TheDIYGolfer

Definitely agree! Unless you are Jack Nicklaus who had Jack Grout standing by his side every day growing up as a kid, you need to reach out to other places to learn. I'm a huge advocate of YouTube and books personally, but watched my fair share of Golf Channel when I was just starting out. Now, I feel like I've got a solid base of knowledge as a culmination of all the sources. Definitely still have lots to learn though, which is why this game is so addicting!

Love this! I learned this game from all of those guys so I totally agree! Thanks to YouTube you can watch professional golf clinics for days from these guys!

I think I agree with this? I would rephrase and say that it is instinctual to swing left. If you are a right handed golf, the intuitive motion to hit the ball where you want it is to swing left. Since we are facing roughly 90 degrees from our target, it makes sense to try and swing to the left, although the correct motion is to actually come down the right leg and THEN use the pressures in the feet to go left. Basically, I think that everyone just wants to get left too soon! Including me :(

I just read Rotella's new book, How Champions Think: In Sports and in Life, and absolutely loved it! It really got me thinking about my thought patterns off of the golf course. One of the topics in the book talked about swing coaches, and how to find someone you know is good to listen to. I thought this was the best part of the book, because it made me realize how many sources I was trying to improve my golf game from! I have a swing coach, but was constantly going on YouTube for instruction as well. I found that the mixed theories are extremely harmful to a golf game. Definitely been playing better by sticking to what my swing coach tells me, and politely ignoring any other volunteered instruction (unless of course it deals with something other than the actual golf swing). Just thought it would be cool to hear from everyone where they get their golf instruction from?Also, for a little bit more discussion, I pose this question: Do you think that Tiger Woods would have reached 18 major championships by now had he stuck with ONE swing coach for his entire professional career (a.k.a. Butch Harmon)?

I am in the same boat right now! Trying to get that muscle memory intact so that during the tournaments, I am able to swing freely without reverting back to old, bad habits. I just talked to a psychologist who talked about something called "myelination," which is the actual term for muscle memory. He said that the best way to ingrain something in your swing is to hit groups of 20 balls at a time, and only have 1 thing you are working on at a time. The only way to really "myelinate" is to do it thousands of times!

Yeah definitely! It's a problem that I run into often :) The worst is when something in the setup or fundamentals is wrong... and you're messing with the rest of your swing trying to figure out why the ball is going sideways!! I've made it a routine to check my fundamentals at the beginning of each practice session, which has taken a lot of discipline but has definitely paid off!

It really depends where I'm at with things. If the swing has gotten too far from where I want it due to lots of tournament play, I'll often have to take it home and study it a bit. In most cases though, I will just check the swing to make sure everything is where it is supposed to be. I would say it is completely different for everyone though. I'm at a point in my golf game where I've put in the hours on the swing, and it is fairly close to where I want it. When I was just starting out, I don't know that I would be trying to make "quick changes" on the range. I do this now because I've got an idea what my tendencies are and know how to fix them through previous experience. IMO, video is great as long as you use it within reason. If you're videoing your swing constantly, changing what you're working on constantly, and getting obsessive about it, it can be damaging to the golf game.

Just wanted to touch on something that popped into my head today as I was practicing on the range... I had just filmed my swing DTL, and noticed that on my takeaway, I had the club slightly shut, which was causing me some problems later in the swing. I fixed that, and then filmed again. Now my club was too flat at the top of the swing! I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to swing mechanics, but this scenario brings up a point that is so important for us swing tinkerers to be aware of! If you're trying to change something in your swing, it is imperative that you constantly monitor it (via video or a swing instructor) to make sure that the change you are working on isn't causing another problem. I've had it happen so many times where I would try and change one thing which would just lead me to another thing that I needed to change. Ever since I purchased a little Iphone Tripod on Ebay, my swing has become much more consistent. With the tripod, I can record my swing alone, which allows me to always monitor where I'm at with things. If you're a player that doesn't like to worry about the swing, this all doesn't apply, but I thought I would share this with anyone who is more like me! Cheers The DIY Golfer

+1 to that Intermediate targets are good, but don't work for everyone. I've never been able to use the intermediate target method, but my alignment is good most of the time. As a right handed golfer, I find it helpful to step into the ball with my feet together, line the club up to where I want the ball to end up with my right hand, and then step into my stance according to how I want the ball to move. So if i want to hit a fade, I will aim my clubface at point A and my body at point B just left of it. In regards to being able to do this consistently and correctly, it does go back to practice. I've hit tens of thousands of golf balls using an alignment stick on the range. If you want to most effectively practice alignment, hit 20 balls with the alignment stick down, and then line up without it. After you've lined up without the stick, just lay the club down so it is parallel to your toes and stand back and see where it is pointed. If it is pointed just a yard or two left of the target (for a right handed golfer), you're golden! I hope this helps :)

I'm a feel player, so this is why I prefer my method over yours. It all boils down to how your brain works for sure, but you're right, it isn't too much to think about if you determine your stroke before stepping into the putt. I'm already a pretty active thinker on the course and have never been able to handle all the variables that are presented when you try and pick a stroke length.

I've never liked the idea of trying to imagine a different length putt, or adding/subtracting from a stroke, because this is too much to have on your mind at the moment. My best advice is to imagine the ball hitting the back of the cup on uphill putts. Trust your subconscious and practice to take care of the rest! Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game talks about this method, and helps you do this sense of "tricking" your brain into hitting the right speed. I also try to hit these longer uphill putts with my big muscles, because it prevents bombing it past the hole. When one hand in the stroke becomes too active, you get that pop stroke that sends the ball zooming past the hole.

I think you should definitely check your grip, but beyond that, it depends on the relationship between your hands and your left leg. In this video , you will see that Rory has his hands positioned forward close to his left leg. Try copying his setup and seeing how the club looks. If it still looks closed, then your grip is too strong. Chances are, your club is actually square but your hands are too far back. Clubface alignment is all about impact. At impact, your hands will be slightly ahead of the ball (hopefully), so naturally, if your hands are too far back, the clubface will look shut.

Assuming good alignment, the reason a golfer will pull the ball is due to the stopping of the lower body and the continuation of the upper body. Think about swinging in one piece, and by no means should you stop turning! Rich1212 is right, but I don't want you to misinterpret that. The downswing should start with a compression down your right leg followed by a lateral movement. Honestly, I would practice this drill until you can do it successfully (hit the ball before your left foot hits the ground): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwo5f5Evz-I

The Mental Art of Putting by Patrick Cohn If the title didn’t give it away, this book helps anyone looking to improve their putting game between the ears. I admit, I haven’t read the book all the way through, but that might just be the beauty of it! The Mental Art of Putting is a great reference book, because the table of contents is so detailed. Almost every page of the book has a title, which makes navigating the book extremely easy. I love chapter 13 because it lists out the most common putting problems, and then offers a direct solution to each problem. Also, chapter 1 is great because it allows you to get to know yourself on the greens. Do you die the ball at the hole like Nicklaus? Or charge it by like Arnold Palmer? It is important to be aware of this, yet most golfers couldn’t put a label on themselves. If you want to fall in love with putting again and make putts every time you step on the course, this book is a great way to do that. The authors Cohn and Winters are both highly intelligent people who have researched the human brain on the highest of levels.

Unfortunately, I borrowed this book from a friend when I read it, so I no longer have it as a reference. I wanted to write a brief summary of the book anyways, because it provided me with an actionable playing strategy that I still use to this day. The author of this book is actually a tennis instructor who has studied ways to implement mental strategies not only in tennis, but in the workplace, and other sports. His application to the game of golf is wonderful in my perspective, and could be a huge help to anyone who suffers from “don’t hit it in the lake,” or any timid thoughts during the swing. If you want to learn more about his teachings, Gallwey talks about it on his website here. I loved this book because it kept everything so simple, eliminating the confusion and doubt that comes from many mental game books. I highly recommend it!

I give a thumbs up to this awesome answer! I just wanted to add that you can find your low-point by hanging a club from your left armpit (for right-handed golfers), and wherever the club points to is your low-point. But as far as theory goes, Zeph is spot on!

Here's what you must consider: First- Are you a solid player that consistently strikes the ball first with your wedges? Do you consider your short game good enough to where you would benefit from a higher spin rate? If you are just looking for something to get you started, go with a used vokey all day. A new top flite wedge is not going to do you much good. Second- How used is the wedge? If there are huge dings, or the face is completely worn down on the sweet spot, it might not be worth it. If it is just slightly used, I couldn't see a problem with buying it. Personally, I replace my wedges once a year, but that is also considering I play nearly every single day, and I tend to hit the sweet spot more often than not. So if you play once a week, a used wedge is the way to go.

Hey just saying what worked for me. I think we can all agree that you just have to experiment and figure out what helps you the most. Unfortunately there is no foolproof way to go about this! I think it is all about finding a grip that you truly believe in, otherwise you'll just keep doubting yourself.

I think that with the interlocking grip, you have to work on maintaining a proper grip more often than with the Vardon grip. Getting your right hand on the grip with the interlock is more difficult in my opinion. The pressures that Hogan talks about are more difficult to feel, and I often would find myself getting my right hand too far under (strong) the club. I switched last year to the Vardon grip, and have noticed that I am not fidgeting with my grip anymore, and I do not have as big of misses. If you do decide to change to the Vardon grip, just realize that at first it wont feel very secure. Give it a couple months. I don't know how it works, but I promise it will start feeling really locked in place if you keep working with it.

If you want to get better at this game, you need to do three things (and obviously plenty more), and you need to actually commit to them. 1. Your fundamentals need to be sound. That means your grip, your posture, your alignment, and your ball position. I would practice these in the basement for a few weeks. If you can get these four things in good form, your swing is going to fall into place I promise!!! For the grip, I would check out Hogan's 5 fundamentals book, but if you don't want to spend any money, I would say the most important thing in the grip (personal opinion) is that your left hand is on the club correctly. You should be able to hold the entire weight of the club between the palm pad, and your last three fingers (pinky,ring,middle). With posture, just look up adam scott dtl on youtube and mirror that. Having a big mirror at home helps a ton! For alignment, go buy yourself a driveway reflector stick at home depot or lowes (same as what they sell in golf stores except $10 cheaper). Work with this at the range (remember that you should line it parallel left to your target- meaning the alignment stick will actually be aimed slightly left of the target). Ball position is all you! Experiment with it and find what works best. 2. Work on your routine- there is a reason all the pros have one. I recommend reading Vision 54. Great book that will elaborate on this, and help your mental game tremendously 3. Be disciplined- you are going to come across a lot of tips and tricks in this game, and I encourage you try some out, but if it doesn't work for you, don't do it! A huge part of the game is finding out the things that help you get the ball in the hole the best. It doesn't have to be pretty (of course unless you want it to- if you do I wish you luck its a long process). Here are a few tools that will totally transform your game, and they have nothing to do with golf- Day One journaling app- if you've got an android or iPhone, spend $5 on this app. It allows you to create tags for your journal entries, so as you practice, I would create tabs for different parts of your game. Say you figure something out with your putting- create a tag labeled "putting," and write down what you figured out. After a while, you will start noticing patterns in the things that have worked for you, and you can then focus on those things! Stickk.com- this is an interesting one, but it actually is one of the most helpful sites out there right now. Essentially, you set a goal (Ex: I want to practice my fundamentals 15 minutes a day), and then you register your credit card, and if you fail to meet your goal (you have to be honest with yourself), the site automatically donates your specified amount of money to an "anti-charity." In my opinion, it is a great incentive. Best of luck to you! Keep working hard, and remember everyone struggles with this game!

I was once in your shoes, and I definitely put some thought into the clubs that I bought. It is important that you are knowledgeable before you go into your fitting. I think that all too often, we go to a certified "fitter," and up unhappy in the end because we were promised so much and received so little in return. So I am going to go over a few things to be aware of before making a decision or purchase. First, the fitter will probably have his/her opinions about which clubhead and which shaft are the best. Make sure that you have a couple clubheads and shafts in mind before going. If the fitter suggests something that you haven't got on your list, DO NOT let them persuade you that you should try it. As far as clubheads go, I am not sure how advanced you are, or how advanced you want to become, but you should definitely take these two things into consideration. If you want to become a better ballstriker (iron player), you will need something as close to forged irons as you can get. I personally wouldn't recommend blades, unless the set is a mix of blades and cavities. If you don't really care to get much better, there are plenty of cavity back options for you, but personally, I don't like the look of them or the feel. If you do choose to get a cavity back, try and find something that is a mix between forged and cavities. I know that the Callaway X-forged are a great option, although I don't know if these are in your price range.. As far as shafts go, I would go with one of these three brands- Dynamic gold, project x, or KBS. Personally, I think dynamic gold is the way to go. I have tried all three, and although the KBS and Project x may increase your distance, I personally don't enjoy the way a perfectly struck shot feels with them. The DG's are so pure at impact, and are your cheapest option. I think that what you should focus on in the fitting is getting the correct length of clubs, and the right feel. I can't tell you how important length is with irons. I generally tend to like longer clubs, because it generally promotes good posture, but obviously stay within reason. They might measure your wrist to the floor, and go based on a chart with length. If they suggest standard length for you, I would go with 1/4" extra. I don't think you'll regret this, but if you are weary about this, just go with what they say. Next up on the list is lie boards: This may be one of the most irritating things to me when I go to a fitting. They put you on a lie board, tell you to swing, and then recommend what lie you should be playing with. Let me just note, that nearly 100% of great ballstrikers are on the flat side when it comes to lies. If your fitter suggests that you should play 2 degrees upright, I would highly suggest you tell them standard is the highest you will go. My preference is 3 degrees flat. There are a few reasons for this. First, you must realize that upright lie angles promote steeper swings, and I don't think steep swings get much accomplished for us. Second, I have had an experience with this already, and am speaking from it. I went in and got fitted for irons, and was told I needed 2 degrees upright for the lie angles. I played with these irons for a year, and it was by far my worst ballstriking year ever, and my swing become a hot mess (steep, incorrect divots, etc.). I decided to just go for some flatter lie angles, and went from 2 upright to 2 flat. Of course at first, it was extremely awkward swinging them, but after a few weeks of practice, I noticed myself striking the ball a lot better, and my swing was improving on its own. Moral of the story: flat lie angles! For you, I would recommend staying at standard, or 1 degree flat regardless of what the lie board says. Swingweight: although this may not make a ton of sense, it is extremely important in my opinion. It is basically a measurement of how heavy the clubhead "feels." I don't want to get too into this, but for this, I would never go below D2 for the irons. If you have a quick tempo, D2 or D3 would be good, but if you have a slower tempo, D4 or D5 would be a good option. My philosophy on this is if you cant feel the club at the top of the backswing, how are you going to bring it back square at impact? My clubs are D7 although this would be considered extreme these days. Ok so I have covered the majority of the things that you will encounter in an iron fitting, but here is another option that you could explore if you don't want to spend a ton of money. You could always buy a set of irons on ebay, buy the shaft of your choice on golfworks, and then have your local golf store assemble your clubs based on the specs that you want. Just an option- the important specs would be length, lie, swingweight, and grip size. IN SUMMARY: I know this is a lot to take in, and you may not even be that interested in getting that perfect set of irons. But something you should always remember is that a club fitter is just another person who was trained and hired to read launch monitors and lie boards. Although you might stumble across a great clubfitter that can truly help you, the majority of the time, your own opinion matters the most. Keep all this in mind, and you will be just fine!