My Road to Improvement - swing video 3/15/24

Myherobobhope · January 14, 2021

10 minutes ago, bortass said:

@MyherobobhopeYeah, impact was consistent and toe side has been my miss most of the last year. I'm to chapter 3 in the Practice Manual and it's a good read so far. It makes sense to me. Maybe someday I will look at new irons. I have a soft spot for these since they were my first 'real set' of clubs and they have served me well. I'd like to get to the point where I can game my MacGregor blades though. I would need to have the shafts looked at though and get my swing to a better spot. Pings would be nice though!

Let me know how the putter session goes. I'm curious about that. There are a couple SAM put labs within 90 minutes of me, they are just on the wrong side of Atlanta.

I also feel your pain about the weight. I'm just trying to slowly lose by eating a little better. I know I could do this faster with more rigor and working out but I don't feel like sacrificing other things for it right now, lol.

I hear you on the weight loss... it's a long story, but I'm basically doing it to motivate my dad (it certainly will help me).

Will do on the putter session... unfortunately with fittings you need to find someone who has both the technology and the knowledge... I'm fairly confident I've found that, but we will see!

Understood on the irons, I finally replaced my 95 TaylorMades last January with Adams CMBs, which I had always wanted... they are from 2012! (they are in great shape, though)...

Everything is on the wrong side of Atlanta! I used to train in Lawrenceville and meet my wife's cousins for dinner in Decatur... Nice little hour long drive at 5:30 and a 20 minute drive on my way home at 8... Good times!

bortass · January 15, 2021

17 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

I hear you on the weight loss... it's a long story, but I'm basically doing it to motivate my dad (it certainly will help me).

Will do on the putter session... unfortunately with fittings you need to find someone who has both the technology and the knowledge... I'm fairly confident I've found that, but we will see!

Understood on the irons, I finally replaced my 95 TaylorMades last January with Adams CMBs, which I had always wanted... they are from 2012! (they are in great shape, though)...

Everything is on the wrong side of Atlanta! I used to train in Lawrenceville and meet my wife's cousins for dinner in Decatur... Nice little hour long drive at 5:30 and a 20 minute drive on my way home at 8... Good times!

It's always good to try to get in shape regardless of the primary motivation. It makes life easier in so many ways. Too bad it's not as easy to drop lbs as it is to pack them on. I wasn't blessed with one of those can't gain weight metabolisms, lol.

I will look at new clubs sometime after I feel like my swing is in a better place. I broke 100 and 90 with the current ones I'm gaming, and I shot under 90 with the blades. The blades, while used are in better shape. I know the blades thing is ego on my part but I do draw satisfaction from a pure shot with them...

Regarding technology, I would think driver would be where the biggest gain would be. Mine cannot be adjusted at all. It's 10.5* loft and that's it. I always felt that drivers were where OEMs did the most tinkering to get people to buy a new one every year or two, lol.

Edit -

You and @rondo01 mentioned moving contact towards the heel. I think that happened when I was messing with the MDLT stuff. I'd have to look at my notes though. I'm still fuzzy on where on the driver face I am wanting to make contact. Is it still center of the face? I did get different powdered foot spray, this time it's Dr Scholl's odor X which I have seen mentioned before. So hopefully this will be easier to see and use. For some reason I felt excited about seeing where I was making contact, like it was progress of some sort even if I knew was hitting it off the toe already.

Cheers!

Edited January 15, 2021 by bortass

rondo01 · January 15, 2021

Might be helpful.

id also recommend watching some of the TXG fitting videos to get an idea of how strike location can mess with ball flight.

betarhoalphadelta · January 15, 2021

@bortass I've got the secret for you... I'm a 23 index and yet I routinely break 85...

The key is to play a par 60 course! 🤣

bortass · January 15, 2021

Made it to the range today instead of trying to play. Routines was similar to last time. Warm up practicing cast B with my PW. Worked on the cast A drill with 7i. Hit normal shots with the 7i and these were very good. Worked on driver and it was a bit more hit and miss, had some nice slices at first and it settled down after that. I wrapped up with some 7i shots where I was trying to get more pressure left and finally I did some chipping with my PW.

I also took more pictures on contact location! I have the right type of foot spray this time so it was so much easier. Again it was 5 shots per club and I was on a mat.

This is my PW with the cast B swing. Cast B is also my partial wedge shot I mention in all my posts, club to parallel. I caught two thin. All of these shots were solid baby draws or fades. I attribute some of my improving 50-80 yard shots to this practice. Contact is very solid and the ball goes where it is supposed to with very good height which is why it tends to hit the green and stop.

Now my 7i. This picture is also using the cast B swing. Contact is not nearly as good. This is not a swing I practice with non wedges that often. I am all over the map.... This was also done after the picture of my full swing 7i. So I am posting the pictures out of chronological order.

7i with my easy full swing. I was hitting it great before I put the spray on the club, lol. I hit one thin, one near the sweet spot and the others closer to the toe.

Last up is driver. That one in the middle felt real good.... I'd say the ball is 2/3 - 3/4 above the crown of the driver. I didn't actively change anything but impact position is different from two days ago. No idea why and likely because I just struggle with things.

bortass · January 15, 2021

7 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

@bortass I've got the secret for you... I'm a 23 index and yet I routinely break 85...

The key is to play a par 60 course! 🤣

Lol, I wish there was one near me. An executive course would be real good to help hone the shorter tee shots and short game.

rondo01 · January 15, 2021

1. Wedge shot looks great

2. 7i cast b - curious how that pattern evolved.
3. 7i full swing - those toe strikes are rather high on the face; I’d try to recreate the thin shot, just not thin. I’m betting those toe shots are sky high because you’re adding loft?

4. I can’t find it, but there’s a graphic that shows driver strike locations by handicap. The larger the dispersion pattern, the higher the handicap. Look around for it!

bortass · January 15, 2021

10 minutes ago, rondo01 said:

1. Wedge shot looks great

2. 7i cast b - curious how that pattern evolved.
3. 7i full swing - those toe strikes are rather high on the face; I’d try to recreate the thin shot, just not thin. I’m betting those toe shots are sky high because you’re adding loft?

4. I can’t find it, but there’s a graphic that shows driver strike locations by handicap. The larger the dispersion pattern, the higher the handicap. Look around for it!

7i cast B is kinda odd looking. My guess is I'm changing my setup/ball position some as I go. I could tell just from feel and ball flight that I was not striking it well. maybe I need to work cast B with other clubs to try to get it down with them.

7i full swing is high flight. My irons always go high unless I catch it thin enough, even if i hit the sweet spot it's a very high shot that will drop onto a green. I am not the guy that hits most irons that are mid height and will run on landing, unless I do something on purpose to try to hit it that way.

Myherobobhope · January 15, 2021

Dispersion patterns aren't bad! You can definitely break 85 with them... Just need to make sure everything else is going OK and make some putts.

On the technology front, you can buy irons that go farther now... The player's distance category is basically completely new. A new driver isn't a bad idea... the cheap PXGs if you can get fitted by PXG are an excellent idea...

That said, you can easily break 85, 80 and even 75 with those clubs... just requires putting in the time, and there is no guarantee new clubs would shorten that time frame.

bortass · January 18, 2021

On 1/15/2021 at 5:31 PM, Myherobobhope said:

Dispersion patterns aren't bad! You can definitely break 85 with them... Just need to make sure everything else is going OK and make some putts.

On the technology front, you can buy irons that go farther now... The player's distance category is basically completely new. A new driver isn't a bad idea... the cheap PXGs if you can get fitted by PXG are an excellent idea...

That said, you can easily break 85, 80 and even 75 with those clubs... just requires putting in the time, and there is no guarantee new clubs would shorten that time frame.

I agree, I feel like I could do it with the current state of my swing but I would need to be competent in the other aspects of my game at the same time. The PXGs have piqued my interest from when you mentioned last year.

Saturday's 18 with the guys was cancelled because of weather and the frost delay, so I went out on my own and played 18 later in the afternoon. It was about 41* out, 15+ MPH winds, and the sun was out for maybe 10 minutes or so. I will do my best to mention wind direction on the various holes. It's still cart path only. I never saw another golfer except the guy on 1 when i was heading down 9. Thr round too 3.5 hours even though I took my time out there. I'd walk to my ball, get an idea of the distance and decide on a club, walk back to my cart to get it. So no rush but it went at a decent clip.

1 - straight par 4, wind is blowing right to left. I hit a mid height draw with my driver, 192 yards, into the left rough. I'm over 200 yards out and go with 4w. I blade a worm burner, that drew, 126 yards and still in the left rough. The flag is front right and I decide to hit my 9i. It's a decent shot, high draw that goes 99 yards to the back left of the green. I have a 56 foot par putt and utterly misread the break, and have a 15 footer left.. End result is a 3 putt double bogey, 6.

2 - par 3, playing downwind. Flag is back left and I aim for middle with my 6i. Contact is real good and it's a high draw heading for the flag, goes over the green, and lands in the back bunker, 155 yard carry... I hit it good and the wind 'helped', so I had no complaints, I actually felt good that I struck the ball well. The sand is firm as always, wet and it's cold. It takes me two shots to get out of the bunker and 7 feet from the hole. The bogey putt misses and I have a foot left for another double bogey, 5.

I'm starting to feel let down by my short game and putting as I head for 3.

3 - par 5, dogleg right. The wind is behind me this entire hole thanks to the topography. I hit driver and it's a high draw down the right edge past the corner, 254 yards, into the center of the fairway. I'm almost 200 yards to center and hit 4w off the deck. It's a low draw towards the right side and the flag is left. There's a spine of the hill that obscures my view of where the ball went. I find it in the rightmost front bunker, 191 yard shot. I have plenty of green to work with and get the ball out of the bunker in 1. A GIR! but I left it 42 feet short of the hole. The flag is at the bottom of a tier, so I plan to let the ball reach the tier and feed down. I don't hit it hard enough and leave myself a 14 footer for par...Whelp, a 3 putt bogey results.

I am disappointed with my putting as I head for #4. My ball striking is decent so far but I'm flailing around near/on the greens.

4 - shorter par 4, wind behind me on this hole as well. I'm hitting draws for some reason, so I aim middle of the fairway. It's a mid height fade that I see land in the face of the slope on the right. I find my ball in the fairway on the right, 206 yards off the tee. The flag is forward and GPS says it's about 70 yards. I decide to hit a partial GW which is my 60ish yard club and let the wind help. Contact is real good and it's a high draw that lands on the green and ends up near the middle right edge, 80 yard shot. I'm 26 feet above the hole and the green slopes back right to front left. I hit the birdie putt and it breaks short of the hole but the ball stops pin high, 2 feet out. I make the par putt! 4.

5 - par 5, dogleg right, wind is right to left until the corner. I hit my normal 4w and it's a mid-height draw, 201 yards into the left rough. I have a good angle for my next shot from here and grab 4w. Somethig nis wrong with my swing and I top it 56 yards and short of the stream. I'm near the corner and starting to go into the wind. I hit 4w again and it's a bit fat but a decent draw that goes 162 yards into the fairway. The flag is middle front, so i don't want to be long. I hit a partial PW and pull it a touch, 74 yards, into the rough short of the green but I'm in front of the flag. I chip on with my SW to 7 feet. The bogey putt misses and i have a foot left for my double bogey, 7.

The mishit 4w hurt as did the PW that came up short but I am quite happy with the tee shot.

6 - par 4 into the wind, I hit a low draw, think I thinned it, 182 yards into the fairway on the left side. I'm 200ish out and hit 4w. I hit a shot like I did on #1, a wormburner draw that was under the wind, 125 yards Flag is front right and I decide to hit a partial SW. I am inside my normal partial SW distance. I have a LW with me but partial shots with it didn't work out when I put it in the bag, so i don't use it. I take something off my normal partial SW and it is a high draw that goes 32 yards and lands on the front of the green. I'm 7 feet left of the hole. Again I miss the putt but make the bogey putt from a foot, 5.

7 - par 4, elevated tee shot into the wind, which is important later. I hit a high fade with driver into the fairway on the right side, 197 yards. I am inside 150 from center and the flag is on the left side. I decide to hit my 5i. It's a very high draw that completely carries the green complex, lands on the cart path behind the green and takes a big bounce into the trees.... I get to where the ball would of hit the cart path and it was about 162 yard carry into the wind. I search for my ball and I find it on a little road that they use to get machinery onto the course, total distance was 182 yards.... I take relief from the pavement since I'm still in bounds. I hit a partial SW, 49 yards, to the green that's elevated above me. I'm barely on the front and have 12 feet for par. I hit the putt and I miss high and 3 feet long... I manage to sink the bogey putt, 5.

I am bewildered by the 5i that went 160+ yards in the air. It was a great looking shot, a nice high draw.

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. I can't feel the wind here but should be going into it. Flag is forward and i decide on 7i, which I hit heavy. it travels 126 yards and lands in the rough fronting the green. I chip with my SW to inside 18 inches! A tap in par, and i feel like I have a competent short game as I head to 9.

9 - par 4, pond on the left. I hit a low draw with my driver, 211 yards, into the fairway on the right. The hole is back left and it's 150ish to center. I decide to hit my 7w because of wind and tempts. I make solid contact and it's a high draw that sails over the green and lands in the back bunker, 162 yard carry, the ball was about a foot from it's pitch mark. So I am on a downslope in the bunker, the green is below me and the flag is just short of the top edge of the tier. This will be interesting... I hit the ball out of the bunker and it lands on the green and slowly rolls past the hole and stops as it nears the edge of the tier. I have an 11 foot putt for par and drain it, 4!

Up and down front 9 but I'm feeling good about my ball striking as I head to 10.

10 - par 4, dog leg left, elevated tee shot, into the wind. I hit a high draw, 205 yards, into the middle of the fairway. I decide on 6i and screw up my aim. It's a high shot into the right trees....pretty much how i was aligned. No sign of the ball and it's a hazard because of the stream in there. I drop and hit a partial SW to the elevated green. I'm 41 feet short of the cup and I'm going up a tier. i hit the putt and it's too hard, rolling 9 feet past the hole... I somehow make the 9 footer for a double bogey, 6.

11 - par 4, dogleg left, stream short of the green, and elevated tee shot. I'm not sure about the wind and use my normal 7w off this tee. It's a pull hook into the left trees and I never find it. I drop a ball and hit a 9i over the right front corner of the green. I chip twice with SW and don't get it on the green... So chip with putter to 4 feet and I then 2 putt for a quad, 8....

12 - par 4, dogleg left, I hit a push down the right side and find my ball on the edge of the tree line, 193 yards off the tee. I decide to punch a 5i towards the green and contact is okay. It's a low pull that hits the left slope and kicks right, towards the green, 119 yards. I'm in the rough next to the green and the flag is near the front left, so I'm a bit short sided. I chip with my SW and blade it past the flag and up to the top tier on the right side. I have a 50 foot par putt that goes down the tier. I second guess the break and end up 6 feet out. So I end up 3 putting, yet again, for a double bogey 6.

13 - par 3, flag is left. I aim middle with my 8i and chunk my shot 85 yards just short of the front left bunker. Something is wrong with my notes. Arccos has me down for 3 putts and my notes have me down for 2 putts...I know i end up with a double bogey on the hole but not sure if i 3 putt or chipped with my putter and then 2 putt...

14 - par 5, water on the right by the green. I hit a low fade with the wind with my driver that goes 215 into the fairway. I then hit a decent draw with my 4w, 182 yards, into the fairway on the left side. The flag is middle right by the lake. I'm close to 150 from center and have a tailwind. I decide to hit 6i and it's a high draw, 163 yards, over the green and back bunker. My ball is in thick rough on a very steep slope behind the bunker. I try to chip the ball over the bunker with my sw but the slope makes the ball come out very low and it lands in the bunker and rolls forward, hitting the 3-4 inch lip and it kicks back, staying in the bunker. I have plenty of green to work with and I get out in 1 but leave it 35 feet short. I'm going down a tier and I get my putt pin high and 2 feet out. Result is a double bogey, 7.

15 - shorter par 4, think I have a tailwind. I hit driver and it's a solid draw that goes 213 yards into the fairway. The flag is forward and I hit a partial SW. It's a high draw, that goes 57 yards, and the ball lands in the back bunker... I have plenty of green to work with and again get it out in one but leave it 42 feet short. I get the putt to about 4 feet and make the bogey putt, 5.

16 - par 3, flag is middle front and this green slopes left to right. I decide to hit 6i and it's a high pull into the wind, 129 yards and over the left side of the green. I mishit my chip but it stops 11 feet from the hole. A two putt later and I have a bogey, 4.

17 - par 4 into the wind. I hit a solid draw that goes 193 yards into the fairway on the left. The flag is middle back and this green has a severe left to right slope. i aim a bit left with my 5i and hit a high pull draw, 161 yards, that misses the green left. I'm in the rough a few yards off the green and use my putter to chip and i leave it 20 feet short when it doesn't take the slope as expected. I proceed to 3 putt for a double bogey, 6.

18 par 5, pond near the green and a forced stream carry as well. I hit a high push fade down the right side into the rough, 193 yards. I lay up short of the stream with my 7i. it was a pulled shot that went 135 yards since it landed on the cart path. I'm still in the rough and the ball is a bit below my feet. I don't want to go for the green since I have the stream and a pond to deal with. I aim down the fairway to the left of the green and hit a low draw with my 6i, that goes 138 yards, into the left rough. I can now go for the green and I hit a partial SW. it's a high draw that lands on the green and stops 11 feet from the flag, 65 yard shot. i two putt for a bogey, 6.

A kinda ugly 46/53 for 99. My short game and putting were terrible but I really felt good about my full swing. I noticed a change in how my swing felt. I wasn't thinking about it but I felt like i was doing cast B with my swing. The downswing was very different. I hit mostly draws which has not been normal for me in months or longer it seems. Overall the range time is working.

Speaking of range time, I am leery of changing anything. Short game and putting were bad but I don't want to start bouncing around with my practice. I expect short game to get exposed as I hit my irons better and leave myself with misses closer to the green. I don't think my full swing is there yet and am worried that if i start spending more of my limited practice time elsewhere, I may lose what i am starting to gain. It's not ingrained, I don't think.

Any thoughts?

Myherobobhope · January 18, 2021

33 minutes ago, bortass said:

Speaking of range time, I am leery of changing anything. Short game and putting were bad but I don't want to start bouncing around with my practice. I expect short game to get exposed as I hit my irons better and leave myself with misses closer to the green. I don't think my full swing is there yet and am worried that if i start spending more of my limited practice time elsewhere, I may lose what i am starting to gain. It's not ingrained, I don't think.

This is the challenge of improving at golf without letting it take over your life...

if your practice time is limited, and you feel like your spending it well on the range working on your ball striking, then stick to what you are doing... trying to split it up is just going to hurt you in both areas.

Putting is a completely different animal... I’m trying to improve on it myself and have had a couple of false starts and have wasted time working on the wrong things. I think I’m on the correct path now, but won’t know for quite some time...

two of the big takeaways from my putter fitting was building more consistent tempo and a better arc. I picked this up while I was there.

https://store.seemore.com/accessories/training/training-board-spi.html

it’s in my basement on a putting mat... I’m not even hitting a ball, just practicing takeaway and tempo... if you have some downtime in your house where you can do that, I highly recommend finding something to squeeze in (I like this mat, something else might be better for you).

I think your best bet is to find a way to practice putting when you have time to but can’t practice your full swing for whatever reason... but I think your instinct of keeping your focus on your full swing is good.

bortass · January 25, 2021

Hope you had a good weekend. Last week was not super productive unfortunately. Got in a range session and it was ugly. I don't know what else to say about it. I worked on casts A and B with the drills and I was hitting them thin and also hitting a fair number of pushes. I did a few full swings with driver and those results were decent but I seem to have lost that feel I had from the previous week. I spent some time chipping range balls, on the range, as well. I feel like my chipping game is broken and the good results I sometimes see are just outliers.

I am torn with my practice. The strokes gained data from Arccos tells me I am losing the most strokes with approach shots. It is the biggest statistical weakness and has been my main focus for months. I'm starting to get to that point again where I feel that chipping will lead to lost shots because I'll either stub or blade the ball. My confidence is not good. I am not surprised when I FUBAR a chip, I get a feeling of resignation. "Shocking, I screwed up a chip." Let's try again....

So as much as it pains me to consider that I'm wrong, I'd like thoughts from any of you regarding practice time. I know @Myherobobhopehas mentioned putting practice 🙂 I don't want to make a change for change's sake " ooooh this is shiny", which is why I may seem like I have blinders on or perhaps even stubborn. I know bouncing around willy nilly will not be efficient.... So I could use some food for thought. I am not a good planner, lol.

Saturday's 18 to follow in a later post.

Myherobobhope · January 25, 2021

I've touted the Sieckmann stuff elsewhere, but one of the biggest takeaways is to lead with the bounce of the club, it's a completely different move than other shots... but try to throw the blade ahead of club and let the bounce on the wedge work for you... I can't find a good example of it, but there are plenty out there... Should really help with fat shots. It also has the benefit of throwing the ball up higher, which opens up more options around the green. Basically, don't pull the handle through the ball... I'm not sure if that makes sense.

In terms of practice, there is always going to be something left out that could use more time (unless you have a lot of free time)... My main recommendations are: Figuring out where you CAN improve, and then of that stuff, choose what you WANT to work on (in that order)... if you'd rather work on short game than on your mid irons... then work on your short game... they will leak into each other and confidence in one will bleed across your game.

Just make sure your goals are actionable, and your practice is actually helping you develop whatever skill you happen to be working on... It's easy to bang balls on the range, it's hard to actually develop better skills / swing habits...

Honestly, it's a hobby, so make sure you are having fun doing what you are doing (while working towards getting better!). I'm honestly not a huge fan of my basement putting setup... I'm working with a SeeMore mat and it's great, but I don't spend a ton of time with it... I usually just do it as a rest between sets when I'm doing core work.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Myherobobhope

bortass · January 25, 2021

15 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

I've touted the Sieckmann stuff elsewhere, but one of the biggest takeaways is to lead with the bounce of the club, it's a completely different move than other shots... but try to throw the blade ahead of club and let the bounce on the wedge work for you... I can't find a good example of it, but there are plenty out there... Should really help with fat shots. It also has the benefit of throwing the ball up higher, which opens up more options around the green. Basically, don't pull the handle through the ball... I'm not sure if that makes sense.

In terms of practice, there is always going to be something left out that could use more time (unless you have a lot of free time)... My main recommendations are: Figuring out where you CAN improve, and then of that stuff, choose what you WANT to work on (in that order)... if you'd rather work on short game than on your mid irons... then work on your short game... they will leak into each other and confidence in one will bleed across your game.

Just make sure your goals are actionable, and your practice is actually helping you develop whatever skill you happen to be working on... It's easy to bang balls on the range, it's hard to actually develop better skills / swing habits...

Honestly, it's a hobby, so make sure you are having fun doing what you are doing (while working towards getting better!). I'm honestly not a huge fan of my basement putting setup... I'm working with a SeeMore mat and it's great, but I don't spend a ton of time with it... I usually just do it as a rest between sets when I'm doing core work.

This all makes perfect sense. This is all for fun. If it felt like work, I wouldn't do it.

As for what can improve - I feel like everything has room to improve. I don't believe I have hit a skill ceiling in any area of my game yet. I know this will change because age will catch up to me someday. Not there yet though. That's been why I try to focus mostly on the biggest weakness, approach game, versus what may be areas of quicker improvement, short game/putting.

I have the Siekmann book from years ago and it sounds like Monte's Use the Bounce which I also have. With UTB, the ball comes out high. It's just not ingrained even though I've dabbled with it.

Regarding your putting practice between sets, that's probably a good way to do it. I have heard, a number of times, it's better to practice 15 minutes a day than an hour once a week. Easier to do with a musical instrument than golf unless you have loads of free time, lol.

Myherobobhope · January 25, 2021

1 minute ago, bortass said:

This all makes perfect sense. This is all for fun. If it felt like work, I wouldn't do it.

As for what can improve - I feel like everything has room to improve. I don't believe I have hit a skill ceiling in any area of my game yet. I know this will change because age will catch up to me someday. Not there yet though. That's been why I try to focus mostly on the biggest weakness, approach game, versus what may be areas of quicker improvement, short game/putting.

I have the Siekmann book from years ago and it sounds like Monte's Use the Bounce which I also have. With UTB, the ball comes out high. It's just not ingrained even though I've dabbled with it.

Regarding your putting practice between sets, that's probably a good way to do it. I have heard, a number of times, it's better to practice 15 minutes a day than an hour once a week. Easier to do with a musical instrument than golf unless you have loads of free time, lol.

Yeah, using the bounce is a fairly popular teaching topic, but it's not something you see on the chipping range a ton... It's an effective way to chip better. I've REALLY liked the Sieckmann method, and my chipping game didn't really need an overhaul... I overhauled it anyways, because my back hurt and I'm dumb (and I hate putting practice). It really helps eliminate the chuckier shots, which ingrains confidence, which makes your whole wedge game better.

On the practice front, I think it's an interesting question, and something I've been actively thinking about a ton recently... Long term vs Short term gains, projects and goals... I think the key is to find a balance and make sure you aren't completely ignoring anything while trying to keep a focus on the bigger targets... I think the challenge is, you have to figure out what you want to work on, and what you think will be best for your game... I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, but you will definitely get better results by thinking through a plan and then following it.

While I'm dedicated to fixing my putting this season, when my back is finally healed and ready to swing full again, I can promise I will abandon my short game for a few weeks to dial my swing back in (and hopefully build it back better). Mostly because I haven't been able to swing a club in a few months, but also just as a break from my putting drills.

Actually improving at golf is hard, and requires taking the time to figure out where and how to improve, and then make sure you have the time and energy to do it... I think the energy aspect is an overlooked factor in a lot of different plans.

My suggestion would be to take 10 minutes and putt, then chip, then hit full swings... then use the remaining 30 minutes to practice whichever of the three you want to practice... give yourself a break from grinding the midrange practice, and see if you can get some quick wins elsewhere. Hopefully, little wins in one area will encourage you to keep practicing other areas, while also allowing you to do more than just one thing. Unless you are working on a complete overhaul of something, I think it makes sense to spread practice time around, even if it's only 10 minutes doing something else...

bortass · January 25, 2021

Saturday's 18 was amusing and I think tells a story about the state of things and some learning opportunities. It was 38* at tee off and into the 50s by the time we finished. It was sunny and I ditched my jacket after hitting my tee shot on #5. So it wasn't a cold day, kinda nice actually. There was some wind but it wasn't significant in my opinion. Some holes are still damp in spots and that came into play. I also think things being soft had an impact on some driving distances since there may not have been as much roll out. Regardless, there's no reason to think the weather or conditions had a big impact on how things played out. It was all decision making and execution.

I warmed up on the range before my round and it was not great.

1 - par 4, straight hole, just long and #9 runs parallel to it on the right side. I'm teeing off into the sun and hit my driver. Contact was solid but I never see it. No idea what the ball flight was but I assume a pull since I find my ball in the rough of #9, 223 off the tee. I have a shot at the green from a bit over 200 yards out and decide to hit my 4w. It's a push that flies into the hazard to the right of the #9 tee box, a good 50 yards right of the edge of the green. Horrible shot and my first bad decision of the day. I should have just hit an iron and the odds of going that far offline are lower. So I drop 122 yards from the prior spot. I am about 60 yards from my target and have to go over some small trees that are between the first green and the 9th tees. I hit a partial GW and it catches the trees and drops short of the green. I have a decent lie and chip with my SW, bladeing it through the green. I chip with again and leave it 18 feet short. I hit my putt to about 2 feet. I'm rushing because I'm holding things up and miss the two footer. So a three putt, quintuple bogey, 9, to start the day.

Well I just screwed up a solid score for this round on the first hole. I also already realize the 4w shot was a mistake and my chipping sucks. Not a good start at all. On to #2.

2 - par 3, I aim for center and hit a high pull with my 6i that ends up in the back left fringe, 134 yard shot. I chip with my putter and the ball rolls 11 feet past the hole. I'm putting through debris from bunker shots from prior groups. I get it to 2 feet and make the bogey putt, 4.

Okay, back to decent golf after the disaster on #1.

3 - par 5, dogleg right. I hit driver and it's a solid draw, 212 yards, into the rough on the outside corner of the fairway. I have a good lie and go with 4w again. It's another push that heads for the trees on the right side... I find my ball in the fairway on the right side, 148 yards, from the prior spot. The slope must have kicked the ball back to an okay spot. I have a semi blind shot over the spine of the slope in front of me and go with my 9i. It's a high shot that's a touch right, so I can't see where it lands. I find in the rightmost front bunker, 103 yard shot. I hit it out of the bunker and on the green to 9 feet. My par putt stops about 3 inches from the hole, so I have a bogey, 6.

4 - shorter par 4, I aim middle and hit a push fade with driver, 178 yards, into the right rough, short of the fairway bunker. The flag is near the front and i decide on my 9i again. I hit it fat and the ball is a high draw that goes 90 yards and lands between the two front bunkers. I have a decent amount of grass that's pointing at me to go through, so i chip with my SW. It's thin and rolls 14 feet past the hole. I hit the par putt and it rolls 6 feet past the hole...Yup, a 3 putt double bogey 6. Not good at all.

5 - par 5, dogleg right, and I struggle on this hole. I tee off with my typical 4w and it's a draw down the right side, 195 yards, into the fairway on the right. I have a decent angle to clear the corner and hit my 4w again. It's a high draw, 180 yards, into the middle of the fairway. I go with my 8i for the approach shot and blade it 106 yards and short of the green. I feel like I can use my putter to chip and the ball goes 23 yards, stopping 2 feet from the cup. I make the par putt, 5.

I am very happy with how I played that hole. It's normally a bugaboo for me. The approach was lack luster but I actually got up and down for a change.

6 - par 4, I hit driver and it's a push that hits the right slope and kicks into the fairway, 224 yards. I'm near the 150 marker and go with my 5i. i make good contact and it's a high draw that lands on the green. I'm 42 feet above and right of the hole, the green slopes back to front and left to right. I hit my putt and it breaks early and I'm 4 feet short. I then miss the par putt and end up with a bogey, 5.

That was unfortunate but bogey is still an okay score.

7 - par 4, elevated tee shot. I hit a push fade with driver into the right slope. The ball kicks left into the fairway on the right edge, 186 yards off the tee. I know the flag is right but not if it's front or back. The slope blocks my view, so I have a blind shot over it. I hit my 5i and it's a high draw. I get to the green and my ball is on the back right, 156 yard shot, and 63 feet past the hole. I leave the birdie putt 8 feet short... Yup, another 3 putt for bogey, 5.

Sigh.

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. The flag is closer to the front, so I go with my 7i. It's a high push that lands to the right of the greenside bunkers that are on the right side, 161 yards. I am above the green and have to carry a bunker. I hit a pitch with my Sw that lands on the green and rolls 24 feet past the hole. Maybe I could have stopped the ball sooner with my LW but it is what it is. I hit my par putt and the ball stops within a few inches of the hole. Bogey, 4.

9 - par 4, water to the left as you get closer to the green. I hit a nice high slice with my driver into the rough of #1... I have no real shot at the green from here because of trees. I decide to punch a partial PW back into #9 to set up an approach. I hit the ball and it's a thin push that rolls and hits a tree trunk and comes to rest underneath it... My ball is on pine straw and I still have to go between two tall pines. I have about 120ish to go and figure a punched 6i will work. I hit the ball and it's a low draw that lands in the pond about a foot short of the bank... I go drop where it crossed the hazard. It should be a partial SW and I mishit that and it barely crosses and lands on the bank and appears to roll into the pond... Awesome! I find my ball hung up in the rough just above the water. I can't take a normal stance and I hack it through the green. I am going to chip with my putter and it's going to go down the tier since the hole is on the lower tier by the pond. I hit the ball and get it to stop 6 feet to the right of the hole and I make the putt for a quad, 8.

Okay, for me, golf book ended by garbage for the front 9.

10 - par 4, dogleg left. I hit a massive slice with driver, deep into the right trees. It's mark as a hazard since there's a stream in there, so I drop 159 yards off the tee. I can't reach the green from here and layup with a 7i, 121 yards, that I hit more left than I want. I'm in the left rough and the green is above me. It's a blind shot and I decide to hit a partial 9i. I am a bit heavy and the ball goes 66 yards into the front bunker. I'm still below the green and blind. I get a reference point using the side of a house and hit the ball clean...It sails 59 yards, over the green into the slope that's behind it. I chip with my SW 15 feet short of the hole. My putt stops about 3 feet out and i make the next one for a smooth quad, 8.

Well the back 9 is starting out just like the front with a blowup...

11 - par 4, dogleg left, elevated tee shot and a forces stream carry short of the green. I hit a push with my 7w, 172 yards, down the right tree line... Somehow my ball ends up in the fairway. I'm above the green and it's about 170 to center and the flag is front. I hit 7w again and it's a very solid draw that lands on the green, 170 yards. I'm 47 feet above the hole and my birdie putt goes 4 feet long. I make the par putt though, 4.

lol.

12 - par 4, dogleg left. I hit a push with driver down the right tree line... I find my ball on the edge of the rough and trees, 192 yards. I figure a full 6i into the elevated green and i chunk it 74 yards into the left rough instead. I hit a partial PW, 61 yards, onto the elevated green. I'm 16 feet past the hole and my par putt stops a foot out. I sink the bogey putt, 5.

13 - par 3 with an elevated green. The flag is back right and i hit my 8i. It's a high draw that lands on the green and stops 8 feet left of the hole. The birdie putt goes 3 feet long but I manage the sink the par putt, 3.

14 - par 5, elevated teeshot to a fairway that slopes down to the green. there's a small lake to the right of the fairway that comes in play with the second shot. I hit a high draw into the left slope and it kicks right, into the fairway, 236 yards. Lie is fine, so i aim down the right side with my 4w. I hit a solid fade that goes 197 yards into the middle of the fairway. The flag is back right and I have to carry the pond. It's about 110ish with a tailwind, so 9i. I leave the face wide open and shank it dead right into the pond... So I get 33 yards closer and hit a partial 9i with is a high shot, 90 yards, and 16 feet right of the hole. I hit my putt and it drops to save bogey, 6.

Can't believe I shanked my 9i into the pond. I was in great position in two. Luckily I was able to limit the damage.

15 - short par 4 elevated tee shot. I hit a solid draw with my driver down the right side, 217 yards. The flag is front right and it's around 40 yards to go. I hit a partial LW instead of trying to take some off my SW. Contact is good and a high draw that goes 46 yards, landing on the green, 27 feet past and left of the hole. I look it over and the putt breaks to my right and i'm going downslope as well. I hit the putt and watch it roll 5 feet past the hole... Terrible putt and I end up three putting for bogey, 5.

Sigh.

16 - par 3, stream carry. The flag is front right and this green slopes back left to front right. i aim for middle because landing near the flag will cause the ball to roll off the right side of the green. I hit a high push with my 7i, 138 yards, into the rough on the right front side of the green. I use my putter and chip it to 2 feet and sink the par putt, 3.

17 - par 4, slight dogleg left. i hit another slice with my driver, 194 yards, into the first fairway bunker that's on the right side. I suck at fairway bunker shots and my goal is to just get out in 1. I use my 7i and blade it but it goes 69 yards into the fairway. The flag is on the right and this green also has a sharp slope from left to right. I aim towards the middle of the green with my 9i and catch it heavy. It's a high show down my target line, 93 yards, into the rough between the two bunkers that front this green. I have to chip over a corner of the bunker, so the putter is out. I use my sw and strike it decently. The ball carries the bunker and lands on the edge of the green, rolls at the hole, catches the bottom lip and spins out. A 4 yard shot and i'm 2 feet out. Almost holed it out for par but instead it's a 1 putt bogey, 5.

18 - par 5, forced stream carry along with a pond fronting the green. I hit a weak fade with my driver, 172 yards into the fairway. I have to layup short of the stream and use my 6i. I aim left to give myself as much room to the stream as possible. Contact is good and it's a high draw, 141 yards, and short of the stream. I'm in the fairway and my 7w can reach the green but I have a stream in front of me and a stream in front of the green. Laying up left makes my shot at the green longer but it is safer. I go with my normal plan of trying to hit this green in 4. I aim for the fairway left of the green and hit my 6i. it's another decent shot that is high and lands on soft ground, 132 yards. It's a partial SW to reach the green and my club slides right under the ball... it pops up and only goes about 29 yards. I chip with my SW and blade it through the back of the green. I'm in the fringe and again have a chip that must go down the tier to the front pin location. i use my putter and get it to the correct tier, almost pin high, 15 feet right of the hole. My putt stops a foot out, so a two putt, triple bogey, 8.

Both 9s are similar. I screw up the first and last holes of each and play decent in between. It's a 52/47 for 99. I'm +27 for 18 and +16 on 4 holes...So I played 14 holes at +11. This is the golf I am unfortunately used to from when I was playing in Maine years ago. Stretches of competent golf interspersed with a few blowups that make my score look like garbage, which it is. No excuses, just kinda sad.

Arccos added round highlights to their app. Average drive was 197 yards. I hit 6/14 fairways. 5/18 GIR and got up and down 3/12. 36 putts since i had 5 1 putts offset the 5 three putts.

As far as strokes gained compared to a 12. Driving was -4.5, direction was bad and the penalty hurt. Approach was -6.6, no surprise there. Short game was -1.2, kinda surprising with my chipping and the picked clean bunker shot on #10. Putting was -2.4

One funny thing this round is two of the three things Arccos says helped me were my 150-200 yard approach shots and my 200+ yard approach shots. it also liked my chipping inside 25 yards, probably thanks to some okay chips with the putter and I had one good chip on #17 to 2 feet with the SW.

I think I am going to try to work on NTC, chipping, and putting at the range. Chipping and putting are not my biggest weaknesses but maybe I can quickly improve things there to gain a few strokes. Short game will help bail out my approach game as well since I'm not "on" very often. I have also been thinking more about the various strategies espoused by golfsidekick on Youtube. Some better decision making will help me and I'm slowly buying into some of his concepts regarding course management if you're trying to break 90. Funny that I shot those two 89s back in 2020 but the last one just rolled off my card, so my index is creeping up now.

bortass · January 26, 2021

I made it to the range for about an hour today. 30 minutes of it was putting with a version of the ladder drill. I setup a semi circle of tees the length of my putter grip around the hole and then placed a tee at roughly 3, 6, and 9 feet( see picture below). I started at the first tee and worked my way back and then forward. So assuming I either holed the first ball or kept it inside the semi circle of tees, I'd move back to the second tee and try. A miss sends me back to the first tee to start over. If I managed to make the one from 9 feet I then went to the 6 foot one then 3 etc. The best I did was 11 in a row, so that would have been 3, 6, 9, 6, 3, 6, 9, 6, 3, 6, 9 and then I missed. It wasn't an easy drill and took a bit before I even attempted a 9 footer. I was putting slightly downhill with right to left break. My understanding is the goal is to learn pace. I spent the entire time just doing the drill with this one setup. Next time I will pick a different hole on the practice green and angle. I will say my back was getting sore. It's one reason I do not like putting practice. Bending over like that for an extended period makes my lower/mid back ache...

I also did some chipping with range balls on the range. It was messy but I think I may have figured out something with my posture. I did better at the end when I had my weight left but my shoulders levelish. So it's more of bumping the left hip out. That seemed to help contact quite a bit. I watched some of Monte's Use the Bounce 2.0 earlier to help get a better idea of things. I spend close to 20 minutes on that I think.

I did add in some NTC stuff with SW and 8i, along with some full swings with the 8i. Nothing significant to report with that. Most of my time was on shortgame today. Hopefully I can get out one more time this week and work on things.

betarhoalphadelta · January 27, 2021

I need to spend more time on the putting green as well... Good stuff.

SNIPERBBB · January 27, 2021

19 hours ago, bortass said:

I made it to the range for about an hour today. 30 minutes of it was putting with a version of the ladder drill. I setup a semi circle of tees the length of my putter grip around the hole and then placed a tee at roughly 3, 6, and 9 feet( see picture below). I started at the first tee and worked my way back and then forward. So assuming I either holed the first ball or kept it inside the semi circle of tees, I'd move back to the second tee and try. A miss sends me back to the first tee to start over. If I managed to make the one from 9 feet I then went to the 6 foot one then 3 etc. The best I did was 11 in a row, so that would have been 3, 6, 9, 6, 3, 6, 9, 6, 3, 6, 9 and then I missed. It wasn't an easy drill and took a bit before I even attempted a 9 footer. I was putting slightly downhill with right to left break. My understanding is the goal is to learn pace. I spent the entire time just doing the drill with this one setup. Next time I will pick a different hole on the practice green and angle. I will say my back was getting sore. It's one reason I do not like putting practice. Bending over like that for an extended period makes my lower/mid back ache...

I also did some chipping with range balls on the range. It was messy but I think I may have figured out something with my posture. I did better at the end when I had my weight left but my shoulders levelish. So it's more of bumping the left hip out. That seemed to help contact quite a bit. I watched some of Monte's Use the Bounce 2.0 earlier to help get a better idea of things. I spend close to 20 minutes on that I think.

I did add in some NTC stuff with SW and 8i, along with some full swings with the 8i. Nothing significant to report with that. Most of my time was on shortgame today. Hopefully I can get out one more time this week and work on things.

I would call that a modified ladder drill. Normal ladder drill does not require the hole as holing putts is somewhat defeating of the purpose because you can make putts from various distances with a variety of speeds.

True ladder drill is to putt one ball a few feet then the next ball most go past the previous ball or you reset. Repeat till you run out of green or balls. Then turn around make a putt towards the opposite side of the green and try work your way backwards making each putt shorter and shorter. The better you get with speed control, the more balls you can putt before you run out of run.

bortass · January 27, 2021

4 minutes ago, SNIPERBBB said:

I would call that a modified ladder drill. Normal ladder drill does not require the hole as holing putts is somewhat defeating of the purpose because you can make putts from various distances with a variety of speeds.

True ladder drill is to putt one ball a few feet then the next ball most go past the previous ball or you reset. Repeat till you run out of green or balls. Then turn around make a putt towards the opposite side of the green and try work your way backwards making each putt shorter and shorter. The better you get with speed control, the more balls you can putt before you run out of run.

Interesting, I have heard of the ladder drill before but didn't know exactly what is was. So I looked for it on Youtube and found a couple variations. One had an alignment stick in the green about 3 feet past the hole. The goal of that one was get the ball to the hole but not past the alignment stick. The version I did is similar but the margin of error on the long side is smaller. It was a challenge to get the speed right to reach the hole but not go too far past it.

What you describe reminds me of a chipping drill I recall reading about many years ago. I'll have to give this version a shot. It sounds like a challenge especially if I pick a direction that is dealing with the tier in the practice green. Thanks for cluing me in!

bortass · January 28, 2021

Got some more short game work in today. I did the actual ladder drill for a bit and it was a challenge. I also did the modified ladder drill that I posted the picture about. I used a different hole on the practice green and it was much harder. I put in tees to get out to 18 feet but I only made it to 12 one time. I think I made it to 9 just a few times. Not sure why it was harder today than earlier in the week but it was. I also did a bit of chipping range calls, just trying to get decent contact. It went so so. lastly, I used my 7i out of the practice bunker, back into the range. I wind up in fairway bunkers once in a while and need to learn to get out of them and maybe advance the ball a semi-reasonable distance.

rondo01 · February 3, 2021

Been looking for this image for a bit now...re: driver face strike patterns

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1heFwFxVd/?igshid=1k6zwkwv7pp0y

bortass · February 4, 2021

20 hours ago, rondo01 said:

Been looking for this image for a bit now...re: driver face strike patterns

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1heFwFxVd/?igshid=1k6zwkwv7pp0y

Awesome picture. Thanks so much for sharing it! The driver front is about to get interesting for me. I have a fitting scheduled with PXG in a few days. It's a driver, woods, and hybrids fitting but driver is what I am interested in. My current driver was never fitted, so this will be interesting. I am hoping it goes well and end up with my first new club since 2011/12. They just want me to bring my 7i with me for the fitting. I expect it to be eye opening since I haven't done anything like this in a long while.

I played 18 last Saturday and it was an unmitigated disaster. Frost delay and they watered the greens to clear the frost. I had one bogey on the front and everything else was double - quad bogey. Pushes/slices with driver on 1 and 3. I aim more left on #4 and pull it into the stream on the left.... So yeah... back 9 was better kinda... 4 pars, 3 bogeys and a +5 and a +6.... The one area that was decent was my short game. I guess the practice last week helped.

I did make it to the range today and it was off mats again. I did the usual NTC work on cast A and B. Nothing real great with those. The best part was when I started working on chipping/pitching with my GW using range balls off the mat. I found a rhythm that really seemed to work. I tried it for different length chips/pitches and contact was pretty solid. No skulls at all. I hit some half shots with my GW and 7i using the same rhythm and that was fairly positive. I recall that I used to warm up with pitches many years ago before some rounds because of the rhythm. It seems to bleed into the rest of my swing.

I am hoping Saturday won't be a disaster but who knows...

Myherobobhope · February 7, 2021

Weird... I thought I had posted a response to this thread... how did the fitting go?

I like working on tempo on the green... two tees, and the ball in the middle... hit 5 putts (putter head to the back tee, follow through to the front tee) and check my dispersion. Distance control is one of my major problems putting, so dialing in speed with better tempo should be a huge help for me.

bortass · February 8, 2021

21 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

Weird... I thought I had posted a response to this thread... how did the fitting go?

I like working on tempo on the green... two tees, and the ball in the middle... hit 5 putts (putter head to the back tee, follow through to the front tee) and check my dispersion. Distance control is one of my major problems putting, so dialing in speed with better tempo should be a huge help for me.

The fitting was yesterday and was interesting. I don't have a lot of detail because I'm a bit of a space cadet at times, lol.

PXG in Atlanta is a nice store. You walk in and it feels and looks upscale. Not over the top like I imagine snooty boutiques where only the "beautiful people" are allowed to even enter though. There are two Trackman bays and a putting area. They have a wall of shafts hanging there for the actual fittings. They have a small waiting area with TV and complimentary drinks. The lighting is a bit muted in those areas but the store front where they sell PXG hats and clothing was well lit.

It's located at the Lennox Square mall but there is no entrance into the mall proper, which we didn't know until we entered PXG. We didn't realize which mall this was until we got there.... Lennox Square, I think, was and maybe still is an upscale mall but there have been shootings there in the last 18 months. Wife and I get there and try to find a place to park and what we notice is a police cruiser with it's lights on parked in a median in front of the mall. We end up circling the mall to find a parking spot. We have to walk to PXG and decide to go around the outside of the mall. My assumption was find the entrance near the PXG storefront to get in. We get close to the main mall entrance where the police cruiser is parked and see signs saying no weapons allowed and security checkpoints. That's when the light bulbs went off that this is where the shootings were. Sure enough the second entrance was the same way and we saw that PXG had it's own exterior door. Makes since since I don't know if I would have been let into the mall carrying a 7i...

Fitting itself- I warmed up with my 7i while the fitter watched. He asked a couple questions like how far I normally hit my 7i and I told him I'm a short hitter with a 130 yard 7i. He builds an iron and has me hit it and it goes 145 yards. It's a 7i but he does point out the loft difference between my 7i and the one he built. My 7i is more like their 8i. No surprise there but it was nice that he didn't try to say it was apples to apples or that they had magic technology to gain the 15+ yards, part of it was loft.

He made a couple comments on my swing. I have a well grooved swing, lol. This might not be good in the greater scheme of things but as far as a fitting goes it's a good thing. I had explained that I quit playing for an extended period and I used to hit draws and now it's more of a fade. He was surprised my swing was where it was after coming back for a year. His tone meant it as a compliment.

He also said I have educated hands. That was a new one for me. He also had me change something with my setup. He noticed my upper body is open at address, so he asked me to square things up and that helped too. His other comment near the end of the fitting was I can't feel like I'm going left enough. Try to feel like I'm sending as far left as possible.

I was there for driver, so he started that process. He built a driver based off the 7i and what he saw from watching me and the Trackman numbers. The big thing that stood out to him was the fact I do not spin the ball a lot. They are normally trying to get spin rates down. He'd have me hit a few and change things up based on numbers and the ball flight on the simulator. He swapped shafts and heads a few times. Move weights around as well. He was looking for the combination which kept the spin rate between 2800-3000 and got the ball speed, 120+, and launch angles to where he wanted to maximize things.

What stood out to me was not much has changed since my fitting in early 2011. My driver swing speed is in the mid to upper 70s. I just don't swing it fast. My 7i swing speed is in the 70s as well.

So we're going through things and all I know is he's changing the club. I did look at the shaft and it's an r flex 40g. He mentioned the weight of the shaft will matter more than the flex because I had told him I have stock stiff shafts in my driver. He also knew said driver was not fit. Personally, I was fine not knowing exactly what was being changed. I am not an equipment junky and have no preconceived notions. I think it being more 'blind' was good for me because then I'm not thinking about what he's handing me. It's just try this. He'd mention if it was a different head or shaft but not what it was.

Turns out the best head for me was the new 0211 which is their cheapest one. I don't have spin issues where they need a head to lower my spin rate. Pretty sure the shaft is that 40g r flex and it's heel weighted. He expects I will gain about 20 yards on average in the real world.

We then did woods. I explained what I currently used a 4w and 7w and the stock stiff shafts. He built a 3 wood and started tinkering with it. He also did a 7w. I shared my distances with him as well. We went through a few iterations and he settled on a couple builds. The 3w would be built more like a 4w. He explained the loft can be adjusted down easier after the fact than the other way around. He also felt a 4w/7w gap makes more sense than the normal 3w/5w that people tend to use. The distances with both of the woods were close to what I am getting now. He thought 7w would probably be more useful for me to replace since it's the one that typically is used to hit a green. I explained that I use 4w more because of my distance issues on long par 4s and par 5s but he is right. My 4w is not used to hit greens for me.

His feeling is new irons would have the biggest impact on things. He thought a smaller sole than my current M565s would work better with my swing. I'd also gain distance because of the stronger lofts. I'm not ready to commit to new irons though. It would be expensive because of the number of clubs. The PXG iron I hit did feel good though, lol.

I pulled the trigger on the driver. It'll be built and shipped to the house. He thought it takes them about 7 - 10 days right now to turn things around.

I decided to wait on any new woods. I want to see how the driver works out and what impact it has on my game. If I do gain 20 yards roughly, I may not need the 4w as much. Perhaps I do use the 7w more. They have the stats of both woods and can have it built if I want at a later date. It just makes sense, to me, to change one thing and see what happens. I don't want to get a three new clubs and find out that my gaping changed in such a way that I spent $ on something that may not have really needed it.

Overall, I thought it went pretty well. There was no feeling that the fitter was trying to sell anything. He actually started out with more expensive driver heads and worked down to the 0211. I say that because the 0211 is their cheapest driver, so I assume what we started with were the more expensive ones. He seemed to know what he was doing and things made sense. I would go back if I wanted to see if their irons would be an option for me. The cost though seems high to me but my last new set of irons I bought were in 2004 and cost me about 500 for the M565s. The PXG irons are almost 200 a club....lol.

Myherobobhope · February 8, 2021

Glad to hear it went so well (and that you didn't get shot!). We've talked about swing speed before, so I hope you are still working on it! If you get faster,you can start trolling ebay for new shafts, it is one of my favorite games!

I still agree with your initial take that new irons aren't going to resolve any overall problems, but I do think it's something you should keep on your radar. 15 yards with a 4 degree difference is more than expected, so you were hitting them farther, even when adjusted for loft. That said, I agree $200 is a ton to spend per iron. Or at least it is for me...

I think you are smart to hold off on the woods, but definitely keep them in mind as you get some more rounds in... Hopefully the new driver will net you some bigger drives and lower scores (which might also motivate you to chase more distance!)... Just don't get to my level and injure your back.

bortass · February 8, 2021

Now Saturday's 18. Last week was an utter disaster to say the least. There was a frost delay again. Temps were high 30s/low 40s. It was overcast with no real wind. Just cold. Cart path only because everything is a bit wet. So once again, not scoring conditions, IMO. I warmed up on the range, off mats, beforehand. I hit pitches and chips using the tempo/rhythm I mentioned earlier. I also hit some partial wedges and a few full irons. Overall it went very well on the range.

1 - long par 4, I hit driver and it's a very solid and straight shot with my driver, 225 yards into the fairway on the right. The curve was minimal, so i can't recall if it was a tiny fade or draw. I am inside 200 yards for a change, closer to 185ish to center. I hit my normal 4w and contact is very good. It's a mid height draw that lands on the green, 187 yards! I'm 24 feet to the right and a bit below the hole. I get my birdie putt to 3 feet ands miss the par putt... 3 putt bogey, 5.

Crap putting already but I am telling myself i just had two very good full shots and a bogey is a good score on this hole, which it is. It's long enough that I expect to take 3 shots to get on. Focus on the good stuff instead of negatives.

2 - par 3, and flag looks to be middle back. I figure a 7i from about 130ish to center. I notice that I teed my ball near the back of a divot. I think nothing of it and hit my ball fat... It's a high push that goes a sad 97 yards. I pitch with my SW and catch it a bit thin, 46 yards, about 21 feet past the hole. My par putt stops 3 feet out and I sink the bogey putt, 4.

Bogey golf so far, I'll take it. last week I was +5 after 2... Also I know a bogey is a good score for me.

3 -par 5, dog leg right. I hit a solid draw, 200 yards, into the left rough at the corner of the fairway. So I hit through it more than i curved the ball into the rough. A solid shot. I decide to hit 4w again and it's a push. It hits a spine of the ridge that's on the right side of this hole. It completely kills my shot, 151 yards. I am behind the spine with a blind shot at the green. I decide on a 9i since I'm about 105-110 out. Contact is decent and it's a high shot but I can't tell the shape. I think it's on the green but my ball is actually in a front bunker, 93 yard shot. Wet firm sand, so i use my normal square SW. I hit behind the ball and it pops out of the bunker and goes about 10 yards and stops 10 feet short of the cup. My par putt get to about a foot and I have another bogey, 6.

I am feeling good about my game. It is not perfect or lights out but I feel like it's been solid through the first 3 holes.

4 - shorter par 4, I aim at the right side of this fairway. last week I hit the pull hook into the stream on the left. I hit my driver and it's a high push fade down the right side. I hear the ball land on the cart path... I'm a bit worried about where the ball may have bounced since there are trees on the right side of this hole. I find my ball in the rough just to the left of the cart path, 230 yards off the tee. The flag is back right. I am above the green and it's about 70 ish yards that area of the green. I decide on a partial GW. The ball is a touch thin and low. We watch as my ball tracks towards the hole and hits the flag within a foot off the ground. It was probably closer to ground level but the ball bounces 3 feet away. I sink the birdie putt, 3!

5 - par 5, dogleg right. I hit my normal 4w off the tee and it's a push that hits the slope on the right side and kills the ball. I'm in the fairway on the right about 153 yards off the tee. I can't gret a good feel for the distance to clear the corner. I don't want to be cavalier since there is a stream on the left as you approach the corner, it then goes under the fairway and runs down the right side past the corner. I take my 8i and hit a partial shot to the left, 112 yards, near the outside edge of the corner. I have a clear line now and hit a decent 4w off the deck. The ball hits a slope on the left , 154 yards, and I'm in the fairway. The flag is back left and there is a tier on this green. So below the hole is okay since you are putting up the tier, long can get dodgey though. I hit my 9i and it's a high shot, 110 yards, that lands on the top tier and holds. I'm 9 feet right of the hole and my par putt breaks early and I'm now about a foot below the hole. So another bogey, 6.

6 - par 4, slight dogleg left. I hit a push fade with driver that lands on the cart path and kicks right, into the trees. I find th ball but have to take an unplayable. I drop, 221 off the tee, and hit my 4i atg the green. It's an okay shot that goes 142 yards and misses the green right. I hit my chip/pitch thin and the ball goes about 29 yards and stops 28 feet past the hole. I hit my putt and leave it 6 feet short... I miss again and have a 3 putt, for triple bogey, 7.

So much for decent contact on the range with my chips and pitches. The tee shot hurt but I could have pulled out a bogey or double with better short game and putting.

7 - par 4, elevated tee shot, I hit driver and it's a solid shot, 213 yards, no roll since it's soft. I'm in the center of the fairway on a slight down slope. I decide a 6i into the green and i hit it fat. The ball goes 98 yards and stops in the soft stuff short of the green. I chip/pitch with my SW and thin it again... The ball goes into the rear bunker and is covered in clay mud. I hit my ball out with SW and watch the band of mud showing the spin of my ball as it rolls towards the hole. The ball stops 2 feet out and I clean all the mud off it and sink the bogey putt, 5.

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. the flag is back and i hit my 6i. It's a high slight push, 159 yards into the bunker on the right. I'm almost pin high and hit the ball out but leave it about 20 feet short. My par putt dies a foot out, so a bogey, 4.

9 - par 4 with the pond to the left of the fairway as you get closer to the green. Said pond also fronts the green. I hit driver and it's a bit a pull draw, 199 yards, into the fairway on the left side. This green has a tier in it and the flag is on the lower tier in front left. I'm 150ish from center, almost all pond carry, and there's a tailwind. I go with my 5i. Long isn't great but I'd rather putt from up top than risk a ball in the pond. I hit it a bit thin but it's a lowish draw that lands on the right side of the green and rolls just off the back, 149 yards. I chip with my putter and get the ball pin high but 9 feet right of the cup. I miss the par putt but make my bogey putt from 2 feet, 5.

I am riding that bogey train. I stoip at the turn to refill my water and I'm thinking how good I'm doing and I have been using the same ball.

10 - par 4, elevated tee shot dogleg left. I hit driver and it's a push fade, I'd say slice but the ball never started left. it started right and just went more right into the trees. Deep into the trees... I can't find my ball and it's marked as a hazard, so I drop 154 off the tee. I'm not about to bother trying to reach the green. I layup with a 6i, 138 yards, short of the green. The green is elevated above me and I have a blind shot. I hit a partial SW that goes 50 yards but it's a pull, so I'm 25 feet left of the hole. I hit my putt to 3 feet and then miss... Triple bogey, 7.

Sigh.

11- par 4, dogleg left, forced stream carry in front of the green. Elevated tee shot and i hit my normal 7w. it's a decent draw that goes 173 yards into the middle of the fairway. The hole is at the back of the green and I'm near the 150 marker. I decide to be safe and hit my 5i. it's a high fade, 158 yards, that lands on the green. I'm 12 feet short and right of the flag. My birdie putt gets inside a foot. So par, 4.

12 - par 4, 90* dogleg left. I hit driver and it's a decent draw, 189 yards into the fairway on the left side and past the corner. The green is elevated and the flag is on the right side. I hit 8i and it's a slight mishit. It's a high shot that carries the front bunker. I think I'm on but the ball is in the front fringe, 111 yard shot. I use my putter to chip and I have to go up the tier which is pretty steep. I hit the ball and it comes off the face odd. I don't know what happened but the ball hopped in the air at impact and started a bit left. I watch it roll up the tier and stop 4 feet from the hole. I hit the par putt and it catches the lip and spins out... Bogey, 5.

13 - par 3, slightly uphill. The flag is mid right and I decide to hit 9i. It's a high, I think draw, that looks like it misses barely right. Sure enough I'm in the right fringe, 119 yards off the tee. I chip with putter to 5 feet and miss the par putt. So a 1 footer for bogey, 4.

14 - par 5, elevated tee shot. there's a large pond/small lake on the right side as you approach this green. I hit driver and it's a push fade, 211 yards into the right rough. I decide to hit my 4w on the slight downhill lie. I catch it thin and it's a low shot that goes 160 yards into the fairway on the right. The flag is on the left side and aiming there takes most of the water out of play. I hit 6i and it's a high pull that misses left and takes the cart path a bit. I'm not in the rough behind the green, on a slight elevation. i have to go over a bunker and land on the green... Time for a flop shot with the SW. I set up and hit the shot. The ball pops up in the air and lands on the green, stopping 15 feet to the left of the hole. My par putt stops about a foot out, bogey 6.

Anyone detect a trend yet? lol.

15 - short par 4, elevated tee shot. This hole is cart path only year round because it is always wet. I hit a slight push fade, 208 yards, into the right rough. Great shot overall. The hole is back right and it's about 60 yards. Partial SW time. I swing and the club hits behind the ball and slides under it thanks to all of the mud... it's a high weak shot that goes 33 yards and land short of the green. I have a pitch to make and I chunk it too... I chip and hit it thin and 12 feet past the hole, lol. I was in great position off the tee and fell apart. I look the bogey putt over and sink it. Bogey, 5.

Sigh.

16 - par 3, forced stream carry. The hole is on the left side and this green slopes left to right. I hit my 7i and it's a high draw that lands on the green and releases to the right. I'm 27 feet from the hole and going uphill. i hit my putt and it rolls 7 feet past the hole...So three putts for bogey, 4.

17 - par 4, slight dogleg left. i hit driver and it's a solid fade, 214 yards, into the fairway on the right side. I'm at the outside edge of the corner and decide to hit my 5i. The flag is left and this green slopes sharply left to right. I hit the shot and it's a high pull, 151 yards, and over the left side of the green. I'm in soft ground and have to go over a little hump to get onto a green that slopes away from me. The flag isn't that far either. I decide to use putter and hit the ball. it rolls over the hump and onto the green. The ball goes about 18 yards and stops 4 feet from the hole. Great shot! I hit the par putt and it lips out... Bogey, 5.

Can I sigh again?

18 - par 5, forced stream carry on an approach and there's a pond in play if you go for the green in 3. The tee shot is slightly elevated and I hit a fade with my driver. it's a high shot and only goes 166 yards. I never try to carry the stream in two, so i layup to the left with my 7i. It's a high shot, decently struck, that goes 132 yards, into the fairway on the left side, short of the stream. I don't want to go for the green from here. I do the smart thing and follow my plan for this hole. I hit my 6i into the fairway to the left of the green. This takes the pond out of play. It's an okay shot that goes 129 yards into the soft fairway. The flag is back right and i hit a partial PW, 81 yards onto the green. i'm 29 feet from the hole and my par putt stops 4 feet short. I then miss, 3 putt double bogey, 7.

45/47 92. To be honest I am very happy with this round. I did not have any hot streaks of pars but I played very steady. Sure, I had a triple and 2 doubles. One par, one birdie, and 13 bogies. This is the type of round I need to get to my goal. Start playing bogey golf and eventually the pars will kick in to get down to 85 or lower. A confidence builder, especially because i have been struggling of late. Also it was not scoring weather unless 40 degrees and wet is suddenly good...

Stats for the number junkies. I lost 7.3 strokes to a 12 index. Any guesses where it was? My driving was -1.9. my approach game was -1.2!!!! Holy crap, my approaches didn't suck for a change! Short game was +0.7, sand shots and the putter from the fringe helped offset the bad chips/pitches. Putting -5.0, holy crap I sucked with the flat stick. Fairways 8/14. GIR 4/18. Up and down 1/12 and 38 putts....

I think I'll keep working on NTC and the chipping/pitching. I feel like getting that rhythm down bled into my full swing. I'll keep working on that stuff and see what happens. Putting is getting worse and I'll have to work on it. I think part of it is greens being slow. Still, no excuses. It's all on me in the end. Anyhow I am happy with how this round went and I am hopeful that i can start building on it.

bortass · February 8, 2021

56 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

Glad to hear it went so well (and that you didn't get shot!). We've talked about swing speed before, so I hope you are still working on it! If you get faster,you can start trolling ebay for new shafts, it is one of my favorite games!

I still agree with your initial take that new irons aren't going to resolve any overall problems, but I do think it's something you should keep on your radar. 15 yards with a 4 degree difference is more than expected, so you were hitting them farther, even when adjusted for loft. That said, I agree $200 is a ton to spend per iron. Or at least it is for me...

I think you are smart to hold off on the woods, but definitely keep them in mind as you get some more rounds in... Hopefully the new driver will net you some bigger drives and lower scores (which might also motivate you to chase more distance!)... Just don't get to my level and injure your back.

I hear ya. We decided that there was no reason to go into the mall proper. No thanks Jeffery.

Cost is a big factor with the irons, mainly because there are so many of them and PXG isn't super cheap in this space. I got the green light for a new driver and I feel like technology has grown in that area that could help me more. Plus my driver is not fit at all. If I do gain 20 yards on average, that's pretty big. I was surprised that I got a PXG driver with a 2021 head for less than I would expect to spend on a TM driver. The sale helps but I think MSRP was lower than the other OEMs anyhow. The woods were nice but cost more than the driver, lol. They have the builds saved on my account, so I can just call and order them if I want at a later date.

The funny thing is I hit myself in the head with a ball. the first time I've ever been struck by a golf ball and I hit it... The ball hit the screen up high and richocheted back and me hitting me on top of the head. Kinda amusing, lol.

Myherobobhope · February 9, 2021

Yeah, honestly, I only recommended pxg for the driver because the cost was so low, you are near one and their reputation for fitting is really good.

the other stuff can wait and be done cheaper.

bortass · February 9, 2021

14 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

Yeah, honestly, I only recommended pxg for the driver because the cost was so low, you are near one and their reputation for fitting is really good.

the other stuff can wait and be done cheaper.

Well I'm glad you did. The driver price was real good IMO. I got the specs yesterday. 2021 0211 10.5* head. The shaft is an EvenFlow Riptide CB 40g 5.0. 45.5 inches. My first new club in 10+ years. I am a little scared about using it though. My current driver has idiot marks on it.... lol.

I emailed the fitter to get the specs of the woods and asked which iron head he had me hit. I looked at their site again and the 0211 irons are $109 a club right now. I must have looked at the gen 3 irons which are 200+ per club on sale. So maybe PXG irons would be doable someday. Luckily I'm not a club ho, so any club I buy is likely to be used for a long time. that makes it easier to spend a bit more.

Have you read more of the Practice Manual? I'm still working through chapter 3 and have yet to get to a single drill. I am liking it though. The explanation about how we learn, variability, self organization, etc alone makes it a worthwhile read. Learning a bit about how we learn, lol.

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