Monthly Motivation: September - Back Nine

[bortass]

  It's normally the start of football season, so golf is going to start winding down for all of you still stuck in the snow belt. Yes, I'm not at good as @Myherobobhope with the title.

 

This month I plan to keep working on my swing with Monte's No Turn cast video. It's quite good IMO and explains some things better, at least for me. The big things in it are the motorcycle move, which I was told to start doing in a lesson, and  a second cast which I think I started to do at the range months ago and stopped because I thought it was something we weren't supposed to actively try to do. I found it to be worth the $18. I plan to start really working on it next week since I'm travelling for a funeral this week.

 

I'm feeling like we should have a pool for will @dmecca2 find a putter he likes? Lol. 

 

Have a good one.

[Myherobobhope]

Title is good!

 

I'm still rehabbing my hip... we went from "it being a tendon problem" to "it being a muscle problem" so I spent 2 weeks NOT stretching it and am now 2 weeks behind. Very frustrating... 

 

Of course, because I'm a crazy person, I still think about golf a ton... I currently can't stand or walk pain free, so I'm not practicing... but I've been thinking about what I want to do as I rehab my way back into golf.

 

First thing will be the low angle, high spin pitch shot... Shouldn't be abusive of my hip and will be a great tool in my bag... I don't like my current game from 100-20 yards, and I think mastering this shot will really help me. 

 

I was also listening to the Chasing Scratch podcast where they talked about it, and talked about 3/4 swings being driven by the lower body... so as my hip heals, I want to start working on smaller swings with more body rotation. I get into trouble when I let my arms do the work, so letting my body try to drive the ball should be good.

 

I'm already doing a ton of hip flexibility stuff, and just failed a shoulder mobility test... so I want to get more into mobility stuff... 

 

And because I didn't learn anything when I injured myself, my quest to hit 120mph of useable clubhead speed will continue, once I can properly load my hip again... though my current though process is get to 120+ and then dial myself back to 80% most of the time... same distance as now, with better dispersion and the ability to take it to 11 on certain holes where a miss isn't as penal. (ha, penal!)

 

@bortass Hope the scores are improving! It definitely helps to find a program you like and to gain confidence in your swing... I think that was the biggest hurdle for me in improving... just KNOWING I could hit the ball where I wanted (even if it isn't true) allowed me to swing better... I think golf is one of those sports where "believing in yourself" is a huge advantage... just have to find the way to get there!

 

[bortass]

@Myherobobhope I wasn't able to get sound to work on the tweet you embedded. I had no problem doing either move. I may have more flexible shoulders than normal though. I recall going to a wrestling camp in HS, Roman Greco, not WWE. The kid working with me couldn't keep me in a double chicken wing, so the instructor, a US Olympic wrestler, got me in one and cranked on it and I was still able to roll my way out of it somehow, lol.

 

As for scores, I shot an 89 a few weeks ago and a 106 a few days ago, lol. I am so erratic. 

Edited September 1, 2020 by bortass

[Myherobobhope]

1 minute ago, bortass said:

@Myherobobhope I wasn't able to get sound to work on the tweet you embedded. I had no problem doing either move. I may have more flexible shoulders than normal though. I recall going to a wrestling camp in HS, Roman Greco, not WWE. The kid working with me couldn't keep me in a double chicken wing, so the instructor, a US Olympic wrestler, got me in one and cranked on it and I was still able to roll my way out of it somehow, lol.

Yeah, sounds like you have plenty of shoulder flexibility... I could do the first one, but not the second one... I can get mostly there, though... it's not bad, just something I want to work on while I'm rehabbing the hip... Just trying to find productive things to do while I can't play golf.

[dmecca2]

I have very little hope in myself to find the right putter, so I don't imagine anyone would take that bet, @bortass. As of this exact moment in time, I am switching to a left hand low grip with either my detour conversion putter with a sharpie line on top, or the new fastback. Not sure yet. But this week I am getting married, and then beach trip/mini honeymoon the week of the 14th, so there won't be any golf until after that. 

[scooterhd2]

This month I am starting a golf workout routine. Overspeed training. Weights. Balance boards. Walking, light jogging. My body needs is badly, and I should be able to unlock some speed. 

 

Only wedges allowed at the driving range.

 

 

 

[MattyO1984]

September is going to be my golf month! After courses being shut down due to COVID and then some injuries once we were allowed to get back out there, I have played very little golf this year, certainly, a lot less than I would have hoped to have done. This month, I finally have some properly competitive rounds and it is likely that they might be amongst my only competitive rounds of the season albeit that my club is hoping to extend the season through until, at least, the end of October.

 

With that being the case - practice and playing is the name of the game. I am keen to get back to some strength training in due course however with limited chances to play left, I don’t want to miss out on any golf as a result of being too sore from lifting weights so whilst I might do some training (no that gyms are open), my free time, whilst we still have enough light after work will be to get out and play or spend time on the practice ground. For the first time in my life, I have genuinely been enjoying short game practice. I am putting this down to an improvement in technique. Having got that sorted it seems that one good things leads to another and the benefits when I have been out playing have been noticeable and measurable.

[Myherobobhope]

On 9/1/2020 at 1:21 PM, scooterhd2 said:

This month I am starting a golf workout routine. Overspeed training. Weights. Balance boards. Walking, light jogging. My body needs is badly, and I should be able to unlock some speed. 

 

Only wedges allowed at the driving range.

 

 

 

Stay safe! I did something to my hip and haven’t played all month. Not fun.

 

@bortass I just started https://a.co/6HVPb5C and am really enjoying it.

[dmecca2]

Finally married and lovin it. The weather was perfect all weekend and mostly everything went as planned. 

As for golf, I received confirmation yesterday that I made the coal scuttle team at the 9 hole course where I botched the club championship, so I will be competing in that on the 26th and 27th. Won't get a whole lot of practice before that, so hopefully I can keep my expectations low and then exceed them. 

[Myherobobhope]

Ran into my neurologist friend at the course yesterday... he doesn't think it's a muscle issue, but a nerve issue in my hip... Hopefully getting an MRI and a cortisone shot soon... Haven't taken a full swing in a while... I've done some practice on my short game, and gotten some more confidence with my putting... Read the book mentioned above and am working on implementing it on the range... but both techniques rely on shifting weight onto your leading leg, which isn't awesome for me right now. 

 

On putting, decided to figure out which eye is dominant (right eye for me) and have adjusted my setup to be more right eye dominant. When I first did it, I hit my target (10 feet) 8/9 times (3 balls, 3 different targets) so there is definitely something there... Hoping I can get a shot this week and go back to playing next week. I'm very frustrated.

[Myherobobhope]

1 minute ago, dmecca2 said:

Finally married and lovin it. The weather was perfect all weekend and mostly everything went as planned. 

As for golf, I received confirmation yesterday that I made the coal scuttle team at the 9 hole course where I botched the club championship, so I will be competing in that on the 26th and 27th. Won't get a whole lot of practice before that, so hopefully I can keep my expectations low and then exceed them. 

Congrats on the marriage! Hopefully you can sneak in some practice, but sometimes a few weeks off can help my game. 

 

Just try to avoid putter shopping!

[dmecca2]

5 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

Congrats on the marriage! Hopefully you can sneak in some practice, but sometimes a few weeks off can help my game. 

 

Just try to avoid putter shopping!

 

Luckily my ......wife...... works today and tomorrow, so I am going to the range today, and then a nice course tomorrow to play. She also works this weekend so I will get a normal week of golf in before our trip next week.  For now I'm sticking with the fastback putter. For now......

[Myherobobhope]

32 minutes ago, dmecca2 said:

 

Luckily my ......wife...... works today and tomorrow, so I am going to the range today, and then a nice course tomorrow to play. She also works this weekend so I will get a normal week of golf in before our trip next week.  For now I'm sticking with the fastback putter. For now......

Nice! Enjoy the golf and the trips with the wife...

[Warrior42111]

Tied my season best Sunday with an 87, and it was the second toughest course in the area slope wise FWIW. Was really clicking off the tee, front nine 6/7 fairways 9/14 overall. Only lost 1 ball off the tee. hit 6 greens too. A couple hiccups lead to 2 triples ( hit a fairway then shanked a wedge approach from 100 yard into the drink, then laid up perfectly on a par 5 and caught just enough of the smallest tree I've ever seen to put in in the drink as well.) I recovered pretty nicely after those holes.

 

Outside of golf my first play call as an O.C went for a 67 yard TD. 

[bortass]

On 9/2/2020 at 9:42 PM, Myherobobhope said:

Stay safe! I did something to my hip and haven’t played all month. Not fun.

 

@bortass I just started https://a.co/6HVPb5C and am really enjoying it.

  I bought that book in late 2012/early 2013 before I quit playing. Need to read it when I have some time.

[Myherobobhope]

Have an appointment with my doctor today to see if I can get some cortisone shots in my butt. Should be a fun conversation!

 

I've been thinking, reading and listening to talk about how best to practice... Block vs Random. It's something I really want to improve on... Spend the first 10 minutes or so on an activity navigating the "correct" move in block practice, and then try to implement it on the range via random practice, jumping between clubs and targets... Something I'm not necessarily good at right now. (it feels inefficient)... I'd really like to get my practicing down where I'm focused on 1-2 things at the beginning and then making shots for the rest of it... all sorts of crazy stuff, focusing on flighting the ball, working the ball, hit it on the toe, the heel... I need to be able to swing for more than 20 minutes to make it happen, though...

 

If I can get my body healthy, next week is the start of my even later summer run... Going to try to get in as much golf as possible in September and October and achieve my goal of par or better on my home course.

[dmecca2]

1 hour ago, Myherobobhope said:

Have an appointment with my doctor today to see if I can get some cortisone shots in my butt. Should be a fun conversation!

 

I've been thinking, reading and listening to talk about how best to practice... Block vs Random. It's something I really want to improve on... Spend the first 10 minutes or so on an activity navigating the "correct" move in block practice, and then try to implement it on the range via random practice, jumping between clubs and targets... Something I'm not necessarily good at right now. (it feels inefficient)... I'd really like to get my practicing down where I'm focused on 1-2 things at the beginning and then making shots for the rest of it... all sorts of crazy stuff, focusing on flighting the ball, working the ball, hit it on the toe, the heel... I need to be able to swing for more than 20 minutes to make it happen, though...

 

If I can get my body healthy, next week is the start of my even later summer run... Going to try to get in as much golf as possible in September and October and achieve my goal of par or better on my home course.

Block all day every day if on the range. 

[Warrior42111]

I'm block too.

 

The range for me is to instill something weather a feel, move, position ect. You need reps to do that.

[bortass]

Not familiar with block versus random terms per se but I've done both if my guess on the meaning is correct. I use block when I'm working on something specific. I can get more random at times though. Hit a wedge, then a 7i, maybe pitch a ball. It's how we play the game, so it makes some sense to do that on the range at times. Block is for practicing something specific, random is for when I feel like just hitting some balls and seeing the ball flight/overall swing etc.

 

I made it to the range the last two days to work on Monte's NTC. I'll be keeping with it for the foreseeable future. The drills are for moves I have never done before, so I expect things to take a while and my swing to get helter skelter on the course. Good stuff though.

[Myherobobhope]

2 hours ago, dmecca2 said:

Block all day every day if on the range. 

I've always been a block guy too... but I'm thinking I need to add random practice in. I was happy with my swing previously, so I don't need to ingrain it further... I think I'm going to focus on games and varied targets... 

 

My last book (Your Short Game Solution) basically convinced me I need to do more random practice... It's significantly harder to force yourself to do, in my experience.

[TIM929]

Definitely getting in the rhythm again.. I only have my sat morning rounds still so I will focus on. 
 

1) fairways with my drives 

2) finesse my irons(not muscle) on the greens 

3) take my time putting

 

Here we go! 

[dmecca2]

15 hours ago, bortass said:

Not familiar with block versus random terms per se but I've done both if my guess on the meaning is correct. I use block when I'm working on something specific. I can get more random at times though. Hit a wedge, then a 7i, maybe pitch a ball. It's how we play the game, so it makes some sense to do that on the range at times. Block is for practicing something specific, random is for when I feel like just hitting some balls and seeing the ball flight/overall swing etc.

 

I made it to the range the last two days to work on Monte's NTC. I'll be keeping with it for the foreseeable future. The drills are for moves I have never done before, so I expect things to take a while and my swing to get helter skelter on the course. Good stuff though.

Block practice would be repeatedly hitting the same club at the same target. Random would be to pick different targets and hit different clubs every swing to try and "simulate" being on the course. While, in theory, this seems valuable, the experts (pros) will only do block practice. 

 

I think I've decided to purchase Scott Fawcett's Decade app next season, as a 6 month subscription won't do me much good now. This will help me with stat tracking and course management. 

 

In other news, I have friends facetiming me from Dick's because they found a putter in the used section they think I may like. Even though it did seem nice, I am keeping my fastback in the bag. 

[TIM929]

1 hour ago, dmecca2 said:

Block practice would be repeatedly hitting the same club at the same target. Random would be to pick different targets and hit different clubs every swing to try and "simulate" being on the course. While, in theory, this seems valuable, the experts (pros) will only do block practice. 

 

I think I've decided to purchase Scott Fawcett's Decade app next season, as a 6 month subscription won't do me much good now. This will help me with stat tracking and course management. 

 

In other news, I have friends facetiming me from Dick's because they found a putter in the used section they think I may like. Even though it did seem nice, I am keeping my fastback in the bag. 

Which fastback do you have? 

[dmecca2]

The special select fastback 1.5. So its a mallet with toe hang, which seams to be in right now on tour. 

[TIM929]

1.5 is an awesome putter and the one I use as well, toe def helps me. Have you have the other fast back with with slight toe hang on the field? It does give different results. 

[Myherobobhope]

My hip mri came back negative so it’s back in the tube for a back mri...

 

im really annoyed right now and tired of this... 

 

haven’t swung a club full since the beginning of August... my game was on point and I was ready to go low... now I just hurt. 

[TIM929]

Shot 15 over the weekend with 1 triple and rest bogeys and pars. 
 

it’s finally coming back around and heading towards lowering my score. 
 

im driving it farther and better than ever by just trying to keep it in the fairway. 
 

finesses irons def paying off- gir setting me up for success and misses are close for short chips. 

 

Decisions on using the correct short shot(flop vs roll) is a make or break for tap in’s I really need to think twice about. 

 

using AE and taking time on putts is def the key on the green. 

I’m starting to see the course differently, like a tunnel vision. It was previously one big picture with a target, It’s much more narrow now- some crazy stuff. 

 

I still do not have time for the range or weekday golf practice so the once a week zero dark rounds are my only golf for now but really enjoying and thankful how my life is moving. 

[bortass]

No range time since last week but I used my Orange Whip to warm up before a quick 9 yesterday. I did the casts from Monte's NTC video and it made a big difference. I actually hit driver and woods off the deck solid. I even made contact on the sweet spot with a couple woods shots and they went further than normal with a better ball flight. So I think I have found something to help with the feels. I really felt like I was slinging the club more aggressively than ever before. It's an odd feeling but the resultys spoke for themselves.

 

 

[Myherobobhope]

On 9/16/2020 at 11:02 AM, bortass said:

No range time since last week but I used my Orange Whip to warm up before a quick 9 yesterday. I did the casts from Monte's NTC video and it made a big difference. I actually hit driver and woods off the deck solid. I even made contact on the sweet spot with a couple woods shots and they went further than normal with a better ball flight. So I think I have found something to help with the feels. I really felt like I was slinging the club more aggressively than ever before. It's an odd feeling but the resultys spoke for themselves.

 

 

I think a golf swing is all about balance... I get in trouble when I swing too hard and when I try to swing "soft"... just kills my tempo.

 

Rolled some putts yesterday... it was so nice outside. Someone invited me to join them for 9 holes, but I still can't swing a golf club...

 

Headed for a back MRI soon, and then the drugs, and then the khakis, and then I play golf again.

[Warrior42111]

Well I did it, I was mulling a fitting the past couple months and had it today. My current irons were not fitted for me, given by a friend. They were new and nice, Apex 19s but at times a little too much for me.

 

Warmed up with my 7 iron to get the baseline, when hit well about 165-170 total but a pretty wide dispersion. For iron heads tried the Mavrik, mavrik pro, T300, Sim MAX, SIM MAX OS, JPX Forged JPX 921 hot metals and the hot metal pros. For the heads it came between the mavrik pro and the sim max. We then tried number shafts and lengths to see if which produced the most consistent. This took about an hour. It was actually the last shaft I tried that was the best both feel and dispersion wise. so we tried the two heads in that and the winner was the Sim Max.

 

So the final verdict was the Sim Max, which accra Iseries Steel 125 in X flex, 2 degrees up and 0.25" long.

 

overall the avg ball speed jumped from 124 to 129.5 with the 7 iron ( 1 degree difference between clubs) but my dispersion is much tighter on mishits which is what I wanted. Also maybe it was the head shaft combo or just me, but man when hitting that final set up I can't explain how smooth and soft it felt, like the ball wasn't there.

 

Best part only a 1 week lead time, as they're pulling the heads from stock and the shafts arrive Tuesday.