Stu.C

Cancel that It seemed like a good idea at the time but, have just found out that PING can't alter the lie angle of their hybrids.

Thanks for the feedback and input guys. I found this piece of magic while browsing. It may already be on this forum somewhere for all I know. Some of you may already have watched this, I think it really helps me to picture in my head what it is I am trying to achieve.

Hi, can anyone point me to an instructional video on how to hit a fairway wood using S&T.; I seem to manage my irons and even my driver but my woods of the deck are shockers. Thanks

Alongside the other tips that the other guys gave, I think you hit one of your problems on the head here. Not only does having a pre-shot routine help give yourself a consistent set-up, it also can help clear your head of any thoughts that have nothing to do with the shot at hand.

I have just ordered G15 hybrids and, after some research online, decided to go non-standard. What I believe is that OEMs make most clubs too long in most cases. With hybrids they are made to be a length where they can be used as a replacement fairway wood and generally have graphite shafts. If however you want to play them like an iron, and put a steel shaft in them, they knock 1/2" off the shaft length, they say that this helps to preserve the SS. I read somewhere that if you wish to play a hybrid as an iron it should be no more than 1/2" longer than the iron it is replacing. After looking at the specs for both I decided to knock another 1/2" off the hybrid as it was still, in my opinion, too long. My reasoning is that I would like the transition between playing a 4 hybrid and then a 5 iron to be a smooth one, and not call for any changes in my swing. This extra shortening of the shaft led me to look in more detail at the lie angles, the end result of that was that I have asked for the angles to be changed accordingly. From memory, I think -1/2" = +0.75* upright (is this what they call hard-stepping?). G15 23* Hybrid (=4 iron) 39.5", 62.25* lie, with graphite shaft. G15 4 iron 38.25" Standard G15 Hybrid with a 38.5" graphite shaft has a lie angle of 63.75* which is how I have ordered my 23* hybrid with steel shaft. I'll find out soon enough if this all makes sense.

One way, I find, of creating/increasing lag is, at the top of the backswing to bend your thumbs back. You can do this and still keep your leading forearm straight.

One drill you could try (don't know who to credit it to) - gripping a tee underneath each armpit.

Sorry, I don't get this.

I'm gonna go with the one club advocates. There are few shots that I make that can't be carried out with a 56. Fairway, Rough, Bunker, Closed, Opened, As-is, and it all builds up familiarity with the same club.

Are you pushing the ball left? Push, straight-fade, slice could all be part of the same problem. Look here - http://thesandtrap.com/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws

The same here My best attempt at self-diagnosis is that while I am making a conscious effort to keep my lead arm straight on the back swing and coming back down through contact, I am not straightening my trailing arm which means that both arms are bent on the follow through and this helps close the clubface. Couple this with my apparent inability to hold my hips in a forward position and this all, I think, contributes towards me not getting the golden push-draw, more of a slight fade which I can live with until I get better.

I am intrigued by this. I have recently started to use the Stan Utley style of pitching which results in the club going through the ball at a really shallow angle with the shaft fairly straight up and down at contact. The result of this is that you are actually using the bounce to stop the club from digging in and letting the loft of the club pop the ball up. I find this works for me off packed mud and with a 56* wedge the resulting shot is a high lob and a soft landing. The same thing applies though, you have to commit to the shot and not think 'scull'. Just offering alternatives here

I played my best ever round playing in a gale with the rain bucketing down, makes you really concentrate on every aspect of every shot. When I was young we used to get red golf balls so you could see your ball when there was snow on the ground and we would carry wooden poles to fight off wolves and marauding vikings.

No, not much wind here which probably lets me get away with the easy options. I'm originally from Scotland where you need every shot in the bag.

I recently bought a Mizuno MP T-10, 56-10 and love it. What I am having difficulty deciding is when to change from my "Stan Utley" type sweeping pitch swing, which results in a lovely soft landing, to a more aggressive 'weight forward, take a divot' and maybe get the backspin thing working' type pitch? Do I really need to work on both? or settle for the floppy landing and work on the consistency of one type of swing. My iron play is more 'S&T; and take the divot' so working on both is possible I guess. I am finding though that, with the Mizuno, if I get too aggressive with it I might be in danger of falling into the hole that I manage to dig. My technique needs some work you think?

I was watching part of the AT&T; the other day and they played a slow-mo of a Charlie Wi drive where he just about lifted his right foot off the ground when he was swinging through the ball, it sort of nearly lost contact and slid back an inch or two. Did anyone else see it? We are told to transfer most of our weight (90%?) to the front foot and I was wondering if Charlie's method is encouraged as an option for anyone, like me, who is still struggling with the driver?

Thanks Erik. The more I look at this video of myself the more faults I see, like you said "There's a lot going on". I started on this swing using forums and Youtube, until I got the book, now with video I can see that some of the things I thought I was doing, I'm not; and some of the things I didn't think I was doing, I am. Back to the drawing board I guess. I had a look at the 'Charlie Wi Hitting all the Positions' video for a DTL model and will work on copying him and post another video ( I'll wear a different coloured shirt than him so you don't get us mixed up )

Why am I not drawing the ball? All these shots stayed straight:( I'm guessing not enough hip slide and, especially on the first iron shot, my head is trying to follow the ball. Any feedback much appreciated.

Thanks Erik, I, and many others I'll bet, look forward to watching it.

I try doing this, with my irons they are all straight-straight (no push-draw in sight) except for my 3 where I hit a straight-fade, no doubt related to the others staying straight. I should be happy with straight irons, but I'm not (that is not what is supposed to be happening). If I could get my swing to a point where I could hit a slight push-draw, with a 4-iron say, then, in theory, I should be able to hit a straight-push with my 3. Does that make sense? Maybe I need to take everything back one ball in my stance though I would rather try getting it working before I go looking for fixes. I hit a 7 from the middle of my stance as it is. I need to video my swing I guess, not too many S&T; instructors in Singapore/ I'll keep at it. thanks for your input.

Damn handy if you're plugged in a bunker though.

I have been practicing S&T; for some weeks now and have seen some great results with 'most' of my irons, the 3 remains a problem. My biggest frustration is, you guessed it, the driver. I listened in on the recent webinar and heard Mike and Andy address the driver issue by telling everyone listening to slide the hips forward more than they would with the irons etc. I, and I am sure many others, would dearly love to be able to watch an instructional video dedicated to 'The Driver and S&T;' explaining why this is such an ongoing issue. There are, I am sure you know, a gazillion posts in various places addressing this problem. If one exists that I have not been able to find it please point me there. If there isn't one you would be doing the s&t;'ers of this world a huge favour by making one or asking someone else to make one. This is, in my humble opinion, an issue that desperately needs to be put to rest.

Taking it one step even further; Stick a line of tape down at right-angles to your target line, place your ball down next to the forward edge. Now hit your ball with an iron, if you can get the ball away cleanly and without tearing the tape, then you are hitting down on the ball before you are hitting the mat. The perfect shot!

I am the same, I hit the ball sweet when I'm off the mats then have trouble on the course. I saw a suggestion for playing off mats that may help you, especially as you said that you sometimes hit the ball fat. Lay a towel down on the mat a couple of inches behind the ball. I guess the theory is that if you catch the towel first then, on the course this would be a fat shot. Taking this one step further I wonder if you could try sticking a line of masking tape on the mat and playing your balls in front of it?

"But if your aiming square and swinging over the top, then you will have some nasty pull shots on you." If the clubface is down the target line for this shot it would end in a straight fade not a pull