Dave D's swing thread - Pg 39 new putter & swing update 9th April

[airjammer]

I can't see where the ball is but you can draw a line from the ball thru the butt of the shaft. If the clubhead is under that line at the top you are laid off. If you are laid off, more than likely you will steepen immediately at the start of the downswing. If you like fitting a fade, you actually might like it. If like hitting a draw, it can make it harder to accomplish.

[Dave D]

Link to thread about possibly being laid off. Monte highlighted that I'm not and need to get the face more closed coming down.

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1410976-am-i-laid-off-and-does-is-that-the-cause-of-my-hands-working-too-out/#entry14543428

[Dave D]

Chipping wise still been struggling with inconsistent contact, videoed some chips and I wasn't rotating at all and my right elbow just sort of chicken winging to take the club back. Put my tourstriker smart ball in just below my elbows and voila, keeps my arms in sync with my chest and gets everything moving back and through together. This coupled with a little more weight on my left side at address has got me hitting really solid short game shots again. Given the time of year I bought some wiffle balls (can't believe I didn't buy any sooner) so I can chip balls in the lounge working on technique without damaging anything. So now there's no excuses for not doing lots of reps to fix my short game issues. Love the smart ball.

 

 

Played yesterday in some awful weather, short game was the best it's been in a long time, and it needed to be as irons were a bit off and got punished in the strong wind, didn't miss hit 1 chip or pitch and hit some really good pitches absolutely stone dead, including one high one over a bush off a tight muddy lie :D. Real progress made compared to the struggles I've had recently. Lots of time this winter to really ingrain the change by hitting the wiffle balls too, not just practice swings. Feeling very good and optimistic about the short game now!

 

On a side note I also drove the ball tremendously

[compton1977]

It's amazing how mild an Autumn we had and how still up to now most courses are holding up pretty well. My club should be a boggy mess by now but the fairways are still pretty firm. Should stay that way through the weekend too. Tight muddy lies are pretty standard at my place!

[Dave D]

It's amazing how mild an Autumn we had and how still up to now most courses are holding up pretty well. My club should be a boggy mess by now but the fairways are still pretty firm. Should stay that way through the weekend too. Tight muddy lies are pretty standard at my place!

Yeah been very lucky with rain so far. Couldn't believe how much roll there was at the London club the other week.

 

Won't last long I'm sure!

[Dave D]

Superb video by Dan Whittaker on footwork, in the video he also highlights the exact backswing move I'm trying to eradicate at the minute. This is gold:

 

 

Strongly considering making the 4 hour drive to go and see him. Just seems like an awful lot of travelling for 2 hours tuition, but then again if it helps...

[Dave D]

Just got back from the range working on the above and it was an absolute stripe show, haven't hit the ball that solid in a while. Playing Friday so will see if it works on the course. Doesn't really feel that different just that the release is out in front of the ball rather than at the ball

 

What is your intent now as far as impact is concerned?

Basically that my "impact" is out infront of the ball, that I want my arms extended and club all in sort of a line a couple of feet past the ball. Almost the thought that I'm achieveing maximum speed at that point past the ball rather than at the ball. As silly and simple as it sounds that my hands are leading the clubhead when I make contact with the ball and everything releases into a straight line a few feet infront of the ball. Hopefully these pictures help show what I mean/feel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this Rory photo the purple line is where I visualise/feel my intent is for my arms to both be straight and extended, not at the ball.

 

Played celtic manor today and my ball striking was superb, off the tee was an absolute clinic.

 

Certainly ball striking improved since working on changing my intent from hitting at the ball to hit through the ball. (Like the quoted post)

 

Here's 2 great Bradley Hughes videos I found on the same subject:

 

 

And this one is a drill to help work on it:

 

[Dave D]

Have just had a reply from Bobby Dean @ Edel saying my putter is complete, just needs to go through final inspection then will be sent out Thursday 1st December!!

 

Can't wait!

[i*windows]

Have just had a reply from Bobby Dean @ Edel saying my putter is complete, just needs to go through final inspection then will be sent out Thursday 1st December!!

 

Can't wait!

 

nice, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of money do you pay for a putter + fitting? under or over £200?

[Dave D]

Have just had a reply from Bobby Dean @ Edel saying my putter is complete, just needs to go through final inspection then will be sent out Thursday 1st December!!

 

Can't wait!

 

nice, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of money do you pay for a putter + fitting? under or over £200?

Putter was £335 and the fitting was free if I ordered the putter. I believe as of December 1st, Edel are putting their prices up 10% due to the exchange rates changing

[i*windows]

that's a bit too rich for me, think I'll stick with my Yes!

[Dave D]

that's a bit too rich for me, think I'll stick with my Yes!

it is quite a large sum, I sold off old putters so in the end its cost me about £15, but even at full price its similar to a driver, and if its as good as it says it is that's more than worth the price, being able to actually aim where you think you're aiming is huge.

[slalomdude]

that's a bit too rich for me, think I'll stick with my Yes!

it is quite a large sum, I sold off old putters so in the end its cost me about £15, but even at full price its similar to a driver, and if its as good as it says it is that's more than worth the price, being able to actually aim where you think you're aiming is huge.

 

Funny how no one bats an eye at spending 350 on a driver, but a putter than you use 30+ times per round.....

[Dave D]

that's a bit too rich for me, think I'll stick with my Yes!

it is quite a large sum, I sold off old putters so in the end its cost me about £15, but even at full price its similar to a driver, and if its as good as it says it is that's more than worth the price, being able to actually aim where you think you're aiming is huge.

 

Funny how no one bats an eye at spending 350 on a driver, but a putter than you use 30+ times per round.....

Completely agree. Putters are so overlooked

[Dave D]

Lesson 2nd December 2016 w/ Zane Scotland

 

With winter upon us I really wanted some direction and to work on getting rid of my back out and flip move, as per Monte's advice he said I needed to close the face more, trying to get that was just a disaster, hook city and terrible strikes.

 

So I went for a lesson with a guy who I follow on instagram who seemed extremely knowledgeable and he is an extremely good player (he's teeing it up in the Dubai dessert classic at the start of next year), Zane Scotland. For those of you who remember he qualified for the Open in 99 at the age of 16.

 

Basically my backswing is good (extension and tilt work paying off) but my face is too open at p6, and that's what causing it, sounds familiar. He talked me through the technical aspects and really broke the parts down into easy to understand pieces. the biggest part for me is re-training my body and hands through impact. it didn't take long for me to get the face in a much better position at p6, but my hands and body then just want to stall and flip from habit. similar to when I tried to close the face recently. need to train the body & hands.

 

So the recipe to fix it is lots and lots of punisher drills and lots of no throws. They key for me is really feeling like I keep the right wrist in extension (bent back) for as long as possible whilst the body rotates to square the face. when I get it right it feels like I close the face as much as I can on the backswing via right wrist extension and then maintain that extension whilst the left side/hip area turns directly behind me fast and keeps turning through the shot. They key being keeps turning not just through impact to p8, but all the way as far as I can turn. the finish on a good no throw is body facing sort of 6.30 on a clock with my hands directly in front of my chest with no throw. This really resonated with me after seeing a Bradley hughes video the other day talking about how Hogan had the best and fastest left side turn way after impact. And how I've been right in getting/feeling my intent is out past the ball.

 

Here is a comparison of before on the right, and after at the end of the lesson, yes it was a slower shorter shot but you can really see how much more I've rotated and how much more stable the clubface is:

 

 

Also interesting how much more my head has released rather than staying down looking at the ball. Again something I've worked on in the past to help rotation but like lots of things I've tried it's not going to work without all the pieces to the puzzle. Feel really positive about this now and like I now have all the pieces, its just going to take a lot of time and reps to ingrain this change, perfect time of year to do it, not sure the mrs will be too happy with me disappearing into the garage to hit balls in the net any free moment I get :D

[slalomdude]

Great work Dave,now the work begins. :)

[Dave D]

Great work Dave,now the work begins. :)

it does indeed! very much looking forward to it in a slightly sadistic way :D

[MMB1500]

Good stuff. Didn't realise Zane Scotland was teaching as well.

 

Hope the Edel works out for you. I was fitted for an E-1 Torque Balanced earlier in the year and it's already made a huge difference to my putting. I used to change putters like I change my underwear but I can safely say other putters no longer have any interest for me. The Edel is the one. The fitting was also hugely eye opening in terms of my aiming tendencies and how offset and sight aids affected my aim.

[Dave D]

Good stuff. Didn't realise Zane Scotland was teaching as well.

 

Hope the Edel works out for you. I was fitted for an E-1 Torque Balanced earlier in the year and it's already made a huge difference to my putting. I used to change putters like I change my underwear but I can safely say other putters no longer have any interest for me. The Edel is the one. The fitting was also hugely eye opening in terms of my aiming tendencies and how offset and sight aids affected my aim.

Me neither, looking forward to picking his brain in regards to playing and scoring etc.

 

That's good to hear about the edel! Likewise I also used to change a lot. It really is eye opening the fitting process, truly amazing how different shapes and even just a line can make so much difference. Do you have the round grip on yours?

 

Hopefully it'll turn up towards the end of next week.

[MMB1500]

Good stuff. Didn't realise Zane Scotland was teaching as well.

 

Hope the Edel works out for you. I was fitted for an E-1 Torque Balanced earlier in the year and it's already made a huge difference to my putting. I used to change putters like I change my underwear but I can safely say other putters no longer have any interest for me. The Edel is the one. The fitting was also hugely eye opening in terms of my aiming tendencies and how offset and sight aids affected my aim.

Me neither, looking forward to picking his brain in regards to playing and scoring etc.

 

That's good to hear about the edel! Likewise I also used to change a lot. It really is eye opening the fitting process, truly amazing how different shapes and even just a line can make so much difference. Do you have the round grip on yours?

 

Hopefully it'll turn up towards the end of next week.

 

Yes, scoring and course management knowledge from a tour pro like Zane is going to be invaluable. I hope he makes a success of his teaching business. As we know, just because you can play, doesn't mean you can teach or communicate effectively. Sounds like your experience has been good so far though.

 

As for the putter, I did go for the round grip, yes. It's not something I would typically have typically chosen but the fitter said he thought I should give it a try and I ended up really liking it. It has a nice feel and stability to it.

 

I ended up with the E-1 in the black finish and no sight aids. Any sight aid we tried noticeably threw my aim off. In that sense they were more sight hinderances, rather than 'aids'. Be sure to post pics when yours arrives!

[Dave D]

Good stuff. Didn't realise Zane Scotland was teaching as well.

 

Hope the Edel works out for you. I was fitted for an E-1 Torque Balanced earlier in the year and it's already made a huge difference to my putting. I used to change putters like I change my underwear but I can safely say other putters no longer have any interest for me. The Edel is the one. The fitting was also hugely eye opening in terms of my aiming tendencies and how offset and sight aids affected my aim.

Me neither, looking forward to picking his brain in regards to playing and scoring etc.

 

That's good to hear about the edel! Likewise I also used to change a lot. It really is eye opening the fitting process, truly amazing how different shapes and even just a line can make so much difference. Do you have the round grip on yours?

 

Hopefully it'll turn up towards the end of next week.

 

Yes, scoring and course management knowledge from a tour pro like Zane is going to be invaluable. I hope he makes a success of his teaching business. As we know, just because you can play, doesn't mean you can teach or communicate effectively. Sounds like your experience has been good so far though.

 

As for the putter, I did go for the round grip, yes. It's not something I would typically have typically chosen but the fitter said he thought I should give it a try and I ended up really liking it. It has a nice feel and stability to it.

 

I ended up with the E-1 in the black finish and no sight aids. Any sight aid we tried noticeably threw my aim off. In that sense they were more sight hinderances, rather than 'aids'. Be sure to post pics when yours arrives!

Yeah I was very impressed with him coaching wise. As u say not all good players make good coaches but he really explained things well and clearly and excited to keep working with him.

 

Good to hear as I went for the round grip and have been using the same grip on my current gamer while I wait. Quickly got used to it and doesn't feel strange at all. I like the freedom you get with it.

 

I've got an e-1 too and did aim it well with nothing on it but with a dot it brought it from inside right to dead centre. Really hope it turns up this week!

[Dave D]

Trying to get into my garage and do my drills before and after work at the minute and managing to most days. A little and often is much better than just 2 hours one day a week. Certainly even just after nearly a week of doing them they are getting easier to do and feeling a bit more natural. Which is a good sign.

 

Have a match each day this weekend so that will be interesting. Probably revert back to old habits a bit so need to knuckle down doing the drills early next week.

 

Here's a pic (punisher drill) and video (no throw) from last night:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNulzFkBaJn/

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNulq2RhpFk/

[Dave D]

IT'S NEARLY HERE!!!!

 

Just had contact from Edel and Woody Imports to say my putter is out for delivery today and tracking says it should be delivered by 5pm, its 1pm now! woohoo!

[Millbrook]

If your missus is like mine she will say - but that was for Christmas, you can't open it until then!!!

[Dave D]

If your missus is like mine she will say - but that was for Christmas, you can't open it until then!!!

if she pulls a stunt like that she will quickly become an ex-misses :lol:

[Dave D]

IT'S HERE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Schnee]

That's a beaut Dave! Love the pixel face. Hope she makes lots of birds for you!

[Golfbeat]

Welcome to the Edel family!

[Dave D]

That's a beaut Dave! Love the pixel face. Hope she makes lots of birds for you!

 

Cheers pal.

 

I have to say the build quality is insane, it feels and looks so so good. The headcover is also a piece of art, lovely carbon fibre patterned material and it has magnetic closure too not Velcro which is a big plus in my books.

 

The whole thing just feels like quality.

[sethdavidsdad]

That putter looks nice. I hope to get a fitting next year