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Club selection tip

I just wanted to share something I’ve noticed that has helped my practice recently. When I first started toms school I started with a PW progressed pretty solidly through the program. Then when I hit other clubs things started to fall apart. Tom actually has talked about how that’s not uncommon for people in the beginning. He recommended working through the bag during practice sessions. I did just that and would hit 10 balls with a low iron then 10 mid and 10 high and so on back up and down the bag. What I noticed for me personally is by the time I got to the 4 iron or maybe a wood was that the swing ended up falling apart and was much different results than the 9 iron counter part. The last few sessions I have gone through my bag almost like as if I were in a real round just. 4 iron for one or 2 then maybe a mid iron or wedge and then start over. For me personally this has helped “groove” the swing so everything I’m doing is much more consistent. I’m just wondering if anyone else does this or something similar? Just wanted to share this little breakthrough with the community and hopefully it can help someone. Still got a long way to go though

12 comments

12 Comments

Tom Saguto

Feb 25, 2021

Yes, @johnklecan - you are absolutely correct, and in just a few short weeks a fun and very supportive community is really taking shape!! Who knows - perhaps these developing bonds may eventually lead to some of y'all getting together in person for an annual golf trip? That would be really cool!

Tom

johnklecan

Feb 24, 2021

I think this is the idea Tom had when starting this forum. A bunch of people sharing their thoughts on how to improve in a game that can be very humbling. Great job to everyone. Keep the thoughts flowing.

Tom, thanks for the opportunity for letting this happen.

jhc88

Feb 24, 2021

Well said guys. I am brand new to Tom's web site. I am recouping from total hip surgery, so right now it's going through as much of this I can. I still have another 3 weeks until I go back to work in mid March. Work is the maintenance dept on a golf course here in Myrtle Beach. Some good perks there. John

Tom Saguto

Feb 24, 2021

Wow - fantastic stuff guys!! I hope more folks in the community chime in with their thoughts on this!!

Thanks!

Tom

mpandichjr

Feb 24, 2021

Hi Cody,

Great feedback. I think many of us have pulled out our favorite iron - PW, 9i, 7i - and end up hitting several good shots, then try to squeeze out another 5-10 yards, then things start falling apart. Why would I hit forty-five 7 irons in a practice session when I may hit my 7i 3-5x in a round? I try to be very disciplined with every practice session, writing down a specific goal for that session, and focusing only on that. So I start out with some 20-40 yard chips, move to my gap, then jump up 2 clubs through the bag (G, 9i, 7i, 5i, Hybrid, etc.) If I hit two good shots in a row with a club, I move on to the next. Once done, I 'play' the entire course on the range. Hit my driver, approach I would normally hit, then move to the next hole. I use the range yardage flags as my target and really try to envision the specific hole on the range. I have a couple of holes on our course that have gotten in my head, so I spend extra time putting myself in that mode over the ball, feeling that little tightness in the chest and arms. If I hit 3 good shots in a row, I walk away and remember that the next time on the course. Amazing how well that carries over to the course. Once done, however much time I spent on the range, I spend 2x that amount over in the short game area, where most of my scoring comes from. No matter how much we practice, we are going to have those days where the ball doesn't go as straight as we want, get some bad luck, etc, so having the confidence that you are going to get up and down from within 50 yards brings huge confidence. PGA tour average for fairways hit is 61%, GIR is the same.

Bottom line - my range time is focused and purposeful. Rather than pounding balls, work on something very specific with realistic expectations.

mpandichjr

Feb 28, 2021

Replying to

Sometimes all it takes are the simple things and getting back to the basics. Played yesterday and only focus on the course was shorter backswing. It’s actually a full swing on camera but to me feels like a half swing. Shot 76 with 2 birdies. On 14 hit a crispy approach from 147 that was an effortless 8i to kickin birdie and thought, ‘What a simple game. Why do I keep overcomplicating it?’

mpandichjr

Mar 02, 2021

Replying to

@Cody McDowell Hi Cody, I received an email notification from you about short game practice, but I can't find it here in the forum. My short game practice routine is virtually the same every time. First, unless the ball is less than a foot off the green and the fringe is smooth, I NEVER putt off the green. I have 54 and 58 degree wedges and use the one appropriate for the shot, or sometimes how I best feel. I use my 58 a lot around the green because I have lots of control with it, and can adjust the club face for almost any shot. It also has better bounce for really tight lies. I practice 5 yard chips, then 10, 20, 30. Sometimes I run them up (1/3 in the air, 2/3 run out) and then switch. I have never been one to use a PW, 9i, or 8i for chipping. It just adds too much more complexity and my 54 can accomplish whatever I need based on ball position and how open the club face is at impact. Regardless of the shot or situation, I only have two things I focus on for shots 30 yards and under. 1) Keeping that angle in the right hand/wrist throughout the entire shot - it never breaks down. Ironically Tom talks about that relationship with all the clubs in his method. Greg Norman had a little hard plastic device that you could strap to your right wrist/hand that maintained that angle. I think it was called the Secret. I used that years ago learning to chip and it stuck. It is almost impossible to thin the ball and send it across the green using this method. The second is ALL SHOULDERS. The shoulders control the entire swing, arms and hands stay in the triangle. It is virtually like a putting stroke, keeping the point between my shoulder blades as the pivot point - left shoulder down brings the club back, right shoulder down brings it through. This also really helps with tempo/rhythm because you have taken the arms and hands out of it. I end every session with putting. I pick a hole on the practice green and chip around 15 balls from various distances/angles, then I have to go make the putts. This really helps build confidence getting up and down. Personally, I love short game practice much more than range practice. I love getting creative around the green, as it takes virtually no athletic skills or talent. We have a lot of severe drop offs around our greens, so if you can hit a high soft lob from various distances, you are in for a long day. I actually look forward to those shots when I miss the green because I am so sure I'm going to get up and down because of all the practice.

I hope this helps.

Cody McDowell

Mar 02, 2021

Replying to

I play a game much like your drill. I chip from wherever I am towards a hole then have to finish. I set a score as par and just try to finish under par. I’m all in on Toms chipping and I love it just like the rest of the method I just wanted to see how my short game practice compared to others. Thanks!