A couple of posts ago I talked about setting a personal scoring record for 18 holes of golf by shooting a 78. I am getting better and better or should I say more confident with my swing as I continue to practice the drills that Mike Southern gave me and The Doctor back at the end of May.
After taking a look at my swing, Mike put together a series of five posts with specific drills to get rid of the twisting motion in my forearms that was robbing me of distance and consistency. He promised me that if I practiced these drills, "I would pick up some yardage by the time we're done, simply because you'll be using your strength more efficiently. And you shouldn't feel as if you're working as hard to do it."
His words have proven to be prophetic because I have gained a significant amount of distance with all of my clubs and it doesn't feel as if I have to swing any harder to do so. Let's take a look at my club distances before and after working on the drills.
Before/After measured in yards under ideal conditions.
Lob Wedge - 70/100
Sand Wedge - 80/110
Gap Wedge - 100/120
Pitching Wedge - 110/135
9-iron - 120/145
8-iron - 130/155-160
7-iron - 140/165-170
6-iron - 150/175-180(rarely use it though)
5-iron - Stays in the bag
4-iron - Stays in the bag
22 degree hybrid - 180/220
3-wood - Stays in the bag because I can't hit it for some reason(Mike has me working on something for this club. We'll come back to this issue in a future post).
Driver - 230-240/260-275(on occasion, even farther)
This is an extreme advantage because now that I am longer off the tee, I am hitting more wedges and short irons into the green for my approach shots. Even if I am 160-165 yards out I can hit an 8-iron instead of thinking about hitting a 5-iron, which I can't hit. Because I don't hit a 5-iron, I would have to choke down on my hybrid and swing easier, which added to my inconsistency.
Mike and I were talking and we both agreed that my confidence factor has gone up a notch. This is because my ball striking has improved and also because I am doing what my body wants to do naturally. One of the things Mike mentioned was, "with your forearms relaxed and in this position, the natural forces in the golf swing act automatically. Anything that happens naturally tends to happen more consistently, and that's what we're after." And that is exactly what has happened.
During my "78" round, my best shot came on the par 3, 4th which measures 179 on the scorecard. The hole plays over water with a bunker guarding the right side of the green. The pin position was at about 170 yards. I took out my 8-iron because I wanted to keep the ball below the hole. The green slopes from back to front and I would rather have an uphill putt rather than one that was downhill.
I hit my shot and the ball took off. I knew it was a good shot as soon as I hit it. The ball landed just short of the pin and rolled right next to the hole and finished about 4 feet away. Almost a hole in one. I missed the birdie putt(still need work with the short stick), but I was not at all upset about a tap in for par and with the fact that my 8-iron went 174 yards.
If you are struggling with consistency or are looking for more distance, I encourage you to take a look at the following post series. I am living proof that they do work and because they are working, my scores are improving and I am having a lot more fun on the golf course. Have a great round and always hit your target.
Must read post series:
Photo found here.
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