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

bortass · January 23

The course opened today as the freezing weather has passed but rain is supposed to move in starting tomorrow☹️ I did make it to the range though. It felt good to get out there and hit some balls even if it was off mats. I warmed up hitting some chips and pitches with my PW and that was decent. My focus was keeping my weight left and it helped.

I worked on low point in the practice bunker for twenty minutes. I did the line in the sand and hit balls out while trying to make the divot in front of the ball. I used my PW and the shots themselves were a bit ugly but I did a decent job with low point. Our practice bunker is pretty small and I didn't really have a level lie. I think these drills would be better with a towel or tape behind the ball. I was happy with the results though.

Took a break and then spent twenty minutes doing the toe, center, heel drill with my seven iron. Foot spray on the face and try to hit the ball off the toe, center, and then the heel. I tend to have a toe miss and those were easy. The center strikes were mostly towards the toe, shocking. The heel strikes were actually more heel side of center. I didn't really care about the ball flight, but there were some good ones that I'll get into at the end of this post. By the end of the twenty minutes, I was doing better on getting the strike closer to where it was supposed to be. It felt good to actually see a touch of improvement by the end of the session.

I took another break and then wrapped up my session with something new. I took ten balls, my driver, and tried to hit it as hard as possible. Didn't care where the ball went but two of them were very nice. The funny thing was my driver sounded completely different at impact than what I am used to. There are two drivers, pun not intended, to my doing this. First, I have historically had a low swing speed and still do as far as I know. The second is the longer swing Monte wanted me to start doing from the clinic. During the playing lesson part he told me to swing it like John Daly, lol. Going all out with driver will hopefully help me ingrain a longer swing over time. Regardless, it was fun. Oh, ten balls only because I have never don't this before and don't want to go overboard

Now back to toe, center, heel real good strikes. I have this at the end because of the pictures. While doing the drills, I decided to setup with the ball at the heel of my seven iron and swing like normal a few times. Contact was in the center of the face and the ball took off with a solid baby draw, albeit a bit lower than I am used to.... I have noticed this before and decided to check on it again. I grabbed some pictures. These are not from the same swing. I took the picture of the face with an earlier swing and then thought it might be a good idea to show roughly what setting up on the heel meant. Now if only i could fix my swing so a more normal setup would lead to center contact....

bortass · January 29

I got to play golf this weekend! Was it ugly? hell yeah! Was the course a mess? hell yeah! Was I happy to get out and play? hell yeah ^2!

Regular group all cancelled. We had rain off and on Thursday through Saturday. I got in nine Saturday between bands of rain. I played 17 Sunday on a very wet course, temps in the mid 40s, and gusts up to 30 MPH. I don't think there were actually gusts of that speed while I was playing but it was windy out and that's the number my weather app had.

A few key things applied to both rounds. I played the forward tees. Cart path only and there was no roll on drives. I tried to setup my irons more on the heel side. Sometimes I hit a second ball but I never played it until I got to #17 Sunday, so the scores are mostly legit. I tried a faster backswing with my driver.

Saturday, I shot a 47.

Double on #1 because I bladed a chip through the green. Bogey on #2 after missing the green right. Double on #3 when I blade a partial wedge into a back bunker, get out in one but short of the green, two putt from three feet.

Double on #4 after hitting tee shot OOB. Put a provisional in play though. Bladed a partial wedge through the green. Tough chip to eleven feet below the hole and sink the putt. I really can't complain about a double with a S&D penalty off the tee.

Double on #5 thanks to my thin toed four wood second shot into a stream area, only advanced the ball about seventy yards. Ball was dry and I hacked out out. Did okay the rest of the way but not great.

Par on #6. Drive in play and stuck an eighty yard partial wedge to nine feet. Two putts.

Par on #7. Drive in play and hit my nine iron approach a bit thin and through the green. Chipped to a foot and got up and down.

Bogey on #8. Solid eight iron, pin high and twelve feet right of the hole. Leave birdie putt two feet short and I miss the par putt as well.

Bogey on #9. lackluster five iron tee shot. Even worse seven iron punch that leaves me well short. Hit an okay nine iron onto the green, about thirty-five feet from the hole. Par putt is four feet long but I do make the bogey putt. Started to rain, so I went home.

Overall I was okay with my tee shots. Only two penalty strokes with a new driver swing thought. Ball was a bit wild with driver and didn't go anywhere but I was fine with it. My approach game was better than usual even with the various miscues. Guess that goes to show how bad my approach game has been. Short game was about normal. I got lucky and the real good shots offset the bad ones. Putting was much improved, even with the miss from two feet.

Sunday, I shot a 47/43*, 90 over 17 holes. Something came up and I had to leave before I finished #18 and I think I would have likely had an eight on the hole, lol. I won't go through all the holes but mention the outliers.

#2, par three is a triple bogey. I actually shanked my tee shot and took a S&D penalty.

#4 routine par, lol.

#6, yank a partial pitching wedge short and left of the green. Pitch over a bunker to eight feet and make the par putt.

#8, par three, lucky par. Low push fade off the tee into the right slope. Ball is short of the green and in thick rough. Hack it out with my sand wedge and the ball is rolling right for the hole and stops a foot out.

#9, triple. Shanked five iron off tee. Topped five iron second shot. Blade chip through green and it almost rolls into the pond. Next chip is twenty-nine feet short and I two putt.

#10, triple. tee shot into fairway and I hit a thin five iron with an open face into the right trees. Find ball and hack it out. Pitch through the green, bad chip to seven feet and two putts.

#11, quad. Short par four and I hit five iron off the tee into the fairway. Under club and hit a partial PW into stream. Drop, dump pitch across stream into the stream.. Whack the next one forty-eight feet past the hole and two putt. Gotta love three penalties on the same hole.

#14, par. I get on in regulation and thirty seven feet short of the hole. Birdie putt is right at the hole and stops six inches short.

#15, par. Short of the green in two and chip to three feet and make the putt.

#16, double. Par three and into a two club wind, so I use five iron and hit it thin and over the green. Kept in under the wind lol. In a bad spot and chip off the front of the green. Not a surprise because of going down the tier. Next chip is mishit to five feet and I two putt.

#17, decent drive that goes all of 174 yards into the wind...Hit my five iron lay-up thin. Shank a pitch and this is where I play a second ball. Get it on to eighteen feet and two putt.

Key things I notice Sunday. Driver started to straighten out as the round progressed. I think I was getting used to the faster backswing. There was no distance with the weather/course conditions though. I had a few drives stop less than a foot from its' pitch mark, so no roll and the wind killed a few drives. Too many thin shots with irons and I even shanked a few. I think the shanks were from setting up more towards the heel and then not making the swing fault that causes my normal toe strikes. Putting was better than normal.

I don't think I can take much of anything from these rounds outside of driver and putting. Also I'm coming to the realization that winter golf is mostly just for the heck of it. I only played a single round in January that could be posted to GHIN. The weather and course conditions make it hard to use some Arccos data. I know I am not judging the overall state of my game based on the rounds from December and January, lol.

Weather looks decent for the foreseeable future, so I hope to get some range time in. Saturday should be decent so maybe I'll have my second postable round of the year, lol.

bortass · February 1

Got a range session in this morning. Still hitting off of mats but that is better than nothing. I warmed up with some chips with SW and worked on two things, Cast A from NTC and the heel, center, toe face contact drill.

Cast A was twenty minutes with my nine iron. I would do three balls with the drill from NTC and then hit ten balls with a swing. I went through it a bit faster than I have in the past and did four sets, 52 balls. I was using a partial swing and not trying to hit the ball far, essentially work on it at a slower/easier pace instead of full speed/full swing. Over all I thought it went well and I hit some real nice looking shots even though ball flight isn't important. I had three minutes left after my fourth set, so I just hit some full swings with my nine iron, trying to capture the Cast A feel. Thought that went decent as well.

I did the toe, center, heel drill with my seven iron for twenty minutes after a five minute break. I was very happy with the results and thought I did better than last week. The toe strikes are easy for me since that is my default miss but I was able to start to get them closer to center versus way out on the toe, if that makes any sense. Also my ball flight on pretty much all the toe strikes was a pull draw which I find odd. On the course, my toe strikes are almost all high, weak, push fades. Center contact portion was a bit improved. I was getting the contact near the middle or just toe side of it. Most of those shots were nice high draws. It's still a bit of a struggle though. The heel strikes are hard for me to do. I managed a few, and except the one I shanked, it flew much like my center strikes did. My heel attempts still tend to be closer to center than the heel, the predominant toe miss effect in play. I did manage a more heel strikes and with better quality than last week IMO. One aside, is I was feeling Cast A in some of these full swings. It was good to notice some subtle changes in what my swing felt like. No idea what I was really doing but it was different and I will take that as a positive. Also I used a normal set-up today. I did not mess around with addressing the ball on the heel of my iron.

Took another five minute break and wrapped up with ten drives with the goal of trying to swing as fast as possible. This was funny to say the least. Very steep swing at times, broke two tees, and high on the face and off the toe. I had a nice line of idiot marks way out on the toe from some of the earlier swings. The last three or four balls, I set-up my driver with the heel addressing the ball. The result was a very solid mid height baby draw... The feels I had were faster backswing and c0cking my wrists at the top of my backswing. My vertical wrist hinge is very lacking in my normal swings, even with irons. Feeling that and having decent ball flight on the last few shots was a win IMO. I do like this 'drill' even though I don't count it as something I worked on. It's only ten balls at the end of the session but I feel like I am learning some stuff from doing it. As always reality may be completely different, lol.

It was a positive range session and maybe I can get out again tomorrow but not sure. i cannot wait for things to warm up enough so I can hit the range before work again. The weather for Saturday is looking decent, so I should finally have my second postable score of 2024...

Edited February 1 by bortass

betarhoalphadelta · February 1

Do you video your swing to checkpoint after the session?

bortass · February 1

Just now, betarhoalphadelta said:

Do you video your swing to checkpoint after the session?

Nope, I find it's a PITA to video my swing. Fiddle with the tripod trying to get the right height, then mess around to have it in the right location. Finally the back and forth of hitting the record button on the phone. I detect laziness!

I do need to capture video more often than once every six months though. I don't see myself trying to capture my swing every session but I probably should checkpoint my swing at least once a month. I also probably don't need to take the time to capture iron, wood, and driver swings like I did last fall. A couple swings with an iron should be good enough to see what's going on.

betarhoalphadelta · February 1

Ahh, got it. Yeah, it is annoying to do.

But I see two things from your practice session... First is those 9 iron full swing shots. It would be good to see if the Cast A move was making a noticeable change in your pattern. Second would be those driver swings. While you probably don't have intent to do anything other than "swing hard", it would potentially be good to compare how your swing pattern differs from your normal swing when you "swing hard"--it might help you identify tendencies that you're not aware of that only show up with the extra effort.

bortass · February 1

1 hour ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Ahh, got it. Yeah, it is annoying to do.

But I see two things from your practice session... First is those 9 iron full swing shots. It would be good to see if the Cast A move was making a noticeable change in your pattern. Second would be those driver swings. While you probably don't have intent to do anything other than "swing hard", it would potentially be good to compare how your swing pattern differs from your normal swing when you "swing hard"--it might help you identify tendencies that you're not aware of that only show up with the extra effort.

Great points, per usual. 'Swing hard' with driver would be a good one. I know Monte has mentioned that speeding up the backswing sometimes help the 'slow and steady' resolve swing issues. I'm kinda curious of what that swing looks like. The full nine iron swings were not my normal nine iron swings either, I felt like I was getting more vertical hinge and I think it was longer than the stock half swing I tend to make. But feel is not real. I'll see what I can do over the next week or so to get some updated video. I have a feeling no range tomorrow since there's a ride I need to do, lol.

bortass · February 5

Got out for eighteen both days. I plan to do a longer write up for Sunday's round separately. Saturday was in the 50s, some wind, and a few holes were cart path only. It was a Jekyll and Hyde kinda round. 52/46 for a 98*. I went over NDB on one hole with a quad, so a 97 for GHIN which had no impact on my index. The round was what I would call hopeful. I had some struggles but also had some very positive things happen. I came away feeling energized because it seemed like the range work was making a difference.

Front nine 52 had three pars, a three putt bogey, a double, three triples and a quad. I hit a short approach, nine iron, to six feet, missed the birdie putt for one first par. Next par was a GIR and two putt from thirty-three feet. Third par was up and down when I missed a green left.

First triple was on a par five. Skyballed my drive a whooping 157 yards. Bladed a couple five irons to set-up a partial PW approach. The partial PW was thin and into a back bunker. Got out but sent the ball into the front fringe. So throw in a chip and two putts for a nice eight.

Next triple was also on a par five. A solid drive followed by a bladed five iron. I hit a real solid seven iron layup that caught the cart path and gave me a pitch onto the green. I get on thirty-three feet below and left of the hole and I have to putt up a tier. First putt gets near the hole but rolls back down the tier, leaving me 19 feet below the hole. It turns into a four putt.

Next hole, par four, is also a triple when I sky ball my drive sixty-nine yards into thick rough. I get on in four and three putt from thirty feet.

The quad, par four, was sprayed a driver right and hit my punch back into the fairway decently just left myself a mature tree trunk to the left of my ball. I could get a club on it but needed to cut the follow through short. I executed the shot but aimed too far left. The ball lands on the greens and the draw spin causes it roll off the front and into the pond. A drop, chip, and bad three putt from nine feet sealed the deal.

The back nine has it's share of miscues but I played better overall. I had one par, six bogeys, and two doubles. The first double was caused by a push fade drive into the right trees. I had a shot out but no angle to get on the green. SO I end up in the right rough towards the back of the green. A bad chip off the green seals the deal when I need another chip and two putts to hole out.

The last double was frustrating to say the least. Par five, push fade my drive into the right trees but it kicks out, 145 yards. A solid six iron lay-up short of a stream. Into the wind and I need to carry a stream and pond to reach the green. Seven wood will work and I hit a low draw onto the front left. A GIR and I'm forty-five feet below and left of the hole which is up on the back right. I'm going up the tier and do a repeat of #5. First putt doesn't make the hole and rolls down the tier leaving me forty-three feet below it... I love having a birdie putt and walking off with a double...

Putting blew chunks, nothing to really say about it.

My driver struggled with the pop-ups but I hit a few decent ones. I tried to stick with the faster backswing and I am not surprised I had issues since it's something fairly new I am trying. No penalties off the tee which was nice.

My approach game was much better than normal even with the penalty and mishit five irons. What I noticed is I was getting solid contact more often and the ball was going the expected distances with a nice draw. It was nice to see less of the high push fades off the toe. This is the area I feel like the range sessions were helping.

So the round wasn't great but I played decent bogeyish golf for eleven holes. I'm okay with one of my doubles because it was just the nature of the shots and hole versus horrible execution. The rest of the doubles, triples, and quads left a lot to be desired and were all caused by multiple instances of poor execution.

Avg drive: 185 yards, with a four wood and seven wood in the mix. Biggest issue was just the pop-ups.

Longest drive: 239 yards

Fairways: 4/14

GIR: 4/18

Avg Approach: 123 yards

Up & down: 3/15

Putts: 40

Strokes gained compared to a 10 HCP.

Overall: -15.5 strokes

driving: -4.6, all because of distance/accuracy issues.

Approach: -5.0, even with all the mishits and the penalty on #9, this stat was much better than my last ten round average.

Short game: +3.1, this was much better than normal even with struggles on a few holes.

Putting: -8.9, lol

bortass · February 5

Sunday's round. I played solo. It was around 42* with 13-14 MPH winds, with gusts strong enough that it caused a ball at rest on the green to wobble. It was not cart path only for any holes and I played the forward teal tees.

Numbers in () is the yardage difference between the teals and the whites, so #1 is 29 yards shorter from the teal tees. Most holes are just slightly shorter. There is a 3 stroke difference between the whites and teals for course handicap.

1 – par 4, 375 yards (-29), straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. An okay drive, low draw, 208 yards into the right side of the fairway. The hole is near the middle and it's about 170 yards. I opt for my seven wood and hit a solid push, 165 yards, that ends up in the rough just to the right of the green. I opt for a nine iron bump and run style chip and contact is good but I misread the break some as the ball needs to go up and over a spine in the green. I end up hole high but nine feet to the right of it based on my perspective. I look the par putt over and the ball stops about an inch short of the cup, lol. Bogey, five.

2 – par 3, 133 yards (-9), #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. Into the wind, so I opt to hit my seven iron. Contact is good, a nice high draw to the left side of the green, 132 yards. I have a forty-four foot birdie putt, left to right and a slight downslope. I hit it too firm and end up nine feet past the hole... Two more putts and I have another bogey, four.

3 – par 5, 452 yards (-6), dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. Into the wind and I hit an okay drive, a pull draw, 182 yards just short of one of the fairway bunkers in the left rough. My lie is decent and I opt to hit four wood. I hit it thin but the ball runs out 137 yards and near the center of the fairway.

The hole is near the center of the green and I opt for my six iron with the wind. I leave the face a touch open and hit a high push fade, 135 yards, and the ball drops into the rough between the two bunkers guarding the front right of the green. I hit a bump and run chip with my sand wedge. It comes out okay but a hump in the rough kicks the ball to the right. I'm hole high and seven feet right of the cup.

I miss the par putt four feet long. I need two more putts to hole out for a double bogey, seven.

Well this sucks. I was feeling okay until I blew the par putt past the hole.

4 – par 4, 283 yards (-10), straight, #15 HCP, water left and OoB right. Right side has a slope. There's a fairway bunker on the right. Another hole into the wind. I hit a high push fade with my driver, 202 yards, into the rough to the right of the fairway bunker that's on the right side of the fairway.

This is actually a decent spot to be in. I'm a bit above the green with a level lie. It's 90ish yards to the hole which is back left. Long is bad and with the wind I play it safe and hit a partial AW. This comes out real good and goes eighty-nine yards and lands on the back right side of the green. I have a twenty-seven foot, right to left, birdie putt. I hit the ball and it looks pretty good and drops dead center of the cup! Birdie, three.

That's more like it!

5- par 5, 439 yards (-62), 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 tee off with my five iron and chunk the ball 105 yards into the fairway on the right edge.

I make a bad decision and decide to hit four wood past the corner. It's a bad toe mishit that goes forty-five yards. My ball is now in deep Bermuda rough on a slope with the ball above my feet. I'm able to hack the ball out, fifty-five yards, with my seven iron.

I'm still 240ish yards out and hit an okay lay-up with my five iron. I catch it a bit thin but it goes 139 yards and keeps me in the fairway. The hole is back right and in the same spot as yesterday. I go with a partial SW and it's a bit of a pull. I get it on the front of the green near the middle.

Like yesterday I have to putt up the tier and it's thirty-three feet again. I hit the putt and it misses and goes three feet long. Not great but at least I didn't roll back down the tier. I have a right to left break and tap the ball and miss, it slowly rolls past the cup and down the tier... Now I'm twenty-three feet below the cup. I miss four feet long and it should be a fairly straight putt. I tap the ball and it misses and starts to roll down the tier again.

I just grab the ball and move on. I would have had a nine if I made that last putt and I'm not messing around with it anymore since they cut the hole in a very bad spot. So a quad, nine.

6 – par 4, 290 yards (-77), 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 am with the wind now and my swing felt steep and a likely pop-up but I never see the ball. I hit a provisional which is a low pull draw. I find the first one in the middle of the fairway, 169 off the tee. My provisional was further down on the left, too bad I didn't do that the first time.

The hole is near the middle front and I opt for a nine iron. My strike isn't perfect but it's a high draw that goes 115 yards and lands on the front of the green left of the cup. It's twelve feet for birdie and I leave it two feet short. I also miss the par putt, bogey, five.

7 – par 4, 346 yards (-5), 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. With the wind and I hit a lowish push fade with my driver. The ball hits the slope on the right which is all rough and it kills the ball. I find my ball in the fairway where it rolled off the slope, 218 yards.

Hole is back right, I have a tailwind and it's on a slight down slope. Nine iron should get me near middle and if I hit it well the wind should bring towards the back of the green. I chunk it instead. A low pull draw, eighty-seven yards and short of the front left bunker. I hit a decent pitch over the bunker, forty-three yards, and the ball is on the green twelve feet left of the cup and just a bit long.

I hit the par putt three feet long and it turns into a three putt double bogey, 6.

My putting is murder....

8 – par 3, 140 yards (-20), 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. Wind is in my face, so I opt for eight iron which is what I normally hit from the whites. I make solid contact and it's a real good looking shot but it's going to miss the green left, 142 yards. I bump and run chip with nine iron and it's too firm and rolls off the other side of the green. Chip with it again to six feet and I now have a tough bogey putt. I somehow make it though, bogey, four.

9 – par 4, 300 yards (-57), straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. With the wind, I tee off with five iron and hit it okay. It's a push fade that goes 157 yards and ends up in the right rough. I have a clear shot at the green. The hole is front right. It's just outside 150ish to center and I don't want to be short. I go with my six iron, 150 club, and strike it pretty pure. A mid height draw that lands on the back left of the green and rolls off, 161 yards.

I have a long chip that need to go down a tier. I use my putter to chip and get the ball rolling. It reaches the tier and starts heading towards the hole. It's looking real good and I miss pin high long by a foot. A great twenty-five yard chip and I come away with a par, four.

10 – par 4, 338 yards (-6), dogleg left, #10 HCP hole. Elevated tee shot to a lower fairway. Green is elevated with a bunker front right. With the wind and I tee off with four wood. It's a decent high draw, 203 yards, into the middle of the fairway. The hole is middle front and nine iron should get me on except I blade it low and left instead, eighty-eight yards.

I now have to a blind pitch over the bunker up to the green. I use my SW and hit a great looking shot that should be on the front in the vicinity of the hole. I get up to the green and the ball is two feet to the right of the cup! A great result for a forty-three yard blind shot. I make the par putt, four.

11 – par 4, 268 yards (-61), 90* dogleg left, #12 HCP. Fairway eventually slopes down to a stream short of the green, forced carry. With the wind and I tee off with the usual five iron that I use with these tees. Out of nowhere Cast A gets in my swing and I hit it very fat but the ball manages to go 102 yards, lol. No idea where Cast A came from because I have not been thinking about it. Middle front hole and around 160ish to center. I opt for six iron and it's a terrible push fade. Hit it solid but it's heading way right and for the stream. I have to take a drop and pitch the ball across and into the left rough about middle of the green. I chip to fifteen feet and two putt for a triple bogey, seven.

That sucked. I had been doing decent avoiding penalties and FUBAR a six iron from the fairway.

12 – par 4, 308 yards (-7), 90* dogleg left, #14 HCP, green is elevated. Narrow tee shot that opens as you reach the corner. I hit a very nice looking mid height draw with my driver, 222 yards. My ball is in the fairway and I almost it it through the dogleg. Front left hole and a partial PW is what I decide to go with. I catch it heavy and it ends up in the front bunker which is GUR. I am lucky and the nearest point of relief is in the rough next to the green. I chip with my putter, thirteen yards, to five feet. It's a two putt bogey, five.

13 – par 3, 118 yards (-6), #18 HCP, green is elevated with bunkers short right and left and long left. Tiered green as well. The hole is middle back and around 120 yards. Wind in my face and I go with nine iron. I hit a nice looking draw, 114 yards, that lands in the middle of the green. I am almost directly below the hole and putting up a tier. It's eighteen feet for birdie and I sink it! Two!

A second birdie and I am back to feeling real good again. Funny how that is, lol.

14 – par 5, 447 (-94), straight hole, #4 HCP. Fairway slopes down left to right, water on the right closer to the green and fronting the entire green. Wind is very strong in my face and I'm glad the forward tees are not elevated like the whites. I hit a solid draw but it still only goes 198 yards into the center of the fairway. I see no advantage in trying to hit my four wood and I go with my five iron instead. Contact is decent and it's a fade that goes 144 yards and I'm still in the fairway on the right side, near the pond.

The hole is back right, near the water. It is 120 yards to the back of the green which also has water long. I have to cross the pond and do not want to be short. I decide to hit nine iron. I figure the wind will keep it from going the normal 120 and it'll be long enough to get safely on the green. I strike it pure, a high draw, 119 yards, to the back left of the green. I was surprised how I went my 'stock' yardage into this wind.

I have a thirty seven foot birdie putt and am going down a slight slope. I hit it too hard and the ball rolls nine feet long. I miss the par putt but secure a bogey, six.

15 – par 4, 258 yards (-8), straight, #16 HCP. Elevated tee shot to a fairway that is always soft and cart path only year round. Fairway bunkers on left side in line with the green. Bunker surround this green except for the left side. I aim near the front right corner of the green with driver and swing. The face is open and I hit a high push fade into the right trees... I hit a provisional and make sure to close the face and it's a pull draw that's likely in the left trees, lol.

I find my first ball in the right rough where it got kicked out of the trees by the slope. I have a partial pitching wedge in and hit it fat, sliding under the ball as well since it's soft. The ball only travels thirty-six yards. It's less than my normal partial sand wedge but I do not want to hit my lob wedge. I take some off the sand wedge and hit a nice shot, sixty-seven yards, and onto the green. I have a fifteen foot par putt and leave it a foot short.. I clean-up for bogey, five.

16 – par 3, 141 yards (-6), #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. Wind in my face and middle front hole location. I opt for seven iron and hit a high push fade, 137 yards, that misses short right. The ball is in the rough and the green is slightly elevated by a yard or so. I bump and run chip with nine iron, twenty eight yards, to six feet. I sink the putt, par, three.

17 – par 4, 354 yards (-11), 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. I cannot recall wind direction but I hit a decent draw down the right side, 222 yards, and in the fairway. It's about 140ish and I go with my seven iron. It's mishit and a push fade, 128 yards, and short right of the green.

I chip with sand wedge, about twelve yards, to twelve feet. I hit the par putt and it's heading right for the cup and stops six inches short. Darn, bogey, five.

18 – par 5, 494 yards (-10), straightish, #2 HCP. There is a stream carry on either the second or third shot. There is also a pond fronting the green... Drawing a blank on wind direction. A decent drive, 212 yards, into the fairway on the right. Five iron will cross the stream but I mishit it. A low toe fade but it crosses the stream and does not roll into the pond, 122 yards.

The hole is back right and I opt for my eight iron. Another mishit, a bit heavy, but the ball clears the pond and lands on the front right of the green, 113 yards. I am twenty-nine feet below the hole and have to putt up a tier. I expect the ball to break right to left and hit the birdie putt. It does not break at all and I am about hole high but fout feet to the right. I hit the par putt and I miss high and two feet long. I then miss the bogey putt... A four putt double bogey, seven.

Two days in a row I turn a birdie putt into a double on this hole.... Talk about walking off disappointed because I thought I played better than I have in months.

Well I am not gonna lie. I am extremely happy with the 47*/44, 91*. * because of the nine I took on #5 after picking up. The forty-four on the back had a triple and double. Any birdie is rare but I somehow made two long putts to get two. My putting sucked overall. The strokes gained stats for my putting below got helped a lot by making those two putts.

I was happy with my driver. I stuck with the same thought of trying to use a faster backswing and I made decent contact with only a few miscues that didn't hurt me. Wind did not help my distance off the tee much but no penalties with my driver for a second round!

Approach game was the real winner. I was hitting my irons better than normal. My strokes gained for approach shots is 3.0 better than my previous ten round average and that included a penalty with my six iron approach on #11. I just hope that whatever is starting to click stays with me as I continue to work on things. I will say the Cast A miscue on #12 tee shot was a but funny. I didn't expect to feel that move since it wasn't a swing thought/focus while playing. It just happened and while a terrible shot I am taking it as a net positive because I somehow wanted to make a better move.

I am hoping to get some more range time in this week. I am not sure if i will manage any rounds before the weekend, assuming I can play since it looks like a chance of rain both Saturday and Sunday.

birdies: 2

pars: 3

bogeys: 8

double bogeys: 3

triple+: 2

Some stats:

Avg drive: 183 yards, with three five irons and a four wood included

Longest drive: 222 yards

Fairways: 10/14

GIR: 6/18

Avg Approach: 114 yards

Up & down: 3/10

Putts: 39...

Strokes gained compared to a 10 HCP.

Overall: -10.5 strokes

driving: -1.4

Approach: -4.9

Short game: +1.7

Putting: -6.0

bortass · February 12

I wasn't able to get to the range last week. I am hoping I can make it out this week but schedule doesn't look great for it. I did manage to play over the weekend but it was lackluster overall which is no real surprise based on lack or practice. Both rounds had the same pattern, some great(for me) shots followed up by dogs.

Played 18 Saturday, conditions were decent. Overcast, not much wind, and in the mid 60s. Opened with a triple because I hit a pitch too softly and it landed at the back lip of a bunker and it took two to get out. Things looked better on #2 when I got up and down from a bunker and feel apart on #3 with a quad. End of the day was a even 50/50, 100. 99 for GHIN and a "low" score rolled off, so my index went up to 19.4 and I am still soft capped.

Penalties were the big story. I had eight. Two S&D and four from hitting into hazards. Four were off the tee with a driver OOB, driver pushed into a hazard, and a four wood that started too far left into a hazard. The approach penalties were a terrible four wood yanked into a hazard; a seven iron from the fairway blocked way right, never had a chance, and the coup degrace with is the next paragraph.

#14 par five and #4 HCP hole. Elevated tee shot and the fairway slopes down and right almost the entire way with a pond on the right side that starts around 150ish out and wraps all the way around the right side and back of the green. I hit a great drive, solid draw down the middle 254. A level lie so I aim left and hit four wood. A great strike that goes 211 yards and sets me up about eighty yards from the hole. I hit a partial SW and leave the face wide open. A low shot that the start line is directly at the pond and it's fading... The shot had zero chance. I was frustrated, so I just took S&D. Chunked the next one short of the green. Hit the chip twenty-four feet long but sank the putt to 'save' double.

That was kinda the story of the day. I'd hit real good shots and then flub one or more on the same hole. I never really played many holes decently. I managed four pars, five bogeys and nine double+.

A few observations from the round. I am hitting the high weak push fade less often with irons. The iron push fades are more the start way right and curve right variety, also seem lower and not as weak. My solid strikes are a bit lower and fairly straight. Low point is a major issue still, the bad push fades tend to be thin and I still have some chunks.

It rained overnight Saturday, so I walked the front Sunday afternoon. There was no roll with most shots stopping within a couple feet of the pitch mark. There was no escaping causal water, so I didn't try. Temps were in the high 60s, fairly humid, with no wind.

I played up a set of tees and shot an even fifty, with a ten on a par five. It was much like Saturday. Some good shots followed up by bad ones. The ten was on a par five. I shanked my five iron off the tee and had to take an unplayable. I then hit the ball thin the next four shots before hitting a partial wedge fat. I chipped on with my eighth shot and two putted. I had a double when I missed a four foot bogey putt and another double when I needed two chips to get the ball on the green, three feet out, and then two putted...

The putting patterns I noticed was decent speed but a poor line, hole high but three feet low for example, and short putts. I needed two putts from five feet or less on five holes. Most of them were missed a tough high, maybe burn the lip.

Irons were the same as Saturday.

Good news was the only penalty was the unplayable with the five iron. I hit a partial 60* to five feet and I had a pitch over a bunker where I couldn't see the putting surface and hit it to four feet.

So both rounds just had flashes of potential and zero real scoring.

bortass · February 13

Made it to the range today unexpectedly. I warmed up hitting pitches with my sand wedge and I was surprised how well it went. I only did one item and it was working on cast A from NTC. I did four sets of three ball with drill and ten balls full swing with the thought of making Cast A with my eight iron, took just under twenty minutes. The results were positive IMO. I saw some great ball flight and contact sounded very good. it makes me wonder if I should think about Cast A move with my irons when I am on the course because the flight was much improved.

I took a five minute break and setup my phone to get some video. Below there are two swings with my eight iron and no swing thoughts.

After that I did ten drives swinging as fast as I could. Lets just say it was very ugly for the most part. Real steep but around ball #6 I hit a good one. I had the phone setup to try and capture the 'fast' driver swing and didn't record because the swings were so bad. I figured I hit a good one, so let's record the next one. That video is also below and it was a very solid baby draw.

I hope to get out again later this week but I am not certain schedule will allow. On a side note, I forgot to mention monte posted clinic dates and I confirmed a spot in the ATL clinic, three days 4/20-4/22. I am both excited and worried. Excited because I know I will learn more and it will be a great time, worried that I didn't do enough to fix my swing flaw from last time and it'll be a semi-repeat. That's on me in the end if that happens though.

DTL eight iron

FO Eight iron

Driver as fast as possible decent ball flight

MattC555 · February 14

My advice is to work on your pivot. You appear to stay on your front leg. This recent video from Paddy shows some drills I think would be helpful:

I use the step drills a fair amount.

Valtiel · February 14

2 hours ago, MattC555 said:

My advice is to work on your pivot. You appear to stay on your front leg. This recent video from Paddy shows some drills I think would be helpful:

I use the step drills a fair amount.

Agreed. It starts with setup and is exacerbated by how you're rotating:

Your address position is already setup like you're hitting a low punch shot; ball too far back with your center of mass set up in front of it at address. From here you would have to shift back (behind the ball) in order to stay in position, but you do the opposite and shift into your front side pushing you even further in front of the ball. This is the type of position you work to pivot into in transition, not the type that you rotate directly into in your backswing.

From there you have to cast severely and scoop in order to get to the ball, otherwise you'd either bury the club in the ground or miss it entirely.

Edited February 14 by Valtiel

bortass · February 14

@MattC555 @Valtiel Thanks for the feedback! This should be a good lesson in using video because I never realized I was starting left and going even more left. I will have to work on my setup position when I go to the range next, and the following ones as well until I get it sorted out. This may explain why sometimes I feel my weight has gone backwards when I get to the finish position after thinning a shot.

Valtiel · February 14

17 minutes ago, bortass said:

This may explain why sometimes I feel my weight has gone backwards when I get to the finish position after thinning a shot.

Exactly. Get too forward too early and the "back" you neglected has to be recaptured somewhere, normally in the downswing via some form of stalling/reverse tilting/casting, *especially* if you're already setup with he ball too far back. In your case you actually fight to maintain extension of the upper body away from your lower half, because they moved together you'd be miles in front of the ball and you'd never even make contact.

I'll always defer to the "Fat Perez" model for bigger guys and their pivots. Look him up if you don't know who he is, great player.

On his side; ball slightly forward of center, small bump back, fall into the lead side as the backswing finishes. On your side; ball back of center and an immediate turn forward into your front side. Nowhere to go from there.

MattC555 · February 15

@Valtiel is the man. 100% agree with what he is saying. Those visuals are worth 1000 words.

bortass · February 20

Note to self, too many swing thoughts lead to on course confusion. I kinda played some Saturday. The guys all cancelled because of weather, so I played solo. It was 37* with 14 mph winds and I had to use my winter golf gloves. I quit after #14 because I fell apart hard on the back. Starting on #10 I went birdie, triple, quad, 4 putt double, triple. Got to #15 and it sounded/felt like a bad toe mishit and I never saw the ball and couldn't find it, so I just went home lol. I did manage a couple good shots but those were the highlights of the round.

The best looking shot was my seven iron tee shot on #8. Elevated tee box but into the wind. Center was 140 yards, so I used my 140 club figuring wind and elevation would offset. Made center contact and hit a high draw, 150 yards, to the back left of the green. The ball stopped about two to three feet from its' pitch mark.

I sent Monte some video and got my marching orders. He pointed out three major flaws 1) the poor pivot as pointed out above, 2) left wrist is too cupped at top of backswing, 3) the OOT move of my shoulders with the downswing. I am to sort out the pivot first, then the left wrist and maybe if I fix those two #3 goes away. He was clear not to try to work on pivot and wrist at the same time. I have a couple questions in to him about things but it seemed pretty clear to me what I need to do.

To that end, I made it to the range today. Both blocks of work were the start stop drill from Powershift. I set a twenty minute timer for each block and managed three sets of 3 drill/10 half seven iron swings. I had some time left over, roughly 3 minutes or so per block and I hit full swings with seven iron, trying to get the feel. I felt like I did pretty good. Ball flight was very nice on the half swings. Even the full swing shots at the end of each block were pretty good. Reality is I have a long way to go.

I snagged some video between the two blocks and what it showed me was I may have delayed the move left a tiny bit but I am still shifting left before my shaft is even parallel to the ground. It also showed me what I thought was just a half swing was a bit more, lol. No surprise really, this is going to take some work but at least I have a clue on what to work on. My hope is that I can make good progress on the pivot by clinic time, so he can further correct things/validate I'm doing it better.

bortass · February 22

Played with the seniors today. Home course from the white tees, 5963 yards 68.9/126. Great weather, started in the low 50s and reach the low 60s with sun and a fair bit of wind. A great day to be outside.

1 – par 4, 404 yards, straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. I slice my driver, 174 yards, into the rough of #9. I have no shot at the green because of a small stand of trees and it's a long way out. I decide to play towards the #9 tees and mishit my five iron. It's a lowish push fade, 132 yards, but I'm in the rough to the right oif the forward tees of #9.

I have a clear shot at the hole which is near the center of the green. A partial PW may be too short and my nine iron is probably going to be long. I opt for the nine iron and hit it decent. The ball lands near the hole and releases about twenty-five feet past it. I hit a pretty good par putt and the ball stops within a foot of the cup. Bogey, 5.

2 – par 3, 142 yards, #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. Front right hole location and it's about 137 to center and I go with my seven iron. I hit it a touch fat and it barely clears the front left bunker. Luckily it landed on a down slope and my ball releases to the middle left of the green,137 yard shot.

I have thirty-three feet for birdie and miss short by two feet. Sink the par putt, 3.

3 – par 5, 458 yards, dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. I hit a big push fade into the right trees... Realistically, it's OoB unless I get extremely lucky. I hit a provisional and make sure to release my hands and hit a low pull draw over the first fairway bunker. We see the ball land just over the bunker and kick into the left trees.

No sign of either ball. The left side is marked as a hazard, so I drop roughly where the ball went in, 203 yards off the tee. Add a nice three penalty strokes to my drive and continue.

I am in the rough and do not want to make things worse by dubbing a four wood, even though I need every yard I can get. I opt for five iron and it's into the wind. I swing and I feel Cast A happen out of the blue. I make decent contact and it's a high baby draw 152 yards into the center of the fairway.

I no longer care about the tee shot woes. The Cast A feel when I am not trying to do it was a very pleasant surprise and it had great looking ball flight.

It's roughly 140ish to the hole which is on the right side. I opt for seven iron and think about Cast A. I mishit a low push fade, 133 yards, into the rightmost bunker guarding the front of the green. I actually hit a decent shot out of the bunker with my sand wedge and the ball get pin high about 6 feet above the hole.

I hit the putt and it's way too hard. The ball misses low and stops five feet below the hole. It's a three putt for a nice round quintuple bogey, 10.

Ouch....

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. Big push fade with driver into right trees. Hit a provisional and hit a not quite as bad push fade at the right trees.

No ball to be found... So I drop 212 off the tee in the right rough and add four penalty strokes to my drive. I hit my partial AW heavy but it goes eighty-two yards and gets on the green.

I'm thirty-nine feet below the cup and miss low. I have three feet to go and make it for a quad, 8.

I delude myself and think it's really a par with four penalties to try and stay somewhat positive. The round is in shambles and my driver is killing me worse than I have seen over two holes in probably 10+ years.

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 hole I normally hit four wood off the tee but have been hitting driver with the winter golf. I revert to four wood and hit a solid push into the right slope. I find my ball 172 yards off the tee. The ball is well above my feet and in thick dormant Bermuda rough.

No need to be stupid. I take my pitching wedge and hit a sixty-five yard pitch to just get back into the fairway near the corner. I decide to hit four wood to get in position to reach the green in four. I think about my right hip going back and make very solid contact. It's a high draw, into the wind, 176 yards, and the middle of the fairway.

The hole is back right and I decide to try to hit a partial pitching wedge. Wind in my face and it's about ninetyish yards, so I figure the wind will knock the ball down around that distance.

I am not committed. AT least I think that's what happened. Regardless it's a terrible low push fade that goes ninety-three yards and misses a bit long and right. I have a terrible chip in front of me. Short sided, above the hole with a tier down just past the hole and a fair bit of rough to get through. I chip with my putter and it's terrible. Goes about six yards and doesn't reach the green.

So I try again and and dub it again. The ball gets on the green about five feet short of the hole. I miss the putt about four feet long and luckily sink that putt for a triple bogey, 8.

Wow, I don't know what to say. Things are continuing to fall apart.

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. We never see my tee shot but it felt solid and we do not hear the ball hit anything. We opt to look on the right side and I find it, 199 yards off the tee.

I'm under pine trees and the path at the green is directly through the trunk of a mature pine. I figure i'll punch a little five iron to the left and get the ball back in play. I push the shot right into said tree and it bounces backwards and stops about a yard or two from OoB....

Well crap. I have a line to the green now and try again. It's a decent, lowish fade, with the punched five iron 137 yards, and short of the green. I have a pitch on and chunk it twenty-seven yards.

I mishit a twenty-six yard chip and pull it ten feet below the hole. A two putt triple bogey, 7.

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 in the distance and hit my driver. Another high fade into the wind but the ball lands on the right slope, which kills the distance, but feeds it down into the fairway, 210 yards. Back right hole location and I settle on my eight iron. It comes out low and is another push fade. Contact was thin but it goes 119 yards and ends up to the right of the green. I hit a decent chip with my nine iron, twenty-one yards, that misses low and stops six feet lefty of the hole.

I two putt for bogey, 5.

Hey, something that's not triple+!

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 wind is behind us and I would normally hit eight iron to the middle left hole location. I opt for my nine iron instead and mishit a high push, 140 yards, that ends up short right of the green. I hit another decent chip with my nine iron, twenty-five yards, to five feet. I two putt for a bogey, 4.

Two bogeys in a row! Ugly but a big improvement.

9 – par 4, 357 yards, straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. Tailwind and I hit a solid push with my four wood, 215 yards, and just into the rough of #1. The hole is front right and there is a large pine tree I have to stay under that is to the right of my line.

I figure a 130 yard shot, aka eight iron, will get me safely on. I aim more towards the middle left of the green and hit a low punch. It comes out great, a low draw that lands on the green and rolls to the left side, 147 yard shot.

I am fifty-six feet from the hole and don't care. I hit the ball onto the green where I thought I'd be. I misread the speed of the birdie putt and miss high and five feet long. I three putt for bogey, 5.

Well, not a good front nine but at least I played bogey golf the last three holes.

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. Into the wind and I nuke my four wood, a low draw that runs mout and down a bit of a slope, 221 yards off the tee. The hole is middle front and my ball is on a down slope. Into the wind and center is playing probably 130ish. I opt for my eight iron and hit a great looking low draw but it's going to be long. Sure enough, a 124 yard shot into the back fringe. I didn't want to hit nine iron and come up short, so maybe I over clubbed.

I have a 60 foot chip with my putter and need to go down a tier. I leave my ball short of the tier... Crap. I have a twenty-four foot par putt down the tier that's right in front of my. I tap my ball and miss low but pin high and within a foot. 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 wind picks up and it's into our faces still. I rip my seven wood and it's a high draw, 187 yards, into the center of the fairway. I am about 140 yards from center, front hole location. I figure the wind will offset the elevation advantage, so I hit my seven iron.

Great contact and it's a draw that lands near the back of the green, 150 yards with my 140 club into the wind...

I have a thirty-three foot birdie putt, downhill all the way. My line is off and I miss on the low side and the ball stops three feet from the hole. I make the par putt, 4.

Wow, a par!

12 – par 4, 315 yards, 90* dogleg left, #14 HCP, green is elevated. Narrow tee shot that opens as you reach the corner. Into the wind still, and I hit a decent high draw with my driver, 191 yards, into the fairway on the right side. I go with my eight iron to the elevated green and chunk it. Ball only goes ninety-five yards and ends up short of the green on the left side.

I chip with my sand wedge and mishit it a touch and end up thirteen feet past the hole. I hit the par putt to firm and the ball rolls three feet past the cup... I make the bogey putt though, 5.

13 – par 3, 123 yards, #18 HCP, green is elevated with bunkers short right and left and long left. Tiered green as well. The tees are forward a bit and the flag is middle back. My GPS has it around 124 yards which would be a nine iron but the wind is in our face. I go with my eight iron and strike it great. A high draw over the green, 131 yards, and almost into the back bunker. I decide to chip using my sand wedge and a putting stroke. It comes off quite weak and my ball has no chance of being close to the hole.

Instead I am nine feet right of it based on my perspective from behind the green. Not an easy putt but I sink it for par, 3.

14 – par 5, 543, straight hole, #4 HCP. Elevated tee shot to wide open fairway. Fairway slopes down left to right, water on the right closer to the green and fronting the entire green. I think there was a tailwind on this hole which seemed odd since it plays in the same direction as #13.

I hit a high draw with my driver right down the middle, 244 yards. I have a good lie and opt for four wood. I aim towards the left side and hit a solid high draw, 196 yards, into the fairway on the left.

The hole is middle right, near the pond. It's a bit over 110 yards and I decide to hit a partial puitching wedge and just get on the green. I catch it thin but it's a low fade that lands on the left side of the green and takes a slope to get pin high, 9 feet left of the cup, 110 yard shot. I miss the birdie putt low and the ball only goes about a foot long, par, 5.

15 – par 4, 264 yards, straight, #16 HCP. Elevated tee shot to a fairway that is always soft and cart path only year round. Fairway bunkers on left side in line with the green. Bunker surround this green except for the left side. Tailwind and I go for the green. My drive is a push fade, 206 yards, into the right rough. The hole is on the left side and it's about sixty yards. I settle on my 60* and hit it fat. Tghe club slides through the wet ground and pops the ball up and it goes about thirty-nine yards... Sigh.

I hit a decent chip with my sand wedge, twenty-six yards, to five feet. I don't convert and come away with a 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. Front middle hole location and a tailwind. I feel good with hitting my eight iron and it's a great looking shot. High draw over the flag and it lands just past it and rolls down towards it a little. 135 yard shot and I am seven feet above the cup. I push the birdie putt and miss high and two feet long. I sink the par putt, 3.

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. I hit a very strong draw down the left side with driver, 234 yards. The hole is middle front and just over 100 yards. I am slightly above the green and decide to hit a partial pitching wedge.

I catch it thin and it's a low bullet, 129 yards, and through the back of the green. I have a tough chip. I have to go up a tier and there is a very strong right to left break. I chip with my nine iron and contact is decent but too firm. The ball rolls off the front of edge of the green. I chip with my putter to inside a foot and get a bogey, 5.

I was hoping for par based on the tee shot but that thin wedge had other ideas...

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... I hit a high push fade with my driver towards the right trees. It should be okay and I find my ball in play, 205 yards off the tee. It's on what I would call firm mud. Bare ground, no grass, that's very moist. I do not like the odd of hitting a mid/long iron over the stream with the lie and angles involved.

I puinch a little nine iron back into the fairway about seventy-nine yards. This puts me in range of the green with my four wood. The tailwind makes the back of the green play about 187 yards. I have to wait a while for the group in front of us to clear the area. I hit the shot and it's a slight push fade, 179 yards, that ends up on the strip of green that connects #9 and #18 greens.

I'm happy it's dry but this is not good. I do not know why it was designed like this but it is what it is. The hole is back right and my path to it is up over a hump of rough. So I am going to be chipping from the green... If I was on #9 proper, I would have taken relief but I am in between both greens. I use my nine iron and a putting stroke because I don't want to catch it heavy.

The results leave a lot to be desired. The ball makes it over the hump of rough and onto the green but not all the way up the tier. So it rolls down and to my left, forty-five feet below the hole. I give the putt a good whack and it misses pin high and three feet to the right. I make the bogey putt, 6.

Well, I do not know what to say. Okay, I lie. I cannot believe how I finished out the round with just pars and bogeys on the back. I shot a 55/41, 96* It's a 93 for GHIN because I went over NDB on a few holes and my index may drop by a tenth.

I think this is the biggest swing in score between nines that I have ever had. The one that always stuck with me was a 54/45, years ago when I had to play the front nine twice because the back was being punched.

I was nine over on fourteen of the holes and fifteen over on the other four(which were all in a row).....

What changed?

I am not sure. I kept to a single swing thought after the rough patch of holes which was to feel my right hip go back instead of left at the start of my back swing. I cannot say if I had that same feel for the start of the round, the bad holes in particular. Maybe I did and I just got more used to things as the round went on. I am not sure. I do know it was with me for the back nine and while I left a number of shots out there, I played great for me.

I am extremely happy with this round. I felt like I played actual golf for first time in months. I was competent, lol. I will say, I am most proud of my mental state. I did not go in the tank with that terrible stretch of holes. Sure, it was going to be impossible to have a great round once I wrote that ten on my card but I hung in and played very solid for the last twelve holes.

My approach game with my irons was much improved, too bad my driver said hold my beer and tanked with seven penalty strokes on two holes. Oh, an not a single double bogey was to be seen today...

birdies: 0

pars: 5

bogeys: 9

double bogeys: 0

triple+: 4

Some stats:

Avg drive: 205 yards

Longest drive: 244 yards

Fairways: 6/14

GIR: 5/18

Avg Approach: 125 yards

Up & down: 1/11

Putts: 36

Strokes gained compared to a 10 HCP.

Overall: -13.5 strokes

driving: -9.9, lol 7 of these are from penalties

Approach: -1.2, worst part of my game normally and it's my second best today...

Short game: +0.4

Putting: -2.8

Edited February 22 by bortass
Added slope and rating

betarhoalphadelta · February 22

1 hour ago, bortass said:

I was nine over on fourteen of the holes and fifteen over on the other four(which were all in a row).....

Don't you hate that? My last Oso round I was 18 over across 5 holes (although not in a row) and then 8 over the other 13 holes.

It gets frustrating when I feel that I'm a halfway decent golfer *most* of the time and then a few holes just torpedo the score.

It's why I say that my score isn't dependent on having good holes. I.e. I'm not going to make 4 birdies in a round. I've never made an eagle. I don't even need THAT many pars. But if I can beat it around a course with a lot of bogeys, a par here and there, and avoid making triple (or worse) anywhere, it's gonna be a pretty good score for me.

bortass · February 23

15 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Don't you hate that? My last Oso round I was 18 over across 5 holes (although not in a row) and then 8 over the other 13 holes.

It gets frustrating when I feel that I'm a halfway decent golfer *most* of the time and then a few holes just torpedo the score.

It's why I say that my score isn't dependent on having good holes. I.e. I'm not going to make 4 birdies in a round. I've never made an eagle. I don't even need THAT many pars. But if I can beat it around a course with a lot of bogeys, a par here and there, and avoid making triple (or worse) anywhere, it's gonna be a pretty good score for me.

Yeah, it was frustrating but at least it was not caused by trying stupid shots. I have had a few blowup holes lately that were caused by bad decisions, trying to bite off more than I could chew and I choked on it.

DECADE and most of the course management I read all say the same thing. Birdies are nice but bogey avoidance is what lowers scores. Granted we all need to take that within the context of our own game. Doubles are not terrible if you are trying to break 100 for the first time. Minimize the damage when bad stuff happens. If I hit a tee shot OoB and come away with a double, I am very happy because that's the best I can hope for. Sometimes a mishit will lead to just playing for bogey because par is either next to impossible or much more likely to cost more strokes than it will save.

One of my own challenges has been trying to learn and embrace a mindset that understands when a 'bad' score on a hole really isn't. Not all double bogeys are created equal. They look the same on the card but causation matters. Double from OoB, fine. Double from a four putt GIR or needing two chips and two putts to hole out, not so much. Then regardless of the cause, the fun part is trying to not let it bleed forward the rest of the round. I still am amazed that I would get so p!ssed when I carded a triple bogey when I was trying to break 100. I'd be playing nine and get a triple on #3 and the frustration was massive. The round was ruined, I should just go home. Blah, blah, blah, what a clueless and fragile golfer I was. Unfortunately some of that mindset lingers, just not as bad nor as common thankfully.

There are so many ups and downs trying to actually improve. Nothing is linear nor fast. Big picture and trends are where it's at for the most part. Learning and accepting that can go a long way to making it more enjoyable.

SNIPERBBB · February 23

A good indicator for a "good" double bogey is if you hit a foul ball or two on a hole and survived with a double. A good bogey is one where you are forced into the "you cant there from here" phenomenon.

absoludicrous · February 23

Did you happen to put in any of the suggestions from Monte in your last round? If so, the better back 9 may be a good thing.

I had a similar round two weeks ago. I haven’t had much time to practice or play since my lesson in January due to the weather. I struggled with some of the changes on the front 9, but started to feel much better on the back and the quality of strikes improved as well.

I know each round is going to be different, but I would look at the drastic back 9 score improvement a good thing. You’re probably getting adjusted to some of the recommendations. Hopefully you’ll see more improvement with more reps.

bortass · February 23

3 minutes ago, absoludicrous said:

Did you happen to put in any of the suggestions from Monte in your last round? If so, the better back 9 may be a good thing.

I had a similar round two weeks ago. I haven’t had much time to practice or play since my lesson in January due to the weather. I struggled with some of the changes on the front 9, but started to feel much better on the back and the quality of strikes improved as well.

I know each round is going to be different, but I would look at the drastic back 9 score improvement a good thing. You’re probably getting adjusted to some of the recommendations. Hopefully you’ll see more improvement with more reps.

I tried to put what he said into practice while playing. I use the word 'tried' for a very specific reason. I do not mean I 'tried' to do it and it didn't work and I quit blah blah blah. Sometimes 'try' can have that type of connotation. I mean I 'tried' to get my right hip back and not go way left right away but I cannot claim that I actually 'did' it. Maybe I'm being pedantic but the argument about moving trees in the powershift thread reminded me it doesn't take much for some 'interesting' discussions to evolve. Besides, it's the correct term since I do not want to imply I went out there after one range session and think I'm all fixed, lol.

Outside of the one swing on #3, that I mishit, I did not worry about my left wrist at all. I just focused on the pivot issue. Monte was very clear that is what I need to tackle first. I had the feel of my right hip moving back for my full swings for the back nine. I actually think I had it most of the round but I can't recall for certain.

I do attribute the terrible drives that cost me seven strokes to not being used to things. I got away with the push fade off the tee on #1 only because #9 runs parallel with it. All other holes are OoB on the right. It got better throughout the round but the push fade did happen a couple of other times, just not as badly. I believe I can handle playing with a single swing thought, so that's my game plan for now. I know it goes off the rails if I try to think of too many things when I swing.

I attribute my much improved approach game, based on the strokes gained, on that feel. I hit some very solid shots and not as many of the weak push fades. I also noticed a change in my finish position. There was a stretch in my side that I felt on some of the solid shots. I'm not used to feeling that and it went along with I felt tall in my finish, if that makes any sense.

I do expect to see improvements with more reps. I hope that I have my pivot in a better place by the time the clinic rolls around in about eight weeks. I'd like Monte to be able to say 'that's better, work on the left wrist now'. It's all on me though. If I put in the work it'll happen.

Speaking of work, I think I may be getting out to the range before work soon. Overnight temps are not always below freezing. I want to work on three things once I can get to the range on a regular basis.

1)Pivot with 7i. This is the priority.

2) Partial wedges, I just need to start hitting these again to sort out how to make better contact. So this is not about movement patterns but actually hitting the shot. I hit these a fair bit when I play and reducing the fats and thins will help my game a decent amount I think.

3) Short putts. I really am terrible in the three to ten foot range. It's like a little knife is stabbing my soul every time I miss a three footer which is too often. My make rate for three to five feet is 38% and a 10 HCP averages 55%...

Weather looks good my my round tomorrow. I'm not sure about Sunday since there may be a frost delay and we have an early tee time. I have no expectation score wise but am going into my next round feeling confident because of what I did yesterday.

bortass · February 24

Spit the bit and posted a 105. Had a couple Xs and quads, so actual score would have been higher. Everything was off but there were still some great shots.

SNIPERBBB · February 24

4 hours ago, bortass said:

Spit the bit and posted a 105. Had a couple Xs and quads, so actual score would have been higher. Everything was off but there were still some great shots.

Such is golf. you just gotta figure out how to get more consistent

bortass · February 25

1 hour ago, SNIPERBBB said:

Such is golf. you just gotta figure out how to get more consistent

I agree, the conditions may have had an impact. A fair bit of wind and other guys struggled as well. Even so, my game can handle one area being off, not all of them.

It’s all good though. Was a nice day and had fun. I’m going to focus on the solid shots. Sent a few approaches over the green because I made very good contact.

bortass · February 26

Played Sunday and it was completely different, lol. We had a frost delay but it warmed up quickly. There was also no wind to speak of. A very nice day to be on the course. This was a round to take away positives and act as a confidence booster. I didn't do as well as I did on Thursday but I hit some better shots.

I 'shot' a 50/48, 98*. I picked up on #18 and had a couple quads, so I posted a 95 to GHIN. A birdie, three pars, eight bogeys, two doubles, triple, and two quads, and the X which was a triple for posting. I dropped the 0.1 that my index went up with Saturday's bad round. So my index is the same today as it was on Friday. The next six scores that will be rolling off are all in my top eight which means there is some fluctuation for the next few weeks unless I replicate each differential that rolls off.

I started with a decent bogey. Followed by another bogey when I miss a two foot par putt. Bogey on #3 when I need two chips to get it to two feet but I at least made that putt.

Triple on #4 when I hit my tee shot into right trees(hazard). I got my next one close to the green but hit my pitch over a bunker too hard and through the green. A chip and two putt later, I have my seven.

Next hole Quad, push my drive just into the left trees(hazard). I find my ball on the edge in some very thick rough with tiny woody stems around it. I figure I can hack it out with a wedge and get the ball further than a drop. Nope, ball barely moved. Take an unplayable and drop where I would have dropped originally. Top a four wood, hit a great seven iron layup to give me a partial SW into the green. Chunk it, chip on and two putt for a nine.

Next hole, double when I get next to the green in two and I chip through the green. Hit my next chip to two feet and miss the putt, 6.

#7 push fade off the tee forces a layup which I hit very well. Pitch on and two putt from twenty-one feet, bogey.

#8, par three. I hit a great looking eight iron off the tee, nice and high baby draw and it lands fifteen feet right of the hole. The ball just landed and stopped. Pin high and my birdie putt stops about 4 inches short, par.

#9, push my drive into #1 and I have no shot at the green. Chip back into the correct fairway and it's about 130 yards to a back left pin. I hit another great looking eight iron that lands five feet from the hole. Another high draw that just stopped when it landed. I think the pitch mark was a couple inches from my ball. I have a legit par putt and it lips out, bogey.

#10, solid four wood, mid height draw down the left side. Elevated green and I take more club(nine iron). I hit it solid and into the back rough. Chip to two feet and make the par putt.

#11, very solid high draw with seven wood into the fairway. Slightly push a partial PW but it's another high draw that lands in the right fringe about twelve feet from the hole. Chip with my putter and it drops for birdie.

#12, solid draw with driver down the middle. Hit another high draw with a partial PW onto the green and five feet past the hole. Ball lips out, par.

#13, mishit nine iron into back lip of front left bunker. Get out in one but short of the green. Chip with putter to twofeet and make the bogey putt.

#14(par 5 with pond on right), great looking draw down the middle. Top my four wood... I need to layup with seven iron. I aim well left and leave the face wide open and hit a sever push fade into the pond... Drop and hit a partial SW to eighteen feet. Actually make the putt to save bogey.

#15(short par 4), push my drive into the right trees. We find the ball and it's on dead leaves on the side of area where water has eroded things, so it's a severe downslope. I figure I can punch a ball at the green. Ball goes about a foot to the bottom of the wash area. I take an unplayable and barely get the next one out with another mishit. Chunk a partial SW, pitch through the green, chip to a foot, and come away with a quad.

#16(par 3), hit a solid push fade with seven iron to the right of the green. Grass marks indicate center face contact but I left the face open again. Chip fourteen feet past the hole and two putt for bogey.

#17, a slice into the right trees( started left and curved way right). I find my ball but I can't get a club on it. Take an unplayable and hit a nice looking five iron just short of the green. Hit an okay pitch over a bunker but am twenty four feet below the hole. Two putt double.

#18( par 5), pull my driver into the face of the left slope and it rolls down into the fairway about 158 yards off the tee. layup with a seven iron that is a bit lackluster. I can reach the green with my four wood. I top it into the stream in 65 yards in front of me. Drop and have an iron into the green over stream and pond. Leave the face open and hit a lowish push fade into pond. I call it a day and take an X(8 for GHIN).

Big things that bug me about the round:

missed short putts. I had two misses in the two foot range.
multiple chips to get on the green. Two holes required more than one chip because I hit the first too hard.
Open club face, the push fades really bother me. I'd be happier hitting a pull into the left trees than the push fade into the right.
Bad decisions. I should have just taken unplayable or hazard drops on two holes. Instead I think I can hack it out of less than ideal situations and it blew up both times.

What I'm happy with:

My good shots are better than my good shots before I started to think about my right hip. I hit some great irons and partial wedges. Nice high draws that got close to the hole. Some of my tee shots were also better than normal. IMO, the feel I am using with my right hip at the start of the backswing is having a positive impact. It will just take time for it to be able to overcome the all the bad shots.
Overall results, I cannot complain about this round since I'm trying to swing differently while playing. I feel it's like last Thursday's round( just not as good), it showed some signs of positive changes.

@SNIPERBBB mentioned consistency. That's a challenge for me. When I look at both chipping and putting, I am not reliable. I get get both to be decent with some focused work but I have never spent enough time working on it to make it a lasting change that just needs a little tune up every once in a while. The only thing I can count on is that anything can happen, lol. I don't sit there thinking I hope I don't miss this putt or please don't hit the chip too hard. It just happens and I know it can happen, thus I am not surprised when it does. So many things to work on and not enough time right now.

Next Saturday will be at the sister course with all the water. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I am hoping weather/work will allow me to get to the range a few times this week.

bortass · February 27

Well my dreams of many range sessions this week were dashed but I did get out today and may be able on Friday. I left the range excited which tends to be the case whenever things go well. I did two twenty minute blocks.

Block one was working on release 1 chipping with range balls into the range. I used predominately pitching wedge but added a few seven iron chips as well. My focus was just on trying to make good contact. That's why I wasn't using my normal ball on the practice green. I made some good progress. No real stinkers but I became cognizant of my weight shifting backwards leading to thin strikes. Contact was much improved when I remembered to feel like I was rotating around my lead leg.

Block two was working on the start/stop drill from Powershift. Three sets of three balls drill and ten balls with a 'normal' swing. I used seven iron and wrote 'normal' because they were not full speed swings. I took some off and focused on the feeling of the right hip going back at the beginning of the backswing. Some of the shots were very impressive( for me). High baby draws that held their line into a pretty stiff wind. Not everything was puppy dogs and rainbows but even the bad ones were pretty decent save for one. I am already liking the results I am seeing with this change.

Now my putting woes. I have done some research and pulled the trigger on a thirteen foot Wellputt mat. One of the things I liked from the reviews was the app. It has three 'courses'. I believe each has eighteen 'holes' that have you putt from different spots on the mat and keep score. It looks like a great way to stay engaged and not practice the same thing over and over again. I saw one video where the guy played the first nine holes on the intro course. It looked like it alternated putt to the hole and speed. Making this up but hole #1 might be a three foot putt from the left side then hole #2 might be stop the ball in a band at the six foot mark, etc. The app has it setup as a game and I did see it supports up to eight players at a time. I am very excited to have it arrive and try it out.

MattC555 · February 28

On 2/23/2024 at 3:33 PM, bortass said:

3) Short putts. I really am terrible in the three to ten foot range. It's like a little knife is stabbing my soul every time I miss a three footer which is too often. My make rate for three to five feet is 38% and a 10 HCP averages 55%...

The answer to this is obviously a new putter. 🤑

Seriously though, are you missing 3 footers due to read or execution?

RoyalMustang · February 28

On 2/14/2024 at 3:15 PM, Valtiel said:

Exactly. Get too forward too early and the "back" you neglected has to be recaptured somewhere, normally in the downswing via some form of stalling/reverse tilting/casting, *especially* if you're already setup with he ball too far back. In your case you actually fight to maintain extension of the upper body away from your lower half, because they moved together you'd be miles in front of the ball and you'd never even make contact.

I'll always defer to the "Fat Perez" model for bigger guys and their pivots. Look him up if you don't know who he is, great player.

On his side; ball slightly forward of center, small bump back, fall into the lead side as the backswing finishes. On your side; ball back of center and an immediate turn forward into your front side. Nowhere to go from there.

The baseball swing step is a great way to get your timing down. Invariably you are loading the back foot and driving forward as your club is roughly parallel to the ground on the backswing. It also gives you a lot of space to feel the load-drive, hips down and through, front hip finishing up and hands staying with the torso, not ahead. I spend a range session stepping into the ball and I don't think I was any less accurate than on regular swings; just 10-20 yards longer!

Sign In

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

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

bortass

bortass

bortass

Posted Images

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites