Brian came through town a couple weeks ago on his way to Tuscaloosa and I go my second dose of the Matrix. The pivot was really the issue for me it seemed (to steep, outside in on path, and somewhat laid off) -- getting to the inside of the ball was still the problem, and pulls and pull hooks the result. I have been cutting way down on the pulls and pull hook problems as i worked on backswing and played Sunday, having a birdie putt on 15 holes, but still I didn't feel like I was really able to take a rip at the ball. I had two ugly pull hooks that luckily did not find OB or deep rough.
I've been reading the site this this week and saw the old article by Brian on set-up. I realized that I had gotten away from getting my right forearm lower and more on plane with the club and was playing with my elbows facing outward, not more downward. This afternoon I went to the range worked on set-up for 15 minutes and started hitting with elbows feeling facing more down than out, right forearm lower, and neck more level to ground. Also, arms more relaxed and hanging straighter down.
I have never hit the ball so straight and so well. My short irons were just dead straight. I was hitting very slight fades with longer clubs when I took a very full cut at it and felt like I couldn't hook if I wanted to. For some reason I now felt like I could actually get my right arm in the "Johnny Unitas position," something I haven't been able to feel before. I had to exaggerate the Soft Draw pattern a little to even to hit a draw. After 45 minutes of hitting, I felt could suddenly take a rip at the ball without fear of the big hook.
I walked a few holes before dark and had the best four holes in terms of ball striking I've had in years. Outstanding distance, a feel I couldn't hook, and a tiny, slight fade.
All of this because of those set-up issues? Do the downward elbows stop one from being laid off and make you trace a straighter line? I don't understand why now it seems easy to get in "throwing position" and seemed impossible before.
I've been reading the site this this week and saw the old article by Brian on set-up. I realized that I had gotten away from getting my right forearm lower and more on plane with the club and was playing with my elbows facing outward, not more downward. This afternoon I went to the range worked on set-up for 15 minutes and started hitting with elbows feeling facing more down than out, right forearm lower, and neck more level to ground. Also, arms more relaxed and hanging straighter down.
I have never hit the ball so straight and so well. My short irons were just dead straight. I was hitting very slight fades with longer clubs when I took a very full cut at it and felt like I couldn't hook if I wanted to. For some reason I now felt like I could actually get my right arm in the "Johnny Unitas position," something I haven't been able to feel before. I had to exaggerate the Soft Draw pattern a little to even to hit a draw. After 45 minutes of hitting, I felt could suddenly take a rip at the ball without fear of the big hook.
I walked a few holes before dark and had the best four holes in terms of ball striking I've had in years. Outstanding distance, a feel I couldn't hook, and a tiny, slight fade.
All of this because of those set-up issues? Do the downward elbows stop one from being laid off and make you trace a straighter line? I don't understand why now it seems easy to get in "throwing position" and seemed impossible before.
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