Golf Epiphanys

Hey_Porter · #1 04-23-2007, 02:47 PM

I go through a lot of changes with my swing, but very few things turn out to be major in terms of my play. I can point to two major changes that stepped my game up ("epiphany's"): I changed my grip so my right hand, which used to be way under, came over the top, and made my left hand much stronger. In addition, I focused more on body movement ("coil") to naturally align the club face, rather than forcefully turning my wrists over. Both these changes gave me distance, and my accuracy improved dramatically.

I'm hoping my next epiphany will be putting...

JaBlue · #2 04-23-2007, 03:05 PM

I am a terrible golfer and probably shoot ~90, haven't played in a year or two, but I had an epiphany when playing with a friend of my dad's and he explained the physics of ball trajectory. He taught me that you wanna hit down on the ball, not scoop it, and I always have this in mind.

Doug Funnie II · #3 04-23-2007, 04:03 PM

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I changed my grip so my right hand, which used to be way under, came over the top

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That is the only change I made that took me from shooting 90 to 70s because it improves iron play so much.

I've always had a good game around the greens but my putting wasn't good until I realized that putting is a lot like limit: everything you can do seems so marginal but at the end of the day trying to make the most optimal putt in every situation can add up to several shots.

Also when you play completely by the rules, your score goes up 5 strokes a side.

Also that most people don't understand the point of a gimme. A gimme is a putt you make so close to 100% of the time that it isn't worth the hold up, not a putt that you feel you should make but don't want to be embarassed about missing. I no longer take any gimmies and I definitely miss fewer putts in the 1.5-3 feet range than I used to.

ghostface · #4 04-23-2007, 07:24 PM

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Also that most people don't understand the point of a gimme. A gimme is a putt you make so close to 100% of the time that it isn't worth the hold up, not a putt that you feel you should make but don't want to be embarassed about missing. I no longer take any gimmies and I definitely miss fewer putts in the 1.5-3 feet range than I used to.

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Gimmes are for girls. If you putted every 3 footer you gave yourself you'd shoot 2-3 strokes higher per round.

JTrout · #5 04-23-2007, 07:34 PM

As to gimmes:
If it is long enough to make you nervous, you should putt it.
If it's close enough that you aren't worried, go ahead and tap it in.

ghostface · #6 04-23-2007, 07:35 PM

yup, my gimme range is about 1 foot. nothin better than hearing the ball rattle in the hole.

SoloAJ · #7 04-24-2007, 12:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I changed my grip so my right hand, which used to be way under, came over the top

[/ QUOTE ]

That is the only change I made that took me from shooting 90 to 70s because it improves iron play so much.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what this means. Can someone explain this please. Maybe it will help me if I'm not already unknowingly doing it.

JTrout · #8 04-24-2007, 12:45 PM

His right hand grip used to be where the palm faced the sky(strong).
Now it is where the palm faces the target (neutral).

SoloAJ · #9 04-24-2007, 12:50 PM

Thanks for the explanation JTrout. I already have a neutral grip. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Damn. Was hoping to magically shave strokes [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

JTrout · #10 04-24-2007, 01:22 PM

Maybe not quite an epiphany, but here's something that I think makes a big difference, and very few golfers do:

Keep your thumbs tight to your hands- no gap or space between index fingers and thumbs.
You can practice this by squeezing a tee or penny there.

I think it was in Elkington's book (which I recommend) that he said he acted as if his thumbs were "superglued" to the side of his hand.

When you are comfortable with this, I think you'll see consistently more solid shots.