thrasher

I'm having more fun now than I've ever had before, and my handicap continues to drop like a rock. I'm guessing that's going to change soon here though But I've always loved playing, it's just much more fun now that I can somewhat control the ball.

I would say out of 10 full 6 iron shots after being fully warmed up, I would pure 1 and at most 2 of them. Another 5-6 would be well hit but pushed/pulled a little and probably 5-10 yards short of the pured shots. The last 2-3 would be mishit a little more, with maybe a big push or hook, or really thin/fat. I usually play for my average shot, and my 6 iron flies around 175-180, on average. When I pure it, it flies 185-190, so if I have a 6 iron in my hand, I won't hit unless I have AT LEAST 190 to the back of the green!

When you're on the course standing over the ball, think about the best shot you hit on the range with that club, and nothing else. You need positive mental imagery to make positive things happen...

This is EXACTLY how it was for before I had my first short game lesson. My short game was VERY good (closer to that of a low single digit), but I still had some improvements in technique to make that were holding me back on certain shot types. After I got my lesson, I started hitting the ball significantly further on short shots until I learned to ajdust. Now, I would say that my short game is very near that of a scratch, as I get up and down from spots that I rarely could before.

8 iron from 170 downwind, over a trap guarding the green to about 10 feet. Missed the putt, but my whole group collectively said "wow" when the ball left the club

110%? This is why these threads are ridiculous...nobody can swing above 100%, it's not physically possible. The point at which you cannot possibly increase the force you apply to the ball = 100%, and everything is relative to that amount of effort. I highly doubt you swing as hard as you possibly can every time you step up to the ball. Or maybe it's just me.

They're actually driveway markers, just mention them to any rep there and they'll know exactly what you're talking about. Orange sticks with white marking meant to be stuck in the ground so you know where the end of the driveway is is winter. Think they were around $2 a piece. That's exactly what they're for, so I know where I was out of alignmnent! The way I look at it, the more I practice and engrain solid fundaments, i.e. proper alignment, the more likely I am to take those fundamentals out onto the course. That, and the fact that almost all of the pros at the PGA Champ last year were using them on the driving range

without alignment sticks. I always knew I should practice with them, but I was too lazy to go out and get a set of sticks from Home Depot. Finally did it this past weekend, and DAMN, what a difference it really makes to not have to worry about your alignment. Plop 2 sticks down, make sure they are parallel, make sure your body is aligned to them, and bam, you have eliminated a whole host of potential issues relating to alignment. I will NEVER practice without them again, it is such an easy thing to do, pretty much a no brainer at this point Do you guys use alignment sticks and find them to be helpful?

I don't swing hard, or easy. I swing firm...it's always been my swing thought with regards to "how hard I swing". From a percentage standpoint, I think it's around 75-85% of my max. At 90%, I can still somewhat control the ball if I'm swinging well, and it goes a mile when I flush it, but it's not worth the loss in accuracy when I don't flush it. At 100%, I have absolutely no control whatsoever, not even worth swinging that hard in my opinion.

Video is great for identifying swing flaws that you didn't know about if you don't have the help of a pro. But it also encourages you to develop a "good looking" swing...can be a good or bad thing depending on the results it produces. Personally, working with a pro who relied on video analysis did more damage than it helped. I don't care what my swing looks like, I just want it to perform, and if I can do that without complicating my swing thoughts using video, that's what I prefer to do. I've made great strides this way and am on the verge of having a very solid, repeatable swing, all without the use of video.

Definitely a swinger here, and much more so as I've undergone my recent swing changes. My current goal is to move the club into "the slot" after my legs initiate the downswing and then just let things happen. I'm hitting the ball quite a bit farther AND straighter now!

Reverse pivot. When I go to the range, almost every mid-high capper has some sort of reverse pivot, and it makes it extremely difficult to get into a good position at impact. Overswinging and poor stance are easier to correct I think

I'm 27 and have used a push cart for probably the last 3-4 years. I actually get quite a few snide/sarcastic comments from people about it, but why would anyone care? I'll never go back. Having the ability to carry as much stuff as I could possibly need is awesome. MN summers are SUPER muggy at times, and my bag used to get very heavy carrying all the water I would need in a round. Now, it's not even a concern, and I enjoy walking the course just as much as I did when I carried. Just enjoy your time out there however you like, and don't worry about what other people are doing!

Perfect - 5% Maybe 1 long shot and a couple chips/pitches Good - 40% Some longer shots and a lot of chips/pitches Mediocre - 30% Mostly longer shots and a few chips/pitches Bad - 25% Almost exclusively longer shots As you can tell, I struggle a lot with my long game and my short game is what allows me to shoot decent scores. If I ever get a decent long game I'll be good to go

17th hole at Hiawatha golf course, Minneapolis, MN Hooked my driver waaaaaay left, leaving myself about 200 yards into the green from the thick rough. Had to hit a 5-10 yard cut between two trees about 10 yards forward that were 2-3 yards apart, then up and over a grove of fir trees about 50 yards in front of there guarding a water hazard. Struck a PERFECT a 4 iron and carried it all the way to the green, the ball actually ended up about 10 yards OVER the green. One of my top 10 ten shots of all time! Also hit a great chip to tap in for par!