sharpljp

So I've been working hard on my centered hip turn and I'm making progress. I've also been working on my grip which has been expectedly uncomfortable. I know changing your grip is going to take time. I have always had the club in left palm and right hand fingers. Here is an old YouTube video I remember watching and this is why o started to put it in my left palm. The centered hip turn is a 100% must. It doesn't feel natural but I know for a fact that it must be done (thanks @iacas @mvmac). But, if I can, I'd like to put the club more in my left palm.. like Jack says. But at the same time and above all.. I want to do things correctly. It may be uncomfortable today but if it helps my golfing future then I'll take the bumpy road and work until it feels right. Is the club in left fingers that crucial? Thanks everyone as always.

IMO.. it is gentleman's game. If your opponent or friend gives you the putt, to me, it is just a friendly gesture. You don't have to accept it either. You can always say, "No I'm good man I want to practice these short putts for tournament play." Now if you are asking for gimmies.. that is a little different. To me, that does not fall in line with being a gentleman. People forget that this is a gentleman's game.. even pros..

Really am taking what you guys say and running with it! Yall know your stuff. Going to reexamine my grip and make changes. Heading for the mirror.. @mvmac It is funny that you posted that picture of the golf glove because every glove I've ever used has worn out heavily in the thumb area. Usually, the glove has to be thrown away even though the only thing wrong with the glove is there's a hole and my thumb is sticking out of it (which looks funny). It's really surprising that you say do not hold the club in the palm (just because I feel like I have read to keep the club somewhat in the palm for the left hand, and in your fingers in the right hand). I can't wait to adjust my grip because I know it is so important. Would you say that a good rule for the "left hand V" is pointing to my right shoulder? Also my local pro tells me, when talking about my trail hand, "right hand on top. short term pain, long term gain.".. Would you agree with him? Thanks again man!

I've noticed that my shots seem to be going a lot lower.. especially my woods. So that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the visual man that is a lot of help. When i was taking swings, I noticed that my weight was on the outside of my right foot which I know isn't right. My main focus was right pocket back to try to turn correctly. How can I get the weight on the inside of my right foot?.. I'm guessing this problem is related to my tilt towards the target instead of away?

Just posted in My Swing (sharpljp). The centered hip turn/rpb is a new feeling but a good/worthy one. I have been hitting it fat some but besides that, I can feel there being more of a coil.

I've always slid/swayed my hips back instead on turning correctly. This is my first golf swing video since doing the "wall drill" and can definitely feel a difference. I've only hit balls 2-3 times since learning the wall drill so the new turn is very new. I feel like I can swing a little more in control now and still hit the ball a long enough way. Thanks @iacas and @mvmac. I have been hitting it fat sometimes though and that's something I definitely have to fix.

I read the lesson and did the wall drill. Could feel a major difference. Had to play 9 afterwards and I wasn't very consistent but that OK considering that this is the first time getting the feel of a correct, non-swaying turn. The best way to explain it was I felt like I had "easy power." Slowing my swing down actually made me hit it further and my drives were straighter. My consistent miss, although I still hitting it with good distance, was blocking it right which before correcting my swaying was not an issue. Ordered a tripod and plan on updating "my swing." It feels different but I can tell that RPB (right pocket back) is the way to go.

@iacas I read that entire thread! Awesome stuff!! Won't get that anywhere else man and I appreciate it. I think my best thing is to practice inside at home. I liked the drill of putting a basketball between my left hip and the wall, then making my backswing. Anything wrong with that drill? Or is there a better one for indoor/living room practice? Thanks again

Mac that is interesting. A local pro tells me that I "sway" my hips back. It does not feel like I do but i definitely believe him. Even when I try not to (this can be difficult to try in the middle of a round).. I still do it. Something tells me that if I corrected my turn/sway motion, it would do more good than anything. My upper body is a little more tight than the average so I think that it makes sense that I would resort to swaying rather than turning. He tells me every time I golf with him, "Stop swaying. You need to turn. Just turn. Don't sway." But usually it is in the middle of the round and I try it a few times and give up on it. So @mvmac I think that is the key for me but it's tough for me to feel it and like it. He's looked at my grip and has never mentioned me aiming left. I can tell by watching the Sergio video that his turn is probably twice as much as mine. I would say, realistically, my left shoulder gets to my left ear and most of the time probably doesn't get that far. At the top of Sergio's back swing, his chest is facing opposite the target and his left shoulder is underneath his chin. I really wish I could hone this turn not sway thing. My short game saves me 24/7 and golf is so much fun for me when I'm hitting GIR. Do you have a favorite drill or article that you could share pertaining to golfers with a tendency for swaying instead of turning?

@iacas I have not been a member here long but have noticed that you seem to be knowledgeable so thank you for the feedback. I'm absolutely going to film it and may do it tonight if possible. I think that the "more weight on my right side" helped for me because I used to lunge and sort of try to attack the ball from the top. I think that my backswing may be too flat, which can easily lead to going OTT due to momentum correct? @iacas I certainly don't want to bug you but could you offer any advice or articles on help with a super flat backswing?

After years of baseball, I have been battling (some days more than others) going OTT. I want to kill the ball, sometimes, and the first thing i want to do is drive my right shoulder to the target. I've dealt with this for a while. But then I saw this drill on YouTube by a guy named Clay Ballard. For anyone who needs help with finding a remedy for going OTT.. try this video.. The drill of putting the club to my right side, then swinging straight out in front of me with a finish over my left shoulder, has become part of my pre-shot routine. It allows me to feel the inside-out path better and also helps me stay on a back foot just a little bit longer. I first watched this video a couple weeks ago and now I am drawing the ball nearly every time (I have pushed it right but it is a solid strike when I do). My contact even seems to be better. But now my new problem is drawing it too much. I have not recorded my swing on video but I intend to. I know I am not coming OTT because the ball starts straight down the middle, and then begins its turn. My driver is now drawing about 20-30 yards. This is where I would like some feedback from the golf minds here in the SandTrap. Should I just play the draw? My 3 wood does the same thing and my mid irons (5-8) draw probably 10-15 yards. This doesn't bother me thatttt much but.. when I'm playing a Pete Dye course and I have to draw the ball over water a bunch of times.. it can be nerve-racking. Especially when I know that sometimes I can push it if I don't release the club right. Is there anything negative about this drill that could be detrimental? Also, Clay Ballard.. Where is this guy out of? I seem to understand him a little better I guess than others and am interested in hearing more from him.

@Alx I'm over it. I will look into the studies. I don't believe that simply sticking a needle in your arm will get you jacked. But no hard feelings, carry on. Speaking of roids.. Jason Zuback looked like he could be juicing. I wonder if there have been any other golfers built like Zuback but are better all around golfers? Zuback hits it a mile but I can't imagine him being deadly accurate with a sand wedge?..

Dude sorry but you don't know what you are talking about but I'm done with trying to explain to you my point. Steroids DO NOT make you bigger just because you stick a needle in your arm.. you still have to go in the gym and bust your ass.. steroids just give you the ability to grow muscle (once you have tore it up by lifting) much faster because the muscles recover insanely fast and grow more (bigger) due to ungodly testosterone levels. That is what Mark McGwire did. He took steroids and hit the gym hard as hell. I'm sure you already knew this.. but doing steroids was not technically against the rules. So it didn't matter that he got big as shit. He didn't get big as shit just because he took a pill every day. He had an insane workout routine, like Alex Rodriguez when he did roids (do you know who he is?), and put on massive amounts of muscle. @Alx if you can't understand that or don't want to believe it then don't. I would love to hear your lecture on muscle growth and how it happens. Colin, my point was that it does happen and it's not that big of a deal. I never said it was common in a high school setting. Maybe it's because I lift with the bodybuilder type gymgoers that I feel like it's common. Maybe the amount of people that can push that weight is less than I think. I just recall from experience, which is all I can do. Bullshit is not in my vocabulary. Steroids boost your testosterone levels and they help you recover quicker. They don't magically make you big @Alx. It does not take that much common sense, even if you are clueless on the topic, that a professional athlete, in any sport, who plays arduous season long schedules, would benefit greatly by taking steroids at some point during the season to help recover their broken down bodies. More pro athletes use them to recover than to get big as shit like McGwire. @Alx can you understand this? Because this is what actually happens, contrary to bullshit you may read on the internet.

Ok, no problem. Misunderstood you. All good. I know not everything about golf but baseball and football are things I have lived and experienced. My main point was that the majority of the time, in American baseball, they took steroids to recover. Not to get big like Bonds, McGwire, Rodriguez, and others in the steroid era who got crazy big in the weight room due to their hardcore workout regimens and ability to recover. Most guys, like Bartolo Colon (google him because I highly doubt Europeans know him that well), used PEDs to recover to be ready for the next game.. NOT get stronger and faster.. that is my point. Drink a cup hot tea lad. I'm an ex college athlete that grew up in a family of college athletes, weight lifting coaches, football players and father was in the MLB farm system. I also grew up in the USA and competed in numerous lifting competitions. When I said 450x10 happens all the time, I said that because I know that. I have seen that. But perhaps you are more "informed" on today's power lifting scene in America. Either way man, just carry on. Save your smarta** attitude for someone else.

Agreed. I was just trying to explain in simple terms that adding muscle mass did not help him steal bags. But it's no secret that steroids helped people hit more home runs. Billy Hamilton, who plays on the Reds, is 6 ft. 160 pounds (probably less than 160). He is on pace to break Henderson's record by far... and he is one of the lightest guys in MLB if not the lightest. I love watching Bubba and his game is unbelievable. A true bench press, is pause at the bottom when you touch your chest, then fully extend and hold for a second before doing the next rep. But look I do not know Bubba's routine. He could be stronger who knows. But.. no way he gets 20 : ) Maybe a good test/idea for you would be to go do a proper bench press yourself. Benching and driving a golf ball are similar in the fact that people think they can do more. Some may think they bench 300 but when they participate in a competition they can only do 260.. properly. Kind of like when people say they can do 15 pull ups but they only go halfway down and don't get their chin to the bar.

Steroids = more muscle mass = higher bat speed = higher batted ball speed = longer carry on fly balls = more home runs

Not exaggerating. He is a pro and is a string bean. He averages around 300 yards. He is tall as well. My bet would be that if he benched properly, like he would have to in a bench press competition, he would get somewhere between 2-5 reps. Remember guys.. long arms means the further you have to press to complete a full bench press rep. I would also bet that if he failed to meet his goal, he'd cuss out his weight lifting coach or blame it on his spotter. Strength is strength. No difference. Commentators usually ascribe country strong to bigger, bulkier guys who you may not think/realize are that strong. There are big boys out there who may be 250-260 pounds and some kids may call them fat. These "fat" guys, if "country strong," would be really strong even thought they don't necessarily look it. NFL lineman are insane strong.. most people ignorant of football say they are just fat. Wrongggg. They used for different reasons. Roger Clemens (and all other pitchers who juiced) used steroids to heal quicker between starts (this is the reason why the majority, not all, of professional athletes juice.. they kill it in the weight room or on the field, recover insanely fast, build muscle, then do it again). Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds used steroids to get another 20-40 feet on his long fly balls which = more home runs. NO ONE used them, in baseball, to run faster. If they did, they did it by busting ass in the gym, recovering quickly, and then lifting in accordance to a speed program. Ricky Henderson stole 130 bags and hit 10 home runs in 1982. Then, while hanging out with Canseco and McGwire when they played together with Oakland, he took steroids. He went from being a toned string bean to pretty damn jacked. His stolen bases trended downward since he noticeably/obviously juiced. Then in 1990 at age 31, he stole 65 bags and hit 28 bombs. Juicing DID NOT make him faster. But he got much stronger and you could tell. Ok so why not get to bodybuilder type levels of strength? I mean what is stopping these guys from bulking up and getting stronger?... Your logic would be that they would hit it further but that is wrong. Sadlowski is a great talent. He can hit it a long way but there DOES come a point where if he bulks up too much, even if he does yoga 10x a day, the muscle mass will restrict his range of motion. 450 for 10 times is pretty strong. But it is not that strong. It is impressive for a PGA golfer in my book. 450x10 happens all the time in high school weight rooms. I did 475x3 as a 9th grader which was a record at my high school, but this puts it in perspective. Sadlowski is strong..... for a golfer. Exactly^^ slow twitch muscles are big (chest, quads, back) and slow twitch muscles are small and fast. Bench pressing would help your slow twitch muscles. Power cleaning, a lift that Jason Zuback did a lot he said before he got into long driving, helps your fast twitch muscles. Fast twitch muscles help you become more explosive. Benching 800 pounds will absolutely 100% hurt you more than help you.. in golf. Yes!! I wish that there was more literature/tips out there for players of this sort but unfortunately I haven't seen much at all, if any. I think we are a unique type of golfer and I am fine with that but I love the game and still want to get better. It just amazes me that with all of the literature out there.. you really can't find much at all on this.

I played linebacker in high school, then college. MLB (middle). I bench today almost 400 (used to do more) and, from my own personal experience, this absolutely does not help in golf. I'm perplexed as to seeing Rory try to bulk up. I'm not a pro but I can observe that since Rory began to bulk he has not been as good. I always thought that Tiger and Rory would have to be yoga 24/7 to achieve the necessary level of flexibility to swing like they. It is this simple IMO.. more muscle mass = less Range of Motion. The football build is great for big muscles (think chest, quads, muscles that help players drive opposing players away like when a lineman blocks, he is sort of bench pressing). Lifts such as power cleaning help with the "fast twitch" muscles and help players become more explosive. I could see lifts like this helping golfers but still, more muscle = less flexibility and less ROM. I don't know much but I do know that flexibility and ROM are important in golf. Also, take my word, no PGA golfers come remotely close to the physique and strength of a NFL player. Not even close. I've seen Woodland, Vegas, Ernie, etc.. Even if it's the strongest built PGA player.. still not even close. Whole different animal. I am VERY glad that this discussion is taking place because I truly feel that a man who has a bulky chest and big arms CAN NOT have the same swing mechanics as let's say Dustin Johnson. I have been taking swing advice from local pros who are string beans. Not strong individuals. Maybe they can bench 145? But.. they drive the hell out of the ball. 300+ every single time. Has anyone here ever seen a bodybuilder golf before? I totally wish that there was golf instruction for bodybuilder type physiques. I have been looking forever and have not found much except for.. well here is craig stadler and he was big. Yes.. he was big and fat and FLEXIBLE. I am of the opinion that there IS a way for bodybuilder type physiques to be successful in golf (scratch handicap) but.. it will not be the same as 99% of others. Some mechanics would be the same.. but some mechanics, i would expect, would have to be different. Anyone who would like to point out tips, articles, youtube videos, etc for swing help for bodybuilder type physiques would be more than greatly appreciated.

So I read this entire thread last night.. excellent stuff from all contributors.. I too have benefited from a very loose grip -> loose wrists -> loose arms.. but.. I'm intrigued by the statement of, "the better players, or real low handicappers, actually have a strong/tight grip but keep their wrists/forearms/arms loose." I have made improvements by keeping my grip loose (3/10 on the looseness scale) and definitely have been striking the ball clean, although sometimes the club face is left just a little bit open, or closed, at impact. I've also noticed that sometimes I feel like I'm a little too loose and need to tighten up my grip to stay in control. But it sounds to me like I need to start trying to practice with a tighter grip (6/10 on the scale) while keeping my wrists/forearms/arms relatively loose. Then.. I would probably be squaring up the ball more consistently and won't feel as sloppy at impact. Just want to make sure I am following this correctly.. awesome thread and contributions all around!

@shanksalot I agree. But pace of play is not a problem with her and as a matter of fact, she plays quicker than the majority of men. It's just the fact that she'd almost rather not play than to be paired up. Single digit handicap.. you have a lot to deal with.. lol

My lady has recently gotten hooked on golf. She isn't the best as of yet but she's hooked and has the will to keep working to get better. One thing that she isn't crazy about is playing with other golfers. I think half of the reason why is due to our last experience. First I want to mention that I have been playing golf since I was 4 and understand/respect the game of golf and the proper etiquette of golf. I have always invited singles to play along when appropriate and of course, let faster groups play through when necessary (isn't often as I play fast). So, I understand that when you go out to a golf course, you don't own the course and cannot dictate who you get paired up with. 95+% of the time I enjoy meeting other golfers and have even become good friends with a few that I've met at the starter. I explained to her that sometimes, particularly on busy days, you will get paired up with others if you arrive with less than a foursome. She understands but admits her experience is totally different and much more enjoyable when she doesn't play with strangers. Most of the time then we are traveling and playing golf, the pro and/or starter recognizes that we are a couple and probably want to play by ourselves if possible. They arrange the tee times accordingly and we leave two happy customers. However.. the last time we played, we got paired up with two very serious men. And then, right on cue, my wife had a bad day hitting the ball and honestly slowed down the whole group. I could tell the others were getting irritated. They shot around 80 and I shot 79 myself. But they were extremely serious and not really the type of golfers that I prefer to play with. Just my preference. So.. for all of you starters and pro shop men/women familiar with any options I may have.. How can I make a tee time, while respecting the etiquette of the game I love so dearly, that will allow us to play alone if possible? On packed days, I totally 100% understand that sometimes you simply must be paired up, and that's fine. It's something she will have to get used to. But when it is the off-season (like now).. what is the proper way to go about this? Any tips that anyone could offer? My thought was that if we make a tee time for later in the afternoon, where we would finish around sunset, that it may be a good time for minimal traffic on the tee box. I have heard others tell me to let my wife call and make the tee time herself and ask, if possible, if we can schedule a tee time that would give us the best chance to enjoy a round by ourselves. I wonder if certain resorts or courses actually cater more to couples? PS- Kingsmill Resort hooked us up (and the other couples we met said the same thing). The kind pro asked if we would prefer to play alone and she lit up with a smile, responding thank you so much. Kingsmill is the best and they have done that for us both times we have stayed at the resort. Virginia Beach National on the other hand.. told us we were getting paired up regardless (they weren't halfway busy that day). He was an arrogant, rude person on top of that. It seemed like he enjoyed pairing us up, for no reason as the course was pretty empty. So.. I will gladly never return and give them my business. But they seemed like they did not even really want couples out there. Opposite of Kingsmill. ALSO- I realize that playing with another couple or two friends would result in a foursome. But that isn't always available when we travel or when we want to bring a bottle of wine along with us and enjoy our afternoon.

Buckeye, it is early and I don't want to jinx myself but.. what a difference that it has made! Twice as much feel, twice as much confidence. I'm honestly as little stunned that after the numerous pros I have talked to, none have even mentioned the word, "swingweight." It kind of baffles me.

Nothing wrong with Myrtle Beach. I went there last year during the spring and had a lot of fun. My favorite course there was Pine Lakes Country Club. It' very historic and near the beach. It was also designed by architect Robert White, the first president of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America. Myrtle Beach National has a large facility. It was pretty booked when I went and the pace of play was a little slower than I had hoped. But there's nothing wrong with it. Also, I thought that Wildwing Avocet was an awesome course. As far as Virginia in December, it can be nice or terrible. That's just Virginia. It would be 55 and sunny, then snow the next afternoon. Virginia Beach's golf scene sucks. Hate to say it but it's true. No need to waste your time or travel a good distance. Lot of buttholes in VB too. Particularly at VB National. Will never go back there. Kingsmill is the spot to go in Virginia (besides Primland of course but Primland is its own deal). The all you play package gives you a place to stay on the James River with access to everything at Kingsmill (health club, indoor pool, game room, etc). Busch Gardens is also about a half a mile away. You can see Kingsmill from the top of the Alpengeist roller coaster. Kingsmill may be better suited for a family trip though. A special spot in the South, to me, is Wild Dunes in Charleston. The two courses there are very special. Tough, but really a treat. It's also a short ride into downtown. The Outer Banks, NC is a personal favorite. But I'm from the shore and enjoy the water so I may be a little biased. But.. if you are in a big group (8+).. you can find massive, hooked up houses on the beach for an affordable price. Kilmarlic is my favorite but Nagshead Golf Links is a pretty cool course too.

Played my first 9 holes yesterday afternoon with my newly weighted clubs. I added lead tape to my RocketBladez and now I have a swingweight of 4-4.5 from my SW to my Driver. I wanted to share with you all my observations: The feel that I had with my sand wedge was very noticeable. I was already pretty good around the greens with my sand wedge before (when it was a D2) but now I'm in control of the club head more. I even chipped one in for birdie. My irons (which were all C-6 to C-7) are going higher for sure. I'm not sure what's causing it but I'm fine with it. I'm hitting my irons better, especially my 5 and 6 iron. Before, I would mishit a ball and it would be horrendous; 15 yards short of the green was expected and sometimes was even worse. Yesterday, it seemed like my mishits were either on the fringe or just off of the green. When you don't have to work as hard getting up and down, like I have been doing for the past 8 years, it makes life so much easier and is more enjoyable. I'm sure you all can relate. My Driver was felt much better in my hands. It was moved from a D2 to D4.5. If I swing easy and square it up, it's an easy 240-250, which isn't a bomb by any means but I'm in the game. I didn't have any real bad misses with it yesterday, or not like my catastrophic misses I would have before. So.. I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm definitely sticking with this swingweight. My only concern is should I increase the Driver swingweight even more? From what I've read, it looks like your 3-4 irons, 3-5 woods, and driver should be a higher swingweight. Now I've only played 9 holes so these observations aren't set in stone and I will have more to share but there's no doubt I have more feel, and confidence.