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Finally got to the range...

Well, i was not able to play any golf this weekend. None of the courses were opened around here.

So, i did go to a real driving range to see what my back flight was looking like. I was really disappointed. For some reason i was unable to recreate the nice crispy feeling i get in the "garange." I'm not sure what was thing on. My driver was awful, popping it up, slicing, no distance. I'm actually worse than I was in early January.

I hit my 7 wood ok, i hit the short irons ok but, even my 4 iron was not good, and that's the club I practice most with and feel a lot of nice crisp strikes. But not today out in the open.

WTH? I hoping for more improvement. Maybe that's my mistake, expecting something... it's got to be a mental thing.

I did not slam the club into the ground, behind the ball at all so, i guess that's improvement.

These are those backsteps we talk about...

16 comments

16 Comments

Tom Saguto

Mar 12, 2021

@danny - If you're standing up through the zone it's because either: 1) there's not enough "Slide" and too much rotation, which shifts the low point backwards, which causes the brain to say "oh hell no - we're gonna crash into the ground!", which sends the urgent message to the body, "straighten up now; this is not a drill!", or 2) you're extending without turning and sliding the hips - the technical term for this being "goat humping". The former is your over the top chop, the latter is pushes and over-draws all day long.

If you continue to struggle with this it may be the right time for another V1 tune-up before your season starts in earnest, because I want you playing golf and not "golf swing" when you're out on the course!

Tom

danny

Mar 12, 2021

@Tom Saguto Ok just listened and heading to take a few swings! LOL not a bad song at at all!

Tom Saguto

Mar 12, 2021

@danny - In one of my bands we used to play the Goo Goo Dolls song "Slide". Today's free lesson is that you will have to listen to it in its entirety. Sorry, because after you do it will then be playing on an endless loop in your head, but it's not a bad song and it may help.....🤣

Beyond that, you've probably seen the two attached excerpts from the S&T book that I've previously attached in response to others, but it never hurts to recycle them.

Exorcise those demons!!

danny

Mar 12, 2021

Replying to

Tom,

If our hips are 45 degrees, does the initial move feel more like a backward movement than a side movement.

I just checked the video this morning. Even though it feels like a better movement, and it is, honestly, I'm still moving my but toward the ball nearing impact... I'd say I come in a good 6 inches, which means I'm standing up right? I don't see that in your swing. Initially I thought it was due to the follow through extension. But I don't think thats the case. I've also notice I've go my hands WAY too far forward at setup. Too much of a correction from the last video analysis...

danny

Mar 12, 2021

I've just made an adjustment in my swing that seem to have had a positive effect. I'm stuck rotating to start the downswing, it brings me over the top chop and it moves my upper body more over the ball. That freaks me out and I stand up a bit so I don't drive the club head into the grounds behind the ball, I think...

I just videoed myself and looking at the swing, nothing changed. Same crap.

So I just went out again. This time I tried to focus on the slide... yea baby, slide it to the target... So, I decided the feel should be paralell, a movement paralell to the tatget line. It is a completely different feel and I was getting nice crisp contact but the entire swing felt more compact, less rotaty, more slingy... I don't know...

I hope I'm on to something. I'll video that tomorrow if I can recreate it.

I keep thinking I'll do another swing analysis. The I look at my swing and even I can see what I'm doing wrong so, whats the point in doing that now?

I keep thinking I'm going to get rid of that over the top chop and it just won't go. "Just when you think you're out, they suck you back in..." chopping and chopping... driving you mad I tell ya...

Danny

Cody McDowell

Mar 12, 2021

Replying to

Just from the lessons don’t confuse feel for real. I don’t know if that’s the case but I know I played last weekend and 6 straight holes I hit the 6 best drives of my life. All 6 swings felt like I was reaching to take my wallet out of my back pocket but the results or the real spoke for itself.

tedpuryear

Mar 12, 2021

Been there . my experience was similar. I find that starting over from the beginning i.e. grip, stance , WEIGHT FORWARD etc you'll find the problem . Trust the process. It's in your head at least it is for me. I was nervous about translating everything from the mat and net where it was KFC to the ground and it turned into a nightmare(I'm easily frustrated). Take a break settle down start from basics and you'll be ok. BTW being crispy on the mat and net is missing ball flight. So flight adjustment may be necessary

Tom Saguto

Mar 12, 2021

Replying to

@tedpuryear - Yes indeed! Trust the process. Embrace the process. Work the process. And when the unavoidable hiccups occur, backtrack the process as far as needed to resolve it (hint: unless it's a foundational element such as grip, stance, posture, alignment, etc., you're probably going to find it somewhere in Chapter 2).

Setbacks happen to all of us, and it is a necessary part of the process as it leads us towards ultimately figuring it out and taking ownership of our swing. Consistently crispy ballstriking bliss is out there waiting for each and every one of us, and this pot o' gold is right here in the school; we've just got to use the clues to draw up our own unique treasure map, and then go get it!

Thanks for sharing your experience in that great reply!

Tom

Cody McDowell

Mar 08, 2021

I try to keep it super simple and just focus on tilt, turn, extend, hands in, and weight shift. Obviously I make sure I have proper setup when I address the ball. Try not to overswing is harder on the course than it is on the range. I really try to keep toms instruction so simple. I can get in my own head and then become overly analytical and my own worst enemy. The biggest for all of us to remember is we have hit crispy shots before thanks to Tom. That KFC is in the kitchen somewhere we just have to make it. Also love hearing from you and @Buford T Ogletree. You guys keep me engaged and working on the swing!

dvine0621

Mar 08, 2021

Danny, I would recommend going to the real driving range and leaving the net alone for a while. I hit balls into a net in my garage for over a year, thinking I was getting better and was only ingraining bad habits. I have learned that when trying to learn a good golf swing, it is important to see your ball flight to get that immediate feedback.

dvine0621

Mar 08, 2021

danny

Mar 08, 2021

Replying to

I have to be honest, I have never had a good experience at the driving range. I usually leave frustrated and discouraged. So, I guess that hasn't changed... I wish I had been able to just get out on the course. It's only been about 8 weeks since my last round, which happened to be my best round ever, by a good margin. But you're right, there is nothing like seeing the ball fly. The last couple of rounds in January saw my driver working very nicely. It was really disappointing to see how awful it was working yesterday. I may have been trying to kill the ball too... I don't know, But, I'm back to the 2.8 drill and its nice to feel the crispy strikes again!

danny

Mar 08, 2021

Hi @Tom Saguto,

I was hitting off a matt and to be honest, it felt a little restricting and distracting. with the longer clubs my heels were right at the edge of the mat.

I'm already back at 2.8. Started again last night and again this morning...

I'm definitely feeling changes in my tilt and now I'm trying to get the hip slide dialed in better. I think I get a bit freaked out because, with the hip slide and shallowing of the club, the ball is gong drastically right in the net. Uncertainty and insecurity are playing a pretty big role right now...

Danny

Cody McDowell

Mar 08, 2021

Replying to

Danny I played my first round of the year this weekend. I was so excited to put my new swing on display. I shot a 53 on the front. That’s about 5 shots worse than my average before enrolling in the course. For some reason when I hit the course I was shifting my weight all over the place. Ghosts of swing past Tom would say. At the turn I calmed myself and focused on half swings like in 2.8. I gave myself a slower takeaway and made sure my hands were in. I didn’t think about all of that during the swing. I just told myself 2.8 as I approached the ball. I ended up shooting 43 on the back! The improvement to the ball striking was drastic. My drives improved. My irons for the most part got better. A few duffs but that’s to be expected when you make a major swing change. My biggest thing as advice would be I noticed my focus was different on the actual course versus on the range. I’m not sure if that’s something similar to what you are going through but it’s just something I went through. Still a long ways to go and I go back to 2.8 everyday

danny

Mar 08, 2021

Replying to

@Cody McDowell 2.8 is the prescribed way forward, for sure! I am trying to overcome slightly standing up during the downswing. @Buford T Ogletree brought my attention to the issue when he said he was doing it. So I videoed myself and watched for it, sure enough I was doing the same thing. I'm still coming slightly over the top as well. I believe that is due to starting the downswing with my shoulders and not my hips. So, the 2.8 drill focusing on the start of the downswing, keeping my but back and swinging from the inside, is the order of the day...

Tom Saguto

Mar 08, 2021

@danny - Proceed directly to 2.8. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

Lather, rinse, repeat....

It's in there. Be patient, go about it intelligently, and you'll find it. If not we can probably resolve it in a pre-season V1 Analysis.

Were you hitting off mats or the real stuff?

Tom