How's your game!

dan_ep82

Rubbish, couldn't find anything but the heel of the driver today giving me my worst day of driving since the beginning of the year, forgot how disheartening it is. Its only now I realise that my driving had come on so much in the last while, my "meh" drive of recently was better than average.

I was able to scramble really well but after the first 10 holes of scrambling I got tired of it.

TheDoc

Be lieing if I said my game has been a bit in tatters this year.

After storming down to 7 last year from 10, I've been struggling to maintain that level this year, something just wasn't right and couldn't put my finger on it. Have been chopping and changing and back nine last week something clicked back again, and shot a really good score.

I'd worked on two main things to my swing start of last year that helped shape a fantastic summer

1) Tucking my right arm into my side on takeaway, to help promote a draw plane.
2) Slowdown my tempo, to exhibit more control over my swing

I think the arm tucking is getting counter productive causing more hooks then draws and my tempo has gone so slow im not striking the ball. So backnine last weekend I just went to a more conventional arm use, the swing plane remained, and I jacked the tempo and started hitting crisp strikes again

PResidents prize tomorrow, going to stick with it the whole round and see what happens.

On the plus side, my shortgame in terms of chipping(which I always sucked at) is electric this season after some work last year, my putting is hot **** which is a continuation of last season from the work I did two years ago, and I'm starting to rip my driver a bit more now.

Could it all come together tomorrow I wonder

Wombatman

Had a beautiful 80 this morning, shooting +2 for front nine. Very happy with where the game is right now.

I'm obsessed with golf right obv. Eating sleeping breathing. From the practice thread you can see I'm like James Brown, the hardest working man in golf.

Wombatman wrote: »

1 round a week 4 hours.
1 practice round a week 4 hours.
4 range visits 3 hours.
1 pitch and putt game every two weeks 1 hour (per week)
2 Chipping sessions 1.5 hour
2 Putting before rounds 1 hour
2 Home indoor putting and chipping 1 hour
3 Home indoor swinging 1 hour

16.5 hours a week. Need to spend more time putting I think.

Progress http://golfshot.com/members/0492182300

Thankfully it is paying off in spades.

I had a playing lesson with my club pro on Thursday. First lesson of the year and first lesson with him. Felt I was reaching a wall at the range, while I was hitting it well, a video of my swing told me there was much fundamentally wrong.

He let me hit a few shots and then focused right in on my weakness, without any beating around the bush.

The body or core turn was all wrong and right hand was firing two early and was too dominant leading to a static swing. This totally went along with my own suspicions. Need also to bring left shoulder more to the front to clear more space on the right side.

Once he told me the problem he also provided a solution.

Core Turn: Have to be looking more like this at impact, with knob facing the target.

Trigger will be to fire the belt buckle to the target at the start of the back swing.

Casting: Pump drill to fix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAef1L7rh0s

Left Hand Lead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS_h-aBCfDY

Very happy with the new pro. Going back next month after I have done some work on fixes and tried to integrate them into game. Already playing off as I feel I've got more whip on my swing for hip fire and loosing up by switching emphasis to left hand, leading to more distance.

He did say my basics were good and that I had good hands capable of getting the club face pretty square at impact even with my flawed OTT casty swing.

The short game is great right now also. Chipping is benefiting from lots of practice basically. Dropping a lot of one putting in the last couple of rounds due to good chips.

Putting much better too. Standing taller and changed to a feather light grip. Have stopped over thinking it. A few looks at the line and hole and trust the brain to do the rest. The brain can do so some amazing filling in when it has to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0

Danny dyers double

Wombatman wrote: »

Had a beautiful 80 this morning, shooting +2 for front nine. Very happy with where the game is right now.

I'm obsessed with golf right obv. Eating sleeping breathing. From the practice thread you can see I'm like James Brown, the hardest working man in golf.



Thankfully it is paying off in spades.

I had a playing lesson with my club pro on Thursday. First lesson of the year and first lesson with him. Felt I was reaching a wall at the range, while I was hitting it well, a video of my swing told me there was much fundamentally wrong.

He let me hit a few shots and then focused right in on my weakness, without any beating around the bush.

The body or core turn was all wrong and right hand was firing two early and was too dominant leading to a static swing. This totally went along with my own suspicions. Need also to bring left shoulder more to the front to clear more space on the right side.

Once he told me the problem he also provided a solution.

Core Turn: Have to be looking more like this at impact, with knob facing the target.

Trigger will be to fire the belt buckle to the target at the start of the back swing.

Casting: Pump drill to fix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAef1L7rh0s

Left Hand Lead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS_h-aBCfDY

Very happy with the new pro. Going back next month after I have done some work on fixes and tried to integrate them into game. Already playing off as I feel I've got more whip on my swing for hip fire and loosing up by switching emphasis to left hand, leading to more distance.

He did say my basics were good and that I had good hands capable of getting the club face pretty square at impact even with my flawed OTT casty swing.

The short game is great right now also. Chipping is benefiting from lots of practice basically. Dropping a lot of one putting in the last couple of rounds due to good chips.

Putting much better too. Standing taller and changed to a feather light grip. Have stopped over thinking it. A few looks at the line and hole and trust the brain to do the rest. The brain can do so some amazing filling in when it has to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0

Sounds exactly what I'm trying to change at the minute myself . The swing that is , Do you find you are clearing your hips easy enough now or do you think that could take some time to feel natural ??

Ben1977

So the improvement has continued with the chipping, last 2 round I've got up and down 50% of the time.
Driving is good, I just have to improve alignment.
Approach shots have improve not that I don't fear the chip shots.
Steady improvement all round

Wombatman

Danny dyers double wrote: »

Sounds exactly what I'm trying to change at the minute myself . The swing that is , Do you find you are clearing your hips easy enough now or do you think that could take some time to feel natural ??

Going to take some time for sure. Standing here watching TV with me arms hanging loose. Then I fire my belt buckle violently to the left to try to get my loose arms to follow. Missus and kids think I have finally lost it.

dan_ep82

Really quite bad at the minute.

Started a few weeks ago when playing a round I hurt something in or around my shin bone on my left leg. Ended up shanking everything as I couldn't/wouldn't finish leaving me throwing my arms a lot.

Leg got better, swing did not.

So for the last couple of weeks I've been having a bad time with the driver, then last week my irons and since this week all the above including my wedges.

Everything was going low and right, even bump and runs. I've had to go right back to basics and I'm kind of getting a handle on it but as a result of swinging slower I'm losing a club length.

I've had something similar before, I'll get over it but its damn annoying

GreeBo

small bit of a revelation on the range last week that carried onto the course this evening.

Basically, approach the ball while only looking at the target, quick glance at the ball to ensure its in the right part of my stance and then back to looking at the target. A specific target, like a branch of a tree in the distance. Then look back at the ball and swing.

Has really helped my driving and other parts of my game too.

Think I had fallen into a trap of trying to not do the bad things, now Im just trying to have one single goal and forget everything else.
Swing is a bit more automatic, like most other sports.

Long may it last.
Viva la revolution!

Keano

GreeBo wrote: »

small bit of a revelation on the range last week that carried onto the course this evening.

Basically, approach the ball while only looking at the target, quick glance at the ball to ensure its in the right part of my stance and then back to looking at the target. A specific target, like a branch of a tree in the distance. Then look back at the ball and swing.

Has really helped my driving and other parts of my game too.

Think I had fallen into a trap of trying to not do the bad things, now Im just trying to have one single goal and forget everything else.
Swing is a bit more automatic, like most other sports.

Long may it last.
Viva la revolution!

One of the few good rounds I've played have been where I constantly was picking targets and nothing else. Then just grip it and rip it. It's like throwing a ball at a target - do we think about how we are going to hit to the target. No! We just throw the damn thing

GreeBo

GreeBo wrote: »

small bit of a revelation on the range last week that carried onto the course this evening.

Basically, approach the ball while only looking at the target, quick glance at the ball to ensure its in the right part of my stance and then back to looking at the target. A specific target, like a branch of a tree in the distance. Then look back at the ball and swing.

Has really helped my driving and other parts of my game too.

Think I had fallen into a trap of trying to not do the bad things, now Im just trying to have one single goal and forget everything else.
Swing is a bit more automatic, like most other sports.

Long may it last.
Viva la revolution!

La revolucion was soundly quashed this evening...

One takeaway was how much was going on in my head previously, even when I didn't think I was thinking much at all...

bustercherry

GreeBo wrote: »

La revolucion was soundly quashed this evening...

One takeaway was how much was going on in my head previously, even when I didn't think I was thinking much at all...

Too much censoring modding has you too distracted. Bit like Rory and Caroline. You need to focus on the golf

TrapperChamonix

Sunday 8th
Front 9 - 7 Pts
Back 9 - 17Pts

Saturday
Front 8 19Pts
Back 9 11 Pts


There is a good score in there somewhere but I'm dammed if I know how to get it out!!!

Tiger Mcilroy

Played beech park last night with a few former workmates, course in nice shape and weather fantastic.

36 points off 16 with 2 scractches coming at the holes i had no shots at .

Driving the ball well and giving myself chances but couldnt get to grips with the greens at all, they were quick with a lot of subtle breaks.

Was a 5 hour round aswell and energy levels where flagging at the end..2 fourballs ahead of us walked off after 11 and there was nobody being let through even though we were out in threeballs and waiting on every teebox/fairways behind the offenders.

m r c

Off 18.5 ATM and really I'm making par on 7 or 8 out of 10 holes if I get on the short grass off the tee. I am playing some really nice regulation golf for large periods of the round.
The technique isn't bad either basically just losing concentration or doing really stupid things and getting punished.
Would anyone else identify with needing to be more aware or something at times. I've noticed that on the easier holes I'm prone to f'ups.

In a recent comp I've had 3 4 pointers on the front and had 18 pts for the 9. Another recent round I've had two gross birdies and a lip out for three birds in a row.

GreeBo

Have you considered that when you do miss the fairway that you are trying too much club out of the rough or trying to make up for it with a wonder shot.

m r c

Not really most of the time anyway, the brain fart stuff often ends in a provisional. I'm playing links where you aren't ever getting a bounce off the trees or whatever and very little in the way of hazards. Basically a very tight driving course.

dan_ep82

Played today for my last card. I got a better handle on my case of shanks since yesterday evening on the range so ended up playing not too bad today.

94 with two triples and two pars.

Irons were very good at times, good otherwise.
Wedges were average at best.
Driver was good on some holes and bad on others, still very much a work in progress to get back to my usual.
Putter was useless, need loads of times on the green.

m r c

Oh and I've done a truckload of work this year on my short game which has really been helping both my gir and total pars made. Which has actually highlighted my off the tee trouble. I've actually spent 6-8 hours per week on giving myself 3 clubs to hit every yardage from 165 into 45. Basically waist shoulder and full swing on my short irons in. To the point where I haven't practised my long irons out to driver at all apart from practise rounds.

dcrosskid

Played 14 yesterday in Thurles and played the my best golf so far this year. Playing off 12 I was 5 over with 19 points on the front 9 with a scratch at the 2nd. 2 birds, 2 pars, 4 bogeys and a triple. 5 pars in a row to finish out the 14 for 14 points and a total of 33 points.

Had 8 putts for birdie, 5 real chances and converted 2. Would have loved to stay on and finish it out but time was against us and I had somewhere to be. Game is starting to all come together for once. Hope to get out again tomorrow hopefully and take advantage of the weather and course conditions.

spacecoyote

Played my best round of the year a few weeks back, then went for a lesson & ain't been hitting it so well since!!

I want to get to the best place possible with my swing, but these backward steps are hard to stomach

Johnny_Fontane

Went from playing one of my best rounds ever on Sunday to get cut to 12, to playing absolute stink on Wednesday.

Played club fourball, eeked out a win, but my partner dug me out a few times. Shank city with at least 4. topped a number of rescues aswell.

Made a key putt on the final green from 12 feet to extend it, which was fun, but the game just disappeared.

alxmorgan

alxmorgan wrote: »

So the sticky plaster came off eventually
In Bandon typically. Played ok to start and was level 2s through 7 but felt I was a bit off. And it all fell apart until last 3 holes - couldn't do anything right.

But found something in those last 3 holes and have settled since. 37 points (no cut as CSS was 39 :rolleyes: ) on Monday in Ballyneety was a good sign.

Trying out a new driver. 910 D3. Have always struggled with high spin and this yoke is a monster if hit well. Early days with it but hopefully it will be work out for me.

Anyway hoping to play Monday and its only a short while till the Atlantic Coast Challenge so all still good

Been up and down recently (not in a good golfing way )

Had Captains last Sunday and had one of my best ball striking days ever. Everything going long and straight. Short game let me down. Putting especially was killing me as all pins were in tough positions and I could manage the speed on the flat but speed with slopes involved a killer.

A few bad shots and one very poor decision meant I missed the 9 hole playoff (again !! :mad: )

But I am still feeling positive as was striking the ball so well. Shannon scratch cup this Sunday, 2nd round of singles matchplay the following Fri and then the Atlantic Coast Challenge on the Mon - Wed so hoping I am peaking at the right time !!!

ssbob

Have not had much time for golf this year or anything golf related to be honest. The few times I have got out though I seem to be blowing hot and cold, but played great on both Boards days I was at.

So was out Weds night with some work buddies in Mahon which is not the longest course but is very tricky with lots of water, hazards and elevation changes to cope with, I literally could not hit the ball from the 1st to the 8th, in my mind I was trying to play like a pro hitting easy 8's etc. For me though trying to hit an easy iron results in a deceleration or no movement in legs so poor shots.

On the 9th then I decided to go for a club less if in doubt and hit a full 5 iron approx. 185 yards uphill, I had nailed it, ball stopped on the fringe about 12 feet from the cup, I 3 putted from there but the confidence that strike gave me led to my best every 9 hole total and actually best gross score ever:

10th Eagle
11th Birdie
12th Birdie
13th DB
14th Birdie
15th Par
16th Quadruple(trying to knock down the driver-mistake)
17th Par
18th Bogey

I had 27pts on the back 9 :eek:

Gross score 87!! Delighted but perplexed because I know the next time I am going to touch a club is in Gowran which is 4 weeks away!!

TheDoc

Nice shooting above

The work I put in midweek paid of on Saturday. After a ropey front nine where I scrambled around, I came in with a nice +1 gross on the backnine to finish 76 for the day. First round in the 70's in weeks which is a big plus.

Ball striking was better, driving was immense, putter still a bit slack. AFter being my saviour last season, its killing me this season. Tendancy to pull a lot of my putts which hurts my feels.

Got a phonecall that night saying was I free to come to a presentation as I'd won the Lady Captains ( or class or something). Unfortuantely had to explain my handicapp situation, going on a few months now.

I play off 7 but our club computer keeps printing me as 11. The amount of times I've been on the prize sheet, or had money put into the account I've had to explain shouldn't be there and get it removed.

PRett frustrating stuff, but on the plus side the game coming along nicely ahead of July and August.

ssbob

TheDoc wrote: »

Nice shooting above

Tendancy to pull a lot of my putts which hurts my feels.

Cheers Doc,

Not that I am Dave Stockton or anything but I find when I pull a putt it's because I am letting my hands come into play, you change grip etc for a fat type grip to counteract that or what I do is get down over the ball ala Harrington more than Michelle Wie, and wait for the sound of the putt rather than lifting your head. By getting oer the ball it allows you to rock the shoulders more freely.

Macker1

Game is in a good place......

Two successive competition rounds of 40 pts will lead to big drop in Handicap.

Club Medal this weekend and Captains Qualifier the week after so peaking at right time.

No doubt the game of golf is a fickle creature but at present I'm brimming with confidence.

dan_ep82

Everything is starting straight or left and fading/cutting back to the right.

Working on some drills with coming over the top and looking to get a couple of lessons soon.

Alrite Chief

spacecoyote wrote: »

Played my best round of the year a few weeks back, then went for a lesson & ain't been hitting it so well since!!

I want to get to the best place possible with my swing, but these backward steps are hard to stomach

There is nothing more certain in golf than a bad round just when you feel you have the game figured out.

hades

I'm really lacking consistency at the moment. I seem to be pretty good, or really awful. A lot of my trouble stems from the tee, so i really have to work on that. If i keep the ball in play, i'm doing pretty good.

I played 8 holes last night, they went, birdie, par, par, blank (oob off tee), bogey, blank (oob off tee), par, bogey.

zuutroy

New to this forum. Had played a lot of golf as a teenager, then took about 20 years off barring the odd round here and there. Made a return last year and got decent clubs and a few lessons. I usually threaten 90 in my practice rounds. Signed up at Roganstown and played my first handicap round last week (never had an official handicap).
It was a very strange round! I hit every single fairway bar one (12/13), hit 10 greens in regulation, and then managed....47 putts! I was just nervous standing over the ball as it was my first 'competitive' round and didn't hole anything from outside 3 feet (and missed one or two from inside!). Pretty awful feeling, given I usually take 32-35 putts.