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

[TheDeanAbides]

10 hours ago, bortass said:

The rain stopped, so I was able to get a small range session in. I was limited in the number of balls I had about 20-30 because I had to scavenge them off the practice green. So I only really worked on one thing: practice goal #3 - Work on set-up and takeaway

 

I was trying to use the process that @TheDeanAbides has written of. I don't know if I'm doing it correct but I'll stick with it on the range. I just focused on the first part of NTC. So address the ball, vertically hinge the wrists, then horizontally hinge the wrists, then push the hands back to 7 o'clock, pause, and try to hit the ball. I did what Monte talked about in BF and his IG Live session last week about doing a few drills and then just hitting a few balls, rinse and repeat. So I would do the drill with 3 balls and then hit about 5. I think it was a very positive session. There were times with the drill where the ball flight was okay, followed by a great one. The part about hitting 5 balls i did something new, for me, I took my 7i and only swung back to left arm parallel and the club being vertical. I consider that a 3/4 swing but my naming may be off. From there I made an easy swing through the ball. Something interesting happened, I started off not hitting it so well and by the end of my session I was making pretty good contact with great ball flight. It was probably the best I have ever hits a swing like that with my 7i.

 

The last 3-5 balls I just hit with a full swing. The results were good but improved a lot when I thought about doing Cast B to start my downswing. I hit very solid true fades versus an okay slight push fade. I have noticed on the range and course that I seem to hit the ball better with that swing thought/intent. So I'll need to keep at it.

 

Speaking of Monte's IG livestream from last week- for me the best part is when he talked about on the range versus on the course. On the range, you do not care where the ball goes. You're trying to change things via drills, slow motion, exaggeration, etc. You're not gonna hit the ball great all the time doing that and it's fine. On the course, forget all the swing stuff. You're just trying to hit the ball the best you can and need to accept bad shots happen. Don't be thinking about swing changes while playing. I am paraphrasing but that's my take on it. I thought it was very good to hear that coming from a top instructor. Level setting the process and how practice and course are not the same and shouldn't be treated the same.

 

It may have been a short session but I felt it was very productive. I hope to get again before my round Saturday to work on things more.

Cast B is used for P3 swings because there isn't time for cast A, but you need cast A if you're going to make full swings because cast B alone will make you too steep. Cast A is going to feel very strange. If it doesn't you ain't doing it. 

[BigTerp1524]

15 hours ago, bortass said:

I don't know if I'm doing it correct but I'll stick with it on the range. I just focused on the first part of NTC. So address the ball, vertically hinge the wrists, then horizontally hinge the wrists, then push the hands back to 7 o'clock, pause, and try to hit the ball. I did what Monte talked about in BF and his IG Live session last week about doing a few drills and then just hitting a few balls, rinse and repeat. So I would do the drill with 3 balls and then hit about 5. I think it was a very positive session.

 

I'd highly suggest getting some video of yourself so you can be CERTAIN you are doing it correctly. I've been working on some NTC stuff recently as well. Was doing the same drill you describe where you set your wrists, push the club back to 7/left arm parallel, pausing and then swinging through. Took some video of myself doing some P3/left arm parallel swings and I was taking a nearly full backswing, easily 3/4 at least. It FELT like left arm parallel but was no where close. Since I felt like I was at P3 I was only doing cast B which caused me to come in steep and hit across the ball (hello slice!!). It's a bit of a pain in the butt, and feels like it cuts into my already limited practice time, but I'm forcing myself to take more video to ensure I'm doing what I'm intending to do. Counterproductive to be engraining bad moves!!

 

15 hours ago, bortass said:

Speaking of Monte's IG livestream from last week- for me the best part is when he talked about on the range versus on the course. On the range, you do not care where the ball goes. You're trying to change things via drills, slow motion, exaggeration, etc. You're not gonna hit the ball great all the time doing that and it's fine. On the course, forget all the swing stuff. You're just trying to hit the ball the best you can and need to accept bad shots happen. Don't be thinking about swing changes while playing. I am paraphrasing but that's my take on it. I thought it was very good to hear that coming from a top instructor. Level setting the process and how practice and course are not the same and shouldn't be treated the same.

 

I've embraced this as well recently. I mostly hit foam balls into a net, so don't get to see full ball flight, but get good feedback on initial shot direction. My miss with my irons is a push and push/slice. Was working on a lot of NTC stuff recently and I started hitting a lot of pulls. Swing felt good, but results were opposite of my typical miss. Which is exactly what Monte says will happen when you start making the right changes. I've also stopped worrying with contact, direction, flight, etc. when doing drills like we talked about above. Have started focusing on the feel and intent of each drill, which is the point. Before, the above would annoy and discourage me but now I realize it should be just the opposite and I feel like my practice time is much more productive.

[BigTerp1524]

5 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Cast A is going to feel very strange. If it doesn't you ain't doing it. 

 

I agree with this. It feels rather awkward and forced, but the feel of the club coming through on the right line (plane) and in sync as a result of properly doing cast A feels great!!  

[bortass]

15 hours ago, 95124hacker said:

I hear that all the time: don’t have swing thoughts on the course while playing. BUT… then how do you bring your range game to the course and when? If you’re just focusing on target while playing, then what good are swing changes in the first place?  
 

So my philosophy (granted I don’t have any PGA Tour wins to back this up) is to implement swing changes immediately on the course & accept your score, unless you’re playing for a $15M FedEx Cup grand prize. Really who cares about score during a swing change? If you don’t try out swing changes on the course, you’re just delaying the learning curve.

 

8 hours ago, berndgeurts said:

I think there is a difference between changing your swing mid round and playing a round trying to swing your new swing. 

 

Changing mid round is a not preferable, It almost always leads to changing a swing on a shot result per shot. Find your miss and work on that. Not per shot, but 20-30 shots showing the same miss. 

 

 I oversimplified it.  @berndgeurtsdid a better job.   He was highlighting that most people have their focus backwards when it comes to range versus course.  Monte said something along the lines of a mid to high cap on the course 'That one went right, I need to change my grip. I bladed that, I need to stay down' Etc, etc. He was giving his example of someone that's on the course and trying to make all kinds of changes. Your range work will slowly creep into your swing on the course. If you hit a bad shot because you didn't do what you are working on, don't worry about it. Bad shots happen, "oh well do better next time" ( pretty sure he said that part verbatim).  

 

Again just how I interpreted it: On the range, don't expect perfect swings/ball flight working on drills. On the course, just focus on making the best contact possible and don't start messing with things after a bad shot. 

[bortass]

7 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Cast B is used for P3 swings because there isn't time for cast A, but you need cast A if you're going to make full swings because cast B alone will make you too steep. Cast A is going to feel very strange. If it doesn't you ain't doing it. 

 

2 hours ago, BigTerp1524 said:

 

I agree with this. It feels rather awkward and forced, but the feel of the club coming through on the right line (plane) and in sync as a result of properly doing cast A feels great!!  

 

Yeah, I'm just not there yet. I have worked Cast B with swings that are roughly shaft parallel on the backswing which is how I hit my partial shots. That partial swing is something I use a lot on the course, so it was easy for me to skip ahead with that drill. I have not worked on Cast A much at all and it does feel strange to me. I'll get to it after I get the backswing in better shape.

 

I don't know why the intent of doing cast B from the top of a full swing helps but it does. I'll have to get video of it at some point. It may be the feel versus real. That feeling gets me to move better, like Monte says about starting with the arms in BF. The reality is your hips will always move first. I dunno, I do know results appear better /shrug

 

 

[BigTerp1524]

2 minutes ago, bortass said:

I don't know why the intent of doing cast B from the top of a full swing helps but it does.

 

Was just watching some of the NTC stuff again last night, and Monte addresses this specifically. He says you must have the intent of doing cast A right from the start of transition and cast B instantly after so they happen in sequence. So get to the top then BOOM BOOM, you're done. It will feel like you're doing it from the top, when in fact cast A will happen about 10-20% into the down swing followed by cast B when the shaft is about parallel.  

[TheDeanAbides]

35 minutes ago, bortass said:

 

 

Yeah, I'm just not there yet. I have worked Cast B with swings that are roughly shaft parallel on the backswing which is how I hit my partial shots. That partial swing is something I use a lot on the course, so it was easy for me to skip ahead with that drill. I have not worked on Cast A much at all and it does feel strange to me. I'll get to it after I get the backswing in better shape.

 

I don't know why the intent of doing cast B from the top of a full swing helps but it does. I'll have to get video of it at some point. It may be the feel versus real. That feeling gets me to move better, like Monte says about starting with the arms in BF. The reality is your hips will always move first. I dunno, I do know results appear better /shrug

 

 

Results are better because you're actually releasing the club. Think of it as a taste of what's to come. 🙂

[bortass]

Got out for a quick 18 today. I didn't see anyone except the couple that let me play through on #8. I didn't rush and I was done in 2 hours and 40 minutes..... No warm up prior to the round. Weather was sunny, low 70s with not my wind. It had been raining the last few days so the fairways were soft and things haven't been mowed. Overall a great day. The round itself was stellar, see below if you want details, but the conversation that happened earlier this week in this thread really hit home with me. I enjoyed myself out there, even with some of disasters I created. My swing thought was to try to do cast B at the start of my downswing. It worked real well until towards the end of the round. Full swings were pretty good and I was hitting baby draws a fair bit which is a change for me. It was great.

 

One thing I noticed is the ball was going exactly where I was facing at the end of my follow through. I had some 'pushes and pulls' where I ended up facing right where the ball went. So my alignment is off I think. I may be hitting the ball straighter than I think, lol.

 

 

I stayed on the white tees today. I do plan to try to mix my tee boxes up some going forward when i go play on my own.

 

1 – par 4, 404 yards, straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. It's a nice baby draw down the right side, 229 yards, and it ends up about a yard into the right rough. I have about 170ish to center and it's a back right hole, behind the bunker. I aim more for middle and hit my 7w. Contact is very good and it's a high shot that misses the green completely left, 180 yards. The ball is in the rough and my pitch goes 25 yards and lands on the green but I'm 30 feet short. I leave the par putt 10 feet short and it's a 3 putt double bogey, 6.

 

2 – par 3, 142 yards, #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. The hole is front right, behind a bunker. I decide to hit a partial 8i. Contact is good with a baby draw but the ball is going left of where I wanted and I'm in the front left bunker, 118 yards. It takes me 3 to get out and I'm now 25 feet past the hole. My double bogey putt stops 3 feet past the hole and I miss again for a three putt quad, 7.

 

LOL!

 

3 – par 5, 458 yards, dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. I aim towards the left rough past the corner and hit a baby draw, 218 yards, through the fairway and about 6 feet into said rough. My lie is fine and I go with my 4w. Contact is pretty good and it's a highish draw, 192 yards, that ends up in the left rough by about a foot. The hole is back right and around 60ish yards. I hit a partial SW and it's a good looking shot. The ball ends up in the back fringe near the hole. I chip with my putter to a foot and come away with the first par of the day, 5.

 

4 – par 4, 293 yards, straight, #15 HCP, water left and OoB right. Right side has a slope. There's a fairway bunker on the right. My drive is a slight push fade, 207 yards, into the rough to the right of the fairway bunker on the right side. I'm above the green and the hole is middle right. I hit my partial AW heavy and it's a high shot that hits the back lip of the bunker I needed to carry and it kicks back in a few yards, 69 yard shot and I only need about another foot for a decent shot. Oh well. This time I mange to get out of the bunker in 1 for a change. I have 9 feet for par and I miss by just a touch and I sink the 2 footer for bogey, 5.

 

5- par 5, 501 yards, dogleg right, #5 HCP, hazard down the left side. There's a slope on the right side which makes the fairway narrow in the landing spot. A stream runs down the right side from the corner to near the green. This drive is a bad push fade way right, 201 yards. My ball is sitting in grass that's 8 inches high. I have no good shot, so I take my SW and hack the ball about 46 yards into the fairway. Now I can clear the corner with my 4w. Contact is good and it's another high draw, 177 yards, into the fairway on the left side. The hole is front right and around 100 yards. I decide to hit a partial 9i and contact is real good. It's a high shot, 102 yards to the back right and 30 feet past the hole. I guess my GPS was off. I'm putting down the tier and I get it to 2 feet and secure a bogey, 6.

 

6 – par 4, 367 yards, slight dogleg left, #7 HCP. Medium width landing area with a bunker on the left. Houses are on the right and there's a sharp slope into the left trees if you end up too far into the left rough. I hit a low baby draw down the right side, 209 yards, and I'm finally in the fairway off the tee. The hole id front left behind a bunker and around 160ish. I take my 5i and hit a decent looking shot but I'm going to miss the green well left. It would have looked like a pull but I am facing exactly where the ball went at the end of my follow through.... It was a 150 yard shot into the rough. I pitch onto the green with my SW, 21 feet past the hole. I get the par putt to 2 feet and come away with a bogey, 5.

 

7 – par 4, 351 yards, slight dogleg right, #11 HCP, elevated tee shot to a wide open fairway that slopes down right to left all the way to about the 100 yard marker. Bunkers on the left marking the corner and a slope on the right. I aim towards the left rough way in the distance where I can't reach and hit a high baby draw. It was perfect looking and it goes 255 yards into the middle of the fairway. My ball is about a yard to the right of the 100 yard marker... The hole is front left, behind the bunker, and around 80ish yards. I hit a partial AW and it carries the bunker. I think it's a good shot and when I get to the green i'm 14 feet past the hole. It was an 80 yard shot, so at least I had that part right. I hit the putt and it barely reaches the hole and drops for birdie, 3.

 

8 – par 3, 160 yards, elevated tee shot, #13 HCP, bunker on the right side of the green. Slope to the right of this hole that is weed whacked. So it's long stuff and wild. Balls can get lost here. A couple waves me through. The hole is middle right and I figure a partial 8i. I tee off and it's a push into the long grass on the right hand slope. I hit a provisional, same shot but I make sure to do cast B and it's a mid height draw, 145 yards that misses the green by a foot to the left. No sign of ball 31 and I wasn't gonna take a long time to look since people were waiting. I chip with my putter to a foot and have a double bogey, 5 after adding the 2 stroke penalty.

 

9 – par 4, 357 yards, straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. This drive is a low draw, 202 yards. I'm in the fairway a couple ayrds from the 150 marker. The hole is front right and I decide to hit my 6i. Contact is very solid and my ball carries to the back right of the green and rolls into the fringe, 154 yards... I'm going down a tier and chip with my putter. The ball almost dies at the tier and makes it past the crest. It slowly rolls at the hole and I miss a bit high and 5 feet long. Sounds bad but it's actually very good from where I was. I two putt for bogey, 5.

 

10 – par 4, 342 yards, dogleg left, #10 HCP hole. Elevated tee shot to a lower fairway. Green is elevated with a bunker front right. I tee off with my 7w and it's a great high draw, 203 yards, right into the middle of the fairway. The hole is back right and it's an elevated green. I decide to hit my 6i and make decent contact. It's a bit thin but the ball gets up in the right fringe almost hole high, 139 yards. I chip with my putter and sent it 8 feet long... The par putt stops 4 inches out and I have a bogey, 5.

 

11 – par 4, 329 yards, 90* dogleg left, #12 HCP. Fairway eventually slopes down to a stream short of the green, forced carry. The other hole I tee off with my 7w. This time I hit it off the toe and it's a mid height draw that goes 172 yards into the center of the fairway. The hole is front left and about 140ish. Arccos is saying 8i with the elevation difference. I take my 7i instead and plan to go for the middle of the green. My aim is off but contact is not. I hit a very high baby draw over the left corner of the green and into a bunker, 153 yards. I blade my sand shot into the stream... Technically the ball wasn't in the stream but it was in the big rocks that line the bank, so I drop. I dub my chip and have a 30 foot putt for double bogey. I blow it 9 feet long and 3 putt for another smooth quad, 8.

 

12 – par 4, 315 yards, 90* dogleg left, #14 HCP, green is elevated. Narrow tee shot that opens as you reach the corner.My drive is a push fade, 212 yards, into the fairway bunker that marks the outside of the corner on the right. I have a decent lie and hit my 9i, 88 yards, and just short of the green. I chip to 9 feet and the par putt comes up less than 6 inches from the hole, so a bogey, 5.

 

13 – par 3, 123 yards, #18 HCP, green is elevated with bunkers short right and left and long left. Tiered green as well. Hole is baxck right and GPS is saying 120ish. I decide to hit a partial 9i for some reason. Contact is off and it only goes 97 yards into the fairway, short of the green. I'm chipping with my putter and I'm going through a few yards of grass and then up a tier on the green. I tell myself I gotta give it some gas and I do. Right off the back of the green... I chip with putter agin to 6 feet and two putt for a double bogey, 5.

 

LOL.

 

14 – par 4, 543, straight hole, #4 HCP. Elevated teeshot to wide open fairway. Fairway slopes down left to right, water on the right closer to the green and fronting the entire green. I top my driver, 88 yards. My ball is by the forward tees in fairway height grass where the mow a strip for people that walk the course. I have a good lie but am not about to get frisky. I punch a partial 5i, 150 yards, down the fairway. I now have a more normal lie and hit my 4w off the toe and it only goes 157 yards. I'm still in the fairway and the hole is back. I decide to hit my 7i and it's a high draw that land son the green and ends up just past pin high and 18 feet to the right. I hit the par putt to a foot and get a bogey, 6.

 

15 – par 4, 264 yards, straight, #16 HCP. Elevated tee shot to a fairway that is always soft abd cart path only year round. Fairway bunkers on left side in line with the green. Bunker surround this green except for the left side. Somethign rare happens with my tee shot. I hit a tree slice... the ball curves a bit left and takes a massive swing to the right, 186 yards. I'm just to the right of the cart path and my ball is sitting on bare ground with rocks. I take relief from the cart path which lets me drop furthe rinto the woods but at least it's just dirt in there. The ball is well above my feet and I have to hack down on it. I don't expect to reach the green and decide to use my AW. Contact is too good and the ball gets airborne and strikes a branch and drops 23 yards in front of me. Oops... I screw up the partial SW into the green by hitting it very fat. My club slides through the wet clay and the ball goes about 48 yards. I pitch on and 42 feet past the hole. My first putt is 9 feet long.... A three putt triple bogey, 7.

 

16 – par 3, 147 yards, #8 HCP. Elevated green with a forced stream carry. Bunkers short right and long left and middle. Tiered green with a strong back left to front right slope. Hole is front right and I decide on a partial 7i. I catch it heavy and it goes 126 yards into the front bunker. I pick it clean with my SW into the back bunker. My next sand shot goes off the front of the green. I chip to a foot with my putter and have another awesome double bogey, 5.

 

17 – par 4, 363 yards, dogleg left, #6 HCP. Fairly open fairway with bunkers on the right at the corner. Green has a tier and heavily slopes left to right, can putt off this green... Bunkers short of the green as well. My driver is surprise surprise another true slice, this time into the first fairway bunker on the right, 220 yards. I take my 7i and whack the ball out of it, 121 yards, and short of the green. I screw up my pitch and leave it short. I then chip it to 3 feet and make that putt for a bogey, 5.

 

18 – par 5, 504 yards, straightish, #2 HCP. There is a stream carry on either the second or third shot. There is also a pond fronting the green... Guess what? A slice into the right trees... It's marked as a hazard and I drop where it went in about 181 off the tee. I punch my 7i 130 yards into the left rough, short of the stream. I hit a thinish 6i across the stream, 155 yards and I'm in the fairway at last. I hit a partial SW and it goes 76 yards into the back bunker... My sand shot barely gets out and I'm in the back fringe. Chip to 14 feet and 2 putt for a nice quad, 9.

 

A 46/54 100 with 3 quads. Par 3s killed me. I was hitting my full irons well, so maybe I should stick with that instead of trying partial iron shots on them. Short game sucked, mostly thanks to the sand shots, I lost 5.2 strokes with sand shots inside 25 yards.... Overall my short game lost me 3.6 strokes, so my chipping even while not good was still positive. Driving the ball was actually not bad until the end. I did better than I have been lately and only had 1 penalty with my driver. Putting wasn't great either but turned out to be the best part of my game per SG, lol.

 

birdies: 1

pars: 2

bogeys: 7

double bogeys: 4

triple+: 4

 

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 199 yards

Longest drive: 255 yards

Fairways: 6/14

GIR: 1/18

Avg Approach: 125 yards

Up & down: 4/18

Putts: 33

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -15.5 strokes

driving: -3.3

Approach: -7.5

Short game: -3.6

Putting: -1.0

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

23 minutes ago, bortass said:

 

Par 3s killed me. I was hitting my full irons well, so maybe I should stick with that instead of trying partial iron shots on them. 

 

 

I don't think the takeaway from Monte's discussions on the whole driver / PW distance thread is that you should be hitting partial iron shots. I think the takeaway is that those scoring clubs should be hit for accuracy, not for distance. 

 

For me, a 150 yard shot is a full swing 9i. That's not a "step on it" 9i. That's not a "hit it as hard as I can" 9i. That's just a nice relaxed swing. 

 

If I try to hit a partial 8i for that shot, I don't have enough practice to know how much to take off an 8i to hit 150. Sometimes it might be close to 160, sometimes it might be 135. 

 

I think the point is that you shouldn't be trying to hit your max effort shot on every short iron. That doesn't mean that you should hit partial shots a lot, it means that you should be realistic about what distance a nice normal swing will reach and hit to that.

[bortass]

1 hour ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

I don't think the takeaway from Monte's discussions on the whole driver / PW distance thread is that you should be hitting partial iron shots. I think the takeaway is that those scoring clubs should be hit for accuracy, not for distance. 

 

For me, a 150 yard shot is a full swing 9i. That's not a "step on it" 9i. That's not a "hit it as hard as I can" 9i. That's just a nice relaxed swing. 

 

If I try to hit a partial 8i for that shot, I don't have enough practice to know how much to take off an 8i to hit 150. Sometimes it might be close to 160, sometimes it might be 135. 

 

I think the point is that you shouldn't be trying to hit your max effort shot on every short iron. That doesn't mean that you should hit partial shots a lot, it means that you should be realistic about what distance a nice normal swing will reach and hit to that.

Makes sense.
 

Normally the partial shots are mishit less and go in the right direction most of the time. I have a good idea of my distances based on my typical mishit. I don’t feel like I try to kill the ball with a full swing either. So I’ll see what tomorrow brings.

 

You playing this weekend?

[betarhoalphadelta]

38 minutes ago, bortass said:

 

You playing this weekend?

Got the kids this weekend and a busy schedule, so no rounds (even 9). Hoping to get my son out to the range but actually spend the entire bucket on his practice rather than mine...

 

[Myherobobhope]

On 10/8/2021 at 7:02 PM, bortass said:

Makes sense.
 

Normally the partial shots are mishit less and go in the right direction most of the time. I have a good idea of my distances based on my typical mishit. I don’t feel like I try to kill the ball with a full swing either. So I’ll see what tomorrow brings.

 

You playing this weekend?

I think this is one of those areas where people have a different perception and things can get lost in translation between what our brain processes and how we use the words to describe it…

 

Add that to the fact that the golf swing is a unique and personal thing and we get into a weird spot…

 

Full vs partial swing means different things to different people… I have a “100%” swing in my mind, which is different than my full swing (my 80% swing) which is different than my not so happy Gilmore swing where I’m hoping the club hits the ball and not the ground for wrist health reasons…

 

Your “full” swing, in my opinion, should be the swing that hits the ball the most consistent distance, most of the time… I’ve shortened my back swing and am just focused on making a good turn into the ball… it feels like a 3/4 swing, but man my irons are 🔥… it will slowly creep back into a more full swing and the ball will go slightly farther and I’ll eventually lose control of the club and I’ll finally go back to a 3/4 swing (I go through this cycle around 5 times a year).

 

This long rant is basically to say, find a swing you are comfortable with and hits the ball consistently. Doesn’t matter how long it is or how far you hit the ball… consistency is key.

 

Partial swings are going to mess with distance control unless you practice them a ton… it’s one of my goals this off-season to dial in my wedges on these shots.

 

Just find one swing length and commit to it. Don’t try to step on a club or lay off a club. If you have 125 yards to the center of the green, hit the 130 or 120 club FULL and commit to it… probably the 130 club unless there is trouble long. 

Im still struggling with this concept! But I’m getting better.

[berndgeurts]

3 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

I think this is one of those areas where people have a different perception and things can get lost in translation between what our brain processes and how we use the words to describe it…

 

Add that to the fact that the golf swing is a unique and personal thing and we get into a weird spot…

 

Full vs partial swing means different things to different people… I have a “100%” swing in my mind, which is different than my full swing (my 80% swing) which is different than my not so happy Gilmore swing where I’m hoping the club hits the ball and not the ground for wrist health reasons…

 

Your “full” swing, in my opinion, should be the swing that hits the ball the most consistent distance, most of the time… I’ve shortened my back swing and am just focused on making a good turn into the ball… it feels like a 3/4 swing, but man my irons are 🔥… it will slowly creep back into a more full swing and the ball will go slightly farther and I’ll eventually lose control of the club and I’ll finally go back to a 3/4 swing (I go through this cycle around 5 times a year).

 

This long rant is basically to say, find a swing you are comfortable with and hits the ball consistently. Doesn’t matter how long it is or how far you hit the ball… consistency is key.

 

Partial swings are going to mess with distance control unless you practice them a ton… it’s one of my goals this off-season to dial in my wedges on these shots.

 

Just find one swing length and commit to it. Don’t try to step on a club or lay off a club. If you have 125 yards to the center of the green, hit the 130 or 120 club FULL and commit to it… probably the 130 club unless there is trouble long. 

Im still struggling with this concept! But I’m getting better.

I think every player should practice easy swings instead of full swings. Speed will come with good technique. Practicing 3/4 to easy full shots which do need cast A and B ( if sticking with NTC) is the way to go. I don't think partial swings will mess up distance control. They will ingrain good technique better.

But I agree: find a relaxed swing, consistency is key.

Half shots are a different kind, they only need cast B.

[Myherobobhope]

5 hours ago, berndgeurts said:

I think every player should practice easy swings instead of full swings. Speed will come with good technique. Practicing 3/4 to easy full shots which do need cast A and B ( if sticking with NTC) is the way to go. I don't think partial swings will mess up distance control. They will ingrain good technique better.

But I agree: find a relaxed swing, consistency is key.

Half shots are a different kind, they only need cast B.

I don’t think partial swings mess up distance control, I think it’s hard to have good distance control with partial swings. 

basically, on the course, I think you should have one swing length. You shouldn’t try to lay off or step on an iron or hit a half seven instead of a “full” eight. Figure the full swing out first. Your dispersion is large enough with one swing… my 9 iron covers a 10 yard pattern. I might as well aim at the center of the green, and if I miss it a little

end up on a front pin.

Partial swings are great to practice and and drive home different feels. Very useful on the range! Also great for punch shots when distance control is less of an issue.

 

[TheDeanAbides]

1 hour ago, Myherobobhope said:

I don’t think partial swings mess up distance control, I think it’s hard to have good distance control with partial swings. 

basically, on the course, I think you should have one swing length. You shouldn’t try to lay off or step on an iron or hit a half seven instead of a “full” eight. Figure the full swing out first. Your dispersion is large enough with one swing… my 9 iron covers a 10 yard pattern. I might as well aim at the center of the green, and if I miss it a little

end up on a front pin.

Partial swings are great to practice and and drive home different feels. Very useful on the range! Also great for punch shots when distance control is less of an issue.

 

Absolutely disagree. It's easy to control distance with partial swings when you practice them effectively and have decent technique. 
 

Every single golfer would drop shots from their cap if they learnt how to hit partial shots well. 

[Myherobobhope]

3 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Absolutely disagree. It's easy to control distance with partial swings when you practice them effectively and have decent technique. 
 

Every single golfer would drop shots from their cap if they learnt how to hit partial shots well. 

I mean, in the context of where we are... a thread about a guy trying to break 85, I don't think learning to control the distance of partial swings is particularly relevant advice... At this point, having one swing that goes the same distance 80% of the time would be a huge win.

 

I also don't think it's particularly easy to dial in distances with partial shots... and I have decent technique and access to a simulator to practice effectively... but 100% agree it's a great skill to master. 

[TheDeanAbides]

26 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

I mean, in the context of where we are... a thread about a guy trying to break 85, I don't think learning to control the distance of partial swings is particularly relevant advice... At this point, having one swing that goes the same distance 80% of the time would be a huge win.

 

I also don't think it's particularly easy to dial in distances with partial shots... and I have decent technique and access to a simulator to practice effectively... but 100% agree it's a great skill to master. 

I Creating an effective left arm parallel swing is effectively a smaller full swing  - it contains all the elements of a neutral backswing and improves all golfers. It's also easier to practice because it's less fatiguing. 

 

Monte often talks about making 70% of practice these partial swings because the build solid foundations and give us usable shots to play golf with. 

 

People tend to overthink distance control and make it too robotic. If you think of these partial swings as underarm throws it becomes easy, or as Monte says "It's about that far" in the same way you toss a ball to a target. 

[berndgeurts]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Monte often talks about making 70% of practice these partial swings because the build solid foundations and give us usable shots to play golf with. 

Like I said earlier🙂

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

I Creating an effective left arm parallel swing is effectively a smaller full swing  - it contains all the elements of a neutral backswing and improves all golfers. It's also easier to practice because it's less fatiguing. 

 

Monte often talks about making 70% of practice these partial swings because the build solid foundations and give us usable shots to play golf with. 

 

People tend to overthink distance control and make it too robotic. If you think of these partial swings as underarm throws it becomes easy, or as Monte says "It's about that far" in the same way you toss a ball to a target. 

Once again, context is important here... practicing partial shots to better master your "full" swing is a great idea and something everyone can and should do. 

 

Literally all I'm advocating for here is one length swing during the actual round of golf where you are trying to score and that being considered a "full" swing. My current "full" swing is built to feel like a 3/4 swing and is probably a 90% swing... but I feel like I'm making the same swing every time while on the course. 

 

My basic point is if you hit a "stock" 8 iron 150 yards, hit a stock 8 iron at a pin that is 145 yards away... and don't try to "take a little" off the swing... also, just because I CAN hit an 8 iron 160 yards doesn't mean my stock 8 iron isn't a 150 yard shot... 

 

My greatest success in golf comes when I take a "full" swing with my irons and commit to the targets. 

[berndgeurts]

5 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

My basic point is if you hit a "stock" 8 iron 150 yards, hit a stock 8 iron at a pin that is 145 yards away... and don't try to "take a little" off the swing... also, just because I CAN hit an 8 iron 160 yards doesn't mean my stock 8 iron isn't a 150 yard shot... 

Good point. Hit it with confidence.

 

Although I'd rather fade it 5 yards shorter, but then...context ,🙂

 

Arccos can sort this out. Someone already played a round using only Arccos' caddy advice?

Edited October 10, 2021 by berndgeurts

[TheDeanAbides]

1 hour ago, Myherobobhope said:

Once again, context is important here... practicing partial shots to better master your "full" swing is a great idea and something everyone can and should do. 

 

Literally all I'm advocating for here is one length swing during the actual round of golf where you are trying to score and that being considered a "full" swing. My current "full" swing is built to feel like a 3/4 swing and is probably a 90% swing... but I feel like I'm making the same swing every time while on the course. 

 

My basic point is if you hit a "stock" 8 iron 150 yards, hit a stock 8 iron at a pin that is 145 yards away... and don't try to "take a little" off the swing... also, just because I CAN hit an 8 iron 160 yards doesn't mean my stock 8 iron isn't a 150 yard shot... 

 

My greatest success in golf comes when I take a "full" swing with my irons and commit to the targets. 

Okay, with you. That's definitely a good idea when you're trying to break 85. Make golf as simple as possible and commit to the shot. 👍🏻

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Okay, with you. That's definitely a good idea when you're trying to break 85. Make golf as simple as possible and commit to the shot. 👍🏻

I think, ultimately, what's interesting about golf, and one of the reasons I try to keep up with Bortass (other than the fact I'm rooting for him) is that golf is a weird game with lots of moving parts... everyone has their own battles, foibles, strengths and weaknesses... some things that work for people don't work for others.

 

I actually could be completely wrong... the next big leap for Bortass might be learning to dial in less than full shots, simply because it teaches him more face and path control and that bleeds over to his full swing (or he figures out that a 50% effort swing goes 80% of the distance, but does so more consistently). 

 

I think the biggest challenge in golf is that we have to commit to changes without seeing the results... I know if I eat less calories for a month, I am going to lose weight... this isn't even basic biology, it's simple physics. If I use more energy than I consume, I lose mass. 

 

Golf on the other hand, is a freaking black box of challenges. I've recently been playing from the forward tees (once on a whim, twice because the club shut down all the other tee boxes)... my one round from my regular tees in between these rounds had the best front 9 I've ever had (35) and featured birdies on two holes I had never birdied.. my back nine, where I've broken par multiple times and consistently shoot 2-3 shots lower on was a trainwreck... and I can track it all down to my tee shot on the 9th hole where I started overthinking my swing. I couldn't get it back together and made 4 doubles and 5 pars... It was a humbling experience and a reminder of the importance of the mental game... no matter how well we swing, we have to be committed and confident to the shot. Or at least I do. 

 

That front nine was fun, though. 

 

Regardless, I think anyone who has been in this thread long term is rooting for Bortass and trying to help him. I'm not his swing coach, his golf pathfinder or anything else... Though I am very interested to see if there is some sort of aha moment... He's clearly putting in the work and thinking about it, and I know it's going to translate to better golf, even if the progress isn't as linear as any of us had hoped. 

[TheDeanAbides]

9 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

I think, ultimately, what's interesting about golf, and one of the reasons I try to keep up with Bortass (other than the fact I'm rooting for him) is that golf is a weird game with lots of moving parts... everyone has their own battles, foibles, strengths and weaknesses... some things that work for people don't work for others.

 

I actually could be completely wrong... the next big leap for Bortass might be learning to dial in less than full shots, simply because it teaches him more face and path control and that bleeds over to his full swing (or he figures out that a 50% effort swing goes 80% of the distance, but does so more consistently). 

 

I think the biggest challenge in golf is that we have to commit to changes without seeing the results... I know if I eat less calories for a month, I am going to lose weight... this isn't even basic biology, it's simple physics. If I use more energy than I consume, I lose mass. 

 

Golf on the other hand, is a freaking black box of challenges. I've recently been playing from the forward tees (once on a whim, twice because the club shut down all the other tee boxes)... my one round from my regular tees in between these rounds had the best front 9 I've ever had (35) and featured birdies on two holes I had never birdied.. my back nine, where I've broken par multiple times and consistently shoot 2-3 shots lower on was a trainwreck... and I can track it all down to my tee shot on the 9th hole where I started overthinking my swing. I couldn't get it back together and made 4 doubles and 5 pars... It was a humbling experience and a reminder of the importance of the mental game... no matter how well we swing, we have to be committed and confident to the shot. Or at least I do. 

 

That front nine was fun, though. 

 

Regardless, I think anyone who has been in this thread long term is rooting for Bortass and trying to help him. I'm not his swing coach, his golf pathfinder or anything else... Though I am very interested to see if there is some sort of aha moment... He's clearly putting in the work and thinking about it, and I know it's going to translate to better golf, even if the progress isn't as linear as any of us had hoped. 

My advice for him to work on P3 swings is primarily to help him build a more functional and neutral full swing. The fact that it'll help his short game is an added bonus. 🙂

[berndgeurts]

2 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

My advice for him to work on P3 swings is primarily to help him build a more functional and neutral full swing. The fact that it'll help his short game is an added bonus. 🙂

That's what I was trying to point out. 

 

 

@bortass you are on a journey and slowly improving. I think sticking with NTC, doing the drills (even at home without ball) will get you there. I see what NTC is doing for me and I've improved a lot over the year. Not noticable per week or month, but my swing from a year ago is very different from now.

 

[bortass]

@Myherobobhope @TheDeanAbides @berndgeurts @betarhoalphadelta Great discussion! It gives me things to think about and other perspectives which is great IMO.

 

Let me clarify something to help remove some of the lost in translation because I don't always go into great detail since I feel that I'm already too wordy with round descriptions.

 

I hit two types of normal shots on the course from about 70 yards and out.

 

There's a full swing which varies in length because I am not consistent, not on purpose.  It's what you see in the videos. Sometimes I make a full backswing and get my left shoulder under my chin but most times it's a touch shorter that that. I tend to have my better results when I do get the shoulder under the chin but I can only work on a couple things at a time. This is the swing I'm trying to fix.

 

There's what I call a partial wedge/iron. This swing is just club roughly parallel to the ground. I say roughly because I am sure there's some variation in it because of my competence level, just like my full swing. This is the only swing I use with SW, AW, and PW (outside of pitches with the SW). I never hit my wedges with my full swing. It's also the swing used to drill Cast B, so I have been hitting it on the range for over a year now.  I reached a point where I was very confident in this swing with my wedges earlier this year. I rarely mishit them and they rarely went off line. My stock yardages are/were SW 70 yards, AW 80 yards, PW 90 yards. It felt like a strength and was probably one of the stronger parts of my game.

 

So I have started to play around with using it with irons. I had some situations earlier this year where I was say 105 yards out. My partial PW is 90 yards( I need to revisit this later because Arccos no longer agrees). A full PW would probably reach but instead I hit a partial 9i. It worked well and so I have slowly been trying to expand my usage of that shot. Instead of a full 9i, try a partial 8i. This has come up more recently because I have been sending my par 3 tee shots in the wrong direction and it's killing me. I've also used it with decent results with my 5i on some tee shots at a sister course.

 

So hopefully that helps explain what I mean when I talk about a half/partial shot

 

Now  let's add in what Arccos says as of today regarding it's 'smart range' which is the variation that you should expect most of the time with mishits and long shots removed.

SW is 66 - 73 yards

AW is 81-89 yards

PW is 97-107 yards. I don't know what's going on with my PW because it was a 90 yard club for the longest time.

 

I think what has spurred the conversation is my round Friday had me mishitting my partial shots, and it bled in Saturday as well. It shows up as being more obvious because I have only recently tried to be more active in expanding it into irons versus keeping it wedge only.

 

I'm sure I'll write more later as I think about things etc.

 

[bortass]

On 10/10/2021 at 2:03 AM, berndgeurts said:

I think every player should practice easy swings instead of full swings. Speed will come with good technique. Practicing 3/4 to easy full shots which do need cast A and B ( if sticking with NTC) is the way to go. I don't think partial swings will mess up distance control. They will ingrain good technique better.

But I agree: find a relaxed swing, consistency is key.

Half shots are a different kind, they only need cast B.

 So you can do cast A with a 3/4 swing which to me is left arm parallel and club at 90*? This is not a swing I use on the range and definitely not on the course. I did start to try this swing on the range while working on my takeaway and I actually hit a few good ones. Time to expand my usage of it on the range because I always thought Cast A was drilled from the top of a full swing....

[TheDeanAbides]

46 minutes ago, bortass said:

 So you can do cast A with a 3/4 swing which to me is left arm parallel and club at 90*? This is not a swing I use on the range and definitely not on the course. I did start to try this swing on the range while working on my takeaway and I actually hit a few good ones. Time to expand my usage of it on the range because I always thought Cast A was drilled from the top of a full swing....

No. Left arm parallel swings don't give you time for cast A. 

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, bortass said:

Now  let's add in what Arccos says as of today regarding it's 'smart range' which is the variation that you should expect most of the time with mishits and long shots removed.

SW is 66 - 73 yards

AW is 81-89 yards

PW is 97-107 yards. I don't know what's going on with my PW because it was a 90 yard club for the longest time.

They worst part about hitting the ball better is it means it's not going where you expect it to... always takes a little adjustment. I love the concept of this partial swing and think it's a great tool to have in the bag, especially if it's working on the course. 

 

As you've said, there is a limited amount of time to practice, so you need to make sure it's spent on things that transition to the course... 

 

My original point of a full swing was hopefully clear, and it sounds like you have an idea of what a good full swing is for you (shoulder under the chin)... just have to build consistency with it!

 

I'm playing my 4th round from our forward tees on Wednesday... I'm tired of my course being 5100 yards, but our tee boxes are ripped to shreds... it's been an interesting experience and has taught me some lessons that hopefully stay with me into next season!

[bortass]

Saturday started out overcast and foggy. Thick dew coated  everything but the greens until it evaporated. Warm up on the range went well. I even hit a few out of the practice bunker which was so so. That bunker doesn't have the same conditions as most of the ones on the course do.

 

1 – par 4, 404 yards, straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. A solid shot, baby fade, with driver 215 yards into the fairway just right of center. The hole is on the left and I'm 180ish out, so it's still my typical 4w second shot. Contact is good and it's a high draw that's right on line. It lands on the slope in front of the green and the ball rolls backwards a bit, so only 169 yard shot. It was a great looking shot even if the results seem otherwise. I chip with my SW and make very good contact. The ball lands on the green and rolls at the hole and stops a foot short. So close to a birdie! Tap-in par, 4.

 

2 – par 3, 142 yards, #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. The hole is back left and I decide to hit an 8i. It's a high push, 139 yards, onto the right fringe towards the back of the green. The direction wasn't good but the distance was awesome. I expect my 8i to be about 130 yards or so. I chip with my putter, 15 yards, to 6 feet. I miss the par putt and have a tap-in from less than 6 inches for bogey, 4.

 

So far so good!

 

3 – par 5, 458 yards, dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. Contact is a bit thin and it's a fade around the corner, 209 yards. I'm in the fairway by a few feet on the right side. There's nothing wrong with my angles or lie, so I hit my 4w. The ball goes dead right, like over 45* right and into the trees. I think the ball was too far back in my stance. I'm not sure how I blocked a shot that right of my target line. The trees are marked as a hazard and I drop 84 yards from the prior spot. I have no shot at the green because i'm blocked by the little spur of the ridge that's on the right side. I figure just hitting my AW to get in position to go for the green. I mishit my half AW and block it right too. It goes into the trees on the spur but it's findable. The shot went 67 yards and I'm on bare dirt and have to keep it under branches. I'm also above the green. I try to punch a 7i at the green and mishit it as well but it goes fairly straight, 50 yards, and I'm short of the green. I hit a 32 yard pitch with my SW to 15 feet and two putt for a triple bogey, 8.

 

Well that sucked. I was feeling pretty good after the tee shot and i've been pretty decent with a wood lately.

 

4 – par 4, 293 yards, straight, #15 HCP, water left and OoB right. Right side has a slope. There's a fairway bunker on the right. I aim a touch left of center, at a tree that's behind the green. I hit a low pull, 199 yards, into the left rough. The dew just killed the roll out which is probably just as well. The hole is front left and around 90 yards. I go with a partial PW and contact is good. A high shot at the flag and over it, 103 yards. I'm on the green, middle right side and almost in the fringe. I have 33 feet for my birdie and my putt misses and I have 3 feet for par which I sink, 4.

 

5- par 5, 501 yards, dogleg right, #5 HCP, hazard down the left side. There's a slope on the right side which makes the fairway narrow in the landing spot. A stream runs down the right side from the corner to near the green. I aim for the middle of the fairway using a small bush that's growing where the stream at the corner cuts across the fairway before going under the fairway. I hit a low line drive draw into the fairway on the right side, 197 yards. I have an okay angle to clear the corner with my 4w and I top it 97 yards... Well, so much for feeling good with a wood in my hands. I'm barely at the corner and have a shot at the green but it's over 200 yards away. There's also a hazard down the entire right side, so I'm laying up. I hit my 8i and its a nice high draw, 133 yards, down the fairway. The hole is front left and 90ish yards. I hit a partial PW and it's a high shot, 89 yards, onto the green near the middle. I'm 25 feet from the hole and my par putt stops about a foot out. A tap-in bogey, 6.

 

6 – par 4, 367 yards, slight dogleg left, #7 HCP. Medium width landing area with a bunker on the left. Houses are on the right and there's a sharp slope into the left trees if you end up too far into the left rough. It's a high push fade towards the houses. I find the ball in bounds under some trees, 188 yards off the tee, I punch a 5i and something goes wrong. I don't know if it's mishit or I clipped a branch but it goes 75 yards and stops in the right rough on a slope. The ball is above my fete in the rough. Things have dried out but it's not ideal. I'm 120ish from the hole which is center right. I know I won't get a good swing on the ball with the lie and I club up to my 8i. Contact is so so and it's a low draw, 103 yards, that misses the green to the right. I hit my pitch too hard and end up 15 feet past the hole. I get the putt to 2 feet and have a double bogey, 6.

 

7 – par 4, 351 yards, slight dogleg right, #11 HCP, elevated tee shot to a wide open fairway that slopes down right to left all the way to about the 100 yard marker. Bunkers on the left marking the corner and a slope on the right. I aim at my normal spot which would take my ball into the left rough if I could hit it straight and about 300 yards. Aiming more left makes the hole potentially longer but is much safer since it greatly reduces the risk from the right trees and OoB. I hit a strong fade that's a bit right of my target line but it goes 239 yards into the fairway on the right. I'm about 90 yards from the hole which is front right, so the bunker is not in play. I hit a partial PW and it's a great lookinjg high shot that land son the green and ends up in the back fringe, 100 yards... I chip with my putter to 3 feet. Looking good! I miss the putt.... Yup, bogey, 5.

 

Missing these short putts kill me on the inside a little bit each time.... melodramatic I know but still.

 

8 – par 3, 160 yards, elevated tee shot, #13 HCP, bunker on the right side of the green. Slope to the right of this hole that is weed whacked. So it's long stuff and wild. Balls can get lost here. The hole is back right and I hit my 7i. It's a high push draw, 160 yards, into the bunker on the right. I take relief from the standing water my ball is in. My lie is on packed sand. I use my SW and leave the ball in the bunker. Try again and I'm off the other side of the green. I start to lose my cool and duff the chip short of the green. I normally set my SW down when I'm done with it but I toss it on the ground instead. So this adds to things because I don't like behaving this way on the course. Chip with the putter to 5 feet and 2 putt for a quad, 7.

 

I wouldn't say I was pissed at this point. But I am extremely frustrated at myself for the quad and for losing my cool and tossing my club a few feet.

 

9 – par 4, 357 yards, straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. It's a high push fade next to a tree that's in the rough of #1, 204 yards. No way do I try to go for it from here. I have a tree just to the right of my ball and there';s more trees and branches maybe 30 yards ahead and to my right. So I'd have to hit a punch to the left side and the hole is back right. Add in the pond and i'm laying up. I hit a little SW pitch, 45 yards, into the fairway as planned. The hole is over 100 yards away and I decide to hit a half 9i. A full 9i probably goes in the back bunker and my PW is 90 yards(or is it?). This is a fairly safe shot and I chunk it. A high draw, 88 yards, lands on the far bank of the pond, short of the green, and rolls back in. I drop and mishit my chip, almost pin high, into the right rough. Chip with putter to 3 feet and make the double bogey putt, 6.

 

Sigh.

 

10 – par 4, 342 yards, dogleg left, #10 HCP hole. Elevated tee shot to a lower fairway. Green is elevated with a bunker front right. I use my 7w and aim down the middle but hit a pull draw instead down the left edge. I get lucky and the ball hangs on in the left rough, short of the cart path. Crossing the cart path risks losing the ball in the left trees. It was a 199 yard shot and the ball is above my feet. The flag is on the left and maybe 120ish. I don't go for it because the last time I tried to hit a full swing from this area on this hole it with a short iron it went very wrong. I'll just hit a little pitch with my SW to set-up a third short from the fairway. I mishit the ball 19 yards instead. I'm in the fairway, barely. It's 90ish yards and time for a partial PW. I mishit it and block it dead right about 71 yards and short of the bunker. It's a blind shot and I pitch up with my SW. Contact is very good and a partner tells me I almost jarred it. So the ball landed near the hole but released 12 feet past it. I two putt for a double bogey, 6.

 

Now I'm frustrated because my little half shot that I have been using for almost 2 years now is going AWOL on me.

 

11 – par 4, 329 yards, 90* dogleg left, #12 HCP. Fairway eventually slopes down to a stream short of the green, forced carry. I tee off with my 7w as usual and hit a pull hook into the left trees. Can't find the ball and it's marked as a hazard. I back up on my line to get into the fairway. I'm 184 off the tee and it's a back flag. I'm blocked by the trees but can hit a shot towards the front right of the green. I use my 8i and it's a high shot that lands right on the lip of the rocky bank on the far side and it rolls back a foot into the rocks... I drop again and leave my chip 35 feet short. My first putt is 3 feet short and I proceed to need another 2 to hole out for a quad, 8.

 

I am now past the point of being frustrated and can only laugh at how I am falling apart. I guess the good news is I'm not frustrated since I am resigned to things.

 

12 – par 4, 315 yards, 90* dogleg left, #14 HCP, green is elevated. Narrow tee shot that opens as you reach the corner. I aim down the middle with driver and hit a push draw down the right side and I think I'm in the fairway bunker that marks the corner. I get there and no ball in the bunker... I find my ball in the rough past the bunker, 233 yards off the tee. I carried it at least 230 to get over the bunker( there are no impact marks in the bunker). The hole is on the right side behind the bunker and the green is elevated. I hit an okay 9i from the rough and it gets up on the green, 101 yard shot. I'm pin high and 12 feet left of the hole. My birdie putt misses and I have a tap-in from 12 inches for par, 4.

 

13 – par 3, 123 yards, #18 HCP, green is elevated with bunkers short right and left and long left. Tiered green as well. The hole is forward and I hit my 9i. It's a high draw, 116 yards, to the middle left of the green. I'm 25 feet past the hole and putting down a tier. I tap the ball and I miss a bit low and watch it roll 9 feet past the hole and almost off the green... This ends up being a 3 putt bogey, 4.

 

Sigh.

 

14 – par 4, 543, straight hole, #4 HCP. Elevated teeshot to wide open fairway. Fairway slopes down left to right, water on the right closer to the green and fronting the entire green. It's a thin pull with driver, 174 yards, into the left rough. I don't like this lie with the ball below my feet, so the 4w is out. I try to punch my 5i and mishit it 119 yards and to the right side of the fairway. My ball is on a fairly steep down slope now. Try my 5i again and screw it up another 103 yards down the middle. I'm 150ish and hit my 6i, which is also mishit and travels 106 yards... I'm near the green at least and hit my pitch too hard. It lands near the flags and rolls past it, catching the tier and off it goes. I'm 30 feet out and leave my putt 5 feet short. Another 3 putt for a triple, 8.

 

15 – par 4, 264 yards, straight, #16 HCP. Elevated tee shot to a fairway that is always soft abd cart path only year round. Fairway bunkers on left side in line with the green. Bunker surround this green except for the left side. My drive is a high push fade into the right rough, 233 yards. I'm over here a fair bit and used to my next shot. The hole is forward right and around 50ish yards. I mishit my SW into a bunker. I get to the bunker and dig in,there's sand for a change! I do my normal sand shot and the ball come sout and lands in the fringe and rolls at the hole, almost hitting it. I'm 2 feet past the hole and miss the par putt... Yup, bogey, 5.

 

 

16 – par 3, 147 yards, #8 HCP. Elevated green with a forced stream carry. Bunkers short right and long left and middle. Tiered green with a strong back left to front right slope. The hole is middle back and I hit my 7i. It's a very high push fade that misses the green to the right, 158 yards.... I nuked it. I hit a 28 yard pitch with my SW and it's a high shot that lands on the green, bounces up a few inches and just stops. Four feet from the hole! I two putt for bogey, 4.

 

My short putt misses really, really hurt.

 

17 – par 4, 363 yards, dogleg left, #6 HCP. Fairly open fairway with bunkers on the right at the corner. Green has a tier and heavily slopes left to right, can putt off this green... Bunkers short of the green as well. Thin push fade into the right trees. I drop 177 yards from the tee and layup with a 7i shot. It comes out good and goes 126 yards into the fairway. The flag is back and around 90 yards. Long is bad. I hit a partial Aw and it's good contact and I'm on the green, 81 yard shot, and 33 feet short of the hole. I get the bogey putt to 3 feet and come away with a double, 6.

 

18 – par 5, 504 yards, straightish, #2 HCP. There is a stream carry on either the second or third shot. There is also a pond fronting the green... Low pull with driver, 199 yards into the left rough. From the fairway I'd hit 4w across the stream, but I'm not in the fairway. I hit a little 9i, 103 yards, to setup my next shot. The hole is front right and it's 160ish to center. A cross wind too but I feel okay with my 7w. I top it into the stream. I drop 18 yards closer and hit the 7w again and it's a very high shot over, the stream, the pond, and the green... 154 yards and I'm in the back fringe. Chip with putter to 10 feet and 2 putt for a triple bogey, 8.

 

A 51/53, 104. A disaster of a round. Some really good shots and a bunch of terrible holes. I'm not sure what to say bunkers are killing me. So are short putts, sure I make a lot of them but the ones I miss hurt. I count 15 putts that were 4 feet or less and I missed 3 of them. Not sure what to really say about this round except to move on and try to do better.

 

birdies: 0

pars: 3

bogeys: 6

double bogeys: 4

triple+: 5

 

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 203 yards

Longest drive: 239 yards

Fairways: 4/14

GIR: 3/18

Avg Approach: 100 yards

Up & down: 1/13

Putts: 37

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -19.2 strokes

driving: -4.6

Approach: -9.7

Short game: +0.1

Putting: -5.0

 

[bortass]

My game from bad to good is as follows:

1. Approaches with 100-150 yards being the worse area by far

2. Driving  with penalties being the biggest issue

3. Putting with putts inside 10 feet being the biggest issue but it's not much worse than other aspects of my putting

Short game with 25-50 yard chips/pitches as being the worst area. Even worse than my combined bunker play.

 

Last weeks practice goals:

Practice goals this week:

1 - Short putts, did not work on this.

2 - BroomForce, keep doing the Sweep It and Countertop drills with my 7i. Did not work on this.

3 - Work on set-up and takeaway. Did work on this during the limited range session last week.

 

Practice goals this week:

1 - Work on set-up and takeaway.

2 - Work on half swing and Cast B. I need to be able to hit these like I had been. The recent struggles with the swing I was most confident with isn't helping me any.

3 - BroomForce, keep doing the Sweep It  with my 7i, if I have time.