Since the start of the new year, I’ve have been more focused on my strike/ low point instead of technique. I know technique can influence those things, but most of what I see online is how to improve technique not have to improve ball striking skills. Am I off here?
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No, I think you’re on the right track. Jon and Adam Young have a lot to say on that topic.
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I think if you can control both strike and low point, technique is good enough by default. Most of what is online is generic and put out to generate clicks or to sell their product/system, not to really help anything specific.
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It is the sign of the time. As the generation grew to be more dependent on technology. Why? Because the technical terms offers a simpler answer, solution.
My kids will fall into those category once in awhile before I’ll remind them not to depend on the technology completely.
We were born with the best computers on top of our shoulders, why abandon it and rely on the secondary unreliable source?
All the technical analyzing and data gathering is to do what? To get a better result on the golf course, right?
Technology really made the explaining much easier of the what and the why, but often, we get mixed up with what came first and what comes second.
Old school teaching was to look at the ball flight first, then trace back to the cause. Today, a teaching professional often will look at the elbow position and this and that, to “correct” a student. Even when the ball flight is where it should be.
I hate it when the teaching pro will bring out all the tech toys before he even had a chance to see the student’s golf swing and looked at the ball flight.
What can a 20 something old with launch monitor tell a golfer for 40 years what needs to be improved before the golfer even hits a shot in front of the kid?
It is a business. So are those using the social media as a vehicle to gain personal fame and fortune.
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First priority is to have fun! Make friends to share in the fun. That should be the #1 priority. Second priority is to work on the game. I don’t know you, nor will I pretend to tell you what you need to focus on. I will give you this advice. I think I mentioned in another post how I learned. That might not be for you my teacher 100% focused on short game forever and on course management of your game. Here’s my advice though along with a question. Don’t focus on more than one thing at a time. Trying to do more than that will mess you up. Always focus on course management especially when you are offline. You’ll get used to it. Course management means what does the next shot bring, what are you trying to do? It’s always gotta be what am I trying to accomplish with the shot in hand and what can I count on my current ability going to allow me to do. Does that make sense to you? Question: you mentioned you are focusing on ball striking. What and how are you doing that ? Be specific please. I find that to be interesting.
Nope. Technique is to enable efficient, repeatable strike. There are techniques that are more efficient than others, but it does seem that a lot of golf instruction is to improve technique for technique’s sake.
Now, there are things that nearly all really good golfers do that assist them in making repeatable strikes, and if you’re not, you probably should start. Or at least have a good reason why you’re not doing those things too. But I agree with your emphasis on strike vs technique.
I’m mostly using the foot spray and practicing hitting different parts of the face. Then I’m also using a towel behind my ball and focusing not hitting that (separately). Thanks!
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The foot spray only will tell you something after the fact. What the ball does after you hit it tells you everything you need to know. If you want to really improve your ball striking, I’ll give you a tip to think about. Work on your grip and position of your hands. That’s it, that’s all, nothing more. Clubface means nothing, Grip and hands are everything! Watch this little tidbit, the entire thing is great, but specifically around the 11 minute mark. Lee Buck Focus on what your hands are doing. When Mr Hogan wanted to test clubs, he would tell his people to let that little Mexican boy hittem. He’ll tell me whether or not they are any good!
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Adam Young has a Strike Plan that you can purchase (about $50) that has techniques and drills for making solid contact. I purchased that and found it really helped.
He’ll teach you assessment techniques for determining how good your strike is now, techniques and drills that Craig mentioned above, and cadences for when you need to gather more data about where your strike is now.
In addition, he’ll teach you how to evaluate feedback from your current day’s play and then how to take those drills you were taught to move your strike where you need it that day.
I.e., you show up at the course. You warm up with a small bucket and figure out everything’s going off the toe and a bit fat. You try two different techniques to raise your arc and bring the clubhead more out, to address that feedback. You fix the problem, go out on the course with that recalibrated feel, and have a good ballstriking day.
I guess the logic track is somewhat different today than when I picked up the game.
I can not say if knowing where one strikes the golf ball on the club face or the swing path would help my game on the golf course for the day. We look at the what we have for the day by ball flight when we warmed up ( if we had time to do so, or we’ll figure it our on the first few holes ) and then take that as the guideline for the day.
I believe Curtis Strange ( winner of two consecutive U.S. Open ). said in an interview. He’ll go to the driving range in the morning before the teeing off and take in what he had for the day, imply it on the golf course. Some days his game favors a cut ( fade ) and some days his game will favor a draw. He will attack the golf course by placing the tee shot in the part of fairway to favor his approach shot of the day.
No human will feel the same way every day when one steps off the bed in the morning.
Take what you have that day to the first tee. Often times one would need to make adjustment along the way after joints and muscles had warmed up. This is another good reason to walk the golf course. Sitting in the motorized golf cart will do little to help one loosen up.
Walking and swimming are good for circulating.