Chipping Away at Getting Better

General Discussion
#1

Chipping Away at Getting Better in Golf

Some steps to shaving scores a little at a time

Having picked up golf about 4 years ago, I came to some conclusions early on that in hindsight have served me well for dropping my scores steadily. I am now 60 years old and carry a 6 handicap. Having played a lot of local and regional tournaments while witnessing many different players I believe these steps can help any golfer.

  • Develop a swing* – I came to the conclusion that I would need to groove a swing that was:
    Simple- so it could be accessed on the fly and hopefully corrected while playing a round
    Repeatable – fits into the simple aspect
    Consistent – the parts of the swing could be dealt with in a manner that didn’t require great change
    Safe – I needed to be able to physically handle the swing without hurting myself

I found two sources that helped me tremendously – Rotary Swing and Me and My Golf.

RotarySwing.com – helped with the mechanics of the swing, body position, safety and longevity.
MeandMyGolf.com – helped with the differences in a Driver Swing as opposed to iron swing, chipping, putting, etc.

Equipment

  • I started with some used clubs from a family friend that was a hodge-podge of clubs but it did allow me to develop my swing.
  • It quickly became evident that I needed better equipment. I chose to get Tour Edge Irons because I could play them for 30 days and return or exchange if they did not fit me.
  • I bought a used Driver (Rocket Ball) and Hybrids (10 year old Burners) and they served me well for about a year and a half.
  • I recently purchased Tour Edge C721 Driver and Hybrids. Added about 20 yards on my drives and with the proper shaft flex on my hybrids I don’t hook them as much.
  • Wedges – I have come to realize that these clubs are as important as anything you will buy. Try out different wedges till you find what works for you. When you find it you will know it. I use a 56 degree Ping Glide and a 54 degree Callaway Mack Daddy Cavity Back.
  • Course Strategy –* I soon realized I did not know how to play golf and these sources were a huge help to me:
  • PracticalGolf.com -* Jon Sherman was and continues to be a great source of information that helps with the physical, strategic and mental sides of the game of golf. His website was my first realization that I needed help with how to approach a golf course hole by hole. I believe he is the best kept secret in golf instruction.
  • Decade Foundations-* Scott Fawcett created a program that took me through HOW to make the right club and shot decisions on the course and also using google earth before playing a course.

Hope this helps someone.

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#2

Interesting; I would’ve thought those two wedges would be very close to each other in distance. But if you tried them, and they work the best for you…

I use a 46/52/56 combo, with an occasional 60 I’m still trying to work the kinks out of. The lengths are non-standard too, otherwise I’d probably find the 52 and 56 too close together. A wedge fitting is desired…but is going to have to wait.

But again, whatever works.

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#3

I agree with J! from the standpoint of the 56 and 54 seem to be close, but if that’s honestly working for you it’s not my bag. My bag works backward from 60, 54, 50, 46, 42, 38, 34, 30, 26, 23, 20, 14, 9.5 and a putter. In general 3-4 degrees in loft changes giving me about 10 yds in distance between each club. Those 4 wedges actually have varying degrees of bounce and lie for me. Now, I just purchased a used 8.5 Adams 9064ls with a 60gr shaft for giggles that was only slightly used for $39…It’s a great club. I’m 63 and was carrying a 9hdcp. I have been really working on getting my swing mechanically sound again and put in a ton of work this year. My last 2 rounds were 69 and 73…so for those 2 days it seems all that work is paying off. I need 20 in the bank to see if that consistency will stay. In my youth I was a 2.5. I also purchased a PRGR from John to measure my swing speed and ball speed. I went from 87ish to 97ish SS and ball speed went from 120ish up to now 140+ish…so Distance was an increase of 50 to 60 yds on the driver which has been huge!

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#4

Good stuff, MJ, thanks. In addition to the PRGR, what other steps did you take to increase swing speed? I’m 70 and speed is ~85’ish, so this resonates :wink:

#5

First I videoed my swing. I found a very weak grip, I found my ball position was too far back by like 2”, I was swaying on my takeaway without full extension and I was not taking the club back in one piece, it was all arms. I was not shallowing the club on the downswing, I was not starting the downswing with my lower body pushing my (squatting or sitting down about an inch) that’s using ground pressure. My right elbow was not connected to my right hip as I began my release. A complete loss of spine tilt! My release was happening around 5 o’clock. All stored energy gone! I ended up lunging by about 6 inches at the target head finishing above the tee instead of behind it. And I was not extending through impact. A lot to work on right? It was a mess. So I fixed my grip and used stix to get my ball alignment correct. I only did that for 2 weeks. I then started addressing each of those issues 1 at a time in slow motion reps 25-30 times a day for 2 weeks each. That was from February thru June. Then I started hitting balls at 50% after I rebuilt my mechanics. Then I started with flexibility and speed training one set per day. In July I took it to the course. I used my phone to record each session and a critiqued myself daily. I devoted 1-2 hours per day to this process and I’m still working on speed training. Why? Because I know there’s more to get. I swing at like 85-90% of what I got, I’m still working on timing, BUT I do allow myself in practice to take a couple swings outta my shoes and I have gotten to 133mph. I’m not worried about where it’s going. I’m trying to train my big muscles to get used to being in proper position, that’s how u get consistency. Like I said Mr Player was up here this summer. He’s 85 and he’s hitting it 235 with no effort. So yea it can be done.

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#6

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#7

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So this was an outta my shoes. The 83 mph was where I was. The other ones are where I am currently or at least thru sept. i’m no longer hearing the ball land… :rofl: I hope that helped. In people terms it seems like a slow build, in golf terms, it’s overnite. For me it was getting out of some really bad habits. If you don’t see them you can’t admit to them and you definitely can’t fix them. I do know I only did one or 2 steps at a time. Each move, each addition was one building block that led to the next I had a plan, I did it when I first learned and you’re never to old to relearn

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#8

It’s interesting, the different algorithms these monitors use to estimate distance. Because they certainly aren’t measuring where the ball actually hits. (Speaking of the PRGR/SC200-300/Mevo brood only, of course. Trackman probably could register actual downrange impact…)

Anyway, as I’ve written before here, ball speed is the only measurement from mine that I put a lot of credence in, and 157-161 ball speed does not sniff 300 carry on my gadget. Though the 265-270 it does allow me, is certainly acceptable. Personally, for @kenk’s question, just practicing with the monitor in ‘swing speed mode’, with a bare tee for focusing my impact, did wonders for improving chs. Basically a more quantitative version of the, listen for the whoosh! drill. And then try various movements and see what those do to the speed readings. (While still hitting the tee.) Mix in divot board work (obv not with the driver) and try to combine big speed with ideal divot patterns. I

I’d try superspeed if I’d the cash and time. New job is taking up a lot of the latter.

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#9

The Bryson Challenge!

Kyle Berkshire and Bryson have total different approaches to speed training and the result is amazing… I am only trying to do this clubhead speed drill, this drill works with the PRGR into the net once you get your mechanics str8.

One other thing, I totally forgot that I used. I am chef by trade. I bought, years ago, this cheap mylar 4’ x 1.5’ mirror for cheese displays. I no longer do those displays but I have the mirror. At that time it cost me like $12.99. Anyway, I stood the mirror up and I took some blue paint tape to mark where my head should not move past, where my shoulder should tilt to, etc. I also recorded, but I did a lot of slow motion mechanical drills 25-35 reps in slow motion every nite so I could see and build those correct feelings. My swing used to feel like I was hitting the ball and I honestly didn’t feel in control of the downswing and impact. Now…my swing feels like I’m slowly winding up and now I feel like I’m landing an uppercut/haymaker through someones jaw…That’s the feeling I have. I hope that makes sense and helps you on your journey
Wall Mirror $7

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#10

JayJay, I really didn’t not come to my decision on a 56 and 54 from a distance stand point. I use my 56 from 49 yards in and my 54 from 50yds out to 85yds. The main reason I use my Ping 56 is from 20 yards in. Where I play mostly this just works well for me. After my 54 I have a Gap wedge, Approach Wedge and then my PW.

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#11

Question Todd…Are you completely self taught? How much time have you put in 4 years to get to 6? I went from hack to an 8 in about a year with lessons and I worked at a range so I had the good fortune of hitting about 500 balls a day 6 days a week for 5 years starting at age 22. It took me 5 years (and I’m still working on it after 40 years) to develop any semblance of a short game that could get me to chip off strokes getting me to where I was 28-35 y/o carrying a legit 2. It took me about 8 months taking the range work to the course and learning to score and think, but I had real good fortune of my teachers that played on the Tour that taught me how to manage what I had learned on the range. AND you are absolutely correct wedge work is really important to scoring and putting is 1/2 the game! That’s quite incredible to accomplish that inside of 4 years…congratulations!

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#12

Gap and Approach wedges. I’d thought those were synonymous, but whatever works. I feel you on the close wedges doing different stuff. My 56 is about a 14 bounce (at least that’s the spec…I really need to get lofts, lies, and swing weights checked one of these days…) I like it in fluffy sand, soft lies, that sort of thing. My 52 has much less bounce, and despite the distances hit being closer than I’d like to the 56, they do different stuff.

And the 60’s lie angle is different enough, it’s really only good for Pelz-ian ‘finesse wedge’ shots.

So I agree, it’s not all about distance gapping.

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#13

Thanks. The first eight lines of your reply pretty much described my game this past summer. Hope springs eternal!

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#14

Good tip jay jay, thanks.

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#15

I’m being very honest I am not looking for 130 swing speed, I think we’d all break our backs. But unless you are physically challenged, 100mph is not out of the question on a consistent basis for me especially since my baseline is currently 94-95. That’s LPGA avg. if you are 85-87…. I will bet you a round of golf with a bit of serious work, 93-95 is no way out of the question. And if you can get a Smash around 1.44-1.47 you’re looking at 240-250 realistically! Good luck in your quest.

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#16

Piling onto this post, @Adamyounggolf has a ton of posts at his blog about optimizing angle of attack in the driver swing to drastically increase carry yardage. You don’t need insane clubhead speed to hit it far (though it helps). You need positive angle of attack, the right amount of spin, and solid contact.

From what I remember of Adam’s blog post, where he shared his lessons from a Trackman session, he was ‘only’ getting about 102-104 mph clubhead speed. But he coupled it with optimum smash (1.52+: it’s an artifact of how many systems measure clubhead speed), and like 9 degrees positive AoA, with appropriate spin. That equaled 280 or so carry.

It doesn’t take Jacobe what’s-his-name’s redonkulous speed to hit it farther. Just hit it more efficiently. For golfers with 80-90 mph chs, the required optimal launch angles are so high, I totally buy people saying they crush their 3W further.

Personally, I’m in my late 40s, and committing to meaningful, quantitative mindful practice has improved driver ball speed from 140-145 or so when I first got the monitor, to 150-155 ball speed, and occasional forays into 160+ land. Your body is pretty smart. Tell it to optimize some value, experiment with different movements, pay attention to what your senses are telling you, trying to duplicate good sensations, and your body will learn to move in a more coordinated, stronger manner. Which can translate into faster golf balls that go further.

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#17

Jay, My 56 is a 14 bounce as well and works well in most situations for me. I just read an article where Rory McElroy has went to more bounce on his wedges. Once I get above my 54 wedge I have about a 10 yards increment in distance with all my other clubs. I tried a 58 and 60 and they just didn’t work as well for me.

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#18

MJ, not totally self taught but close. About 6 months after I started I went buy a package of lessons. After two lessons I abandoned that ship because the instructor was trying to get me to swing in a way that hurt my back.

I have put in a substantial amount of time into my game. I did not go to a course for the first 2-3 months, just the range, and I personally think that is a good way for someone to start. Did not have to deal with being in trees and bunkers, etc. Just groove the swing. I also have had the good fortune of playing a lot. I have probably played more in 4 years than some people do in 10 years. I have a course about 7 miles away and they have dogfight tournaments every single day which I started participating in about 2 years ago. The pressure of competition has helped a lot. I don’t choke as much as I used to. :joy: Its been neat to go from the 4th man on the team to captain now.

I have shot scope and my short game has always been the best part of my game which I came to understand was really fortunate. I have tried to use a variety of clubs for my short chips around the green but have just come to the conclusion that I am better with my 56 so I don’t deviate much from that. Our greens are small so being able to get up and down regularly is a huge benefit to scoring and my percentages are pretty good.

Speaking of Shot Scope, their conclusions from the data base of shots has been really helpful. I quickly found out about the “myths” of golf. (3 wood is more accurate than driver… only by 1%) so I didn’t waste time doing things people would say that had no basis in reality. I also saw their results in real time. For instance, they say that around 80% percent of putts are short of the hole with 8 and above handicappers. I have literally watched that happen round after round with players on my team during the tournaments. My stats in my last 15 rounds is 79% long which means at least I am reaching the hole.

I am enjoying the things you and others are writing about swing speed and efficiency in striking the ball. I have dropped from an 8 to a 6 mostly on the fact that I have added about 20 yards distance to my drives.

I hope one day I can get to a 2 handicap!! That’s seriously strong golf! I have yet to break even par on our course. Shot one over the other day with two double bogeys and 5 birdies so I know its possible.

How can one game be so frustrating and yet so fulfilling at the same time, in the same round and from one hole to the next? Only golf!

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#19

Link to the Adam Young blog post I mentioned: https://www.adamyounggolf.com/how-to-gain-60-yards-with-one-swing-change/

Memory’s better than I thought. Average stats for his maximized AoA session: 102.5 chs, 155.3 ball speed, 1.52 smash, +8.1 AoA, 272.4 carry, 295.5 total. Not too shabby.

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#20

IIRC, last Spring my driver speed was mid-80s. My goal is to get into the low 90s, so your expectations are spot on. Thanks for your advice and wishes.

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