I need to look at this video. My irons have improved hugely, but my Driver has disappeared. Topping it so badly, I'm almost missing the ball completely, which hasn't ever happened before.......
@emperhmb All the room you'll ever need will definitely be there once you get that downswing properly sequenced. For example, have a look at Mike Bennett's driver swing. No spacing issues there. (And pretty darn identical to his iron swing, right?)
We can always do a V1 if this continues to be an issue. As mentioned above, this is a pretty common thing, but once you get it down you'll be bombing it!
I’ve seen in the school you have the ball position for driver off lead heel, then on YouTube vids a club head length inside lead heel. My driver and 3 wood are push slices and off lead heel. I hit my 2 iron pure and push draw every time from clubhead inside lead heel. with driver/3wood could my ball position be too forward for me?
You have to consider varying camera angles in my videos as that can greatly skew the viewer's perspective of my true ball position. All I can suggest is that you tweak your ball positions with the various clubs and monitor the results. Also, make sure that you are presetting sufficient weight forward (60% with the long irons and woods) and not allowing your low point to drift backwards with any club.
@Tom Saguto that’s the same lesson I learned from you on YouTube that got me to spend $$ on a years worth of sagutogolf.. I found contact that was solid and took a divot in front. since then I’ve been watching the videos and trying to get my arms and shoulders right.. messed me up I practice daily and I’m not giving up I guess I love fried chicken
@clinpep05 As mentioned in my reply to your other comment, we'll use this V1 Analysis to get you pointed in the right direction towards that endless buffet of extra-crispy KFC..... 😎 (However, you need to make sure that this V1 is not a "one and done" deal. Promise yourself to do one at least on a quarterly basis and whenever an issue arises that you can't resolve on your own. You won't regret it.)
@Tom Saguto Korda sisters surprise me, too. Not sure their average driving yardage but Nelly, has such a fluid golf swing. They both couldn't be more than 100 pounds soak/wet. But, they're tall.
My main swing thought with the driver is to think I am Lexi Thompson. Take a look at her head position at impact...it's insanely back....yikes! And look at her shoulder tilt....OMG!!! She makes Arnie look like he had a flat swing...LOL.
So I think "shoulder DOWN and head back like Lexi". I rarely if ever hit a bad drive, I played with my pro (who puts up with S&T because I have out-performed her other students with the traditional swing...by a LOT) and hit a 295-yard drive. Prior to that, my best drive was 250 or so. I give her credit because she did catch that I was using my arms and not my shoulders which was robbing me of power. BOOM! I haven't hit a 290+ drive in 40 years.
Awww...I could not help to play today with this nice hot weather! Was just going to practice. I'm back!!!!...wait...shhhhhh....humbleness....good round good round. Shot 83. First time I shot my 4 hybrid 200 yards. It's coming together! No fat shots or worm burners. Not one slice. Hit 11 fairways. 31 putts total.. yeah, a couple of 3 putts but no more that 2 double bogeys. I usually don't record a lot of stats but it helps me to get an idea where my strengths and weaknesses are and I'll work on them. Oh, wait...Good round good round.
Side note: It's great to have a lady who supports my golf addiction. She definately prefers me outside on the course with nature than in a bar. Side from that, I finished playing a round and I returned home to find her doing domestic stuff around the house. "Why don't you go golfing?" "I just did 18." "Go back out again, I'm cleaning house." 🤔 Really??? She didn't have to twist my arm. Off to a different link!
I just played 9 again. It was my luckiest 9 yet. 4 pars 3 bogies a double bogie and a triple bogie. Oddly enough, the triple bogie was hole one, and the double bogie was hole 9. I did take a mulligan on a drive on the 8th which I then got a par... Some of my bad shots just ended up very good. I hit a mashing drive, pushed it into a tree at the side of the fairway it ricocheted 90 degrees back to the middle of the fairway at a 225 yard gain! Tree Karma! I then stuck the green with lob wedge and 2 putted. I would not say I was hitting the ball very well... not very well at all really but my mis-hits were resulting in great lies. I literally had 3 birdie puts but missed them all for tap in pars!
I seem to start off rough, bring it around for a bit and start grooving something and then I get all weird about "keeping it going" and worrying about the setup and it gets really sloppy from there...
I'll take the luck though and I don't think I've gotten too many 9 hole rounds that resulted in 4 pars (who am I kidding? it's never happened, not even close!). Heck, I don't even think I've ever gotten 4 bogies on a 9 hole round! asterisk * for the mulligan!
@danny As per Flight Director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13: "Work the problem, gentlemen. Failure is not an option!"
This is all part of the process. Fabulous shots followed by WTF's. You're getting there, and confidence is certainly one of the keys to it. (BTW, gradually increased confidence is part of the process as well...😎)
@Tom Saguto it's coming! I'm finally having ball fight issues to analyze! That's something big me thinkst! I'm getting better at chipping and recovering from bad shots. Just take your lumps and get back in the fairway! Better to lose a shot than lose a ball trying to play miracles...
I'm hitting more greens on approach shots. Tonight I hit a thin six iron and my partner kept saying it's in the creek. So, i dropped a provisional 150 out, up hill and hit the green with a 7. As he was walking to look for his ball, he came across mine 40 yards past the hazard. I'm now 95 out up hill, so i grabbed a GW and stuck the green again! That was pretty cool except, I 3 putted both of them... whatever... i was still pretty stoked!
That is one smooth, no sweat swing! I was observing Mike Bennet's trail shoulder drop. I know, if that shoulder is anywhere else but down, instant over the top slice. Cutting that cheese wedge across the ball. I mean, these guys make it look so easy. Is it really that simple? The only time I see them (pros) break a sweat is when $4 million is on the line. Even then, I don't think they sweat. Yes, I could watch this all day plus the other videos posted.
@johnpfistnerjr Wwhen I ha gotten that groove for a few holes, I was swinging so effortlessly I was literally shocked with every ball! I mean, I nice easy, balanced swing, starting with the hips and I got 177 yards out of a 7 iron! It started right on the target line and faded about 5 yards left. I couldn't even believe it! That swing has eluded me over the last 28 holes however... I'm coming to the conclusion that the only way to be consistent is with less conscious effort. Like the golf swing testing machine! It doesn't "try to get there" it hits the same way every time with the same swing. So, groove the easy swing.
I just came in from the Garange and I think I got it again and realized what I lost. I was getting over the ball again and my weight was getting to my toes. @Tom Saguto correct me if I'm wrong but, the weight should stay pretty balanced throughout the back swing and downswing right up until impact if not beyond, right? This give me the feeling of rolling over the trail foot and pushing my hips forward, before anything else. I don't have to think about the trail side crunch, it just seems to happen as a by product of keeping my head in place and getting the hips going forward to initiate it all... It feel much more like what I felt Friday and a lot less of what things were feeling like Saturday and yesterday. Looks like I'll be playing another 9 today to test it all out!
@danny Nearly 180 with a 7. That's awesome! I go through the round like that, too. I start off banging and as more holes are behind me the game slowly disappears for me. Part of it is complacency. At least for me. I get to relaxed or over confident (cocky-the part where golf will kick you back) in my set up and the shot is rushed or I find myself out of alignment to the intended target. As they say in sports, the game isn't over until the last buzzer sounds, last out of the 9th Inning is played, the last putt holed on the 18th. Or 9 if playing 9 hole. The other day, I couldn't get into the groove and felt discouraged. Almost like giving up the game entirely discouraged. Until the 17th, par 3. Plays steep uphill as a 170 yards marked as 140 something. I hit my initial shot short just under 50 yards. The only part of the pin you could see is the flag. I always go up a club for uphill so I used a sand wedge and pitched it up on the green. Heard a pin striking tink. I thought it kicked it away. This green is a tough sloped. Got on the green but saw no ball. Thinking it rolled down the other side...no, man. It was in the cup! I about crapped myself. Needless to say, the game ending with me tying my buddy. We plan on having a playoff tomorrow but I want to work on straight arm drills and putting to prepare for Saturdays tournament.
Man, I don't know what's going on. I'm hitting the driver ok. Getting 230 or more out of it. However, those beautiful crispy shots I was seeing Friday are not coming back. I had this really nice feel to the swing and crisp impact with really long results but, I cannot recreate it. I was actually playing golf for a few holes. Now I'm back to playing golf swing... I am definitely seeing more good shots and way less worm burners. It's not really lowering my score yet. But if I could engrain that feeling, that's the game changer right there, I know it... More Garange time... More video time... "just when you think you're in, they throw you back out..."
So, I've been having way more success with my driver lately. Saturday a saw 4 out of 5 driver tee shots go straight and over 230 yards. One was a ridiculous push slice WAY up in the air. But I still got like 220 yards out of it! So, this guy we were playing with, a PGA Instructor, videoed my swing. He kept saying, "your loading up the lead leg and you gotta load up the trail leg." even showing me a drill where he picks his lead foot off the ground at the top of the backswing. I'm like, "oh... ok... maybe I'll try that at the range next time..."
Anyway, he took a video of me on a drive where I got a beautiful straight 235 yard drive. I looked and I loaded up great on the lead leg, head stayed right in place, the down swing looked good but, I ended with too much weight on the trail leg at the finish. I think I'm not getting my hips moving forward enough. I mean I can't complain with the results I'm getting at the moment but, All I can think is what the result will look like when I dial in this move! I look like I'm addressing the ball well, I'm getting my shoulder down, but, I'm just not continuing to keep the tailbone moving toward the target.
I even out drove the PGA pro twice! One was by like 2 feet after I took a mulligan for a terrible slice (yea whatever, so, I took a mulligan?! LOL) The next was on a short par 4. I think it was like 260. I drove to 10 yards short of the green! He hooked it into the woods. I think I got like 220 out of that but, right at the stick! I still felt my weight was too far back on the finish though.
I'm just wondering if I should be kind of exaggerating the roll over of the trail foot maybe. I'm going to head back to the driver videos.
There's a thread in Driver Help (I think?) with a video of Mike Bennet's face on view with driver. He looks like he is set up with an iron with ball position and teed, of course, only difference. You can tell how effortlessly he smashes the driver. I'm unable to grab the link right now otherwise I would.
@Jerry Z Thank you for creating this thread with Tom's instruction of the driver backswing. My drives had been less than desirable these last couple of rounds. I'm striking my irons KFC crispy but when it comes to the driver...I lost my drive! Distance is gone...I'm slicing or a push fade. After watching the video, I'm doing exactly that...losing my relationship with the ball. Too bad it took a couple of rounds to realize this was going on. It could be worse, it could be the entire season. I'm also prepping for an upcoming tournament. Good thread!
Tom, yesterday was the first round of golf I played after watching the DRIVER video listed above. I shit you not, 95% of the white balls marks were cluttered in the center of my club face. Before that, everywhere BUT the center area.
Out of the 13 or so driver shots from the tee boxes, 10 were a thing of beauty.
I choked down about 1" each time and swung the driver like an iron. Shoulder down, playa.
You're the real deal, brother. I am on a path to being the scratch golfer I've been dreaming of due to your way of sharing the golf knowledge. People are amazed how quickly I've come up to speed. I send them to your YT channel so they can become the best they can be, too.
I need to look at this video. My irons have improved hugely, but my Driver has disappeared. Topping it so badly, I'm almost missing the ball completely, which hasn't ever happened before.......
I feel like im gonna take a divot.. i know i know what i feel isnt real..
Lexi had to determine how to use every ounce of her body in order to keep up with her long hitting brothers. I'd say she figured it out!!
295?? Nice!!!
My main swing thought with the driver is to think I am Lexi Thompson. Take a look at her head position at impact...it's insanely back....yikes! And look at her shoulder tilt....OMG!!! She makes Arnie look like he had a flat swing...LOL.
So I think "shoulder DOWN and head back like Lexi". I rarely if ever hit a bad drive, I played with my pro (who puts up with S&T because I have out-performed her other students with the traditional swing...by a LOT) and hit a 295-yard drive. Prior to that, my best drive was 250 or so. I give her credit because she did catch that I was using my arms and not my shoulders which was robbing me of power. BOOM! I haven't hit a 290+ drive in 40 years.
Awww...I could not help to play today with this nice hot weather! Was just going to practice. I'm back!!!!...wait...shhhhhh....humbleness....good round good round. Shot 83. First time I shot my 4 hybrid 200 yards. It's coming together! No fat shots or worm burners. Not one slice. Hit 11 fairways. 31 putts total.. yeah, a couple of 3 putts but no more that 2 double bogeys. I usually don't record a lot of stats but it helps me to get an idea where my strengths and weaknesses are and I'll work on them. Oh, wait...Good round good round.
Side note: It's great to have a lady who supports my golf addiction. She definately prefers me outside on the course with nature than in a bar. Side from that, I finished playing a round and I returned home to find her doing domestic stuff around the house. "Why don't you go golfing?" "I just did 18." "Go back out again, I'm cleaning house." 🤔 Really??? She didn't have to twist my arm. Off to a different link!
I just played 9 again. It was my luckiest 9 yet. 4 pars 3 bogies a double bogie and a triple bogie. Oddly enough, the triple bogie was hole one, and the double bogie was hole 9. I did take a mulligan on a drive on the 8th which I then got a par... Some of my bad shots just ended up very good. I hit a mashing drive, pushed it into a tree at the side of the fairway it ricocheted 90 degrees back to the middle of the fairway at a 225 yard gain! Tree Karma! I then stuck the green with lob wedge and 2 putted. I would not say I was hitting the ball very well... not very well at all really but my mis-hits were resulting in great lies. I literally had 3 birdie puts but missed them all for tap in pars!
I seem to start off rough, bring it around for a bit and start grooving something and then I get all weird about "keeping it going" and worrying about the setup and it gets really sloppy from there...
I'll take the luck though and I don't think I've gotten too many 9 hole rounds that resulted in 4 pars (who am I kidding? it's never happened, not even close!). Heck, I don't even think I've ever gotten 4 bogies on a 9 hole round! asterisk * for the mulligan!
I gotta get that groove...
Danny
That is one smooth, no sweat swing! I was observing Mike Bennet's trail shoulder drop. I know, if that shoulder is anywhere else but down, instant over the top slice. Cutting that cheese wedge across the ball. I mean, these guys make it look so easy. Is it really that simple? The only time I see them (pros) break a sweat is when $4 million is on the line. Even then, I don't think they sweat. Yes, I could watch this all day plus the other videos posted.
Man, I don't know what's going on. I'm hitting the driver ok. Getting 230 or more out of it. However, those beautiful crispy shots I was seeing Friday are not coming back. I had this really nice feel to the swing and crisp impact with really long results but, I cannot recreate it. I was actually playing golf for a few holes. Now I'm back to playing golf swing... I am definitely seeing more good shots and way less worm burners. It's not really lowering my score yet. But if I could engrain that feeling, that's the game changer right there, I know it... More Garange time... More video time... "just when you think you're in, they throw you back out..."
Danny
So, I've been having way more success with my driver lately. Saturday a saw 4 out of 5 driver tee shots go straight and over 230 yards. One was a ridiculous push slice WAY up in the air. But I still got like 220 yards out of it! So, this guy we were playing with, a PGA Instructor, videoed my swing. He kept saying, "your loading up the lead leg and you gotta load up the trail leg." even showing me a drill where he picks his lead foot off the ground at the top of the backswing. I'm like, "oh... ok... maybe I'll try that at the range next time..."
Anyway, he took a video of me on a drive where I got a beautiful straight 235 yard drive. I looked and I loaded up great on the lead leg, head stayed right in place, the down swing looked good but, I ended with too much weight on the trail leg at the finish. I think I'm not getting my hips moving forward enough. I mean I can't complain with the results I'm getting at the moment but, All I can think is what the result will look like when I dial in this move! I look like I'm addressing the ball well, I'm getting my shoulder down, but, I'm just not continuing to keep the tailbone moving toward the target.
I even out drove the PGA pro twice! One was by like 2 feet after I took a mulligan for a terrible slice (yea whatever, so, I took a mulligan?! LOL) The next was on a short par 4. I think it was like 260. I drove to 10 yards short of the green! He hooked it into the woods. I think I got like 220 out of that but, right at the stick! I still felt my weight was too far back on the finish though.
I'm just wondering if I should be kind of exaggerating the roll over of the trail foot maybe. I'm going to head back to the driver videos.
Danny
@Jerry Z Thank you for creating this thread with Tom's instruction of the driver backswing. My drives had been less than desirable these last couple of rounds. I'm striking my irons KFC crispy but when it comes to the driver...I lost my drive! Distance is gone...I'm slicing or a push fade. After watching the video, I'm doing exactly that...losing my relationship with the ball. Too bad it took a couple of rounds to realize this was going on. It could be worse, it could be the entire season. I'm also prepping for an upcoming tournament. Good thread!
That's AWESOME, @Jerry Z!!
I'm going to pin your post so others might review and benefit from the video you referenced.
By the way, thanks for sharing SG with your buddies!! I hope some of them will follow your footsteps and migrate over here to the school as well.
Keep up the great work!!
Tom
Tom, yesterday was the first round of golf I played after watching the DRIVER video listed above. I shit you not, 95% of the white balls marks were cluttered in the center of my club face. Before that, everywhere BUT the center area.
Out of the 13 or so driver shots from the tee boxes, 10 were a thing of beauty.
I choked down about 1" each time and swung the driver like an iron. Shoulder down, playa.
You're the real deal, brother. I am on a path to being the scratch golfer I've been dreaming of due to your way of sharing the golf knowledge. People are amazed how quickly I've come up to speed. I send them to your YT channel so they can become the best they can be, too.
3rd frame, STACK AND TILT like a boss.
Fantastic, @Jerry Z!! I'm glad that lesson helped you. Great job figuring it out for yourself!!
Love the pics of The King, too! That's some serious tilt, even in his older years!!
Arnold Palmer shoulder down with driver
Lady in the background: "Oh he givin' it some of that KFC lovin' - xtra crispy please!!!"