A very big thank you to shorthitter and DGman

played a round at Laguna today with shorthitter aka Allen Kelly, along with John (not from GR, I think) and pocketace, and probably learned the one lesson that has been the tipping point of this trip back to Singapore.

During the rain break at the 18th (I was 47 at the turn and sucking so bad it wasn't even funny any more), he was showing us a video of his daughter's golf swing, and I asked how kids today grow up to hit the ball so well. shorthitter's answer was that kids (children) don't think about swing dynamics, swing plane, turning shoulder, ball position, etc. They only think about hitting the ball.

Sure, they don't always go in the direction that they want to, but they eventually get to the green and putt without having complicated thoughts in their heads.

It suddenly dawned on me what he had been trying to tell me all these months over email (he's been my Agony Aunt where golf is concerned) - stop thinking so much about my swing, and just hit the ball.

When the rain stopped and we were given the all-clear to resume play (4.30pm), I walked up to my ball on the 18th where it was sitting on the fringe after a sand shot out of the back bunker, and chipped it close with an AW and 1-putted to close the front 9 at 47.

On the 1st tee, I put what shorthitter had said into play and played like a child. Teed up, aligned, and without a concern for my backswing, takeaway, swing plane, etc, I ripped one down the center of the fairway, hit a 6i a little thin (it started raining heavily by this time, but no suspension of play yet) and got the ball to the edge of the green where I chipped and two putted for another bogey, all without worrying about my swing mechanics

On the 2nd tee, I did the same, driving a long one down the center of the fairway and hitting an iron cleanly into the green, and two putted to close with a par. Felt relaxed, happy and confident.

On the 3rd hole, a par 3, I hit my 7i a little thin, and the ball just made it over water, landing on the cow grass fringe on the near side of the green. I chipped on with an AW, and 1-putted confidently, with pocketace watching, to close another par. Relaxed, and just trusted my swing.

Play was finally suspended as we closed the 3rd hole and we called it a day from there.

shorthitter has been a great coach for me, and now I finally understand why he's been telling me to stop worrying about my swing. Today's lesson for me was - PLAY LIKE A CHILD.

Sure, there will be shots that I will miss, but the more I worry about my swing mechanics, the lower my chances of a good shot, because my mind is everywhere else but on hitting the ball. Granted, shorthitter says I have a sound swing, and that my problem lies between my ears, and I want to acknowledge him for his insight and guidance and getting me back into enjoying the game.

before I end this post, I also want to thank DGman for setting up my KZG Forged Z0 blades PERFECTLY. The True Temper TX Tour shafts in X-flex are AMAZING, are the perfect length, and the grips are the perfect size. If I ever had one set of irons that I could call perfectly set up, it would be this one. DGman, thanks -- You'll be seeing me again on Thursday cos I'm going to need to get the shaft lengths and grips my Srixon Pro100 irons set up like this set.

So touching... I almost cried for those who are betting with you on your next game.

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

Quote from the best selling book in history

I miss mommy...

Wow! Great outing for you today, bro.
Really happy for you!

ghoonk.....u shd thank me for not indulging you with individual bets

seldom i let fat cat off the bag.... that day i was kind , u know

slinger wrote:

ghoonk.....u shd thank me for not indulging you with individual bets

seldom i let fat cat off the bag.... that day i was kind , u know

Cause u got me mah .... enough to satisfy u ..... slurp slurp

Welcome

Bro Ghoon......very happy and glad that you are sharing this 'breakthru' with us

I am sure...I will soon play like a kid soon....

Kenneth.....like i always say....

Just hit the goddamn ball.

you mean i have not told you about Instinctive Golf????

DGman

PS...just a bit about putting.....we now have the Break30 system in the HOZ, its a very useful tool and allow us to establish if certain routine actually help or create problems for players.

we had a top pro whose practice putt actually confuse him, while another golfer was faring better on long putts with his eyes on the target rather than the ball.

its going to be an exciting year ahead, this new toy and the key inputs from the Grand Master (Nick Middleton) is going to help us help players putt better.

do you need a guinea pig for the HOZ? I learned something 'new' with my putting yesterday - i putt more accurately and roll it better when I set up with left ear over the ball instead of left eye over the ball. shorthitter and pocketace saw the difference after the rain delay as well, so it might not be entirely fluke

ghoonk wrote:

do you need a guinea pig for the HOZ? I learned something 'new' with my putting yesterday - i putt more accurately and roll it better when I set up with left ear over the ball instead of left eye over the ball. shorthitter and pocketace saw the difference after the rain delay as well, so it might not be entirely fluke

Does that translate to me getting more strokes from you?

nah, you gotta work harder! hahaha

Kenneth....there are key factors how a eye and hand dominance can affect putting.

in very simple cases where you feel that you are aiming left when you are in fact aiming right, a simple change in alignment position can help.

we had a golfer who can make all the long putts but the 5 footer is a guarantee 2 putts. thats we fixed by changing the eyes angle at address but a same change in the pre-putt routine.

i seriously think we need to find a very good sports optometrist to help us sort this out.

whats in the wrong alignment?

if you imagine you are aiming down the barrel of a rifle for a target. then you move the rifle 1 foot away from you and fire. thats the feeling that most golfers with the wrong alignment will feel. On the Break30 system, we found that the biggest culprit for a flaw putting stroke that lead to inaccuracy starts from doubt at the address.

if you ever play a round of golf where you holed putts after putts, you will noticed that you are probably very comfortable with your set up that day and you just know where every putt is going to go.

But when you have any doubt in your aiming, you will involuntary manipulate the putter head at impact or in some case lose judgement of distance.

we definitely need some guinea pigs and let me know who is interested?

DGman

DGman wrote:

Kenneth....there are key factors how a eye and hand dominance can affect putting.

in very simple cases where you feel that you are aiming left when you are in fact aiming right, a simple change in alignment position can help.

we had a golfer who can make all the long putts but the 5 footer is a guarantee 2 putts. thats we fixed by changing the eyes angle at address but a same change in the pre-putt routine.

i seriously think we need to find a very good sports optometrist to help us sort this out.

whats in the wrong alignment?

if you imagine you are aiming down the barrel of a rifle for a target. then you move the rifle 1 foot away from you and fire. thats the feeling that most golfers with the wrong alignment will feel. On the Break30 system, we found that the biggest culprit for a flaw putting stroke that lead to inaccuracy starts from doubt at the address.

if you ever play a round of golf where you holed putts after putts, you will noticed that you are probably very comfortable with your set up that day and you just know where every putt is going to go.

But when you have any doubt in your aiming, you will involuntary manipulate the putter head at impact or in some case lose judgement of distance.

we definitely need some guinea pigs and let me know who is interested?

DGman

ME.

1. when i addressed with my head behind the ball instead of over the ball, i stopped looking at my putter head and trying to figure out whether it was facing the right direction or not. Instead, i found myself focusing more on 'seeing' the line and trying to roll the putt down that line

2. I also did what you said by stroking instead of tapping, and practiced by rolling the putts while looking at the hole instead of the ball - strange feeling but it felt more natural

3. trying to stroke the putt with my eyes behind the ball feels more natural than when I am over the ball. and this seems especially so with the bullseye style putter, but less so with a plumber neck. not sure why.

4. lining up my putt by closing my left eye (I'm right eye dominant) seems to result in improved accuracy. not sure why.

eye dominance can shift with distances...the problem is more pronounced when you are short sighted. meaning you can be right eye dominance but when the distances is shorter, you may be less right eye led.

when you say you are aiming on the left ear, it means you are pushing the ball towards the left, therefore you feel hat you are behind the ball. for a right eye dominant golfer this may present a few problems:

1. your putter face may appear closed even when its dead square.
2. you may increase the loft of the putter face at impact hence you may experience a loss of distance.
3. you may experience a cross loop putting stroke (manipulative hands).

however, if you feel that the ball is rolling better with no skips, the ball goes where you generally aim and you judge distance well, then you may be less right eye dominant than you think.

i am left eye dominant but when it comes to putting, i am right eye. its like army days, i am left eye dominant, shoots with right eye and still manage to attain marksmanship grade.

have fun Kenneth.

DGman

wise words from shorthitter and you - stop thinking so much and hit the damn ball already.

you're right, it feels different when i'm far away, in which case, my old game plan of lagging it close enough to get this new 'technique' in play is back in action. the new 'technique'/ learning just helps my percentages inside 10 ft.

ball doesnt skip, but the bullseye isn't exactly promoting roll, so i often find myself on line but short. since my hands are already ahead of my eyes, trying to stroke the ball harder screws things up since I can't extend that much more on the follow-through, and i don't want to mess about with the clubhead speed (or should i?)

ghoonk wrote:

ball doesnt skip, but the bullseye isn't exactly promoting roll, so i often find myself on line but short. since my hands are already ahead of my eyes, trying to stroke the ball harder screws things up since I can't extend that much more on the follow-through, and i don't want to mess about with the clubhead speed (or should i?)

Part of the Solution is ZEN putter.

no solution is a putter with less or no offset.

we want him to suffer more before he gets his hands on one, don't we fellow UN members.

Sadam has suffered enough this week...

You are right boss. Methinks Having the right equipment aids the putter-er in producing the truest putt possible.

Whether can hole it depends on other mental aspect and 'technical' ability on the greens.

DGman, seems like you share the share eye dominance theory as well. I was just talking to Ghoonk about it just that day (i.e. I had to line my ball for putts as I am more left dominant and thus have an impact on the alignment).

this can be easily demonstrate with immediate results on the Break 30 system.

having the eye in the wrong position and the ill effects it produces have long been researched by Nick Middleton (No relation to Kate Middleton, i was told).

however the better you get at putting, the more eccentric your putting strokes, but that does not mean you do not hole putts.

DGman

DGman wrote:

this can be easily demonstrate with immediate results on the Break 30 system.

having the eye in the wrong position and the ill effects it produces have long been researched by Nick Middleton (No relation to Kate Middleton, i was told).

however the better you get at putting, the more eccentric your putting strokes, but that does not mean you do not hole putts.

DGman

Thanks. Looks like I will have to pay you a visit soon.

and more strokes for me, ha!