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Old     (depswa)      Join Date: Nov 2000       08-12-2010, 4:17 PM Reply   
I know this isn't a golf forum, but I know a lot of you play and I didn't feel like joining another forum as this one already makes me unproductive enough! LOL Hopefully you guys can give me some advice.

I have been playing golf a few years now and seem to ride a roller coaster of suck vs. more suck....When I started, I was hitting the ball O.K. and getting decent distance, but I learned on my own and had some bad habits.

I took a lesson and it threw me for a loop...He changed my grip and whole swing. I was hitting o.k. for a couple weeks after the lesson, but then it was gone...no more distance and just feeling weird.

I eventually started getting better, but then I played with my dad, he taught me a variation of the Stack and Lean (or tilt whatever it is) and it seemed to help my drives, but I still was hitting the ground more often than I liked.

Recently, a buddy of mine that is a golf pro told me that I need to shift my weight to my back foot on my backswing and then transition it forward to my front foot on my downswing....(He said because I was front-foot heavy (S&T) I was hitting the ground a lot and that putting the weight on my rear leg would reduce it.

Makes sense, but now that I'm trying that, I completely lost my drive!

Should I go back to the Stack method? Is there a better way to keep from hitting the ground so much? (for reference, I'm broken club heads off of my driver and 3 different 3 woods! Ugh!)

Let me know if you guys have any advice...because I am hitting fat, should I stay away from the stack and tilt? If I do steer away from it, I'm worried everything else is gonna fall apart.

Damn this sport is frustrating! HA!
Old    ScottRobinson            08-12-2010, 5:50 PM Reply   
Dude... Was a golf pro for a while, so hopefully this will help you.

Stack and Tilt isn't the best way to learn the game. I would for sure go away from that. You need to start from the bottom up. Start with stance and then grip. Make sure those are both correct. Look at some of the pro's at address so you make sure you get that part correct. That is where it all starts. From there make sure your back isn't hunched over. I see alot of new players bending at the waist too much. You should be just leaning over not hunched. Again look at a still picture of a pro you will see what I am saying.

On swing. Do some drills before heading to the course. You want to be able to hit shots before playing nine holes. Go to the range. Here are a few drills that may help you.

1. Feet together (literally) and take a half swing. Only up to your waist and work on making solid contact while not taking a huge fat divot. Here you need to concentrate on feeling the club at the bottom of the swing and where it is. We are taking your feet out of the equation and therefore taking the movement out as well. Once you get that and feel like you can do that easy put your feet where they are supposed to. STILL HALF SWING...!! Do that for a while again, make sure you feel the bottom of the swing. Take the club away low and just let it come back to where it started and the ball is in the way

2. Now do it 3/4 swing. If you need to put it on a tee just for a few. Don't go full go at it. Honestly I hardly ever go full go at anything. I am a +2 handicap. So, hopefully you see you can be very very good yet not try to kill the ball. If you have the correct technique you can hit it much further than just muscle. (I am 6' and 160lbs) Hit it consistantly 280. (those that say they hit it over 300 everytime are full of ****!!, if they could do that they would be on tour) It is NOT about how far you hit it. It is about how straight. So, use 3/4 swing until you feel like you can feel the golf club all the way down. Oh and don't even get the club parallel at the top. You should be around hand at right shoulder and club about a 45 degree angle behind your head.

If you can do that and hit the ball fairly good, honestly you are almost there. Just now go a bit further but always feel like there is some left. Meaning you should swing a golf club about a 7/8ths of what you can swing. Even less if technique is perfect. I hit alot of just over 3/4 shots for control. People want to hit it far, (so they work on Drivers and 3 woods) put most of the time you are chipping and putting. So practice those too. Oh use a 7 iron for all those drills.

Hope that helps some.
Old     (baitkiller)      Join Date: Jan 2010       08-12-2010, 5:54 PM Reply   
wasn't Danny Noonan the kid on Caddy Shack?
Old     (puckinshat)      Join Date: Sep 2003       08-12-2010, 6:30 PM Reply   
I'm 6' 180lbs and hit it 310-320 consistently. The golf swing is not about sheer muscle; however, more about timing. I have a hockey background and my swing is the epitome of a slapshot. I have yet to find a par 5 I can't reach in 2 with proper shot planning, but I can't putt a ball to save my life; therefore I'm not on tour. A 3 putt par is not uncommon for me.

I don't know much about this stack and tilt but I know I get my distance from a simple weight transfer with perfect timing. Weight transfer opening the hips at the right time is my key to distance. It doesn't seem conventional; however, I tell all the people I play with that marvel over my distance to get a few dozen hockey pucks and a net and shoot 100 slap shots a day. That will do a lot more for your distance than hitting 100 drives, guaranteed.
Old    ScottRobinson            08-13-2010, 9:07 AM Reply   
Yes Bait! lol
Old     (depswa)      Join Date: Nov 2000       08-13-2010, 9:59 AM Reply   
Yes he was...I hear that all the time...I think I should get royalties...I was born before the movie came out! HA!

Scott and Mark...Thanks for the input! (Mark I hate you by the way! HA! Just Kidding, but 310-320 consistently! Damn!!!)
Old     (buffalow)      Join Date: Apr 2002       08-13-2010, 1:50 PM Reply   
Get you arse up here and play with us big boys. I think your swing is messed up 'cause it's not a guitar! We know you can swing that bad boy.
Old     (stanfield)      Join Date: Mar 2004       08-13-2010, 2:27 PM Reply   
Golf is a game of finesse and there isn't some manual that just breaks it all down to a few simple steps where everyone can play it well. Everyone's build is different, body shape, fitness level, equipment, etc.......

I just broke 80 last week for the first time, shot a 7 over 79. I'm by no means a great golfer, I'm normally in the 81-84 bracket. Having said that, for a former "golf pro" to say that anyone that can drive 300+ consistantly should be on tour is just beyond assinine. I'm not a big guy, 6 foot 185ish. I can easily hit my driver in the 300-325 yard range and usually be pretty dead on accurate, be it straight, a fade, or a draw as needed. With that said, my short game leaves a bit to be desired and I'm unusually short with my mid irons. My 5 wood off the fairway I have to tame down to be around 250 and I don't even carry a 3 wood. And with that, I'd gladly give up some distance with my long clubs for more accuracy with my 5-8 irons.

The saying stands true, drive for show and putt for dough. Doesn't matter if you can drive par 4's in 1 if you have to 3 putt.

I know I've contributed nothing to this thread dangit, but a prev post got to me. My advice, just continue what you're doing. Work with a golf pro every now and then and continue to practice. There are not shortcuts to solid fundamentals in golf just like there aren't any in wakeboarding. Practice practice practice.

Even the best of the pro's struggle week to week. Little ticks in your swing show up and you just have to work them out.
Old     (depswa)      Join Date: Nov 2000       08-13-2010, 2:58 PM Reply   
Thanks guys! Buffalow! Lets do it! How about a weekend of riding and golf Labor Day weekend?

I got a new set-up (CWB Faction and CWB ANswers) that I haven't rode yet...but it looks damn pretty on my wall! HA! Would love to cristen it's maiden voyage with delta water! LOL

Last edited by depswa; 08-13-2010 at 3:01 PM.
Old    ScottRobinson            08-15-2010, 6:52 AM Reply   
First off, if you hit it 300 yards consistantly straight then YES you should be on tour. Length is basically the one thing you can't teach. So if you have all the mechanics to hit it that far and you say you hit it straight then YES you should be on tour. You should be good enough then to putt and chip and hit a 5 iron to 15 feet. I see this all the time. People say they can hit it 300 yards all the time. Most of the time they are hitting it more like 280 and they remember only the one or two drives all day that went great and forget the other 12.... Either way I don't really care. I had my chance and I couldn't make it, so whatever. I was just trying to show him some things to make him better. No one else offered anything he could use, other than. "I can hit it 300 yards consistantly" LOL

Give him something to make him better, don't just say you can do this or that. He didn't ask "How good at golf are you" He asked for help.

Dan- I do agree with getting some lessons from a Golf Pro. Stick with what they are saying. Most of the time you have to take a few steps backward to take many forward. Golf is one game that you have to practice to be really good. So know what you want out of the game. If you just want to be able to step to the first tee and relax and hit it and play a round with friend you don't have to be great to do that. My Dad always wants to be great so I have a hard time playing with him because he can't break 90 yet I shoot in the 60s. He gets so frustrated thinking he should be able to do that. Know your limitations and don't worry about what others are doing, do what you can do and have fun with it. I say any sport you can do with Beer is a good one!

Golfing, Wakesurfing, Bowling and Billiards....ALL GREAT with buddies and beer!
Old     (wake77)      Join Date: Jan 2009       08-15-2010, 9:48 AM Reply   
I have met many golfers that claim they hit 300 yard drives only to observe they are more in the 250 range. 320 is about all Tiger has unless the hole is playing downwind. I doubt that many (probably only a few) can hit a driver farther than TW when he really steps on one. A consistent 300-325 yard drive is going to leave you a flip into most holes at a municipal course. No reason you should be struggling to break 80 when you are driving it that far and that straight. I have never seen someone (I have played a bunch of golf) be able to drive it that long and straight and not be able to hit a short iron or wedge.
Old     (stanfield)      Join Date: Mar 2004       08-15-2010, 3:48 PM Reply   
LOL, Top pro's average 300-315 off of the tee because they're playing the hardest courses in the world, with the narrowest fairways, in the craziest conditions, and trying to remain accurate. Any given day, just about any one of them can go 400+ if just swinging for the fences. 500+ has been recorded. There is a big difference between playing Augusta for a million+ dollar purse and coming close to driving the green on your local, straight, wide open, short municiple course.

For those around Dallas or Chicago, visit a Top Golf range if you ever get a chance. They have chips in their balls and tell you instantly exactly how far you're hitting.
Old     (wake77)      Join Date: Jan 2009       08-15-2010, 8:04 PM Reply   
Stanfield, how much professional golf do you watch? I am going to list a few players that cannot hit it 300 much less the 400+ you seem to think is a regular occurrence:

Jim Furyk
Zach Johnson
David Toms
Corey Pavin
Luke Donald
Justin Leonard
Rocco Mediate
Tim Clark
etc., etc., etc.

I would never trust a chip in a driving range ball to give me an accurate distance. Nor one of those computer nets you hit into.

There isn't one guy on the PGA tour that can hit it 400 yards.
Old     (cwb4me)      Join Date: Apr 2010       08-15-2010, 8:27 PM Reply   
sounds like the paycheck talk. i know guys who say they take home 1500.00 a week but only make 36000 a year.how can that be just like golf,fishing ect. the truth gets streched a little. the chips in the balls are like speedometers all read different.i don't play golf because i can't even beat my wife at putt putt.LOL
Old     (stanfield)      Join Date: Mar 2004       08-16-2010, 4:39 AM Reply   
Jeremy, clearly I wasn't saying it was a regular occurance on tour, those stats are widely available. What about someone like Bubba who's averaging 310 ON tour? You don't think he has plenty left in the reserves to go much further if not playing for big money?

I really don't find it hard to believe that someone like Mark can hit a stupid golf ball 300 yards, its really not that big of an accomplishment and happens every day by mediocre players all over. Having a legit +2 handicap like Scott claims would be a much greater accomplishment and much harder to come by.

Anyways, good luck Danny Noonan. I know it must be hard trying to get into Law School when your parents are broke.

Last edited by stanfield; 08-16-2010 at 4:40 AM. Reason: typo
Old    ScottRobinson            08-16-2010, 7:08 AM Reply   
I agree Stanfield. Hitting the golf ball far can be done. I am not saying that I can't hit it or haven't hit it 325 or better. It is just a perfect shot that lands perfect and bounces perfect and rolls perfect. All that doesn't happen often even for great players. Bubba is a freak. The fact that a person can only name really ONE guy maybe Tiger too...but still one or two guys in the world that average that where someone can actually have stats to back it up is a telling stat. Yes there are those long driver guys but they don't count. We are talking JOE PUBLIC. He doesn't hit it that far, yet you can find a TON of guys out at any local bar or 19th hole that say they can. I love those guys....I tell them great what is your handicap...then because they are all puffed up saying they hit it far they say...."oh I am a 6.." When really they are a 10 or worse. So I say great I will give you 7 shots and lets go play for $20 a hole.... never fails.... they suck! I win all the money and they claim to have a "bad" day.

Hitting it far means nothing if you can't score. I love this game, yet I do wish we would take handicaps out of it all together and I could care less how far someone hits the ball. Unless I am playing BUBBA or TIGER....then I crap my pants !!! lol
Old     (stanfield)      Join Date: Mar 2004       08-16-2010, 1:13 PM Reply   
I have to stand somewhat corrected today. This morning my playing partner and I cleared off a section of the range and sent 10-15 balls a piece down as far as we could. We then went and measured with a gps. Furthest ball was 317 and the vast majority right at the 297-305 range.

We then went and played 18 and measured our tee shots since nobody else was dumb enough to be out in this heat. There wasn't any wind today. All of mine were right at 285-290, with one being 307. The biggest issue I found, was that all of my club's yardage markers were WAY off. I mean center of the fairway to center of the green, they were 10-15 yards off in either direction, sometimes more. Which certainly explains some of my frequent errant shots that felt like good strokes, but came up short/long. Clearly I need to keep some mental yardage markers via landmarks.

And LOL at what people say their handicap is. People are so full of it. The dude I play with every day would tell you that he's a +7-8, but if I were to actually keep his score on any given day, he'd be up more around +16 and that wouldn't even be including a foot wedge or two on a bad lie. I've never understood people that embelish their score, nobody actually cares about your score, but you. Funny that people will just lie to themselves about something so trivial.

Anyways, be the ball Danny. After my monster 84 today, I should probably look into this stack and tilter stuff.
Old     (amo)      Join Date: Jan 2009       08-16-2010, 2:57 PM Reply   
stay away from "pure" stack and tilt. good in theory, bad in execution through the bag.
Old     (puckinshat)      Join Date: Sep 2003       08-16-2010, 6:40 PM Reply   
"Hitting it far means nothing if you can't score. "

Agreed 100%. That is why with even my distance I have not broken 70 ever and haven't broke 80 since college. I also tend to lose a ball or 2 OB because greater distance yields greater shot dispersion. When playing a tight course I seriously hit "a" drive per side. Keeping the ball in play is far more important than distance.

When I say my average drive is over 300 yards, I am saying just with a driver. I am NOT saying all of my tee shots on non par 3 holes average over 300 yards. Tour stats (to my knowledge) include holes where players hit a 2 iron or 3 wood off the tee.
Old     (puckinshat)      Join Date: Sep 2003       08-16-2010, 6:41 PM Reply   
And listen to what AMO says when it comes to golf.
Old     (liveoz)      Join Date: May 2002       08-16-2010, 10:09 PM Reply   
Dan,

Get your star up to Seattle sometime. I'll fix your swing and we can do some riding. I think you are due for a road trip.
Also, stay away from the stack and tilt, I have seen very few people able to pull it off. Seems to work best with taller people.
Old     (liveoz)      Join Date: May 2002       08-16-2010, 10:15 PM Reply   
Dan,

Get your star up to Seattle sometime. I'll fix your swing and we can do some riding. I think you are due for a road trip.
Also, stay away from the stack and tilt, I have seen very few people able to pull it off. Seems to work best with taller people.
Old     (lukewtwt)      Join Date: Apr 2003       08-17-2010, 8:57 AM Reply   
I googled "phil mickelson long drive" and pulled up these stats from 2007:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/gol....html?tour=PGA

The longest recorded drive on tour was 403 yards, with a 363 yard drive tying for 252nd place.

I am a short hitter, but I watch guys I play with hit 300+ yard drives on an open downhill hole on a somewhat regular basis. It's the rest of the clubs that matter, not the driver.
Old     (depswa)      Join Date: Nov 2000       08-17-2010, 1:26 PM Reply   
Troy! Would love to get up there man...hit me up with your number...I think I have had 3 different phones since you moved and lost your number! HA! depswadan@gmail.com

I was in seattle very briefly a couple weeks ago and was wondering how you were doing...What course are you managing?
Old     (mnwakerider)      Join Date: Jun 2004       08-18-2010, 1:46 PM Reply   
Love seeing these threads pop up on WW. I have steadily been working on getting my game better. But a couple of cracked ribs really stopped my game this season. Last year, I was working on breaking 80. Still working... But what the Scott has said is so true. I find when I dropped 4-5 handicap points this year, it was because I always felt like I could two putt out or get up and down from just off the green. AMO gave me some great drills last year. The biggest thing is practice with some focus. Dont just go to hit balls. Go with a purpose. Do some of the drills that Scott said and you will see your game improve. When I saw the most improvement it was when I was spending around 6-8 hours a week practicing and then playing 1-2 full rounds a week on top of that (god I love my wife )

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