Golf??
- Thread starter BigBlue
- Start date
cjstringer
Member
I'm no pro, but it sound like your 'slice' to the left is a hook. (Are you right handed?)
If you're getting blisters, try to loosen your grip a little, and don't try to KILL the ball. Swing slow. It will feel too slow. The key is, get it straight. Once the ball is going straight, then slowly, gradually, incrementally, (get the picture??) add power. VERY LITTLE at a time. I went from a 100+ player last year to a low-mid 80s. Hell of a pickup if you ask me.
Basically when I started, my goal was to kill the ball. If it didn't go 280 yards, I was pissed, but it NEVER went straight. I got a 1/2 hour lesson and was told to stop killing it and just let the club slowly swing itself. I was only hitting ~230 yards, but they were in the fairway. What I learned was that the 50 yards I lost was probably 30 yards better than before because I didn't have to contend with trees and going straight is much better than long and 2 fairways over.
Did any of that make sense? Hope so.
As for a hook, well, my problem is a slice, which i attribute to starting wide with the swing and drawing in to give the ball a spin that will go right. A hook would either mean you are starting your swing too close to your body (off plane) and ending too far away from the normal swing plane. Also, follow through. Don't stop the club after contact. Always keep your head down. If you are looking at the ball, you will probably hit it. You should be able to look up at where you wanted the ball to go and it should be there. (That is if everything else is done properly.)
Just remember, think slow, calm, and smooth.
OK, there was a 30 minute golf lesson in a few lines. Hope that helped. If not, you can ask more. I love the game myself. Also, if I was mistaken anywhere and someones knows better, please let me know so I can think straight too.
If you're getting blisters, try to loosen your grip a little, and don't try to KILL the ball. Swing slow. It will feel too slow. The key is, get it straight. Once the ball is going straight, then slowly, gradually, incrementally, (get the picture??) add power. VERY LITTLE at a time. I went from a 100+ player last year to a low-mid 80s. Hell of a pickup if you ask me.
Basically when I started, my goal was to kill the ball. If it didn't go 280 yards, I was pissed, but it NEVER went straight. I got a 1/2 hour lesson and was told to stop killing it and just let the club slowly swing itself. I was only hitting ~230 yards, but they were in the fairway. What I learned was that the 50 yards I lost was probably 30 yards better than before because I didn't have to contend with trees and going straight is much better than long and 2 fairways over.
Did any of that make sense? Hope so.
As for a hook, well, my problem is a slice, which i attribute to starting wide with the swing and drawing in to give the ball a spin that will go right. A hook would either mean you are starting your swing too close to your body (off plane) and ending too far away from the normal swing plane. Also, follow through. Don't stop the club after contact. Always keep your head down. If you are looking at the ball, you will probably hit it. You should be able to look up at where you wanted the ball to go and it should be there. (That is if everything else is done properly.)
Just remember, think slow, calm, and smooth.
OK, there was a 30 minute golf lesson in a few lines. Hope that helped. If not, you can ask more. I love the game myself. Also, if I was mistaken anywhere and someones knows better, please let me know so I can think straight too.
- :
- '07 Mazda3, True red
i don't golf...
but putt-putt kicks ass!
but putt-putt kicks ass!
Like it was said before, slow down your shot. Unless your shanking the ball... im sure youd know, your hook is more than likely associated with the movment of your wrists. People try and crush their woods and therefor speed up wrist rotation. Try bringing it down a notch and see if that helps. Also you could be hitting in to out, starting close and ending farther away from you. try putting down a 2x4 next to the ball and see if you can swing in a straight line. I doubt thats your problem if your irons are straight, but it couldnt hurt to practice that anyway. also, im sure you know but make sure the ball is father forward in your stance when hitting with woods. just my $.02
I used to hit to the left with my woods too. I found if I took a small step back so the ball was on the outside of my club face, I would swing through and hit the ball much straighter. And like many have said, if you slow your swing down, the club will do all the work for you.
You know, honestly I didn't know the ball should be more forward in my stance when I use woods. I just have mostly gone out on my own so I've had nobody around to correct all my mistakes.
How I normally stand is with my feet slightly more than shoulder width apart and with the ball approximately centred between my two feet. Is this wrong even for irons? If it is, I'd prefer to learn the proper stance even if it meant not hitting as far at first...I'd rather learn the right way to begin with.
How I normally stand is with my feet slightly more than shoulder width apart and with the ball approximately centred between my two feet. Is this wrong even for irons? If it is, I'd prefer to learn the proper stance even if it meant not hitting as far at first...I'd rather learn the right way to begin with.
cjstringer
Member
I was taught the 5 iron is the center stance iron. When hitting a 5 iron, the ball should be in the middle of your stance. When hitting your 6,7,8,9, etc., the ball should be behind center. It seems to work, and with my 9 and pitching wedge I can now get some killer spins and really tight landings. When you hit the higher irons and woods, as you increase, 4,3,2, woods, etc. you slowly move the ball forward in your stance.
I usually tee off with an 8degree wood with the ball just forward of my stance by about 1/2in. This allows me to pull the power through with my rotation at the waist and really clobber the ball. I still swing slowly, but the momentum of the club head combined with my fat ass seems to get the thing moving.
As for my shorter irons, I usually hit my 9 and lower straight out from my trailing toe. I get really good bite and lately beautiful divots let me know if I hit the ball straight or not. I know if I don't get a good divot, I need to look to the side for my shot.
I still don't look up until long after I hit the ball. I usually have a friend stand behind me to spot so I can be sure to hit the ball well. It's really tough, cuz you wanna know how good you did, but in the long run it really helps your game.
Hope that helps!
I usually tee off with an 8degree wood with the ball just forward of my stance by about 1/2in. This allows me to pull the power through with my rotation at the waist and really clobber the ball. I still swing slowly, but the momentum of the club head combined with my fat ass seems to get the thing moving.
As for my shorter irons, I usually hit my 9 and lower straight out from my trailing toe. I get really good bite and lately beautiful divots let me know if I hit the ball straight or not. I know if I don't get a good divot, I need to look to the side for my shot.
I still don't look up until long after I hit the ball. I usually have a friend stand behind me to spot so I can be sure to hit the ball well. It's really tough, cuz you wanna know how good you did, but in the long run it really helps your game.
Hope that helps!
I have the 'slice' problem as well and it bugs the hell out of me! When I have that problem, and I have no luck trying to compensate for it by my stance or slowing down my swing, I just turn a little to the left, aim towards the trees or OB line and it always ends up in the middle of the fairway. It may not be a nice long straight shot but it sure helps to keep it in the fairway!!!
cjstringer
Member
Went out for the first time this year tuesday night. Wasn't any Tiger action going on, but I was playing pretty well. Shot a 92. My drives weren't long, around 210 or so, but they were consistent and straight. My friends were wondering who I was and what I had done with their friend. I decided to make my first outing just slow and smooth swings every time. No rushing or trying to power the shot. I only missed the fairway twice in 18 tee shots. Both of those were pretty bad, but I recovered well.
Anyway, I think slowing down my shot has made my game a LOT better.
Now, there's this putting issue I've been getting into lately................
Anyway, I think slowing down my shot has made my game a LOT better.
Now, there's this putting issue I've been getting into lately................
Putting I'm pretty good with....it's just the damn woods....I'm just waiting for my bro to get his clubs he ordered online and then I'll be going out for a game. You shot a 92....but what was the par for the course? I'm thinking I can shoot under 100...that will be my main goal is to always try to only be at the most getting bogeys or double bogeys.
cjstringer
Member
Par was 72. I know that more than +1 average per hole, but I hadn't played since august. My best game last year was an 82. BTW, I just started playing last year..
I must say you guys have some good info here. I'm actually playing on Sat, only 2nd time this year. I've been playing off and on for a couple years, but actually only play maybe 10 times out of the year and the best I've done is a 92. I'm gonna have to try some of your techniques out! Hopefully I can at least stay under 100!!!! Putting... on the other hand I'm not too bad! I played about 3 weeks ago and made a 50-60ft putt, straight as an arrow and dropped right in!!!! Surprised the hell out of me!!
cjstringer - just started playing last year??? That's awesome to do so well. Keep it up and you'll be in the pro's before you know it!!
cjstringer - just started playing last year??? That's awesome to do so well. Keep it up and you'll be in the pro's before you know it!!
cjstringer
Member
That'd be nice. I could use the money they make!
Actually, I have a handicap when it comes to sports, and I'm scared it's gonna happen in my driving. I cna pick them up really quickly and get to a moderately competitive level, but then I plateau rather harshly and can't get much more improvement. I've always been that way.
Oh well, at least I can play decent and have fun! That's what it's all about. And if I start really sucking, I'll just start drinking and blame it on the beer.
Actually, I have a handicap when it comes to sports, and I'm scared it's gonna happen in my driving. I cna pick them up really quickly and get to a moderately competitive level, but then I plateau rather harshly and can't get much more improvement. I've always been that way.
Oh well, at least I can play decent and have fun! That's what it's all about. And if I start really sucking, I'll just start drinking and blame it on the beer.
That's funny... cause that's the same reason I don't play so much! I'll play for the first couple times of the year and do pretty good! Then, after playing a couple more times, say 4-5 more I really start sucking... the slice comes back from off the tee, and I really start having trouble with my iron shots! Go figure. That's when I hang up the clubs for a couple months!
