A routine matter ..

defly
had the following email from a fellow golf nut who has been playing some pro golf events in new york ...

"
I had a real breakthrough yesterday. I think I mentioned to you during the
week that last week I played in the same group with the two pros that
finished 1st and second (they finished 1 and two this week two- really good
golfers). I studied them that round and it was interesting. Neither of
them hit it a mile- about the same clubs as us. One has a good swing, one
has a really good swing. Watching them hit balls you would know they were
better pros, but not necessarily standouts.
So what was the big difference between them and me. The only thing I could
find was their routines, and the way they played on the course. They were
very focused- not necessarily rude, but they wouldn't have been aware if I
was shooting 65 or 95. Their pre-shot routine was always precisely the
same. But the main thing was the swing. It was exactly the same as the
practice swing. They never swung hard. They were never out of balance.
And it never looked like they were TRYING to do anything other than make a
good swing.
I thought about my own swing, and how my practice swing always seems perfect
and loose and poweful, but my real swing is so often quick and off balance
and way different than my practice swing. So I went out to play 9 twice
this week and the ONLY thing I did was:
* make my actual swing and putting stroke the exact same as my practice
swing and putting stroke
* think about nothing except for making a good swing (think about the
process) and ball just gets in the way
From the first swing and first putt the difference was dramatic. And
yesterday I was a completely different golfer. I took 7 shots off my
previous best round, and missed being in the money by two. I stuck to my
game plan on almost every shot. On the 4 shots I lost focus, I hit
destructive shots that cost me bogies or double bogies. And although I
didn't make many putts and missed a couple of 3-4 footers, I had zero three
putts- probably for the first time ever in a competition. My chipping and
bunker game were way improved, and almost holed a few out.
Man I felt like a real golfer out there. So that's my story, and I'm
sticking to this routine all summer. That's what I've learned from playing
and watching these guys every Monday- it's got very little to do with the
swing itself when it comes to scoring- only how you apply it on the course.
All those books make a lot more sense to me now...
That was long winded huh? You gotta get Skype before I get tendonitis. "

this is worth considering ...
on my last round, at the Montgomerie Course in Carton House I was driving the ball beautifully until the 14th tee. Instead of doiung the usual here I found myself thinking that I cant hit a bad shot with the driver today .. bang, lost ball.

lesson 9

defly
Club a little too much on inside half way back to ball. Right shoulder goes right with hands thru impact.
This is very cramped at impact with a quick release, its causing the slight pull and sometimes I block it right.

Need to get the club squarer half way back and start gradual realease earlier. Right shoulder goes 'down' thru impact and club releases around this move. Keep left hand grip light to allow natural release.

Club is squarer longer, head behind ball at impact , solid contact , lovely ..

Practice

defly
Have been practicing aligning properly over the last few weeks. When aligned properly using a spot a few inches in front of the ball I still feel that I'm aiming maybe 30 yards left on a 150 yard shot ! It is getting better and I have scored well with it while playing. Guess its a fundamental that I should have got right ages ago.
Will also start working on some sort of routine that ensures I do this properly while playing.

Under Par

defly
Had first under par round of the year last friday. Didn't hit the ball great but didn't miss anything much around the greens.

Had a bogey on 1st and a double bogey on 4 after driving into bushes.
Had birdies on 2, 7, 12 and 16.

First Competitive Round '06

March Medal.
H Cap : 5.8.
Score : 35 points.
Conditions : Windy & Showers.

Summary :
Had no score on the 2nd, eight and 10th holes.
Out of playing practice, thinking of technique on some shots instead of focusing on target. Overall hit the ball very well but was too conscious of speed on the greens.
Had 3 3-putts ! 34 in total.

Lowlight : double bogey on par 3 2nd hole. Even Oisin had bogeyed that one (5 wood right handed, 5 wood right handed, 5 wood left handed, 5 wood putt.) !
High light : played last 5 holes in 2 under.

Time to sharpen up the scoring / putting in the next few weeks.

Lesson 8

use leverage to set club on plane, left hand down right hand up...
(as per faldo drill)
make sure to keep extension doing this !!!
dont narrow path !!
backswing good.
halfway down good ...
left hip back , right elbow down to right hip .

not turning body through from here, getting stuck and just swinging arms at it.
use the right knee to keep body moving thru impact .
work on maintaining height and balance thru swing.

Lesson 7

start downswing by turning left hip.
feel weight going into left heel. let the hands drop down, feel like its dropping right elbow to right hip.
release gradually staying down thru shot.

Lesson 6

backswing good.
start down good.

start release from half way down into back of ball while keeping right shoulder down and weight back. hold this position thru impact and let club release around the body on same plane ...

Lesson 5

Feel left shoulder down on takeaway. right down on thru, keep it down and head back thru impact. Dont release too early.

Lesson 4

Move left shoulder toward right foot. Let hands hinge up. Swing still too flat.Let left knee come behind ball on backswing. Get weight behind.Dont consciously rotate left arm on way back.Practice swing is good. Continue it to incorporate downswing.Move hip first on downswing, keep butt of club pointing at ball. Hit down the line ..

Lesson 3

Hands going too far out from body on takeaway as per august lesson.Get hands going over right foot on way back then fold right arm.Keep right elbow over the right hip. This is a much more connected compact feeling position but still has extension.

Trap a headcover in left armpit to feel the tight takeaway.Let wrists hinge early.Feel the powerful coil and unwind naturally. Will cover the start of downswing in later lessons. For now try to feel it starting from hips.

Release the club through impact !!

Lesson 2

Summary : swing too flat.Setup:Get behind the ball more. head further back, hands back a little.Driver position below so its a little more exaggerated than setup with iron.

Backswing: Need to turn more behind the ball. Move left shoulder towards right foot to start swing.Hands need to be higher at top of backswing. Use correct shoulder turn to achieve this (no lifting)Drop left shoulder perpendicular to spine angle.Practice this turn without hitting balls.

hands maybe a little too far forward in this photo- yeah its only sergio ..)

D'ont over-rotate left forearm on way back.Make sure still behind ball not lifting.Get right hip / side lower at setup.Let left knee go out a little towards ball on backswing.
Drill : Check by swinging with back almost against wall.

Lesson 1

Hands going further away from body on take-away. Wrists cocking too late (at top of back-swing). Over the top move on way down.Try to ensure hands move closer (around) to body, letting wrists cock a little earlier cutting out the movement at top of back-swing.Check hand position on the way back, see diagram.
On the way back to ball leave shoulders 'closed' longer, see diagram. Don't start downswing with shoulders.

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