Weight Forward but Still Standing Up on the Downswing.

I'm glad that lesson clicked with you and connected the dots, Mike, and it sounds like nice progress to me. Keep up the great work!!

@GolfLivesMatter I didn’t start playing golf until mid 30’s. I am 46 now. When I started playing, I had to beg my old college roommate to teach me. He played college golf and I was playing other sports. I made fun of him ruthlessly for not playing “a man’s sport”. In my first year, we joined a par three course near the house and we played and practiced regularly. He said, “when I was in college, I didn’t hit the ball as far as the long hitters. I didn’t hit the ball as close as the most accurate iron players. But, when I hit the ball around the green, I was going up and down as good as anyone. We will only play the par three course because on a golf course, every hole turns into a par 3 after the tee shot (or approach).” Needless to say, I got to the point where my short game was good and I built my game around it. Even if I hit the ball terribly, I can score ok because of my short game.

Btw - I started shooting in the 80’s in my second year (first year playing non-par three courses).

@Russell Hogue, PhD Yes. The par 3 courses teach the short game. No doubt. Let's face it, all the club makers tout "forgiveness", "longer" irons and drivers, but at the end of the day even the most forgiving iron or driver will hit the ball based on the player's swing. I've played blades, Ping Eye 2's, and a host of "game improvement" clubs. At the end of the day, the results from playing blades vs game improvement irons had no significant effect on my scores. The difference has been, and always will be, my ability to get up and down for par.

I would rather hit a Mizuno blade club around the green vs. a larger, game improvement club. Therefore the offset to not hitting a "forgiving" iron is countered by hitting blades around the green with excellent feel and control, thus I can still make par.

I rolled out my 1991 Wilson Staff FG-51's and shot 75 yesterday. Pure blades, but somehow the ultra thin top line on the irons helped me to align the club to the target, and around the green they are 2nd to none. Same with my Mizuno MP-69s, and MP-4s. Somehow though, I chicken out and play my other clubs despite the fact that I tend to suffer more from 100 yards and in with "game improvement" irons.

@Russell Hogue, PhD Thank you. Everything makes sense. And seems possible.

I’m guessing that when I’m playing I’m rushing and not making a complete backswing. Which means I’m not getting my weight and tailbone in the correct positions. And I‘m starting my downswing from the wrong position.

I’m playing this Friday and I will focus on making a full, correct backswing. I’ll post my results.

Thanks again.

Biggest thing get the weight to the lead foot earlier. It’s the platform you have to swing on…if weight is not to the left and you are trying to move left on the downswing, it’s too late. It’s a power robbing direction control…nightmare.

@fish4197 Thanks for the comment. I think about my left shoulder on the backswing, but I really have not thought about my right shoulder on the downswing. Mike

@burkholder.ronald Wow - talk about an interesting round....

Thanks for chiming in and sharing your 2.8 thoughts!

@fish4197 I’ll have to go back and review the right shoulder down move. I may have overlooked something important. Thanks.

@galloway8625 & @fish4197 - So it's really then a matter of how we transport "Ranger Rick" to the golf course. We all experience that! All I can tell you is that it is part of the process, and as your practice performance becomes more and more consistent, then it's just a function of time in terms of when/how that will translate itself to the pressures and challenges of actual play. As confidence in your swing grows you should find more and more that you are playing "golf" instead of "golf swing" on the course, at which point your mechanical thoughts will be reduced to one or two at the most, and you will be nearly entirely focused on your target and not your swing. An excellent book that may help you with this is "Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game" by Dr. Gio Valiante. Another book that I like is "Play Your Best Golf Now" by Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson.

@GolfLivesMatter & @Russell Hogue, PhD have offered some valuable contributions within this realm as well, so perhaps they may have some kernels of wisdom for you.

Beyond that, it’s a good idea to have a reliable “default swing” that you can dial up mid-round when you sense that you are beginning to leak some oil. Many members use the swing provided by Drill 2.8, which is actually the full swing minus just a couple of power accumulators. @burkholder.ronald might be able to speak to this if he's available. The Flying Wedge Drill is another good option. Master one of these and keep it in your back pocket.

@Tom Saguto Thanks for the advice, suggested reading and reference to the drills. I’ll keep working until I get it! Mike

@galloway8625 - I agree with @Russell Hogue, PhD - post a couple of videos in the forum's Video Analysis Room - one face-on and one DTL. Let your fellow members have a look and offer their thoughts. There could be something subtle occurring in your range swing that is magnified under the pressures of regular play.

And also heed the wisdom of @burkholder.ronald's reply. First about patience with the process, and second in reiterating the importance of having a reliable base swing like 2.8 that can literally save a round if the wheels start coming off.