My “bad streak” is actually permanent

[Sweep]

Do you want the long version or the cheat?

Both ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Do you want the long version or the cheat?

would it be wrong to ask for both.
I had a lesson last year and have never hit it so far in my life. For a couple of weeks I was massive. yet It felt so easy. I had a lesson two weeks ago to build on the previous and the wheel has well and truly fell off the wheel barrow. there is odd glimpses of brilliance but far to much rammel.

 

[Tashyboy]

Speaking to a few lads at the course, they are going through the same issues in trying to get there game back. It could be a subject that GM mag could cover. ?

 

[bobmac]

The out to in swing.
If say the swingpath (sp) is heading 20 yards left of the target and the clubface is pointing right of the sp at impact, the ball will fade/slice.
If you aim 20 yards right of where you normally aim, the sp will now be straight but the face still open to the sp. Strengthen the grip and that should straighten up the face at impact.
So now you are aiming right and basically hitting a pull that flies straight.

Weight transfer.
Rather than shifting the weight forward during the downswing to get the bottom of the arc just passed the ball, move the ball back in the stance so it's just behind the bottom of the arc.

With these two tweaks, the swing and the weight can go where they always go, where they are COMFORTABLE, so working with your natural swing instead of against it.
It may not be textbook but if it means you play better golf, who cares

If you want the long version, this guy nails it...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm chuckling at the first part of @bobmac post above. I had a driver lesson last year which had me hitting through 20yds or so right of straight. I couldn't get it. The pro then lay down an alignment stick pointing that way and told me to follow the path. Internally I was thinking he had lost it. Bam, straight, next one, straight. I started to laugh but it worked. Worst case it stays down the right side of the fairway, but inbound. The other options are dead straight or a gentle draw. Either of those will do for me.

I had a mare last weekend and went out midweek with an alignment stick on my own. Laid it down, followed the path. All was well again. Yesterday was fabulous as I could remember the path and followed it.

It goes against what your brain tells you but who cares if it works.

 

[Curls]

Great shout Bob! It’s the clay pigeon shooting approach to golf.

“Pull”.

If it works it has to be better than purgatory ??

 

[rudebhoy]

That is frustrating. And if you can strike them well immediately after I’d say it is where your head is at. Not just the consequence of a ball in play and a card in your hand which is obvious I mean both your position and reaction to the target. This is just a guess so take or leave!

It might be your alignment. On the range it’s easy to align because there’s parallel lines everywhere. Have you ever asked a buddy to check where you were aiming when one of these shots went wide, duffed etc? If you’re not aiming correctly then the ball isn’t where you think it is in your stance and if it’s just a little forward it’s easy to fat it. Your head is behind the ball and you don’t know it.

2nd part. On the course hitting an approach shot are you thinking about the green or pin when you’re swinging? That’ll hurt unless you’re really close, most players are better off focussing on the strike area and just middling the ball through that corridor you strike through. One thing to watch out for is you don’t get short on the backswing trying to hurry up and get into that area but if you take the target out of play (once you’re aligned that’s it you’ve done all you can and have to forget about it) you might start overcoming this.

Easy to check on your own too. In a practice round on the course when you feel like you’re all lined up take a tee from your pocket and put it where you think the ball should be in the middle of your stance. Then drop the club along your toes and step away. Is the left railway track just left of target and is the ball where you think it should be? Either of these a no and you’ve got a really easy fix for your issues, very much hope that’s what it is and you can get back to throwing arrows ?

Funnily enough, I've been asking my PPs this week if they can see where I'm going wrong. One said my head was up too soon, another said I was not rotating enough, and the 3rd one said my alignment was all wrong. Where to start with that lot!

 

[Curls]

Funnily enough, I've been asking my PPs this week if they can see where I'm going wrong. One said my head was up too soon, another said I was not rotating enough, and the 3rd one said my alignment was all wrong. Where to start with that lot!

If you’re hitting it fat then lifting your head is probably a red herring. If you’re not rotating possibly it’s because you’re already closed to target and don’t want to turn any more away from it (though it could be many other issues). So I’d say alignment is in question but it’s impossible without seeing it first hand and you won’t repeat it at a range! This on the course playing lesson you’re having will do you the world of good hopefully ??

 

[JV24601]

The out to in swing.
If say the swingpath (sp) is heading 20 yards left of the target and the clubface is pointing right of the sp at impact, the ball will fade/slice.
If you aim 20 yards right of where you normally aim, the sp will now be straight but the face still open to the sp. Strengthen the grip and that should straighten up the face at impact.
So now you are aiming right and basically hitting a pull that flies straight.

Weight transfer.
Rather than shifting the weight forward during the downswing to get the bottom of the arc just passed the ball, move the ball back in the stance so it's just behind the bottom of the arc.

With these two tweaks, the swing and the weight can go where they always go, where they are COMFORTABLE, so working with your natural swing instead of against it.
It may not be textbook but if it means you play better golf, who cares

If you want the long version, this guy nails it...

Maybe a dumb question, but will this sacrifice distance?
I can’t see why it would but it sounds too good to be true if it works?

 

[bobmac]

Maybe a dumb question, but will this sacrifice distance?

No, you will swing your 'natural way', the way that feels comfortable, with gay abandon (can I still say that?)
The hardest part is getting a slicer to aim right.

I can’t see why it would but it sounds too good to be true if it works?

If your swing is out to in and your clubface is square to the sp at impact (and it will be because you have strengthened your grip), where's the ball going to go? Left all day.
Aim right and let the swing go where it wants and with the clubface square to the sp the ball will fly left of where you're aiming ie the fairway/green.

You're basically aiming right and hitting a pull on purpose.

It's probably best if you experiment with your grip position on a big wide range first to build your confidence before trying it on the course.

I know a guy off 2 who you'd swear he's going to hit it miles right at address but the throw at the start of the downswing throws the sp back on line.
Believe me, it works

 

[JV24601]

No, you will swing your 'natural way', the way that feels comfortable, with gay abandon (can I still say that?)
The hardest part is getting a slicer to aim right.



If your swing is out to in and your clubface is square to the sp at impact (and it will be because you have strengthened your grip), where's the ball going to go? Left all day.
Aim right and let the swing go where it wants and with the clubface square to the sp the ball will fly left of where you're aiming ie the fairway/green.

You're basically aiming right and hitting a pull on purpose.

It's probably best if you experiment with your grip position on a big wide range first to build your confidence before trying it on the course.

I know a guy off 2 who you'd swear he's going to hit it miles right at address but the throw at the start of the downswing throws the sp back on line.
Believe me, it works

I believe you Bob, cheers. I’ve got a funny feeling this is gonna work for me and I’m gonna be as happy as Larry

 

[bobmac]

Keep us informed and don't forget to give Larry my Paypal account number.

 

[sunshine]

Unless you're distance loss is due to age then I'm sure something can be done about it, maybe try a different Pro if you haven't already.

In answer to your question; Yes.

2015 - I started the year on 8.4, I had fifteen 0.1s, one buffer and no cuts, finished on 9.9
2016 - Start 9.9, thirteen 0.1s, three buffers and one cut of 0.4, finished on 10.8
2017 - Started on 10.8, fourteen 0.1s, three buffers and one cut of 0.2, finished on 12.0
2018 - Started on 12.0, nine 0.1s, six buffers, one cut of 0.8, finished on 12.1, seemed like I'd stabilised!
2019 - Started on 12.1 and with a heart attack and a frozen shoulder! Fourteen 0.1s and one buffer (from a reductions only comp) and no cuts, finished on 13.5
2020 - Started on 13.5, seventeen 0.1s and two buffers and no cuts, finished on 15.2
2021 - WHS index now 16.4 which gives me a course handicap of 19!

So in the course of 7 years and however many qualifiers that all adds up to I managed to get cut just three times!
(What depressing reading!)

However, signs so far are that I can play to 19, my distance is coming back as the frozen shoulder slowly recovers, I rarely shank these days and my chipping yips are slightly improved.
I'm hopeful of a few cuts this year but on past experience I'm not going to make any predictions!

Prayers for Crow

Did your club not carry out a handicap review after you consistently missed buffer? Were you just missing out, e.g. scoring 32 points, or were you miles off?

My golf has been a roller coaster for the past 10 years. I hit patches of form where I shoot in the 70s and look like I know what I'm doing, and then I can be hacking it round in the 90s and I feel like a beginner.