Be Better, Brad! (Update 4-11-2024 with new swing videos)

[betarhoalphadelta]

That last post was getting long, so I wanted to separate.

 

This is a good video that also explains that straight-line back movement of the hips... I think it's a good video that goes very well with what @BigTerp1524 posted.

 

 

[TheDeanAbides]

On 7/16/2021 at 7:39 PM, betarhoalphadelta said:

Wedges didn't arrive yesterday. Grr. 

 

UPS says sometime today.

 

I did get to the range again this morning, and it went well. This motion is definitely starting to feel "right", and the ballstriking agrees...

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't checked in on you for ages. You're getting very flat at P3. Gotta watch that because it makes it really tough work to shallow. 

[TheDeanAbides]

Where you are and where you need to be. 

[uscheese]

Is that a fix in the hands or the shoulders to get more upright?

[BigTerp1524]

42 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

When I do that, my path is much more neutral, and my "feel" is that left hip getting back. And I get to this impact position:

 

 

Which I think looks a lot better than my old ones...

 

And the ball freakin' explodes off the face too... Which is nice lol!

To my eyes, that looks like a great place to be at impact. This is where I notice on video that I have my issues. My hips are pretty much square to the ball at impact. It doesn't feel bad at all, and I don't necessarily feel like I'm not getting my hips through. But, the video doesn't lie. My issue is most likely my hands/arm are trailing in the downswing so I have to stall my hips to get them through. If I "forced" my hips to finish through they would be even more behind and create a nice blocked push . Probably explains my miss with my irons of a straight push right. I also think I'm leaving quite a bit of power on the table hitting the ball in that manner. I'll see what Monte has to say about all of that on Wednesday. 

[BigTerp1524]

1 hour ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

That last post was getting long, so I wanted to separate.

 

This is a good video that also explains that straight-line back movement of the hips... I think it's a good video that goes very well with what @BigTerp1524 posted.

 

 

Like I said, I haven't messed with any of these feels or drills. But they make a lot of sense to me. I think I was looking at the hip rotation in a little bit of a wrong way. I think a lot of others do the same.

[BigTerp1524]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Where you are and where you need to be. 

@TheDeanAbides pointed this out to me long ago during my swing rebuild. I was in a similar position to you at P3 and by steeping the shaft here I found it made it MUCH easier to shallow the club and get the hands down in transition better/easier. Made the Cast A move almost effortless.

[TheDeanAbides]

18 minutes ago, uscheese said:

Is that a fix in the hands or the shoulders to get more upright?

Hands are too deep and the left forearm has rolled too much. 

[TheDeanAbides]

Just now, BigTerp1524 said:

@TheDeanAbides pointed this out to me long ago during my swing rebuild. I was in a similar position to you at P3 and by steeping the shaft here I found it made it MUCH easier to shallow the club and get the hands down in transition better/easier. Made the Cast A move almost effortless.

Yes, steep to shallow is much easier than too shallow to shallow. Why fight gravity when you can make it work for you?

[Wasted_Talent]

1 minute ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Hands are too deep and the left forearm has rolled too much. 

 

How does one fix this?  Thanks.

[BigTerp1524]

19 minutes ago, uscheese said:

Is that a fix in the hands or the shoulders to get more upright?

It's in the hands. Less pronation of the left arm on the way up. For me, it was also an inside takeaway that contributed. A more straight back takeaway keeps the hands from getting too deep and makes it easier to not over pronate the left arm and lay the club back.

[BigTerp1524]

3 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Yes, steep to shallow is much easier than too shallow to shallow. Why fight gravity when you can make it work for you?

Never thought of it this way, but it's EXACTLY the feeling I have when I get to the top in a good position. It's like the club head is pulled down and around (shaft shallowed) with little effort/thought on my part. 

[TheDeanAbides]

2 minutes ago, Gawbage_man said:

 

How does one fix this?  Thanks.

Good question. Firstly you need to understand how the arms work in the golf swing. The arm swing illusion thread is the 101 on that. Basically, it looks like they're supposed to swing around the body, but that's an illusion. In fact they move slightly out and away at a 45* angle as the body rotates. 

 

After that it's simply a case of making the wrists move correctly. Let me find a video...

 

 

 

Then it's a case of learning how to pivot and transition and the swing is over. Honestly, understand these things and ball striking is easy. 

[Wasted_Talent]

Thanks for that.  That is a cool video.  This is definitely an issue of mine.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Gawbage_man

[rondo01]

Speaking of hip stuff. If y’all haven’t seen this one yet from AMG, it’s worth a look. the first video is also neat, starting at around 4:30 in.

 

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

23 hours ago, BigTerp1524 said:

 

As far as pitching/chipping goes, have you watched any of Monte's UTB series? His UTB 2.0 really helped me start to solidify a solid technique around the greens. It paid off immediately with my next round. It's simple, to the point and makes a lot of sense (just like all his other teachings). He even has videos within the series of various "specialty" shots (bump 'n run, hybrid chip, hard pan chips, etc.). I've only went over the basics and the bunker part of the series myself, as that's what I need the help with. Good stuff though.

 

 

Actually that's something I've been thinking about. So far I've been just doing pitching/chipping by "feel" rather than actually looking for instruction. It might be something that I need to look into... I also need to devote some time to practicing pitching and chipping lol...

 

20 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Where you are and where you need to be. 

 

Thanks. After I get my rotation sorted out, most likely I'll be going back to Monte for a tune up to see where I can continue to improve, and I can see what he's got to say. 

 

I feel like I don't have the typical "result" of the shallow takeaway, i.e. the steep OTT downswing. I think I do get back to shallowing on the downswing. But I might have an easier time being consistent if I don't have to compensate and reroute from a shallow takeaway to get there...

[bortass]

I second UTB2.0. I've gotten some good info from it even if my chipping is dodgy still. I blame myself for that though, not the contents of that video series.

[BigTerp1524]

32 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

Actually that's something I've been thinking about. So far I've been just doing pitching/chipping by "feel" rather than actually looking for instruction. It might be something that I need to look into... I also need to devote some time to practicing pitching and chipping lol...

 

 

Thanks. After I get my rotation sorted out, most likely I'll be going back to Monte for a tune up to see where I can continue to improve, and I can see what he's got to say. 

 

I feel like I don't have the typical "result" of the shallow takeaway, i.e. the steep OTT downswing. I think I do get back to shallowing on the downswing. But I might have an easier time being consistent if I don't have to compensate and reroute from a shallow takeaway to get there...

The thing about Monte's UTB 2.0 is it sets you up with a really solid foundation for chipping in terms of setup and technique. It's simple and can be used for pretty much all your pitches and chips leaving little variance between tight lies, fluffy lies, short and long pitches, etc. That's the attractive part for me. Whether I have a little pitch from just off the fringe or a 30 yard pitch that needs to get over a greenside bunker my setup and technique is exactly the same. It really simplified these types of shots for me. And like @bortass said the only other factor is me actually executing it, which can be a crap-shoot, LOL!! Monte's bunker videos within that series is great too. 

 

I don't think being shallow at the top makes it impossible to be shallow coming back down or automatically forces you OTT, but it's MUCH easier to shallow from the top if you're steeper than what you currently are. Took me awhile to even understand how that made sense, but once I felt how much more effortless it was it all clicked. 

 

My deep hands at the top, among other issues, cause my arms to trail behind my body in the downswing. I then have to stall my hips coming through to give the club the room to come through impact. Probably a major part of the reason I don't rotate my hips through well and why they are almost square to the ball at impact. This is all anecdotal from my own experience, and I certainly wouldn't try to analyze anyone's swing, so take it with a grain of salt. Monte is the king at identifying the causes of the fault, so I'd certainly see what he has to say about it the next time you get with him. But part of your poor hip rotation could be coming from those deep hands at the top.   

 

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Thanks guys... You've sold me. I got a $50 gift card for my birthday that's burning a hole in my pocket, so I'll look at buying UTB 2.0...

 

Looks like I can get UTB 2.0, Wedges, and the Early Extension video and still have a penny to spare! (Assuming they don't charge sales tax lol...)

[bortass]

1 hour ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Thanks guys... You've sold me. I got a $50 gift card for my birthday that's burning a hole in my pocket, so I'll look at buying UTB 2.0...

 

Looks like I can get UTB 2.0, Wedges, and the Early Extension video and still have a penny to spare! (Assuming they don't charge sales tax lol...)

That's a great birthday present!

[BigTerp1524]

19 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Thanks guys... You've sold me. I got a $50 gift card for my birthday that's burning a hole in my pocket, so I'll look at buying UTB 2.0...

 

Looks like I can get UTB 2.0, Wedges, and the Early Extension video and still have a penny to spare! (Assuming they don't charge sales tax lol...)

Nice!! I've only done the NTC and the UTB 2.0. The UTB 2.0 has tons of information that'll keep you busy for awhile. Well worth the cost of admission, IMO.

[TheDeanAbides]

19 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Thanks guys... You've sold me. I got a $50 gift card for my birthday that's burning a hole in my pocket, so I'll look at buying UTB 2.0...

 

Looks like I can get UTB 2.0, Wedges, and the Early Extension video and still have a penny to spare! (Assuming they don't charge sales tax lol...)

You're gonna love it. Try voodoo putting to - that changed my life. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

54 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

You're gonna love it. Try voodoo putting to - that changed my life. 

 

That's one I was interested in... Truth is I don't really know anything about "technique" for reading greens or putting--I just look at the green and putt the ball.

 

I see that voodoo green reading is a 2:22 video within the UTB 2.0 series--I can't find it anywhere else. Is that the one? Looks like he also has a putting fundamentals series that's either included in something I purchased or free to people with accounts...

[bortass]

9 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

That's one I was interested in... Truth is I don't really know anything about "technique" for reading greens or putting--I just look at the green and putt the ball.

 

I see that voodoo green reading is a 2:22 video within the UTB 2.0 series--I can't find it anywhere else. Is that the one? Looks like he also has a putting fundamentals series that's either included in something I purchased or free to people with accounts...

That's the one. I never got it to work for me but it's probably operator error. I just look at the green and try to take in the direction of the break and go by feel. I'm not the type of putter that aims for a specific spot since I don't look at it and think, this one will break 1.5 feet. 

 

I'm not aware of the putting videos and, as far as I know, I have every one of his series. Gonna have to go look for it.

[TheDeanAbides]

13 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

That's one I was interested in... Truth is I don't really know anything about "technique" for reading greens or putting--I just look at the green and putt the ball.

 

I see that voodoo green reading is a 2:22 video within the UTB 2.0 series--I can't find it anywhere else. Is that the one? Looks like he also has a putting fundamentals series that's either included in something I purchased or free to people with accounts...

That's the one. It's so simple that it doesn't need a long video. 

[BigTerp1524]

2 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

That's one I was interested in... Truth is I don't really know anything about "technique" for reading greens or putting--I just look at the green and putt the ball.

 

I see that voodoo green reading is a 2:22 video within the UTB 2.0 series--I can't find it anywhere else. Is that the one? Looks like he also has a putting fundamentals series that's either included in something I purchased or free to people with accounts...

 

There is a solid putting section within the UTB 2.0 series. I found the hip turn portion of this was especially helpful for myself. Well, more like eye opening as my putting still sucks. But I'm working on it!!

Edited July 28, 2021 by BigTerp1524

[bortass]

14 minutes ago, BigTerp1524 said:

 

There is a solid putting section within the UTB 2.0 series. I found the hip turn portion of this was especially helpful for myself. Well, more like eye opening as my putting still sucks. But I'm working on it!!

I just watched it and found the hip turn to be interesting. I'm going to start working on that. It may explain some of my issues with shorter putts. I do okay with lag putting and still average around 2 putts per hole but there's plenty of room to improve.

[BigTerp1524]

3 minutes ago, bortass said:

I just watched it and found the hip turn to be interesting. I'm going to start working on that. It may explain some of my issues with shorter putts. I do okay with lag putting and still average around 2 putts per hole but there's plenty of room to improve.

For me eliminating all hip turn helped me control the putter head better on the way back and have much better feel. Things just felt more solid or under control overall. I'm OK with short putts, but lag putting and speed control in general I really struggle with. Going to take awhile to get used to it though, just like any other change. Perfect time for me however as I'm still getting comfortable with my new putter..

[betarhoalphadelta]

I can see why they call it "voodoo" green reading... Now I want to try it lol...

[TheDeanAbides]

7 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

I can see why they call it "voodoo" green reading... Now I want to try it lol...

It works if you trust in it. Use the force, Brad!