Broke 90!!!

Thanks Greg, that's exactly how I feel. I'm working extra hard on the short-game and driving now.

Best thing I've ever done with this game is get lessons, doesn't even feel like $50 was enough for his priceless teachings and overall calibur as an instructor.

brilliant matt,

i'm for the same goal but how do you do it,

liam,

no worries, he gets to work with you in person and a more upright stance needs to have the arms in more as long as they dont get too close and crowded

Well, what he made me change is my routine in matters of aiming. Before I would just go up to the ball, stick out my rear and reach out. This would cause my shots to go everywhere, got lucky more than once though. So what he made me change was my pre-shot routine all together.

It's nothing different to what I'm sure most people do:

1. Step behind ball.

2. Take practice swings, emphasis on hearing SWOOSH sound so that I know I followed through.

3. Stay relaxed during entire practice swing.

4. Look for target, find intermediate target.

5. Walk up to ball - place leading edge of club with intermediate target.

6. Waggle

7. Waggle some more

8. Feel no tension

(9) If I have to, step back and make a full swing focusing on following through again just to make sure I do so.

That's it. After that I'm gone. It's amazing how following right through the ball changes your contact - my driver doesn't slice anymore and I'm starting to hit a draw with my irons.

My focus on follow through is, in a way, making sure to feel the club touch my back as - sometimes actually hit it (with the driver) - it doesn't hurt and makes me remember that I've made good contact and just "let go".

__________________
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- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
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yeah...everything is working out nicely Played 2 rounds yesterday (first round was free due to a raincheck being awarded for rain the day before)

Round 1: 82

- Putting was a bit off, but was on the green in two on almost every occasion. Driving was nice, however still a bit of a fade that gets me in trouble.

Round 2: 80

- Still a bit of a fade on the drives. Irons were spot on since I found my distances. Need to work on getting out from the trees as my attempted "punch" shots were downright ugly. Putting and chipping was my real strength today.

So there you have it, I'm really excited as I feel I'm going to break 80 very soon. I told a buddy of mine a tip on putting, which resulted on him breaking 80 before me (78).

I told him to align the leading edge of his putter to an intermediate target and that don't aim for the hole but aim towards the whole. He just needs to work on speed and I'm sure he'll get more birdies here and there.

__________________
IN THE BAG:
- 10.5 deg GX Squared TI w/UST Proforce 65 SFlex (GigaGolf.com)
- Ben Hogan CFT Ti 3i Hybrid, Steel (Used)
- Nike Pro Combo 3-PW/TT DGSL S300 (From LowPost42 on GTO - Thanks man)
- 56 deg SGS "Score Grind Scale" Wedge (GigaGolf.com)
- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
- White Polymer Putter Model 692 - Stainless Steel
- TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball or Titleist DT Solo (Quite the difference I know)

MY GOLF BLOG

I was wondering something, guys. If I hit down more on the ball - meaning taking a huge divot on my irons - will I get more distance? It's something I've been considering for a bit as my round of 80 was full of coming up a bit short of the pin (I made the green, was just short of the flag).

You may get more distance taking a huge divot as your de-lofting the club coming in really steep. I'd just take one more club though as your room for error is probably less coming in really steep. Plus it's easy to develop a pull when you come in that steep.

-Dan

Thanks Dan.

My shots don't usually have any grass or divots taken whatsoever. I've been hearing , taking a divot is better for distance because I'm actually hitting the ball first rather than the ground. is that true?

With the scores your shooting I'd say your hitting the ball pretty solid and not hitting the ground first anyway. You will probably gain some distance and more back spin if you get a little steeper. I doubt you'll have a significant gain in distance just from that though.

I think the major advantage to a steeper swing path than someone that sweeps it off the turf is the play from the rough.

If you sweep the ball it's hard to play out of the rough without getting a lot of grass between the clubhead and ball.

-Dan

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Now featuring brand new TaylorMade Burner Draw 10.5, Stiff Shaft.

Hi,
my understanding is that hitting ball down, makes it fly up. More you hit down the high you get your ball. When your club presses your ball against the ground, it makes a tension and if your shaft is working well, you might get a longer shot.

Easiest way to get a longer shot might be taking more club and swinging easier.

Other way would be to use your normal swing, but put more effort to it. Like a little longer back swing or little faster hip rotation or a little longer follow through - or "shaking hands with the target"(Tiger) or straightening your left leg a little at the contact.

For me hitting the green is good enough - variation of swing will mess up my game.

Thanks Hannu

Btw, any new videos of your swing up yet? I remember watching them a while back - your "no effort" swings looked very good.

I like more distance just like the next guy, but I'm preparing for a tournament in late July and will have to be playing from the Blue tees (I usually play whites), so the quicker I get distances in check the better I can prepare.

My driving is another story, which might be the very reason I won't participate in the competition - distances on the driver aren't adding up. I may fade the ball, but my max is coming out 230-240. If I can get to that 270-280 range, I'd be more than happy. Any tips?

thanks for the responses guys

__________________
IN THE BAG:
- 10.5 deg GX Squared TI w/UST Proforce 65 SFlex (GigaGolf.com)
- Ben Hogan CFT Ti 3i Hybrid, Steel (Used)
- Nike Pro Combo 3-PW/TT DGSL S300 (From LowPost42 on GTO - Thanks man)
- 56 deg SGS "Score Grind Scale" Wedge (GigaGolf.com)
- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
- White Polymer Putter Model 692 - Stainless Steel
- TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball or Titleist DT Solo (Quite the difference I know)

MY GOLF BLOG

Hi,
I have uploaded a swing with 3 wood. It's a little faster than "no effort", but still it lacks the right rhytm. I am looking for a throw like rhytm. Like I would throw a flat stone on the surface of a lake. (Stone should pouse of the water few times.)

One idea is to swing with sand wedge and then with a driver to get a more relaxed feeling.

Dropped my hcp to 19,6 today:-)

About distance my tip is relaxed swing and a good contact. Relaxed does not mean "effortless". It means start slow and let the speed build up.

I'll have to check it out

Tried hitting down on the par 3's today. Worked very nicely. Even if I had too much club, the backspin on the greens were a nice touch - I've never done that before.

One slight issue though. I felt like I was trying really hard to 'smash' the ball into the ground, which on some occasions, made me feel like I was being too armsy. HOw do you stay relaxed (not armsy) in the sense of smashing the ball into the ground, through the swing?

Eitherway, I'm still pleased with the trajectory of my shots - even if it looks like the ball is skying high, the ball still goes quite far, not to mention straight.

__________________
IN THE BAG:
- 10.5 deg GX Squared TI w/UST Proforce 65 SFlex (GigaGolf.com)
- Ben Hogan CFT Ti 3i Hybrid, Steel (Used)
- Nike Pro Combo 3-PW/TT DGSL S300 (From LowPost42 on GTO - Thanks man)
- 56 deg SGS "Score Grind Scale" Wedge (GigaGolf.com)
- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
- White Polymer Putter Model 692 - Stainless Steel
- TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball or Titleist DT Solo (Quite the difference I know)

MY GOLF BLOG

I have the same problem. But my shot works, when I remember to think about pulling with my left side - and not so much hitting with right side of my body. Only problem is to "pull" towards the ground.

I think that I have a trust problem. If one trusts ones swing and read of the lay, one can do a relaxed swing. When you know it's easy and you can do it - it's just another swing...

But when you start to think about what can go wrong...

Yeah, I think I fixed the problem though - and the swing is a tad bit more relaxed. Simply enough, I put the ball farther back in my stance, before I had it a bit forward, which is what I do when I want to sweep my shots.

I didn't get to try it as much as I wanted too, beause by the time I figured it out I had 5 balls left

I'll have to wait till tomorrow though.

And yes, I"m starting to really trust my swing. Just need to work some small kinks out.

Something I was thinking about though - was the wrist angle at impact. I think I could gain more distance if I held the wrist angle before impact better. I tried this a bit and man...my shots were shanks, it was just too much thinking. Do you guys know any drills to better achieve this?

__________________
IN THE BAG:
- 10.5 deg GX Squared TI w/UST Proforce 65 SFlex (GigaGolf.com)
- Ben Hogan CFT Ti 3i Hybrid, Steel (Used)
- Nike Pro Combo 3-PW/TT DGSL S300 (From LowPost42 on GTO - Thanks man)
- 56 deg SGS "Score Grind Scale" Wedge (GigaGolf.com)
- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
- White Polymer Putter Model 692 - Stainless Steel
- TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball or Titleist DT Solo (Quite the difference I know)

MY GOLF BLOG