Following on... Process v result!

Following on from punkrockpga's thread....

I had a student today, and he was flushing his irons, but he was P**sed.....

I ask why, although I knew why, the ball was going way left of the target...

So I ask him what he should do...

And the answer is the one I get most often..... " I have to be upright/flat at the top of my swing".... or "take away more inside/outside" or another of a zillion different conflicting thoughts/tips...

The simple answer, align properly... he was hitting the ball so solid, but aligning way left...

Setting up on the mat, drag a ball to his feet, hit it and grumble because it missed the target... then do the same thing again...

Not once did he get off the mat to see where he was aiming....

So the process was great, (except for aiming) but the result was not what he wanted, so like most handicap players, the first thought is try something different in the swing....... but the swing was fine......

If he had changed the Process of hitting the ball the result would have been way worse......

So I agree that the "result" is important and unfortunatley most noticed, but if the ball goes haywire, you must first ask yourself "was the process correct"

i just like to add......

input ALWAYS equals to result, good or bad, there are no exceptions.

the most amazing thing i see most of the time is when someone shanked a shot, they will immediately look at the sole of the club as if to say, behave!...my thoughts: poor club its not your fault.

in your case AK, i am sure your student looked at you as if to say...what have you done to my swing.

DGman

DGman wrote:

i just like to add......

input ALWAYS equals to result, good or bad, there are no exceptions.

the most amazing thing i see most of the time is when someone shanked a shot, they will immediately look at the sole of the club as if to say, behave!...my thoughts: poor club its not your fault.

in your case AK, i am sure your student looked at you as if to say...what have you done to my swing.

DGman

Haha it is always amazing how the 24 handicapper can blame the Pro after hitting a bad shot....

but it is also very normal (at least for myself) that i am not able to spot my own mistakes. thus hitting at the range sometimes is very frustrating because hit after hit, doing nothing but perfecting my mistakes ...

s-killer wrote:

but it is also very normal (at least for myself) that i am not able to spot my own mistakes. thus hitting at the range sometimes is very frustrating because hit after hit, doing nothing but perfecting my mistakes ...

Very true, but when you are at the range, you are more than likely working on changes to your swing... (the process) when you are making changes to your swing the ball will not fly properly, because you are doing something differently,

So if you go to the range and focus only on result, you will likely have a different swing each time...

I was watching LCB practice yesterday, and the bloke next to him, if I had time I would have filmed, LCB has about 4 practice swings and looks in the mirror to each ball... the bloke beside him drags the ball to his already open stance tops it then drags another and repeats... of the 2 one is practicing, the other making the range owner rich....

My point is when you are at the range, concentrate more on mechanics and impact, having a practice swing to "feel" what you are trying to achivie for most of your basket, then the last few focus only on result so you can build a trusting mode in your swing....

I find it really hard to align to the target, even by putting 2 clubs parallel on the ground and aligning my shoulder using the club that I am going to hit the ball with. Most misses are pull. Any tips on aligning properly?

This is what I do in driving range and might not be correct, maybe a pro can advise. I put 2 balls, 1 left and 1 right and form a like a gate about 4 " apart, in front of the ball that I am going hit about 10 " behind the gate.

I am trying to feel that I am going hit my ball through the gate .. This is just what I do sometime in driving range when I found my alignment is off.

Wah bro... You bring rulers to driving range????

"How you know" bro ? Haaaaa

I do carry a ruler in my golf bag to measure the height of my tee on the tee box. To made the ball height is actually half a ball top of my driver face ... And then I hit the ball on the lower potion of my driver face and the ball did not pass the lady tee box ....

Now I know it is some wrong with my ruler

Slicer51 wrote:

"How you know" bro ? Haaaaa

I do carry a ruler in my golf bag to measure the height of my tee on the tee box. To made the ball height is actually half a ball top of my driver face ... And then I hit the ball on the lower potion of my driver face and the ball did not pass the lady tee box ....

Now I know it is some wrong with my ruler

Slicer, you are using the ruler to measure the tee height or the club face?
If I see you take out a ruler and measure your tee height at tee box, I think I will faint

Shorthitter, you remind me of 1 person. Everytime I will see him standing on the mat and use the club to pull the ball towards him to hit. Without moving his feet, he will repeated the whole process again, ball after ball
And he will keep on complaining "Why I can't manage to hit the ball to the direction I want?"
I told him to look for David Copperfield

Slicer51 wrote:

"How you know" bro ? Haaaaa

I do carry a ruler in my golf bag to measure the height of my tee on the tee box. To made the ball height is actually half a ball top of my driver face ... And then I hit the ball on the lower potion of my driver face and the ball did not pass the lady tee box ....

Now I know it is some wrong with my ruler

Maybe you were mistaken between cm and inches

watermyforrest wrote:

I find it really hard to align to the target, even by putting 2 clubs parallel on the ground and aligning my shoulder using the club that I am going to hit the ball with. Most misses are pull. Any tips on aligning properly?

Sometimes it may be ur perception.

u may feel that u hv already align to the intended target but may not hv done so...

Process......for me tats the way to go

During game , I will be very happy if I had done:
1. check alignment before hit
2. good contact
3. good tempo (this one must thanks Bro SBY....after watching him, I swing slow motion liao)
4. Good composure and smile

Regardless of results as long as I have the 4, I am happy.

watermyforrest wrote:

I find it really hard to align to the target, even by putting 2 clubs parallel on the ground and aligning my shoulder using the club that I am going to hit the ball with. Most misses are pull. Any tips on aligning properly?

I agree with you 100% it drive me nuts, I have trouble aiming when the angles are not correct....

The "chopsticks" help alot even LCB was using yesterday, but if I can I just turn the mat in the direction I want to hit.... just remember to put it back.....

The way you are doing with the 2 clubs is correct, if you are 100% sure they are pointing where you want, then you must learn to TRUST.... the hardest thing in golf......

Slicer51 wrote:

This is what I do in driving range and might not be correct, maybe a pro can advise. I put 2 balls, 1 left and 1 right and form a like a gate about 4 " apart, in front of the ball that I am going hit about 10 " behind the gate.

I am trying to feel that I am going hit my ball through the gate .. This is just what I do sometime in driving range when I found my alignment is off.

If that works for you and makes you confident, then it is correct..... the reality is as long as you are aligned properly, confident and comfortable it is correct.....

jimmychoo wrote:

Shorthitter, you remind me of 1 person. Everytime I will see him standing on the mat and use the club to pull the ball towards him to hit. Without moving his feet, he will repeated the whole process again, ball after ball
And he will keep on complaining "Why I can't manage to hit the ball to the direction I want?"
I told him to look for David Copperfield

Crazy right.......

I tell my newbies if they want to learn, leave the balls in a basket on the seat behind the mat so they must walk from the mat, collect a ball and reposition themselves...

They do it while I am watching, as soon as I am gone......

shorthitter wrote:

watermyforrest wrote:

I find it really hard to align to the target, even by putting 2 clubs parallel on the ground and aligning my shoulder using the club that I am going to hit the ball with. Most misses are pull. Any tips on aligning properly?

I agree with you 100% it drive me nuts, I have trouble aiming when the angles are not correct....

The "chopsticks" help alot even LCB was using yesterday, but if I can I just turn the mat in the direction I want to hit.... just remember to put it back.....

The way you are doing with the 2 clubs is correct, if you are 100% sure they are pointing where you want, then you must learn to TRUST.... the hardest thing in golf......

Thanks Allen, it's true that the mat skew the alignment as well... looks like I have to keep turning the mat to the direction that I am aiming as well.

And yes, trust is the hardest thing, trusting the swing is difficult enough, trusting the club is even harder.

watermyforrest wrote:

Slicer51 wrote:

"How you know" bro ? Haaaaa

I do carry a ruler in my golf bag to measure the height of my tee on the tee box. To made the ball height is actually half a ball top of my driver face ... And then I hit the ball on the lower potion of my driver face and the ball did not pass the lady tee box ....

Now I know it is some wrong with my ruler

Maybe you were mistaken between cm and inches

There is, now I know why there were small numbers on one of the ruler and opposite side have bigger numbers .. What you called those things ? cm and inches ???

jimmychoo wrote:

Slicer51 wrote:

"How you know" bro ? Haaaaa

I do carry a ruler in my golf bag to measure the height of my tee on the tee box. To made the ball height is actually half a ball top of my driver face ... And then I hit the ball on the lower potion of my driver face and the ball did not pass the lady tee box ....

Now I know it is some wrong with my ruler

Slicer, you are using the ruler to measure the tee height or the club face?
If I see you take out a ruler and measure your tee height at tee box, I think I will faint

Heeee .. You know JC ... I think I am really going bring a ruler on my next round golf and really measure the tee before I put my ball on top of it. I am sure it is going to lighten all my golf buddy mood on the 1st tee box and maybe someone will faint "laughing" like you ..

process is a very fair thing. what i am referring here is the 'freak' results that was brought up.

i am sure alot of us here had 'good misses' but we just never hang onto it. shank the ball, fly straight right, then hit a tree/lamp post and comes bouncing back to the fair way. or like a certain GOH recently... top his approach shot on MBGC's 18th. the ball was rolling and bouncing toward the green, got a lucky bounce over the little canal over the front, rolled onto the green and curved towards the hole setting up for a nice birdie chance.


i know many of us here hang into the mistakes we did for the last few holes, but how many of you here count your blessings on the lucky shots.

again in the same game and flight, i noticed that another forum member here just let the bad shots weigh him down. even after a streak of good holes and good shots, no joy was taken but just a nervous look and obvious hope that the streak will continue.

Hoping would be what most of you ladies and gentleman here will do but it should be confidence that what keeps you going. I see nothing wrong with a 24 handicapper playing against a scratch golfer. Golf is more of game against one's self rather than against others. of course we all cannot run away from the occasional friendly wagers, then it is time to learn from a certain buayaee here. Be shameless and ask for more strokes! Otherwise see it as an opportunity to learn from someone of a different standard. Be confident in yourself. Like I said once, "if you do not even believe in yourself, who else will?"

Thanks MC ( can I put you in my category of 'Idol' ? ), the elements of contentment cum gratefulness plus confidence are something that need to be continually embraced as I get on the course. Thanks for the reminder

Typically if there is a streak of bad shots, I persevere coz I believed there must be an end to it.

In general, as long as I get on the green, I am very contented.

...just me 'D'.

Duval_S wrote:

In general, as long as I get on the green, I am very contented.

that is all the time loh. of course 1 stroke slower than most lah... but still... contented...

getting the routine night is an important process to give one a sense of confidence. if you can add some mental drills and thought, it will even help you score even better.

case in hand is the first game in 7 weeks that produce the same results (as the last 18 hole game, with no practice in between) at the end of the round. on route, we even beat the club champion at saddam and won the "insurance pot" as well with a chip in birdie.

kopi anyone? also looks like its time to spend more time playing golf too.

DGman

If you take care of the process, the process will take care of the result