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Love This Swashbuckling Lefty!

Young Rory

Chipping/Putting Breakthrough?

They say you are supposed to hold the triangle on the short shots, right?

Well I've always struggled with a *handsy* short game.

What's been torturesome about it, is that I'm fully aware of my fault but haven't been able to fix it - for years!

Messing around in my basement I think I may have just found something.

When I take the club back, instead of holding the triangle, I make it so that my hands go back first, holding somewhat of a broken triangle, forcing the clubhead to lag behind.

Then when I transition to the downswing/downstroke, I also lead with my hands, also forcing the clubhead to lag behind.

All of a sudden my chips and putts are SOLID; it feels like the club is heavier and bigger!

Why does this work for me?

I think that on the takeaway the natural inclination is to flip the hands back a little - a definite no-no. You never want to introduce handsiness into the golf swing - BUT it's death to start off with a handsy move right away.

And I think that the *hold the triangle* swing-thought was just too rigid and tension-inducing.

I've heard others, gurus, say that the only thing that's important in the short game is generating a *pendulum motion*.

Well when I lag the club behind on the way back....I'm finally feeling like I'm swinging with pendulum tempo - instead of my customary yank, whip, and flip.

The ball is absolutely jumping off my wedge, and putter.

Here's hoping this breakthrough isn't fools gold, again.

In a sense, I feel like Ryan Moore makes this type of move on his (full swing) backswing, no?

Body Flex

Alright.

I took screenshots of those *flex* shots so we can study them closer:

Hmmmm...

Okay, so why specifically do we have to have those specific flexibilities?

I'd really like to know but I can't afford to pay the exorbitant rates this guy charges.

But I would like to try to take these measurements of myself to see how far I fall short of his ideals.

I can tell you right now, that I can't twist my neck like that on account of the major back/neck injury I suffered in 1999. And in that clip above, he briefly remarks that inflexibility in the neck prevents a golfer from keeping their head still as the body turns on the backswing.

So might that explain why once in a while I interrupt decent rounds of golf with shanks and whatnot?

I'm very curious.

Stiff-Necked?

Shoot!

You know I messed up my back and neck pretty badly in a 1999 car accident? I even had invasive surgery to address the injury.

If golfers need to be able to turn their necks 110 degrees to become proficient, that might explain why my game hasn't progressed to where I think it should be after 20 years and a bazillion swings. I can probably only turn my neck 60 degrees, at best, in each direction!

These Somax guys sound good - but a little over the top. Perhaps I've just grown too cynical. After all, $350 an hour to release *micro-fibers*? That is what they are selling.

Yoga has helped my back more than anything so I am willing to push the envelope and dig deeper for non-pharma, non-doctor approved remedies.

One thing I just found is a book that might be down the same track as the $350/hour Somax microfiber reduction remedy.

With 4.5 stars on Amazon.com, I am definitely going to order it.

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide For Pain Relief

Ha! Even better, I just found the book on my library network and reserved it!

A Couple Of Clips

Wayne DeFrancesco

I had never heard of this guy as a player (competed in 8 majors!) or as an instructor...

But he obviously knows a whole lot about the game. In the realm of golf instruction, I'm all into edifying video analyses:



I checked Wayne DeFrancesco's website. A video analysis cost $75 - provided you do the taping and send in the clips.  And the price is doubled, $149, if you want a 15 minute verbal response.  And $200 per hour if you want to drive down to Rockville, MD for in in-person lesson.

Now I've never paid for golf instruction of an kind, but one of these days I'm probably going to break down and do so!

Reading his Teaching Philosophy it's clear that this is one highly intelligent man.

Nicklaus' Singular Swing

The second part of this video is amazing for its symmetry.



Be sure to re-watch it and note the slight differences in his swing as the club lengthens, e.g. the increasing size of the swing, the hip and shoulder turn, and his arc.

It'd probably be instructive (or scary!) to line up me hitting those four different clubs. I'd suspect I'd find 4 completely different swings!

Hitting Golf Balls From The Knees

One of my goals this year was to figure out how to do that.

You see, I've always struggled with insidious handsiness in my swing and whenever I tried to hit a ball from my knees the club would hit the ground 10 inches behind the ball.

But now, and I don't know what I did specifically, I can crank it out there 200 yards, right down the middle, almost every time from that position.

Next, on my 2010 goal list, I have to figure out how to take full swings and hit the ball nicely with just my left hand....AND I have to figure out how to swing that left-handed iron I procured.

Hitting all those golf balls, the most I've ever hit in my life, seems to be really paying off!

Rangefinder = Cheating

At a golf tournament a few weeks ago, the one my jabronis dominated, I was shocked to see that competitors were allowed to use rangefinders in their matches.

When exactly did this rule get liberalized?

I feel like it's essentially cheating. Sure, use them when you practice. In your mind and by walking it off, try to guess the distance to the pin. Then, check out the rangefinder to see how accurate you were. Certainly one should use today's technology to improve their distance judgment.

But apparently they've already moved beyond that...

And I have to say this, the rangefinders did help with figuring out who was *away* from the fairway and whatnot, but still, it didn't at all speed up play in my estimation. I witnessed, and endured, 5.5 hour rounds down there in South Jersey!

Winnersville!

Be sure to read about my - Triumphant Jabroni's.

Crooked Left Arm

I battle *inconsistency* on the golf course - of course we all do.

But my problem is particularly annoying because it seems like I either hit the ball stiff (or long and straight off the tee) or I semi-shank/duff the ball.

Obviously, because I'm capable of numerous near-perfect shots there's one fundamental thing that I'm doing wrong even it I'm getting-away with it a lot.

Inconsistency means, necessarily, swinging differently - the dreaded *non-repeating* golf swing.

Grip, alignment, handsy-ness, ball position, tempo,....I've looked askance at these usual suspects more times than I could count over the years.

And several times a year, I wax optimistic that I've finally solved the mystery.

This week, after watching some video I took of my swing at the range, I re-resolved to deal with my crooked left arm.

They say that the left arm doesn't have to be straight on the way back, so long as it's straight at impact. And they say not to focus too much on keeping it straight because such a mindset will introduce too much tension.

Whatever. I'm going to call BS on that.

I've never seen a great golfer bend his left arm as much as I do at the top of the backswing. Try as I might I haven't been able to stop it. That is until now. I think I've finally figured out how.

Essentially I wasn't turning my left shoulder enough; I wasn't thinking about putting it *on top of my right shoe* on the backswing. And that was making it hard for me to get the club up to where I felt like it should go on the backswing. Since I wasn't turning properly, I made the deadly mistake of LIFTING the club up with not only my hands, but also with a hinging of the left elbow.

I just never felt *solid* at the top of my backswing and tried a bazillion things to gain the elusive feeling, e.g. really strengthening my left hand grip.

But today after turning a bit more AND focusing on keeping the left arm straight, I finally felt the club snap solidly at the top of my backswing. Before I never had a wristcock....I HAD AN ELBOWCOCK!

Later today I read this and felt even better about my break-through:

Most people that complain of this problem try to move their arms and hands farther around than their torso has turned. The left arm should not continue to wrap around the upper torso or neck once the shoulders have stopped rotating; it simply lifts up a little bit, if anything. This means that your arms and hands are still pretty much extending in the same direction as your chest is facing at the top of the backswing, not wrapped around your neck or behind your back. Practice the following sequence in front of a mirror to demonstrate to yourself that you can keep your left arm straight.

There you have it. Once the left shoulder stops rotating, the club only has a couple more inches to rise. This is what I can key on - coordinating the movement of my shoulder with movement of the shaft.

The results?

Today I enjoyed a much easier and free-flowing back swing and was hitting no-sidespin wedges knocking all over the 100 yard sign.

I'm heading back to the range tomorrow to see if this insight has any staying power.

Advice For Cheaters

Here's an interesting funny from a reader-compilation of on *golf cheats*:

I played with a guy that is a casual golfer, but is the longest/straightest 15 handicap you have ever seen in your life. I noticed before tee balls he would go and bend over at his bag, one day I caught him using chap stick on the face of his driver. This would limit the spin and keep him from having any back/side spin off the tee. He hit driver 320...and 5 iron 160. He was also guilty of dropping balls out of his pocket when he couldn't find the one he hit...but that paled in comparison to the "chap stick".

Chapstick!

Who knew?

Geisha Golf

Hmmm...

But they need to show her putting on the one she wore!

On Hip Speed

This video is pretty convincing....not convincing enough for me to go out and spend $275 on the product, but persuasive nonetheless:



My problems are more accuracy/consistency than power anyway. If I ever get a repeating swing....then maybe I'll start looking for a little more pop.

Bethpage-Bound?

Since I'm probably moving to Long Island soon, I thought I'd look into my future golf options: slim, none, and Bethpage.

I did once, some years ago, leave Brooklyn at 5am, get in line at 6am, only to be told the next available tee time on Bethpage Black was 6.5 hours later, at 12:30!!

The process has changed a bit in the 7 years or so since I went. Apparently they have a *Tee Reservation* system or something - which makes sense here in the modern era.

Though you can still camp out for a few open slots. And it sounds even more hellish than before:

Your second option for getting on Bethpage Black, as mentioned above, is to try and walk on, as all of the first hour’s tee times (which begin at 6:30 am), and one slot per hour thereafter, are made available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Bethpage brass.

Walk-on hopefuls typically arrive at Bethpage in the afternoon or early evening the day BEFORE they wish to play, backing their cars into the designated and numbered "overnight" parking spaces. At about 6:45 pm, a Bethpage official hands out wrist bands, one per car, which confirms the order for the next morning’s ticket disbursement.

It is these tickets, handed out between 4-4:30 am, which allow you to purchase your round of golf. It used to be that only one player in the group needed a ticket, but now every person has to have their own ticket. [Note: If you want a caddie ($60 plus tip) or locker room use for the day ($10), pay for them at the same time as your green fee as you probably won't have time to get through the long cashier line again.]

Overnighters should consider bringing a tent or sleeping bag, too. Cars aren’t conducive to sleeping, and, if you choose to bed down on the root-laden grassy area near the parking lot, you’ll need more than your golf towel to stay warm and comfortable.

Better yet, get a hotel room nearby. Remember, only your car has to stay put to maintain your place in line. As long as you’re back before the tickets are handed out in the morning, you’re golden.

From our experience and stories from people we know, if you’re one of the first few cars in line, you’ll likely get out in the morning. Later arrivals will likely get out, too, but it probably won’t be until the afternoon. Either way, if you go this route to get on Bethpage Black, you’ll be spending a good deal of time just waiting around, so bring a good book and/or some good beer.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one other option for getting on Bethpage Black, though it’s better suited to those for whom money is not an object. NYGolfShuttle.com sells Bethpage Black packages that include the green fee and round-trip transportation from Manhattan for $750 ($400 per person for a foursome). At 15 times the in-state green fee, it is a huge premium, but convenience does have its price.

See also - Montauk Downs - It's Better Than Bethpage.

Was Probably Improving His Lie...

On Spine Angle

Personally, I never much enjoyed watching Ernie swing. For a guy who burst on the scene some 16-18 years ago with a spectacularly SMOOTH swing, his motion since then has looked contrived and unnatural to my eye. He's an ornery fella to boot!

Defrosting The Clubs

The weather has been mild here lately - around 50 degrees at afternoon peaks. This past week I made it to a driving range for the first time since early November. It felt so good that I returned three more times this past week - and hope to be there again this Saturday and Sunday.

I've been picking up where I left off last year: standing a bit farther from the ball, keeping the hands lower on the backswing to effectively shorten the swing, and focusing like a madman on the relationship between my left hand and the club. To the end of the exercise, I've resumed hitting a significant number of balls lefthanded. John Daly was on color TV last week; he said that he does a lot of one-handed practice - all the way down through the putter. Daly said it forces him to *follow through*

Every year I get a little better, but I'm optimistic one of these years my game is going to take a real LEAP. 2010???

Golf Fantasies....

"....Bob's mouth was on the ground!"

I myself, I fantasize about wedge accuracy...

Signing Morther Earth's Death Certificate

I'm always firing golf balls back and forth in my yard - 35 yard pitch shots mostly.

Occasionally, I skull one into the woods - or into the house, or car. And once in a while, I'll intentionally smash one, or ten, irretreiveably into the trees. These are shag balls, so who cares right?

Just today I was pondering how many hundreds (more?) of golf balls I've sent into the trees....and I laughed that it is probably an *environmental catastrophe*, in the minds of some eco-pagans anyway.

Most ironically, look what headline was listed atop today's Drudge Report:

London, England (CNN) -- Research teams at the Danish Golf Union have discovered it takes between 100 to 1,000 years for a golf ball to decompose naturally. A startling fact when it is also estimated 300 million balls are lost or discarded in the United States alone, every year. It seems the simple plastic golf ball is increasingly becoming a major litter problem.

With an increasing number of golf balls discarded each year, the Danish Golf Association devised a number of tests to determine the environmental impact of golf balls on their surroundings.

It was found that during decomposition, the golf balls dissolved to release a high quantity of heavy metals. Dangerous levels of zinc were found in the synthetic rubber filling used in solid core golf balls. When submerged in water, the zinc attached itself to the ground sediment and poisoned the surrounding flora and fauna.

I'm a half step ahead of these Morons!

What's next, organic golf balls?

Tees made from recycled wood? Solar powered golf carts?

Remember, some people really hate golf.

Crossposted on Marginalizing Morons.

Flexibility, Angles, Breathing

Very interesting read here.

Upstarts?

Rickie Fowler and...

My *quiet* co-blogger, LeagueIslander, has broken out. His game has been on fire, all year long.

I asked, and he answered:

As for the golf swing, I must admit, this has been about my best ever year of golf. Especially since I have just 17 rounds in the handicap system since last September. Carrying a 3-handicap playing 1.5 times/month? That's pretty good.

I think two things have really helped me this year. One - starting in February - I have hit wedges almost exclusively when I've gone to the range. I usually keep a towel or glove under my left arm pit (so that I stay connected on the backswing and follow through), and try to cluster balls in groups at all different distances - up to about 120 yards. My primary focus is making a good, rhythmic swing, staying in a good posture, and getting my lower body started before my upper body at the start of my downswing. And of course, I try to figure out the swing length and speed that creates shots that fly 50, 60, 75, 85, and 100 yards. If I can cluster balls to those distances, I know I'm in good shape. If I can't, it sort of doesn't matter how well I drive it. I'll probably shoot 80.

The second thing: I have decided (discovered) that most of my missed shots are due to poor timing, or the sequence of body movements during the swing. When I miss, it's usually because my legs were too far out in front of my body, arms don't catch up, and bad timing through impact (ball usually goes right). Or, my arms and hands start before my lower body from the top of the swing, club closes on the way down, timing is bad at impact - ball goes left (or a wild push to right trying to make a last minute compensation). So when I hit wedges or other shots on the range, I think primarily of getting my lower body started from the top of the swing before my arms and hands. In fact, I will take practice swings by swinging back with my feet together, then stepping towards the target with my left foot to start the downswing (like a baseball player planting his front foot during the swing). This gives me the feeling of having the lower body lead the upper body.

This seems and sounds simplistic, but seriously, most of the time I spend on the range is dedicated to these two things: connection and control with the wedges; timing of the swing and letting the lower body lead. Of course I make sure that my grip is good, my alignment is correct, and posture is sound - but I hardly ever think about club position or anything else.

These thoughts have also helped while I play. When I make a few bad swings during the round (I always do), I simply make a few practice swings with a glove under my arm - getting my legs going before my arms and hands. I have gotten to a place - psychologically - where I believe that I do these two simple things properly, I'll hit good shots.

You see, LeagueIslander already had a picture perfect swing; he just needed to cure his inconsistency - those couple of holes that always arrive and threaten to ruin otherwise good rounds.

Me, I too have had my best year ever. I pretty much get a little better each year. Nonetheless, I've made few inroads against my inconsistency.

Next year I'm going to break out - just you watch!

Remind me to try that *towel* thing.

Back From Florida....

A couple of weeks ago, I flew down to Naples for my annual golf trip - the one with my South Philly jabronis.



Would you believe that guy, still barefoot and in his skivvies, drained the 30 footer for bogey AND went on to shoot a tidy even par?!?!?!

On Day 1, at Miromar Lakes, I got off to a very hot start - only four over through fourteen, but then...

I'll summarize my golf-year-ending trip when I get a chance. This time of year, with darkness and the cold weather descending in Boston, is always downright depressing.