Ater finally breaking 80 earlier this year and getting down to a single digit handicap range I began a major months long slump. I became incredible inconsistent and my scores ballooned. Struggling to break 100 and losing half a dozen balls a round frustration. I know that part of this was due to not practicing as much and spending too much time on YouTube watching tips which would take me down rabbit holes. Bottom line was I was getting away from the basics of Stack and Tilt.
I went back to basics but I wanted to share a few videos/feels that have gotten me back to where I was earlier this year:
Hogan Arms-I'll admit that being from Fort Worth I'm a major Hogan homer. I tried to put major pressure on my elbows at address like Hogan and the results have been stunning. As someone who has double jointed elbows they are almost touching at address. It feels crazy weird but it has made a huge difference for me. This has helped me to move as one piece and to create a much more repeatable contact point. Check out this Saguto video on Hogan arm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfckFcF7Mbo&t=556s
2. Shoulder Down Drill- Tom recently posted a short video on "Hit PERFECT shots doing this CRAZY feel" and it has been a game changer for me. I was not getting my lead shoulder down nearly enough and was resorting back to my comfort zone of swaying-spraying/load and explode type of shots. I was all over the place. Using the trusty Home Depot alignment stick in the ground I now use this drill as a standard part of my warm up and practice. If I hit loose shots I know I am reverting back to old habits. Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVK7MGdiciw
There is amazing content in this school but you need to find the small handful of feels/videos/drills that will bring you back to Earth when you are struggling. Being able to self diagnose on the course and range has been one of the great parts of this program. Hope this helps!
I would second (or third) taking video of when you play well, although I, myself, have not done it, yet. I really need to. I've had incredibly high highs on the range and absolute bottom lows on the range the past few weeks. Just a few days ago it was 70 here in Michigan, I went to the range and again I could do no wrong. Every single club was fantastic. A few bad shots but majority were just great. Then, today, I go to the range and I'm shanking the ball, topping it, I hit maybe 2 or 3 good shots out of 80 and went home frustrated. From there I spent 4 hours hitting foam practice balls down my street, watching Tom's Fixi-it videos, and hitting into the net. I broke 4 of the foam balls because I was topping them and splitting them in two. Finally I think I got it back - the back swing was screwed up again. Once I did the take away with just my shoulders and kept the arms straight and let the trail arm fold only what it needed and keeping the left arm straight and not forcing the take away back too far the balls started to fly again. (and it felt familiar so I have done it but lost it) Why oh why is it so good one day and the next we get numb to it, forget what we did, and it all falls apart? These days when it's good it's really good. And when it's bad you'd think I never played golf in my life. Been taking Tom's classes for a year and a half now. I know so much about the swing, yet, diagnosing myself can be the biggest challenge in the world. But I've been trying to do it with feel as if I'm on the course I can't stop to take videos and analyze. I feel I need to do it with feel but maybe that's not a good thing. And my OCD gets the best of me and I'm out hitting foam balls down the street hours on end. I think I need help. :) Kind of felt like this today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHUJab6h-04
That’s an interesting idea. I have coached a couple kids over the last few years. It’s not because I am a pro or anything close to it, but because I didn’t start golfing until late in life and I got obsessed. I have read so much about the golf swing and have really studied it…including many different swing theories. The studying was a byproduct of seeing so much conflicting information. After all, how is it possible that two coaches can give exactly contrary points of view? That’s what started my intense investigation and reading hundreds of books. Ok…I tell you this to get back to your point about having something you can go back to. One of the kids just got a golf scholarship…we went out this past weekend and played 9 holes and he talked about when he gets off, he has certain misses. We decided that we are going to get some videos of when he’s striking the ball really well and put them in a safe spot. The idea is to have a gold standard to compare. When things get “off”, we can get video and compare to the gold standard to figure out what’s really happening. I would advise everyone to do that same thing. My opinion is, if you rely on feel to get back on track…you are going down a path of endless misery. In my opinion, the only way to save yourself from insanity is to get videos from when you are playing well. Then, when you are struggling, send both videos to Tom and let him help you get back on track. My $.02.
@Matt Kelton Those are some amazing scores you've shot, thank you for some of the keys that has helped you bring your score back down. Keep in mind, it's just a game and we do it to have fun. A bad score does not define us as a person. The higher the level of expectation, the more frustration when it's not accomplished. I know, easier said than done, I get it.
Fantastic post, @Matt Kelton, and welcome back!!
I'm going to pin your post in an effort to draw more attention to it, as you have touched upon some very helpful information with regard to dealing with frustration, hitting the brakes, doing a thorough self-analysis, intelligently figuring out your areas of opportunity, and building the appropriate feels and drills into your practice session in order to recapture your game and your enjoyment of it.
Well done!!
Thank you, Matt, for sharing. It seems so fundamental but easy to forget especially if you have the Old Man of Bad Habits raising it’s ugly head every once and awhile. Take care, and get back in the 70s!