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

[Dave D]

A follow on drill he has given me to work on shoulder turn is to put the butt of the putter in my left arm pit area and grip it and work the shoulders in the correct plane, this helps build in the arm motion to match the shoulders.

[Puppetmaster]

Sounds like things are coming together nicely, Dave. And you "inspired" me to pick up an XR driver (not the Pro version) as yet another so-called experiment.

[Dave D]

Sounds like things are coming together nicely, Dave. And you "inspired" me to pick up an XR driver (not the Pro version) as yet another so-called experiment.

yeah feel like all the pieces are improving, just a case of them all working during a few rounds to get some nice low scores.

 

I really like the feel of the driver, assuming the XR is fairly similar, just feels really stable and a nice flight. So far anyway, hope you have success with your 'experiment' :D

[Dave D]

Played in a 36 hole county competition yesterday, came T10 out of 56, shot 76 & 72. Had never played the course before so not bad scores but really should've been better. Had a bit of bad luck in the 76, hit a fringe sprinkler on a par 3 and went 30 yards long into thick stuff and also a horrendous lie in the back of a bunker that I got out then plugged in the front of the bunker. But that's golf.

 

Unusually for me I was very good off the tee, 87% fairways second round, but very poor with my approach play. usually a strength of mine I just really struggled and didn't hit anywhere near the amount of greens I normally do.

 

I also didn't make enough birdies, and I had quite a few shots 110 and in that I just didn't get close, admittedly most of the poor wedge shots came when I had ball above feet lie (quite common on this course), so I definitely need to practice those for when I come back for the county amateur championship in 3 weeks time. not something I've ever really had to deal with before but I must have had about 8 shots like this in the round and it gets annoying when you aren't hitting it close from that distance.

 

so approach needs some work. putting was much better, short putts especially, and I would've had another 5 or so 15-20 footers had I not left them 6-8 inches short but expected as these were different speed greens to what im used to. But the lessons and work on the putting is definitely paying off.

[Dave D]

Had a short game lesson to address the pitching issues I've had.

 

Struggle with pulls and distance control. As it turns out I was rolling the face much too far open and had very little body turn on the backswing. I need to work on keeping the face square to the arc going back and that allows me to release the right hand coming through. Feels like I hardly have to do anything coming down and through to hit lovely shots.

 

From the open faced position before I would either turn too much and pull the handle and hit it too hard, or get a bit under and deliver a face too open and come up short.

 

Was hitting lovely pitches after the tweaks and actually where I was aiming which was a nice change.

 

Checked my putting motion too and looking great, shoulder rotation spot on. Just need to make sure I setup with enough secondary tilt

 

[Dave D]

Had a lesson on Monday after not hitting the ball so good at the weekend and have the county amateur competition this Friday.

 

What we worked on with the left wrist I have done very well with and is much better, but my body position meant I was swinging too much in to out.

 

In the indoor studio which has cameras and a force plate we established I didn't have much weight on the left heel at impact, so tried a few shots with that feel, still a lack of rotation, so then we tried a drill and then a feeling that im looking at a ball that's 10 yards down the line at impact. this started to get the body in a much better position and a more consistent 2* in to out path.

 

my arms still collapse a little on the way through so I need to feel they are much straighter and extended. When I felt the arms extended and almost further a way from me through the ball I started crushing it.

 

So my current feel and image is that of Stensons iron swing. feeling of looking up at impact to get more body rotation and then the arms fully extended. these are examples of what I feel and visualize:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave D]

I've also been intrigued with a new putter with different alignment, the works 1w alignment being perpendicular alignment, the versa 90 scheme has had me contemplating a purchase.

 

Just by chance I played with 2 mates and one guy they know and he had a versa 2 ball, all be it a very beaten up one. as soon as I put it down behind the ball it just looked money and so easy to line up.

 

I used it for the rest of the round and have never been so confident over my alignment on putts.

 

Have picked one up on ebay which will be here early next week and am borrowing the guys putter for the competition Friday.

 

 

[Dave D]

Shot 1 under par today in a comp. Nothing amazing just solid. Birdied 2nd bogeyed 3 and 4, Birdied 7 & 10 the rest pars.

 

When the versa 2 ball turns up I'm going to try a round grip on it. Felt a guys edel grip and it felt lovely. So I've got a tour velvet midsize that I'll put wraps under to try and get to non taper thickness.

[dg_1983]

How is the your course management holding up? Any changes?

[Puppetmaster]

Nice round, Dave. Love hearing how things are coming together and your scores seem to be solid. That 2-ball looks good in your picture, but in person, I don't see the alignment as well with those or with the Versas, obviously it's specific to my sight but funny how that works.

[Dave D]

How is the your course management holding up? Any changes?

It's getting better, have been doing a fair bit of asking of better players and videos of tour pro's talking about course management etc.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick said it best, if the yardage number is good then fire away, but if its in between play more towards the safe area.

 

Which is how I plan to move going forward. obvious exceptions might be if the flag is tucked a yard from trouble etc but for most shots this will work.

[Dave D]

Nice round, Dave. Love hearing how things are coming together and your scores seem to be solid. That 2-ball looks good in your picture, but in person, I don't see the alignment as well with those or with the Versas, obviously it's specific to my sight but funny how that works.

yeah funny how things suit different eyes. i generally like the alignment of the 1w but doesn't inspire confidence to me on shorter putts.

 

whereas the versa 90 2 ball is just money alignment wise to me.

 

the round grip just feels too strange and not very stable, ordered a white hot pro grip to put on as love the feel of that style of odyssey grip.

[Dave D]

Here's my game golf stats from that round of -1, 15 GIR , up and down 1 out of 3 times, which I would class as not great but they were both very tough up and downs, in fairness all 3 were.

 

 

 

have a scratch knockout match tonight, really feel like all aspects of my game are starting to improve, especially putting and short game which has been a bit of a weakness of mine.

[Dave D]

I'm always amazed at how often you end up coming back to the same things when striking it poorly, 2 tendencies I have is to over time strengthen my grip and also start taking the club away too disconnected.

 

both of these have reared their hands in the last week or so, to much frustration. This morning I figured this out and worked on the 2 things and voila, smoke city.

 

the solutions:

- use a small weighted club with a grip trainer on it

- the takeaway drill where you push a ball back as you take it away

[Dave D]

Club championship didn't go my way, finished 2nd by 4 shots. the kid who beat me is v good and now a scratch golfer too. made 1 costly mistake on 17 in the 1st round but overall played well, just didn't hole anything. whereas he didn't hit the ball that well but made everything. that's golf.

 

I am seeing this as a good thing though, I am now not the best player at my club and have a renewed drive to get better and improve my game. My swing is progressing nicely, am working on getting much more rotational in the downswing, sort of a GG move, my tendency is to slide a little and get very shallow with the right shoulder going down. Getting more rotational is the answer. Striving towards P6 having nearly level shoulders from FO, whereas currently the right is way below left.

 

 

 

A comparison to the 28th april:

 

https://www.instagra.../p/BHwmZYQhJRA/

 

My game golf data doesn't hide the truth shows where I really need to improve though... (strokes gained vs a scratch handicap)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't hole enough putts, and after a lot of thinking about it, im starting them on the line I'm aiming, but I struggle in aiming at the correct spot that I read the break. and I can't remember the last time I missed a short putt that I was aiming inside the hole, I believe because ive got a definitive point for aiming reference. on longer putts by the time ive looked at the ball and back to the spot I believe I'm looking at a slightly different spot. So inspired by my buddy who holes everything, I'm going to use a line on the ball for the rest of the year and see how it goes. Before I've stopped after a couple of rounds due to not trusting it's aligned etc. but maybe that's because I don't trust it and adjust as I setup to the ball. if I know the ball is aligned where I want to, I believe it wont take long to trust it, then ive just got to focus on the speed of the putt.

 

No surprise my approach game is the best as I hit more irons working on my swing than anything else. Going to make a real effort to split up my swing practices. Still working on swing mechanics but maybe just take woods and a wedge to warm up, and other days just wedges hitting different distances etc.

 

Have a lesson with my short game coach next week so will talk through the using a line thing then and get his thoughts.

 

I am going to get better.

[Grayback1973]

Club championship didn't go my way, finished 2nd by 4 shots. the kid who beat me is v good and now a scratch golfer too. made 1 costly mistake on 17 in the 1st round but overall played well, just didn't hole anything. whereas he didn't hit the ball that well but made everything. that's golf.

 

I am seeing this as a good thing though, I am now not the best player at my club and have a renewed drive to get better and improve my game. My swing is progressing nicely, am working on getting much more rotational in the downswing, sort of a GG move, my tendency is to slide a little and get very shallow with the right shoulder going down. Getting more rotational is the answer. Striving towards P6 having nearly level shoulders from FO, whereas currently the right is way below left.

 

 

 

A comparison to the 28th april:

 

https://www.instagra.../p/BHwmZYQhJRA/

 

My game golf data doesn't hide the truth shows where I really need to improve though... (strokes gained vs a scratch handicap)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't hole enough putts, and after a lot of thinking about it, im starting them on the line I'm aiming, but I struggle in aiming at the correct spot that I read the break. and I can't remember the last time I missed a short putt that I was aiming inside the hole, I believe because ive got a definitive point for aiming reference. on longer putts by the time ive looked at the ball and back to the spot I believe I'm looking at a slightly different spot. So inspired by my buddy who holes everything, I'm going to use a line on the ball for the rest of the year and see how it goes. Before I've stopped after a couple of rounds due to not trusting it's aligned etc. but maybe that's because I don't trust it and adjust as I setup to the ball. if I know the ball is aligned where I want to, I believe it wont take long to trust it, then ive just got to focus on the speed of the putt.

 

No surprise my approach game is the best as I hit more irons working on my swing than anything else. Going to make a real effort to split up my swing practices. Still working on swing mechanics but maybe just take woods and a wedge to warm up, and other days just wedges hitting different distances etc.

 

Have a lesson with my short game coach next week so will talk through the using a line thing then and get his thoughts.

 

I am going to get better.

Dave,in your practice rehearsal from p6 to impact it looks like you don't release your wrists.You basically just turn into it and get your hands forward.Is this something you work on purposefully?It looks solid and like the right thing(no flippy) just curious about your thoughts on it.

[Dave D]

Club championship didn't go my way, finished 2nd by 4 shots. the kid who beat me is v good and now a scratch golfer too. made 1 costly mistake on 17 in the 1st round but overall played well, just didn't hole anything. whereas he didn't hit the ball that well but made everything. that's golf.

 

I am seeing this as a good thing though, I am now not the best player at my club and have a renewed drive to get better and improve my game. My swing is progressing nicely, am working on getting much more rotational in the downswing, sort of a GG move, my tendency is to slide a little and get very shallow with the right shoulder going down. Getting more rotational is the answer. Striving towards P6 having nearly level shoulders from FO, whereas currently the right is way below left.

 

 

 

A comparison to the 28th april:

 

https://www.instagra.../p/BHwmZYQhJRA/

 

My game golf data doesn't hide the truth shows where I really need to improve though... (strokes gained vs a scratch handicap)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't hole enough putts, and after a lot of thinking about it, im starting them on the line I'm aiming, but I struggle in aiming at the correct spot that I read the break. and I can't remember the last time I missed a short putt that I was aiming inside the hole, I believe because ive got a definitive point for aiming reference. on longer putts by the time ive looked at the ball and back to the spot I believe I'm looking at a slightly different spot. So inspired by my buddy who holes everything, I'm going to use a line on the ball for the rest of the year and see how it goes. Before I've stopped after a couple of rounds due to not trusting it's aligned etc. but maybe that's because I don't trust it and adjust as I setup to the ball. if I know the ball is aligned where I want to, I believe it wont take long to trust it, then ive just got to focus on the speed of the putt.

 

No surprise my approach game is the best as I hit more irons working on my swing than anything else. Going to make a real effort to split up my swing practices. Still working on swing mechanics but maybe just take woods and a wedge to warm up, and other days just wedges hitting different distances etc.

 

Have a lesson with my short game coach next week so will talk through the using a line thing then and get his thoughts.

 

I am going to get better.

Dave,in your practice rehearsal from p6 to impact it looks like you don't release your wrists.You basically just turn into it and get your hands forward.Is this something you work on purposefully?It looks solid and like the right thing(no flippy) just curious about your thoughts on it.

No it's not a conscious deliberate move, just what happens if I think about rotating the lower body and letting the arms go along for the ride.

 

This is the sort of feeling I'm working on, https://www.instagram.com/p/BDPOLxICt2P/, getting the lower body rotating properly which gets the right arm in the 'curl' position, with shoulders more level at P6, rather than left shoulder very high like it is now.

 

But nothing intentional about holding or not releasing the wrists

[Kuuuch]

Good stuff Dave. Right shoulder dropping is a mother. Allows you to play great one day then everything is hooking the next. GG's stuff has been gold for nearly eliminating my right shoulder drop. It's still a work in progress but I've came a long way

[Grayback1973]

GG's pivot stuff looks so spinny-outish.It must just be an intent?

[Dave D]

Good stuff Dave. Right shoulder dropping is a mother. Allows you to play great one day then everything is hooking the next. GG's stuff has been gold for nearly eliminating my right shoulder drop. It's still a work in progress but I've came a long way

Yeah everything is timing dependant on me getting my right arm in front of me. If I can get my shoulders more level at p6 will make it all so much easier. I liked the clay bollard videos for ease of instruction, I find GGs videos hard to understand sometimes. Are u a paid member of his site?

 

GG's pivot stuff looks so spinny-outish.It must just be an intent?

It looks that way and is exaggerated to get rid of the left hip slide towards the target I believe. Certainly no spin outs on his students in his videos at full speed

[Kuuuch]

Good stuff Dave. Right shoulder dropping is a mother. Allows you to play great one day then everything is hooking the next. GG's stuff has been gold for nearly eliminating my right shoulder drop. It's still a work in progress but I've came a long way

Yeah everything is timing dependant on me getting my right arm in front of me. If I can get my shoulders more level at p6 will make it all so much easier. I liked the clay bollard videos for ease of instruction, I find GGs videos hard to understand sometimes. Are u a paid member of his site?

 

GG's pivot stuff looks so spinny-outish.It must just be an intent?

It looks that way and is exaggerated to get rid of the left hip slide towards the target I believe. Certainly no spin outs on his students in his videos at full speed

 

I'm not actually I've learned a lot from his youtube and instagram. My instructor teaches very similar, he noticed in my last lesson my legwork improved substantially and he asked what I had been doing I told him about GG's pivot and he said keep doing it because it looks great.

 

The big focus for me as someone who drops the right shoulder is left hip below right to start down and feel like right shoulder gets to the ball before the clubhead does.

[Dave D]

Good stuff Dave. Right shoulder dropping is a mother. Allows you to play great one day then everything is hooking the next. GG's stuff has been gold for nearly eliminating my right shoulder drop. It's still a work in progress but I've came a long way

Yeah everything is timing dependant on me getting my right arm in front of me. If I can get my shoulders more level at p6 will make it all so much easier. I liked the clay bollard videos for ease of instruction, I find GGs videos hard to understand sometimes. Are u a paid member of his site?

 

GG's pivot stuff looks so spinny-outish.It must just be an intent?

It looks that way and is exaggerated to get rid of the left hip slide towards the target I believe. Certainly no spin outs on his students in his videos at full speed

 

I'm not actually I've learned a lot from his youtube and instagram. My instructor teaches very similar, he noticed in my last lesson my legwork improved substantially and he asked what I had been doing I told him about GG's pivot and he said keep doing it because it looks great.

 

The big focus for me as someone who drops the right shoulder is left hip below right to start down and feel like right shoulder gets to the ball before the clubhead does.

Interesting, I feel like both my left hip and left shoulder go down and the start of the swing and the right shoulder stays high as the arms get brought down.

 

Had a great range session last night with lots of 50% swings and freezers then transition into the squat position with the right arm in the curl position. Then hitting. Flush city when I hit a few after lots of ball reps of those drills

[Dave D]

This is what I'm talking about getting my shoulders more level at p6. I get too much angle too early in the downswing

 

 

[Dave D]

Bought a new putter to work with using the line on the ball as I had no putter with a easy to see black alignment line... any excuse :-)

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHzA5-ih1sq/

 

This is the style of putter I putted with as a junior and the style that was slighter better than the 1w when I got fitted at odyssey. Struggled when using the yes callie recently but I think that was down to the slightly more upright lie and the alignment issue I'm struggling from.

 

Watch this space.

[DrainedTheEagle]

 

I couldnt capture P6 ... all I saw was P5.8 and P6.2 :)

 

Pretty good P7. Hands look a bit behind, and they were at P5.8 too.

Pretty good tush line control :)

 

You "seem" really behind the ball here for an iron. Your head does move a fair amount on the backswing, especially late in the backswing.

There a wee bit of lateral sway at the hips earlier in the backswing. How about trying for zero ? With zero sway I wonder if your right hip gets even closer to the target at P4 and then you might get better shaft lean at impact and your hands could get earlier to P4.

 

Try a narrower stance ? Might get better hip rotation going back with a narrower stance.

[OTTgolf]

This is what I'm talking about getting my shoulders more level at p6. I get too much angle too early in the downswing

 

 

 

Golfer on the right has perfectly quaffed hair, gotta be Rob Rock?

[Dave D]

This is what I'm talking about getting my shoulders more level at p6. I get too much angle too early in the downswing

 

 

 

Golfer on the right has perfectly quaffed hair, gotta be Rob Rock?

it is indeed, good eyes

[OTTgolf]

Hey Dave, do you find with the GG pivot you feel like your right glute is moving back away from ball and also back away from target?

[Dave D]

Hey Dave, do you find with the GG pivot you feel like your right glute is moving back away from ball and also back away from target?

not really, for me it more feels like the right glute and leg don't move from transition to P6 while the left hip and knee open up and move down.

[Dave D]

 

I couldnt capture P6 ... all I saw was P5.8 and P6.2 :)

 

Pretty good P7. Hands look a bit behind, and they were at P5.8 too.

Pretty good tush line control :)

 

You "seem" really behind the ball here for an iron. Your head does move a fair amount on the backswing, especially late in the backswing.

There a wee bit of lateral sway at the hips earlier in the backswing. How about trying for zero ? With zero sway I wonder if your right hip gets even closer to the target at P4 and then you might get better shaft lean at impact and your hands could get earlier to P4.

 

Try a narrower stance ? Might get better hip rotation going back with a narrower stance.

I've often thought my stance is a bit wide, never thought it would impact hip rotation, may try that out a little and see how it works.

 

Good pick up on the head movement, and funnily enough was just watching the most recent Be Better Golf video with Monte where he talks about the head moving in the exact way mine does, by Monte's explanation I need to extend more on the backswing....