MD/DC/VA Golfers - Twelve Monkeys Mental Divergence

[dcmidnight]

There were definitely a few spots that would have been sketch if you were trying to push one of their rickshaws - couple that were really steep and a couple where you are banging it up the railroad tie stairs. There was even one spot on Trails where you get a lift in a pickup.

[ceejay81]

I strictly carry these days because I was much more fatigued pushing my cart up and down hills than when carrying.  I can just throw the bag on my back and not think anything of it.  With my pushcart I think I engage my core a lot more and just seem to put more effort into the whole thing.  So for me, carrying is way easier than pushing.

[dcmidnight]

My real problem is that after 4 straight days of 930 am Guinesses and chocolate chip cookies at the snack shack - my "core" is significantly bigger than it was when I left. And thats on top of the 30k steps a day.

[ceejay81]

53 minutes ago, dcmidnight said:

My real problem is that after 4 straight days of 930 am Guinesses and chocolate chip cookies at the snack shack - my "core" is significantly bigger than it was when I left. And thats on top of the 30k steps a day.

 

That's just (delicious) carb loading so you don't hit the wall late in the day 😂

[dcmidnight]

I SAID THAT.

 

(no one listened to me LOL)

[mizuno player]

13 hours ago, FAbb said:

Fall golf is so flipping beautiful around here.  I played yesterday afternoon, and it was total A+ weather out there.

 

I'm not completely out of the woods, but I feel 100% confident that I'm rounding out of the slump.  I hit a lot of good shots, and the wild two way misses I was having for a bit are basically gone.  I had a bunch of missed up and downs, because I just wasn't adapted to the conditions until late in the round.  My last round was on severely sloped greens, that were rock hard, and fast.  Chipping/pitching was a very delicate exercise.  Yesterday, the greens were very soft, and moderately paced, so I ended up leaving a bunch short.

 

I don't think it's a stretch to say this winter is going to be more depressing than the average winter, so I'm going to savor getting out on days like yesterday for as long as they'll stick around.

 

I listened to the end of the first episode where NLU talked about a few of the Bandon courses, @XHoop24.  I won't be listening to the second episode.  I found their insistence on trying to be super technical about discussing the courses incredibly tedious - especially Soly.  He really lost me when he started dogging Old Mac because the template holes weren't more like the ones on the courses that inspired them.  They didn't set out to build replicas.  I also found it odd how intent they seemed on cutting down Pacific Dunes.  Neil's on-camera personality schtick didn't translate particularly well to the podcast, but he was spot-on defending Pacific Dunes.  Sure, it can be difficult, but it gives you opportunities.  And it's the kind of place that you're going to walk around dragging your jaw on the ground for 4 hours.  I really feel like they're veering out of their lane too much.  If I wanted a difficult to listen to dissertation on the architecture of the courses, I'd tune into the Fried Egg podcast.  Randy gave the most refreshing takes, by far.

Next week looks rediculous. As in sweet. Hope to get out myself. 

 

It never fails as the season nears the end th game comes around!! I didn't play but 4 rounds or so this year. Need more time for injuries to heal. Might get the speed sticks and try and get a few mph!!! 

[eagle1997]

Random musings:

 

Glad to hear Fabbo is back on the track to more sub-par rounds. Jerk. 😉

 

Really need to hear from Sneek about how disappointed he was with the NLU Bandon podcasts.  Like DC, I don't listen to them either.  Sneek's takes crack me up.

 

Re-read the Bandon recaps.  Yes.  And, thank you for posting.

 

Playing Norbeck tomorrow with @top.hand two other Hivers in a charity scramble.  Working out the side bets with other group(s).  Should be a good time in spite of the predicted forecast.  Figure we need to be around (-14) to win, depending on tees and wetness.

[GooseHook]

So I bought a cheap knockoff version of the Tour Striker Smart Ball, and it’s pretty freaking cool. 
 

I’ve always had a little more than a bit of runaway with my arms and right elbow and this thing really forces you to turn your body instead. Alternating 5 shots on, 5 shots off it definitely helped with hitting partial shots and knockdowns.

[SullGolf]

I have a non-knockoff Tour Striker Smart Ball and like it.  Like all the other training aids I like, your post makes me curious why I haven't been using it more.

 

Martin Kaymer uses something similar, so that type of aid was more vogue back in 2014 when he blew everyone away at Pinehurst.  Doesn't mean it's any less good now.

[dcmidnight]

9 hours ago, SullGolf said:

I have a non-knockoff Tour Striker Smart Ball and like it.  Like all the other training aids I like, your post makes me curious why I haven't been using it more.

 

Martin Kaymer uses something similar, so that type of aid was more vogue back in 2014 when he blew everyone away at Pinehurst.  Doesn't mean it's any less good now.

 

Interesting concept. I have an extra lanyard or eight in my office, I wonder how hard it would be to rig something up like this.

 

My misses last week were really interesting. I dont have a side to side miss anymore, my iron *and* driver misses now are all two grooves low. Not a top, just a very low hit on the face. Iron shots still go straight and way longer than they should - I had two 3 putt pars on par 5s where I just miss-hit an iron way longer than it should have been . Drivers still go straight but its definitely a straight/low on the face knuckler that at least with some decent swing speed, its not terribly short. No idea where this came from. Ball position, standing up on it - who knows. I watched Chiefs videos of me 100x and it doesnt look like I'm standing up too badly.

Edited October 16, 2020 by dcmidnight

[FAbb]

Do you have the cross-handed version, Sully?

[SullGolf]

I've been doing a cross-handed swing during my PSR and am striking the ball alright, thankyouverymuch.

[thechief16]

11 hours ago, SullGolf said:

I have a non-knockoff Tour Striker Smart Ball and like it.  Like all the other training aids I like, your post makes me curious why I haven't been using it more.

 

Martin Kaymer uses something similar, so that type of aid was more vogue back in 2014 when he blew everyone away at Pinehurst.  Doesn't mean it's any less good now.

100%.  I actually read GH's post and said, "hmm, my arms are all over the place, I should try that."  Googled it and realized that I have one at home.  LOL.

 

I also have The Hanger.  Can't get it work for s***.  Every ball is thin and right.  You would think that would tell me something, other than, "It's a gimmick that doesn't work."

[thechief16]

3 hours ago, dcmidnight said:

 

Interesting concept. I have an extra lanyard or eight in my office, I wonder how hard it would be to rig something up like this.

 

My misses last week were really interesting. I dont have a side to side miss anymore, my iron *and* driver misses now are all two grooves low. Not a top, just a very low hit on the face. Iron shots still go straight and way longer than they should - I had two 3 putt pars on par 5s where I just miss-hit an iron way longer than it should have been . Drivers still go straight but its definitely a straight/low on the face knuckler that at least with some decent swing speed, its not terribly short. No idea where this came from. Ball position, standing up on it - who knows. I watched Chiefs videos of me 100x and it doesnt look like I'm standing up too badly.

LOL.  I'm watching videos you took of me and I am DEFINITELY standing up (thus all the tops) right until .05 seconds after impact when my body realizes I'm standing up and it compensates for it violently driving my left side down on the follow through. 

[eagle1997]

Anyone else just google "The Hanger" and "Tour Striker Smart Ball"?

 

Just me?

 

Ok then.

[FAbb]

Golf Talk Friday : How many golf swing training aids do you have in your possession right now?

[FAbb]

[tungstenplug]

I have one of the Superspeed sticks which I swing ~15 minutes per week, mostly for flexibility and to loosen up. Other than that I'll occasionally use a towel, alignment stick, or tees to do other drills as needed

[thechief16]

Aforementioned Hanger and Smart Ball.  Also the Pelz Putting thing with the ball bearings, Eyeline mirror and Skilz Gold Flex swing trainer, but that is something I use almost every day just to loosen up.

 

FWIW, the Pelz Putting Tutor has made a big difference recently.  I made a ton of putts at Bandon (thanks to getting reads from our caddie), which indicates to me that I can usually get the ball to start on the line I'm trying to hit, but that I just don't read putts well.  AT ALL.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by thechief16

[dcmidnight]

Very old Leadbetter Swingsetter - I still use this every so often, its short so its easy to swing in the house

SLKZ Swing Trainer - like Chief, I use this to get loose before I play

Some Amazon brand putting mirror

 

BTW I looked around my cubicle to see what I could use to build a smart ball type of thing, just clipped my hard hat to an old lanyard.

[FAbb]

I would've guessed WAY over 3 for @dcmidnight.

 

Anxiously awaiting full reports from @eagle1997 and @SullGolf.  I'm pretty sure eagle owns the last remaining swing jacket on planet earth.

[dcmidnight]

1 minute ago, FAbb said:

I would've guessed WAY over 3 for @dcmidnight.

 

Anxiously awaiting full reports from @eagle1997 and @SullGolf.  I'm pretty sure eagle owns the last remaining swing jacket on planet earth.

 

I've sold or thrown out most of them. One to swing in the house, one to stretch out with. Honestly my putting mirror right now is pushed under my couch, I dont even really use it.

 

One thing I realized this week - from never hitting one single practice ball over 8 rounds - my game can be more than passable without needing to grind out a range sesh before play. Now I did wake up an hour early to stretch, do yoga, loosen up. But I think my days of grinding out range time with a lot of swinghelp crap are over **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Subject to change as early as this afternoon

[FAbb]

Zero anything is not great.  A quick warm-up for the body can suffice.  A quick warm-up for the body, and a handful of range beans to find the clubface and bottom of the swing is ideal.  Anything more runs into the law of diminishing returns.

[XHoop24]

2 hours ago, SullGolf said:

I've been doing a cross-handed swing during my PSR and am striking the ball alright, thankyouverymuch.

I'm pretty sure @iteachgolf was in one of the major golf mags (Digest or Golf Magazine) with the crosshand drill. I remember seeing it and happy to see him getting some good publicity there. 

[SullGolf]

1 hour ago, XHoop24 said:

I'm pretty sure @iteachgolf was in one of the major golf mags (Digest or Golf Magazine) with the crosshand drill. I remember seeing it and happy to see him getting some good publicity there. 

 

That's where I got it from.

 

Training aids I've bought and sometimes used since I joined WRX

- Lots of Tour Striker stuff: the OG tour striker, smart ball, educator, and plane mate

- Impact snap

- Swingyde

- Putt-out

- Eye-line mirror

- Orange whip

 

I'm sure there are plenty I'm missing.

 

I haven't practiced much in the last 2 years, so they aren't getting much use.

 

[FAbb]

[SullGolf]

FAbb's been a big bully recently.  Hopefully he gets out of his golf slump and starts having some positive mojo again rather than taking it out on me.

[moose557]

On 10/16/2020 at 10:24 AM, FAbb said:

Golf Talk Friday : How many golf swing training aids do you have in your possession right now?

Currently:

-SuperSpeed Sticks

-The MISIG (one band snapped mid use almost cuasing injury and now im afraid to use it)

-Orange Whip

-putting mirror

-Swingshirt (cant bring myself to wear it on a full range)

[gsrjc]

Planemate 

Power package swing aid

[Terphack]

I only rent my swing aids- Beer in the 6.5-7.5 abv range. With as much investment and training I have made you would think I would be better.