You and your golf swing

[Rick Sides]

I know this is a format for architecture, but I figured I throw this out there to see if anyone else has encountered my problem.  In the begining of the golf season my swing was pretty good and I was shooting in the mid 80's.  In the last two weeks or so, my swing has gone south.  The last two or three times I've played I'm fading balls all over the place and even hit a dreaded shank today!- the "s" word. Scores near 100.  Did anyone ever have this happen and do you have any advice?  I've had two lessons and the instructor says my swing looks okay.  Anyone have any success with training devices or drills. 
Sincerely,
Sleepless in South Jersey

[RJ_Daley]

Sorry Rick, but your post just put me on the floor laughing.... Somehow I read it and thought of "Dear Penthouse Advisor"... 

[Dean Stokes]

Sorry Rick, but your post just put me on the floor laughing.... Somehow I read it and thought of "Dear Penthouse Advisor"... 

RJ, I'm laughing at you laughing, Brilliant.

Rick, anyone who has ever played golf regularly has had this happen to them. It's called golf.

Get stuck into a few beers, watch the boys in Boston, don't hit balls for a week then go and play without thinking about score. Sounds like you're getting very score oriented. Go out and have fun again.

Cheers.

[John Moore II]

Rick--I actually am an instructor, so take my advise however you want to take it. I may suggest taking a lesson from a new instructor, just to see if he may be able to see anything different. If you don't want to do that (and I certainly understand why you would not), there are a few simple ways to check your basic fundamentals (which is most of what I teach in lessons anyway)

1. Check ball position-I like to use a Practice-T from EyeLine Golf, they cost about $50 from Golfsmith, but I think they are worth it. I'm not going to tell you where to put the ball in your stance, but use the T and make sure its in the same place every time. Also, I feel this can be used for everyone: point the handle/grip of the club at a point about 2 inches left of your belt buckle (the little loop on the belt works as a good point to look for)

2. Check your grip-Whatever you normally have. Likely you can see two knuckles on your left hand, thats reasonably neutral. Again, make sure you grip the same each time.

3. Check alignment-Certainly if you are using the Practice T, it will line you up right as well as ball position. Check feet AND SHOULDER alignment. Shoulder alignment is most key. Make sure the shoulders are lined up parallel left of the target (if you are right-handed) Feet can be a little bit off line (Ben Hogan actually varied his feet alignment based on which club he was using. I do not advise this for you given your current state of swing)

4. Get someone to look at your posture-Make sure you don't have some huge arch in your back and that your weight is not well out on your toes or something like that. A good way to tell if your weight is balanced: Hang a club from your shoulder and it should point at the tip of your toe or maybe an inch or so in either direction. More than an inch in either direction and you are "out of balance."

I also think the Momentus Power Hitter Iron works very well to train your swing. It can be used to hit real golf balls, unlike the other Momentus clubs. I hope this information helps. PM me if you need anything else.

[Rick Sides]

That's why I love this website.  You guys help remind me that I'm not a pro.  I think I will have a few beers and watch golf.  Hope you guys got a good laugh.

[rboyce]

several options:

a. put your clubs on craigslist and buy a tennis racket

b. purchase the Bob Rotella box set and play accordingly

c. lower your expectations dramatically

[Rick Sides]

Thanks for the advice John.  I appreciate it.

[RJ_Daley]

Rick, again, sorry for having a bit of fun at your expense. 

Seriously, I am partial to Fred Shoemaker's book, "Extraordinary Golf".  It puts the game in perspective, and helps simplify swing thoughts, and get the drill of practicing the wrong stuff over and over.

[Rick Sides]

 I guess it gets frustrating not being too consistent.  I've been playing two years now and my handicap is around 12.  Does anyone know how long it takes to shoot pretty consistently without blowing scores up near triple digits or is it just that nature of golf to have highs and lows?

[Rick Sides]

RJ.
I 'm glad I made you laugh!  Life is suppose to be pretty funny at times.  Hopefully I made you smile

[Voytek Wilczak]

Shortening my swing sometimes works for me.

Just give it a 3/4 swing and see if after a few of those you get your normal ball-flight back.

Then gradually go back to your old swing.

[Dean Stokes]

I guess it gets frustrating not being too consistent.  I've been playing two years now and my handicap is around 12.  Does anyone know how long it takes to shoot pretty consistently without blowing scores up near triple digits or is it just that nature of golf to have highs and lows?

If you've only played for two years and your a twelve that is awesome.

I do believe all golfers reach barriers. You shoot low 90's and it takes forever to break 90 because of trying too hard. Once you do it becomes easy. Then you get to the low 80's and the same thing happens.

Just relax and enjoy. Scoring is a product of those two things ( plus a little practise and talent ) - which you've already obviously got. Time for that beer now. Go Ernie.

[Rick Sides]

Thanks for the kind words Dean.   ;DGo Ernie is right but Johnny Miller keeps criticising his putting.  I love Ernie. He has my favorite golf swing.

[Jordan Caron]

Rick,

Depending where you live, take some time off.  If you are in a colder area, don't touch a club until spring.  If you live in a warmer area, take a month or so off.  Your brain is cramped with some bad swing thoughts and loads of negative feelings me thinks.

[Will E]

RJ
You're awesome.
Extraordinary Golf is required reading for everyone that I coach. It may be one of the most important books ever written.

I give Rick credit for knowing that he is not his golf swing. I do wonder if he really does know his swing. I'd advise that he stars paying attention to his swing and owning it for a while without trying to change it.
One thing I know for sure. It's really difficult to change something that you've never REALLY experienced.

[Ian_L]

Check feet AND SHOULDER alignment. Shoulder alignment is most key. Make sure the shoulders are lined up parallel left of the target (if you are right-handed)

Any recommendations on how to check your shoulder alignment?

[John Moore II]

Check feet AND SHOULDER alignment. Shoulder alignment is most key. Make sure the shoulders are lined up parallel left of the target (if you are right-handed)

Any recommendations on how to check your shoulder alignment?

Well, the BEST way to do it is to have someone stand behind you and look down the line, perhaps putting a club shaft against your shoulders. You can also put the club to your own shoulders and see where its pointed. Doing it yourself is not exact, though if you have an alignment aid on the ground, it becomes a bit easier. Good enough answer?? I hope...

[Ian_L]

I'll try that out this evening, thanks. 

[Dan_Callahan]

Three words for you: Stack and Tilt.

Don't know why it works, and I'm not sure I even care. I haven't taken a lesson or forked over the bucks for the video, but I've just been copying what I've read here and there and what I see in the swings of Weir and Bads. Mainly, very little weight transfer to right leg, keeping elbows fairly tight to the body (Bads does this really well and is very compact), and biggest thing, making sure head never moves off the ball. I've never hit it so consistently pure in my life and it hasn't cost me any distance. I tried it at the range just for the heck of it (I'm a sucker for trying to mimic other people's swings) and was shocked first at how odd it felt and second how well I was hitting the ball. I've gone back to my old swing a few times and was immediately inconsistent again. I think I might be the stack boys' newest convert.

[Rick Sides]

Dan,
What are the basic steps of the stack and tilt you have implemented in your swing?  Any good websites, books, etc?

[John Moore II]

Three words for you: Stack and Tilt.

Don't know why it works, and I'm not sure I even care. I haven't taken a lesson or forked over the bucks for the video, but I've just been copying what I've read here and there and what I see in the swings of Weir and Bads. Mainly, very little weight transfer to right leg, keeping elbows fairly tight to the body (Bads does this really well and is very compact), and biggest thing, making sure head never moves off the ball. I've never hit it so consistently pure in my life and it hasn't cost me any distance. I tried it at the range just for the heck of it (I'm a sucker for trying to mimic other people's swings) and was shocked first at how odd it felt and second how well I was hitting the ball. I've gone back to my old swing a few times and was immediately inconsistent again. I think I might be the stack boys' newest convert.

Stack and Tilt is about the most worthless piece of crap put out to the golf public since Natural Golf. Its pure garbage. You either have to be an extremely good athlete or have a literal medical disorder where you can transfer weight to your back foot on the take-away for this swing to be worth anything. I've read the books on Stack and Tilt. You know what Stack and Tile used to be called? About 5 years ago, it was called a reverse pivot. IT STILL IS!  
--Dan-this is not a personal attack on you, please don't take it that way. I simply think Stack and Tilt is a pure bill of goods that they are selling you thats near garbage. The guys on tour that use Stack and Tilt and the one person I have played with on the course each have a very athletic body type and are in exceptional physical shape.

If you want good golf instruction in a book, read Ben Hogan: Modern Fundamentals (which I personally believe is one of the best, period) or Jim Hardy: Plane Truth. Both of those are very good. Certainly far better than Stack and Tilt.

Not to mention, if you have any back problems at all, Stack and Tilt will worsen them because of the even-more-odd movements you have to make in order for the swing to work.

Just my (semi-)educated opinion.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Rick,

Not sure on the lessons.....last one I took the instructor told me that "everything moves but my bowels" when I swing and walked off.  I wondered how he knew my bowels didn't move either!

My advice follows the shorten your swing mode.  Slowing down and shortening the swing will probably cure 99% of what ails the average golfer.

But, I probably know as much about the golf swing as I do about golf course architecture!

[Bob_Huntley]

Go to www.cegolf.com and put confusion to rest. This is pure Hogan.

Bob

[Mike_Cirba]

Golf is a game devised to drive human beings insane.

On a recent trip to Michigan I played up and down golf, but by the end of the six days I would hit the ball as far sideways as forwards...when I was hitting it at all.

Then, I played in a corporate outing this past week and despite a handful of good shots, still largely sucked.

Then, I watched a Long driving/trick shot artist after that tournament and came to the rapid realization that I hadn't made an actual shoulder turn in probably a decade or so.

Today, I went out with that in mind....simply complete that backswing and turn the shoulders....and hit virtually ever shot simon pure and probably added 15 yards per shot over what I'd been growing accustomed to recently.

Funny game this golf.

[Bruce Leland]

Rick,

Not sure on the lessons.....last one I took the instructor told me that "everything moves but my bowels" when I swing and walked off.  I wondered how he knew my bowels didn't move either!

JB, now that was PRICELESS!