3-16-09:
This post is out of order - I wish there was a way to reorder the posts I've made.
Took a few swings this morning. I'm becoming more and more convinced that I need to
a) start my swing with my hips & come in behind the ball -and-
b) keep my eyes on the contact point.
I'm still having some difficulty keeping eye contact with my contact point, but I'm improving. I am going to start keeping records of each session: 20 swings. Eye contact. Swing path. This way I can see if I'm actually making any progress.
Also worth mentioning: I think that trying to keep my left arm straight is the main factor in my slice.
The muscular effort required to keep the left arm straight causes me to lock my arm into it's final position at the top of my backswing so that I end up keeping my left arm and wrists stiff during my down swing.
For now I'm not going to be concerned with the way my swing looks, but just try for some rhythm, and concentrate on getting my hips out of the way and coming in behind the ball w/ my eyes focused on the contact point.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Another trip to the range...
3-20-09:
Went to the range w/ Steven yesterday afternoon.
I thought things went pretty well. That's the first time I've been able to say that in a while.
At the beginning of the session we took turns each hitting four balls.
I was "successful" about half the time.
During the middle 3/5 of the session I regressed to my old slice swing and my old remedies to try and fix it.
For the last dozen balls or so I got back to what I had been working on for the last two weeks: starting my swing with my legs and keeping my eye on the ball.
I did pretty well at the end, and I felt that I had "proved" my swing.
Through my observation and experimentation over the last two weeks I feel like I've discovered the fundamentals of a swing that works for me.
In other words I think I know what I have to do to hit the ball straight, and, just as important, I feel like I'm capable of do it.
I've mentally graded each swing I've made over the last two weeks: did I swing the way I intended? Did I start the swing with my legs? Did I keep my eye on the ball (coin)?
When I did both of these things I felt I had made a good swing, but I wondered whether my "good" swings would actually produce good shots.
I proved at the range yesterday that they did, and I consider this at least a minor milestone.
Let me take a few minutes to review my goals and the progress I've made.
One of my goals was to develop a swing that would result in a consistent, straight shot off the tee. While I don't have a such a swing yet I now feel like I'm making steady progress.
Another major goal was to see if I could, by experimentation, find a method to develop a good swing. I think I've have found that method and hope to refine and improve it as I continue to work on my swing.
Went to the range w/ Steven yesterday afternoon.
I thought things went pretty well. That's the first time I've been able to say that in a while.
At the beginning of the session we took turns each hitting four balls.
I was "successful" about half the time.
During the middle 3/5 of the session I regressed to my old slice swing and my old remedies to try and fix it.
For the last dozen balls or so I got back to what I had been working on for the last two weeks: starting my swing with my legs and keeping my eye on the ball.
I did pretty well at the end, and I felt that I had "proved" my swing.
Through my observation and experimentation over the last two weeks I feel like I've discovered the fundamentals of a swing that works for me.
In other words I think I know what I have to do to hit the ball straight, and, just as important, I feel like I'm capable of do it.
I've mentally graded each swing I've made over the last two weeks: did I swing the way I intended? Did I start the swing with my legs? Did I keep my eye on the ball (coin)?
When I did both of these things I felt I had made a good swing, but I wondered whether my "good" swings would actually produce good shots.
I proved at the range yesterday that they did, and I consider this at least a minor milestone.
Let me take a few minutes to review my goals and the progress I've made.
One of my goals was to develop a swing that would result in a consistent, straight shot off the tee. While I don't have a such a swing yet I now feel like I'm making steady progress.
Another major goal was to see if I could, by experimentation, find a method to develop a good swing. I think I've have found that method and hope to refine and improve it as I continue to work on my swing.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I discovered what Ben Hogan already knew
3-18-09
I've been keeping golf diary up to date, but not this blog - so I occasionally have some issues with the chronology of events.
As no one seems to be following this blog, it can not be considered a serious issue.
Anyway, one of the things I've been working on is starting my downswing with my legs, hips, and midsection.
Actually, I like to think of the swing starting at the soles of my feet and travelling up through my body so that by the time the impulse of force gets to my hands I've achieved a sort of "crack the whip" effect.
That's the idea anyway, but my natural impulse is to start the downswing by swinging my arms.
So what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks is to really concentrate on starting my swing by twisting (uncoiling) my knees, thighs, and midsection so that I can come in behind the ball with my hands.
While doing some "research" on the Internet I came across this short instruction video by Ben Hogan that illustrates exactly what I've been trying to do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_6M_xZvq0
I found it helpful and informative.
I've been keeping golf diary up to date, but not this blog - so I occasionally have some issues with the chronology of events.
As no one seems to be following this blog, it can not be considered a serious issue.
Anyway, one of the things I've been working on is starting my downswing with my legs, hips, and midsection.
Actually, I like to think of the swing starting at the soles of my feet and travelling up through my body so that by the time the impulse of force gets to my hands I've achieved a sort of "crack the whip" effect.
That's the idea anyway, but my natural impulse is to start the downswing by swinging my arms.
So what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks is to really concentrate on starting my swing by twisting (uncoiling) my knees, thighs, and midsection so that I can come in behind the ball with my hands.
While doing some "research" on the Internet I came across this short instruction video by Ben Hogan that illustrates exactly what I've been trying to do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_6M_xZvq0
I found it helpful and informative.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Some background information
How I started down this path.
About three years ago I had an epiphany. I was walking back to my office, muttering to myself, thinking about what I was going to do next. A thought popped into my head that made me stop in my tracks - "what I was going to do next...". The realization came to me that that was all I had been thinking about all day - what I was going to do next. I mentally reviewed what I had done that morning: the emails, the faxes, the quotes I had put together, and during each task I was always thinking about what I needed to get done next. It was like I was a step out of sync, never giving any attention to what I was currently doing. No wonder I had to check to see if I'd locked the door three times before I left work each night. Now I could see why I was always losing pens and misplacing folders - I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. What good does it do to focus your attention on what your going to do next instead of what you're doing right now? And how long had I been doing this? I knew it was longer that just this morning - but surely not my entire life. That evening, while these thoughts were still on my mind, I happened upon an article in the paper about "Mindfulness".
Mindfulness. Paying attention to what you're doing. I became interested in intention, attention, mindfulness and awareness. I read a book on meditation. I meditated. While meditating, as I focused on my breathing, I became aware of the thoughts that were constantly going through my mind. It was amazing how many thoughts there were, and how easy it was to "jump on the train" as one thought led to another. How random these thoughts were. Sometimes the train of thought led in a circle, one thought leading to another until I was finally back to the first thought - and then around the circle again (and again, and again). There was another mode I noticed myself going into from time to time where it was like I was explaining to someone else what was happening to me. Kind of a running commentary. This happened a lot during my drive home from work. "Some guy pulled in front of me and then stopped" "Oh, and then I got behind a guy who had his blinker on, at first I thought he was going to turn, then I tried to get around him but every time I switched lanes the car in that lane wanted to turn right..." I could spend a twenty minute drive home in this mode. Without realizing what I was doing. I wondered if it was possible to live your entire life in this unconscious state.
What does any of this have to do with golf? Well, while I was searching for information on awareness and mindfulness I came across an article by a golf pro who said that most players would be better off without instruction, that their play would improve if they just went out and swung the club. I remembered this article as I started thinking about my upcoming summer of golf and I wondered what really happened during my swing. What thoughts were going through my mind? Where was my attention? After my fiirst trip to the driving range it occurred to me that I did not need to be on a golf course to answer these questions, all I needed was enough room to swing a golf club. And as I searched for awareness, golf, mental, etc. I came across some other ideas that I thought might be interesting to try - and so the idea of the golf lab was born.
About three years ago I had an epiphany. I was walking back to my office, muttering to myself, thinking about what I was going to do next. A thought popped into my head that made me stop in my tracks - "what I was going to do next...". The realization came to me that that was all I had been thinking about all day - what I was going to do next. I mentally reviewed what I had done that morning: the emails, the faxes, the quotes I had put together, and during each task I was always thinking about what I needed to get done next. It was like I was a step out of sync, never giving any attention to what I was currently doing. No wonder I had to check to see if I'd locked the door three times before I left work each night. Now I could see why I was always losing pens and misplacing folders - I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. What good does it do to focus your attention on what your going to do next instead of what you're doing right now? And how long had I been doing this? I knew it was longer that just this morning - but surely not my entire life. That evening, while these thoughts were still on my mind, I happened upon an article in the paper about "Mindfulness".
Mindfulness. Paying attention to what you're doing. I became interested in intention, attention, mindfulness and awareness. I read a book on meditation. I meditated. While meditating, as I focused on my breathing, I became aware of the thoughts that were constantly going through my mind. It was amazing how many thoughts there were, and how easy it was to "jump on the train" as one thought led to another. How random these thoughts were. Sometimes the train of thought led in a circle, one thought leading to another until I was finally back to the first thought - and then around the circle again (and again, and again). There was another mode I noticed myself going into from time to time where it was like I was explaining to someone else what was happening to me. Kind of a running commentary. This happened a lot during my drive home from work. "Some guy pulled in front of me and then stopped" "Oh, and then I got behind a guy who had his blinker on, at first I thought he was going to turn, then I tried to get around him but every time I switched lanes the car in that lane wanted to turn right..." I could spend a twenty minute drive home in this mode. Without realizing what I was doing. I wondered if it was possible to live your entire life in this unconscious state.
What does any of this have to do with golf? Well, while I was searching for information on awareness and mindfulness I came across an article by a golf pro who said that most players would be better off without instruction, that their play would improve if they just went out and swung the club. I remembered this article as I started thinking about my upcoming summer of golf and I wondered what really happened during my swing. What thoughts were going through my mind? Where was my attention? After my fiirst trip to the driving range it occurred to me that I did not need to be on a golf course to answer these questions, all I needed was enough room to swing a golf club. And as I searched for awareness, golf, mental, etc. I came across some other ideas that I thought might be interesting to try - and so the idea of the golf lab was born.
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