Best practice session ever

This morning I had my most productive session ever at the practice range.

Before heading out, I reviewed the various videos that I've recently made. I took the camcorder with me.

I got a large bucket of balls (about 85), but I was determined that I would take my time and make every shot "real."

I did some stretching and hit about five bump&run balls with the RH Drill swing, to warm up. Each one was aimed at a target, a distance marker.

Then I started practicing full swing shots, starting with a PW. I went through my full setup routine for each shot, but they weren't very good. After each shot, I'd walk away, clear my head, swing my arms, and decompress. I decided to videorecord my next attempt. I did so, and it was a poor shot. I studied the video then and there, in the little LCD screen on the camcorder. I noticed a number of things, but most obviously, my swing was rushed and sort of convulsive, with a jerking motion at the top of the backswing that was throwing everything off.

I decided that for my next shot, I would simply focus on a slow takeaway. I recorded it again. The result was much improved, though still a bit thin. Not skulled, just a bit thin. I looked at the video, but couldn't really see what was wrong, although my finish didn't look very athletic.

I moved the camera so that instead of recording straight down the line, the point of view was at about 4 o'clock or so. I did my pre-shot routine and took another shot with the PW, with about the same result as the last one: okay but a bit thin. I went back and looked at the camcorder, and from this angle I could get a better idea what was happening on my lead side. In particular, I could see that I was losing the extension in my arms through impact. Basically, my swing was collapsing.

So my thought for my next shot was to *stay extended* and I swung the club in the air a few times just to feel that extension, before setting up my next shot. Again, I started the camcorder. Now I have two things to think about: take it back slow and stay extended. Bang! A lovely, clean, crisp PW strike, carrying about 115 and rolling 5. I went back and looked at the video, and saw a nice smooth round swing.

I repeated this a few times, each time checking the video immediately after striking the ball. I hit one more thin one, and saw in the video that I had contracted the swing path by pulling my arms in.

I had a sudden epiphany: The reason for this tendency to pull in is that I'm trying to swing faster than is natural for me. Just as a figure skater pulls arms and legs in to spin faster, pulling the arms in is a way to turn the body faster in the golf swing--but it also ruins the swing. So.....don't do that!

I proceeded to other clubs. I used the camcorder the same way, getting instant feedback, but pretty soon I didn't need it, because I knew what I had to do. I'd switch clubs, each time taking a short walk in between, and then doing full setup, etc. I'd focus on slow takeaway and staying extended, and I was striking the ball well each time, with every club. I got to where I had 20 balls left, and went back to pitching and finished the session that way.

The main thing was getting immediate visual feedback and working from that. I've used video before, but I always waited til I got home to look at it. This was much more helpful.

__________________
Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

Great routine. Many of us understand better by visual feedback and you are one.

When I see immediately that what I *think* I'm doing is very different from what I'm actually doing, it really helps.

It took me more than an hour an a half to hit all 85 balls, because I insisted on walking around a little after each shot, just as I would on a course. And after hitting I'd drop the next ball, so that I could walk away and then walk up to it, looking from ball to target and back, just as I would when playing. I really think these things helped me not to get into a mechanical mode. I'll try again tomorrow, with a small bucket.

__________________
Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

Feel and Real are two totally different things.