PerfectStriking

From this I think I can sum up lag like this

Today I went out and for the first time I think I really found out how to lag the club head effectively but, maybe this is just what I think lagging is maybe it isn't and this is a whole new thing I just think I'm doing right, boy that wouldn't be the first time right? So what happened, I basically got 20 yards longer on my driver, and got more relaxed and a more consistent drive and irons, first I just slowed down altogether and went pretty limp through the whole swing as I was having a shocker day on the first nine and wanted to slow down and straighten up. So I completely relaxed my swing and put less power on all the way through, this got a good result instantly in the fairway but, about 20 yards short of my better normal distances on drives and about 10 yards shorter on irons. Then a hole later on a short iron for some reason I decided to try the same relaxed swing until the club head got close to striking the ball and then pull through late and hard, and wow. Then I tried this on a drive and wow, 20 yards better than my normal better distance, far better relaxed swing feel and in the middle of the fairway, on irons I got similar results and about 10 yards above my normal better distance, well from then on for the second nine it was a golden golf day. So what did I discover, unless you really lag the club head, if you pull hard or even pull moderately on the way down anytime before you are just about to make contact you will just grab it and hit it short and wayward, at least that's today's epiphany. Is this lag in the technical definition that everyone talks about, do others do this, what do you all do on this / differences? I'm polling this as a question on lag.

This thread may be old, but it's still a lot of fun. So just to annoy OP even more I'm going to post, today I went out and hit 3 drives over 300 yards, all were on elevated, not downhill slopes just elevated tees with a moderate breeze behind. Two were straight down the middle at about 300 yards exactly (297-303) and a third was 50 yards from the middle of the green in middle fairway on a dogleg fly over trees on a 390 yarder. Now if that doesn't annoy the G out of OP's golfing then I don't have any better. So to summarise my obvious findings: 1. Elevated tees help distance 2. Moderate breeze behind helps distance 3. You can't hit it long (to my standard) at my age (49) or probably any age, unless you really lag the club head, if you pull hard or even pull moderately on the way down anytime before you are just about to make contact you will just grab it and hit it short and wayward, at least that's today's epiphany 4. My average drive on two holes on the same 9 uphill into the same moderate wind was 240-245 yards, but I was happy with that, so what's my average drive based on that very hilly 9 holes, who knows or cares because I think I just found 20 yards, more accuracy and consistency, a more relaxed and interesting way of swinging and playing the game and improved the fun of my golf without changing clubs, that's my idea of a great golf day!

Some great replies in this topic, got to thinking about the whole driving range thing and realised why I dislike the range so much, I've never enjoyed even one shot on the driving range as I just can't get the satisfaction of a great shot, I just don't know if it is a great shot or not, maybe it's just me. I think I just enjoy the shot making on the course - if and a when it happens.

I agree, if I could work out how to add a second poll to the question I would go with your second poll suggestion as well 😎

Just putting it out there, is the reason Tiger is one the best ever, probably one of the 2 best ever, because he is so good at GIR, even now he leads the tour at his age, I'm older so I'm not dissing him on that. Maybe I should put this up as a poll? Stat – Greens in Regulation Percentage Strokes Gained | Greens in Regulation | Accuracy from Fairway | Accuracy from Rough | Scoring | Going for it | HoleOuts, Other

Don't tell gbogey that he just said in the post above yours... "Clearly this topic cursed me today - pretty good ball striking day with 9 GIRs, terrible scoring day, not amused!" 🤩 I'm learning a lot from the great answers in this thread, very helpful!

Hi gbogey, interesting that you have what I think is the same experience as most people, that it is more rare to achieve than lower scoring, you also seem to remember it in vivid detail which seems to suggest it is a great memory for you. Do you have the same vivid memory of your low scores? How did both make you feel now looking back on it would you trade the great shot making experience for one more low score or would you leave it in your memory?

Grip and body position those two will always be the cause. I know how to solve those 2 problems for myself I just don't want to advise anyone else until I'm sure, which would probably be when I'm a plus 2 marker.

Man that is the least of any golfer's problems, don't be too concerned about it, not being able to hit it on the course, now that's another whole world of pain.

No unfortunately, it's not in your head, and it sort of is, your ball striking is not consistent on the course because your swing is not perfect and simple and on the range your mind can compensate for this as you hit it again and again incorrectly in quick succession with your mind and body compensating with control. I was exactly the same for 20 years, I'm on the same journey, I'm starting to see how to get there. I will let you know if and how I ever get to achieve being a plus marker hitting nearly every shot the same swing and hitting nearly every green. I'm 49 (7 handicap now having averaged about 20 rounds a year for life) just stopped working a month ago forever (finally got the money together) and this is the first year of my life since school I have had time to do sports every day, and darn I'll die trying, because it's not about whether I can score in the low 60's or be a plus 5 marker, it's about hitting the darn ball perfectly every time, I'd walk off every green on the course without putting if I could hit every shot perfectly with the same pure swing and ball strike.

If you could hit every shot perfectly (within reason) for example: 14 drives straight down the centre with perfect flight and your best yardage; 18 perfect approach shots with perfect flight and middle of the green or straight at the pin. Would you take this over scoring your best score? Obviously, putting would be the swinger here with those stats. Would you take those stats and just walk off every green without putting and feel great, or would you feel let down without scoring? What drives you to come back again and again? Looking for a bit of psychological motivation.