Road to a + HCP

[SmthCriminl]

Hi there!

 

Thought I should try to escape some of this winter time by posting some swings here. One driver and one 5i swing, the clips are taken in St Lucie, Pga Training Center. About 2 months ago.

Brief summary about me: I have played for 2 years now and I live, eat, breath golf.

I practice a ton, more or less lived on the course for the last 2 seasons, when the frost came(Sweden) I've tried to escape to warmer climates to the best of my ability.

Went down to a Index of 6.7 my first season and broke par my second. This year Im trying to play well in the undertour in Sweden. Hopefully being able to play the qualifer in the end of this year.

Changed pro, whom really loves golf and I believe in him very much. His fire has given me even more motivation.

This winter Ive started to workout a golfspecific regimen and also stretch 45 min, 5 days a week. Which hopefully will make gain a few yards and help me to do my practice without fatiguing.

 

I work on a lot of different things right now, but Im focusing on my takeaway and getting my arms steeper relative to my shoulder plane. There´s a ton more stuff, but I believe in fixing flaws in sequence. This is taken from a 8h practice session, so its definitely my "unconscious"/old swing. However I hit the ball like magic this whole session.

Swings in slow-mo will come, season is about to start here

 

Appreciate all feedback or if you have any questions.

 

 

 

Driver DTL

 

5i Caddie View

[jmiller2]

[quote name='SmthCriminl' timestamp='1393906517' post='8792823']
I work on a lot of different things right now, but Im focusing on my takeaway and getting my arms steeper relative to my shoulder plane.
[/quote]
Why would you want to increase your arm plane to be steeper?
~ All of the bellow methods have been successful in history:
>> Flat, One-Plane :: Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Justin Rose, Tiger Woods w/ Foley
>> Hybrid-plane :: Greg Norman, Adam Scott, Tiger Woods w/ Butch
>> Upright, Two-plane :: Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods in 1996

Use your method, I don't suggest working with an instructor that would have you completely overhaul your swing. Cookie cutter isn't hte best method for instruction IMHO.

[quote name='SmthCriminl' timestamp='1393906517' post='8792823']
There's a ton more stuff, but I believe in fixing flaws in sequence. This is taken from a 8h practice session, so its definitely my "unconscious"/old swing. However I hit the ball like magic this whole session.
[/quote]
This is what i see are the issues with your "old swing". Sense this is the natural swing here is my opinion on how to fine tune that. I'm not a golf instructor just a guy that knows a little

Swing Method :: One-plane
Club Face @ Top :: Square?

Backswing :: Overswing
Cause :: Leg work, the right knee loses flex when the left arm gets parallel to the ground. Allowing the body to over rotate into the top of the backswing.
Possible Fix :: Keep your right knee flex that you have at address and get the weight to the inside of the right foot at the end of the takeaway.
[b]Why Change[/b] :: It would tighten up your backswing, shortening it a little making it easier to time and control the strike into impact.

Downswing :: Timing
Cause :: The over swing has you most powerful position in your body where the club is parallel to the ground in the downswing.
Possible Fix :: Shortening the backswing then learning to hit shots from the new top position would get you closer to having the power position at impact instead of way early.
[b]Why Change[/b] :: More distance & control when you body, arms and club are in-sync at impact.

[MakAttack]

I can give you some insight in being a plus handicap. I have gone from a 2 to a plus two over the last year to year and a half. For me, it was almost all short game and some mental game management stuff. I should also mention that I got sober a year ago which I also believe had a huge impact in my improvement. The first thing I did was pick a shot shape that I play almost exclusively (fade for me). I can move it both ways but left to right is what I can count on. I also picked one wedge that I use exclusively around the greens. I use my 56 for everything other than flops and bunker shots where I go with the 60. I don't think people realize how good you have to be with the wedges to truly carry a plus handicap. Learn to hit low driving wedges that hop and stop, soft floater wedges, cut/hook spin wedges to help use slopes around the green to get the ball close. No matter how good your ball striking is you will miss a few greens per round and it's crucial to save par on those misses to shoot under par. You also have to accept that you will hit bad shots but they can't be bad shots because you tried to hit a stupid shot. You have to know your limitations. You also have to know when to play to the fat of the green and walk out with a par. When you get in trouble get out and leave with a bogey at worst. Work really hard on distance control with the putter. Players who can consistently shoot around and under par rarely three putt. My scoring average this past year was 72.5 and I averaged .6 three putts a round or one every 36 holes or so which is a huge improvement as I use to average 1.5 3 jacks a round when I was a 2. That's what has improved my scores. Now as far as your golf swing I would really work on your takeaway and try to eliminate that early face rotation/ bringing it inside. Try to turn that right shoulder behind you while the face stays looking at the ball. As far as I'm concerned, the less unnecessary face rotation you have the better as that allows the face/hands to be more passive in the release. Also, some up close shots of your grip would help as I believe that the grip is the most important fundamental in the swing. Keep your stats and identify your weaknesses and get to work on them. It's not easy to work on things that we aren't good at and it's not that fun, but it is how you get better and that's the goal. Hope this helps
-Peter

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='MakAttack' timestamp='1395040560' post='8888015']
I can give you some insight in being a plus handicap. I have gone from a 2 to a plus two over the last year to year and a half. For me, it was almost all short game and some mental game management stuff. I should also mention that I got sober a year ago which I also believe had a huge impact in my improvement. The first thing I did was pick a shot shape that I play almost exclusively (fade for me). I can move it both ways but left to right is what I can count on. I also picked one wedge that I use exclusively around the greens. I use my 56 for everything other than flops and bunker shots where I go with the 60. I don't think people realize how good you have to be with the wedges to truly carry a plus handicap. Learn to hit low driving wedges that hop and stop, soft floater wedges, cut/hook spin wedges to help use slopes around the green to get the ball close. No matter how good your ball striking is you will miss a few greens per round and it's crucial to save par on those misses to shoot under par. You also have to accept that you will hit bad shots but they can't be bad shots because you tried to hit a stupid shot. You have to know your limitations. You also have to know when to play to the fat of the green and walk out with a par. When you get in trouble get out and leave with a bogey at worst. Work really hard on distance control with the putter. Players who can consistently shoot around and under par rarely three putt. My scoring average this past year was 72.5 and I averaged .6 three putts a round or one every 36 holes or so which is a huge improvement as I use to average 1.5 3 jacks a round when I was a 2. That's what has improved my scores. Now as far as your golf swing I would really work on your takeaway and try to eliminate that early face rotation/ bringing it inside. Try to turn that right shoulder behind you while the face stays looking at the ball. As far as I'm concerned, the less unnecessary face rotation you have the better as that allows the face/hands to be more passive in the release. Also, some up close shots of your grip would help as I believe that the grip is the most important fundamental in the swing. Keep your stats and identify your weaknesses and get to work on them. It's not easy to work on things that we aren't good at and it's not that fun, but it is how you get better and that's the goal. Hope this helps
-Peter
[/quote]

Thanks, Peter. I appreciate your feedback and that your sharing your experiences with me. There´s a lot of different sources where I can find motivation - books, pros, teachers, my own results - although I have to say the most invigorating are people that have gone through what I aspire to. Which probably means Im taking your advice a little more vigorously than otherwise.

I'm going to try to deconstruct your post, to the best of my abilities. The importance of the shortgame I'm already aware. I spend a lot of time on it, tbh probably too much (seen in total practice time). Putting is something I've neglected to some extent, and I feel like i should have some pretty easily gained( or loss of) strokes there. I personally feel very comfortable with my 60 degree(pitch shots) and my 52 for chip shots. In the offseason Ive changed methodology of my pitch shot to a more wrist-less action using more bounce, before I had a really steep attack angle. I was afraid that I would lose some spin, but that hasn't seem to be the case at all. As Tiger put it " chicks dig spin".

Right now I´m in off season mode, so just focusing on getting my swing to a better place. Focus lately has been on getting my right foot working properly aka rolling toward the target. Also, as you pointed out, getting my takeaway on plane with the face correlating 180 degrees to the plane, at parallel.

"[color=#282828]You also have to accept that you will hit bad shots but they can't be bad shots because you tried to hit a stupid shot."[/color]
[color=#282828]This is so overlooked and I definitely am a victim of that sometime, trying to get better. I want to be selective- aggressive, but if something goes wrong - damage control.
I have a background as a professional poker player, and we call it "tilt".

Tilt: you know what you ought to be doing, but your not doing it. Usually it stems from a negative stimuli, like losing a big pot, trying to chase your losses or just being on auto pilot. It´s very applicable to golf.

Is that average for competitions? Anyhow, very solid.

Been extremely bad weather here last days. If I visit the course tomorrow I will get some new better videos. How do you mean with the right shoulder? Am i turning it too fast or slow?
Practice, is no problem for me. In a lot of ways I appreciate practice more than playing. That´s deliberate practice is it not? Targeting your weaknesses. Btw, how do you practice your short game?

50 meter(55y) pitch from Tuesday:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozjPvB9wOY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozjPvB9wOY[/url][/color]

[hotsauce26]

[quote name='SmthCriminl' timestamp='1395245802' post='8904533']
[color=#282828]50 meter(55y) pitch from Tuesday:
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozjPvB9wOY&list=UUbpV-eoLKHFaNzDdiOuvQbA"]https://www.youtube....KHFaNzDdiOuvQbA[/url][/color]
[/quote]

**I'm not a swing guru**, but...

First thing that jumps out is the huge loop in the pitching swing especially (you can't really tell in the driver full swing). It looks like you loop it inside on the takeaway, and loop it back in front of you on the downswing.

I'm sure there are players out there with loops in their full and half swings, but there are a lot of guys who don't have that loop, and instead go up and come down on almost exactly the same plane/line.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmVwG4rtRYQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=RmVwG4rtRYQ[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv35K-2jo84"]https://www.youtube....h?v=zv35K-2jo84[/url]

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oce8YFw-vpY"]https://www.youtube....h?v=oce8YFw-vpY[/url]

Just something to think about.

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='hotsauce26' timestamp='1395250426' post='8905119']
[quote name='SmthCriminl' timestamp='1395245802' post='8904533']
[color=#282828]50 meter(55y) pitch from Tuesday:
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozjPvB9wOY&list=UUbpV-eoLKHFaNzDdiOuvQbA"]https://www.youtube....KHFaNzDdiOuvQbA[/url][/color]
[/quote]

**I'm not a swing guru**, but...

First thing that jumps out is the huge loop in the pitching swing especially (you can't really tell in the driver full swing). It looks like you loop it inside on the takeaway, and loop it back in front of you on the downswing.

I'm sure there are players out there with loops in their full and half swings, but there are a lot of guys who don't have that loop, and instead go up and come down on almost exactly the same plane/line.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmVwG4rtRYQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=RmVwG4rtRYQ[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=9wn6Ox-bjjE[/url]
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv35K-2jo84"]https://www.youtube....h?v=zv35K-2jo84[/url]

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oce8YFw-vpY"]https://www.youtube....h?v=oce8YFw-vpY[/url]

Just something to think about.
[/quote]


Thanks for the examples, Ive been trying to find some good videos of pitch shots, but didnt find that many.
Yeah, I guess the loop is caused as a symptom/compensation of my takeaway being under the plane. If I get my swing backswing on plane the loop would disappear. That is my main focus right now, getting my wrists working correctly, that and my foot action. Appreciate your feedback.

[SmthCriminl]

First 18hole round this year, finally! Was striping the irons and driver, gained almost 10 yards to each club and maybe 20 yards for the driver.
Had a 5 iron that i flushed 218 yards.

Stats: Shot 79(par 72). Had 5 three puts... total 37 putts. The greens had been "aired" so there were those small holes fricking everywhere.
14 GIRs and 8 FH.

Overall, if my putting gets back on track this is going the be a fun season.

[skylargolf]

That practice facility looks amazing!

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='skylargolf' timestamp='1396114300' post='8975139']
That practice facility looks amazing!
[/quote]

Yeah, it was really good. PGA Training Center at St Lucie, if youre in the area go visit. They have 7 different bunker types, which is overkill but pretty interesting to see how it effects the spin and height.

[lastmacuser]

Good swing and great speed. You make most people here claiming 300+ yard drives look silly. Good luck.

[Coy M]

[quote name='lastmacuser' timestamp='1397154003' post='9062669']
Good swing and great speed. You make most people here claiming 300+ yard drives look silly. Good luck.
[/quote]

What this guy said^^ you have good speed and a nice swing. I'm no teaching pro but you should be able to be + handi very soon

[farmer]

Threadjack, but if you got sober, Peter, congrats and best wishes. Two of my uncles drank themselves to death, so I know about this.

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='lastmacuser' timestamp='1397154003' post='9062669']
Good swing and great speed. You make most people here claiming 300+ yard drives look silly. Good luck.
[/quote]
[quote name='Coy M' timestamp='1397179824' post='9065299']
[quote name='lastmacuser' timestamp='1397154003' post='9062669']
Good swing and great speed. You make most people here claiming 300+ yard drives look silly. Good luck.
[/quote]

What this guy said^^ you have good speed and a nice swing. I'm no teaching pro but you should be able to be + handi very soon
[/quote]
[quote name='farmer' timestamp='1397183320' post='9065693']
Threadjack, but if you got sober, Peter, congrats and best wishes. Two of my uncles drank themselves to death, so I know about this.
[/quote]

Thanks guys for the encouraging comments, I really appreciate it.

I agree, with farmers comment. Getting sober shows a great deal of discipline, kudos.
My grandpa also drank himself to death, and all of his social relationships(especially my Fathers).



Golf:
Getting a drivers-licence so I have access to all the tournaments I want to play. Having some trouble with my 20-100 yard shots right now, hitting them fat and with an extremely steep divot. Is this the takeaways fault?
Im hitting everything else better than ever, today I scored 3- on our four par fives.

[Obee]

Lots of good stuff in your golf swing. I have not doubt you will be plus in two years or less -- IF you focus on driving, scoring shots, short game and mental game and not on some pipe dream of a perfect swing.

Have you competed yet? If not, enter as may tournaments as you can. Get out there and feel what competition feels like.


I'd love to see some stats from your last 10 or 20 rounds. Are you keeping them?

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='Obee' timestamp='1398311653' post='9157819']
Lots of good stuff in your golf swing. I have not doubt you will be plus in two years or less -- IF you focus on driving, scoring shots, short game and mental game and not on some pipe dream of a perfect swing.

Have you competed yet? If not, enter as may tournaments as you can. Get out there and feel what competition feels like.


I'd love to see some stats from your last 10 or 20 rounds. Are you keeping them?
[/quote]


Thanks, yes, focus on flaws is the most vital part. With special attention to the scoring part of the game as you said.

Yeah, Ive played a couple of competitions the last year. But this will be my first full year on the mini tour.
My main goal is to get some top ten placements.
Stats are on the way, give me two weeks.

Sincerely
Smth

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='Obee' timestamp='1398311653' post='9157819']
Lots of good stuff in your golf swing. I have not doubt you will be plus in two years or less -- IF you focus on driving, scoring shots, short game and mental game and not on some pipe dream of a perfect swing.

Have you competed yet? If not, enter as may tournaments as you can. Get out there and feel what competition feels like.


I'd love to see some stats from your last 10 or 20 rounds. Are you keeping them?
[/quote]

Long time no see.

Not been able to play as much as I would have liked..my studies have been neglected somewhat. I had to be finished early as Im leaving for LA soon.
I still have gotten some solid practice time at the range and around the greens. My swing is coming around fine, Ive got A LOT of work to do with my wedges though and also my putter.

Main focus right now is to get my swingplane more shallow, and more straight and through divots, they tend to point well left of the target lin. + the usual stuff, takeaway through finish..


[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NSYD_D9LV4[/media]

Btw, how would one go about working on their mental game? I have a lot of "mental game" books, but its hard to really work on something concrete. Did you have anything special notion in mind?




Smth

[SmthCriminl]

MAJOR milestone for me yesterday. I played my best round to date and made my first sub 70 round. I played really good golf and was closer to a 66 than a 72.

To be honest my game hasn't been where i want it to be at all this summer. A lot of mid 70's rounds and have had a hard time bringing my game to tournaments.

I blame this on my "faulty" technique, which I always start to doubt before big tournaments. But my hope is to get some confidence in that during the off season.

Right now though, Im just savoring my first 69!!

[rich_s2]

Awesome job!! Congrats

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='rich s' timestamp='1413576734' post='10306357']
Awesome job!! Congrats
[/quote]

Thank you,sir.

[lthelwpn]

Congrats.... Instead of doubting your swing flaws before tournaments, just play what you brought. I have been a + capper for a few years and some days the swing is silk and some days the swing is an unfolded lawn chair, when you step on the tee play what you brought. My advice to get to + digits is all short game. That's my $0.02. Keep up the good work.

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='lthelwpn' timestamp='1413846450' post='10321937']
Congrats.... Instead of doubting your swing flaws before tournaments, just play what you brought. I have been a + capper for a few years and some days the swing is silk and some days the swing is an unfolded lawn chair, when you step on the tee play what you brought. My advice to get to + digits is all short game. That's my $0.02. Keep up the good work.
[/quote]

I appreciate the advice, I know its an acceptance thing that I have to get over to be able to play the best to my ability, a mindset really. Ive been so much into the paradigm of improvement, and it has been really hard to accept that my game sometimes will be 10 strokes of where I want it to be. Its a valid point though, I believe just that mindset can make a difference of multiple shots, any given day.
What would you say is the biggest diffrences in your game between now and when you were a low digit hcp? Around a 3 maybe.

Thanks, much appresh.

[lthelwpn]

[quote name='SmthCriminl' timestamp='1414068592' post='10337649'][quote name='lthelwpn' timestamp='1413846450' post='10321937']
Congrats.... Instead of doubting your swing flaws before tournaments, just play what you brought. I have been a + capper for a few years and some days the swing is silk and some days the swing is an unfolded lawn chair, when you step on the tee play what you brought. My advice to get to + digits is all short game. That's my $0.02. Keep up the good work.
[/quote]

I appreciate the advice, I know its an acceptance thing that I have to get over to be able to play the best to my ability, a mindset really. Ive been so much into the paradigm of improvement, and it has been really hard to accept that my game sometimes will be 10 strokes of where I want it to be. Its a valid point though, I believe just that mindset can make a difference of multiple shots, any given day.
What would you say is the biggest diffrences in your game between now and when you were a low digit hcp? Around a 3 maybe.


Chipping and putting, without a doubt. Just making a few extra putts a round goes a long way, and getting a few extra chips closer to the hole is how you get to low single or + digits in your handicap. Also I had a putter specifically made for me, that helped tremendously!!
Thanks, much appresh.[/quote]

[Epriley]

I like the swing.

I was wondering what golf regime you are doing for stretching and lifting?

I would like a good one.

[SmthCriminl]

[quote name='Epriley' timestamp='1416530616' post='10480571']
I like the swing.

I was wondering what golf regime you are doing for stretching and lifting?

I would like a good one.
[/quote]

Thanks, swing changes are so tedious though.

I do the program from this book: [url="http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/complete-conditioning-for-golf"]http://www.humankine...ning-for-golf [/url]

Complete Conditioning for golf
Theres an assessment test in the book to see where you have to put in extra work, Peoples bodies can be tight and unbalanced.

I have my own golf regime based on what one of the Swedish PGA books recommend. But ive added a lot of exercises that i thought looked interesting or useful from the videos below.

I always recommend these two vids. One is Adam Scott and Jason Zuback (a long drive champ). Gives a good balance of endurance and explosiveness which is vital for distance.
[url="http://www.mytpi.com/tpitv/shows/golf_fitness_academy/episodes/adam_scott"]http://www.mytpi.com...odes/adam_scott[/url]

[url="http://www.mytpi.com/tpitv/shows/golf_fitness_academy/episodes/power_with_jason_zuback"]http://www.mytpi.com...th_jason_zuback[/url]