jefftommy06

Oh your fingers hurt.......well now your back is gonna hurt cause you just pulled landscapping duty!! Sorry, couldn't help it.

A little background. I first picked up a club about 7yrs ago when I quit baseball after about 20+ yrs, I've been addicted ever since. When I started I got a job at a golf course and in 3 yrs I shot an 81, I've only seen 80 since! I have been working very hard on one main problem with my swing, taking it incredibly flat. I didn't know I was this flat until about a year ago when I finally filmed my swing, believe it or not this is better than a year ago! I've tried so many things but taking the club like that feels very natural to me, I don't want it that flat and am working on things to help out. Even with the flat swing I still make excellent contact and produce a high long ball flight. My last round was this past weekend and I shot an 86 with 2 birds, the short game was my issue this last round......I was on the green putting for birdie on 10 holes and only came away with 2 and a lot of 3 putts. Another little thing I see is me moving my head all around when I start my swing. Any help is appreciated for the flat swing. FYI.....second swing is my friend.

Exactly....relax, breathe, and focus on that shot.

If I were a golfer that just started the game I would take this the wrong way, I would say to myself "so it's okay to relax the knee/hami/quad and bend it almost straight with no tension in it at all". I just think it's the wrong message to get accross, I think it will increase swing faults and decrease power instead of the opposite. I know what you are saying but people can take it the wrong way and I think most PGA teachers would probably teach the opposite. "The role of the right knee in the backswing is very simple, but incredibly important. The importance of the flex in the right knee is undeniable. The flex in the right knee helps keep the hips more level in the backswing. If the right knee straightens, it pushes the right hip up and consequently the left hip down resulting in too much left-hip tilt in the backswing. Where there is too much hip tilt to the left in the backswing, it's difficult to shift your weight properly to the right in the backswing. Therefore, the player inadvertently creates a reverse pivot, or reverse weight shift with too much weight on the left foot at the top of the swing." "Another key reason to keep the right knee flexed is how it is used in your transition into your downswing. Your right knee is a key source of driving power of your lower body in the downswing. It's very difficult to drive off a straightened right leg in the transition. Therefore, the upper body tends to dominate the downswing resulting in poor swing plane and loss of power."

I hit one a few months ago with my new r9........ouch, but I also got a little tipsy on the course so I wasn't that upset. It also wasn't directly on the top, more like a half and half.

Here's my theory and I'm 100% correct...........20% of the time. You read about all these slow motion, half swing, or pitching drills that quite the swing down, but what do they all have in common, they keep your lower half(right knee to be specific) very quite in the swing. For shits and giggles video yourself doing an easy pitch shot......then a full long iron/driver. I would put some money on your lower half moving much more on the full shot than the pitch shot......given you are not thinking about it. Look at the pros, no matter the shot the good ball strikers have little movement in their right knee....they keep that consistent "Flex" in the backswing. I practice keeping the flex in my right knee consistent on the way back and this really helps in creating solid ball contact on the way down.....no matter the club. Obviously there are so many other factors that could lead to inconsistent shots....even while keeping a consistent knee flex, hopefully this will click for somebody. Did I use the word consistent too much?

I'm a Mizuno and Hogan guy myself, I love the way they feel. Titleist always felt a little heavy for me. I think the new MP-68 would allow you to shape any shot you want.

Thanks for the help guys, I've never had any pro instruction so I was uncertain about a few things, this cleared up a few of those.

Good Call!

Divots ....Good, means you are hitting down through the ball compressing it in the ground instead of sweeping. Divot Size .....about a dollar bill wide and no more than dollar bill in length Divot Placement ......definitely not behind the ball, generally at or slightly in front of ball If you are taking huge chunks there's a few things you can look at, make sure you are not standing to close to the ball. Check to make sure you are not releasing the club too early(casting), let the club release naturally on its own. One of the most important things is your head, do not let your head move up/down throughout the swing.

I have been struggling with this for some time now.....what is the correct position of the wrist at the top of the swing, and up till just a few days ago I was employing the flat wrist technique. My problem with this was, because of the grip I was using the clubface at the top of the swing was closed. At the beginning of my rounds/practice I would hit nice draws, but as I got warmed up I eventually started duck hooking my longer irons/driver/woods. So I started to pay more attention to the clubface angle at the top rather than what position my left wrist was in. I changed my left wrist to slightly cupped at the top to get the clubface in the correct position. I had one practice and did not duck hook anything, and wouldn't you know it, shot my lowest score ever that next day(last Sunday). So personally I think this is dependent on the type of grip you have. At the top of the swing the leading edge of the clubface needs to be parallel to your left arm(see image below). If you are not getting to this position with a flat wrist you may need to cup it a little to compensate. Don't focus on what your left wrist is doing.....pay attention to what the clubface is telling you. But hey.....I'm no pro! Gary Player puts this more in perspective, I really like this analysis.

I do believe when it is all said and done it will be Tiger, but right now even Tiger will say Jack is the best because of the Majors.

That's exactly what I try to do, forget about where the last shot ended up and think of your next lie as a new challenge, or more practice. Besides, it's boring hitting it from the fairway everytime.

I've never had a video of my swing made but I've been looking at some HD camcorders lately, maybe I can get one this weekend and post a video.

Thanks for the replies, I have played baseball for 15+ years so what is natural for you guys sometimes does not feel so natural to me. What I've been trying to do is get the leading edge perpendicular to the ground(when the shaft is parellel), so you are saying at that point the shaft needs to be rotated(I'm not actually rotating it) slightly left so that the leading edge is more in line with my spine angle, I believe I understand now. I've always played around with different take-aways....opening up the clubface more, keeping it closed more. So when the shaft is parallel to the ground, should the back of your hand and forearm be flat, meaning you could put a board on forearm and back of the hand and see no gap in your wrist? Sorry for being so technical, I love technique…..that’s why I shoot in the 80’s after 5yrs of picking up a golf club.

First let’s make an assumption that the swing we are talking about is not a slice or draw, this is a straight shot down the middle with the club head perfectly on plane. I don’t fully understand the rotation of the shaft during take-away….and throughout the swing and it has been bugging me for some time. Can someone give me a good explanation of how the shaft is supposed to rotate during the swing, what your hands/wrists should be feeling? Where does the clubface/toe point when the shaft is parallel to the ground…..perpendicular to the ground(halfway back)? I know this is a little more than anyone would care to explain but any help/advice on this is much appreciated. BTW....I have a very neutral grip if that helps any.

I got a job as a cart boy at a golf course when I was 21, before then I had only picked up a club at the driving range…..and it was their used clubs. It took me just under 3 years to hit an 81. I can’t remember breaking 100/90 though. I guess what helped….or hurt, was that I had played baseball for over 15 years and was very athletic and could stretch really far. It’s been 2 years since I hit that 81 and I haven’t broken that record yet…..but I do play consistent mid-high 80’s now and hope to break the 80 mark soon!

I have a buddy I'm great friends with and if either he or I are playing bad we always say to each other, "I'm going to have to find someone else to play with if you keep playing like this", joking....but kind of mean it. It might be a little extreme but we are very competitive so I think that alone helps him or me concentrate more on shots. We are positive golfers though, we don't let bad shots get to us, makes us mentally strong. What also helps is that we are so evenly matched.

I am much more obsessed with hitting a low bullet with my 3w or 3/4i, that’s a great feeling to be 200/250+ with those clubs and still putting it up to or past opponents who are hitting driver. But there’s obviously a big advantage to hitting controlled bombs wherever you are on the course. Most would say, “I’d rather have a short game”, well…..I’d rather have both, and why can’t someone have both.

The only advice I don't mind getting is when someone tells me, "you hit it where you were lined up".......and that's after I hit the ball, don't tell me before I hit it....that messes with my head on the shot. I usually line up parallel to my target so I don't mind that advice. Give me tips on what you saw in my swing, not how you think I should correct it.

Had a terrible golf day yesterday, shot a 96 but ended on a good short game shot. The last hole was a 518yd par 5, I hit the ball poorly off the tee and had to lay up with a mid iron to give me an easy PW into the green, hit the ball off the toe and ended up about 10ft short of the green. At this point I was really fed up with the round so I quickly came up to the ball, took one practice swing and hit a perfect 70+ft pitch that hit and rolled right up and into the hole for bird. Just when I get mad and frustrated the game has to do something to totally redeem itself!!

First time playing this little course just outside of Jackson, MS called Live Oaks, it’s a fairly decent course that plays at around 6500yds with about 10 blind tee shots. Shot a 96 51/45, snapping it off the tee box just about every time(hit my 4 iron farther than driver/3wood….ouch) and hit a bunch of poor shots. Short game was decent, no 3 putts and I pitched in a birdie on the last hole from about 80 feet away.

At the start of spring I was shooting in the low 100’s, then I got it down into the 90’s, now I’m in the high-mid 80’s……I usually shoot in the low-mid 90’s but I take a winter break. Accomplishments in a single round to break 80: 1. FIR on all par 4&5’s….well maybe not all, but most 2. Not a single 3 putt 3. No blow-up holes….I usually have 1 or 2 a round were I double 4. Making a birdie on at least 2 holes

Off the tee I hit it into the first cut about 155yds out, problem was my ball was lying on a 60+ degree slope(uphill slope to the green). So I pull out the 8 and take a huge, but controlled hack, I hit the ball square on the button at the same time taking about a cubic yard of Georiga with me. The ball seemed like it was never going to come down....I think the ball went higher than it did as far, but finally did come down about 15 feet from the hole. An easy two putt and I was out with a par. When I originally saw my lie I was already thinking bogie or double. The game never fails to impress!

If this happens....and I'm absolutely sure the ball did not go OB or hazard I will drop in a general area with no penalty. Let's face it, given enough time I could probably find it.......but that's usually not a 'good shot' which is what the topic is about. I consider a good shot to be fairway or first cut.....if you lose your ball then, 1 of 4 things is going on, they need to cut the grass, you need to get glasses, follow the ball when you hit it.....don't turn your back because you know it's a good shot, or CLEAN YOUR BALL!! :)