k14

Thanks for the insite, yeah I can see I am still coming over the top, it is a lot less now though. I see what you mean regarding the arms etc. I did try your previous suggestions but it was so hard to work out how to apply them I gave up and started working on the other suggestions. I think my stance may be a bit narrow, also my knees are pointing towards each other. I think I need a slightly more sturdy lower body which will hopefully allow me to try and get that working into the swing better.

A video of my latest progress. A bit better quality than cellphone too. I think I have improved quite a bit, no Geoff Olgivy yet though. I have focussed on the takeaway, ensuring I take the club back and up rather than around my body. The distance of my irons have increased dramatically, there is still a bit of inconsistency (as you would expect) but I went and played a few practice holes and managed to flush my 4 iron over 200 yards I would usually hit my 3 wood from that distance!! Now I just got to get my driver sorted, not good when I can hit my 5 iron straighter and further. I need to still work on getting the in/out path better. My follow through still goes "around the corner" a bit. Been watching a few more youtube instructional videos and have got a few tips from there. Anyone got any more tips or comments on my progress?

So is your handicap down to 4 now?

I spent nearly 2 hours on the practice range today and had some really good results with my irons. I worked on getting the club pointing more towards the target at the top of swing, mainly achieved with the glove under armpit exercise (stopped my taking it so far inside on takeaway). I was having real issues trying to get the "relay race" working and in the end I sort of gave up seeing as I was getting really good results with the previous drill. In the end I hit 8 out of 10 balls on the "green" with my 7 iron all with a 10m or so grouping. It was a cool morning today (-2C frost) and I was consistently clearing the 150 yard marker which is usually only achieved with my 6 iron. The best thing was my ball flight was very straight, occasionally with a cut at the end but sometimes it would draw ~1m as it was about to land. The other good sign is that the majority of my divots are also now straight at the target, rather than a 30 degree slant pointing to the left of target :) With this confidence I then I switched to my driver.... I only recieved my 09 burner 10.5 loft with stiff shaft last week and it wasn't very pretty. I was able to hit maybe 1 in 3 on the fairway but they were all banana balls starting left and fading/slicing to right of centre (the good ones). Distance was ok (200-220yards) but I was hitting my 4 iron within 20m of this. I bought the burner online without hitting anything (I live 150 miles from any shops that have clubs to try) and so I took a bit of a risk with the driver. I have had my swing speed measured before and was in the 102-105 range which is a stiff shaft but am wondering if a regular would be a better option. It may just be the fact that I have only hit it about 30 times and I just need to get used to the long (very very long) shaft. My old driver R540 had been sitting in my garage for 2 months cause I can hit my 3 wood better. One thing I was consistently doing was hitting the ball in the top right corner (when looking at the club head on, up towards hozzle) and never really got the "feel" of a clean hit. Anyone have some tips to try and get a better connection with driver?

Yep that makes sense, I assume I should be doing my backswing in the opposite order? First cock wrists, bring arms up, then rotate chest/hips? I can see how that would help me keep the club down the inside. Ok thanks, will work on those setup tips. When you say butt end is that the top of the grip? Yeah tell me about it, now that you point it out it is obvious. It is really hard to notice these things without someone else's input, thanks! Ahh yes, I have seen pro's on the range with a glove under one or two armpits. Might have to try that (only when no one else can see me though!). Got work today and tomorrow but will get back out there on Wednesday and see what I can accomplish! I really want to get a bit more consistent but I need to be careful cause I have a really big tournament coming up in 4 weeks and need to get something sorted for that. The prize is the top 4 get to play in the pro am for the New Zealand open next year so I am very very keen to do well!

So any ideas on what I can work on to try and stop me coming over the top? I am unsure how to remedy. It seems to happen at the top of the swing, I am doing a back to front Jim Fruyk! I hope these videos are good enough quality, only got my cellphone. About me, I am an 18 handicap. Playing not too bad. Just can't seem to get any consistency to get a ball going straight. My most reliable clubs are 3 wood and 4-7 iron. Driver is very erratic (although I just bought an 09 burner and am liking it a lot!!), also full swing with 8 iron to PW is not very consistent. I will hit my 6 iron 145-160 yards if I don't slice it with SS of around 85mph. They will always fade/cut. Any tips very much appreciated!

Over here we call that a "twattie" and it is usually a round of whiskies for the rest of your 4. Gets expensive if you have 3 in one round!

Haha yeah I know, I can post up the video of getting the pins removed if you really want Motorbike racing, engine siezed and threw me off doing around 70mph. Landed with my arm outstretched and pretty much gave me a 2nd wrist.

Try breaking your left wrist in 6 places and being in cast for 14 weeks Took me about 3 1/2 months before I could swing a club again. 18 months since it happened now and wrist is 98% good. Still lost a little of flexibility so had to change my grip slightly cause I can't close the face as well as I used to be able to.

I've had the same problem but am slowly getting better. I just keep thinking to myself make my left knuckles (right handed) point to the ground just after I hit the ball. Seems to work ok for me, but would be different for every person!

Played in a tournament yesterday held by a supplier for work, it was a regional qualifying tournament for the main event held next month at a pretty flash course called Terrace Downs . I started off pretty tentative, three putted first green for double bogey. But after I chipped in for birdie on the second hole (17th on the course) things started to come together better. On the front 9 it was a grind, the greens were so fast and I was playing my heart out. Bogey golf through all the holes and then a tripple on the 8th (Stroke 1) and I finished that nine with 17 stablefords. Then I started to turn it up on the back nine, bogey par bogey on the first three holes. Then came the final three holes, three par 5's in a row!! I duffed my first tee shot but salvaged bogey. Then had a good up and down for par on the next one. The last hole (the 15th) is the shortest par 5 on the course at only 410m (although is uphil and into a slight breeze). Hit two 3 woods to about 60m and then with my wedge stuck my ball 5 feet pin high. Sunk the putt to finish with a birdie and 22 points. The top 8 scores got to go to Terrace Downs and I was 8th so better get out and do some more practice. Got 5 weeks!

On the second hole I was playing in a tournament yesterday. I had just 3 putted on the first hole for a double and was a bit nervous. The hole is a 330m par 4 with a fairly steep hill leading up to the green. OB running down the right side from tee to green. Being an avid slicer I took out my 3 wood and put my tee shot in the left semi rough about 140m from the green. Took out my 6 iron aiming to come up just short of the green on the left side and roll onto the front. Pulled it about 20m left of the green to the bottom of a valley. So I had about a 20-25m pitch up a 5-6m bank. I could just see the top of the flag. Hit my pitch and a second later heard a *clunk*. The other guys in my 4 were still coming in so I raced up to the green to see a ball about 2m from the hole to the right. Thought that was my ball so went over to mark it. Oh nope, that's not my ball. Look in the cup and there it is :) Fourth time I've chipped in since Feburary! That practice must be working.

Yeah totally agree, bit of a stupid movie really. I watched that along with Caddyshack recently and struggled to get to the end of both. Atleast you expect caddyshack to be totally ridiculous so you can bear with it for most of it.

Good stuff, still remember the first day I broke 90, that was with a 87 too!

I work at a power station (hydro dam) in the control room (just like homer in simpsons but substitute nuke for hydo). Best job in the world, in the last 10 days I have had at least 9 holes on all but 1 day and three times played 18 holes :) Playing in a tournament held by a supplier through work tomorrow too!

First time poster so I'll skip my round on saturday (nett 72) and go to the round 2 weeks ago. One of "those" rounds. Chipped in on the first hole for a par (4) and that set the tone for the day. Had 39 on the back nine (3 over par) with 6 pars and 2 bogies. Then went birdie birdie on first two holes of front nine (start at 10) to go to 1 over par. On number 1 (330m par 4) I chipped in from 15m with my 56 degree wedge and then on 2 I sunk a 20m putt for birdie (125m par 3). At this stage I was shaking a bit, couldn't quite comprehend what was happening. In the end I finished with 81, slightly disappointing, went tripple, bogey, par, bogey, double on last 5 holes to stuff it up a bit. But still my best round by 6 shots. The most astounding stat was I only had 22 putts, work that one out!! I normally average 32-34. Sorry to be a skite but there has been plenty of 100+ rounds in there, so all you other 20ish handicappers, keep at it :)