I have Figured Out Golf

DGS49

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2012
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Pittsburgh
I have written previously in this space that I began golfing at age 50, and have had little but frustration in my attempts to get "good" ever since (I'm 73). I am what is referred to as a "bogey golfer," but seldom better.

I have the firm belief - agreed with by virtually no one - that unless you learn to swing a golf club by the time you are 16, you will never be "good." It all has to do with that Muscle Memory thing. I won't belabor the point here. But the point is that if you take up golf as an adult, the quest to get "good" is extremely challenging.

The reason why golf excellence is so illusive is because a "perfect" golf swing requires the golfer to synchronize rotating movements on THREE DIFFERENT PLANES in perfect coordination, and a flaw in any of the three planes will cause the ball to veer off course, or be topped or hit "fat." If it sounds complicated, it's not. It's impossible.

Stay with me on this. The golfer must turn his hips and shoulders around the body in a lateral arc (like a carousel). At the same time, he elevates the club and drops it down to strike the ball (like a Ferris wheel). At the same time he rotates his wrist back, then forward with the swing, so that the face of the club strikes the ball when it is exactly perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. That's three different planes - shoulders, arms, wrists.

There is a lot of recent talk in the World of Golf about the "Single-Plane Swing." Bryson D shocked the Golf World when he beefed up and adopted the single-plane swing. But that innovation has nothing to do with the three planes mentioned above. That "single plane" is an alternative to the normal stance when addressing the ball. Normally the arms drop down vertically from the shoulders at address, and the club angles off to the ball THen, when you strike the ball the arms and club are on the same line (plane), which means that the total distance from the shoulders is a couple inches longer when you strike the ball than at address. What the Single-Plane Swing does is, it has the golfer line up his arms with the club at address, so that the distance to the ball remains the same throughout the swing, making consistency easier.

But as implied by the single-plane swing folks, the Natural Golf folks, the Square to Square folks, and so on, unless you learned how to hit a golf ball as a kid, you will never get "good" unless you remove some of the variables and simplify the swing.

I figured it out. By using parts of these techniques together, the variables are minimized, and it's possible to hit the ball crisply, straight, and consistently. Today - first time out with this technique - I broke 80. It was only the second time I've ever done that in my life (the first time was when I first moved up to the Senior tees a couple years ago).

First, the "single plane" setup is necessary. The arms and the club must line up. Second, the Square-to-Square swing technique must be adopted (many videos are available on YouTube). Basically, the wrists and the face of the club remain in line with the target throughout the swing. There is no pronation of the wrist at any time. - it bends straight back Of course, the swing must be adjusted to remain on the target line for as long as possible. It is not possible to swing directly along the target line; the club is going around your body, after all. And the clubs aren't made for a perfectly vertical swing. I have found that I can swing very close to the target line if I just open up my front foot - which also helps with the follow through. So if you look from behind me it appears that I am lines up to the left of the target. But my swing is dead center at the point of impact.

Third, at address, the hands must be slightly ahead of the ball. What this does is move the bottom of the swing to be an inch or so ahead of the ball, which is ideal.

The overall result is that you are striking the ball squarely, with both the face of the club and the swingplane aligned. It takes a while to make this work with the driver, but the irons are a breeze.

As a drill, I have drawn a straight line in chalk on the garage floor, and I practice swinging along that line, with the club face also aligned on the target line. Square to square, of course.

I hope I can remember all this shit.
 
I have written previously in this space that I began golfing at age 50, and have had little but frustration in my attempts to get "good" ever since (I'm 73). I am what is referred to as a "bogey golfer," but seldom better.

I have the firm belief - agreed with by virtually no one - that unless you learn to swing a golf club by the time you are 16, you will never be "good." It all has to do with that Muscle Memory thing. I won't belabor the point here. But the point is that if you take up golf as an adult, the quest to get "good" is extremely challenging.

The reason why golf excellence is so illusive is because a "perfect" golf swing requires the golfer to synchronize rotating movements on THREE DIFFERENT PLANES in perfect coordination, and a flaw in any of the three planes will cause the ball to veer off course, or be topped or hit "fat." If it sounds complicated, it's not. It's impossible.

Stay with me on this. The golfer must turn his hips and shoulders around the body in a lateral arc (like a carousel). At the same time, he elevates the club and drops it down to strike the ball (like a Ferris wheel). At the same time he rotates his wrist back, then forward with the swing, so that the face of the club strikes the ball when it is exactly perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. That's three different planes - shoulders, arms, wrists.

There is a lot of recent talk in the World of Golf about the "Single-Plane Swing." Bryson D shocked the Golf World when he beefed up and adopted the single-plane swing. But that innovation has nothing to do with the three planes mentioned above. That "single plane" is an alternative to the normal stance when addressing the ball. Normally the arms drop down vertically from the shoulders at address, and the club angles off to the ball THen, when you strike the ball the arms and club are on the same line (plane), which means that the total distance from the shoulders is a couple inches longer when you strike the ball than at address. What the Single-Plane Swing does is, it has the golfer line up his arms with the club at address, so that the distance to the ball remains the same throughout the swing, making consistency easier.

But as implied by the single-plane swing folks, the Natural Golf folks, the Square to Square folks, and so on, unless you learned how to hit a golf ball as a kid, you will never get "good" unless you remove some of the variables and simplify the swing.

I figured it out. By using parts of these techniques together, the variables are minimized, and it's possible to hit the ball crisply, straight, and consistently. Today - first time out with this technique - I broke 80. It was only the second time I've ever done that in my life (the first time was when I first moved up to the Senior tees a couple years ago).

First, the "single plane" setup is necessary. The arms and the club must line up. Second, the Square-to-Square swing technique must be adopted (many videos are available on YouTube). Basically, the wrists and the face of the club remain in line with the target throughout the swing. There is no pronation of the wrist at any time. - it bends straight back Of course, the swing must be adjusted to remain on the target line for as long as possible. It is not possible to swing directly along the target line; the club is going around your body, after all. And the clubs aren't made for a perfectly vertical swing. I have found that I can swing very close to the target line if I just open up my front foot - which also helps with the follow through. So if you look from behind me it appears that I am lines up to the left of the target. But my swing is dead center at the point of impact.

Third, at address, the hands must be slightly ahead of the ball. What this does is move the bottom of the swing to be an inch or so ahead of the ball, which is ideal.

The overall result is that you are striking the ball squarely, with both the face of the club and the swingplane aligned. It takes a while to make this work with the driver, but the irons are a breeze.

As a drill, I have drawn a straight line in chalk on the garage floor, and I practice swinging along that line, with the club face also aligned on the target line. Square to square, of course.

I hope I can remember all this shit.
I figured golf out a long time ago---It is a great way to fuck up a nice walk in the park. LOL. I think you are a raging success if you are a bogey golfer--I'd give my eye teeth to shoot a 90 consistently. I learned more about the game and had more improvement in my game after watching and emulating my friends 18 yr old son do three or four practice swings than I learned in a six week course by a pro.
 
One of the MANY perverse things about the game is that, if you think you are getting it, but want help on a certain small thing, you go to a Pro and take a lesson.

That one lesson can fuck up your game for a year or more. It NEVER resolves the issue that you went there to correct.

The pro will tell you thirteen things you are doing wrong with your hips, hands, shoulders, feet, etc. He will give you so many "swing thoughts" that you find yourself wondering what you are doing standing up at the tee.

Simplicity is the only solution. I've found it. No swing thoughts at all. Just alignment and a steady, easy swing.
 
I have written previously in this space that I began golfing at age 50, and have had little but frustration in my attempts to get "good" ever since (I'm 73). I am what is referred to as a "bogey golfer," but seldom better.

I have the firm belief - agreed with by virtually no one - that unless you learn to swing a golf club by the time you are 16, you will never be "good." It all has to do with that Muscle Memory thing. I won't belabor the point here. But the point is that if you take up golf as an adult, the quest to get "good" is extremely challenging.

The reason why golf excellence is so illusive is because a "perfect" golf swing requires the golfer to synchronize rotating movements on THREE DIFFERENT PLANES in perfect coordination, and a flaw in any of the three planes will cause the ball to veer off course, or be topped or hit "fat." If it sounds complicated, it's not. It's impossible.

Stay with me on this. The golfer must turn his hips and shoulders around the body in a lateral arc (like a carousel). At the same time, he elevates the club and drops it down to strike the ball (like a Ferris wheel). At the same time he rotates his wrist back, then forward with the swing, so that the face of the club strikes the ball when it is exactly perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. That's three different planes - shoulders, arms, wrists.

There is a lot of recent talk in the World of Golf about the "Single-Plane Swing." Bryson D shocked the Golf World when he beefed up and adopted the single-plane swing. But that innovation has nothing to do with the three planes mentioned above. That "single plane" is an alternative to the normal stance when addressing the ball. Normally the arms drop down vertically from the shoulders at address, and the club angles off to the ball THen, when you strike the ball the arms and club are on the same line (plane), which means that the total distance from the shoulders is a couple inches longer when you strike the ball than at address. What the Single-Plane Swing does is, it has the golfer line up his arms with the club at address, so that the distance to the ball remains the same throughout the swing, making consistency easier.

But as implied by the single-plane swing folks, the Natural Golf folks, the Square to Square folks, and so on, unless you learned how to hit a golf ball as a kid, you will never get "good" unless you remove some of the variables and simplify the swing.

I figured it out. By using parts of these techniques together, the variables are minimized, and it's possible to hit the ball crisply, straight, and consistently. Today - first time out with this technique - I broke 80. It was only the second time I've ever done that in my life (the first time was when I first moved up to the Senior tees a couple years ago).

First, the "single plane" setup is necessary. The arms and the club must line up. Second, the Square-to-Square swing technique must be adopted (many videos are available on YouTube). Basically, the wrists and the face of the club remain in line with the target throughout the swing. There is no pronation of the wrist at any time. - it bends straight back Of course, the swing must be adjusted to remain on the target line for as long as possible. It is not possible to swing directly along the target line; the club is going around your body, after all. And the clubs aren't made for a perfectly vertical swing. I have found that I can swing very close to the target line if I just open up my front foot - which also helps with the follow through. So if you look from behind me it appears that I am lines up to the left of the target. But my swing is dead center at the point of impact.

Third, at address, the hands must be slightly ahead of the ball. What this does is move the bottom of the swing to be an inch or so ahead of the ball, which is ideal.

The overall result is that you are striking the ball squarely, with both the face of the club and the swingplane aligned. It takes a while to make this work with the driver, but the irons are a breeze.

As a drill, I have drawn a straight line in chalk on the garage floor, and I practice swinging along that line, with the club face also aligned on the target line. Square to square, of course.

I hope I can remember all this shit.
I'm curious, did you lose distance when you went to the Moe Norman swing? Any back issues since you've been swinging that way?
 
It's difficult to tell. I'm losing a few yards every year. My drives are now around 200, but most are right in the fairway. Very good tradeoff from spraying it 210.
 

I have Figured Out Golf​


Did you consult the manual?

s-l500.jpg
 
One of the MANY perverse things about the game is that, if you think you are getting it, but want help on a certain small thing, you go to a Pro and take a lesson.

That one lesson can fuck up your game for a year or more. It NEVER resolves the issue that you went there to correct.

The pro will tell you thirteen things you are doing wrong with your hips, hands, shoulders, feet, etc. He will give you so many "swing thoughts" that you find yourself wondering what you are doing standing up at the tee.

Simplicity is the only solution. I've found it. No swing thoughts at all. Just alignment and a steady, easy swing.
Any average duffer who thinks that a couple lessons is going to straighten them out is a fool.....You don't stink because you just need a couple tweaks.....You need no fewer than a doze sessions to rework all the motions, then turn them into overlearned motor skills.

The key to improvement is forgetting what you think you know about the swing, and get comfortable with new swing moves that are initially uncomfortable....Feelz ain't reals.
 
(A). Most people get better for the first three years. Then you plateau and that's it.
(B). Practice is worthless unless either you or some competent person is observing you and correcting your mistakes.
(C). Muscle memory (called, "over learned motor skills" above) CANNOT HAPPEN when you are an adult. When your swing is a product of muscle memory you do not have to think about your swing, except as it might he altered to effect the flight of the ball. Muscle memory = unconscious repeatability. Ain't happening for adults. (Same for playing the piano, btw).
(D) Taking lessons as an adult can make your scores better, because they can make you smarter about the game. What club to use, how to pitch and chip, how to read the green, and so on. Lessons cannot produce a good, repeatable swing. You have to take lessons in perpetuity to bring yourself back over and over again to what someone with Muscle Memory has ingrained in his body.
(E). One of the most frustrating things for an adult beginner is seeing people who do everything "wrong" who get excellent scores, win all the skins, etc.

I have developed a swing (for myself and nobody else) that has almost no variables. Once I set up and remind myself what I'm doing (perfect path, perfect club-face, hands-forward grip), a straight, predictably lofted shot is the NORMAL result. I don't have the distance to be a 2-handicap golfer, but the result is a very satisfying experience. And there are a couple simple drills that get me aligned and focused within 30 seconds.
 
Just rambling here...

I keep getting golf stuff on my FB feed. Different drills, tools, gadgets that will bring you a good swing and golf success.

But there are three things that are essential to hitting the ball properly, and unless you have a way of ensuring you have them covered EVERY TIME, you won't be "good" (however you define it).

Those three things are:
  1. At the moment when you strike the ball, the swing must be aligned perfectly with the target line,
  2. At the moment when you strike the ball, the face of the club must be perfectly perpendicular to the target line, and
  3. The bottom of the swing must be slightly beyond the position of the ball (for iron shots).
No gadget or drill can lock in these three requirements. It's in the setup and the swing.
 
Why do golf pro's never get any better after age 21, despite all the time they spend practicing? Why isn't the putting better on the "Champions" tour (they've been practicing for 50 years)? Why doesn't any golfer do better on the back nine?

Muscle memory dies at 16 y.o.
 

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