Ladysmanfelpz

Yes I am right handed. Back to your hammer metaphor, I feel like a lot of people fall into the cupped L wrist thing, because its more comfortable. In fact picking up a hammer or other object with weight at end, I think most people cup, it seems unnatural to go bowed. Cupped might not be more powerful, but definitely more comfortable. Will check out TST as well

Just read an article the other day about how lower handicappers tend to have a bowed or flat wrist while more amateurs and higher handicappers have a cupped wrist. You see all about it on TV too, especially with the slow mo stuff nowadays, "Oh take a look at Dustin Johnson's bowed left yada yada yada." Getting overplayed in my opinion. But then I was thinking about it and its true. Whereas pro's can have very different swings that they have drilled for years, none of them have cupped wrists. You can have short or long backswings, flat or steep, or just straight unconventional like Furyk, and NONE of them have a cupped wrist. So why is the flat/bowed leading hand so superior? Is it just simply better club face control? And why is cupped so bad? Poorer club face control? Does it rotated the face on the way down? I know I definitely have a cupped wrist and most people I play with do as well. Its really only a few of my better friends who are pretty neutral in the lead wrist. So my thought is, if it is a proven fundamental to a better swing, just fixing that one thing should have a proven beneficial impact. When I try to work on it, my swing tends to feel so funky. Weird how something as small as wrist angles can feel like it changes your whole swing. I still would like to try and improve it however, so what are some drills I can work on to stop cupping and straighten that bad boy out?

There I said it. I think I need lessons. Not even upset, like oh my practice isn't working, or thinking watching/reading so much golf was wasted. I just realize training from an expert actually yields results. So I logged around 30 or so rounds this year on my Arccos app this year and got down to a 13 handicap which is right where I expected I should be at. Those unfamiliar with the app, it breaks down your handicap into 5 areas: driving, approach, chipping, sand and putting. My breakdown comes to 17, 17.6, 13.7, 6.4, 8.3. So like anyone I practice my full swing the most. Notice a trend here though? That's right, always trying different drills, some filming and just other areas to improve, but it didn't help. The only golf lessons I had was junior camp when I was in junior high and we basically had a quick lesson on chipping or putting and then went out and played 9 holes. The real reason I want to pursue lessons is because of the sand number. That is my lowest and that's the last real golf tip I've ever received. I was out playing with my brother's buddy who is a scratch/plus handicap and he gave me a great tip. Although very good, he doesn't mind playing with hackers like me. Well one day I was finding the bunkers too much. Like every amature I dreaded the bunkers and it could turn an enjoyable round to a regrettable one. So the 2nd bunker I got in, he saw the worry on my face and just said, "Come on now. Set up, look at the flag,and hit right behind the ball. It'll get up there." And ever since there its just stuck. I've had multiple compliments on my sand game, and now seeing the numbers it truly is the best part of my game. All that from a simple lesson. Even many of my better players will ask for advice from the sand, and I've hit great shots, such as getting out of the bunker short-sided with my PW when I got frustrated and didn't want to go back for my lob. It really just sticks, like I get the physics, and how to play the shot such as how much to open up, how much power, and where to strike. Now I don't have this same feeling with my other shots. I really think having someone there and confirming or criticizing your swing will yield the quickest results. I'm an athletic guy and disciplined, but obviously me whacking at it hasn't led to much improvement since starting this game in the full swing department. Now I know its the off-season, but I think when I get back into it it will be with actual lessons with an instructor, the right way. The thing is just finding the time 🙄

Read description in video please.

I've been Playing Golf for: 4 years My current handicap index or average score is: 16 My typical ball flight is: Left to right The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Been pulling it as of late, but that can change. Would like more consistent ball striking. Finally did proper videos, so thought I'd start a swing thread. Some things I've noticed is my R shoulder is fairly dropped. I know it is supposed to be lower, but it seems lower than normal. Tried to "square up" more after watching the face on vid, but led to awful contact. I've had some R hip issues before and wondering if this affects my posture leading to the pronounced R shoulder drop. Also on the face on I'm fairly ahead of the ball. This is a PW, and I've worked on swinging down on the ball with high lofted clubs and I guess have gone to this approach. I make fairly good contact as I'm sure you all can tell, but surprised with how out of control and long my backswing looks. My follow through I think looks great and balanced. I've gone to a "just be athletic" approach this year and I feel athletic in the follow through, but by watching shadows and just feel, my backswing does not feel/look athletic. Down the line I still notice I am fairly over the top, even though I have been working on this for years. I've really been trying to shallow the shaft and let it drop behind me, but it still makes its way up by my head. Thoughts and tips? Thanks everyone! Videos:

So I think my big issue is flipping the hands like Patch said. I have been working at it so here is my update. I played the other day and just warmed up with wedges at the course. The few irons I hit were fine. On the course first approach I had was 105, perfect for my 56. I took a full swing, caught it perfect, landed pin high and proceeded to spin it 20 ft back off the green. Like I said when I catch them good I catch them really good. Another memorable one was around 80 yd approach after a spanked drive. Was feeling more confident with the wedges and knew a full swing would yield better results than a knockdown SW so I grabbed my 60 and hit it great right over the flag. I’m working more on rotating instead of shifting to L side. So much instruction talks about the weight shift that I was clearly forgetting to rotate, but gaining some rotation back I’ve been contacting it better. But then later the old habits returned. I had a two great shots on a par 5 leaving me 115 to the flag with a strong tailwind. Grab my 56 which should have been perfect for the shot, but proceed to overswing it for the extra distance even when wind would have carried it there. Hands got in front, head came up a little and I proceeded to send my SW like a flighted 6 iron. My friend on the next tee box (where it landed) says, “How’d you hit it 6 club lengths too far?” Next shot is fat as you can imagine. So it seems that when I try to I try to swing hard, I go to a flat, long iron type swing and send it flying. Doing some soft 9 iron swings to SW distance at the range was good practice. Really helped me focus on swinging down, keeping a firm grip and controlling the club face as well. Also got me hitting a draw flight as well compared to my usual fade. The grip is a big factor for me, I was too soft before, but I think if I can nail this down I’ll be on to great improvement. The future looks bright fellas!

This. Although I have come to realize that and am working on it. Flipping the head through creates tremendous speed, and that is why my good wedges are pro like shots with great spin, but misses are 150 yd fliers. I'm really trying to keep it behind me and watch contact all the way through. And to onthehunt I've heard this 1000x. Hold it like a baby bird. Does help you realize its a game of feel and you need to stay relaxed to hit good shots, but through the years I've come to side more with iacas. Soft grip at the start, but in the swing you need to hang on to prevent that grip from sliding around. But again to Patches thoughts I do notice I try to swing up on it, but working on that divot in front. I do take one most of the time, even with a flip, but I think my clubhead coming thru so fast with no control still causes flyers. So is there a simple tip or drill I can work on? Should I just do 3/4 steep swings until I'm hitting it solid every time? Or tee it up and practice that way? I think just getting solid feedback would help on good contacts since I am getting such little off the ground. Also I'm practicing on pretty hard pan stuff fwiw.

Thanks for the vids but I’m more referring to 3/4 to full swings with the wedges, not pitches. Although it sounds like these techniques carry into full swings so I will watch them. But it yeah hook meister that occurs as a result. Like I said I really tried to stay cool thru the wedges at my range session to no avail and felt stiff at the end. I did start slowing down the backswing and that helped some. I think I will go to that more and see how that works out for me. I plan on getting a membership this summer and wedges will be my main priority so I will start a swing thread to see my progress.

So I still can't figure out wedges. Is there something big that I am missing? Ever since I picked up a club I've been able to hit a driver fairly well, probably cuz I knew how to hit up on the ball and carry it far. Irons I've slowly gotten better with. But I just can't seem to get wedges. I dedicated last year at trying to get better with "scoring" clubs thinking my main issue was that I was incapable of partial swings. Now I'm learning its much more than that. I spent the last two days at the range and again every club in the bag was great except my 50* yesterday and 56* today. My biggest fear and my most common miss is sending the ball 150 yards or more which after today I am pretty sure is due to casting. I'm really trying to keep the club behind me now and that has helped with the flyers although I still had some. Also I just can't seem to hit it consistently whatsoever. Strike behind the ball, no similar flight, some high with lil spin, others too low and high spin, others just straight shanks. The thing that sucks is everyone I know has a gaming swing that can get it done on the course. I'll pound a 300 yd drive step up with my SW and shank it. I've been watching and reading as much as I can on wedges and really haven't gotten any tips that would help me hit it consistently. I have a fairly good swing (I'll post it when I get the chance) and there is no way you would think I'm as bad as wedges as I am, but I can't figure it out. Is there a simple tip I can focus on to get good contact with my wedges? Like I used to suck at chipping, and the no decel really helped. Driver I just swing through it. Wedges at the range I came in open minded and left sweating and tight. I feel like I have to control the club through the whole path (obvious in golf, right) but the effort was too much even tho I'm a fit 27 y/o guy. Like I said driver I tee up and swing hard- good results, irons I just focus on the ball and a spot to hit it and it goes fairly straight. Wedges I was trying everything and no dice. What am I missing here?

You know one thing I've noticed is my right elbow effects my grip. I've been working on keeping my Right arm in tighter and it keeps my R hand on the club better. When I let it get away from me thats when I notice the roll in the R hand and creation of the extra hinge as you mentioned. I tend to hit a fade, but got away from a big slice (am a 13 handicap now). Now this next part has to do with more grip pressure. I still struggle with my wedges and just noticed practicing that I was gripping it way harder than any club. Worked on keeping that elbow in resulting in better contact. It allowed me to loosen up the grip too! Hopefully this will result in less hitting those thin shots or knuckle fliers and gain me some confidence with the club which will only result in a softer grip.

This is one thing I rarely see tackled by my Youtube lesson guys like Mark Crossfield. How much contact with the grip do you maintain with the grip in your swing? Not so much interested in grip pressure. We all hear of gripping too tightly and having no feel, and too loose no control. Also not talking about grips such as strong or weak. But actually how your hands dynamically interact with the grip in the swing. I started paying attention to this when I noticed I would sort of let the club roll in my hands on big full swings. It led me to change my cocked wrist into more of a straight wrist on takeaway and improved my swing. After playing yesterday I noticed I still let it roll a lil bit. One swing I tried staying "connected" with the club the whole time and hit a pull. My buddy plays off a 4 handicap and the club moves quite a bit in his hands where at the end his R index finger (trail arm for a R handed golfer) almost comes off the club entirely. I've also seen pro's where the club is literally like an extension of their hands without any movement between their hands and grip from start to finish. I mean its all the delivery that affects your golf shots and if you have a consistent change in grip in your hands it shouldn't matter if its repeatable, right? Or is maintaining a connected grip from start to finish something we should all strive for? And how do you all think this changes with different types of shots from drives to chips to putts?

Lol at the pyramid chart @RandallT. Because I have been playing a while I have figured out my swing enough where I can get birdies and hit good shots. I know I am doing some fundamental things incorrectly tho and would like to figure those out. First I think it may come down to how much time and dedication I have. I also like how people said to focus on one specific thing at a time. Plans are to get an iPhone mount to record swing, do at least a tathata lesson a week and then hit the range as many times as my schedule allows. I don't plan to be playing much through the winter as it'll be fairly busy for me, but hoping some swing focus time will carry over.

I just finished a long golf week with my buddies. We played 4 times and although I beat one of my friends, I am a long way off from my buddy who is a single digit capper. He mentioned some things at the end of the week and it really got me motivated on improving. Now I have been playing quite a while and been trying to improve over the last couple of years, but don't really feel my swing has changed all that much. I can do what I know fairly well, but feel the bread and butter of gaining accuracy and learning to score has yet to improve. I still shoot 90's with about 1/3 of rounds in the mid-upper 80's. I know many people try the "Well if I groove the smoothest swing, I'll play great!" technique to no avail. Golf is more complex than that. I'm not here looking for the perfect Ben Hogan swing, but I do need some tips on how to practice and how to gain consistency. My buddy has a great draw to his swing, completely taking the right side out on his irons. Plays it wide right with a long iron and brings it in closer when he gets down to his wedges. I'm more a fade player, but sometimes its a high ballooning fade, others low and cutty, and basically just not much control. I have the Tathata golf course and a local course has a range deal for $35 a month. I am a medical student so time is scarce. Should I purchase the range membership and dedicate 2-3 days a week of practice with some Tathata mixed in? The thing I feel I am lacking is I do not witness my own swing enough. Do I need to purchase a stand to film both down the line and in front clips of my swing? What is your all opinions on how to get a more consistent flight in about 3 months time? Thanks everyone.

Hey all. Fairly new to this forum and to consistently playing the game in general. I've played since high school occasionally with friends, but have dedicated time to improvement over the past 3 years. I've enjoyed this time playing a game we all love, but luckily I just received a call for medical school acceptance starting this fall and will have much less time for golf. I knew this time was coming as a pre-med kid and that's why I wanted to make the most of my of my time before starting. Well now its here and the real work begins. I'm actually kind of glad I'll have less time with this game. As a former disc golfer I was able to get to scratch within what I would say about 3 dedicated season of play. Well that's about what I spent with this game, although maybe less frequent play due to the time and cost required of golf. I was hoping to decrease my handicap by a large margin with background in athletics and some dedicated practice, but not so. It would be a great skill to have for the rest of your life to play this game at a high level (I've played with some scratch players, and to say the least it is impressive what they can do with a ball). Well couldn't tell you if it's due to my ability, or just not enough time/instruction, but it is a tough game and scratch is definitely faaaar off, and a single digit handicap I strived for may not come until later in life. I started out as a mid 90's player and would say I decreased to high 80's. Never truly figured out my handicap though. My current low scores consist of a 84 on par 70 course and 85 on my par 72. Could continue that from whites, but most times on the blues I would be low 90's. Had a few rounds over 100. It was fun to try and improve, but the last video of my swing I thought to myself, "yikes!" I'll have to finish Tathata and take some lessons next go around when I get more time to play. Although I'll be busy, its not impossible to golf through school. I'll most likely play a weekend here or there and definitely on breaks. And even tho, I didn't reach the skill I thought I'd be at with the time put in, I still love the game as much as ever. Sometimes golf is like sex. Your best doesn't come til later in life And at my level it shouldn't be too hard to get better. Now just waiting until that opportunity returns!

I got the program this spring. Stopped just short of Chapter 3 as I found I'd rather spend my time playing golf and practicing than doing movements in my living room. It has some potential. As @kingfrenzo mentioned my first day out was my worst round of golf ever. Was thinking about way too much. This is my first golf program btw. I like Tathata as it fits to my swing; A strong powerful smack of the ball, letting the body unload, not caring about positions too much, but more just an athletic movement. The thing is people talk about the yoga and stretching aspect of it, which to me really wasn't there. The stretching is okay, but I need a much more intensive workout program to feel I get better balance that golf requires. Yoga is king! This is just holding some positions, that I really didn't feel strengthening my body much. I did take some tips from it, so not narcing on it, and most likely will give it a go again and complete this winter.

But why? Doesn't Arccos do everything Game golf does without having to push a button? Maybe because you can't post your arccos rounds? Or can you? I just haven't seen any on here so I'm curios. And there @iacas!!! You happy now?!

Question?!?! Why does everybody on here use GAME golf and not Arccos?

I'm thinking I'll go for a new hybrid to get a fairer examination of the 3 head types and which I like best. It'll all come to the fitting. And trust me @WUTiger the 205 club is a big worry for me. All the strokes for me come around the greens. Really gonna switch up my practice to short game the rest of the season. I'm hitting the longer clubs great, plus I love the feeling of landing a green from far. I'm really like this set up of all 3 headtypes for my longer clubs. I know many players now like to change out their clubs for course conditions, but I don't have the skill or extra cash for that now. Like many other players have said before, if its a windy day, you should have as many holes down wind as into the wind. Liking a low launching club and a high launching club option in the bag concurrently.

Looks like part of my original post was accidentally deleted. Oops Well since I have become comfortable with my 3i, trying something the polar opposite of it maybe be beneficial. A nice high hitting club that lands at 205-210 with some spin would fit perfectly. Thats why I brought up a wood, since they are known to launch higher. But I want a shaft that is controllable. Thinking I will go in and try several hybrids out and a couple woods as well and whatever I do best with on the simulator I'll give a go.

Obviously this is all going to come down to a fitting, but I just wanted to go in with a few thoughts and suggestions. So stats here are I am a fairly long hitter, 265-280 carry with driver. The long end of my bag is kind of an experiment but I'm glad I did it! Now I just need to perfect it. So I am working with a wood, driving iron, and hybrid. 4 wood is 240+ club, 3 UDI 20* is 225 club (really anything 220 to 260; becoming my workhorse club as I become better with it), and a 4 hybrid at 22*. I wanted the driving iron to be a stronger loft than the hybrid as a better alternative for off the tee, more accurate, more roll, and the hybrid a higher launching, easier to hit club to hold greens at over 200. So I've become fairly proficient with the 3i, recently reaching and holding greens on par 5's in 2 lately. Now my hybrid, is currently the weakest club in my bag and struggle to reach for it. Not that I am a good hybrid hitter, its just a bad fit for me and knew this day was coming. Its an old TM original rescue #4 22* with only a 65 gram S shaft that I believe is too whippy for me. Finding my control is awful with it and can't hit a consistent shape shot. The only reason I struggle letting it go is that its older and therefore doesn't have the 'hot' faces of today's hybrids. I need this thing to go 205 to 215. Better yet would be near polar opposite of my driving iron. I want this thing launching high with a good amount of spin to hold greens. I was thinking another hybrid, but there are many options now to fill the role. Its hard to turn down an F6 baffler. In fact a 4w, driving iron, 6-7 wood wouldn't be a bad combo. It just has to hit the distance and be fairly accurate. Now that's the trouble with a wood is a longer shaft (making a 4i loft more 220 range), but I heard the F6 baffler also has a shorter shaft. This should make it more controllable and shorter. So what do you all think? Please recommend me something that hits that 205 mark and is fairly accurate and controllable. Thanks everyone. P.S. I keep the Ping Eye 2 4i, 25* loft, in the bag as well for 200 yd into the wind shots. All with 14 clubs in the bag. As you can see I'm loving the long end of the bag!

This. I still hit an old TM burner superfast in 10.5 with stock S shaft. Had it since high school, 26 now, and its gone thru some changes, but can't get it to leave the bag. Got rid of the long R shaft a couple years ago for my buddies S shaft. Lately been tinkering with some Lead tape and hitting it better than ever. I was playing with a group the other day and riding with our buddy who is a scratch golfer and I pipe one right down the middle 300 with roll. I'm talking about the lead tape and different shafts I'm looking at all this other different tech. He replies, "You just put one 300 in the middle of the fairway. What else do you want?"

Any news yet on where he was coming from? Purely speculation here, but it sounds like he took his pills and just wanted a nice relaxing drive and then got zonked. I really think the guy, mainly partly due to the fame, just likes to get away from people and maybe driving is his escape. Thought he could get a nice little buzz and prolly mixed some pain killers and sleeping pills or some benzo. Still waiting on the media to start covering the role of opiates in this arrest. I guess the one positive from this is that our beloved Tiger Woods is the first high profile case to be a victim of the opiate epidemic. Maybe he will bring more media attention to it and start speaking out on it. Also just have to say I'm very against the release of the dashcam footage. Can't people have any bit of privacy anymore? I think the full written report is enough for the public. Keep the audio and video for court.

K I know that flex rating is arbitrary. There is no index, coefficient, or algorithm that determines it, purely just the manufacturers rating on it. That being said I've noticed near every pro swings X. Whereas near every avg Joe I know, from 5 handicap to 25 swings S or below. Some of my buddies even have 115 mph driver swing speed and still swing S, were fitted into it, although not by a top coaching pro, just launch monitor. Where these pro's will be in their 40's, Phil, Stricker, Langer and they still swing X. So what gives? Is X flex rating associated with lower handicap? If so I want to get on this train. Now I know correlation is not causation, but just something I noticed. One of my buddies is scratch and he swings X but deservedly so as he swings hard. Myself I've been trying to slow down my swing and especially slow the transition to gain consistency. I've worked on and been told by multiple people I have a smooth transition, so right now my S graphite shafts and S ZZ lites on my eye 2's work great. I tried one of his X flex drivers at the range a couple times and had trouble getting it to launch, even with a fairly quick SS of 105+. I'm trying to make golf a lifelong game and envy the smooth swings of Ernie Els and the like, but if I am missing out on some big improvement in my game, I would like to work towards the X flex. I think myself like everyone else out here, we want to become the best we can be.

Just curious. I've been watching some of the videos by Mark Crossfield and other youtube pro's and there is an argument to how much shaft stiffness truly matters. Obviously too whippy is gonna lead to inconsistent strikes and dispersion. I'm a S stiff guy, like I'm sure a lot of us amateurs are, but what makes these pro's need and prefer X? Is it all the dispersion? Because it can't be swing speed. Bernhard Langer, Tom Gillis and all these guys on the champions tours still swing X even with decreasing swing speeds compared to the younger pro's. So why is it? And also are there any pro's that choose to swing a S or R flex and why?

Hey everyone, So I've been really investing some time into this game the past couple years and think (hope, its golf ) that I'm making a breakthrough. I started playing in high school with buddies where my main purpose was to hit the ball as hard as I could. I'm a long lanky guy and was routinely out hitting my buddies even though they had much more experience. Where they were really envious of me is with my driver where I could pound it 265+ even back then. My irons were hit or miss, literally, where I would get a high flying 165 yd 8 iron and stick the green or duff one 10 feet. So I've been working on the control game ever since I started taking this game more seriously to no avail. I was still duffing and on the course I would find my self trying to crush it instead of just make solid contact. My long sought effort of developing a controlled swing finally started to click at the range the other day. One thing I had to continually fight myself on was coming out of my front foot. I guess to hit it far I would do the jump out of my shoes like Justin Thomas, except without near the control. I noticed I also tried to help the ball up a lot doing this, so when contact was good I would hit that high flying, but low spinning iron shot. I was finally able to just roll onto the outside of my left foot without having these anxious spasms right before I hit the ball. Honestly I think anxiety has a lot to do with golf. Many of us amateurs don't know how the shot is going to end up. Hitting a small ball with a big stick leads to a myriad of results and can literally be quite shocking when striking the ball. I think I'm finally getting over that and losing my little nervous hop right before impact. I was able to swing and roll through with a solid grip. That was another thing I would do is release or tense weird areas of my hand when striking. Its crazy how these little subtleties made such a difference. While everyone around me was hitting tops and thin shots, I was able to stay cool and composed and struck the ball great! Decreasing my nervous hop is decreasing my mishits by a large margin. I'm also way more relaxed in my stance and grip. I know its golf and this was just a one time thing, but I truly felt it and hoping I can make this change stick. Hopefully on my way to lower scores