Drewtaylor21's Golf Journey (Swing Changes, WITB, Results)

[Obee]

I'm all over this thread, bud!! Looking forward to foliwing your journey. :-)

 

Just shot a bogey-free 2-under 70 at the Inland Empire Am at Oak Valley, btw. Let's tee it soon!!

[lhahn]

Hey Drew, awesome thread and glad you decided to post. Your indoor setup post was awesome as well and now this!

 

Not to compare but I feel like when I was reading your post I could totally relate. I was (and still am fighting it) hitting a lot of wipe cuts before and now working on getting hands more vertical on the way back with ulnar dev/left forearm flexion with better hip action on the way down. Feels super weird, like I'm going straight upright on the way back. Hitting it much better now but now my miss is a pull draw/hook when old habits kick in and I rush it in transition.

 

Have the changes affected your HC? Mine has gone from around a 2 and is slowly creeping up toward 5. Too many balls pull hooked into the trees :swoon:

 

Looking forward to learning from you and this thread. Hopefully once the little one gets into more of a routine you'll be able to get back on the course sooner than later!

 

Best of luck and GO HAWKS!! Think it's going to be a bit of a bounce back season.

[tinman143]

Looks good and I wish I had access to trackman or flightscope.

 

From Dana 's instruction for soft hands, shallowing of the shaft and the bowing of the left wrist, it seems to force the club head to approach from the inside with a shallow AOA. At least that's what I feel when I do it.

[drewtaylor21]

I'm all over this thread, bud!! Looking forward to foliwing your journey. :-)

 

Just shot a bogey-free 2-under 70 at the Inland Empire Am at Oak Valley, btw. Let's tee it soon!!

 

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

[drewtaylor21]

Hey Drew, awesome thread and glad you decided to post. Your indoor setup post was awesome as well and now this!

 

Not to compare but I feel like when I was reading your post I could totally relate. I was (and still am fighting it) hitting a lot of wipe cuts before and now working on getting hands more vertical on the way back with ulnar dev/left forearm flexion with better hip action on the way down. Feels super weird, like I'm going straight upright on the way back. Hitting it much better now but now my miss is a pull draw/hook when old habits kick in and I rush it in transition.

 

Have the changes affected your HC? Mine has gone from around a 2 and is slowly creeping up toward 5. Too many balls pull hooked into the trees :swoon:

 

Looking forward to learning from you and this thread. Hopefully once the little one gets into more of a routine you'll be able to get back on the course sooner than later!

 

Best of luck and GO HAWKS!! Think it's going to be a bit of a bounce back season.

 

As far as handicap goes, I reached an all time low the summer after working with Dan (+3.1), but I was just as likely to shoot 69 as I was to shoot 76 honestly. I don't think I ever had a full understanding of what I was doing and how it influenced ball flight, so it always felt pretty variable. The time I spent trying to nail down GG's stuff brought my cap probably closer to a 1 or 2, but because of a lack of rounds I was still listed as a +1 something. After lesson 1 with Dana I started playing better and posted some good scores, cap is +1.5 or +1.7 or something. Haven't played in a couple months now, so I'm sure my scoring would be a little rusty, but I think that will be changing soon! My wedges, short game, and putting are all in a good place, so I'm very anxious to put this swing stuff together and get back to just scoring.

 

Are you working with anyone to resolve the left misses?

 

GO HAWKS baby! Fingers crossed we stay healthy, but I think it'll be a solid year...

 

Looks good and I wish I had access to trackman or flightscope.

 

From Dana 's instruction for soft hands, shallowing of the shaft and the bowing of the left wrist, it seems to force the club head to approach from the inside with a shallow AOA. At least that's what I feel when I do it.

 

Yes, club should be coming in shallow and from the inside

[PepsiDuck]

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

 

When making a significant swing change, how important is "calibrating" your swing on the range prior to playing a round? In other words, how important is hitting balls prior to playing when the new mechanics aren't fully ingrained? In even more different words, do you find it detrimental to go right out on the course and spend the first few holes trying to "find it"?

 

And I'd open this question up to everyone participating in this thread, as I've been playing a few rounds lately going from the parking lot straight to the first tee and wondering if I'm not doing myself any favors while I'm working my own swing changes...

[starsail85]

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

 

When making a significant swing change, how important is "calibrating" your swing on the range prior to playing a round? In other words, how important is hitting balls prior to playing when the new mechanics aren't fully ingrained? In even more different words, do you find it detrimental to go right out on the course and spend the first few holes trying to "find it"?

 

And I'd open this question up to everyone participating in this thread, as I've been playing a few rounds lately going from the parking lot straight to the first tee and wondering if I'm not doing myself any favors while I'm working my own swing changes...

 

It's the hardest thing on earth

 

I really believe in the slow motion learning theory . Right now what I'm working on I can actually do (a big step for me) at upto 70% speed. It's along way from automatic and I can't actually do it without Doing a rehearsal backswing and transition whilst I'm over the ball

 

I'm a long way from being ready to take it to the course, probably 7 months from playing in a competition. But it's looking how it should on camera , which is my judge right now

[lhahn]

As far as handicap goes, I reached an all time low the summer after working with Dan (+3.1), but I was just as likely to shoot 69 as I was to shoot 76 honestly. I don't think I ever had a full understanding of what I was doing and how it influenced ball flight, so it always felt pretty variable. The time I spent trying to nail down GG's stuff brought my cap probably closer to a 1 or 2, but because of a lack of rounds I was still listed as a +1 something. After lesson 1 with Dana I started playing better and posted some good scores, cap is +1.5 or +1.7 or something. Haven't played in a couple months now, so I'm sure my scoring would be a little rusty, but I think that will be changing soon! My wedges, short game, and putting are all in a good place, so I'm very anxious to put this swing stuff together and get back to just scoring.

 

Are you working with anyone to resolve the left misses?

 

GO HAWKS baby! Fingers crossed we stay healthy, but I think it'll be a solid year...

 

I'm really curious to see how they do without Beastmode. Think Rawls and Michaels will be solid though. Are you able to make any games this year? Guessing not with the kiddie being so fresh. Anyway, back on topic...

 

No I'm not seeing anyone. Was going to buy online lessons from Monte but I got lucky (and unlucky) with timing as I was just about to purchase credits before the announcement of the site being shut down. I'm too poor to fly anywhere and don't know or trust anyone here in Vancouver. All my learning has been through reading and filtering stuff on my own on WRX, mostly GG, Dana and Monte. Then taking it to the range, doing things in slow-mo and working with video has helped a lot. So much information out there now that I wish I had ages ago. Learning so much on how my body moves and what effects in ball flights it produces. Wish I knew this stuff years ago.

 

This is my first year where I'm taking golf seriously and although I might be a bit late (I'm turning 34 in a month), I want to get into the competitive scene and see how good I can get. Inspired by your (and goatbarn, et al.) home garage thread earlier and hopefully I can set something up for myself in the next year.

[drewtaylor21]

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

 

When making a significant swing change, how important is "calibrating" your swing on the range prior to playing a round? In other words, how important is hitting balls prior to playing when the new mechanics aren't fully ingrained? In even more different words, do you find it detrimental to go right out on the course and spend the first few holes trying to "find it"?

 

And I'd open this question up to everyone participating in this thread, as I've been playing a few rounds lately going from the parking lot straight to the first tee and wondering if I'm not doing myself any favors while I'm working my own swing changes...

 

Would be interested to hear from others who've poked their noses in here (QMany, Obee, etc), but at least for me, I don't really take anything to the course until I feel at least ~70% comfortable with new stuff. Lots of slow mo work, freezers, chip drill type stuff until the feels and mechanics are matching up decently, then I can start swinging more aggressively. When I can make a full swing with new mechanics intact, I'll start playing and working out the details on the course.

 

It's tough Pepsi, because I feel like the swing changes you're working on are so much more feel and intention related, that you almost might be better off just going to play. That said, I never ever just go from the car to the first tee. I think there's a lot of value in finding out where you are that day and knowing what you're playing with, plus getting a quick feel for the greens and hitting a few chips to iron out any wrinkles, etc. One of my primary goals any time I play is to post a good score, and if I'm warming up for the first 3-4 holes, it's like what's the point? That's me anyway.

[drewtaylor21]

As far as handicap goes, I reached an all time low the summer after working with Dan (+3.1), but I was just as likely to shoot 69 as I was to shoot 76 honestly. I don't think I ever had a full understanding of what I was doing and how it influenced ball flight, so it always felt pretty variable. The time I spent trying to nail down GG's stuff brought my cap probably closer to a 1 or 2, but because of a lack of rounds I was still listed as a +1 something. After lesson 1 with Dana I started playing better and posted some good scores, cap is +1.5 or +1.7 or something. Haven't played in a couple months now, so I'm sure my scoring would be a little rusty, but I think that will be changing soon! My wedges, short game, and putting are all in a good place, so I'm very anxious to put this swing stuff together and get back to just scoring.

 

Are you working with anyone to resolve the left misses?

 

GO HAWKS baby! Fingers crossed we stay healthy, but I think it'll be a solid year...

 

I'm really curious to see how they do without Beastmode. Think Rawls and Michaels will be solid though. Are you able to make any games this year? Guessing not with the kiddie being so fresh. Anyway, back on topic...

 

No I'm not seeing anyone. Was going to buy online lessons from Monte but I got lucky (and unlucky) with timing as I was just about to purchase credits before the announcement of the site being shut down. I'm too poor to fly anywhere and don't know or trust anyone here in Vancouver. All my learning has been through reading and filtering stuff on my own on WRX, mostly GG, Dana and Monte. Then taking it to the range, doing things in slow-mo and working with video has helped a lot. So much information out there now that I wish I had ages ago. Learning so much on how my body moves and what effects in ball flights it produces. Wish I knew this stuff years ago.

 

This is my first year where I'm taking golf seriously and although I might be a bit late (I'm turning 34 in a month), I want to get into the competitive scene and see how good I can get. Inspired by your (and goatbarn, et al.) home garage thread earlier and hopefully I can set something up for myself in the next year.

 

I like Rawls a lot! I think the run game will be decent in terms of production, but it definitely sucks losing Marshawn and the presence he brought to the team. If there are any issues this year, I have to think they'll come on the line, both sides of the ball.

 

The indoor setup is awesome and definitely worthwhile if you can make it happen! Huge help for practicing, especially given the typical weather up there.

 

Have you looked into Jim Waldron at all? I know he spends his summers in Oregon and has a decent following on the site here...might be worth checking out if you're looking for someone reasonably nearby to help. A lot can be done on your own and with the internet for sure, but I've found the process is sped up considerably with proper direction. Playing competitively is a great thing though too! It's an entirely different kind of golf, but it can be really fun. If you are competitive in nature, I highly recommend it!

[MakAttack]

Awesome indoor setup! I'll be following

[MK7Golf21]

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

 

When making a significant swing change, how important is "calibrating" your swing on the range prior to playing a round? In other words, how important is hitting balls prior to playing when the new mechanics aren't fully ingrained? In even more different words, do you find it detrimental to go right out on the course and spend the first few holes trying to "find it"?

 

And I'd open this question up to everyone participating in this thread, as I've been playing a few rounds lately going from the parking lot straight to the first tee and wondering if I'm not doing myself any favors while I'm working my own swing changes...

 

Would be interested to hear from others who've poked their noses in here (QMany, Obee, etc), but at least for me, I don't really take anything to the course until I feel at least ~70% comfortable with new stuff. Lots of slow mo work, freezers, chip drill type stuff until the feels and mechanics are matching up decently, then I can start swinging more aggressively. When I can make a full swing with new mechanics intact, I'll start playing and working out the details on the course.

 

It's tough Pepsi, because I feel like the swing changes you're working on are so much more feel and intention related, that you almost might be better off just going to play. That said, I never ever just go from the car to the first tee. I think there's a lot of value in finding out where you are that day and knowing what you're playing with, plus getting a quick feel for the greens and hitting a few chips to iron out any wrinkles, etc. One of my primary goals any time I play is to post a good score, and if I'm warming up for the first 3-4 holes, it's like what's the point? That's me anyway.

 

For me, I don't play with a feel I don't feel comfortable with or isn't helping me to hit it better so it doesn't matter if I go to the range before hand or not but it's good to for the simple fact of warming up.

 

This might be controversial but If I'm trying a new feel and it's not working well or causing me to hit the ball like crap I don't spend too much time trying to get it to stick. ie Tiger needing more reps for months on swing changes. If it's not helping me to hit the ball better within a week or two I'm done with it and that's worked pretty well for me.

[Pure745]

Sweet! Maybe it's just me, but all the different things he's covering and the accumulators and what not seem really really confusing.

[drewtaylor21]

Sweet! Maybe it's just me, but all the different things he's covering and the accumulators and what not seem really really confusing.

 

The lingo can be confusing for sure. I had to ask him what the accumulators were (TGM stuff). Hopefully my lesson summaries made sense though!

[Pure745]

Sweet! Maybe it's just me, but all the different things he's covering and the accumulators and what not seem really really confusing.

 

The lingo can be confusing for sure. I had to ask him what the accumulators were (TGM stuff). Hopefully my lesson summaries made sense though!

 

Haha, I had to stop watching some of them. My ADHD couldn't handle all the terminology :tongue: Dan tried to link me up with Dana, but he never responded, maybe a good thing because I'd be a lost puppy trying to figure out what he's talking about. Cool thread, definitely going to follow it!

[bph7]

Sweet! Maybe it's just me, but all the different things he's covering and the accumulators and what not seem really really confusing.

 

The lingo can be confusing for sure. I had to ask him what the accumulators were (TGM stuff). Hopefully my lesson summaries made sense though!

 

Haha, I had to stop watching some of them. My ADHD couldn't handle all the terminology :tongue: Dan tried to link me up with Dana, but he never responded, maybe a good thing because I'd be a lost puppy trying to figure out what he's talking about. Cool thread, definitely going to follow it!

 

The accumulator stuff isn't that complicated. He's just using it because it's easier say "accumulator 2" then "ulnar deviation of the wrists". Same with p2 p3 etc. it seems intimidating, but it's just using shortcuts for terminology.

[drewtaylor21]

Sweet! Maybe it's just me, but all the different things he's covering and the accumulators and what not seem really really confusing.

 

The lingo can be confusing for sure. I had to ask him what the accumulators were (TGM stuff). Hopefully my lesson summaries made sense though!

 

Haha, I had to stop watching some of them. My ADHD couldn't handle all the terminology :tongue: Dan tried to link me up with Dana, but he never responded, maybe a good thing because I'd be a lost puppy trying to figure out what he's talking about. Cool thread, definitely going to follow it!

 

I wrote a few words on my key takeaways from each lesson under the videos, hopefully those were more digestable! He's easy to understand in person, as long as you ask clarifying questions. I found George a lot more difficult and confusing! Are you still working with him?

 

I definitely agree that Dana is hard to get a hold of though. I would have given up had I not been in contact with another of his students already. He said to keep at it, even if you're just sending the same text every day. I think it may be his way of weeding out people who are really serious about working with him from those who are just texting him random requests (not to say you aren't serious....just that his cell # is on his website publicly, so I'm sure he gets a ton of random stuff). That's really my only complaint with working with him, it's tough to get a response back. He's a busy guy!

[Obee]

Thanks Obee! Currently doing a lot of mechanics work, but looking forward to just getting out and competing and putting up scores again soon! You're an inspiration old man :)

 

Next time I have the sticks in SoCal we need to plant it for sure!

 

When making a significant swing change, how important is "calibrating" your swing on the range prior to playing a round? In other words, how important is hitting balls prior to playing when the new mechanics aren't fully ingrained? In even more different words, do you find it detrimental to go right out on the course and spend the first few holes trying to "find it"?

 

And I'd open this question up to everyone participating in this thread, as I've been playing a few rounds lately going from the parking lot straight to the first tee and wondering if I'm not doing myself any favors while I'm working my own swing changes...

 

I don't reall make swing changes. I wil tweak here an there, but I alwaulys know where the face is, which is reall what matters.

[drewtaylor21]

I don't reall make swing changes. I wil tweak here an there, but I alwaulys know where the face is, which is reall what matters.

 

Wise words :)

[PepsiDuck]

I don't reall make swing changes. I wil tweak here an there, but I alwaulys know where the face is, which is reall what matters.

 

You could crawl out of bed at 3 in the morning and make your consistent, reliable, and repeatable swing with your eyes closed using left handed clubs.

 

 

Seriously.

[PepsiDuck]

Would be interested to hear from others who've poked their noses in here (QMany, Obee, etc), but at least for me, I don't really take anything to the course until I feel at least ~70% comfortable with new stuff. Lots of slow mo work, freezers, chip drill type stuff until the feels and mechanics are matching up decently, then I can start swinging more aggressively. When I can make a full swing with new mechanics intact, I'll start playing and working out the details on the course.

 

It's tough Pepsi, because I feel like the swing changes you're working on are so much more feel and intention related, that you almost might be better off just going to play. That said, I never ever just go from the car to the first tee. I think there's a lot of value in finding out where you are that day and knowing what you're playing with, plus getting a quick feel for the greens and hitting a few chips to iron out any wrinkles, etc. One of my primary goals any time I play is to post a good score, and if I'm warming up for the first 3-4 holes, it's like what's the point? That's me anyway.

 

I used to be a huge diva when it came to getting sufficient warmup time before a round...but lately I'd been trying to just go out there and play golf rather than worry about how I was swinging that day...

 

...it's clearly not the best idea at the moment, so I probably need to go back to hitting some balls before heading to the first tee...

[tinman143]

Went to the range yesterday working on this stuff along with my camera. Boy it felt weird but I started with 80 yard 6 irons. Lots of pull hooks until I applied the ulnar deviation which immediately resulted in pushes. On vid I can see the progression from my old leftward pattern to it going right. By the end I was hitting 90% shots that were either pushes or nice draws. Loving it!

[drewtaylor21]

Would be interested to hear from others who've poked their noses in here (QMany, Obee, etc), but at least for me, I don't really take anything to the course until I feel at least ~70% comfortable with new stuff. Lots of slow mo work, freezers, chip drill type stuff until the feels and mechanics are matching up decently, then I can start swinging more aggressively. When I can make a full swing with new mechanics intact, I'll start playing and working out the details on the course.

 

It's tough Pepsi, because I feel like the swing changes you're working on are so much more feel and intention related, that you almost might be better off just going to play. That said, I never ever just go from the car to the first tee. I think there's a lot of value in finding out where you are that day and knowing what you're playing with, plus getting a quick feel for the greens and hitting a few chips to iron out any wrinkles, etc. One of my primary goals any time I play is to post a good score, and if I'm warming up for the first 3-4 holes, it's like what's the point? That's me anyway.

 

I used to be a huge diva when it came to getting sufficient warmup time before a round...but lately I'd been trying to just go out there and play golf rather than worry about how I was swinging that day...

 

...it's clearly not the best idea at the moment, so I probably need to go back to hitting some balls before heading to the first tee...

 

You're such a diva Pepsi. lol

 

I think you just need to find the line between warming up/seeing what you have that day vs. trying frantically to fix something before you tee of. That seems to be where you get in trouble....

[Cape]

Just watched the raw video. Audio is a little hard to make out, but did he say you don't want to aim right? What is the reason for that?

[drewtaylor21]

Just watched the raw video. Audio is a little hard to make out, but did he say you don't want to aim right? What is the reason for that?

 

Sorry, just saw this. Yes, I have a tendency to want to aim right ("shift baseline right" as he says) to play a draw. Dana wants my face and path to be rightwards, not my alignment. He said the more I aim right the more I'll start coming over it and hitting pull draws.

[drewtaylor21]

Quick update video, got out to the range yesterday and got some FO and DTL with a 7 iron. Still not full speed, but getting there. Some stuff looking good, some old patterns still in there though....Also seem to be adding some loft at impact. Well, not adding loft, but not de-lofting as much as I'm used to.

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

The second DTL vid I hit what seems to be my trouble shot right now, a fat/toey pull draw. It was also a freezer and I got the club a bit too under plane perhaps, which may have closed the face down. I've got a text in to Dana to see what he thinks of the above issues, will update when I hear more.

 

Sorry for the vertical video :( my CamCaddy can only fit my phone that way.

[Kuuuch]

Quick update video, got out to the range yesterday and got some FO and DTL with a 7 iron. Still not full speed, but getting there. Some stuff looking good, some old patterns still in there though....Also seem to be adding some loft at impact. Well, not adding loft, but not de-lofting as much as I'm used to.

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

The second DTL vid I hit what seems to be my trouble shot right now, a fat/toey pull draw. It was also a freezer and I got the club a bit too under plane perhaps, which may have closed the face down. I've got a text in to Dana to see what he thinks of the above issues, will update when I hear more.

 

Sorry for the vertical video :( my CamCaddy can only fit my phone that way.

 

Backswing identical to what I worked on because I had a tendency to get laid off, I love it.

[Obee]

Beautiful golf swing!!

[mschu24]

How in the world do you get your hips that much turned?

 

It may be the camera angle, or you may be elasti-girl in disguise.

[PureStrikes54]

Nice swing. A bit exaggerated stand it up, lay it down move but that's like Joe Durant, Ryan Moore, and some of GG's guys (Wolff/Ruiz) created a super hybrid swing. Keep us posted on what your pattern and dispersion is looking like after it gets engrained.