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I've been golfing for about 1.5 years now and my long game is very inconsistent. One day I'll be hitting a 7 iron 170 yards the next day I'll be topping or chunking everything. Any advice on gaining consistency in the long game
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Re: Long game consistency
Consistency comes from a few areas. For example, confidence to pick the right club for the distance, remembering to go through your routine every time, whether it be a drive or a 50yd pitch. A failing we all have is wanting to crush the ball as far as possible, which in turn tends to destroy our swing speed and tempo and increases the adrenalin flow. What do you do in your practice routine? What you should be doing is trying to adopt the same swing from driver to wedge, with same rhythm and tempo. When this falls into place, you will see how important these points are. Remember, its the club that does the work. Forget the distance factor. When you get the above points working , the distance will look after itself. -
Re: Long game consistency
My preswing routine, if thats what u mean by practice routine is...
Stand behind the ball and pick a target, then visualize the shot flying to the target, then I take a few practice swings til I feel that one of them would go to where I want it to be, and finally I step up to the ball and hit it. The thing is my swing with a wedge like my Sand wedge and Pitching wedge is great, it flies straight, high and lands soft. but with my lower irons and woods its different somedays I hit them great other days I dont. Its really frustratingComment
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Re: Long game consistency
Couple areas that kill consistency...
1) Over-the-Top swingpath: Make sure you make your hands DROP by starting your backswing with a lower body movement. Left hip bump, breaking the knees towards the target, weight shift from right foot to left foot. Whatever you think can work for you. Easy practice....make a nice full backswing, pause, then focus on your 1st move. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
2) Maintain your angles: This is my biggest killer. I "rush" from the top and loose my spine angle. My hips press towards the ball instead of rotating from right to left on the downswing. Make SLOW swings and focus on keeping the right knee flexed and maintain that spine angle.
3) Shifting your body: Some people sway to the right on the backswing, some people move "ahead" of the ball on the downswing. Your head will rotate a little, but it shouldn't shift. Practice infront of a mirror to see if you are swaying, sliding or shifting.
4) Tempo: Bad tempo will kill all 3 above. I just think of it this way....low and slow on the backswing. "PRESS" the gas on the downswing.
Let me explain the whole press thing. When you 1st "press" the peddle, think of that as your #1, or your lower body movement. From there, continue to press the gas. What happens when you press the gas with a car? You go faster. Keep pressing all the way through the swing. You don't SLAM on the gas OR keep coming on and off the gas. Its a smooth, accelerating movement. Some people decelerate, some people SLAM, some people change speed.
Big 4 for me. If I can control that, I hit the ball well. #4 is a big one. I have to control the acceleration of my downswing. That really helps me with the other 3.Comment
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Re: Long game consistency
If you have ingrained your swing where it is repeatable(through practice and feel) you have gained confidence but the variables are tempo and rhythm; some days you have it, some days you don't. Why? Either you are physically tired or not mentally focused.
I can stand on the range and hit my targets over and over, all day long; I can almost do it blindfolded and tell you where the ball has gone by the feel but some days I'm stiff, tired or thinking about business so I can play ok but its just not sharp.
Other days, I can play in the zone; I know I am talking with my partners but when I stand behind the ball, I zero in on the shot I want and it happens.
Don't be so tough on yourself; we all have good days and bad, that's life.Comment
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