28 May 2014

 Last night I subscribed to a new YouTube channel from Adam Huyck

I think this is what I need to increase my distance and consistency late in rounds.  Discovered my mobility and balance was inconsistent from one side of my body (left to right) than the other.  Check out his videos especially Thoracic Rotation and other rotational movements!

 

24 May 2014 - I Think I Figured out for Me "How to Fade The Ball or How to Draw The Ball"

I've struggled with fading the ball and drawing it has been impossible but today i think I found an easy way to do it with my current swing - no changes in setup.  Key is you gotta trust it and swing at that target not at the flag.

FADE:

1. Grip the club as you would normally to hit the ball straight
2. Pick a target LEFT of where you want the ball to go. (i.e. left edge of the green beside the flag)
3. Aim at that left target as if you were going to hit it straight at that target
4. Step into the shot fully aligned at that left target and ready to hit
5. Then, loosen your grip enough to use your fingers to twist the club in your grip to turn the club and point the face at the flag (opening the club face)
6. You might need to move a BIT closer to the ball
7. Swing - focusing on the same swing you'd make to hit it straight at that left target

DRAW: 

1. Grip the club as you would normally to hit the ball straight
2. Pick a target RIGHT of where you want the ball to go. (i.e. right edge of the green beside the flag)
3. Aim at that right target as if you were going to hit it straight at that target
4. Step into the shot fully aligned at that right target and ready to hit
5. Then, loosen your grip enough to use your fingers to twist the club in your grip to turn the club and point the face at the flag (opening the club face)
6. You might need to move a BIT closer to the ball
7. Swing - focusing on the same swing you'd make to hit it straight at that right target

24 May 2014 - Think I Figured it Out, no more high blocks or low hooks

Consistency is based on fundamentals... 

I have a lack of consistency in that I occassionally hit a high block and then over compensate and hit a low pull hook.  Funny thing is the solution was something my coach tried to teach me long ago that's part of a good setup routine.  Went to the range today and worked on this.

Problem: Once you grip the club and get it connected to your upper torso at the back of your biceps you are ready to step into the ball.  For me I was sitting the club down for just a second as I was stepping in. Then before really being set I was waggling while adjusting my feet and it lead to inconsistent posture for high/low hands, spine tilt, alignment and how tall I was at the start of the swing.  My wife, funny enough, suggested "you need to find a way to get ready to hit so your are setup the same every time, not high or low hands but just right"

Solution: Today I recalled what my coach was teaching me during several of our many lessons... Brendan Horton said Once you place the club behind the ball leave it there until your feet are set. Then you can pick it up and waggle if you need to."

Setting the club down, while staying very tall - with slight flex in the knees but not hunching or bending too much at the waist.  A properly fitted club will help you find that posture.

• The club is grounded with the sole flat on the ground but JUST BARELY touching the ground.  
• Then while leaving the club in place, especially the height-position of my hands, as I step in square to the ball.  
• When setting my feet I feel the weight on both feet is 50/50 w/ a slight 'bounce' of the knees
• I also ensure I have spine tilt. 

Four smooth steps, less fidgeting before the shot. That series of steps sets me up for a square strike.  Now I just need to make this a permanent habit!

21 May 2014 - Qualifying for MD Open and MD Amateur at Joint Base Andrews AFB Golf Course

I pulled it off today with less than stellar play... I qualified for the Maryland Open (July 14-16 at Lakewood CC) and MD Amateur (June 5-8 at Baltimore CC)

Unlike the other 3 MD Open's I have qualified for in years past I'm disappointed. First time I qualified in 2007 at Rattlewood I shot +5 and was excited.  Same situation in 2010 qualifier at Andrews AFB and 2011 at the University of Maryland with +4, I was excited.  This time?  Correct! Disappointed. This +4 should have been EVEN or much better.  Mental mistakes on holes 2, 6, 7, 10, 17 cost me bogey's that should have been avoided. Poor decisions on 1 and 18 cost me birdie opportunities.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

GOOD: With all the UGLY listed below I shot +4. Putting didn't save me, hitting shots when needed did.

1. I was nervous but stroked the opening Tee Shot at my target
2. Still on my 2nd hole I hit a flare into the trees on the right side.  However, I hit a clutch 7 iron 3/4 punch to 8 feet from the flag under trees from the right side. <sadly under read the break>
3. Great speed on the greens aside from my 15th hole three putt (hole 6).  16 of 18 holes where I had a leave it was short.
4. I chipped pretty well in several clutch moments to keep streaks going. Twice I nearly chipped in for birdie
5. I figured out why I hit several hook drives and corrected on course (hands were too low)
6. I played quickly, no penalty strokes, no sand traps and no lost balls
7. I managed emotions well and didn't let anything get me down
8. Interacted with playing partners, looked for balls, talked to my wife (she caddied for me) and didn't get distracted
9. How about that putt 
1. on 17 to save par.  Perfect roll just didn't turn into the hole but it peeked
2. on 8 for birdie to get to +3... just needed one extra roll to drop
3. on 3 for birdie
4. on 2 for par
5. on 1 from the fringe for par!
10. That 195 yard 5 iron showed me I have alot of stored distance.  Not a hard swing and I flew the 185 yard flag to the back of the green - should have been tight or even in the hole.

BAD: Green Reading and Speed For Birdie Putts

1. I had 7 birdie opportunities inside 15 feet and converted ONE!  
1. Two of those were from ~6 feet
2. Two of the 12 footers were due to poor approaches on Par 5's
3. Several burned edges
4. The key was the 5 footer on my 18th hole... needed it to get to +3 and guarantee qualifying and I under read the break

UGLY: Mental Game

1. 1st hole of the competition with the ball below my feet I took dead aim instead of 15 feet left of the hole.  Ended up 15 feet RIGHT of the hole.  Easily could have been a birdie putt I ened up with a chip and putt and what?  Bogey'ed the 1st.  
2. How about the 11th hole (my second) where I flaired my drive to the right
3. The hook drive on hole 17 (hole 8 for me).  Then I hit the provisional under a bush... good thing I didn't need that.
4. The 4 hybrid where I tried to fade the ball to the green from 218 when I clearly decided NO FADES.  I made the right choice to not try and clear the trees but the fade was more of a block toward the trees.  It cleared but ticked a limb (lucky) and still finished near the green
5. The chip from in front of green on 18 (my 9th green) wasn't to the right to use the slope leaving me 12 feet (i.e. be on the high side and the ball wil roll toward the hole not the low side or the break will roll the ball AWAY from the hole)
6. Wow - that low pull 2H on 2 got lucky and filtered to the end of the  tree line with a clear shot to the green from dirt lie
7. Worse - trying to hit a 58 degree wedge from the dirt and you  delofted the face flying the green from 93 yards.  Under a pine tree for a poor 6 iron bump into the hill
8. On 6 I got so wrapped up in the line I barely hit the ball leaving 6 feet for par
9. 7 I felt the wind come up and should have reset to a different shot.  Instead I slacked on the downswing and hung back, pulling to the left of the green and making bogey

20 May 2014 - Last Range Session Before Tomorrow's Tournament

I planned to hit balls today to build confidence going into the tournament.  Hoped I would forget the 4 or 5 SHANKS I hit at yesterdays practice.

NOPE!

Hit all my clubs well except my 7 iron. Managed to hit too many balls, practice poorly and undermine my confidence.

Will let you know how it goes tomorrow!

19 May 2014 Two Days Before Tournament Day

The MD Open/MD Amateur (both events) is 21 May 2014 at Joint Base Andrews AFB Golf Course.

• Quality Ball Striking - CHECK
• Driving Ball Long and Straight - CHECK
• Putting Confidently for Speed and Line - CHECK
• Short Game for missed greens - SHAKY

Went over to Olney Golf Park, short game area.  Gotta get my chipping around the green closer to the hole. Olney has a VERY large putting green and a green that you can hit pitches to from up to 70 yards.  I spent 60 minutes dedicated to various distances around the pitching green.

Excellent progress in a short period of time.  Using Tiger's trajectory method I became pretty consistent hitting a spot and releasing to the hole.  Just need to figure out green speed and choose the right trajectory to release the ball close to the hole!

16 May 2014 - Couple Weeks of Good Practice

21 May 2014 the Qualifier for the Maryland Open and the Maryland Amatuer will be played at Andrews Airforce Base on the East course (where I shot my first under par round).  For the last couple weeks I have been focused on getting my ball flight more consistent.  During a couple practice rounds I found some fades and draws slipping in unexpectedly. Turns out I had slipped into a couple bad habits like slouching a bit in my posture and shutting the face a bit at address.

Also looked at my recent stats and noticed that I'm making pars on birdie holes because I'm too far from the hole on approach shots. Also leaking a few strokes within 20 yards of the green.  So I've spent the last 2 weeks working on distance control with wedges from the fairway and around the green.

At this old golf clinic with Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim, Tiger explained how he controls distance with trajectory and it made sense to me... He turns back full and swings through at a consistent pace to different lengths of follow through.  Waist high, chest high, shoulder high each goes a consistent different distance.

I applied the above to chipping and found that it works.  For consistency, unless the fringe is very flat, I usually carry the ball onto the green with the right loft for the distance I need.  The key to a crisp strike and consistent distance is not slowing down through the strike and stopping the club on the follow through at a point to create a certain carry distance.  Watch this video of tiger and notice how consistent his pace is and where he stops his hands to control the distance.

I paced off 24 paces from the hole back to my chipping point.  I then paced off 12 paces to find the middle and placed a tee.   This also worked for shorter distances... 12 yard target so I pace off 6 yards and placed a tee.  Then, using my 58 degree wedge I used the above chipping technique tiger is using to chip balls to that mid point tee and it released perfectly to the 24 foot hole or 12 foot hole.  Obviously it's flat so a downhill I would need a little less air time, up hill a little more.

I was able to focus my eyes on the mid point tee as my target and then bounce the ball next to that tee to get the distance I want.  If you change to a wedge, 9 iron or higher club your aim point moves closer to you as it will roll more.  58 degree wedge - fly 50% - roll 50%.  52 degree - fly 45% - roll 55%,  PW - fly 40% - roll 60% and so on. Calibrate at each course for their green speeds.

3 May 2014 TGAATour Tournament at Waverly Woods - Finished 3rd

There are good thing about playing rounds where you are grinding from the first hole is you learn you can do it when you don't have your best game.  Shows you when you hit a bad patch you can hold it together.

Sketchy warm-up session.  Irons were spot on but hybrids/driver were fading.  I worked it out but it doesn't leave you feeling good going to the 1st tee. The putting green was bumpy and fast. Chipping and pitching were terrible.  

However, I stayed patient and played conservative.  6 straight pars, I bounced back after the double bogey with a solid par. Throughout the day of grinding I felt like a good approach shot was about to fly off my club. Didn't lose patience and make aggressive pressed shots.

Going forward I have got to focus on shots from uneven lies and approach shot distance control inside 130 yds based on conditions.  I also need to get my driver tuned on a launch monitor, I need more distance (or I need to figure out why I'm fading the ball on normal swings)

What's the good, the bad and the ugly? 

How about bad first:

• ZERO birdies... 
• 1 approach shot inside 15 feet 
• Had a double bogey on a straight forward 190yd Par 3
• 3 putted from 30 feet on an uphill put
• Missed 7 greens

The good: I was on the grind today.  Swwing felt loose but I kept it together with smart play

• Shot a 76 on a 3 handicap which was the 2nd lowest round of the 31 players (lowest was 73)
• 237.50 in prizes
• 15 pars off of excellent putting on bouncy fast greens
• I had 6 one putts today to cover the missed greens
• No 1st tee gitters
• Drew the ball well on several holes where I needed it
• Tee shots on most holes were solid - never put myself in trouble

Ugly: 

• Only one (1) approach shot from inside 100 yds was inside 15 feet
• Approach shots were short and long leaving me with long putts on bumpy greens

Statistics:

• 8 Fairways
• 11 Greens
• 31 putts (51 feet of putts made)
• Six 1 putts, One 3 putt
• 15 Pars