Lesson Crossroads

the lawman

So got my 3rd lesson yesterday from my instructor. The first 2 focused on my alignment and swing plane and stuff like that and I was quite comfortable with it and improved these aspects hugely.

Last night was different.

It focused on my down-swing and I gotta say I feel very uncomfortable and worried at how difficult this is gonna to be to change. I was told that my back-swing is fine but in my downswing I'm chopping the club with my arms and as a result not getting any power. I was shown the proper way by using my hips and legs to spring the downswing while just letting my arms follow these 'limbs'.

This is a massive change to my current muscle memory and I'm worried that I'll never 'get it' and that while trying to improve I will be going backwards for a long time.

Just wondering if anyone can offer any advice or share similar stories where it has worked out well?

mike12

Its tough but you have to hit the range and but the time in, it will come if you do the work maybe stay off the course for a couple of weeks.
Mike

the lawman

mike12 wrote: »

Its tough but you have to hit the range and but the time in, it will come if you do the work maybe stay off the course for a couple of weeks.
Mike

My aim is to be at the range twice a week and I can practice the hip movements easily enough at home too. I have to be on the course though so I have to accept that there will be some high scores coming and 0.1's too.

Hacker111

the lawman wrote: »

So got my 3rd lesson yesterday from my instructor. The first 2 focused on my alignment and swing plane and stuff like that and I was quite comfortable with it and improved these aspects hugely.

Last night was different.

It focused on my down-swing and I gotta say I feel very uncomfortable and worried at how difficult this is gonna to be to change. I was told that my back-swing is fine but in my downswing I'm chopping the club with my arms and as a result not getting any power. I was shown the proper way by using my hips and legs to spring the downswing while just letting my arms follow these 'limbs'.

This is a massive change to my current muscle memory and I'm worried that I'll never 'get it' and that while trying to improve I will be going backwards for a long time.

Just wondering if anyone can offer any advice or share similar stories where it has worked out well?

That was quick, I worked for 2 yrs just on grip, posture and mainly getting the club in the rcorrect place at the top of the backswing!

Benny Cake

Go with it Lawman. Just because it feels alien doesn't make it wrong. To give you an example, I changed my grip from interlocking to overlapping on the advice of a teaching pro a while back. For 2 or 3 weeks I played some appalling stuff, I was convinced I ws going to let the club go at the top of my backswing. It eventually came right and now, feels perfectly natural. Don't me concerned with the results or how it feels at the moment, get plenty of repetitions in & you should see the benifets...

Keano

Lessons are torture and will always be! Stick with it and in a few month's you'll be very happy.

the lawman

Keano A Legend wrote: »

Lessons are torture and will always be! Stick with it and in a few month's you'll be very happy.

Cheers for that Keano.

Dr.Silly

Sounds like you're casting ... and at impact, your hands are behind the ball which is why you're losing power.

have a look on youtube for drills...there's alot out there and some may help more than others..

don't mind where the ball goes initially..it'll probably go right starting out...but just try to get that initial move on the downswing correct instead of fishing. You'll be amazed at the extra distance, cleaner and purer strike once you get it.

the lawman

Dr.Silly wrote: »

Sounds like you're casting ... and at impact, your hands are behind the ball which is why you're losing power.

have a look on youtube for drills...there's alot out there and some may help more than others..

don't mind where the ball goes initially..it'll probably go right starting out...but just try to get that initial move on the downswing correct instead of fishing. You'll be amazed at the extra distance, cleaner and purer strike once you get it.

I'll go looking for drills Silly thanks for that.

Dr.Silly

the lawman wrote: »

I'll go looking for drills Silly thanks for that.

is this what you;re currently doing (at the beginning of this video ?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_vYyR6ia1A

the lawman

Dr.Silly wrote: »

is this what you;re currently doing (at the beginning of this video ?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_vYyR6ia1A

Pretty much Silly. I'm also not using my hips at all so my arms just take everything over at the top of the swing.

Dr.Silly

the lawman wrote: »

Pretty much Silly. I'm also not using my hips at all so my arms just take everything over at the top of the swing.

you'll be grand :-)
my advise would be to start slow with 1/2 to 3/4 swings.
my advise would also be to stay away from a golf course for a few weeks and just work on the driving range.
You won't fix this going on the course as you'll go back to your old ways..
practice practice practice...

the lawman

Dr.Silly wrote: »

you'll be grand :-)
my advise would be to start slow with 1/2 to 3/4 swings.
my advise would also be to stay away from a golf course for a few weeks and just work on the driving range.
You won't fix this going on the course as you'll go back to your old ways..
practice practice practice...

Cheers for that Silly.

Whyner

Hacker111 wrote: »

That was quick, I worked for 2 yrs just on grip, posture and mainly getting the club in the rcorrect place at the top of the backswing!

That's what I was thinking. I didn't get to downswing till about 6 or 7 lessons.

Fast learner

If it doesn't feel strange at first then you're not doing it right

the lawman

Whyner wrote: »

That's what I was thinking. I didn't get to downswing till about 6 or 7 lessons.

Fast learner

If it doesn't feel strange at first then you're not doing it right

Well it feels very strange so that sounds good.

I'm not perfect on the backswing and stance but she feels I'm ready to move on so I'm trusting her.

ShriekingSheet

the lawman wrote: »

So got my 3rd lesson yesterday from my instructor. The first 2 focused on my alignment and swing plane and stuff like that and I was quite comfortable with it and improved these aspects hugely.

Last night was different.

It focused on my down-swing and I gotta say I feel very uncomfortable and worried at how difficult this is gonna to be to change. I was told that my back-swing is fine but in my downswing I'm chopping the club with my arms and as a result not getting any power. I was shown the proper way by using my hips and legs to spring the downswing while just letting my arms follow these 'limbs'.

This is a massive change to my current muscle memory and I'm worried that I'll never 'get it' and that while trying to improve I will be going backwards for a long time.

Just wondering if anyone can offer any advice or share similar stories where it has worked out well?

I like to think of it like this.

If you're working on tweaks to your technique, you can succeed, and gain a slight improvement in your performance.

If you're making a big fundamental and well-advised change, with guidance from a pro that knows you, you're capable of greatly improving your performance if you nail it.

In summary, if it's comfortable and feels the same, why would your shots get any better?
If you're doing something different, you can get different (better) results.

If it was easy, we'd all be scratch.

mike12

Have been a caster before and it was a big change to get rid of it but well worth it.
At the moment i am changing 3 things which is the first time i have ever done that i usually work on 1 at a time. I'm trying to slow down my back swing and stop at 3/4 for more control with the irons. At the same time i'm trying to keep the flex in my right leg which i am finding the hardest change i have every tried to make.
If you are going to play Lawman do not revert to the old swing no matter how bad things are going keep trying to do whats right.
Mike

the lawman

mike12 wrote: »

Have been a caster before and it was a big change to get rid of it but well worth it.
At the moment i am changing 3 things which is the first time i have ever done that i usually work on 1 at a time. I'm trying to slow down my back swing and stop at 3/4 for more control with the irons. At the same time i'm trying to keep the flex in my right leg which i am finding the hardest change i have every tried to make.
If you are going to play Lawman do not revert to the old swing no matter how bad things are going keep trying to do whats right.
Mike

Thanks Mike.

In relation to the first part above do you have any little brain tricks that helped you out losing the casting? I have a belt buckle trick which I'm trying to use but would welcome more!!

the lawman

Just back from the range after hitting 90 balls. Tried the new swing using a drill I found online (thanks dr silly) and I must say it felt good.

Irons were excellent but driver needs a lot more time but I can certainly feel the plane improving.

I'm no longer at a crossroads so thanks lads for the help!!