Yesterday was beautiful here in south Georgia so to the range i went. After finishing a full bucket of balls using all 23 of my swing varieties, I was constantly aware of this old man, and i mean old, hitting balls behind me. Aware not due to his sight, but the heavy vibration of his ball striking sensed by my feet. Sipping a gatorade and giving my back a break ( I know, not enough r.f.p.)I watched in amazement at the purity of his ball's sound and flight. Of particular note was this pre-shot ritual of what looked to be "dialing" of the hands on his grip.
Another curious observation was an ever-present cigarette dangling from his lips.
I mustered up the courage to ask him how he manages such sweet ball-striking. as with most great ballstrikers that i know, he seemed lost for an answer,unaware of mechanics or how he does what he does. He proceeded to say, " the best advice i can give you would be to pratice with an 8 iron using a rotating grip method. I like to hit 1 ball with a severely weak grip, and hit it half its normal distance, straight. Then rake your next ball, and dial a neutral grip, and hit it straight. then dial the strongest grip you can stand and hit it straight. Hit a bucket of balls every day this way, never with the same grip strength twice,and you will know how to hit the ball straight. other than that, I can't tell you what i do."
Nothing perplexes me like simplicity, so I proceded to ask him
what grip strength he uses when in a live round. He said, "whatever feels good to my hands at the time." I wished I had asked him what cigarettes he smoked, not that I smoke....yet.
Another curious observation was an ever-present cigarette dangling from his lips.
I mustered up the courage to ask him how he manages such sweet ball-striking. as with most great ballstrikers that i know, he seemed lost for an answer,unaware of mechanics or how he does what he does. He proceeded to say, " the best advice i can give you would be to pratice with an 8 iron using a rotating grip method. I like to hit 1 ball with a severely weak grip, and hit it half its normal distance, straight. Then rake your next ball, and dial a neutral grip, and hit it straight. then dial the strongest grip you can stand and hit it straight. Hit a bucket of balls every day this way, never with the same grip strength twice,and you will know how to hit the ball straight. other than that, I can't tell you what i do."
Nothing perplexes me like simplicity, so I proceded to ask him
what grip strength he uses when in a live round. He said, "whatever feels good to my hands at the time." I wished I had asked him what cigarettes he smoked, not that I smoke....yet.
