How long does it take to feel comfortable with a new setup and pivot/takeaway??

harpua728 · January 26

I had a lesson recently where we focus on a new setup for me. Mainly getting my trail arm below the lead arm at address, and having the inside of my trail forearm pointing more towards 3 o’clock (if the target is at 12 o’clock). Also getting myself to bend a little more at address.

My first time at the range was a disaster. Everything felt so strange and I was hitting the ball all over the place. It takes a lot of discipline to keep hitting bad shots!

I know it varies for everyone, but how long does it take to start feeling comfortable with a new setup?

FWIW, I’m a 7 index and have been playing for 20 years.

Hawkeye77 · January 26

Who knows.

Try and focus on something about the setup feels that may be a reference and get pics at your lesson so you can compare either via a friend taking a pic or you with some video. Nothing more frustrating than thinking you are set up for success after working on setup in a lesson and realizing all those bad shots were because you weren’t setup as you thought. Also get some insight from your teacher about what could be the issue if you are seeing shot x or y or z so you can relate that to setup or whatever. I have a notebook with notes and still have a few key vids from lessons and pics I use as references. That’s me, though.

MonteScheinblum · January 26

22 minutes ago, harpua728 said:

I had a lesson recently where we focus on a new setup for me. Mainly getting my trail arm below the lead arm at address, and having the inside of my trail forearm pointing more towards 3 o’clock (if the target is at 12 o’clock). Also getting myself to bend a little more at address.

My first time at the range was a disaster. Everything felt so strange and I was hitting the ball all over the place. It takes a lot of discipline to keep hitting bad shots!

I know it varies for everyone, but how long does it take to start feeling comfortable with a new setup?

FWIW, I’m a 7 index and have been playing for 20 years.

Asking this question slows your progress.

you have to buy into the phrase it’ll happen when it happens

Hawkeye77 · January 26

1 minute ago, MonteScheinblum said:

Asking this question slows your progress.

you have to buy into the phrase it’ll happen when it happens

OP, I even have a vid of this guy demonstrating a drill at a lesson so I’d be sure to have an accurate reference, lol. Amazing how many don’t take advantage of their phone. And your instructor can sure send you pics or vids as well.

MPStrat · January 26

This is a fair question

First thing is to make sure you have a complete understanding of what the change is supposed to look like and then monitor with video to make sure you’re doing things properly. If you’re lost, seek guidance. Resist hopping down a rabbit hole.

If you’re hitting some really good shots with an equal or greater amount of terrible shots, this is normal at first. Over time things will feel more normal and natural and your bad shots will decrease.

There is also the possibility that you understand the change and are doing things exactly as instructed, but something from your old swing that matched the poor setup and takeaway is still there causing issues. In this case, no sane person is going to stand there for 6 weeks and skank the ball all over the range non stop. Again, this is a situation where the best option is to follow up with the teacher and seek guidance on the situation.

taylorhat · January 26

2 hours ago, harpua728 said:

I had a lesson recently where we focus on a new setup for me. Mainly getting my trail arm below the lead arm at address, and having the inside of my trail forearm pointing more towards 3 o’clock (if the target is at 12 o’clock). Also getting myself to bend a little more at address.

My first time at the range was a disaster. Everything felt so strange and I was hitting the ball all over the place. It takes a lot of discipline to keep hitting bad shots!

I know it varies for everyone, but how long does it take to start feeling comfortable with a new setup?

FWIW, I’m a 7 index and have been playing for 20 years.

About as long as the Greek theater tweezer

Chunkitgood · January 26

I get comfortable with a new setup every time I play.

The things you mention seem to be fairly conventional, you should probably stick with them no matter how uncomfortable or where you shots go now.

Curious if your teacher also said to bend the right arm a little.

jonsnow · January 26

20 hours ago, harpua728 said:

I had a lesson recently where we focus on a new setup for me. Mainly getting my trail arm below the lead arm at address, and having the inside of my trail forearm pointing more towards 3 o’clock (if the target is at 12 o’clock). Also getting myself to bend a little more at address.

My first time at the range was a disaster. Everything felt so strange and I was hitting the ball all over the place. It takes a lot of discipline to keep hitting bad shots!

I know it varies for everyone, but how long does it take to start feeling comfortable with a new setup?

FWIW, I’m a 7 index and have been playing for 20 years.

Dabetic · January 26

19 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

Asking this question slows your progress.

you have to buy into the phrase it’ll happen when it happens

Echo this. I am guilty of asking the Q and getting caught up in the timing / progress. The best answer re time is "longer than you think." Heavily dependent on how often you put in the work, but I'd say 1yr+ to give you a number. Doesn't mean you won't start seeing positive signs sooner...

getitdaily · January 26

Define comfortable...

There's on the range

There's on the course

There's where you no longer have to worry about it

bluedot · January 26

A couple of thoughts for you:

In most lessons I’ve had where we were working on any kind of major change, the pro isn’t terribly interested in where the ball is going. Focusing on that too much really slows things down. Maybe paying a bit of attention to contact is ok, but ball flight not so much. I’m assuming that the particular changes your pro is making are to put you in position to make better swings, and if you do that, the results WILL follow.

Second, how long it takes depends on how big a change it represents, how much and how diligently you practice, and even to an extent your basic athleticism.

Beyond that, it takes as long as it takes. I can’t remember all the stages, but right now you’re experiencing conscious incompetence, hoping to move to conscious competence and then unconscious competence. It takes time.

Simpsonia · January 26

20 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

Define comfortable...

There's on the range

There's on the course

There's where you no longer have to worry about it

I always add a layer on top of that:

1) Living Room

2) Range

3) Course

If you're making changes to things like grip or takeaway, there's no substitute for repetition. So things you can do inside, in the winter, while watching TV in the evening with the wife. Just grab a wedge and setup, and practice your new takeaway in slow motion at first and gradually ramp it up. Do that every day, hell, 3, 4, or 5 times a day every day for a few minutes at a time. Then when you hit the range video every swing and make sure you're making the correct movements.

Scottbox · January 29

There's no substitute for slow reps.... lots and lots and lots and lots of slow swings. Get into your new setup and do your new takeaway slower than you'd normally do it. Otherwise, you'll never integrate the feel. Do the takeaway, stop, then take the club up to lead arm parallel and hit a little shot. Completely disregard how well you hit it, you're worrying about changing a motor pattern, not where the ball goes. Plus, breaking the swing down into 2 phases is awkward.

Gradually, you'll start making ok contact, even with this drill. Hit 4 of these, then 2-3 balls with no pauses at a dialed-down speed where you don't think about it. Don't go for distance-- hit 9 irons 90 yards. Hit 7 irons 100 yards. Once every few sessions (or every session if you'd like), set up your phone on a tripod, aimed at your hands, about 8-10' behind you (down the line) and video your yourself doing the drill, then not doing the drill. Be very patient, and you'll gradually see the changes bleed into your non-drill shots.

Practice your setup in front of a mirror. A lot. It'll get less weird in a lot less time than you think.

On the course, rehearse your setup and takeaway as practice swings. Then, once you over the ball, completely forget about it and hit the ball. At first, you won't have integrated much of the new movement at first. Who cares, just play and enjoy yourself, and don't be particularly focused on the new stuff. When playing, you'll regress, which is fine. Over the next few weeks/months, the move will work its way in. Meantime, you'll soon notice ball-striking improvements-- even if you don't do it 100% right for a while.

Edited January 29 by Scottbox

naval2006 · January 29

On 1/26/2024 at 6:11 PM, bluedot said:

Second, how long it takes depends on how big a change it represents, how much and how diligently you practice, and even to an extent your basic athleticism.

This is an accurate answer to how long. The idea when a golfer goes for this type of challenge seriously is to focus on changing and improving. Patience and determination are key in the process. And optimism, especially on the off days.