Spudmonkey

Working the ball as a matter of routine, 7I down to 5W. Draws and hooks (high and low) are fairly straightforward for me, but I struggle at hitting slight cuts, high or low, really can't nail the setup and feel. Also working hard on continuing to educate my hands and arms, trying to ingrain the use very soft arms and the tempo that keeps them that way. So easy to just go blank/unconscious during the swing, the hardest bit is always staying aware of the clubs feel.

Yep, flipping going on! You need to understand the way the arms/forearms work in the downswing, esp through the impact area. Here's a huge clue - the left hand/wrist stays flat all the way through (for the purposes of learning the correct motion), for that to happen you will find you have no choice but to let your forearms rotate anti-clockwise (as you look down) through the bottom of the swing, this should be a natural unforced rotation, the result of having soft(ter) arms. Once you figure this out its gravy all the way. Try to get a pro or someone who knows what they're doing to show/explain it to you, it is really simple, but something you have to do to move forward.

I have the TS #7 Pro, had been after one for an age but couldnt swallow the price new, got mine of the bay in mint condition. I hit it off pretty hard mats, not a lot of give in them, and I find there is no way to cheat it. Not too bad a ball striker to start with but I really wanted to find out what would happen using a TS. I would say I was hitting appx 30% of the shots ok, right off the bat. To increase this percentage it forced me to shorten my swing slightly, stay more connected, and definitly ensure PP#1 (base of trigger finger) was in the mix. That was quite hard for me, as I'm definitly a swinger of the club not a hitter, but I soon realised that I can mix in some PP#1 pressure and not lose my "swinger" feel.

A lot of good posts, but I would like to add:- A LONG LEFT THUMB (never really see this being discussed when the grip is the topic)

Well just hit the punch slight cut shot then

Good advice, if its even a slightly cuppy lie leave the fairway in the bag, A hybrid is a much better choice.

Ok, sounds like this hole gets to you. If it's S.I.15 or harder do like Adam posted 150 - 150 - wedge shot, make it easier on yourself and take the extra shot your handicap is allowing you.

342 Long? 4-5 Iron of the tee, punched, setup on right side of tee box aiming for the bunkers on the left, with the idea of playing the punch with a slight touch of cut. Best case middle of fairway with about 140 - 160 left, worst case maybe left semi just short of bunker, looking down the green. A lot depends on your club yardages, but a driver seems like asking for trouble on this hole.

Blitz28179, There are plenty of people who will advise you on the correct swing mechanics, but I'd like to touch on something that you seldom read about, but is so important for you to move forward. You are now at the crossroads, you either learn how to do it and go on to be the golfer you could be, or don't believe/ don't learn how to do and forever be resigned to the rank of hacker (sorry to be so blunt). For me, it was ego that stopped me for so long. I knew what I should be doing, I knew the feel, I knew the positions/mechanics, but could I do it? - NO! I couldn't do it because my ego/self image wouldn't let me. It didn't want me to look bad infront of people (and myself) by hitting shots that would be much worse than my norm. You have to give up caring where the ball goes and what its flight is (that comes after the basic swing change is in). It takes a hell of a lot of guts to purposefully hit balls that you know make you look so bad. Thats were so many people give up and end up never progressing. So whenever you practice you have to leave your ego at the door (I mean it), remember you're there to improve not just bash balls. Stop caring about the ballflight, 1-2 practice swings with the feel/mechanics you are working on, then try to put the same feels on a swing through the ball and dont care where the ball goes. A good swing is one that has some of the feelings you are trying to learn, a bad swing is one were you give up (subconciously) and your old feelings/mechanics take over. Good luck.

Good advice from dak4n6, I do the same type of thing just to get the feel of good contact back. All of a sudden losing your swing is just part of the game we all love .

divot dave, Check extensor action out, there are numerous articles on it (mostly from TGM people) it has some very good things going for it, gives the arms some solid stucture, removes any arm over-run, really helps in maintaining a flat left wrist, oh yeh it also gives great extension through impact and beyond. Feels pretty odd to start with (I think most people stiffen the left arm to try and help, but thats almost the opposite of what you need to feel), but once you figure out the amount of force required, and the way in which you need to apply it, it really is simple and adds some very nice elements to the swing. I'd direct you to some info but most of it is from TGM disciples, and I'd rather not inflict that on someone, so have a good search about I'm sure you'll find what you need, maybe some of the pros on here have some info or input on it. cheers

"Club weight awareness throughout the swing, makes a big difference to clubhead speed, ensures your working with the club and not choking its potential speed, Soft hands (needed for above)" This for me was really an eye opener, (so easy to lose the feel of the clubweight in the swing), but its so important to feel it. It allows you to actually feel how to accelerate the club correctly (not overpower it) once you have the faith to do it, it really is a game changer. I would urge you to develop "soft hands" and get in touch weight of the club (weight isn't the right word its more like energy/potential) Sorry if this sounds confusing, but its very hard to explain in words.

I have gained about 20%-25% increase in distance through the bag over the last 12 months. While I have actually lost about 8Kg in weight. Still getting used to my new distances, it's pretty weird. But its taken a lot of work, detemination and a lot of range buckets. eg, 7I was 140yds now 165-175yds Its all about technique, for me the main things that brought the gain about (having worked hard on them) are :- Flat left wrist (all the way), Extensor action, Club weight awareness throughout the swing, makes a big difference to clubhead speed, ensures your working with the club and not choking its potential speed, Soft hands (needed for above) No over-run of arms, (shoulders finish turning, my arms are finished moving as well), Sense of linkage/connection of left arm and shoulder blade with my turn. These are the main points for me, there are of course many other things, but these are the ones I had to work on/discover. It all comes together, and you actually feel like your swinging with less effort (because you are), and the distance just appears. It really is nothing to do with hitting the ball as hard or as fast as you can, it really feels like the opposite of that. ie, easier, more fluid, more connected, more aware of the energy in the club. Its very hard to explain the feelings, without using phrases and words that end up confusing things even more. All I can say is TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE Good luck & bear with it, its worth it!

This!! Need decent short game, decent putting, decent mid/short iron game, but most of all T balls/ second shots leaving you 160yds or less in, it takes the strain off your long iron (hence less pressure scrambling for pars).

Look up "Extensor Action" (think it originates from the TGM guys) it will definitely shorten your swing up, with the added benefit of ensuring a FLW and good extension past impact. It will probably feel pretty odd on the left wrist when you start but stick with it.

At the moment my right hand by a mile but thats because I'm figuring out extensor action. Normally for me no hand is dominant, they just let me feel the club weight and how its loading.

I learnt to hit a draw using a 6 iron, easy enough to draw and wont really smother the ball too much. If you can hit a straight ball, you can quite easily learn to hit a draw or fade (its a lot easier if you have a pretty consistent swing though.) 1) Aim everything 30 yds right of target, feet/knees/hips/shoulders/swingpath/clubface. 2) Release grip, close clubface to point 20 yds right of target, regrip. 3) Swing down the path your aimed at (30 yds right), dont hold the club off - ie let it release! Helps if you play the ball back a touch, and a wee bit more towards the heel of the club. The above is a bit of a dummies guide (no offence intended), It really is pretty easy once you get the idea & feel, its quite a personal thing how you work the ball, everyone has their own feelings they try to convey to help someone "get it" Get a medium draw with the 6 iron going first, then worry about the high/low gentle/hard options. Just keep at it, you will "get it", and you'll be practicing fades, draws, hards draws, squeezed fades, high baby draws just for fun (and it really is fun). Good luck

Understood, its a tough one to get shut of casting, it's as much about faith & confidence as anything else. I guess soft hands and arms are part of the key, mix that with the feel of the club position (using the holding method, still don't like it lol), should get you going. Try the old lifting right thumb and index finger off the grip on the downswing as well (forces you to pull/drive the club). Oh yeh, flat left wrist as well. P.S. you haven't got a palmy grip have you? (guess you can't have, your pro would have picked that up a mile away)

Working on:- 1) Extensor action (using at address is hard to remember at times). 2) Left arm leverage/feel of loading at transition and trying to keep everything connected whilst swinging. 3) Soft hands & arms (as always). Using primarly my 5W for the above (easier for the clubhead awareness & leverage feel) Working on all three at the same time as they all need to fit together, it really is taking some effort, can only normally concentrate on one feel at a time. Aim is to improve ball striking, small ballspeed increase (already seen evidence in distance increase), and improve my clubhead feel/loading awareness. **Also working the ball while doing the above.** **..** = I must be nuts!

Sorry to dig this up from page 2, but have some info on this. Yeh its a Manzella C.O.A.F.F drill, you can really learn to compress the ball in that position, and it's good for gaining confidence in ball striking. But be very carefull with it, I overused it to the extent of becoming more of a TGM hitter (I'm actually a swinger), caused me some real heartache when I decided to learn to release the club properly as a swinger. So use it for what its meant for - No flip/flat left wrist at impact feeling reinforcement, take one of the pills not the whole bottle like I did. Good luck.

Good going, love it when I read about people learning to shape the ball. Its what the game is all about for me, and I never even knew it until I learnt to work the ball. Stick with it, practice with a 6I for draws and use a 5I for fades, prob' easiest clubs to start with, (higher lofts require greater level of skill, lower lofts give you to much action when starting). Pure setup changes, without any change to your swing feel normaly produce smaller amounts of curve. Once you incorporate swing feel changes ie, hold off or release harder thats when you see the big changes in ball flight. The whole game of golf is about feel.(just that people tend to forget it) Enjoy it.

Sorry don't like it. Don't "hold the lag", lag is created by what comes before it, its a consequence, not a postition to hold. Please don't go down the "hold the lag" "pull the handle" "super float load" road, its very painfull and some people don't get a return ticket from shanksville!

Philip, Joined just to reply to this :-), couldn't let it go without comment. 1) Not sure on your grip, cant see it well enough but it looks like a very weak right hand position?. Get it checked (go for neutral/slightly strong if theres any choice) 2) The reason I joined :- Others above have commented on your sway, you need to fix this before even thinking of doing anything else. The problem is not that you sway (thats just a symptom) you need to fix the cause. The reason you sway is that your hips are not being used correctly! You need to learn how to disassociate your hips, (do the twist from the 60's lol). I promise, if you learn how your hips are supposed to move and do it, your golf swing will change massively for the better. Dont even bother working on anything else untill its fixed, because you will just be working on stuff that may not even be a problem afterwards. Check the link below :- it's a Titleist Performance Institute presentation, they talk about the issue you have with the hips. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk06DErc3rc&feature;=plcp Good luck.