I’m hitting worse than I ever have

Question

I just hit two buckets of balls and all were terrible.  I either bladed them or just crashed the club right on top of the ball.  The only way I was able to get the ball in the air was to come over the top on it. I was only hitting sand wedge and pitching wedge. Unreal. I was supposed to play golf tomorrow but I can’t even get around the course swinging like this. Good grief.  Now what, I don’t even know what I’m doing wrong. I’m pretty sure I am not hitting from the inside.

mpandichjr · Accepted Answer

So hard to say without seeing your swing, but if you are blading and crashing into the ball, it sounds like you are coming over the top and/or lifting/chopping. I was playing great this past month then suddenly felt like I had never hit a golf ball before. Now if that happens I know there is something fundamental I am not doing. I went to the range and before I hit a ball, I pulled out my notebook of setup basics. I went through the list and realized I wasn't focusing on keeping the upper arms connected, and feeling like my elbow are staying together. Basically it is the feeling as if you are holding a small inflatable ball between your elbows the ENTIRE swing. Tom has videos on this and many golfers use Martin Chuck's smart ball. With my arms not being connected, I was unknowingly not coming from the inside, I was weakening my right hand to try and overcompensate, then everything broke down. I put one alignment stick in front of the ball on my target line, then stuck another one in the ground at a 45 degree angle to force me to come inside. 5 minutes later, crispy irons and divots. Tom has videos for this, I just don't have time to look through the course because I have an 8:15 tee time.

Sometimes we all have to remember to get back to the basics. Whenever we think "we got it", the cruel Golf Gods rudely remind us otherwise. There is an old formula E + E = E . Your Enthusiasm + Experience can become your biggest Enemy. Everything seems to become familiar and easy and we forget the basics.

You will get it back. Although it feels like the end of the world and you are questioning your manhood and the meaning of life, start with the basics and don't just pound balls on the range.

plodzienpaul · Answer

@Tom Saguto Thanks! I will check it out as I can’t get my buttons to the sky unless I point my eyes to the sky and then I don’t see the ball/ground, etc.

thanks for clarifying the video swing analysis piece.

Tom Saguto · Answer

@plodzienpaul No - the V1 app you use for this is free. The fee is for the Swing Video Analysis service.

By the way, since we discussed extension in previous correspondence, I want to make you aware of the updated and far more detailed Lesson 2.3c specific to this component that has recently been added.

plodzienpaul · Answer

@Tom Saguto Hi Tom, umm I’ve “mastered” nothing at this point.  Sometimes stuff works and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m still working in different things.  So we will see. 
I would love to do a V1 lesson. Is it $50 just to use V1 app and then your fee (whatever that is) for  the actual lesson?  
$50 seems like a lot just to use the V1 app.  
Thanks, Paul