hostage46

I hit a few buckets today, I have to say it really helped me. I bought the tones with video and a word document somplace on the web. Loaded up the tones on the ipod shuffle and off to the range this afternoon. I've been looking for something to still the voices in my head over the ball, this does it, and, as I hoped, the tempo made things work better in general. from pitching to the driver.... really felt good. Tee time at 8:06 tomorrow .... we'll see how it goes!

It's all relative, and I'm talking about simple assembly of components, not more advanced adjustments or club fitting for that matter. It's a personal decision and it matters if you're "handy with tools", compared to my other hobby, building and flying expensive toy sailplanes, gluing a shaft into head, cutting and gripping is indeed dirt simple, for me anyway. YMMV.....

I took the beginners clubmaking course at a local Golfsmith. I paid $15 and took the club home with me when I was done. I agree that time is indeed money, but gripping is just dirt simple, as is assembling any club for that matter.

Can anyone point me towards a range in the DFW area that has a grass tee area and proper range markers? I need someplace to go work out club distances, everywhere I've been has a few flags and that's about it.

Wow... I suspect as a new golfer I'll have lots of peaks and valleys. And I can't imagine any one tip is ever going to be a panacea. That said, this thread got me to look more closely at my grip. My left had was getting, well sloppy is the only way I can describe it. When I had a slight mishit the clubface would turn and ... zing! I did pay attention to my thumb postition, and my overall grip, I also moved away from the interlocked, even though I was used to it, I got more hand surface are on the club by going to the overlap. Long story short, solid shots on my P, 7, 5 and driver. Good stuff!

So I came across an add for a in-ear gadget that looked like a blue tooth headset. The idea was it played a tone that you could use to set tempo with the swing. Seems like instead of the $80+ bucks I might find an MP3 file for the range with the ipod. Anyone have any suggetions?

Ah very interesting... I'll give it a go!

I'm planning on dropping by either the local PGA Superstore or another indoor range to have a go with some video analysis. Now that I'm hitting the ball more consistently I'd also like to document my distances, problem is the ranges I hit don't have markers. I do now have a gps program for the smart phone, but it will take time to develop the data. Are simulators in any way reliable for measuring club distance?

Got it, illustration helps... thanks

Really is true, I'm new as well and what used to comfound me a month ago is second nature. Invest in the lessons, I promise you it will steeping the learning curve and prevent you from ingraining bad habits.

So could someone point me towards a definition of a cupped wrist? I presume it's breaking the wrist in the wrong plane. His cupping different from hinging>

Maybe I should have put one of these in there... I'm nowhere near 300 yards .... Point being, it felt like I crushed it, and I did. once I figure out how to get the clubf ace square.....

[QUOTE= - don't get waylaid with quick fixes, which often work against each other in the long run.![/QUOTE] Couldn't agree more.... I'm going to stick with the Haney method, sometimes it takes seeing things from a different angle... Off to the range

Actually I've been looking at Snakeyes, Python or Viper. The driver and fairway wood have worked out very well. A few monts ago I went to an introductory club building course, dirt simple (not fitting, just assembly). I have been fitted for clubs, but to be honest, I'm still building a swing. Do NEED a hybrid? don't know, but I've hit a few from buddies bags and like them. At this point I'm still learning the basics and I've kept my bag simple. Solid set of irons, good driver one fairway wood. I won't learn about hybrids if I don't have one...

Thanks guys good advice... I'll pickup a 3 Hybrid and go from there....

So I'm a few months into this, and I'm all in, playing 9 twice per week, range at least one day a week. I began with a series of lessons from one of the local Hank Haney operations. I'm now to the point where I'm getting pretty consistent striking the ball, and the Big Bertha Irons are a natural help. My primary focus has been on eliminating the slice consistently. I'd really like to learn how to control the spin. Early on I had a tough time making a full turn and contacting the ball. It wasn't a flexibility thing, it just felt odd, not intuitive. So like most amateurs I'd fall into an arm swing, and while I'd hit the ball solidly, the club face was never square and we all know where that goes... to the right.... I even tried the Trahan swing, which promotes a 3/4 turn. But I keep trying to makeup for that lost power from the reduced turn and go back to the arms over the top thing trying to hit harder and ... zing... off to the right... I still wasn't getting the "hip bump" at weight transfer the Haney guys teach. I realize now my guy didn't empahsize it with me because he was trying to get me to stop sliding the hips. Then someone posted a video of Hogan's swing with him instructing on how the hips bump, but also really helped me get how the lower body leads the whole process unwiding the coil. Today at the range, I found myself able to make a good near 90 degree turn, and hit the ball, this must just be from practice. I concentrated on keeping my hands in front of my chest, and finally, kept my hips quite in the back swing, but tried to make the bump more of an unwind move about my spinal axis. That move seemed to promote the "bump", not a slide, and a nice inside swing, with very fluid feeling move into follow through Oh and it it went straight and long. Compared to the arm swing, this felt effortless. If I was under the lights and unable to see where the ball was landing, I'd have assumed that my no turn arm shot that I cranked was going 330 yards instead of 200 forward 100 right. So this is the first time the "use your big muscles" thing has really clicked for me.I understood all the pieces, but the Hogan video tied it all together for me So just my question is... am I correct that the "unwind" of the torso should be lead by the hips, followed naturally by the shoulders? Dan in Dallas....

47 and just getting started... sure wish I did this instead of football or cross country in highs school... I'm a 20 or so , been playing a lot of golf since July. Currently I have; Snake Eyes Python 10.5 driver Python 5 wood Callaway Big Bertha Irons 3 - SW I'd really like a hybrid, but not sure which way to go. Seems like a "rescue" club would come in handy. People also tell me to replace the long irons with hybrids. That said, I feel like I should learn to use the long irons before tossing them. Wedges, I have the P and S, seems like my whole day is spent with a wedge and a putter. Now that I realize the importance of the short game, how many wedges should I be carrying? So a utility hybird and a gap wedge? Oh and the putter... I'll figure that out sooner or later.... Dan in Dallas...

I've just started taking this serioulsy. I picked it up 10 years ago for work, played in a few company outings...bet never really clicked with it. In July I took a series of lessons at one of Hank Haney's schools.... Goals for '09 Build a swing, make it solid and repeatable, get no slice, distance secondary Play a round of business golf without embarrasing myself Break 100 Break 90 Play at least 2X per week Complete Pelz Short game and putting bibles and incorporate them into a proper practice regime

Honestly I'm Just tired of Tiger.... there are other guys and gals out there.

Business develpment and strategy for supply chain technology, RFID

I have a set of Big Bertha Irons...I love them. I just started taking golf serious and what I had was off brand set that came from Sam's Club over 10 years ago. They feel solid, and I got them using Amex points (could have gotten Corbras and Nike), these felt good. I got them in July, and have been playing a lot of golf. When I started the lessons I was a shooting in the 130's, last week I broke 40 on a 9 holer. I'm not saying it's the clubs, but the this forgiving club has helped me enjoy the game and play more. So for me, a still high handicapper, they were/are working for me. At my level, a forgiving , quality product was what I was looking for... very happy in Dallas....

Just starting myself at age 47. Prior to that it was one a year or so either on a guys weekend or a company golf event. I was never the worst, but it was not fun. On the most recent guys weekend in June something clicked, I enjoyed myself, and one of my buddies offered a few pointers. When I got home I signed the wife and myself up for a "beginners series" of lessons at Hank Haney here in Dallas. Best investment I could have ever made. When I began I was a 120 to 140,:.. why are we even keeping score?" range. The other day a shot a real 40 at the Haney course in Lewisville, it's a nasty little bugger with narrow fairways and lots of overhanging trees. My initial goal was to be able to play in a business scenerio and not embarras myself, I think that's complete. By 12/31/09 I want to be able to consistently shoot below 90, feels in reach By June of '10, the next guys weekend, my goal is to show up and quietly break 80... gotta have goals! Now the wife and I play at least one per week. I'm really getting into the game, just picked up Pelz short game and putting bibles.... I'm hooked!