Gettin' Better . . .
 

HennyBogan . . . .

You have been ON FIRE on this forum! Thanks for sharing all this great info with us.

I have a goal . . . maybe too ambitious . . . but you have to dream.

I am 36 years old . . . have to a job, lil' foolz and what's-her-name that take up a bunch of my time . . .

BUT!

I would like to get to scratch by the time I'm 38. You have said it's all about process. This may be a little different process but what kind of plan, process and practice would you suggest for me to achieve my big audicious goal???

Holla back please sir!

Bucket

Scratch this
 

Bucks my man,

Anyone who can make over 2000 putts in a row is already my hero.

Why would you want your handicap to go UP in two years? :confused1

The moon pies are on me.

UPP in rainy Ohio

Oh . . . hold up . . . I got the puttin' contest mixed up with the wing eatin' contest. Sorry.

Need some info
 

Bucket,

First, I like big goals. They can really set you into action. Second, by placing it out here in front of others, you are giving yourself two kinds of motivation. One is that you may be inspired to do the work because you are going to have to post about it. Second, you should get plenty of support and encouragement from the other members.

The less time you have to expend on this project, the more organized and efficient you need your program to be. You may have to make substantial changes in a number of areas. One big area will be your picture of yourself as a golfer. We also have to look at the physical elements, game management, mental game, etc.

Let's get to work. I need some information about how you lose shots. We want to get pretty detailed here. The most important factor in improving your game is working on the right thing.

We will to break down all parts of your game, but in the interest of creating a useable post, let's do them one at a time.

Long game. We will let the experts here give the instruction, but we want to define any issues. We need to chart the misses. Picture the ball flight charts (not what some of them say). Pull, straight, or push. Ball curvature from there. Contact: fat, flush, thin (on the way up or down). We know that you hit lots of quality shots, but what are the bad ones? What is the cause? What can you do to reduce the variance?

Do these shots show up on the range or only on the course? Since you have asked many questions about the process, I suspect some come from shortcomings there. We are going to have to look at the outcomes. I'm going to lay out some guidelines for that in another thread (now I have to do it--one of the ways it works).

In the short term, we can be satisfied with your recollections. Later, we will want some concrete data.

Let's go.

HB

Going!
 

Man! I'm soooooooooo GEEKED UP ABOUT THIS! The only thing I think that could be suspect is the encouragement part from a certain faction here . . . you 2 h8rs know who you be.

LET's ROLL . . .

Long Game

• My driver is irratic . . .
• My bad shot is typically a shot that starts right and goes right
• Or a shot that starts right and hooks past my stance line (how about that) :)
• Long Iron misses are either high right pushes or low left burners
• Short Irons are the strengths of my game . . . but distance control is an issue
• Short Iron misses are typically long and left
• All in all I find the clubface/sweetspot and hit it solid well but direction is my problem
• I can hit it low as you want me too . . . but high shots are harder for me
• I have an easier time hitting right to left shots than cuts
• I hit down on it plenty but not too good on the out part . . .I'm a super's nightmare . . .I move earth
• I'm a GREAT range player but don't hit the same quality shots interms of direction on course
• I have noticed that I stand too far from the ball whip it inside and get it across the line at the top
• I tend to hang back a little and come out of my waist bend
• My impact alignments are pretty good . . . I just have some weird moves getting there.

Is this the kind of stuff you were looking for?

Thanks man . . . you rock!

Bucket

After talking to my pal Bucket on the phone today, I thought this would be a great thread to get involved in. Along with beer and wings, Bucket and I have alot in common. I am 37 and truely believe I can be a scratch golfer, I love the machine and know it is the path to playing great golf. I was an 9 handicap for about 14 years, then I went to the Falcons Fire Academy and began the decent. I currently carry a 6.5 index and progression has slowed. I need a plan to get my game to the next level. The geometry and physics of my swing are more sound than ever, but how do you get out of your own way? I practice like a scratch golfer, my driving range game is tight, but I am not the same person on the course. How do good players take their range game to the course, Why does my rhythm and tempo change once I get on the first tee, Is there a secret to scoring, not just ball striking???
Looking forward to devulging into the answers to these questions and more.

Honest evaluation
 

Bucket,

That's exactly the type of honest evaluation I'm looking for. I will leave the particulars of swing correction to the experts. The part that concerns me the most is a two-way miss. Right and left. This type of pattern requires great discipline in adhering to a committed routine.

If you can eliminate most of your misses to one side or the other, you will have an easier time fitting your pattern to the golf course.

So your part of the plan is to decipher the swing changes you need to make and to implement these moves over a period of time.

HB

Next question. Tell me about your short game. Shots inside full sandwedge. Bunkers. Pitches. High. Low. Flop. Tight lies. Rough. Anything else you can think of besides putting. Short game philosophy (one club, many, close to the ground as possible, or something else)

Define
 

8cork,

Sounds like you have a good base to work from. Much like a person training for a marathon would need a base of mileage before ramping up the effort.

I need some definition.

"I practice like a scratch golfer" Describe

"I am not the same person on the course" Who are you in each setting?

There are many secrets to scoring. This forum is designed to expose some of these. Your ballstriking will define your range of possible scores. Your management and short game will define your score.

HB

Thanks HB,
What I think I am trying to say is that, My swing on the range is much better than the swing I take to the course. If my handicap was based on the way I hit the ball on the range I might be a 2 or 3. For some reason my ball striking drops off once I start playing. My putting is the strongest part of my game, I almost always make alot of putts, sadly they are rarely for birdie. I play spurts of great golf, but I can never keep it going. Usually not even for nine holes. Just the other day I was 5 under after 7 holes and barely broke 80 for the round.

First . . . Question: A lot of times I'm just trying to "hit it there" basically a straight shot. Should I instead of thinking "hit it there" think hit a draw there? I think right to left is more of my natural curve. But I can go both ways (don't do it Mike O!).

SHORT GAME

• Short chip shots are my strength. I'm pretty decent at hitting sandwedge chips to about 40 feet out.
• If I have to hit longer chips I typically have more trouble with distance control. I'd say my error is typically long.
• I can hit low wedges with some check pretty good
• High wedges are more of a problem for me. I don't do well with flops. I'm a low spinner type.
• I hit down on chips and pitches maybe too steep.
• 40-50 yard shots are tougher for me particularly if they have to carry something . . . come in too low and hot.
• I typically chip with sw, gap and 9 . . . I used to carry lob but no mo'. 48, 52, 56.
• I'm better at hitting shots hard than soft.
• I'm more snappy than sweepy.

How's that?

Help
 

8cork,

Thanks for getting involved with this. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, regardless of how it might sound (Bucket, on the other hand, may get some grief). You did not answer my questions, but you did shed some light. I'll comment on your post and ask the questions again.

Except for the "Gamer," everyone hits it better on the range. Do you hit it better on range because you hit the same club over and over at the same target? Do you make little adjustments between shots to improve result? Do you feel more relaxed because you can just drag another one over? Are you more comfortable because you know where it will land? Better because you aren't keeping score? I'm not making assessments or recommendations yet, I need more info. Describe your practice routine.

As for spurts of great golf. Excellent, it shows you have the ability. Take heart. Top level golf is allowing those streaks to happen and managing the rest of the round for the lowest score. What causes these runs to stop? Do you keep score in your head or notice your relationship to par while you play? Do you hit a bad shot and try to figure out the cause instead of wiping it from memory? Do you get nervous / excited when you get it going? Do you start thinking about telling your buddies about your great round?

Do you get overconfident and try shots beyond your ability or aim at pins you should not. Do you fail to get up and down from a relatively easy spot? Again, I'm not saying you should or should not do any of these things. I'm merely describing some things people do to interrupt great scoring rounds. When you say you act different on the range and the course, is that more a description of the results or the process?


HB

This could be interesting. Can I take part?
Alex

Bucket's eval part 2
 

Bucket,

More good info. I think "hit it there" is correct as long as you choose your target based on your pattern. In fact, YES. Pick the smallest target you can. Use your imagination to see the flight.

OK, we now have another hole in your game to improve. The trouble with the low spinner (my fav. as well) is that it can be difficult to adjust to changing conditions. The spinner can react with a large variance based on the green condition (firmness, speed, grain, etc). You don't have to abandon your favorite shot, but you do need to learn another basic one. This shot should be softer with less spin, using trajectory to control roll. The method also uses the landing spot as the target, rather than the whole shot. The idea being, if you can control trajectory and landing spot, your short game will be more able to conform to the variety of conditions. You will be more able to take it on the road.

HB

Tell me about your putting. Include your assessment of your abilty under pressure. How do you read greens? Describe philosophy.

Sure
 

Alex,

I don't think I want to take on the whole forum membership. Lets add you in here and try to create a sort of FAQ. If we can answer enough questions for a few particular guys, then we could cover most of the points. As other questions arise, we could answer those without doing a complete analysis.

Welcome,

HB

hmmmmmm . . . my Putting . . . well in a word . . . SUX!!!

I have streaks where I can putt well. And I make a bunch of putts . . . but then . . . it goes south . . . WAY south.

PUTTING

• I'm a pretty good reader of greens. I pick a high spot and try to roll it there and have it dying there.
• From 12 to 20 feet I can putt . . . but from 8 to 3 . . . I may as well let Stevie Wonder take a stab at it.
• When I miss the short ones . . . I miss the whole freakin' hole.
• Last round of golf . . . I hit 12 greens knock it on 2 par 5's and am pin high on another. . . 3 jack 6 times . . . make NO putts (none zero nada) over 3 feet and shoot 81.
• I'm pretty much feel based. When I'm on I can really putt but . . . but when the feel is gone hello Helen Keller.
• I have problems trusting my alignment.
• My distance control outside of 20 feet is doo doo.
• Actually under pressure I putt a little better on the long ones but the short ones give me fits.

As you can see I'm oooooozing with confidence with the putter.

Putting
 

Bucket,

Wow. We have found a real hotspot. If we can get your putting back to average, we are halfway home. You will have to do some mechanical work. We need to find out what makes you miss from short range. Face is huge in terms of short putting. Distance control is about hitting it solid enough to get accurate feedback. My recommendation is to get on a chalk line and have someone watch the path. I like a gentle arc. If you can have an expert check the aim, better. Do you change putters? Did you ever putt alot better and changed trying to improve? What style of putter? Miss everywhere or left or right, short or long.

Mental side. Are you severly damaged? I mean -- is it so bad you can't even picture a putt go in during visualization. No, you can't be that far gone, you said you are streaky. The fact that you putt some putts better under pressure is good.

How many putts a round do you try to wish in? On a six footer that reads just outside left edge, what are you thinking. Do you get really committed. Are you standing over the putt wondering about your alignment? Or is it after you have missed. Describe in detail your preshot.

Here's mine. I read putt from behind. Classic low position with sun blocked by hands on side of head. I'm looking to see the high side. I may look from low side (more likely on longer putt). Sometimes stand beside the line close to the hole like Bones. I'm always looking for something that says this way rather than conflicting views (One reason I don't often look from other side). Then I DECIDE. Now I picture the whole arc, and where I want the ball to roll into the hole. Say seven O'clock. I stand tall behind the ball and a few steps away. Twirl my putter as I walk crisply toward the ball. Shake my left arm a little (maybe Tiger does this). Set up. Two practice stokes while I look exactly where I want the ball to enter the hole. Then I bend my neck so I'm looking staight down on top of the ball and let it go.... Sounds like a lot reading it back. There's no room for anything wish-washy. I decide before I move towards the ball. No checking of mechanics. I have to feel crisp but leisurely. I act like I know what I'm doing.

Lesson number one. Never again give such an honest account of your putting. More than any other aspect of the game, what you think and say about your putting will come true. I'm not going to ask you to stand in front of the mirror and do affirmations (not a bad idea--and I might have you do this later based on progress), but we need to be more positive.

The worst thing I want you to say about your putting from now on is, "I'm putting good, but I'm not making as many as I would like." You are free to be more positive.

Answer the questions in here before you get more.

HB

dang this is good stuff...i think youve answered about 10 questions i may have just by helpin out the chicken wing bucket. lol! i'm a silent spectator in this thread but boy am i into it. Great to have ya henny

I am not really certain why I hit it better on the range. I usually go through a large and small bucket of balls starting with my wedges and moving through the bag. Usually hit 10 to 12 drivers and then finish off with my wedges. Because of past swing flaws, (overplane) I really concentrate on hitting the inside quadrant of the ball and driving out to right field. I hit nice soft draws with the occasional pull thrown in. I can go through 100 balls on the range and never hit a hook. But, when I play its fore left!! On a typical round I may hook 10 out of 14 tee shots, 2 or 3 of those will be completely off the golf course. I play like Seve, always scrambling, getting up and down from everywhere, making 4 or 5 par putts per round between 6 and 10 feet. It's truely madness, drives me stir crazy. Generally in a round I may have only about 4 two putt pars. I play high stress golf.
I am a very mechanical player, always trying to fix my swing on the course. I think I need to become more of a feel player. Also, I have a completely different tempo on the course. I can feel my swing getting shorter and faster as I play.
Bucket, when we get together for a round, maybe we should play captains choice.

Seve
 

8cork,

It sounds, on one hand, like you don't need my advice. It sounds like you get the most out of your ballstriking.

Maybe I can help. I always knew that I was not the calm, causual type. I swing more like Nick Price than Bob Murphy. So my goal was always to build a swing that would work at that speed. I'm more relaxed than I was early on, but I'm still on the quick side. When I practice, contary to some common advice, I try to get my swing ramped up to on course speed. I think you want to swing at a pace that fits your personality.

Trying to fix your swing on the course just does not work, as a rule. If you are mechanical on the course, it can interrupt the flow of your swing and cause steering and other problems. You might have one tendency you can think of and have a few practice swings with some special feel before you start your routine. Once you walk in, if you take practice swings, they should be directed towards the shot at hand and not away from the current miss.

If you are more calm and casual in normal life, you need to look at what causes you to speed up. Are you clear about what causes the left shots? Can you take some video while you play and compare it to the range? Have you taken the whole bottle of pills with regard to being overplane? Understanding the cause of your left shots may go a long way towards solving your problem with getting it to the course.

HB

Thanks
 

Powerdraw,

Thanks. Bucket and I were going to do this in PM, but we decided it would serve the forum better in public. Hope you enjoy.

HB

We need to find out what makes you miss from short range.
I don't think I ever trust that my line is right. It could be a vision thing. I wear glasses and have a pretty bad stigmatism (sp?). Not sure


Do you change putters? What style of putter?
I used to change putters like I change my drawz . . . every other week. I was into Camerons loved 'em. I'm over it. I've had the same putter now for about 2 years. It's Cameron MidSur (belly putter) but it has been cut down to 34 inches. I like it because it's dope looking and I don't have to put one of them stoopid headcovers on it. Plus I like it because it's heavy and has a thick top line (opposite of my iron preference).

Did you ever putt alot better and changed trying to improve?
Naw. I never practice putting too much. I think it's boring. Waiting to be chastized here . . .

Miss everywhere or left or right, short or long.
Pretty much everywhere. If I start out missing right or left then I usually end up missing long because I start trying to cram it in. But from a distance perspective on on the short ones I'd say I tend to hit them too soft. I like to see it die in.

Mental side. Are you severly damaged? I mean -- is it so bad you can't even picture a putt go in during visualization.
Damaged . . . oh hell yes . . . To be honest I don't really visualize that well period in putting or nowhere . . . well I do pretty good in the bathroom :happy3:


How many putts a round do you try to wish in?
On a bad day . . . every putt from 6 to 3 feet.


On a six footer that reads just outside left edge, what are you thinking. Do you get really committed.
Depends on where I'm at in the round . . . early on I'm positive . . . around the turn I'm thinking I hope that big fat lady made the hot dawg slaw and if she did I may marry her. . . . by the time I'm around 14 and I've missed a few I'm just trying not to cry.

Are you standing over the putt wondering about your alignment? Or is it after you have missed. Not early on. But if I miss I'm wondering after the shot for awhile. Then I'm tweekin' from the get before the putter goes back.

Describe in detail your preshot.
Well . . . I kinda start looking at the green as I walk to it from the fairway (I like to walk). The after I catch my breath . . . Start looking for the high spot. I walk to it. I kinda verify what my eye see with what I feel under my feet. The I get to the ball look at my high spot and kinda let my instincts take over as far as aiming. I have found when I'm hot I just feel my alignment by just letting my braincell do it's thang. Then I take two practice strokes looking at the hole trying to feel the putter swing and feel my hands. I address the ball. Look at my spot and just try to swing him back schmooove. People have said that my stroke looks good. Hell it feels good and feels like it would look good. It just don't work too good.

Ah . . . but I AM a good putter and I'm due to make the next 'un. :liar:

bucket putting
 

Bucket,

We've got potential. I like the reading and routine. Esp. smooth stroke and letting the braincell do the aiming. I like letting the talent do its part rather than manual override.

Good putters putt with the same putter or style of putter. Once asked a really good tour putter how long he had been putting with his putter (within earshot of my player who was wanting to change). He said, "About five years." Then I asked what he putted with before that. He said, "One just like it."

I'm not a big believer in spending alot of time on the putting green unless you really like putting. I see a tendency to experiment, further confusing the computer. I want results in a short amount of time. I rarely putt for more than ten minutes. Love short game and full game practice.

A drill from a really good putter. Three balls in a line about two feet apart, starting two feet from hole. So a two footer, a four footer, and a six footer all on the same line. The shortest lets you make a bunch (good for brain). The next two give you alot of practice holing the kind of putts you need to make to keep a round going. Putt these three, get them out of the hole, repeat. If you don't make a bunch of putts at first, don't worry, you will improve. Practice some longer putts. Do a little putting around the practice green with one ball for touch. If you want to work on your stroke, do it indoors with some kind of reference tool. I learned to putt watching my stroke over a threshold.

Die putting is for longer putts. You don't have to ram the short ones, but make a nice positive stroke. If you take too high a line, you will put a little steer on it to help it break enough to go in. Practice some breaking putts at three different speeds. Big break, medium break. Minimal break. It helps with touch and seeing putts. Learn to putt with medium break.

Visualize. We have to use our talents as we find them. Some guys go to the movies. Some see a straight line. Sounds like you get a feel for the shot. That's OK.

Confidence depends on where in the round. This is a problem. If you want to putt better, you have to think better. You can control your mental process. From now on, act like you know what you are doing as you walk into the putt. Just try it for the next few rounds. Every putt. Let me know.

HB

I'm a little afraid to ask. Lets hear about your management and mental game.

HB,
I think you have it the nail on the head. I think I have not gotten over my overplane swing issues enough to be comfortable on the course. It seems I always revert back to bad habits. I need to keep grinding and working on what Lynn, Ted, and Jeff taught me at Falcons fire and learn to trust it on the course. I also think I could greatly help myself if I could learn to carry the same mentality on my full swing as I do my putter. When I am on the greens I have no swing thoughts, I am very much a feel putter. I just make the putt in my mind, then let my body execute. Of course, a putting stroke is much easier to execute than a full swing. I need tips on how to play and think on the course like a good feel player does. When I am hitting full shots on the course I am so wrapped up in the mechanics and my own swing thoughts I rarely think much about the target or visualizing the shot.
Bucket and I are going to get together for a day at the course in the next couple of weeks. I think it will be eye-opening to have him evaluate me on the range, and then see what happens on the course.

Question on the above . . . Should talent and braincell deal be throughout the game?

Management
This part of my game is a strength. I pretty much try to play shots that I can play. I pick really good targets and play the percentages well. I always have a plan . . . execution is a different story. I love the strategic part of the game. I try to pick my targets from the tee that allow the most margin for error. On my course I don't hit driver on but 5 holes or so depending on conditions. You just don't get much juice for the amount of squeeze you gotta do. I play thinking pretty much "what do I have to do to make par on this hole" and let the birdies come. From 9 iron down I shoot at pins. Rest of the stuff is middle of green. I'm more like too shot at a left pin than a right pin because my natural shape wants to go left.

Some days my tee shots can be good . . . but I ALWAYS have 2 or 3 holes where hit a wildazz tee shot to somewhere you make 1,000,000 from. When I hit a bad shot I hit a BAD shot. I'm pretty good about striking it solid but it's more of a direction dealie.

MENTAL
Another stength of mine is ATTITUDE . . . I have fun on the course. I never get mad. You can't tell if I'm shootin' 100 or 75. I'm just happy to be on the golf course. I don't beat myself up after bad shots or rounds.


ROUTINE Not so good. I don't have a lot of confidence in my alignment. I have too many mechanical thoughts. I get to playing golf swing instead of playing golf. If I miss one I tend to get more mechanical. The weird thing is though . . .when I have to hit a trouble shot or work a shot I tend to hit those shots great. I have more trouble with the shots I SHOULD hit well. Maybe I get more committed. That may be something I need to explore what commitment means with regards to G.O.L.F. and golf.

OVERALL CONFIDENCE IN GAME I feel like I have enough skills that I could be a 4 to scratch but I just need to eliminate the wild shot off the tee and hit more short putts. I have the desire to get there and feel like I can . . . but I never have.

Something New
 

I've never done this, Henny. Thanks! :)

Speed dictates Line

putter mentality
 

8cork,

OK. You have had lessons from the A-Team. You talk to Bucket on the phone, so you be gaining in knowledge. You understand the "process" because you use it with your short game and putter. And you are shooting good scores.

We need to find a way to help you transition from playing golfswing to playing golf. It's easy for me to say just think like you do when you putt. It really will end up like that, but it is too big a jump for you right away.

So, for a start, lets cut down on the mechanical thoughts. One swing thought. Pick one. Make it very simple. Like get to your finish. Complete your backswing (might be a good one for you).

Preshot. Again simple. Do your yardage. Go with your first instinct. First thought is seven, hit seven. Do a few practice swings with your swing thought. Do it at your pace, but send that ball away without delay.

Practicing like a pro. They do what we all do in trying to tweak their swings and get that magic feel. Then they work on shutting off the brain and reacting to the target. On the range, get your pattern going and then play a little golf. Picture real shots on the course and try to hit them. Play three or four holes. Hit the tee shot. Change clubs. Hit the iron shot. Don't worry about the chip if you miss. You already have that. Don't drag another ball over if you miss. Go on to the next hole.

For a large part of your practice, you need to behave like you want to behave on the course. It may seem slow and inefficient to practice this way, but the practice will be more valuable.

On game day. When you warm up. Make sure you have plenty of time. Be organized in your mind. Be poised. Get your body loose. Hit some shots with your swing thought. As you get into your pattern, make it more like the course. Lock in on the target. Try to hit the 100 yd. marker. Picture a fairway and hit your driver into it. Pretend there is trouble on one side and room on the other. Hit to the safe side.

Let me know

HB

Bucket management
 

Bucket,

Talent and braincell throughout the ball. YES. "Turn off the brain. Turn on the game."

Strategy and management sound really good. It's great that you always have fun. As you progress, we may want you to fire at reasonable flags down to a six or seven iron. One thing you mentioned from last round was 6 three putts. Maybe you should try hitting it closer to the hole.

Focus on trouble shots. You have to, the shot dictates start line, height, curvature, etc. Tour players do the same thing. They hit this miracle shot out of the trees, then the next hole they miss the green with a wedge. Focus.

So the difference between the trouble shot and the one from the middle of the fairway 150 out is the definition. You can define this shot. You can picture it hit on the green, spin left a few feet, and topple into the hole. You can picture the trajectory. If you want to hit a straight shot, you can picture a tunnel of trees defining the flight. It's all mind games. Even when you are hitting a safe shot to the middle of the green, you want to be really locked in on the target.

Routine. Practice your alignment on the range. Take it for granted on the course. Nobody plays good when they are worried about it. One of the dangers in knowing alot about the swing is being able to diagnose errors and becoming focused on them. Let those thoughts go until you have made the same physical error a number of times in a row. One bad shot should go straight out the window.

Wild shots. Is it random or do you struggle with the same tee shots? Sometimes you have to do something different on a hole that does not fit your eye.

HB

Lay out your plan for improvement, as you see it.

Henny/Bucket,

Great stuff! I've been experimenting some with shooting at flags only from 135/140 and closer (my 9-iron), opting for the middle of the green the rest of the time (the greens on the courses I play aren't always that big). I hadn't really considered HB's comment about really "focusing in" on that sort of shot before, but it makes a bunch of sense.

CG

NICE!!!! I like it . . .


Wild shots. Is it random or do you struggle with the same tee shots?
OK . . . I played 9 holes for lunch. I think I may have figured out a big portion of my wild shots. I should have started here in the first place too! I hit some hard hooks with all of my clubs. Not low snappers but more like solid bombs that just curved to hard left . . . past the old stance line. I was even hooking wedges 15 yards or so.

I have really been working on #3 accumulator roll . . . which I think was a dumb thing to do with my grip type. I have a turned left hand. So it to me on a little pitch that I didn't need all that roll and it was causing to clubface movement. So I hit this little holdy blocky feeling thing . . . one hop . . . .in the hole. Next hole I carried that same holdy deal and hit it really great from a direction standpoint. My flail has to work different who gets their hands on the club 10-2-B vertical style.

The other thing I did was the whole visualization deal. Imagined that the ball was like the size of a kickball or something. It freed everything up. I tend to hit it pretty solid anyway for the most part. But I really was able to let it rip without having to be superdooper ball bound.

I feel better about it now. If I can drive it in play I hit the irons good enough that I can do awight. Putted a lil' better too. Take away the two wild hooks O.B. and I shoot decent.

Thanks my friend. I did get your PM today but they were making me do work at work for once (what is that about :D)
Anyways, I just used the format that Bucket did and put my thoughts in.

Long Game

·My driver is usually a strong part of my game but once it goes all hell breaks loose!
·My bad shot is weak quail high slice.
·My other bad shot is one that starts straight and then turns right at the apex of its flight.
·Long Iron misses are either high right pushes or thins
·Short Irons are the pretty solid
·Short Iron misses are pretty straight/slight cut or the occasional hosel rocket!
·Finding the clubface/sweetspot is not usually a problem but feel that I am not hitting the ball pure enough.
·Ball flight is generally good. A nice penetrating trajectory. Can hit it high if needed. Low shots are sometimes bothersome but ok.
·Cutting the ball is what I am usually good at. Going the other way is a bit of a problem and I can lose some distance in windy condtions.
·Improving on the down aspect but the out is not there….
·I am a Range Rat. Can hit Pro standard shots on the range but on the course sometimes I look like a complete beginner.
·I tend to swing around my knees and then get across the line at the top.
·Sometimes I overswing too.
·The club goes inside after impact too quickly. A side swipe at times. Costs me distance and accuracy.
·Impact alignments are getting better but not brilliant. Could do better here. More down and definitely more out is needed.

SHORT GAME

·Short/Medium length chip shots are my strength. I'm pretty decent at hitting sand wedge/pitching wedge chips.
·Distance and sometimes direction control on longer chip (almost pitch shots) are pretty bad.
·Low wedges are good. I tend to go for the low runner the majority of the time.
·Flop shots are no good. Low and medium height shots I am more comfortable with.
·Sometimes I flick on my chip/pitch shots. Improving on this.
·Anything from 30-100 yard shots are where I am weak. Tough shot for me as its neither a low one or a full shot. Tendency to chunk, thin or hosel rocket.
·Usually use an 8, 9, PW, SW, LW depending on the shot. Usually carry a 52, 56, 60 wedges.
·Hard, Medium hardness sand are the best bunker conditions for me.
·Putting. Not great but not bad. Ave about 33-36 putts a round. Put left hand low.

I will do more later but its a start. Feel free to ask me more questions.
Alex

Thanks for the wealth of information HB, I think the key to me becoming scratch may be found inside this thread, or at least a good kick start.
I am going to apply the practice routine that you suggest and see what happens. I think it will really help to make the move from the range to the course not so dramatic.
I have tried the clear key technique some, but just could never completely commit to it. I do think I need to move closer to that style of playing, but just maybe I can have one swing thought.
I will keep you posted.
Thanks again.

This is more powerful than I suspect many give it credit. The more I 'see', the better I play.

Visualization
 

EdZ,

I agree that visualization is a very powerful tool. At the highest level, I believe that most players are playing in pictures and feels. I think they spend more effort fitting their games to the course than worrying about their swings.

It is amazing to hear one of them describe a difficult pitch shot in detail. The resistance of the grass. The trajectory. The amount of spin. The exact spot to land. All factors in hitting shots close to the hole.

I believe that the truly great putters see things that the rest of us don't. I'm thinking of guys like Crenshaw that can make it from anywhere.

One of the things that always amazes me is how good most tour players are at very difficult shots. They respond to the numbers and definition of the shot to get completely locked in. Then they miss the fairway laying up on a par five. We try hard to offset this tendency by painting a picture about the lay up.

Some players might not be able to see all the details of every shot, but they still still need to be totally focused on target and feel. When discussing the line for a particular shot, we are always trying to give the smallest target that the player can still see. Not: "At that clump of trees." Yes: "The right edge of the third tree."

HB

Alex eval
 

Alex,

Sounds like you have a pretty solid game. We all want to hit it better, but your dispersion seems very manageable.

If I remember, you are from Glasgow? Are you playing more links style golf? Are your conditions normally firm? Your short game seems tailored to that type of condition. Just guessing, let me know.

You did not mention handicap or target scores. What are you hoping to gain, or where do you want to take your game?

Shots from 30--100 yards will be critical to lowering your score. Pros practice these shots daily. While some may want to lay up to special numbers, all face these in-between shots throughout a round as a result of misplayed shots.

We will want the total putts number to come down, but it may be a result of hitting more shots pin high and chipping closer.

Let me know what type of courses you play, average score, and ambition for your game.

Thank's

HB

Hi there,

Thanks for this.

If I remember, you are from Glasgow? Are you playing more links style golf? Are your conditions normally firm? Your short game seems tailored to that type of condition. Just guessing, let me know.

Yes, I am from Glasgow. My home course is a parkland course and I tend to play there more than anywhere else but I do play some links courses when I have the chance. My home course has a lot of undulations and is more an older style course where you can run shots up to the green and all the trouble is to the sides of the green. Conditions during the summer can get very firm and fast. So the low/medium height running shots are best suited to it. Also controlling a high shot into blustery conditions is quite hard.

You did not mention handicap or target scores. What are you hoping to gain, or where do you want to take your game?

I play off a 13 at the moment (not much time of late to practice or play) My scores tend to average in the mid 80s (Par 70 with a standard scratch of 71)
My goal is to get into Cat 1 (HCP from Scratch to 5) I feel that I have the game to do it at times. I can go for stretches during a round where I am par or better but then it falls apart.

Shots from 30--100 yards will be critical to lowering your score. Pros practice these shots daily. While some may want to lay up to special numbers, all face these in-between shots throughout a round as a result of misplayed shots.

This is a weak part of my game. Its something that I have to work on and I think its more technique that I need to look at as the execution is not there.

Alex

This is great guys-not trying to barge in, just letting you know.
The great thing is it stops Bucket posting on his own forum -since March!:salut:

Partial wedges
 

Alex,

I think that spending extra effort on the partial wedges will pay huge dividends. I often see pros with unsual moves in their full swings have clean, efficient looking medium to short wedge swings. The swings are short, so there is not much room to accomodate compensations. Just a thought to leave you with. Really try to relax over these shots, the pros are always talking about soft hands when pitching. Practice the technique enough that you don't have to run through a checklist before the shot.

HB

Multi break on the same putt.
 

I just read [u]Putting Out of your Mind[u] by Bob Rotella. In the forward to the book, Brad Faxon talks about putting a breaking putt at three different speeds to develop feel. Rotella talks about the mind being able to make all the calculations in the subconscious mode. Trusting it!

Continuing on. My thoughts on my putting, even though I am an average putter I still from time to time miss what looks like the easiest of putts.

PUTTING

·I am a pretty average reader of greens, I can see the line the majority of the time but sometimes have problems trusting that it is the right line and can second guess myself.
·Mid range putts (8-15 feet) I am pretty solid but like my friend Bucket I have trouble from 5 feet and in at times.
·When I miss short putts it’s a combination of line and pace. I can either hit it too hard or baby it.
·I probably have at least 2-3 3 putts a round when I am playing badly. Normal day it’s a 3 putt a round usually at the wrong moment.
·Unlike Bucket, I can get a bit mechanical on the greens but have improved the routine to such that its one look and go.
·Trusting my alignment is a bit of a bugbear as is actually aligning correctly at times.
·Distance putting is average, that is where the majority of the 3 putts come from. Usually from not getting the distance right and I am always short.
·I have found that under pressure I am not a bad putter on most putts. Short ones will give me even more problems.

Through the years, I have read many of Bob Rotella’s books so I feel confident when I get to the ball and stroke it but sometimes I am missing a bit of the puzzle and the confidence goes again until the next time.
Been working on my putting routine a lot recently. Watched a lot of Darren Clarke, Aaron Baddeley and Davis Love on their routines. I like how they all take a few practise swings looking at the hole, line up, one look and then bang. Been trying to keep to that of late.

Alex