garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Sounds great bud. Might plump for a lesson or two soon.
Keep it up
Keep it up
I had a lesson today and... (rolling thread)
- Thread starter jdpjamesp
- Start date
Had my first lesson since the starter set I had when I took up golf 18 months ago. More than a few bad habits had crept in and I was looking for more consistency - went to a new pro I stumbled across on the internet.
Within 3 swings he asked me how much sport I had previously played. Me - 'A lot.' Him - 'Thought so. You must be relying on very good hand-eye coordination to hit the center of the club because you are getting into some awful positions and making golf very hard!'
To be honest, this is exactly what I wanted to hear - I've got to shooting 90 very consistently but had a feeling I was heavily reliant on sporting ability rather than a good golf swing and knew I needed help to get to the next level. He used video and trackman to show me what I was doing, horrible upright swing and coming hugely over the top.
I struggle with 'feel' as in what I should be feeling at various points in the swing. Crucially for me, he gave me sporting analogies to work with - 'How many Roberto Carlos style free kicks to see work Vs how many Beckhams - Think of Beckham!' and a boxing analogy for driving - 'Throw an uppercut' that really seemed to work for me.
With a few changes, from focusing on coming around the toe on takeaway, flattening my shoulder turn and putting my weight back slightly I started hitting beautiful draws and really tightened up the dispersion. My swing speed was up as I was completing the turn better and so I was hitting both further and straighter - not bad for a 1 hour session!
All within 1 hour - and I am really looking forward to the next 5 I have booked - I really appreciated how he understood how my mind worked and tailored his explanations to improve my swing. Great experience! Have had 3 range sessions since and it's like night and day - can't wait for when it inevitably falls apart on the course!
Only negative was that he had a play with my stiff shaft Adams Blue driver and laughed - turns out it's not very stiff at all! I swing at 100mph and he said with a better shaft and driver I could improve my carry by 25 yards minimum - so £££ need to be spent!! Had a hit with R15, Callaway XR and Cobra Fly Z last night and saw what he meant - on Protracer I was hitting my current driver 230 carry with an absolute pearler averaging 210, yet on all 3 of the others I was hitting 230 carry on off center hits and 245+ on better ones. Leaning towards the XR with Project X 6.0!
Within 3 swings he asked me how much sport I had previously played. Me - 'A lot.' Him - 'Thought so. You must be relying on very good hand-eye coordination to hit the center of the club because you are getting into some awful positions and making golf very hard!'
To be honest, this is exactly what I wanted to hear - I've got to shooting 90 very consistently but had a feeling I was heavily reliant on sporting ability rather than a good golf swing and knew I needed help to get to the next level. He used video and trackman to show me what I was doing, horrible upright swing and coming hugely over the top.
I struggle with 'feel' as in what I should be feeling at various points in the swing. Crucially for me, he gave me sporting analogies to work with - 'How many Roberto Carlos style free kicks to see work Vs how many Beckhams - Think of Beckham!' and a boxing analogy for driving - 'Throw an uppercut' that really seemed to work for me.
With a few changes, from focusing on coming around the toe on takeaway, flattening my shoulder turn and putting my weight back slightly I started hitting beautiful draws and really tightened up the dispersion. My swing speed was up as I was completing the turn better and so I was hitting both further and straighter - not bad for a 1 hour session!
All within 1 hour - and I am really looking forward to the next 5 I have booked - I really appreciated how he understood how my mind worked and tailored his explanations to improve my swing. Great experience! Have had 3 range sessions since and it's like night and day - can't wait for when it inevitably falls apart on the course!
Only negative was that he had a play with my stiff shaft Adams Blue driver and laughed - turns out it's not very stiff at all! I swing at 100mph and he said with a better shaft and driver I could improve my carry by 25 yards minimum - so £££ need to be spent!! Had a hit with R15, Callaway XR and Cobra Fly Z last night and saw what he meant - on Protracer I was hitting my current driver 230 carry with an absolute pearler averaging 210, yet on all 3 of the others I was hitting 230 carry on off center hits and 245+ on better ones. Leaning towards the XR with Project X 6.0!
Garush34
Journeyman Pro
Had a lesson on Saturday, went just for a check up to see how things were. I'm still searching for more consistency and a bit shorter backswing.
The lesson was good not much to change. Set up and alignment is really good. Only a few things to work on. Need to keep the hands lower starting the backswing. Was getting a bit high which was causing me to pick the club up too early. This should also lead to higher hands at the top of the backswing.
The next two lead to the same fault. Staring the downswing with the hands and cutting across the ball, causing the left to right flight I have. So need to start feeling the weight into the ball of the left foot. And also need to retain flex in the lead knee down and through impact. I was straightening the knee straight away to start the down swing, which was also causing me to cut across the ball.
With these changes I saw an improvement within the lesson. Will keep working on the changes and see where I am before the start of the season. I may go for another lesson before the first comp of the year if needed.
The lesson was good not much to change. Set up and alignment is really good. Only a few things to work on. Need to keep the hands lower starting the backswing. Was getting a bit high which was causing me to pick the club up too early. This should also lead to higher hands at the top of the backswing.
The next two lead to the same fault. Staring the downswing with the hands and cutting across the ball, causing the left to right flight I have. So need to start feeling the weight into the ball of the left foot. And also need to retain flex in the lead knee down and through impact. I was straightening the knee straight away to start the down swing, which was also causing me to cut across the ball.
With these changes I saw an improvement within the lesson. Will keep working on the changes and see where I am before the start of the season. I may go for another lesson before the first comp of the year if needed.
Need to get more feedback on my pitching. Not really gelling as I'd hoped but it's early season and I don't want to peak too early
jdpjamesp
Q-School Graduate
Last lesson of my block on Saturday. Still a long way to go, but I feel happier about shaping shots. I feel like I know a bit more where it's going to go. And my distance has really improved too. I used to struggle to get my 5 iron to the 150 marker. 7 iron is going there now on a good hit. And the other good news is that I may actually start carrying my 4 iron again as I seem to be striking it a lot better with the swing changes.
Not had a chance to work on hybrids and woods yet as the range I was at is only about 180 yds long so bans the use of them.
Got a birthday coming up soon so hopefully will be able to get another block booked in because the benefits are really tangible.
Not had a chance to work on hybrids and woods yet as the range I was at is only about 180 yds long so bans the use of them.
Got a birthday coming up soon so hopefully will be able to get another block booked in because the benefits are really tangible.
Aimpoint Express lesson last Thursday. Very interesting and showing some promise on my reads and therefore putting with confidence again
jdpjamesp
Q-School Graduate
Yeah I like the look of Aimpoint. One for the to do list in future.
davemc1
Journeyman Pro
Got a couple of free lessons when I bought my irons the other month, had the 2nd one today.
We worked on tempo, width and shoulder turn. By the end of the lesson I was a player! Hitting balls so straight and high. It was so easy.
i then got another 50 balls after he left, I was not a player!!
Putting it down to being tired
Wish I could bottle him up and take him out on the course with me.
We worked on tempo, width and shoulder turn. By the end of the lesson I was a player! Hitting balls so straight and high. It was so easy.
i then got another 50 balls after he left, I was not a player!!
Putting it down to being tired
Wish I could bottle him up and take him out on the course with me.
Got a couple of free lessons when I bought my irons the other month, had the 2nd one today.
We worked on tempo, width and shoulder turn. By the end of the lesson I was a player! Hitting balls so straight and high. It was so easy.
i then got another 50 balls after he left, I was not a player!!
Putting it down to being tired
Wish I could bottle him up and take him out on the course with me.
All tips guaranteed only until the end of the lesson.
Junior
Tour Winner
Got a couple of free lessons when I bought my irons the other month, had the 2nd one today.
We worked on tempo, width and shoulder turn. By the end of the lesson I was a player! Hitting balls so straight and high. It was so easy.
i then got another 50 balls after he left, I was not a player!!
Putting it down to being tired
Wish I could bottle him up and take him out on the course with me.
who were the lessons with Dave???
davemc1
Journeyman Pro
David Lloyd out of Formby driving range mate. I've had a few in the past with him, the other day was the best lesson yet
3565
Journeyman Pro
Had a great lesson today, working on initiating more lag by having more lateral hip before rotating the hips and using the rotation to square the club face, but still staying behind the ball and delivering more power. The ball contact on the face is another level, but difficult to get to.
Lesson booked for Wednesday. Played poorly at the weekend but wanting to put that down to my recent health issues but just want reassurance it was mostly the ill effects and nothing to do with the swing. That and a big comp coming up next weekend so good to get a look over before then
Jack_bfc
Challenge Tour Pro
Had my first lesson of 5 last Friday.. We decided on short game at a taster session at the back end of least season....
Spent most of the time practicing the shot over a bunker with not much room to play with.. Happens a lot at ours with small greens etc.
Great advice about using the 10 deg bounce of my 58 deg wedge, gaining confidence, not being afraid to commit to the shot.. Etc Etc...
Used it a couple of times in practice round yesterday, great feeling when you stiff one from a position that would have frightened you to death before....
Bring on the next session.
Spent most of the time practicing the shot over a bunker with not much room to play with.. Happens a lot at ours with small greens etc.
Great advice about using the 10 deg bounce of my 58 deg wedge, gaining confidence, not being afraid to commit to the shot.. Etc Etc...
Used it a couple of times in practice round yesterday, great feeling when you stiff one from a position that would have frightened you to death before....
Bring on the next session.
Great lesson. Not too much technique changed but a lot of work done of NLP and being calmer over the shot and smoother
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
What does NLP stand for?
richart
Major Champion
National Loony Party ?
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Nearly Lost the Plot
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Thanks for that. Wasn't sure myself. It was strange but he asked me to simply put my tongue at the base of my mouth and focus on my breathing from the chest (but not listening to it). Apparently this reduces the heart rate. All I know is I felt so calm over the ball and with a slower takeaway was able to make some really solid shots. Not sure how or why but seemed to slow me down completely. Apparently he does a lot of NLP work with is plus figure and single figure pupils so their might be something in it although I'd not heard of it. Does this "Zen Golf" book a few have recommende come from the same stable?
