My Paper Tiger journey / 1 year full time golfer job starts Monday 7-1-19

[JAMH03]

> @grantc79 said:

> > @DLev45 said:

>

> Another issue is I have literally practiced putting maybe 30 hours TOTAL in 10 years. I would hit range balls all day and loved it, but didn't do it with a purpose like I should have. That said you hit that many balls you develop decent hands which I did.

>

> In 10 years though, barely any practice putting and minimal practice chipping and even when I did practice I wasn't making the practice mean something. I was just wacking the ball around on the green or with chips.

>

> It wasn't until recently I started actually working hard on practicing right and it has already started to show. Literally every putt I hit today was a good putt other than hole #1 that I 3 putted. Many had a chance to go but they were all quality putts with proper speed.

>

 

Putting lessons then. PS so excited for your journey keep it up!

[PowderedToastMan]

> @TLUBulldogGolf said:

> > @PowderedToastMan said:

> > > @milesgiles said:

> > > > @PowderedToastMan said:

> > > > Flat, Hoganish backswing but you move your head toward the target on the downswing, cast the club and have an over the top move. You have to fix those issues if you want to be a scratch or better player, IMO.

> > > >

> > > > Take that assessment to your teacher and see what he has to say.

> > >

> > > We can’t be looking at the same swing..apart from the front on the only video I can see is the dtl 8 iron? Couldn’t be any steeper..there are 7 other videos but it’s says they aren’t secure..

> > >

> > You’re right. Clearly, the OP was doing some sort of drill in the FO that he wasn’t in that down the line 8 iron video, or vice versa (I only saw the face on). This is why you post dtl and face on of your swings on the same day on the same or similar swings. He’s trying to be upright backswing with the DTL and flat with the FO. Essentially says that in his lesson summary. The OTT move is much reduced in the DTL video, I will admit.

> >

> > OP, that DTL swing, you still steepen the shaft a lot on the downswing (hence why your teacher wants you to “drop the club in the slot”). You realize it’s possible to steepen the shaft and have an OTT move in transition and hit the ball in to out, right? Or that it’s possible to hook and block the ball hitting out to in? You can say you don’t release the club early and aren’t steep, but it doesn’t make it true. Your lesson summary contradicts what you’re saying. You wouldn’t be trying to flatten the shaft on the downswing, as your teacher suggests, if you weren’t struggling with what I said. Your club shaft is practically vertical in transition and your first move down is steepening and shifting the upper body left. When you shift left with your upper body like that, you have to cast the club to shallow out or you’d be crazy steep and possibly miss the ball. Your swing is a patchwork of compensations.

> >

> > Also, 165 mph ball speed carrying it 300 is equivalent to hitting it off a small mountain. Doesn’t add up. I’m not here to argue with you though. If you like where your swing is at, great. The rest of us with some experience can see the flaws though and can see that putting isn’t what is holding you back from scratch. And you aren’t tour long based on your ball speed, you’re not even Zach Johnson long. You’re going to need a dose of reality and throw your ego out the door and not think you know everything if you want to actually reach your goal.

> >

>

> That's plenty of speed to play all but the biggest golf courses. Certainly won't hold him back from scratch (or better). And if the club speed is accurate improving efficiency will only lead to more ball speed.

>

> I'm interested to see a DTL view.

 

I agree, he doesn’t need any more speed to get better. He’s not above average tour long like he claimed at the beginning though. I also don’t believe smash factor is always a reliable metric. The ball speed is probably somewhat accurate so that’s what I go off of.

 

Edit: he said “higher than PGA Tour average swing speed”. That could be construed different than longer than PGA Tour average, full disclosure, though I think the same thing is implied.

[grantc79]

https://blog.trackmangolf.com/trackman-average-tour-stats/

[grantc79]

There is such a thing as hitting it better which is why I swing up at it.

I routinely outdrive people with more speed than me because I swing up and take all the spin off

[grantc79]

 

[grantc79]

See less ball speed more distance

[jut111]

This thread delivers!

[PowderedToastMan]

Thanks for the education. Good luck with your journey.

[ebrasmus21]

OP, you’ve lost me now. There are many respectable posters in this thread attempting to give you advice. I’m not getting the impression you want their advice at all, which is fine I guess. To each their own; good luck on your goals. I started my own thread with the goal of getting to scratch and I’m not there yet. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

[b.helts]

I’ve never done what OP is trying to do. I wish him luck. And sure, a person can do it on their own. But real breakthroughs in golf require humility and honesty and trust in the path forward.

 

I’m not seeing that here but like others, do wish the OP well.

[grantc79]

> @ebrasmus21 said:

> OP, you’ve lost me now. There are many respectable posters in this thread attempting to give you advice. I’m not getting the impression you want their advice at all, which is fine I guess. To each their own; good luck on your goals. I started my own thread with the goal of getting to scratch and I’m not there yet. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

 

I mean this as honestly and humbly as possible, the post wasn't made to have golfwrx give me golf swing lessons to become a great player.

 

Many others on here have given great practice advice and skills challenge advice which I have been very receptive to.

 

To my knowledge no one has ever had a great pro career due to excellent swing coaches on golfwrx

 

My coach has had several with very good pro careers and I work with him in person 1 on 1 not over the internet.

[lsu_justin]

Who's your coach? I've seen to Leitz, Robert Merrill, and Travis Coxe the past 7 years or so. I recently went to Paxton Clabaugh out at Carter and felt like his instruction really clicked with me.

[grantc79]

> @"b.helts" said:

> I’ve never done what OP is trying to do. I wish him luck. And sure, a person can do it on their own. But real breakthroughs in golf require humility and honesty and trust in the path forward.

>

> I’m not seeing that here but like others, do wish the OP well.

 

Once again not here for swing coaching here to chronicle the journey.

 

I have a great swing coach. ?> @lsu_justin said:

> Who's your coach? I've seen to Leitz, Robert Merrill, and Travis Coxe the past 7 years or so. I recently went to Paxton Clabaugh out at Carter and felt like his instruction really clicked with me.

 

Rob Noel out in Money Hill. I know James Leitz really well and was considering him just because he is very local for me but I've pretty much always gone to Rob.

 

They have a very similar teaching style though they have very different personalities.

[b.helts]

> @grantc79 said:

> > @"b.helts" said:

> > I’ve never done what OP is trying to do. I wish him luck. And sure, a person can do it on their own. But real breakthroughs in golf require humility and honesty and trust in the path forward.

> >

> > I’m not seeing that here but like others, do wish the OP well.

>

> Once again not here for swing coaching here to chronicle the journey.

>

> I have a great swing coach. ?> @lsu_justin said:

> > Who's your coach? I've seen to Leitz, Robert Merrill, and Travis Coxe the past 7 years or so. I recently went to Paxton Clabaugh out at Carter and felt like his instruction really clicked with me.

>

> Rob Noel out in Money Hill. I know James Leitz really well and was considering him just because he is very local for me but I've pretty much always gone to Rob.

>

> They have a very similar teaching style though they have very different personalities.

 

I was not referring to your swing or whether or not you came here for swing advice.

[grantc79]

Update:

 

Beacbody On Demand Workout program for me (maybe posting this will make me actually stick with this?!?):

Monday: Yoga & stretching

Tuesday: 10 Minute Legs & 10 Minute Abs

Wednesday: 10 Minute Upper & 10 minute abs

Thursday: 10 minute arms & 10 minute abs

Friday: Yoga & stretching

 

Putting: At least 100 putts per day on my indoor green with blast monitor working on tempo and timing backswing and forward swing.

 

Full Swing: Alcatraz work, slow motion backswings, slow motion weight shifts.

[DavePelz4]

Grant have you given thought to taking an Aimpoint class? One of our guys did it 2 years ago and it added a scientific element to his green reading while reducing his putts per round.

[grantc79]

> @DavePelz4 said:

> Grant have you given thought to taking an Aimpoint class? One of our guys did it 2 years ago and it added a scientific element to his green reading while reducing his putts per round.

 

Sadly I was putting that bad despite aimpoint. I use aimpoint on every putt

 

My setup and stroke were so flawed I would get pushes and pulls so bad that it wrecked my distance control

 

It's a lot better now after my lesson and getting better everyday

[milesgiles]

> @grantc79 said:

> > @ebrasmus21 said:

> > OP, you’ve lost me now. There are many respectable posters in this thread attempting to give you advice. I’m not getting the impression you want their advice at all, which is fine I guess. To each their own; good luck on your goals. I started my own thread with the goal of getting to scratch and I’m not there yet. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

>

> I mean this as honestly and humbly as possible, the post wasn't made to have golfwrx give me golf swing lessons to become a great player.

>

> Many others on here have given great practice advice and skills challenge advice which I have been very receptive to.

>

> To my knowledge no one has ever had a great pro career due to excellent swing coaches on golfwrx

>

> My coach has had several with very good pro careers and I work with him in person 1 on 1 not over the internet.

 

Makes complete sense to work with one coach, at least until you stop making progress.. that’s fine.

However, surely you can understand people want to see the swing improvements 30 hours of practice a week should make? You can tell us how many putts and balls you are hitting, show us track man etc..but without visual confirmation it’s not very interesting IMO

 

 

[MountainGoat]

Blog threads like this are just self-indulgent nonsense. I did this exact same thing when I was 40, but this was before the internet, and I couldn’t brag about it.

 

This guy said in his original post that he was hoping for some great advice. Now, it turns out he doesn’t want it. If that’s the case, don’t post in the Instruction section.

[grantc79]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VanPlnScCQ

 

This video was taken a little bit off of the proper angle so I look a little flatter than I think I really am. Theres just no space in that room.

[grantc79]

> @milesgiles said:

> > @grantc79 said:

> Makes complete sense to work with one coach, at least until you stop making progress.. that’s fine.

> However, surely you can understand people want to see the swing improvements 30 hours of practice a week should make? You can tell us how many putts and balls you are hitting, show us track man etc..but without visual confirmation it’s not very interesting IMO

>

>

 

Yup I agree, I was trying to figure out how to export from from HUDL's Technique app but you gotta pay for that, I made a new down the line one and will make another Face On one at some point.

[grantc79]

 

[Forged4ever]

All the Best to ya Grant!!

 

As long as you have a solid plan, and at your cap an excellent Teacher or second set of eyes(I’d go for the Teacher).

 

30 hours may sound like a lot but seriously, that’s nothing, lol. I mean, that’s 5-6 rounds, which is what I Played my last year in the game, and those were either money games or tourneys, no sh*** & giggle rounds. On top of that, I put in another 18-20 hours on the greens and short game area, about 75% on the greens, including 4-5 nights of putting up at my club in the dark.

 

Having my then GF, now Fiancé doing what she did for a living(golf Pro) helped a lot, cuz a few nights I even beat her home, lol. However my cap was +1.4 at the start of the season and a +2.8 at the end when I beat a +4.8 and future USGA Champion on my way to a big MP Title, and though that wasn’t my all-time low, which was +3.2 in my early to late 30’s, I was a much more consistent and better +2.8 than I was a +3.2. I woulda kicked my @ss head up?

 

The whole reason was MENTAL!!

 

I didn’t notice you bringing this up and if you believe nothing else in this thread that they guys have posted, and you’ve got the best that WRX has to offer posted in your thread, but nothing will be more accurate or true than this, the closer than you get to scratch and absolutely immutable if you are fortunate enough to get to a competitive Plus.....

 

While a consistent swing is imperative and a superlative short game and putter is absolutely critical, your MENTAL GAME/MIND SET will be more critical than ANYTHING ELSE!!!

 

I don’t care who ya are, how gorgeous your swing or what your cap or Playing status, there are going to be more round than not, ya got that, more than 50% of the time, when you sureTF ain’t gonna have your A game, and about 10-15% of the time you won’t even have your B game, but ya still gotta put a scratch or red round on the board/card!!

 

THAT my friend takes a PLUS level Mental Game that is lower than your physical cap and can be summoned at the blink of an eye, or whatever your “trigger” will turn out to be.

 

The greatest thing about the mental game is that it can be practiced off of the course, without a club or ball, the only prereq is that ya have the peace and quiet to close your eyes and focus and go through your mental drills.

 

This will not be easy because the fact that you didn’t mention it in your OP, and please, don’t take this wrong cuz your OP was great and I’ve read a lot of these types over the past few years and as the guys will tell you, some sound better and more grounded and sincere than others, but most have less than zero chance of getting there.

 

WhoTF knows if you will however I like how you framed your OP, and all I’m saying is that I myself would find a Mental Game Teacher/Mentor, and it very likely will be different than your physical Teacher.

 

My Physical Teacher was an Icon, and his Bro even more so, easily one of the Top-3 or 4 Tour Players to ever Play for Pay, and my Teacher taught HIM how to Play and was the only true Teacher that he ever had.

 

Both helped me a lot with my Mental Game, with my Teacher sitting in a chair behind me on the line, far enough away so I didn’t clock him but close enough to annoy the h*ll outa me and between sucks on a schmag, he would beat this godawful drum? on a stand when I stepped into the box, lol. This wasn’t the worst as anyone can learn to block that out if it’s consistent and you know when it’s gonna start, lol

 

The b*tch was when he would be stone cold silent and then when I’d start my swing or get 1/2 back or start down from the top he’d start and beat that drum like an idiot’s version of Keith Moon?

 

Put it this way~ He so pissed off his Bro after he told him enough was enough one day, that was it for that drill, but Pete was the Teacher and only HE would tell the student, whether it was some @rsehole like myself or one of the 3-4 Greatest to EVER Play the game, when the drill was over. So Sam stepped away after a 2-3 second blast and put his handmade by Toney himself Penna custom driver through’s Pete’s drum. Didn’t say a word and left his driver in that position and walked back into the shop. That was on a Monday afternoon and that Thursday at our lesson, Pete had acquired another drum, lol.

 

Excuse the derailment and dive into the ditch as I do that occasionally, hahaha?

 

My point is that the closer ya get to Plus, the more critical your Mental Game is. As much time as I put into my physical game, i out that much time into my mental game, however ya have to remember that the Man who formed my whole mental frame of mind was my football Mentor, who first worked with me when I was 15yo, he being former NFL LB Pete Wysocki(You Skins fans will remember him), and what worked for me in HS & college stadiums on a football field I refined and used in my 20-30’s and applied on a golf course. Actually, it’s much easier to execute on a the quiet of a course without someone outweighing me by 50-80lbs, with serious anger issues tryin to take my head off and standing between me and my visualized outcome, hahaha

 

I wish ya the very best and hope that whatever happens and however this journey turns out, that ya have fun!! They’re gonna be nights when everything is sh**, and nothing’s going right(or left, lol), nothing’s flyin or rolling right, and you’re just goin deeper down the rabbit hole with ever ball that ya hit/roll!!

 

STOP!!!

 

Don’t try to Play/hit/putt through it!!!

 

You’re just reinforcing dogsh** shots into your mind, regardless of what you visualize.

 

Just put the clubs away, get away from the course/line and then about an hour or so later, visualize how you wanted that session to go, be it on the line or the greens. Visualize it again. And again. And....

 

Forget and erase the crap and visualize the great swings & shots that ya hit and the shots to come. At your current cap you’ve hit a lot of great shots. Compile a “Best Of” reel in your mind and Play it again, and again, and again, and.....

 

I used to fall asleep to this reel, haha

 

I’m a little F’d up though??

 

Regarding #’s 2, 3 and 4 on your “Biggest Issues” ?

 

Those are going to have to become unequivocally, immutably and no F’ckn doubt about it, your THREE GREATEST STRENGTHS!!!

 

Don’t even respond to this statement, just ingrain in your mind and then make it happen!!!

 

Second, while there is some great advice in this thread, one, I’d get a Teacher and he/she would be the ONLY individual that I’d listen too!!!

 

Oh and perfection??!

 

F*** that!!

 

Any of the guys in the thread that have actually PLAYED AT A COMPETITIVE PLUS(Screw Scratch, if you’re gonna really do this, Then DO IT!! PLUS!!) will tell ya two things, one, forget about perfection!! That’s for dreamers and jerk-offs. Two, forget how it looks!!

 

As Bulldog mentioned~ IMPACT!!!

 

Oh yea, though I would block out all of the advice from the gallery, ya got three guys in here who’ve been there done that...

 

1) Powdered

2) Bulldog

3) Juan73

 

I would pay their posts very close attention, cuz as I’ve stated, they’ve been, Played at and succeeded at the level that you want to get to!

 

THAT’S who ya listen to, and I think that you’ll notice that their posts are different from those that have not “been there done that”?

 

Now Juan is one of the nicest, humblest most Gentlemenly individuals in this game!!

 

He is also a WORLD CHAMPION!!!

 

How many WORLD CHAMPIONS do you know?

 

In anything???

 

Exactly!!

 

Trust me here Grant, he’s forgotten more about putting, putting drills and making pressure putts than anyone in this thread and 99.99% of the peeps in this friggin forum have ever known!!

 

You wanna learn to putt??

 

Ya get his book, ya speak to him and see what he recommends and then ya follow his training/drill advice as if Moses himself came down off the mountain top to give you that advice!!

 

It’s ridiculously inexpensive and it will be THE BEST INVESTMENT that you will have made in your game thus far and if you succeed, you’re gonna thank me and possibly leave your wife/sig other for Juan??

 

But never forget one thing Brother~

 

When you can get around a course under pressure at par or better, win a medal tourney or a MP match or event with your B or C swing, THEN you’re a Player!!

 

Apologies for the derailed novella??

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever My Friend⛳️

RP

 

[grantc79]

> @Forged4ever said:

> All the Best to ya Grant!!

 

Thanks for the awesome post (yes I read the whole thing) completely agree with you course management, putting, and chipping have to become strengths.

 

If you notice the last couple posts from me I shot mid 40's while hitting a ton of fairways and greens then shot 39 yesterday while hitting very few fairways and greens. So basically decision making and short game are getting better already.

 

[milesgiles]

Not sure what you meant by 'uptick' on the backswing?

I think most reasonable golfers would have a similar opinion on what you need to work on, since you've made it clear you don't require that input, like I said, fine.. but just tell us again who you are modelling your swing on, the two or three things you are trying to change?

[grantc79]

> @milesgiles said:

> Not sure what you meant by 'uptick' on the backswing?

> I think most reasonable golfers would have a similar opinion on what you need to work on, since you've made it clear you don't require that input, like I said, fine.. but just tell us again who you are modelling your swing on, the two or three things you are trying to change?

 

If I had to pick one it would be Koepka but really only his backswing.

 

Things I'm trying to change:

1: Keep knee bend throughout backswing dont straighten

2: Not allow my right hip to rotate backward at all in backswing at all

3: Get my shaft higher up at the top of the backswing. I'm good with the plane angle, I just want it up more through the shoulder as opposed to the tricep.

[grantc79]

> @milesgiles said:

 

Below is what we call an alcatraz.

Basically it doesn't allow the hips to rotate back, forces you to load your right leg without straightening it, etc.

 

My uptick (steepening of the shaft in my transition as opposed to flattening it) always came from over rotating my hips which got me to flat. This leads to me loading my right heel then driving to my left toes which crowds my body towards the ball which drives me towards my left foot toes which leads to snap hooks and blocks because I'm crowding the ball.

 

This contraption forces me to load my entire right leg and right arch of my foot while keeping my butt on the PVC behind me, then drive laterally left instead of driving towards my toes and left.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Qf6zfT798

 

 

 

[airjammer]

Wow, that is something I have never seen? I don’t agree with it but I enjoy the creativity.

[hoselpalooza]

> @airjammer said:

> Wow, that is something I have never seen? I don’t agree with it but I enjoy the creativity.

 

agreed. and the lack of knee movement makes the swing look very top heavy, if that makes sense.

[airjammer]

> @hoselpalooza said:

> > @airjammer said:

> > Wow, that is something I have never seen? I don’t agree with it but I enjoy the creativity.

>

> agreed. and the lack of knee movement makes the swing look very top heavy, if that makes sense.

 

Makes my back hurt seeing the lack of rotation on the backswing and downswing in that contraption