dbrock504

Personal goal is to get to a low teen handicap (13-15). I do not exactly expect greatness or be a single digit guy, but if I quit loosing so many balls off the tee box, I immediately become a mid 80's player. Short term goal: continue to get used to this new driver. It has served me well so far and loosing less balls. Shot a 92 Friday. Hoping to break 90 very soon.

Funny username indeed. Welcome!

This is what I believe hurts too many players that I play with. Find what works for you off of the base idea (having good feel and distance control). Phil Mickelson putts differently than Tiger Woods who putts different than Arnold Palmer, yet they are all multi-winning Masters champions. Don't FORCE your self to do something ONE way just because some guy with the low handicap said so (not directing this at Erik). This would be the benefit of getting lessons surrounding each part of your game (driver, long fairway shots, long irons, short irons, chipping, putting). Again, find what works for you. Try my (David Pilsner's) way, try Erik's way, try Phil Mickelson's way on YouTube, try Mark Crossfield's way on YouTube. Heck, you might have a concoction of all 4! haha

It was a joke, and nothing more. I even added an emoticon to make sure the joke wasn't taken out of context. Simply just messing around. Where is everyone's sense of humor now days? These are his opinions on what he believes is most effective. I simply disagree. Never did I criticize Erik on a serious note. I am just explaining my point of view, and all he is responding with is his opinion (increase in feel and more consistent distance). I find that is not true with my game. It really is that simple. I believe you shouldn't have any free movement there to minimize errors. He disagrees. He's a pro, I am not, but I am a low 30's putter, so I am not a bad putter. My issues on the course lie elsewhere. I felt that I had some knowledge to pass along in this particular area of the game. Sorry if I didn't agree with the all-mighty Erik. If you want to learn from Erik and Erik alone, read his comments and disregard others. I thought the point of this site was to hear from other point of views and perspectives. If you can't handle that, I suggest you quit signing on. I don't mean to be hostile, but I'm tired of being told how I may or may not give my opinion on topics here just because Erik says another. I never once discredited or criticized Erik's opinion. In fact, I respect and value his opinion. In this case however, I disagree. I was taught differently by a PGA coach and it makes sense and works for me. There is more than ONE way to play this game, you know?

You guys really do love to take something and run with it. I do not advise moving your wrists at all. In doing so, you can easily move something off line. All it takes is 1 mm to move that putter face at an angle that disrupts your ball contact. That is how I was taught by a respected coach and that's how I play. It serves me well, and the folks I have played with that move their wrists like Erik did, miss more putts. Maybe that's why Erik missed all 3 putts? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Phil Mickelson and many other players set a hinge in their wrist right before they start the back swing. Then the LOCK that hinge and do not move their wrists. This is to ensure little funny business throughout the stroke.

Don't misunderstand "cheap" with improper. You can find a collared shirt, belt and tan pants relatively cheap. You don't need to buy Callaway or Titleist brand clothing. Tuck in the shirt, and whala, proper attire. Improper dress would be t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. You sound like you are respecting the game and the dress code.

I did not see much movement from your wrists there on the down swing and most importantly, on impact. In that video, that person (I guess it was you?) was not flipping their wrists, rolling over on the ball causing the face of the putter to change angle etc. That to me is having relatively locked, still wrists. Same goes to your elbows. Other than the shoulder rotation to maintain a proper pendulum, you remained relatively still from your head to your feet.

Arnie was Arnie. Enough said. I have noticed the more movement I allow for myself, the more I seem to push or pull more often. I try to instill consistent strokes every single swing. In doing this, I limit any movement possible other than the natural pendulum motion.

Although you did not answer my question the way I wanted you to (with the examples), I will TRY and help you here. I used to be this same way. My friend instilled this "new" way of looking at it for me. Most people can't sink a 10 ft putt. 3ft and in, yes. So instead of trying to make it (because in doing so, it means you hit it AT LEAST to the hole) start playing under the hole and just get it as close as possible. This will begin to GUARANTEE 2 putts. You aren't going to miss a 4" putt. Get my point there? Now if you have an 8 ft putt with break for birdie, go for it. That's the way I was doing things and it brought me from a 40's putter to a low 30's putter. Hope it helps.

And that's completely true. There are some things however that will create inconsistencies and I have noticed one of the biggest ones is people flipping their wrists to hit the ball rather than use their shoulders. My dad does this. Drives me nuts. That's why I used the word "lock" to use a verb that enstiles the imagery of not rolling, flipping, jerking or any other synonym you can think of that relates here. This does not mean to be stiff, grip tight, rigid with your wrists. Always be relaxed with the grip and the wrists, but no funny business. I don't "lock" my elbows either if we are using your literal definition of lock. I don't suggest anyone lock anything in their game. Be fluid, natural, and smooth. I'm going to stop repeating my self now.

Do you find your self not 2 putting much or just not sinking putts? In other words, do you often have a +10 ft putt and lag it up there going 6 ft past the hole and now have a challenging 2 putt left and consequently miss then tap in for a 3 putt, or do you have a +10 ft putt and hit it within 3 ft of the hole and miss the "gimmee" ending up in a 3 putt? My point is the approach to how you approach the game might be wrong in comparison to the physical part of putting (club, tempo, ball striking, form, etc.)

No sir, you aren't offending me. You just aren't communicating clearly to me when you tell me to slow down and read an article when all I doing was correcting my grammatical usage in a post. I understand what you mean by not being able to read my mind through the internet. As I said, I couldn't find another word that conveyed "not flipping your wrists or pushing elbows" in one word at the time. That's why I made sure to correct myself in response to Erik. I understand we are all here to try and become better golfers by bouncing ideas and theories off of one another. I have a feeling we are both misunderstanding each others intentions. Either way, learn on. P.S. Good job putting today! 15 putts on 9 is awesome!

I honestly am confused about what this is supposed to mean. But I really don't need/want an explanation by it. My response was to simply explain that is not what I meant by the word "lock".

I'm just bustin' your chops for having another American made company. Ya I've had it on a dyno. It's seriously tuned up my man. My dad owns his own 12 bay shop in Texas. It was his truck before he needed more towing power to haul his NHRA car and went with a Cummins. He didn't think he would need the diesel anymore, then decided to get back into racing after a 20 years break. His '69 Camaro runs a 7.9 at 182 mph on 900+ hp. Pretty sweet car. Totally got off topic there. My bad. Heck no man! I don't want to come to California! That's where are the fruits and nuts are! (just kidding, relax). A quarter ton truck won't out pull a diesel.

I don't mean to come off as a "know-it-all", but I actually was already aware of that without the graphs and jargon. I understand the hazards of accelerating through a putt. I have had many lessons with the 2008 STPGA (Southern Texas Professional Golf Association) coach of the year, David Pilsner, with my short game. I NEVER accelerate through a putt. I don't exactly DE-accelerate either. My stroke is as long forward as it is on the back stroke. I'm not a PGA player, but I'm not a bad putter. I just played yesterday and hit 32 putts (1.78 avg). I might not know every single technical aspect of putting, but what I do works for me, and its extremely conventional. Baseball grip, knees slightly bent, bent as the waist not at the back, eyes over the ball, putter face flat on the ground, relaxed grip, straight back straight forward stroke. What made you call me out on that? I can't help but to read into the fact that you singled me out to read a blog on putting. Am I missing something?

It has a programmer on it to bring the boost on the turbos up, AFE intake, Hearthrob exhaust system. The sucker comes 365 horse form the factory. It's got 500 easy. A Chevy man huh? Well, good luck with your Dura-maxipad there, boss! If you go diesel, you gotta go Cummins! I had an F-250 with a banks system on it, but I totaled it on the highway. 18-wheeler hit me from behind goin 70. Didn't realize traffic had slowed down to 55 because he was on his cell phone!! Cracked the frame in the back in half. That big truck saved my life.

Buddy, you get hit with my beast above, you die. Be safe in that moving coffin, eh?

No no no. You misunderstood what I meant by "lock". Lock does not mean stiff. Lock means do no allow movement. Do not flip wrists or flare elbows among impact. I didn't mean be super stiff. In golf, I was always told to be relaxed. I had a feeling that word would have been misunderstood... I really didn't know another word for "don't allow free movement". Be soft, be smooth, be relaxed.

Not to be rude, but... holy cow! I've never heard of 10 GIR and 58 putts. That's... almost impressive. Vangator said it. You HAVE to be using your wrists and arms. Lock those wrists and elbows. Find what grip you like (baseball bat, interlocking, claw, etc.) But the issue here seems you are misunderstanding the premise of putting. PENDULUM PENDULUM PENDULUM. Maybe it isn't your form but your approach to the hole. Unless I have a legit shot to score, I try to set myself up for a 2 putt. NEVER accept a 3 putt. Maybe you keep trying to make it by sending it 6" past the hole. I've heard of this approach, but I find it better to play below the hole if it's a pretty hard putt and something I can't usually sink. I'm not a good player. I'm really not. I just hit 5 GIR yesterday 32 putts. Finished with a 92. You fix your putting, and you become one heck of a player! Good luck. PENDULUM PENDULUM PENDULUM!!!!!

2013 Ford F-150 Ecoboost 4x4 on a 6" pro comp lift with 20" fuel wheels and 35" pro comp tires. Tons of performance work and ad-ons as well. I LOVE this truck. It's my baby.

Keep that tight V through the shot. I used to do this a lot as well. You could be pushing outside the swing plane causing the shank to happen. Use the box drill and the glove drill. Box Drill: Place a box or ball basket outside of the ball. If you are hitting it as you make contact, you are pushing outside the ball. Glove Drill: Place a glove under your left shoulder (if you're RH). Keep that glove under that arm as you swing through. I used to do this as well. Fixed it in 2 minutes and never do it again. Hope it helps

How can you play a shank? Either you don't understand the effects of a true shank, or I don't. A shank is when you hit the ball off the hosel and it goes directly out from you and rolls on the ground maybe 10 yds. So again, I ask, how can you play a shank? NEVER adjust your game to poor mechanics and mishits.

This is what I do as well. There's only one way to score in golf; the right way

Exactly. I have a sneaky suspicion that most people lie about their hcp as well. I have played with some people who do not score correctly. It makes me mad. Sure I shoot in the 90's and have a hcp of 20.4, but its honest.

Best drive of the week: Par 4 372 to the center of the green. The twosome in front of us were on the green. Landed directly in the middle with 61 yds left to the middle of the green. The guys on the green said, "there's no room for steroids in golf. haha" haha. It was pretty awesome. Best iron shot of the week: Par 3 101 yds. Used the AW. The pin was behind an oak tree (they were having a tournament later that day). Hit it over the tree and within 3 ft of the hole. Stuck it. Birdie. Best putt: about an 8 ft putt with heavy down hill right break to save par on a par 5