I'll be the bad guy

Your motives are goods, but maybe not the path you've taken. Practice is great if you are grooving a proper swing. It sounded like you are closing the club face to keep from hitting a monster slice. This could be putting a band-aid on a major swing flaw. It will send a few straight, but with it you will only progress so far. If lessons are not an option there are lots of good books. 8 Step Swing, Hogans 5 Lessons, and others. I did what you are doing for years. Found out after a couple of lessons I wasted the better part of them grooving bad habits. I'm finally breaking 90 on a regular basis. (thought I never could!) Good Luck and keep posting! Jeff

Yea, I mentioned above kinda breifly that I found a problem with my swing.
I didnt explaine it too well though.

What I found is this:
With the Irons, the weight and shaft length help a great deal.... Because the centrofugal force pops my wrists straight.

With the Driver and wood, the head is lighter and there doesnt seem to be as much weight exerted during the swing. So its not pulling my wrists stright like the Irons do.

Basicaly, Im cokcing my wrist on the backswing, but Im not un-cocking them properly at the bottom of the thru swing. The result is that my club faces address is more than just wrong... its positivly insaine!.... and slice, "Ooh, another concussed squirrel".

Its one of the things Im working on regularly. The best thing is, I dont really need to be at the range to practice cokcing and uncocking my wrists. I can do it while Im working.

Iv already made some progress. But its a struggle to remeber 'everything' and force myself to make the changes. But, one thing at a time, slowly, Im getting there.
Iv got the address down, Iv got the grip, and the setup. My putting isnt too bad, I just have to get used to the way the ball and the club behave together. Chipping is fine, Im taking less divots than before which I like. Iv been doing some hitting from the roughs on the Practice range, thats not too bad either.

The right release

Hey Fraggle,
I hope golfbald will add to it, but I think you may be confusing a wrist cock with the rotation of the right forearm over the left(for right handers). I think if u just let the forearms release(the rotation of the right over the left through the impact area), you'll find that the wrists will do what they are supposed to without any focus on it.
I think another benefit of being able to control the forearm rotation as you progress is the ability to shape shots. I've found, yet not mastered, that by not releasing the forearms you can hit a fade and by over rotating the forearms u can get a draw.

Have you played 18 with others yet?

First of all thank you for posting this diary it is nice to know there are more people at the same stage i am.

I started the same way fraggle with an old 6 iron and a 3 wood on the range.

I actually was doing fairly well with both but like you not as well with the driver so i told my boss i would like to try a round and he took me out.

It was a rude awakening. I don't know if it was because there were three people watching me or what but i couldn't hit anything off the tee with a driver (i rented a set of clubs at the course).

The irons weren't as bad but i was surprised i did so poorly after i seemed to be doing ok at the range.

You are pitting much more into this than i did so hopefully you won't have the same problem but if you do you'll know you aren't the only one


Thanks again, definitly put more effort into my practice thanks to your posts

john

Practice makes nearly perfect.

Everything is going well except my driver.
But, Im not really cutting deep divots, or topping the ball, or missing it entierly... Infact, Iv had very few "terrible" or "Bad" hits for a while now.

I have been working on my wrists. Seems that I was indeed correct. My stance was okay, but the ball should have been a little further back. My swing is getting smooth and less irratic. Although, with strangers about, it does go a little "off".

My drivr is improving a lot. Its not going drasticaly off to the right anymore. Its still going right, but not as bad. So Im getting better with it. As Im confidence comes up, and my miscles kick in, I think I will be pretty much okay with it in a few weeks.

My Irons are great. Even though they are solid, rather than cavity backed, Im still doing okay with them.
Someone said they were harder to use, well, I like a challange..... :-)

Re: Driving Range Tryout... (beginner)

Long time no post!
I know!!

The story:
WORK WORK WORK... Hurricaine, work, hurricaine, hurricaine, work, hurricaine...
That pretty much sums it up.

But, things have clamed down, Dont expect too many more hurricaines this year. Work has clamed somewhat.
We just put the Overseed down on the course (Rye on the Tees and FWays and Poa Triv on the Greens)

Since my last post things have happened thus:
I sold my old Vertex driver and purchased a second hand AdamsGolf TightLies 10' Driver. (not on their web site) I used that until last week when I purchased a Wilson (out of production model) driver.
Who would have thought changing a club light that would throw ones game out?.

Okay, the TL club was doing me well, I finnaly got it to fly almost straight, unless I did something dumb like lifted my head during my down swing. Since it was working so well, I decided to spend some cash, and try a new driver. First thing I found was this:
The club face is slightly inwards compared to my TL. The size was bigger by 50cc, so I found I was striking the ground a little.
Up on the Range.....

First thing I knoticed was the very different Shafts. The TL had a BioFlex / metal shaft. The Wilson (refered to now as 'W') Had a "Mens" shaft. The TL shaft felt the same, but I think that has something to do with the metal end.
Once I found the right facing for my swing, I was sending the range balls over 125 yards each time. With the TL, I could send them further by nearly 25 yards.
The regualrs next to me were interested to try the two clubs and sent the balls roughly 160 yards with both clubs, suggesting its my swing / shaft combo thats causing the differance.
Satisfied I found the right face for the W, I decided to pack things in, but I hate to leave range balls sitting on the Tee. So, I took my TL and spanked one.. No tee under it. It flew!, almost straight, and over 130Yards. Surprised, I tried again. I found I could comfortable use the TL Driver with No tee and send the ball a nice distance.
Testing out my muscle memory, and reflex, I linned up the last 5 balls on the Tee al-la Tiger, and one at a time slapped them, with little setup, or stanace adjustment.
Next time I do that, Ill have to take my Camera and film it.

My conclution:
Either the Adams head is a much better quality than the Wilson (Titanium Insert). OR the shaft has a lot to do with it.

SO, hows my game going?.
Well, over the summer, I hardly played at all. In these cooler days, Iv been playing more and on my Home Golf Course of Oakwood (lake wales, Fl) Iv been comming off the front 9 with an average of 5 - 7 over Par.

Re: Driving Range Tryout... (beginner)

I wonder if my approach is apropiated...

I started about 8 weeks ago. I am taking lessons with a Pro... but, I only have hit with iron 9 and lately iron 7. I have not hit any wood yet. I am not sure if I am ready for them...

I am focusing on ball contact, and direction, even my teacher says that it is too soon to worry about the direction... I am trying to have a consistant swing...

I am amazed and pleased with my improvement so far... But should I push my self more and try other irons and woods, specially the driver... I am kind of scare of it already... So much it is talk about it that I am not sure if I am ready for it...

Re: Driving Range Tryout... (beginner)

Okay, after some reserch, I found that the shaft is probably some of the reason for the longer distance, the hed is also better quality, and the "swetspot" is more consentrated, so when I hit the ball, its got less chance to be off the middle. Hard to explaine.

All I know it, with my Adams driver, I dont even need to Tee the ball up to get a good shot. But, Im gona anyway, but Ill tee it low.....

My last trip to the range I was looking at the position of the ball in the stance, and the effect it had on the way hte ball travels, and how one tends to take bigger divots when the ball is back in the stance if I swing wrong.. :-)

Re: Driving Range Tryout... (beginner)

Hi Sonja

If you do not feel ready for the woods leave them in the bag. I started this time last yaer and playing twice a week in the summer and I used my 5 wood for the first time on a course in December. Up until then I only had my 7, PW and SW. What about distance I hear you say, well, I can hit the 7 iron 140 yrds straight and my driver 250 yrds (not anywhere near straight) with the 7 I can be on the green in 3. With the wood I am Out of Bounds and still on the tee for 3
Like anyother first time if you are not ready don't do it.

Re: Driving Range Tryout... (beginner)

One of my biggest hurdles was the longer clubs. Driver and Wood, and for a short time the 3 iron.
The Iron corrected itself as I worked my way up from the 7. No problems there.

The driver....
Man, that baby kicked my behind to start with. I could hit long, yea, but keeping it in visual range was the tough part. I knicknamed myself "Bananaman". To get the ball on the fairway, Id have to aim way the hell off to the left, and watch it come around. Faine if there are no trees there....
I watched others play, and saw where they played the ball in thier stance.... That was a waist of time. Every golfer has the ball in a different place it seems.
One day, I did a swing with the driver, and slowed it as it passed the bottom of the swing. I saw the face was REALLY closed in as it "would have" hit the ball.
With that in mind, I adjusted my stance a little and put the ball level with my forward foot. Repeated the swing and saw almost the same result in the swing, only now the club face was even more closed!. Change in the angle of attack I think.
So, I looked closely at my irons, then my driver and knoticed that the faces didnt seem to look right. I the grip on the driver opening the face a lot further (more so than looked right). Now I could see a hell of a lot of the club face. It didnt look right at all, especialy for a 10' loft. I was convinced I shouldnt beabvle to see the face that much. But, I went ahead and swung at a ball.
To my surprise, and pleasure, it sailed 'relativly' stright. Still had some 'right' in it, but no where near as violent as before.
I tried the same approach with the wood. Same result. Straighter and longer.
My only problem now is a slight inside out swing, which the club pro says is comming from my hips.
His solution to that was to take a club, and rest it on your butt, then start to slowly swing your club. Every time your hip moves, you feel the club move.
Not the most comfortable, or dignified solution, but it has helped....