That kind of sums up my practice these days. I, unfortunately, can only seem to practice once a week because I have taken a job that requires much of my time and I have not played a round in several weeks. However, I finally have a handicap for the upcoming MBWA that I am very excited about.
I still have 2.5 months to kick it around but I got to get to the range at least twice a week. I feel my lead arm breaks down and I still have this horrible CHUNK in the back of the ball sometimes and of course, my divots would make most groundkeepers turn into bounty hunters, looking for the guy who thinks he is hunting gophers with an 8I, but at least I am taking divots. Still, I have some really nice crispy shots that still make me confident in the fact that I am doing something correctly for me.
My grip is going to be my grip. I can't get the trail hand to cover that thumb like Tom shows but, I am at least on it. This means I don't have much of that auto-hinge so I have to make it part of my tempo. Speaking of tempo, this is most important. There is a backswing and a downswing, and when I have that certain tempo I smash the ball just like I am supposed to with that little draw. take it easy, take it slow. I also know I am only going to get so good but I am on my way to being better.
Did I tell you guys how much I love this game of golf and how happy I am to be part of the best golf instructional forum on the Planet?
Played an after work 9 hole competition this evening off back tees and scored 19 points with a 7 on the card, fried egg bunker incident.
Starting to believe this is a) my swing b) it repeats and c) I can trust it to do what I want it to.
This is literally a new golfing life and I’m loving the crispy kfc lifestyle!
I love the title – Great, good, suck, good….
Lol
I got out for the first time this year a few weeks ago. I played 9 holes. I shot a 40 – best ever!! And, as the usual story goes, I missed some putts because the ground was wet and the greens were very slow. Could have shot in the high 30s. The swing was so easy and had very high confidence the whole time playing. It was truly effortless.
Went back out a week after that and I didn’t even keep score it was so bad. It took 7 holes to figure it out. It was so frustrating. I did it great the previous week, this stuff works, what changed? Too much weight forward at address and weight not staying centered (moving forward in take-away). I figured it out on the 7th hole and shot the last 3 holes par or bogey. Practice has been good since. Looking forward to next outing – maybe end up somewhere in the middle of the first two outings. But, the first outing proved I can do it, this system works, and I had a blast playing. The newly released pressure video pretty much sums it up very well. Good timing, Tom!!! 😊
Yes sir! That is when things go well for me. Slower tempo let the weight get moving forward before firing hips and turn. And at the store yesterday rediscovered that acceleration in the last part of down swing and that 3/4 swing works best for this abused body. Doesn't mean we can't still score.
After getting as consistent as we can not being pro's, we need to play smart golf and focus on every shot especially the scoring area for me which is 80 yards and in including putting for me. Because Tom it is amazing how a shot here and one there can tank you score card quick. I had some issues in this early part of the season, but self evaluation and focus is the key. Make you practice time structured and focused and be patient. When you go to play in my opinion use range time for warming up and getting loose and fluid. And hit the putting green to get a nice pace in your stroke. In the past I have found that if you try to fix things before teeing off a least for me I'm in for a long day. Stay at i , looking forward to meeting you at the MBWA.
I’m with you and on the right path. My issue is that I can’t yet do it right all the time but can’t wait until I do. My good is so much better than it’s ever been and my bad is nowhere near as bad. I have a new thing too…sometimes I hit the ball way too far out of nowhere and lose a ball over the green, never had that problem before but sort of don’t mind!
Really loving the game again thanks to my new, evolving swing.
@Tom Holt - You do have some leeway with the grip, but there are also some key elements as summarized in this excerpt from the S&T book.