5 Lessons

[ezra76]

What ever happened to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast anyway?

OK so I've read through and trying to incorporate Hogan's lessons. My grip is much more in the fingers now and I'm really working on my turn and transition. I took it straight to the course this afternoon. Let me just say I had one of the most accurate shooting days in a long time. On a 412 yd. par 4 I put my drive inside 150. This hole plays long as hell and that was my longest ever by 20 yds. on that hole, in 38* weather no less.

My swing feels very different, almost like I'm holding back a lot but I can feel more speed through the ball. I have to get another video soon to make sure I'm getting these changes right. Something is definitely right though. I shot 41 on one of the hardest front 9's in the state, 2 birdies on that 9 along with 16 putts. Had the greens not been frozen and my iron shots flying nearly 2clubs short I really think I could have taken a run at going under.

Aim it there, hit it there. This book is the real deal. I plan on continuing to groove my swing in the house with my wedge. 100 swings a day minimum.

[demon]

I read that book 15 years ago, a lot of good information in there. Doesnt it suck changing your grip? It feels all wrong when I changed mine.

[ezra76]

Yeah, that is what I'm concentrating on a lot. I grip the club with my left index and heelpad, balance it there and then add my right hand. I take my right thumb and index off the club and make a practice swing, then add them back and another. I've been taking the club back on the practice swings, stopping at the top and then coming down inside, right elbow dropping to my pocket. I have to do this slow for now, otherwise I'll slide again. I concentrate on trying to turn my right ass cheek at the target, to turn instead of slide. I caught a couple good drives and they were just dead straight. What really impressed me is how if I just square my right foot to my target, everything else seems to follow. The 2 birdies were PW's I stuck to inside 5feet, dead at the stick.

[ezra76]

Question, for those of you who don't have the patience to read my rants. I am starting to push the ball a little, no slice at all just a push and not all that bad, maybe 5% yardage of overall distance. Is this a good sign? Consider OTT has been my bad shot.

[Fastback]

Originally Posted by ezra76

Aim it there, hit it there. This book is the real deal.

Ezra, which book is this? whos the author? wouldnt mind looking into it

[ezra76]

It's Hogan's 5 lessons. There is a picture of it in my swingvideo thread. It's pretty good, I'm realizing things I should have been doing all along. It was only like $12 in the softcover. I'll post another video in a few weeks and I'll bet you see a huge difference. I've never been so excited about a breakthrough in my swing like this before, it's like a road map to the perfect swing.

[Fastback]

Originally Posted by ezra76

It's Hogan's 5 lessons. There is a picture of it in my swingvideo thread. It's pretty good, I'm realizing things I should have been doing all along. It was only like $12 in the softcover. I'll post another video in a few weeks and I'll bet you see a huge difference. I've never been so excited about a breakthrough in my swing like this before, it's like a road map to the perfect swing.

thanks for that, will check it out.. its great when you feel there has been a breakthrough.. thats how i felt when i had my first lesson. I'm going for my 2nd lesson this weekend.

I've made alot of inroads to my bunker play.. hitting them consistently with accuracy.. just based on some tips off golf digest!

will be interesting to see how your swing progresses

[ezra76]

Just got done with 50 or so swings with the GW. It seems that taking the club back the wrists naturally hinge it upright, now from here I can take the club the rest of the way to nearly parallel by simply turning my torso. Is this the way it's supposed to be?

Where are you guys??

[Sandpiper3]

Ezra, this push means your getting there. The push goes with a hook generally. So if your trying to move back inside, the push is where you'll be before you get used to getting your wrists through back in time. Just one big timing issue.

This is for an avg idea of the swing btw. I cant tell you for sure if this is wat your doing, but its the idea of where the push is involved from wat i know of your swing.

[ezra76]

Thanks Piper. I just wanted to see if I could get some verification I'm on the right path. I hit 2 drives on a long par 4 yesterday. I got it turned over on the first and carried it around 270-275. The second I pushed into the right rough where it hit a small tree seperating the adjoining fairway. The first one looked to be a very slight draw. I think I'm on the way. I hope to get another video very soon so I can guage progress. I think I'll be ready to jump off a bridge if it looks the same.

[Sandpiper3]

Dont worry about the bridge. Its guna look fairly similar, trust me. I felt the same way after working on my swing for a month. It "looks" similar, but the major things you change do make a difference and you can notice them.

[demon]

Originally Posted by ezra76

Question, for those of you who don't have the patience to read my rants. I am starting to push the ball a little, no slice at all just a push and not all that bad, maybe 5% yardage of overall distance. Is this a good sign? Consider OTT has been my bad shot.

I do the samething now with my grip change. About 1 out of 10 shots are pushes and it is a very subtle push maybe 15 yards off of my target. The problem is not releasing through the ball since you are still used to your stronger grip, you will know you are coming OTT if your face is square and you are pulling the ball. A drill I have been using is to try and throw the clubhead at the target.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by demon

I do the samething now with my grip change. About 1 out of 10 shots are pushes and it is a very subtle push maybe 15 yards off of my target. The problem is not releasing through the ball since you are still used to your stronger grip, you will know you are coming OTT if your face is square and you are pulling the ball. A drill I have been using is to try and throw the clubhead at the target.

Me too. I actually squared the face behind the ball with the driver, regripped it and started with the face slightly open. Creamed it straight and deep twice doing this. Irons were beautiful though, 1-2 yd. fades and dead accurate. Squaring my left foot to the target, as Hogan says, may end up being the easiest and biggest breakthrough I've ever had with alignment and accuracy.

[demon]

Originally Posted by ezra76

Me too. I actually squared the face behind the ball with the driver, regripped it and started with the face slightly open. Creamed it straight and deep twice doing this. Irons were beautiful though, 1-2 yd. fades and dead accurate. Squaring my left foot to the target, as Hogan says, may end up being the easiest and biggest breakthrough I've ever had with alignment and accuracy.

Now dont become a swing ho and change everything all of the time. It should take you a year to get this incorporated into your swing.

[ezra76]

Nooo... I really want to stick with this. I can see more accuracy, feel so much more power and speed and I have the "road map" right there in the book to learn and correct any faults along the way. The technology of video also helps. All I have to do is bring my cam along to the range and see where the problems are.

I've been looking at that "swingglove" they have on the GC and they are reasonable on Ebay. This is just an easier version of an old trick. I used to use a wristband and spatula in my living room last year. I have the feeling I'm breaking down a little with the grip changes, might be worth a shot if I need a little help.