# Newbie - Ball Striking and Thoughts on Clubs



## blueshadow (Aug 25, 2007)

Need some advice....

A little background - I've been playing golf the past two seasons and trying to break that proverbial 100 score (I would love to get into the high 80's). I've worked down into low 100's to 110's from the 125+ that I started with. I'm playing with older Tommy Armour Silver Scot 855's.

I've been willing to put in time and effort to improve. In the two years, I've done a total of 7 lessons with 2 different teachers to work through swing basics, grip, setup (I was an 'armsy' swinger), etc. I practice 3 - 4 x a week hitting 100's of balls at an indoor range with ball launch analyzers or outdoors to get more consistent. I've read dozens of books on golf, watched Leadbetter videos', etc.

But, I'm frustrated by my continued inconsistency in ball striking - I will outdrive guys who have been playing for years and then chunk my 2nd shot 10 yds. Two consistent thing that people I play with point out is a) I pull my head up very early which causes me to lift and top the ball and b) I rush my swing. I rarely take a divot when hitting my irons - because I am not hitting down through the ball.

Two sided question - 

1) Can anyone recommend techniques / drills to help hit through a ball and not lift? I seriously think at times that I have a mental block of focusing on the ball and seeing the club hit the ball.

2) I'm debating on taking new lessons and buying some better clubs (drooling over the Ping G5's). Not sure that more lessons would help now when I know alot of the reasons for inconsistency. But I'm wondering if better clubs would help some of the other inconsistencies in my game...

Thoughts are appreciated!
Mike


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## mstram (Jul 11, 2007)

blueshadow said:


> Need some advice....
> 
> I've been playing golf the past two seasons and trying to break that proverbial 100 score (
> 
> ...


1)Ok, and just how much time do you spend on your short game? ... Since you didn't mention it, I'm going to assume close to zero  That's where the shots are saved.

2) Why are you practicing primarily at an indoor range in the summer? Seeing the ball flight is an essential part of practicing and learning and seeing the first 80-100 yards in a dome just doesn't "cut it" in my IMO.

3) If you're rushing your swing, you should work on practicing your tempo / effort level. Most average golfers I see, only have 1 speed --- 100-110% full power. A good drill is to take any club .. start with a medium iron and make a full swing but try to hit the ball only 50% of the normal distance, i.e. a "change up", action, then slowly "ramp it up". This will give a good feel and and feedback on what parts of the body contribute to generating power.

4) What's your tension level / grip pressure on a scale of 1(club almost falling out of your hands) to 10(blood showing at the knuckles  ) Most golfers are way too tense, which kills their motion, and rythmn.

You want to be trying to build a swing that has 

1) The least amount of tension and effort possible, while generating adequate power

3) Creating a consistent rythm and tempo (which comes primarily from NOT swinging at 100% all the time (most good players will cite 75-80% as their effort level, i.e. having something in "reserve".

4) Work on your short game for at least half if not more of your practice session on REAL grass (indoor astroturf is useless).

Have you videoe'd your swing ? Put it up on Youtube, and we can all contribute our opinions.

As for more lessons not helping, a good lesson doesn't just identify what your problem is, but should give you drills / ideas on how to fix / achieve the desired end result

Mike


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## blueshadow (Aug 25, 2007)

mstram said:


> 1)Ok, and just how much time do you spend on your short game? ... Since you didn't mention it, I'm going to assume close to zero  That's where the shots are saved.
> 
> 2) Why are you practicing primarily at an indoor range in the summer? Seeing the ball flight is an essential part of practicing and learning and seeing the first 80-100 yards in a dome just doesn't "cut it" in my IMO.
> 
> ...


Mike

Thanks for your input...Here's some thoughts on your comments..

1. Unlike most people, I actually have spent a bunch of time working on short game - chipping, pitching and putting. And as you said, this has lowered my score considerably. A number of people that I have played with have commented on my improvement. I haven't had any specific lessons on this recently - most of what I have been doing has been picked up from videos and books.

2. I chose to do an indoor range because of a variety of reasons. (1) Cost - it costs me $50/month unlimited vs. paying per bucket of balls (at the rate I hit, it's cheaper). (2) Detailed feedback - the launch analyzers give me feedback of swing - clubhead speed, swing path, club position, launch angle - that has been helpful in correcting areas of my swing. When I went to outdoor driving range, I didn't feel like I had enough feedback on what I was doing. (3) Availability - open 24 hrs a day so I can hit no matter the weather. 

I realize that hitting off the mat isn't the most realisitic but thought it was a good tradeoff. As I have seen myself hit more consistently practicing indoors, I have also seen improvement on the course. Since I originally posted this, I shot my lowest score to date (102) on a pretty tough course. You do bring up a good point - I may go to the grass range this week and see how I compare....

3. I think you are dead-on with the tempo issue - I tend to rush the downswing. No suprise but when I swing slower and 1/2 effort, I actually hit the ball better and further. I've been doing some 1/2 effort/speed drills lately to try to work on consistent ball contact.

4. Tension and grip is another area that I have been working on - last year, I used to have blisters / cuts on both of my thumbs and sides of both forefingers. I'm doing alot better - especially with less grip pressure w. my left hand. I still get the occasional blister on right thumb esp. after I hit a ton of balls.

Thanks again for the input


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

I think all the advice that Mike has given is excellent blueshadow, every new golfer who really get bitten by the golf bug goes through what your going through. I had my problems, the proverbial slice, which still comes and goes, mostly goes thank god. I then had real problems with my irons, I was not getting the yardages I thought I should be getting, and the harder I swung the worse the results. Finally I met the ultimate OLD GOLFER, who changed my game for me. His philosophy and mine now, is "You never swing harder then 3/4's of your power". Make a point of finding out how far you can hit each of your short irons using 3/4 swings. Once you know that, when you get to a position on the golf course where the yardage is exactly what a particular club will hit, use the next bigger one, never try to max out a club, unless you got no other choice. Three quarter swings give you a ton more control over your shots and improve your aim. What more can you ask. As far as tempo is concerned, buy one of those cheap electronic metronomes, something you can take with you to the practice range and find a rhythm that "just feels good", then hit your bucket of balls to the metronome. 

Del


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## Police (Oct 26, 2006)

It sounds to me as though you are trying to lash at the ball.
And while the lash may help or benifit many players it doesnt for new golfers.
I insist that if you are chunking it that you try and keep you swing tempo nice and relaxed.
Chunking is caused by the de-celleration of the golf swing through impact, in other words your midn says go and body says no.
:thumbsup:


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## mstram (Jul 11, 2007)

blueshadow said:


> Mike
> 
> 1. Unlike most people, I actually have spent a bunch of time working on short game - chipping, pitching and putting.
> 
> ...


It sounds like you're doing a fair amount of practicing.

How often do you actually *play* ?  

You need to chart your game and see where you're losing the strokes. How many fairways / greens you hit, where you're missing the fairways / greens. How many doubles or worse you're making and what leads up to them. How many 3 putts ... how close are your chips / pitches / sand shots ..etc ending up. 

If you can keep the ball in play, get the ball *anywhere* near the green with your approach shot (preferably avoiding the worst trouble), and with what sounds like a decent short game, mid 90's to mid 80's should not be a problem on an average course.

If your major loss of shots is the "dubs" from the "quick tempo", I would hasten a guess that what you think is "1/2 power" is really the tempo that you should be swinging at.

No really good golfer swings absolutely as hard as they can all the time (to the point where they will fall over from losing their balance), yet many average golfers swing that hard all the time, sacrificing balance / quality of contact .. etc for the occasional "big one".

As for the "detailed feedback" of the launch anaylyser ... at the risk of sound like an old man "who walked 5 miles through snow to school every day ..") ..  .. I've never used one, and was a 2 hdcp at one point. Many golfers over the past have become great by just hitting balls and watching the results *of the ball flight*. That's not to say that technology can't help, but you need both IMO (tech .. and "seeing the ball") to improve. 

If you're getting blisters, that's a definite indication that you're either gripping the club incorrectly, or have worn out grips where the club is slipping in your hand, or you are swinging so fast (particularly the "change of direction at the top" that you're literally causing yourself to lose control of the club).

Mike


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## mistered245 (Sep 8, 2007)

Hello Mike,
I am new to this forum but after many years of playing golf I find that you can not buy a golf game. Keep your Tommy Armours. I have 845's and when I hit the sweet spot you can not find a better club. I have many friends that have upgraded to more expensive clubs but they still have the same problems with their swing. Their clubs are nicer than mine but their game remains the same. Learn to hit the clubs you have. I recently bought a Medicus 5 iron at ****s for $30 (a demo model) and it immediatly showed me my fault in my swing. I also have the same problems that you have, topping the ball. I was at the driving range today and found that if I grip my club with my right thumb to the left of the center line on the grip that I started to take a divot and the ball started to fly high and long. I have found that that hitting a golf ball is mental. What I mean is that if you feel confident on hitting the ball more than likely you will strike it well. Does your practice swing feel good? Mine will and when I go to hit the ball my practice swing and my actual swing is different and I top the ball. Try to slow on the take away and not kill the ball, try just to make good contact. I find if I just slow down and not rush I will have a decent day. By the way I struggle to hit in the 90's. Make sure to keep you lower body still and keep you left foot on the ground. Work on your upper body mechanics first, when you master that then work on the hips. I hope this helps. I am just a hacker but I know what you feel.
Good luck,
Eddie


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