setup on your property? Maybe in your basement? Share em here! Ive been practicing at my buddies house everyday for the past couple month. Over that time period, we have accumulated about 1500-200 balls to hit around (obviously quite a bit get lost, when it gets a bit warmer we intend to sweep the area and collect the lost balls). From "tee" to "green" is about 120-135 yards give or take. We usually are swinging a 54 Wedge, A Wedge, Pitching Wedge, or maybe an easy 9. - View from the "tee". There is a small stream directly in front of us. There is a swamp about 100ft to the left of that shed, and 300ft on the right, thus creating a natural hazardous "fairway" if you will. - From the top of hill to "green" area. We built a sand trap on the right side, and are currently growing the grass for the green. Obviously not going to be great quality. Still need to drop about 650 lbs more sand in the bunker. 1500 so far. - View looking back from about midway back towards "tee". -Photo of the bunker in progress. Just needs a bit more sand and some cleaning up around the edges.

One thing I did notice was with your driver, you don't seem to shift your weight forward all the much. You look like your straining to stay straight, and want to fall back a bit. Mind you im not a instructor, or an amazing golfer, but just something that popped out to me.

Not sure if many drills would exist that wouldn't simply be a device to touch your head against, and making sure to keep the contact through your swing. I had the same problem awhile back, and cannot even begin to explain the frustration. I just had to start clearing my head and only focus on where im looking. Try setting up your ball so you can read the logo. Keep eye contact with it until it's gone. But for the most part it's a mental thing.

1. Work on the consistency of my my ball striking, swing and control. 2. Finally rid myself of my to often slice. (almost at that one ) 3. Finally beat my father in a match. 4. Get to single digit handicap.