A.J.

I just got fitted as well at 1/2" over. There is definitely an adjustment period. If you're like me you've spent most of your golf life unconsciously compensating for clubs that are too short and/or too flat. Once you stop doing that, you'll stop hitting it fat. Try adding a little more spine tilt at address with your long irons. You may have previously created an excessively decending blow with your old irons by keeping your spine vertical at address. The right degree of tilt will help you take the right kind of divot.

The Speed Stik thing says I swing 125mph. That's probably right; I hit my 8 iron 165.

Tiger is looking really tough but the headlines are ridiculous right now. ESPN says "All Over Now" as if Tiger has already won. Els is 1 back and its only Friday! I'm traveling right now. Can't wait to home to watch the last two rounds. I love it when the leader board is nothing but Tiger, Ernie, Sergio, Retief et. al...that's what a major championship is all about.

What a swing.

I don't know about them being beginner clubs. Like you pointed out, Tim Herron still plays them. Other pros do too (at least singles like the sand wedge). I guess the question is, do you play them well? The second question is, will you sell them to me cheap? Kidding. You should get a good chunk of change out of both sets on eBay.

Tiger's looking good. Nice to see him playing well again. Love to see Vijay at the top too. Should be a good finish.

Olson twins and ...err, oh, not what you meant. 1) Phil Mickelson 2) Ernie Els 3) John Daly Those are just some of my favorite players. Augusta would definitely work.

That's good stuff. I've come to realize the importance of preprograming, if you will, in the way you describe. What you describe sound like swing keys to me, so the thread is on topic for all intents and purposes.

Start with "what'd you get there" as your walking to the next whole. If he's off by a stroke and you know it, gently remind him. Suggest something like "oh, I count X...did you miss that whiff?" Whatever you do, make sure its not harsh right off because you jeopardize the relationship and he might actually not realize he's doing it.

Not necessarily anything. This post is about what swing keys are biggest for you. I am a big fan of going contrary to conventional wisdom. There are few--a very few--really different golf swings out there that just work for the pros. Your swing just takes a great deal of timing. You're probably losing power but if it works and you're consistent, it works. Not urging you to change anything. What I'm talking about is something Im working hard on right now. I've been a slight swayer and a decent but inconsistent ball striker as a result. The more pro swings I analyze the more I notice the right knee at address and the relative stability of that right leg on the turn. I think thats a really important component of a good swing, personally.

There is a difference between shifting your weight and shifting your hips. I was referring to a lateral travel of the hips. Weight transfer to the right is of course necessary. To note, Sam Snead had a pronounced kicking in of his right knee. You can observe a clear "reversed K" similar to Vijay.

I guess I see what you mean. Although I think there is reason not to stay away from what I described. One of the keys of every swing, pro or otherwise, is a stable post-like right leg. However you accomplish it, the goal is to pivot around the right (or back) instead of shifting the hips. I can't think of any players off the top of my head that shift laterally to the right (more than an almost imperceptible natural amount).

Driver, 6-iron, wedge. What are the main things you think about or concentrate on when taking an average full shot? For example, the biggest key to come about lately in my swing is in my setup. I found by analyzing Tiger that a kicked-in right knee is essential. Also, the angle of the trunk must be toward the right side and even with the wedge the head and shoulders will be on a tilt. This creates a right leg post and forces the weight around and on the inside of the right foot. My ball striking consistency has been growing as a result.

You guys are good. I finished 9 yesterday evening with 2 birdies. After an opening par it was all down hill until the end. I think I shot 43...

I've had a lot of success on eBay lately. I have a second set of Orlimar (I'm on an Orlimar kick) irons that are brand new coming this week and a Hip Ti driver today. I also picked up my current set brand new and a great putter. Like others have said, buy from reputable sellers that have done a lot of sales with low negative feedback. I have saved huge $$$.

I don't know about all this "game improvment" stuff. Its not like pros are all playing blades. I like an oversized iron without to much shelf that feels really solid when struck well. I can't handle a wide soled club though. I hit the Adams G2 and G3 irons the other day at a golf shop and it was ridiculous. I launched the 4 iron ABOVE my normal ball flight for a wedge.

Yeah exactly. 300cc is right in my range. I just picked up an Orlimar Hip Ti 8.5* at 300cc in really good shape (at least by the pic and description) on eBay for $20! Smaller drivers just not in demand right now so you can get killer deals on sweet technology. It should be here first thing tomorrow morning!

It would take a lot of lead tape to make the club heavy enough to be effective. The way I have it now is very heavy. It wouldnt be smart to try and hit a ball with it like that. However, for purposes of hitting I think you could have one roll of lead wire on instead of the three I have. The lead is very pliable and it will be secure around the shaft pretty much on its own but if I were going to hit with it I'd make sure I secured it really well with something. Hoseclamps seem to work.

After I posted I actually read some of the book (the book is mostly photos, which I love). Tiger says that a stationary right leg is a signature of his swing and something he's worked on since he was a kid. I went to the range this evening and focused just on that and I hit the ball better. What can I say, its a fundamental that I've sorta always known about but never understood. Its now a central issue in my practice.

This post is about hitting the driver. Note that I am taking from Tiger's original swing, which was more upright and steep than today ("two-plane"). Also, many of you are going to know this stuff already, as did I but I still think you might find this post useful. I just picked up How I Play Golf which I definetly recommend to anyone interested in good, straightforward instruction with lots of high quality photos. I've been carefully going over the pullout section of photos from the front, side, and top views of him hitting a driver (not so much the text but just studying the images). As I stand in my apartment practicing the positions and moves with a heavily weighted driver (see my post on this homemade swing trainer) I feel a tremendous sense of coil and stability. Here are the things I think I especially important from this: 1) Setup: Shoulders at about a 30* tilt. Eyes looking right down the nose at the back of the ball (head tilted with shoulders). Right leg in a reverse K--it looks like Tiger is braced against the inside of his right foot already (Daly talks about this in Grip it and Rip it). 2) Takeaway: at 9 o'clock back of left hand square to club face, completely facing away from body, club head completely open relative to the ball. At the top full shoulder turn, wrist and club completely, perfectly parallel. Left arm perfectly straight, spine angle retained. Head has moved slightly behind the ball but the right leg has not been forced of position by the turn. The rest is academic I think. I think one big key to this swing is the right leg. It works like an anchor. If your like me, and this has been happening because of fatigue lately, you drift a bit sometimes. Its hard to press against the inside of that right foot constantly but you must avoid the natural temptations to let your weight settle on the outside of the right foot (i.e. an ever so slight power draining shift). I'll right more later. Please comment on Tiger now or then or your own swing.

If feasable, play 9 in the morning before your tourney.

Now that makes sense. Here as an 8-iron swing. Does it look like thats my sort of swing to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcJiqTYL-Cs

I have a brand new set of irons with regular flex shafts. Regular shafts are not technically correct for my swing type. I have a high swing speed and above average distance (driver typically 290+, 6 iron 210). When I was kid I had a consitent, predictable and good looking draw to all my clubs. That kind of ball flight has been gone from my game for years (typically straight). Today it was back on every club and I am glad to have it. It is such an attractive ball flight (note I have a new driver with regular flex graffite shaft) I hope its here to stay. But why is it back? Is it the shafts? So far the regular is not causing me any issues but that might be because I rarely have to hit a long iron and, of course, the shorter the shaft length the less the flex will be.

6 iron. I hit it well all the time and usually about 210. Not an exaggeration.

I like the set up and the takeaway a lot except its odd and perhaps a power drain to duck out the right foot while keeping the left straight. That will tend to facilitate a great deal of hip rotation on the way back, which is generally good for an upright swing like that but resist the transfer of weight on the way down. You might suggest he do the exact opposite with his feet.