Practicing your golf swing in the garden is BAD

[JustOne]

Practicing your golf swing in the garden can bring many problems to your golf swing.

Every club in the bag except the driver should be struck with a descending blow - thus removing a nice divot... right down to the 3-wood which should scrape the surface off directly after the ball.

Every time you swing in the garden trying not to ruin the lawn you are actually practicing the WRONG THING and ruining your swing.

Especially those shots (at this time of year) where you try and pluck that daisy off it's stalk!! You know the one I mean! You'll be thinning it in no time, lifting up on shots and frankly destroying your spine angle which is why so many golfers tend not to stay over the ball.

You can however practice still, simply do it in slow motion driving down to the ground and stopping before you splash into the ground - right behind the ball.

Always practice with a ball there if you can so that you get used to seeing it there

If you trust your swing then you can practice full swings with your driver as it doesn't hit the ground - however make sure you are wearing PROPER SHOES as full driver swings in slippers or flip-flops can destroy your swing also from subconcious fear of slipping.

Basically if you're going to practice in the garden - think about what you are doing and make it as close to reality as possible.

hope this helps....

Note: When practicing full swings with your driver DON'T use a ball! (but you can with slow motion swings of course)

 

[mono217]

yeah ive already wrecked our garden with me using my net woops

 

[Golfmmad]

In my previous house, which had a bigger garden, I used air balls off the tee for driving practice. After a while though, the grass would still cut up from my twisting right foot.
I now prefer to practice at the course, although not very much as time doesn't allow.

Golfmmad.

 

[Billy]

So let me get this straight.
I cant practice my swing in the back garden wearing slippers because i will ruin my swing?
i have to have a ball there and must swing in slow motion with my driver and stop before the ball and i must take divots with my 3 wood and 2 iron?
is this a wind up

 

[JustOne]

That stuff coming off the ground... that's fairy dust!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHNAnFeiMNA

make of it what you will.

right down to the 3-wood which should scrape the surface off directly after the ball.

 

[Billy]

do you think the average golfer can hit that shot?

 

[bobmac]

Pulls up a chair ...

 

[JustOne]

What do you want to practice - the right way or the wrong way?

A 3-wood should be hit with a slight descending blow and scrape the ground just after impact. If you are practicing in your garden and flicking the tops off the daisys then you're doing it wrong. It might only be by one centimeter but in a game that has margins smaller than 1 degree - what do you want to be practicing hitting the ball properly or thinning it?

Getting a proper mat is a good idea and an easy solution. I'd simply recommend staying off the lawn.

And for what it's worth I can take divots bigger than that with my 3-wood...as can most golfers not of Tigers standard.

 

[Billy]

Ah, so practicing in the garden is bad but not if you have a mat and you wear shoes
You seem to think there is only one way to play well. 'the right way or the wrong way'.
Are you one of the top 25 coaches?

 

[JustOne]

Would it matter if you're going to argue about how to hit a 3-wood properly?

 

[Billy]

I'm just asking why you are telling these good people there's only 1 way to hit a 3 wood or any other club for that matter. The right way or the wrong way
if you told a 28 handicapper to hit down on a 3 wood, he wood get steep above plane outside the line and take big divots and sky it
Surely it depends on the golfer and if you were a top 25 coach, you would know to adapt your teaching for different golfers.
if i'm wrong, ill leave and get my free lesson somewhere else

 

[JustOne]

So you'd tell a 28 handicapper to lean back and sky it?
Good for you. I'd rather teach someone properly mate.

I found something for you to read...
I don't know if you've ever heard of him (he's not one of the 25 coaches here) his name is Butch Harmon

Read part 6
http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/video...A-Great-Driver/

 

[Billy]

Of course I wouldnt tell a 28 handicapper that, that would be just stupid and i'm not a teacher anyway.
i'm not questioning what you know about the swing but why only one way.
here's some reading for you
homer has too much weight on his right side and has a reverse pivot?????
You must aim your shoulders square
you must hit every club from your left heal ala Nicklaus
You must get your left shoulder just back to your middle unquote
i may not be a teacher but i do know there's more than one way to play this game well and the only musts are the 5 ball flight laws.
i would not tell someone how to play golf because i'm not qualified to do so and if your not qualified either then neither should you. Pass on tips by all means but dont tell them what to do. you could set someone's swing back months or even years.

 

[bobmac]

Puts the ketle on

 

[haplesshacker]

You're drinking a lot of tea on here recently Bob!

 

[bobmac]

You're drinking a lot of tea on here recently Bob!

A conversation between two people who know a bit about the swing but with different points of view. Always interesting

 

[haplesshacker]

Bob.

From a professional point of view. Has the differing views on such things made you think that we're a bunch of well meaning advice givers, or a bunch of clueless numpties that shouldn't really be 'advising' on anything? (I guess that there's only one PC answer!!)

Or is it perhaps interesting to hear what peoples 'perception' of what is right or wrong.

I know when I was coaching, I used to find peoples perceptions quite interesting and often incorrect. Though their reasons for their interpretations was always interesting. It used to provide many an entertaining evening amongest the coaches.

 

[RGDave]

I practice swinging in the garden with fairway woods. I also take small divot-ettes out of my lawn. That's why I have shares in Johnson's grass seed.
I take the point J-O-uk. I prefer my speed-stik just to keep things loose over the week.

 

[bobmac]

HH, a good question.
There are lots of informed people on here and half the time the questions raised are answered by them without me having to get involved.
but there is a difference between settling a rules query and giving in depth advice on someones swing.I understand what Justone is saying and I also see what billy is getting at.
There is also a difference between knowing the swing and being able to teach it.
its interesting though

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bob out of interest did you send that PM we talked about