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My Pyramid Routine
I have been struggling with “how to practice†since I started golfing, and I have found a large number of methods via forums, like this site, and google. Some of the ones I have tried are: 32-ball drill, progress from wedges to driver, and the stuff like “1-hour practice routineâ€, etc. But none have really suited me.
While working on my backswing I stumbled upon a routine that works for me – a pyramid routine. When I was a teenager I used to do a lot of weight lifting and the main method I used was the pyramid method where you start with a low weight and progressively increase with each set the weight to your maximum then decrease back to the starting low weight. This is effectively a golf swing version of it.
I begin with chipping. I use 3 set backswing lengths: (c1) hands ahead of my trailing thigh, (c2) hands to my trailing thigh, and (c3) hands to just past my trailing thigh. I start with c1 and can only move up to c2 if the “Condition†is met, which is I have hit a minimum of 3 balls AND I am feeling comfortable with the swing (direction is pretty close to where I want it and I am not doing anything stupid like decelerating). So when I move up to c3 the “Condition†must also be met.
Next I work on pitches up to full shot. I use 4 backswing lengths (7, 8, 9, and 10 o’clock) and I also distinguish between whether my wrists fully cock or not (w or nw respectively). Even though there are technically 8 combinations I only use 6 because I was having problems with pushes for the last two options and for me they are pretty much redundant (with regard to distance). The 6 swings are: (7nw) 7 o’clock no wrist cock, (8nw) 8 o’clock no wrist cock, (9nw) 9 o’clock no wrist cock, (10nw) 10 o’clock no wrist cock, (9w) 9 o’clock with wrist cock, and (10w) 10 o’clock with wrist cock (this is my full swing). I now use the same “Condition†as above to move from c3 to 7nw, and so forth up the backswings to get to my full swing (8nw, 9nw, 10nw, 9w, and 10w).
I have now reached the top of the pyramid and must now work my way back down c1 in the same fashion that I used to come up. Since I need to use my full swing (10w) a lot during a round then I must set a higher minimum number of balls hit … I use 8 … before dropping down from 10w to 9w.
I now have a framework in which to make swing changes. For example, I have already “fixed†my overswing, wrist cock issues, narrowed my stance, and weight shift issues. I will have to continue to cement these over the winter but 8 practice sessions like this have done wonders for me.
Give it a try. Let me know what you think.
Questions?
Thanks,
Charles
While working on my backswing I stumbled upon a routine that works for me – a pyramid routine. When I was a teenager I used to do a lot of weight lifting and the main method I used was the pyramid method where you start with a low weight and progressively increase with each set the weight to your maximum then decrease back to the starting low weight. This is effectively a golf swing version of it.
I begin with chipping. I use 3 set backswing lengths: (c1) hands ahead of my trailing thigh, (c2) hands to my trailing thigh, and (c3) hands to just past my trailing thigh. I start with c1 and can only move up to c2 if the “Condition†is met, which is I have hit a minimum of 3 balls AND I am feeling comfortable with the swing (direction is pretty close to where I want it and I am not doing anything stupid like decelerating). So when I move up to c3 the “Condition†must also be met.
Next I work on pitches up to full shot. I use 4 backswing lengths (7, 8, 9, and 10 o’clock) and I also distinguish between whether my wrists fully cock or not (w or nw respectively). Even though there are technically 8 combinations I only use 6 because I was having problems with pushes for the last two options and for me they are pretty much redundant (with regard to distance). The 6 swings are: (7nw) 7 o’clock no wrist cock, (8nw) 8 o’clock no wrist cock, (9nw) 9 o’clock no wrist cock, (10nw) 10 o’clock no wrist cock, (9w) 9 o’clock with wrist cock, and (10w) 10 o’clock with wrist cock (this is my full swing). I now use the same “Condition†as above to move from c3 to 7nw, and so forth up the backswings to get to my full swing (8nw, 9nw, 10nw, 9w, and 10w).
I have now reached the top of the pyramid and must now work my way back down c1 in the same fashion that I used to come up. Since I need to use my full swing (10w) a lot during a round then I must set a higher minimum number of balls hit … I use 8 … before dropping down from 10w to 9w.
I now have a framework in which to make swing changes. For example, I have already “fixed†my overswing, wrist cock issues, narrowed my stance, and weight shift issues. I will have to continue to cement these over the winter but 8 practice sessions like this have done wonders for me.
Give it a try. Let me know what you think.
Questions?
Thanks,
Charles