HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
No.
Imagine you had to teach a novice,... Homer per se
There's a reason I'm not a teacher
I honestly can't tell you exactly what I do
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8-iron to the green - can you describe your set up?
- Thread starter JustOne
- Start date
There's a reason I'm not a teacher
I honestly can't tell you exactly what I do
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
You walk up to the ball, it's an 8-iron from here..........
Toad
Tour Rookie
Then get down and hit it no faffing.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
OK then, something like ... pick a line a couple of yards left of the pin, take stance, ball would be forward of centre a couple of inches, hands ahead of ball. Don't think about any of this though, it just happens. Loose grip, clubface open slightly. Take away starts with upper bod, a second or two of nothingness, hold the pose on the follow through and watch the ball hopefully fading back toward the pin - I think
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
To be honest I don't want to start thinking about what I'm doing.
Whatever I'm doing works more often than not and all I have to think about is looking at the back of the ball.
Too much thinking costs shots.
Whatever I'm doing works more often than not and all I have to think about is looking at the back of the ball.
Too much thinking costs shots.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
Exactly, and now the next time we all play we will be thinking about what we are doing and will mess it up.
In all honesty, most of us aren't doing what we think we are doing anyway, our bodies have just worked out a way that works, thinking about it just gets in the way.
SyR
Challenge Tour Pro
Mostly I just have a look at the target to see where I want the ball to go. I then start my swing. Sometimes I make a slow practice swing if I feel my tempo has been too quick.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
It's a bit like all the draw/fade/openface/swingpath stuff that's been on recently.
I know it works, the science is sound. My only issue is that you have to be able to produce the correct swingpath to make things work. Most of us can't produce the same swingpath 2 swings running and if you get the angles wrong you're in the next Country let alone the next County. I tried some yesterday and hit some glorious drawing drives - until I got the swingpath wrong and the ball went so far right I didn't bother going to find it.
Keep it simple.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
What if you're routine consists of stepping up and blasting it?
It's virtually what I do...
Not saying it's wrong to have a routine - it isn't - but to complicate it to the point where some will be checking that their left elbow is tucked under their chin and they've had 3 waggles of the club but now have lost the aimpoint but at least their feet are pointing in the right direction ain't gonna help them
Just saying - keep it simple
It's virtually what I do...
Not saying it's wrong to have a routine - it isn't - but to complicate it to the point where some will be checking that their left elbow is tucked under their chin and they've had 3 waggles of the club but now have lost the aimpoint but at least their feet are pointing in the right direction ain't gonna help them
Just saying - keep it simple
Captainron
Big Hitting, South African Sweary Person
In 1! when it feels natural then it becomes natural. get to the range son!!
philly169
Journeyman Pro
Pull my 8 iron out the bag, club to floor and set my grip, one practice swing, slow and steady, step behind ball to set my line, align club face, align body, assume position, take a breath and go....
Boom, shank..... No infact it flew with a nice left to right and stopped 2 fee from the hole..
Note: carlsberg don't make great 8 iron shots, but if they did it still wouldn't end up like that...
Boom, shank..... No infact it flew with a nice left to right and stopped 2 fee from the hole..
Note: carlsberg don't make great 8 iron shots, but if they did it still wouldn't end up like that...
richart
Major Champion
Once I have decided the club, I usually have half a swing to get the feel of the club. Then set up to the ball, aim at the flag and swing. No real thoughts once the club is behind the ball, other then looking at one of my markings on the ball. Things like wind, pin placement, hazards etc would have been taken into account before club choice made. I would say that these are my thoughts with an mid iron which I am confident with. If it was the driver it would be a different matter.
kid2
Money List Winner
This post has clearly got two different outcomes...
On the one hand you have the situation where the player just steps up and knocks it on.
And thats fine....I dont argue with that...For this player whether they know it or not thats their pre shot routine....It may not feel or look like it to the onlooker but for that particular player they are comfortable with that..
If you were to introduce to this player a routine whereby he stands behind the ball picks his target line,steps in align's himself and his club has his couple of waggles and then lets rip....Well it could all go a bit Pete Tong for him.
The only question i would ask a player would be from 140yards how often would you miss the green by just stepping in and hitting the ball....
With no thought to where your body feet shoulders and clubhead are aiming.
On the other hand you have someone like me...I try and do everything the way the textbooks say it should be done..........But .....and there is a Big But!.....I dont believe you can play any game to a good level unless you first understand how its played....It all boils down to confidence......You need to be confident player to be a really good player.
For anyone thats considering strongly about wanting to play consistently to a low handicap then i think that you have to want....... or......... need to know where that ball is going to start and finish....Now i know that you need a sound swing for this and for the most part we all have a fault or 2 in ours but it wont stop me striving to get better....
I know that for me standing over the ball at address and knowing where its going to start and finish would give me massive amounts of confidence and for all intents and purposes it stands to reason that the game would be a hell of a lot easier if i were to be able to do that...
At the moment im a long way off it but its getting better....
And i suppose looking back on the OP again.......An 8 iron for me would be my 140yard club i suppose but with no obsticles in the way and still wind from the fairway i might chance a half swung 6 or 7 iron and bump one in....There is less that can go wrong and alot of "If's" are taken out of the equation.
On the one hand you have the situation where the player just steps up and knocks it on.
And thats fine....I dont argue with that...For this player whether they know it or not thats their pre shot routine....It may not feel or look like it to the onlooker but for that particular player they are comfortable with that..
If you were to introduce to this player a routine whereby he stands behind the ball picks his target line,steps in align's himself and his club has his couple of waggles and then lets rip....Well it could all go a bit Pete Tong for him.
The only question i would ask a player would be from 140yards how often would you miss the green by just stepping in and hitting the ball....
With no thought to where your body feet shoulders and clubhead are aiming.
On the other hand you have someone like me...I try and do everything the way the textbooks say it should be done..........But .....and there is a Big But!.....I dont believe you can play any game to a good level unless you first understand how its played....It all boils down to confidence......You need to be confident player to be a really good player.
For anyone thats considering strongly about wanting to play consistently to a low handicap then i think that you have to want....... or......... need to know where that ball is going to start and finish....Now i know that you need a sound swing for this and for the most part we all have a fault or 2 in ours but it wont stop me striving to get better....
I know that for me standing over the ball at address and knowing where its going to start and finish would give me massive amounts of confidence and for all intents and purposes it stands to reason that the game would be a hell of a lot easier if i were to be able to do that...
At the moment im a long way off it but its getting better....
And i suppose looking back on the OP again.......An 8 iron for me would be my 140yard club i suppose but with no obsticles in the way and still wind from the fairway i might chance a half swung 6 or 7 iron and bump one in....There is less that can go wrong and alot of "If's" are taken out of the equation.
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Phil2511
Global Moderator
I agree that confidence is an extremely major part in golf. If you have the confidence and trust in your swing and know what your regular *** shape is then it can do wonders for your game.
I confidentially get up and down alot because I have done it so much and have become fairly decent at that. My driving recently has become great and got better as I became more confident. But I have a slight hooking issue with my irons which I think has cured but it was killing my confidence with anything longer than an 8 iron. Also bunker play I would tend to think negatively due to the fact I rarely end up in a bunker and therefore never get the practice from playing out of them to improve.
I confidentially get up and down alot because I have done it so much and have become fairly decent at that. My driving recently has become great and got better as I became more confident. But I have a slight hooking issue with my irons which I think has cured but it was killing my confidence with anything longer than an 8 iron. Also bunker play I would tend to think negatively due to the fact I rarely end up in a bunker and therefore never get the practice from playing out of them to improve.
bozza
Journeyman Pro
Place my bag to the left hand side of the ball so I can't see it when I address the ball, it's a little habit I've got into and it's kinda part of my ore shot routine. Look at the flag, take a practice swing similar to how I want my actual swing to be, if it feels ok address the ball, if not take another practice swing. Address the ball and aim slightly left of the flag as I hit a fade. Little bit of a waggle the leather it!
Phil2511
Global Moderator
Strange as you say that about your bag. I like to put my trolley directly in front of me as I'm addressing the ball. About a foot from the ball at times as I just leave it where I stop it. It's strange but I know then it's not within my swing area, I don't like it being to my right or behind me. Some people say how can I swing with it at times only a foot away. But if I'm on the range the controls for the automatic tee are the same distance and I know I don't hit them or the partition behind it. I guess it's just an OCD quirk of mine.
I also have the all white part of the ball facing up when I putt. The alignment lines or ball name makes me focus too much on that and then I tend to mess up the stroke whereas if I pick my spot in front of the ball I know all I need to do is pass the stroke over it.
I also have the all white part of the ball facing up when I putt. The alignment lines or ball name makes me focus too much on that and then I tend to mess up the stroke whereas if I pick my spot in front of the ball I know all I need to do is pass the stroke over it.
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StrangelyBrown
Tour Winner
I'd aim a bit right of the flag (seem to be moving irons right to left at the moment), pick a target on the ground a yard or so infront of me where I want the ball to start, line the club up to that, line my body up to the club, a deep breath then fire.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
I would pull out my 8 iron, address the ball, take a couple of practice swings, realise I was swinging like a knob and put the 8 iron back in the bag and take out a 6 and hope that if I gave it a big biff I might get somewhere near where I was hoping to get. That's what I'd do.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
All good points kid but I don't think about my setup on the course, that's why I spend hours on the range. Over time you'll hopefully build a swing that works and that swing will become natural enough not to have to think about it. I'm almost certain I will be subconciously checking everthing is right but as I said, I couldn't tell you specifically what I do. If I try to force the club into the position I think is right I'll play like a knob.
I know I don't always take practice swings, how often I don't know but I'm fairly sure I've gone whole rounds without one. For me it's all about how I feel at any given time.Golf is mostly for me a subconcious activity, a bit like kicking a football used to be and I think a lot of people could improve if they stopped searching for ghe perfect swing and got out of their own way.
I play with a lot of players better than me that have some major swing faults but they have something that works for them, I bet very few could talk you through their swings
I know I don't always take practice swings, how often I don't know but I'm fairly sure I've gone whole rounds without one. For me it's all about how I feel at any given time.Golf is mostly for me a subconcious activity, a bit like kicking a football used to be and I think a lot of people could improve if they stopped searching for ghe perfect swing and got out of their own way.
I play with a lot of players better than me that have some major swing faults but they have something that works for them, I bet very few could talk you through their swings
