Comments on: An interim golf coach, new driver videos and some freezing temperatures

By: Vince

Vince — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 16:26:00 +0000

Hey Dan sorry about the winter blast but it happens often in Oregon, it is nice and sunny in Arizona and hitting the mid 70 degrees all next week. I have found about the only way to get out in middle of Oregon winter is you can play in between storms and I would hit an executive course and play two balls and get 18 in an hour. I think going to the gym everyday will keep you primed until you get south and warm enough to play. I have seen some nasty winters in Oregon and it will come to pass, but keep the pace and you will find your groove, and game. I think you are on the right path, and hope you can find your way south to sunny days on the course.

By: Richard Chen

Richard Chen — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 19:41:00 +0000

Venturi’s test for standing too far from the ball (venturi Analysis page 65): if at setup the toes cannot be wiggled easily means standing too far from the ball, and leaning and reaching too far forwards toward the ball at setup.

Starting on page 19 of his book, he described Byron Nelson as had started with a flat around the body swing (ie. the so called Scottish swing) with standing far from the ball. By setting up closer to the ball, Nelson developed an upright swing, so that he is considered the “father” of the modern swing.

Venturi wrote that Nelson often said that “you can’t stand too close to the ball.”

A different check would be at setup, if the trailing arm elbow cannot easily touch the body near the trailing hip area by bending the trailing elbow slightly (like Hogan said to bend the trailing elbow somewhat at setup), and at the same time, by turning the bent trailing elbow inward into the body. If the trailing elbow is too far from the body, it cannot be made to touch the body, as the arms are slanting out too far away from the body, and/or the upper body is tilted far forwards.

Standing close to the ball may not give enough of a feeling of to be able to really swing the arms to hit the ball, but the point is not to spend effort and energy to really swing the arms. Really swinging the arms will rob energy to swing the arms with less energy left over to move the clubhead to high speeds. This is according the the physics law of the conservation of angular momentum, which is illustrated on YouTube websites of students spinning and turning faster by pulling their arms close into their bodies, and which is illustrated by figure skaters tucking their arms into the body to generate very fast spins.

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:36:00 +0000

Dan:
It’s great that you will be heading South soon. The winter is a killer for everyone North of “wherever”. Not only does a golfer stop improving, they go backwards in the winter months because whatever minimum play/practice is needed to keep each golfer at their level simply isn’t being met. Here in the Northeast, I would say it takes many golfers until August each year to get back to playing at their highest level

I think the winter months are critical for you. By all means, have a little more focus on strength and conditioning, but, you can’t lose sight of the goal of improving (I know you won’t). I would say at a minimum, when March comes around you would want to (A) at worst be playing to the same handicap you have now (4.1) and at best, have another stroke or more off your handicap.

Whatever improvement you have been able to see in the summer months 2-3-4 strokes better, you should be able to see in winter months if you are playing in the right climate.

That’s my two cents for now.

Go get em Dan!

By: Richard Chen

Richard Chen — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Setup stance feet close to ball with weight toward on heels of feet, according to book Ventui Analysis page 17. Feet close to ball promotes more upright swing plane. Weight on heel makes it easier to replant leading heel back on ground.

By: NJ LUKE, FLY EAGLES FLY

NJ LUKE, FLY EAGLES FLY — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 03:48:00 +0000

i started golfing around the same time as you, and am down to a 5.3. No lessons, just play with a scratch golfer (he played 2 PGA tour events once upon a time.) I have had very similar problems. That flatter swing helps with contact and makes some pretty sweet iron shots, but I know where your coming from with the driver. I see those two videos above and can closely relate to that. Its not that its bad, its just inconsistent and you(we) are trying to reach the next level. Think about Tiger though, His Hank Haney swing had the same flaw, he was always trying to flip his hands to “save” his swing(the push slice you and I fear.) Good luck fixing it, and if you are in the New Jersey area let me know I can bring my buddy(scratch). Do you feel you play alot better with better golfers? Also, pace of play makes my game differ. The faster I play the better I play. GO DAN!

By: Chris Villasenor

Chris Villasenor — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 00:14:00 +0000

I stopped trying to min/max my driver and it helped a ton. Instead of going to a “driver swing”, I just adjusted my driver to the full loft, tee it down, then swing it like a 3-wood. My accuracy went WAY up and I’m probably only giving away 10 yds or so (270 on good swing.) Great for a 10-hcp but since you’re goal is to play in the bigs, you’ll probably need to chase it out there a good bit further. As always, go get ‘em.