Losing Touch

Hi Guys and Ladies,

Have had the time to practice intensively over the last few days at the range due to holiday and leave from work.

Seems like each time I go to the range too often, my standard drops with each day.

First day, I had maybe 3 mishits out of 50 balls, then more than 10, worst was earlier today.

Anyone has the same experience? Am I just tired....?

Chill .... It happens.

One important thing for improvement is to understand how u mishit, only then u will be able to correct it, if u didn't know, your number of bad shots will multiply.

Hey, i always wanna ask that too, I suspect it's fatigue. My problem is if i play continuously, the later part, my grip will not be firm enough anymore, the grip on impact always slip causing the ball not to take off and fly right

Mix it up with green practice...come back another day

I bought some impact tapes. I use 'em to find my how i mishit. E.g. found that I almost never hit on the toe, all my shots are closer to the heel, if not on the heel (shank city!).

If your impact is all over the place, then i'd recommend slowing down, take 3/4 swings, take a little bit more time between balls, pick a target, or stand with feet together or the right leg back (on the toes). Once you get the impact consistently then proceed with full swing

do u practice at mbgc?

pushslice wrote:

Mix it up with green practice...come back another day

I bought some impact tapes. I use 'em to find my how i mishit. E.g. found that I almost never hit on the toe, all my shots are closer to the heel, if not on the heel (shank city!).

If your impact is all over the place, then i'd recommend slowing down, take 3/4 swings, take a little bit more time between balls, pick a target, or stand with feet together or the right leg back (on the toes). Once you get the impact consistently then proceed with full swing

do u practice at mbgc?

Used to go MBGC but super packed after work on weekday.

Then after that moved to Bishan instead cos nearer to my place. The good thing about bishan is its balls are so dirty can see impact point.

Like yesterday, I can see the ball hitting on the sweet spot of the driver but I am not driving much more than 150m.

Body really feel like its aching all over though.

Think I'm out of my mind. Just went to range on grass. Strange thing is I'm hittin much better today.

Driving in excess of 200m

Piero, don't be too hard on yourself. I don't know how long you have been playing the game, but from the way you practice, I assume you are a relative newbie. Please excuse me if I am wrong of course.

Please allow me to explain, 3 mishits out of 50 balls is a very very good ratio since you are supposed to make mistakes when you practice in the search for a grooved and better swing. If you don't make mistakes, how will you know what not to do? Just as how will you know how sweet, sweet is, if you don't taste the salt? Even 10 mishits out of 50 balls is a good ratio. If you hit everything perfect right from the first ball, you're ready to join the Asian Tour for sure. I routinely mishit my balls in practice, but as long as I'm striking the ball better consistently with good dispersion towards the end of the session, I feel I've achieved something. Practice is not about how many balls you can hit perfect.

It's also not surprising to see more mishits with each passing practice day, you're wearing yourself out, and the danger is that you are in all probability grooving mistakes since your body will make compensations for the aches and tiredness left over from the previous day's practice, all without you consciously knowing.

And you might be hitting better today because after 3 consecutive days of practice, your muscles are getting used to the routine. I've played 4 to 5 consecutive rounds of golf over as many days, and I've found the first day to be good, the second day the worst since I'm aching and compensating in my swing. The 3rd day gets better as my body gets used to the routine, and the 4th day I'm feeling I've just about had enough golf. The 5th day I'm thinking of home already.

piero wrote:

Think I'm out of my mind. Just went to range on grass. Strange thing is I'm hittin much better today.

Driving in excess of 200m

Good to hear about the better ball striking, 50 metres is lot of gain in distance, but how about dispersion?

Hi Birdman,

Have been playing for 1 year++.

Always have a problem of balls going right but can be controlled if I reduce strength I use while doing my swing.

Hitting off a tee always feels easier than off a rubber tee.... think I have a physcological barrier. Similarly, hitting off grass as I am not too worried that the club will hit the floor.

duffader wrote:

One important thing for improvement is to understand how u mishit, only then u will be able to correct it, if u didn't know, your number of bad shots will multiply.

that the problem with me ... i don't understand my swing .. no mentor to go to

mowen wrote:

duffader wrote:

One important thing for improvement is to understand how u mishit, only then u will be able to correct it, if u didn't know, your number of bad shots will multiply.

that the problem with me ... i don't understand my swing .. no mentor to go to

Bro, how can u have any mentors to go to when u keep beating them???

piero wrote:

Hi Birdman,

Have been playing for 1 year++.

Always have a problem of balls going right but can be controlled if I reduce strength I use while doing my swing.

Hitting off a tee always feels easier than off a rubber tee.... think I have a physcological barrier. Similarly, hitting off grass as I am not too worried that the club will hit the floor.

Piero, when you use a tee, does the tee stay intact after the shot, or does the tee break very often?

Hitting off a tee or rubber tee should not make a discernable difference if you have the correct angle of attack. It's not entirely psychological for you, a wooden tee does have less resistance than a rubber tee through impact. It took me some time to adjust to using a rubber tee at first too, but once you contact the ball more on the sweet spot, instead of higher on the face, then you should not have that issue. If you feel more of the rubber tee on impact, then you could be contacting the tee more than the ball. Similarly, you are afraid of hitting the ground cos you are contacting the ground first before the ball. Without making any other adjustments, try moving your ball position until you find your contact improving. Then take note of where the ball is in relation to your feet and fastidiously stick to that same ball position. A movement of one inch forwards or back of your ball position makes a world of difference.

What I'm suggesting is just a quick fix for you to try, best to see a pro to get it done right.

By the way, I go to Bishan range too, lemme know when you're there next and we could meet up.

Hmmm......just found a way to lose touch yet hit well.
Drink lots of beer!
Now back to OCC range to hit balls after hse visiting (read: lots of beer), cannot feel or think how I am hitting but the hits are good. If only the headwind is not so strong here.

Bro...hope you're taking a cab

Birdman wrote:

piero wrote:

Hi Birdman,

Have been playing for 1 year++.

Always have a problem of balls going right but can be controlled if I reduce strength I use while doing my swing.

Hitting off a tee always feels easier than off a rubber tee.... think I have a physcological barrier. Similarly, hitting off grass as I am not too worried that the club will hit the floor.

Piero, when you use a tee, does the tee stay intact after the shot, or does the tee break very often?

Hitting off a tee or rubber tee should not make a discernable difference if you have the correct angle of attack. It's not entirely psychological for you, a wooden tee does have less resistance than a rubber tee through impact. It took me some time to adjust to using a rubber tee at first too, but once you contact the ball more on the sweet spot, instead of higher on the face, then you should not have that issue. If you feel more of the rubber tee on impact, then you could be contacting the tee more than the ball. Similarly, you are afraid of hitting the ground cos you are contacting the ground first before the ball. Without making any other adjustments, try moving your ball position until you find your contact improving. Then take note of where the ball is in relation to your feet and fastidiously stick to that same ball position. A movement of one inch forwards or back of your ball position makes a world of difference.

What I'm suggesting is just a quick fix for you to try, best to see a pro to get it done right.

By the way, I go to Bishan range too, lemme know when you're there next and we could meet up.

Wow... Thanks. Probably got to wait awhile. Wife's EDD is 10th Feb so baby is due anytime. I am just excusing myself for 1-2 hours during this holiday season to sneak out for some practice.

As for hitting the tees, I hardly break any tees but I think I have a problem of hitting the ball too high? Cos the tees sometimes dont even move after I strike the ball.

I walked over lah coz relative place opp OCC. Hehe

Btw, my bad, did not make it for practice this morning coz too drunk to get up.