***Official Bushwood Country Club Lounge***

[smittysbar]

Okay, here is a place for the Golfers to talk about tournaments, clubs, swing help or thoughts.

Today is the Players Championship, which I think ought to be the 5th Major. Largest pot in the PGA. The daunting 17th, which seems to bring excitement every year. At least we will get to see Sergio blow up yet again.

I am ready to see some water balls!

[Old Dog]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

When you hit the ball, where on the face are you making contact? Toe or heel?

Also, what directions do your divots point? To the left or right of the target, or straight on?

upper portion of the middle of the club face
I'm only talking about the driver, everything else is going pretty darn good right now (knock on wood) so there's no divot.

I changed my stance with the irons and couldn't be happier with the way they're working. I would like a little more distance (my 6 iron is the bat for 155 yards), but I'm not going to try and fix them they aren't broke.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Old Dog

upper portion of the middle of the club face
I'm only talking about the driver, everything else is going pretty darn good right now (knock on wood) so there's no divot.

I changed my stance with the irons and couldn't be happier with the way they're working. I would like a little more distance (my 6 iron is the bat for 155 yards), but I'm not going to try and fix them they aren't broke.

Without seeing your swing it's hard to tell exactly, but when you line up square with your driver you might consider pulling your right foot back a few inches. It will encourage a path more from the inside, which will help eliminate the cut.

A few things of note:

If the ball starts right of the target it means that you are hitting the ball from the inside. If it starts left of the target it means that you are hitting from the outside. How the ball curves after starting is determined by your grip and release.

Pull hook--outside path, strong release.
Pull slice (most common swing for amateurs)--outside path, weak release
Push hook inside path, strong release
Push slice--inside path, weak release.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

They're actually an awful idea because the plastic of the tee acts as a buffer between the club and the ball.

It can't be any worse than my slice with driver or 3 wood. It's actually getting really embarrassing for my son.

[Old Dog]

Thank you, I'll try that this evening.

I'm not what one would call a decent golfer. I only break 90 occasionally....normally 91-95 is where I'm at with a handicap right now at 17.1. I've never broke 85, but one of these days I will (maybe). I could be a lot lower with the guys I play with (their favorite club is the foot wedge) but I refuse to do it.....it just takes the fun out of it for me. Hell, it's supposed to be a challenge.
I enjoy the game and have been getting to play more often this year finally. I bought a cart (I just realized I haven't posted any pics of it...will have to remedy that soon) from a course that was going out of business and re-did it in Chiefs colors.
Last Friday I did par 8 of 18, but blew the round all to crap with back to back 8s on par 4s and a 9 on a par 5 when I dunked not one, but two balls in the drink and finished with a 90.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Donger

It can't be any worse than my slice with driver or 3 wood. It's actually getting really embarrassing for my son.

If you have time you can try this drill:

Assuming you are right-handed:


| o |

The big mark is you. The circle is the ball. The small line is an object placed outside of the ball. Practice hitting short irons. If you swing from the outside you'll hit the object. If you swing from the inside, you'll cure the swing patch that causes a slice.

Some people use 2x4s. Others use pool noodles. Almost anything will work.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Jack Nicklaus once relayed a story about a guy playing in a pro-am. The amateur hit a shot really close on a tough hole, then missed the putt badly. He told the amateur that he missed the putt because he didn't think he deserved to make it.

I believe there is a lot of merit to that in golf. We set up barriers for ourselves and make the entire round about the achievement of a score rather than the best execution of each stroke. Then, when we start out well we end up playing prevent defense instead of just dropping the hammer. I used to have a lot of issues with this. If I'd hit it to 15 feet I'd think "Just don't make bogey" instead of trying to make birdie.

If you can par 8/18, you're good enough to shoot 82-85 right now, even with a blow-up hole. You just have to be willing to believe that you are good enough to do it.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

If you have time you can try this drill:

Assuming you are right-handed:


| o |

The big mark is you. The circle is the ball. The small line is an object placed outside of the ball. Practice hitting short irons. If you swing from the outside you'll hit the object. If you swing from the inside, you'll cure the swing patch that causes a slice.

Some people use 2x4s. Others use pool noodles. Almost anything will work.

Cool, thanks.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Without seeing your swing it's hard to tell exactly, but when you line up square with your driver you might consider pulling your right foot back a few inches. It will encourage a path more from the inside, which will help eliminate the cut.

A few things of note:

If the ball starts right of the target it means that you are hitting the ball from the inside. If it starts left of the target it means that you are hitting from the outside. How the ball curves after starting is determined by your grip and release.

Pull hook--outside path, strong release.
Pull slice (most common swing for amateurs)--outside path, weak release
Push hook inside path, strong release
Push slice--inside path, weak release.

I don't know about all this.

Most shots are missed or results determined before a golfer ever starts his downswing. Most slices are caused when the player takes the club away inside the target line causing him to have to re-route the club over the top in order to hit the ball at the target. The over the top move of course creates a pull or a shot that starts left. That being the case your average player will hold the club open through impact turning the pull into a slice. If he doesn't he'll smother it or top it. If that's the case then moving ones right foot back a couple of inches might exacerbate the problem.

And the direction the ball moves or curves after it starts in a given direction is determined by the direction the clubface is pointing at impact. I guess ones release could play a factor in that but that's not a good way to look at that in my humble opinion. I think focusing on ones release can be a mistake. It's not baseball. In golf the release is a natural result that occurs when one properly swings the golf club. I never think about my release unless I was going to keep the clubface from closing on a knockdown or punch type of shot. Even then I think of it as just holding the face open or even keeping the toe from passing the heel of the club. I'd never think of releasing or holding my release.

[Donger]

Some guy took pity on me and said that I needed to "turn my hands over" to correct my slice, as well as not trying to squeeze the grips so hard. I worked pretty well with my irons, but not with driver or three wood.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Donger

Some guy took pity on me and said that I needed to "turn my hands over" to correct my slice, as well as not trying to squeeze the grips so hard. I worked pretty well with my irons, but not with driver or three wood.

Stronger grip might help and gripping the club to tightly is a terrible thing.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by philfree

Stronger grip might help and gripping the club to tightly is a terrible thing.

So, which is it?

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Donger

So, which is it?

Causing your slice? LOL I wouldn't want to give online lessons/instruction/tips to a person I've never seen swing a club or hit a ball.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by philfree

Causing your slice? LOL I wouldn't want to give online lessons/instruction/tips to a person I've never seen swing a club or hit a ball.

People who have seen me swing (neighbor's a pro) say that:

I grip WAY too hard.

I swing inside the ball, whatever that means.

That my back swing isn't far enough (bad back). And that when I begin my forward swing, it's REALLY violent.

That the club face is WAY too open at the top of my backswing. Said that one should look like a waiter holding a tray at the top...

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Donger

People who have seen me swing (neighbor's a pro) say that:

I grip WAY too hard.

I swing inside the ball, whatever that means.

That my back swing isn't far enough (bad back). And that when I begin my forward swing, it's REALLY violent.

That the club face is WAY too open at the top of my backswing. Said that one should look like a waiter holding a tray at the top...

Then listen to him. Sounds like he said Loosen up your grip, take the club away a little outside the target line and then try and transition slowly and gently from your backswing to you through swing. Then keep your grip relaxed and let the club swing naturally through the ball.

Have the waiter bring you a Grey Goose extra dry with a lemon twist.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Are you extremely flexible or do your hands break down at the top? I know all about those monster pulls, as I have a problem with taking the club away on an outside arc with a shut face and then re-routing semi-ish on plane. When I turn the club over I can hit some massive pull hooks.

Funny that you mention 9-3. I know it's a GolfWRX thing, but it also reminds me of Dave Pelz's clock for pitch shots. ****ed up my short game like none other, because it put way too much "hit" in my swing.

Little of both.

First time I saw myself on video I about shit myself. My front shoulder was turning damn near to my BACK foot. And my hands were breaking down at the top. There are vids of me with a driver where the head is below my ass. Unreal.

Now my swing key is to stop my backswing when my front shoulder gets to the ball - and I've lowered my scores significantly over the last month or so.