Down to 7 in two years?

[slugger]

I think at least a small amount of coaching from a good teaching pro is a must... however, there's no substitute for experience and the only way to learn how to get he ball in the hole in the least amount of shots possible is to play the game.

Get some lessons to make sure you've got the basics right, then get practicing and playing as much as is possible.

How can you have a handicap if you've not played a full 18 hole course yet?

 

[pokerjoke]

I think you have just contradicted yourself,in one sentence you say spending time up the range working on something that might effect other parts of your game is a waste,then you say you spend lots of time up the range working on your swing that is not broke.To me the whole idea of going up the range is to fix a fault you might have,or to try something new that you couldnt try during a game.I do agree that fine tuning skills you already have is a good idea.

 

[Screwback]

I am not totally against coaching it can be very good for some people, but i think coaches will try and teach the ideal "modern" golf swing and personally i dont think that is good. if you look back at the greats of the game they are natural golfers and whereas their golf is exceptional i think the aspiring golfer can learn more from watching them and trying to emmulate than going for lessons.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

PJ

I think you misunderstood. I love working on my swing with the intent on making it more reliable. However I only work on changes under the guidance of my teaching pro and then spend my time working on the drills he's given me. I wouldn't dream of getting a magazine and deciding to change my swing based on the article alone and even less without getting a professional to make sure what I was doing was correct.

I have to disagree with pros teaching a modern swing. Mine, as flawed as it is is also a throwback to the 80's when I was really learning the game properly and is very much in the old Johnny Miller or Howard Clark stlye of drving with the legs. My current pro recognises that I'm never going to change to hitting against a firmer left side (the so called modern way) and so we are working on things that makes what I have more reliable and consistant. Tempo and giving myself more time through the shot has been the main one and then we'll look at the spine angle once I have a slower swing.

 

[Region3]

I started playing before the internet and all that it brings was available to the masses, and got down to 10 before I packed up, without ever having a lesson.

I've had a couple of lessons since I started playing again and although it's helped, I'm convinced I could get to single figures without them.
The biggest help for me was actually seeing myself performing what I thought was a pretty decent swing, and realising I didn't bear much resemblance to the image I had in my head.
From that I can work on what I see as being wrong without having to go back to the pro ad infinitum.

As far as talent at other sports transferring to golf goes, I think it's not so much being good at one particular sport will help, but rather a natural ability for sports in general. Good hand-eye co-ordination is one of the things that is a big factor in that, regardless of whether or not the ball (puck, shuttlecock, whatever) is moving or not.

I know it's not exactly the same, but although the golf ball is still, the player still has to control the head of a golf club which can be moving in excess of 100mph.

 

[Screwback]

Tempo and giving myself more time through the shot has been the main one and then we'll look at the spine angle once I have a slower swing.

I can see what you are saying and if it works for you great.

The above says it all for me though i mean spine angle?? i completly agree with tempo as these are the basics of a golf swing along with timing and balance but if i were worrying about spine angle i would spend way too much time worrying about my golf swing than actually enjoying my golf.

As someone mentioned earlier its each to there own there is no right or wrong way but IMO getting to technical is pointless.

 

[JustOne]

i completly agree with tempo as these are the basics of a golf swing along with timing and balance but if i were worrying about spine angle i would spend way too much time worrying about my golf swing than actually enjoying my golf.

Tom Watson would probably say otherwise...

"The Secret to the Golf Swing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6cntSpVbZo

 

[Screwback]

i completly agree with tempo as these are the basics of a golf swing along with timing and balance but if i were worrying about spine angle i would spend way too much time worrying about my golf swing than actually enjoying my golf.

Tom Watson would probably say otherwise...

"The Secret to the Golf Swing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6cntSpVbZo

Fair point

The fella is a legend no arguments.

He is also a pro and needs to have the best swing for his profession. My point and as i said each to their own is that we are amatuers and golf is suppose to be about enjoyment and IMO getting to technical takes some of that enjoyment away.

 

[JustOne]

we are amatuers and golf is suppose to be about enjoyment and IMO getting to technical takes some of that enjoyment away.

Hehe, you tell me one golfer who plays off 15 or less that hasn't tweaked at least 2,500 things with their swing and I'll give you £1

Once you get off that magical 28 h/cap the trouble really starts

(nb: I saw Homers swing in there at 4.01 min)

I reckon 7 is easily doable... but I'd wait to put those first 3 cards in for 18 months and go straight in at 7.4

 

[Robobum]

I don't think you can isolate "spine angle" as the secret to a swing. A good spine angle is part of the basics along with grip, alignment, posture etc. That good spine angle remains as a result of the correct turn.

I think it was John Jacobs that said as long as you get set up with good fundamentals the swing is just two turns and a swish, anyone who tries to make it more complicated is a fool.

He probably finished by saying "ding, dong ladies". Always thought he had a bit of the Leslie Philips about him

 

[bobmac]

The thing is, to some people, the enjoyment is in the practice.
I think I know what youre saying S.Back... Homer is thinking too much about his swing and not enjoying playing golf.
I would have to agree to a point that some people would find it simpler to limit the swing thoughts to 1 or 2 during the swing, but if it makes people happy, go for it.

 

[JustOne]

I think it was John Jacobs that said as long as you get set up with good fundamentals the swing is just two turns and a swish, anyone who tries to make it more complicated is a fool.

Totally agree however spine angle is part of that setup, get that right then it's simply turn back, turn through... oh yeh, and a swish

You can't do it if you're too upright or too stooped as you'd have to manipulate the club with your hands which is adding complications. I'd go as far to say that good posture is the No1 requirement for a good swing... erm, which means I agree with Mr.Watson, oooer!

 

[Robobum]

...I'd go as far to say that good posture is the No1 requirement for a good swing... erm, which means I agree with Mr.Watson oooer!

It'll certainly give you a better chance of producing a good swing.

#1 is blanking out the "smash it harder" demon whispering in your ear!!!

 

[JustOne]

#1 is blanking out the "smash it harder" demon whispering in your ear!!!

#2 is blanking out the "don't slice it" demon in the other ear!!!

 

[Screwback]

Justoneuk

I agree you need a good posture but are you saying when you first picked up a golf club you thought i wonder what angle my spine is at??

I mean it took Mr Watson until 1992 to work it out so he wasnt thinking of it!!

 

[Robobum]

#1 is blanking out the "smash it harder" demon whispering in your ear!!!

#2 is blanking out the "don't slice it" demon in the other ear!!!

Exactly, that's 2 "swing" thoughts already how the f**k have we got time to think about spine angle!!

 

[bobmac]

What controls the spine angle?

 

[JustOne]

Justoneuk

I agree you need a good posture but are you saying when you first picked up a golf club you thought i wonder what angle my spine is at??

I mean it took Mr Watson until 1992 to work it out so he wasnt thinking of it!!

You know what... it's the key to my swing, here's the thing....

I never had a lesson ever, one of my mates played off 2 and I pretty much trusted everything he ever said, swing, equipment, balls, gloves you name it. We used to play and practice together and whilst we had slightly different swings we used to share the same ideas and I was playing off 4. One day my swing literally just died, I couldn't hit a barn door with a cow's banjo I was in the middle of a medal and literally shanked my way round the front 9, I called it a day and didn't hit a ball for 7 years.

Last year I picked up the clubs and fell straight back into my swing however after 2 rounds I got someone to video my swing - I was almost standing upright! no wonder it was so bad.

I've never listened to my 2 h/cap friends so called 'advice' since then, if he had told me how bad it was I would have not missed 7 years of golf, my fault I should have had a lesson

Set up properly (no compensations) and you stand a good chance of hitting a proper golf shot. Go with a strong grip/open stance/bad posture or whatever and you've already introduced problems.

Keep it simple (if you can) is the order of the day in my opinion.

 

[Screwback]

Keep it simple (if you can) is the order of the day in my opinion.

Good call

 

[HomerJSimpson]

What I'm saying about the spine angle relates to the videos I've posted on here where clearly I straighten up on the downswing and my spine angle is much straighter than my address position. I'm not looking at that as a key to a good swing but a major problem that has been raised on here by those who know about these things (and a few who don't but it was so obvious Stevie Wonder could see it) and that once I have slowed my swing down (way too fast to have any control at the moment) then my pro can start to work on the swing itself. Its about doing theings in the right order