A Game Changer?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As reported elsewhere I have made a small but effectively a major adjustment to my swing. If I stick with it (as I probably must) it will change how I see and feel my swing from what it has been for 30+yrs.

On Sunday I played a few holes by myself. Playing our 18th I hit two 4 woods from my drive. The first I hit well and off it went - my 'Sunday best' 4w. But my second! I hit it and can recall thinking immediately 'that felt good - and very different'. I watched my ball as it climbed away and started into a gentle draw - then I noticed way out it seemed to start into a steeper climb as it drew. I can't recall seeing my 4w (or indeed any shot) do that before in quite the same way.

When I got to my balls they were equidistant from the green (and only 15yds apart). But the shots looked and felt so very different. So I'm wondering about this change I have made...hmmm...

 

[D4RK1]

What was the reason for the change?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What was the change ?

 

[Rooter]

What was the reason for the change?

What was the change ?

Change? got any spare change? how many times can you mention change, without telling people what the change has changed?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Change? got any spare change? how many times can you mention change, without telling people what the change has changed?

Might be a sex change and now playing of the reds :mmm:

 

[SocketRocket]

Might be a sex change and now playing of the reds :mmm:

:rofl:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I was taking the club away from address outside of 'the line'. So now just focussing on making sure I take it away inside the l,ine and start a hip turn and left knee break towards the ball.

Is it working? Well something has changed as I am striking the ball better than I have for years - possibly ever! I am certainly hitting it further and higher (I have always had a low draw). And it was working well all weekend. Saturday on our 1st - a par 5 - I found myself faced with my third shot being 210yds from centre of fairway to centre of green with flag at back right of green. I wouldn't normally go for it as green is protected front left and right by difficult bunkers with narrow entrance to green - so accuracy required and risky to play short and hope to roll on as fairway close kicks to bunkers. To get anywhere near flag would need me to clear front right hand bunker. As it was a friendly knock I thought I'd just have a go with a hybrid. And blow me down - did I not hit a beaut of a draw over the bunker pitching 5 yds onto green and rolling up to 4ft - and I holed the putt for a birdie.

And there were plenty of similar examples over the weekend. Something has definitely changed - and hugely for the better - and over a minor but clearly critical change to my swing.

 

[CMAC]

I was taking the club away from address outside of 'the line'. So now just focussing on making sure I take it away inside the l,ine and start a hip turn and left knee break towards the ball.

Is it working? Well something has changed as I am striking the ball better than I have for years - possibly ever! I am certainly hitting it further and higher (I have always had a low draw). And it was working well all weekend. Saturday on our 1st - a par 5 - I found myself faced with my third shot being 210yds from centre of fairway to centre of green with flag at back right of green. I wouldn't normally go for it as green is protected front left and right by difficult bunkers with narrow entrance to green - so accuracy required and risky to play short and hope to roll on as fairway close kicks to bunkers. To get anywhere near flag would need me to clear front right hand bunker. As it was a friendly knock I thought I'd just have a go with a hybrid. And blow me down - did I not hit a beaut of a draw over the bunker pitching 5 yds onto green and rolling up to 4ft - and I holed the putt for a birdie.

And there were plenty of similar examples over the weekend. Something has definitely changed - and hugely for the better - and over a minor but clearly critical change to my swing.

be careful you don't start going further and further 'inside' the line- best way to think of it is not starting outside the plane line but takeaway on plane, which is effectively inside your old plane but is now on plane.

Small point and more a 'thought', I've seen many creep further and further inside the plane line which leads to all sorts of counter issues

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I was taking the club 'straight' out - so when my pro put a line of tees in ground to mark 'the line' with first only inches from the ball - I hit it. I think I have been doing this for 30+ years but played so much back then that I grooved my swing into something that worked well - most of the time.

But I have always known that some things were not quite right. My hip turn was not good, that I didn't break my left knee in enough; I was susceptible to dipping my left side when I thought I was breaking left knee in; that I would often tend to 'reach' for the ball on my downswing; and that when I tried to extend my backswing to a full backswing (I always played a three quarter backswing) - things would go wrong - I always hit a massive slice when normally I hit a draw. And even when playing really well and off a h/cap of 6 every so often I would hit a shank - out of the blue.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

be careful you don't start going further and further 'inside' the line- best way to think of it is not starting outside the plane line but takeaway on plane, which is effectively inside your old plane but is now on plane.

Small point and more a 'thought', I've seen many creep further and further inside the plane line which leads to all sorts of counter issues

Yes - good point - the pro mentioned this to me but your post had reminded me - so many thanks sir! I have noticed that I could easily take it away very flat and have on a couple of occasions smothered the shot. It feels very weird seeing the club come inside now I have been told what I was doing.

 

[Foxholer]

Yes - good point - the pro mentioned this to me but your post had reminded me - so many thanks sir! I have noticed that I could easily take it away very flat and have on a couple of occasions smothered the shot. It feels very weird seeing the club come inside now I have been told what I was doing.

One of the classic tendencies - the continuation of the 'feel' until it is actually past the proper point! If you start 'getting stuck', you have almost certainly done so. Much better to have a reference for when it is right - so you can stop there. May be slightly different for each individual, but the P2 position is a pretty standard reference (P3 varies quite a bit) and position of hands in relation to the hips (or pocket) is, I believe, the key - though again varies by individual.

And it was working well all weekend. Saturday on our 1st - a par 5 - I found myself faced with my third shot being 210yds from centre of fairway to centre of green with flag at back right of green.

However, if the above is correct, you might have more to worry about than that tweak!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

One of the classic tendencies - the continuation of the 'feel' until it is actually past the proper point! If you start 'getting stuck', you have almost certainly done so. Much better to have a reference for when it is right - so you can stop there. May be slightly different for each individual, but the P2 position is a pretty standard reference (P3 varies quite a bit) and position of hands in relation to the hips (or pocket) is, I believe, the key - though again varies by individual.



However, if the above is correct, you might have more to worry about than that tweak!

1st is 497yds. I duffed my tee shot 75yds straight - and didn't reach the fairway - then hit a really nice drawing 5i out of the semi that finished 5yds short of 204yd marker. So left me the 210yds. I'll add that yesterday off back (510yds) I was on the fringe of green with drive and hybrid