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Anyone got any mind tricks to help this issue?


DogWiz

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I've got an issue where my practice swings are consistently good in terms of swing plane and club head distance from ground. (Slightly inside to out or straight, with a nice brush of the grass on all clubs but driver, with a nice follow through and hold)  However, as soon as there is a ball in front of me, I consistently swing outside to in and often hitting down rather than up which is obviously a total killer for drives, plus of course that swing path makes it impossible to follow through.

 

I've tried lessons and alignment sticks to get me swinging straight or even trying to swing inside to out but no matter how much I practice up to 90% of the time i'm hitting down and with an outside to in path the second a ball is there.  Basically the exact opposite of my practice swings.  It's driving me nuts!  🥴   The problem is most pronounced with my driver and the shorter the club the straighter I can swing.

 

Does anyone have an mind tricks that might help me get over this issue?

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You need to think about your finish, not hitting the ball.  Think well past where you are in the swing.  Think finishing high and with a full turn.  

 

I also have this same tendency.  I solved it as mentioned above and also by speeding up my swing.  Its counter to what you would believe but speeding up the backswing helped me a lot.

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1 hour ago, Soloman1 said:

I don't remember Jack Nicklaus ever taking a true practice swing other than an occasional chip or pitch. He was pretty good at golf.

 

I'm playing later today and I'll probably get paired with yahoos who will take two or three practice swings before every shot. If they shoot around 90, that's 3 full shots per hole (at least) times 3 practice swings plus 1 real swing, plus another practice swing after they hit a poor shot x 3 people = 810 damn swings I have to wait on. I don't dare watch any of them.

 

No wonder people quit playing golf. Do you ever see tennis players take practice swings? Quarterbacks take practice throws? Pitchers take practice throws? Basketball players take practice throws? Bowlers take practice throws?

 

Ever see anyone take a practice bite before eating a sandwich?

 

"Hold on, Bubba. I'm gonna take a practice drink here before I take a drink of my real beer."

 

Just hit the damn ball.

 

(My apologies - I had a birthday 2 days ago and turned into a really, really old guy. And I didn't even practice blowing out the candles. I just went ahead and did it.)

 

This is the best post on this forum all season.  Thanks for the Sunday morning chuckle!

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4 hours ago, DogWiz said:

I've got an issue where my practice swings are consistently good in terms of swing plane and club head distance from ground. (Slightly inside to out or straight, with a nice brush of the grass on all clubs but driver, with a nice follow through and hold)  However, as soon as there is a ball in front of me, I consistently swing outside to in and often hitting down rather than up which is obviously a total killer for drives, plus of course that swing path makes it impossible to follow through.

 

I've tried lessons and alignment sticks to get me swinging straight or even trying to swing inside to out but no matter how much I practice up to 90% of the time i'm hitting down and with an outside to in path the second a ball is there.  Basically the exact opposite of my practice swings.  It's driving me nuts!  🥴   The problem is most pronounced with my driver and the shorter the club the straighter I can swing.

 

Does anyone have an mind tricks that might help me get over this issue?

 

There is a practice method that is pretty common that may help that has helped me. I belive Monte here on the forum recommends it and my brother's PGA coach also has him do it as well.

 

Basically it is only getting the shaft back to 3 oclock and then swing through to 9 oclock. This short should force you to get the legs more involved in your swing, which is the real source of power. Certainly the shoulders,etc can add force but if the legs don't resist as they should you can turn your shoulder to kingdom come and you wont generate anywhere near the clubhead speed doing a half swing like the practice method above - that is based on my personal experience.

 

One other minor technique that may help the over the top move is put your hands as forward as possible during the setup even though it may be uncomfortable. A lot of strong players have done this like John Daly, Henrik Stenson and Tony Finau. I personally find it helps get the arms connected as they should.

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"Shirtsleeve" swing technique:

1. Setup: Elbows bent forearms pressed together against shaft slightly forward of center with "Hogan" "active/flexed" leg tension left foot turned out slightly and the right leg slightly farther to the right - weight mostly on balls of feet butt of left hands sits on the top of the grip with very light grip.

2. Swing - W/o disturbing weight distribution of legs and feet lower hands while doing a forward press "swing trigger" then the left upper arm takes over on the backswing, it needs to go out in front of the body then back in front of the chest as the hands trace down initially then up to over the right shoulder "Torres". The goal is to not disturb the pressure of the feet during the initial takeaway.

 

Notes:

1. Only swing thought after swing trigger - extend left arm at shirt sleeve when reaching left hand over right shoulder "Shirtsleeve technique".

2. The upper left arm move "Shirtsleeve technique" can be practiced independently without a club, sitting down for instance

3. The correct feet tension can be felt by doing very short hops on the balls of the feet then holding the same feeling of pressure on the front of the feet and then taking three practice swings with the grip very loose in order to not disturb the same pressure on the feet and on the 3rd swing actively do the "Shirtsleeve" move. From there the swing should be done within a matter of seconds to not lose the feel of the legs resisting, this way this is not a learned technique as much as it is a setup technique.

 

 

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Ball bound

very common

try to hit the ball with a starting position 2 feet in front of the ball ... full backswing and focus on target ... throw the club and arms targetwards ... not at the ball 

 

great post Soloman ... I hate the triple practice swingers as well.  I’m usually hitting while others are still talking and pulling off headcovers

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Ping Glide Wrx 49*, 54*, 59*ES, Tour W 64* SF 125s

EvnRoll ER9
 

 

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In addition to not focusing on a ball, forgetting I'm on the course (pretending I'm on the range) helps as well. I address the ball faster, take my shot faster, and swing easier, just like when I'm on the range. Practicing the same pre-shot routine on the range as on the course helps with that as well.

 

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Aiming 6" the left of the ball rather than at it on drives and focusing on getting my hands swinging from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock worked really well for me today.  I was hitting it better than ever and getting up to 40y extra.  Aiming to the left of the ball by varying amounts depending on club length and making sure my hands are going 3 to 9 worked on all clubs so I played great today and ended up shooting my best round yet so thanks guys! ☺️

 

I've been losing loads of tees recently due to all the leaves on the course so I had a great idea that stopped that plus acts as a handy training tool for practicing what I said above, which is using two tees tied together where I put them on the line I want to swing then focus on the left hand one with the ball being on the right hand one.  It worked great.

tee_tool2.JPG.c3054effeac81cb2d7c8eb30efc33172.JPG

Edited by DogWiz
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19 hours ago, cardoustie said:

 

 

great post Soloman ... I hate the triple practice swingers as well.  I’m usually hitting while others are still talking and pulling off headcovers

Two weeks ago I played with a trhee swinger.  Total nightmare, especially because the guy was new and shot 102, plus the practice swings: 406 attempts in 18 holes.  

 

Trying to replicate your practice swing when hitting the ball is the ultimate wild goose chase in golf.  The real deal is to get a rhythmical motion with a good full finish IRL.

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38 minutes ago, naval2006 said:

Two weeks ago I played with a trhee swinger.  Total nightmare, especially because the guy was new and shot 102, plus the practice swings: 406 attempts in 18 holes.  

 

Trying to replicate your practice swing when hitting the ball is the ultimate wild goose chase in golf.  The real deal is to get a rhythmical motion with a good full finish IRL.

 

Playing Torrey years ago, daylight was going to run out if you didn’t motor.  Get a guy on 1 who goes behind the ball 10 feet, makes two practice swings, then moves up beside the ball and makes another practice swing.  Molasses by the time he hit a shot, nvm the time taken to pull a club and get ready to make 3 practice swings.  This guy had no idea what ready golf was.  Left him halfway down hole 1.  Met him in parking lot in near dark .. he’d gotten in 6.5 holes and I had all 18 done in 1:55 minutes.

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Ping G400 LST 11* Ventus Black TR 5x

Ping G400 3w 15.1* GD AD IZ 5x

Ping G400 7w 19.5* Ventus Red 6x 

Ping G425 4h 22* Blueboard HY 80x

Ping i210 6i & s55 7i - PW Steelfiber 110s

Ping Glide Wrx 49*, 54*, 59*ES, Tour W 64* SF 125s

EvnRoll ER9
 

 

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21 hours ago, jut111 said:

I’ve got 20 bucks that says If you recorded the practice swing the club Face is WIDE open and you’d hit an awful shot with your pretty practice swing.  Real swing is your brain finding a way to hit a functional golf shot. 

This.  Analyzing practice swings is pretty useless.

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All "tips" are welcome. Instruction not desired. 
 

 

The problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

BERTRAND RUSSELL

 

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