Hitting It Good Lately...

[Jared Willerson]

I have been hitting the golf ball very solidly as of late. I am not posting this to brag but to simply put thoughts to words and give some credit.

I chronically suffer from underplane blocks and snappers, which also accompanies nirvana like ball striking, which leads to insomnia, which leads to frustration, which leads to having to wear an eyepatch.....but anyway.

I went to see a friend of mine who I have worked with a bunch. We deduced that my left arm on the down swing was too horizontal. Mike Granato sent me a video tip that he took the time to produce for me, I really appreciate it. Kevin Shields spent some time on the phone with me that helped me put a lot together.

Basically this is what happened.

1. I felt like I stopped turning in the backswing. I had a big one piece turn take away with the club extremely shut. I would get to the top and I would "carry" a bunch get the left arm horizontal and drop the club under plane. The fix was getting more "toe up" at first parallel.

2. I am left eye dominant. I simply moved my left eye behind the ball, this improved my path a lot. Before, I had a hard time because I really think my brain was seeing too far left. I had to center it up

3. I widened my stance. I was shocked at how narrow it had gotten, like feet inside the shoulders narrow. Brian had mentioned something in our last lesson about widening my stance, apparently I did not listen. Widening my stance allowed my lower back to stay at the target longer in the downswing. Being so narrow I was spinning out with the hips and shifting out with my shoulders. Simply widening my stance helped a lot.

4. I know this sounds the silliest, but my swing had simply gotten mechanical and SLOW. I plugged in my tour tempo 24/8 with all the above fixed pieces and....Voila!!

In an effort to hit it better I did all of the above. Not even sure if anything has to do with anything. All I know is I am hitting the ball more solid and I am not under plane on video.

If anyone else has anything to add or critique fire away and thanks for reading.

 

[Erik_K]

Well last tuesday may have been my best ball striking ever and I owe a lot of that to Kevin Shields.

He DRASTICALLY simplified things and this is what I feel or have learned:

1.) The body can absolutely respond to the club. We actually didn't obsess over getting into vary many positions - I didn't need to have this part of my body over this line (from video) so it looks like [insert Tour player name]

2.) The golf swing is a surprisingly 'small' move - for me I had to realize that the arms, wrists, and hands supply most of the power. I actually need to think of a "quiet chest" so the arms can do their thing

3.) There is a downward and "around-ward" component of the downswing - correct release (or unbending of the right wrist) is essential for me to shallow things out

4.) I like to think of the "release," or area between the feet as more of a hockey style type move. I used to believe that one had to have massive amounts of forearm rotation. I now prefer very little roll of the forearms through the impact zone

5.) Relax and let it happen. Deep breath and let the wrists unhinge naturally. Don't hold on. Don't try and lag the hell out of it. Don't "drag" anything. BUT realize the difference between a premature release ("flip") and the proper unbending of the right wrist - learn to HIT the ball!

I am hitting the ball better than ever. Case in point on a par 3 where the back of the green is 215 yards away (playing downhill) I made what felt like an easy swing with the 5 iron and almost bounced it over. I used to use the hybrid 3 or the 4 iron and pray that I could land it near the middle. To think that a 6 iron would have been plenty of club is just beyond me.

Erik

 

[BrendanC]

Jared - I'm a big fan of number 1.

For me, trying to make a bit turn = flat and inside on the backswing.

 

[mgranato]

Love the "hitting it great" threads. We don't get enough of 'em. If you boil down all the science, all the launch monitors, all the ideas, all the lessons - this is ultimately what it's all about. Being an amateur golfer also means being an amateur digester and implementer of the right information, so I find these threads very encouraging.

It's also a good reminder to clutch the wallet even tighter next time I tee it up with Jared.

 

[Cloran]

"...accompanies nirvana like ball striking, which leads to insomnia, which leads to frustration, which leads to having to wear an eyepatch..."

Lmao... Love it!

 

[dschultz6072]

Blocks and snappers sounds like the game I play all too often. And the insomnia part. This golf game is stupid.

Jared do you keep a journal dedicated to golf swing thoughts/keys? Harvey Penick always thought if you considered yourself an "erratic", it would be wise to keep your thoughts written every single day. I don't know if you consider yourself to be erratic, but it's something to keep in mind.

And you wear an eyepatch because you live in the land of the blind.

 

[ekennedy]

For what its worth, I'm playing some of the best golf of my life as well, thanks to Kevin Shields, Brian Manzella and the rest of this forum. Got my first PGA Section victory a few weeks ago and I wouldn't have thought it was possible 2 years ago...I was in the abyss.

More importantly, I'm a waaaaay better teacher than I was two years ago. I can't thank BM enough...even though he probably thinks I'm a stalker...Quality Meats in NYC.

That beings said...my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world just over 24 hours ago.

No matter what, life can't get better.

 

[dschultz6072]

Congratulations Eric. Keep the coffee brewing.

 

[coach]

"my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world just over 24 hours ago."


Congratulations, my greatest joy has been 2 daughters and grand kids....

 

[Shot Limit]

Yes indeed

That beings said...my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world just over 24 hours ago.

No matter what, life can't get better.

Congrats! I'm expecting #2 on July 31st. Need some Manzella Acadamy onesies..

I like to add that not only am I hitting better and playing better with more confidence, my periods of good ball striking are lasting much longer. I'm amazed at how I can fix things on the fly as well. This past year and half has been awesome! I can't thank everyone involved around enough, I promised myself I would'nt cry....

Good thread Jared!
This place is the shiznittle bam snip-snap-sack!

 

[Mike Richardson]

Well last tuesday may have been my best ball striking ever and I owe a lot of that to Kevin Shields.

He DRASTICALLY simplified things and this is what I feel or have learned:

1.) The body can absolutely respond to the club. We actually didn't obsess over getting into vary many positions - I didn't need to have this part of my body over this line (from video) so it looks like [insert Tour player name]

2.) The golf swing is a surprisingly 'small' move - for me I had to realize that the arms, wrists, and hands supply most of the power. I actually need to think of a "quiet chest" so the arms can do their thing

3.) There is a downward and "around-ward" component of the downswing - correct release (or unbending of the right wrist) is essential for me to shallow things out

4.) I like to think of the "release," or area between the feet as more of a hockey style type move. I used to believe that one had to have massive amounts of forearm rotation. I now prefer very little roll of the forearms through the impact zone

5.) Relax and let it happen. Deep breath and let the wrists unhinge naturally. Don't hold on. Don't try and lag the hell out of it. Don't "drag" anything. BUT realize the difference between a premature release ("flip") and the proper unbending of the right wrist - learn to HIT the ball!

I am hitting the ball better than ever. Case in point on a par 3 where the back of the green is 215 yards away (playing downhill) I made what felt like an easy swing with the 5 iron and almost bounced it over. I used to use the hybrid 3 or the 4 iron and pray that I could land it near the middle. To think that a 6 iron would have been plenty of club is just beyond me.

Erik

No "roll of the forearms through the impact zone" is bliss!

Congratulations btw. You're a professional so you should be OK but for us amateurs a baby normally means pushing a pram around rather than a golf ball.

 

[mgranato]

For what its worth, I'm playing some of the best golf of my life as well, thanks to Kevin Shields, Brian Manzella and the rest of this forum. Got my first PGA Section victory a few weeks ago and I wouldn't have thought it was possible 2 years ago...I was in the abyss.

More importantly, I'm a waaaaay better teacher than I was two years ago. I can't thank BM enough...even though he probably thinks I'm a stalker...Quality Meats in NYC.

That beings said...my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world just over 24 hours ago.

No matter what, life can't get better.

Big CONGRATS, Eric!

 

[puttmaster]

5.) Relax and let it happen. Deep breath and let the wrists unhinge naturally. Don't hold on. Don't try and lag the hell out of it. Don't "drag" anything. BUT realize the difference between a premature release ("flip") and the proper unbending of the right wrist - learn to HIT the ball!

Amen. Relaxing AND learning to HIT the ball are the main things that I'm working on, thanks to this forum. (Those two things too often have been at odds with one another in my mind.) More specifically, HIT it with my right hand, as opposed to the back of my left hand as I have tried to do for umpteen years.

 

[Erik_K]

No "roll of the forearms through the impact zone" is bliss!

Congratulations btw. You're a professional so you should be OK but for us amateurs a baby normally means pushing a pram around rather than a golf ball.

Ha! I am no pro! Far from it!

 

[Matt 4-L]

Where's this video tip from Granato, are you holding out on us?

 

[bertsmith]

When I hear "hockey style move" and "HIT it with the right hand", I picture the right hand in a trailing position, and the hands slightly ahead of the ball at impact. If this is not correct, please explain further. Thanks.

 

[Burner]

Congratulations to you and your wife Eric. You've struck real treasure.

 

[spktho]

That beings said...my wife and I just welcomed our first child into the world just over 24 hours ago.

Congrats ekennedy. I still remember when we brought our first home. My wife and I set down the baby carrier and looked at each other like "now what the hell do we do?". I haven't had a good night's sleep going on 10 years thanks to that little one, but wouldn't trade her for the world. Enjoy the baby, they grow up fast!

 

[Kevin Shields]

Good thread

 

[Matt Bryda]

2.) The golf swing is a surprisingly 'small' move

This way very important for my game also.

and I can't get over how much coasting goes on in the downswing, can't peak the left arm speed early enough, never been able to get on top of the club head until I got my right hand on the club properly along with max UD in the left hand just to name a few things.