Overcoming a big flaw

[Buzz]

I think I've posted a few times I currently play off 20, and I've been back to comp golf since November. I've done reasonably well, had some lessons, getting some shiny gear, practising.

I've always had a lack of distance and low clubhead speed because of reverse pivot ... I'm working on it.

But by far the biggest flaw I have is trying to hit the damn ball too hard. Obviously this flows from the above, I try to compensate by hitting it harder. I KNOW this doesn't really work. I try hard to stay in control with a smooth controlled takeaway. But I get to the top of the backswing and its like a surge, I throw my arms at it and can't slow down. At its worst I stop watching the ball and top it, and it goes nowhere.

I fight the urge every single swing. I'd love some thoughts on how to overcome this, I think it costs me a lot of shots every round.

[3Puttpete]

Is this all the time or just with driver?

[highballin]

Buzz I struggled with this sort of scenario last year when I came back to golf after 25 yrs.

Mate you have to get grip stance and posture sorted first. Go to a pro have a few lessons make sure you have the basics correct. You can build from there. If you don't get that right you are behind the eight ball all the time.

When your posture at set up is correct bullshit like topping the ball disappears. Still lots of work to be done backswing weight transfer etc. but it just keeps getting better if you practise the right things.

Me 2cents worth hope it helps.:D

[wizard_of_oz]

It's been observed that all good ball strikers have the same 3 to 1 ratio tempo. A good drill to help you stay in tempo is think 3 words on the back swing and 1 word on the follow through. For example, "low and slow" and then "release". "Slow" represents the moment the top of the back swing is reached and "release" should correspond to the moment of impact

[Buzz]

Suprisingly it probably happens least with the driver. I hit driver about 200-210, which while not fantastic is reasonably consistent. It happens way more on the second shot ... mid-long irons, hybrids. But also sometimes on the shorter irons too.

Setup and posture ... agreed I have been working on this and it helps a little.

Fundamentally I am 99% sure it is a habit born of the lack of distance. Every rational part of me knows that thrashing hard at the ball makes me hit it worse. Then I get to the top of the backswing and nine times out of ten all rational thought disappears, and the red fog takes over.

[Shortylook]

Buzz, I have the same problem. No distance with most clubs and all over the shop with my shot direction. I had lessons and tried hard to put them in play, but I tended to forget what I was being shown thru lack of trying. I'd hit one bad shot and everything would go out the window. I found I could hit a good shot but couldn't replicate it anytime I needed to. Went back to basic stuff, pro lesson again. Had a hit the last couple of days after almost a month off. Found that I was so slow thru the backswing and downswing that I was hitting some really great( in my opinion bloody awesome ) shots. My friend was giving me constant praise, like you have your game going great must be practicing heaps. I found after MrBluu told me to use a certain training aid, think it's called swingyde my grip was probably 75% the problem. The rest is me being a shit golfer. My grip the other day, while it felt strange, was great for a nice rhythmic swing. I'm a 20 cap to bear in mind so I might be full of shit too. Happy golfing mate

[3Puttpete]

I've been through similar issues off a similar handicap and found the most important thing for me is to remember to hit the shot I CAN hit, not the shot I WANT to be able to hit.

If I have to belt the ball at 110% to reach the green, I forget it. I use the shot I get on the hole and hit my second to a spot I'm comfortable reaching.

With shorter irons, if my110% shot will get me to the green, I choose my club then grab one longer. This helps me swing smoother knowing if I hit it 110% it's too much club.

None of this guarantees I'll end up hitting a good shot but it helps me to be a bit smarter on course.

[oldracer]

a pro I went to gave me a drill to help align me and part of it was a short back swing to a bit above perpendicular? and follow thru about the same and I found that when I hit it properly, it flew almost as far as my full blooded swing. 2 things, it was tempo and ball striking, the tempo helped the ball striking and voila, distance in the shot, all this assuming posture is correct. Now I am still very guilty of trying to smash the shit out of it a lot but the "tempo" in the brain slows the process down and helps the end result. Watch a good ball striker, effortless distance, ball before dirt and it looks so easy. I think you just need to prove to yourself you can get the same distance or even more by having a good tempo and you will naturally slow down to get the result, my 2 bobs

[Buzz]

Thanks guys I appreciate it. I'm all good until I get to the top, then it flies out the window. The rare occaision I manage to keep it smooth I hit it great but I can't stop the rush at the top ... its force of habit now.

[solarbear]

You can't play golf with a reverse pivot.

Try putting your weight on the edge of your feet the edge closest to the target. Swing. Keep the weight there. You will find your weight transferring to the front leg naturally cause your body doesn't want to fall over.

[Hatchman]

You can't play golf with a reverse pivot.

What's the handicap limit for this statement?

[Jackson]

With shorter irons, if my110% shot will get me to the green, I choose my club then grab one longer. This helps me swing smoother knowing if I hit it 110% it's too much club.

.

This helped me a lot with smoothing out my tempo, started taking one extra club than I normally would use. It's amazing how quickly you start swinging smoother after you hit the first few through the green.

[Buzz]

What's the handicap limit for this statement? About 19 I reckon since that's as low as I've been!

[Hatchman]

About 19 I reckon since that's as low as I've been!

Nope.
You can go heaps lower than that with a reverse pivot.

[Buzz]

Excellent, what should I be aiming at? :)

[solarbear]

I have seen guys off 10 or 12 with reverse pivots but they didn't hit a shot all day worth hitting. Mostly they just hacked their way around with ugly slices but could pitch well. I guess it depends on how you want to play. I assume Buzz wants to hit some brag-worthy shots. Best path for him is to find a golf system he trusts and believes in and follow it.

[Buzz]

Curious as to what you mean by "golf system" ??

[solarbear]

Curious as to what you mean by "golf system" ??

Just a way of swinging. For guys who really study the swing its more of a system than a swing with losts of different variables.

PGA
Stack N Tilt
TGM both hitting and swinging
One and Two plane
Ayers
Cmotion
Etc

They are all systems.

[Hatchman]

Excellent, what should I be aiming at? :)

There is no real aim apart from trying to get as low as possible but it is possible to get to mid single figures.
Contrary to the belief of some, you can still hit some great shots and not just cut and slap your way around.

There is no disputing that if your prepared to do some hard work and get some lessons along the way it's more beneficial to try a get the fault out of your swing. How ingrained it is will also determine how hard and how much work needs to be done to get rid of the reverse pivot. Finding the right coach to unlock the key move/thought that works for you is not that easy either.

Good luck with what ever way you decide to go with it.

[Buzz]

Oh its pretty ingrained!

That said I can shoot 90 and I've still got tons of improvement in my short game. I'm not saying I should ignore it but I think I will see scoreboard benefits by working on the short game first.

I just need to use three clubs more than most people :)

[solarbear]

Oh its pretty ingrained!

That said I can shoot 90 and I've still got tons of improvement in my short game. I'm not saying I should ignore it but I think I will see scoreboard benefits by working on the short game first.

I just need to use three clubs more than most people :)


Great! Short game is a great way of improving big swing issues. You can practice chipping and pitching counting how many in 20 balls you finish on the left foot.

I know where you are coming from. I used to be really short. But once I got a few issues out of the way, the sound the ball now makes coming off the club face gives me a great deal of pleasure. Sometimes I lay up just so I can use a full club instead of a pitch and hear that sound again.

[Buzz]

What were the main things you had to work on and the methods you used to address them if I may ask?

[wizard_of_oz]

Define "lack of distance" Buzz.. How far are you hitting a 7iron and your driver?

[Buzz]

7 iron 100m, driver 200m

[solarbear]

What were the main things you had to work on and the methods you used to address them if I may ask?

Too big to list. I tried every avenue. PGA instruction, TGM for years, finally I stumbled on the videos of Lee Comeaux. His videos were quite tedious and often went nowhere and discussed tons of stuff that were kind of irrelevant to learning the movement. It took a lot of patience to get the basics from them. I copied what he said as best I could. It took about 6 months and I am very happy with my irons in particular. Sadly, he took down a lot of the videos that were most useful. It would be near impossible to learn the swing or pass on the info without them. In 6 months I have made 10x the improvement I made in 6 years of TGM lessons.

I think at one stage I was hitting a 7 iron 115-125m.... so not a lot of distance. Now its my 150 club, which while not awe inspiring, is better than most.

If I was to make a short list
- swaying off the ball
- reverse pivoting
- big flip
- incorrect grip

Basically, I followed what Comeaux said and it worked.

[Bushka]

I had this issue forever. Massive reverse pivoter.

I used the reverse K a'la Edwin / slicefixer to get over it.

I'm more neutral with everything now but for me its that left side if you basically just turn until resistance with your arms and focus on staying strong on your left you'll eventually eliminate it.

I've got heaps of other problems but the reverse pivots not it anymore thank god.

[Buzz]

From bad to worse today. Went in with only two thoughts .... Smooth swing and watch the ball. Achieved neither.

So frustrating six weeks ago I was hitting the ball well now I'm topping plenty and distance is worse than ever even if I do strike it ok.

:(

[wizard_of_oz]

Time for lessons Buzz. You've tried doing it your way, unfortunately it isn't working and you need a swing coach to undo the bad habits and flaws.

[oldracer]

Time for lessons Buzz. You've tried doing it your way, unfortunately it isn't working and you need a swing coach to undo the bad habits and flaws.+1

[Buzz]

I had a block of six lessons a few months ago. Problem isn't knowing what to do but how to cancel out the bad habits.

[Jackson]

Maybe a different teacher? Surely a decent pro would be able to give you the right drills to lose those habits?

[mrbluu]

I had a block of six lessons a few months ago. Problem isn't knowing what to do but how to cancel out the bad habits.

Sure u had 6 lessons but how much time did u spend on the range working these faults???

[wizard_of_oz]

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome". Albert Einstein.

[WBennett]

What's the handicap limit for this statement? I am off six with one.....

[WBennett]

Buzz. Dont worry about it.
Form comes and goes.
Work on your short game and get up and down after the bad approaches. A bit of feel and touch helps the rest of your game through confidence.

[3oneday]

7 iron 100m, driver 200mI don't understand these, you would hit a full wedge 70 metres :shock:

If getting 6 lessons doesn't change what you are doing wrong maybe you're actually a woman?



Just kidding, where do you play Buzz?

[Buzz]

Yeah that's about right with the wedge. I hate it.

I agree on the short game aspect though.

Belconnen ACT

[Scifisicko]

My wife had big RP. She fixed it overnight with the thought "keep head behind ball", probably already tried it but sillier things have worked.

[Hatchman]

My wife had big RP. She fixed it overnight with the thought "keep head behind ball", probably already tried it but sillier things have worked.

It's a hard thing to eradicate and the same drill/thoughts don't work for all.
There's also the problem that you start thinking and trying multiple tips/thoughts at the same time because you've become that desperate and your head just ends up so cluttered making contact with the ball starts becoming an issue.
Wok on one thought/drill at a time until you find the one that works.

[Buzz]

Agree Hatchman, that's kind of how I feel in a nutshell.