Games November 2022 - In Closing...

[games]

So, a 5 hour flight delay in Vegas gives me time for some deets on the weekend at Monte’s....

 

Friday: First five minutes of the 45 minute session, Monte succinctly says: “Your lower body is a mess. Get on the Boditrak.” Pressure points are all out of whack. Main culprit: Lead leg isn’t straightening through impact, it’s sliding. And oh by the way, the trail knee is sliding too. Have to reprogram sequencing. Lead heel at address to trail heel at top, then back to lead heel. Doctors orders are to practice punchy half-swings, then every fifth ball, let it rip.

 

Saturday: Monte takes day off to recover. I hit 300 range balls. 80% punchy half swings, 20% full.

 

Sunday: First 10 minutes looked at full swing. Basically I get Herb Brooks “not great, but better.” Lol! Go to short game area and I proceed to stub the first pitch. Monte says just like full swing, too much lower body. So we work on 80% weight on lead leg, no rotation and go! A few decent shots. No one decapitated with a skulled chip. We call it victory then head to the bunker where I apparently have decided to subconsciously adopt every Peter Kostis and David Leadbetter tip ever given on bunker play, and very simply can’t get out! Monte fixes it with a comment: “Just release the f-ing club!” I pop it up on the fringe and we’re done. <Editorial comment: Monte is much more patient and kind to new students. Those who should know better like me, he doesn’t mince words>

 

Sunday playing lesson: First, for those that haven’t played Oak Creek, the back nine is pretty cool. First tee ball I put closer to the pin, just off the green, than Mr Cargo Shorts. But darn if his putting isn’t improved. He narrowly misses a 40 footer, but easy par. I hit my putt from the fringe and immediately get flagged for excessive truncal rotation AND complete absence of technique. I’m not giving this one away because I think it’s in Monte’s videos. But, bottom line: I didn’t hit a bad putt the rest of the playing lesson!!! Misreads, yes. But no stubs. Later, I had a 40 foot left to right downhill slider with uphill at the very end that I put three feet from the hole. Monte makes me putt it, so I put it in. No biggie. Been doing it for a whole hour! Lol!

 

I will add that IMO, I declare my short game fixed. Putting, chipping and short pitches are good. Monte can attest: I hit one bad pitch out of about 12-15, and it was on an uphill lie that I had difficulty with shoulder alignment. This isn’t surprising as I’m a former competitive bowler and hand eye comes easy. Full swing and more bragging on Monte gets the next post.

[Hawkeye77]

Bunker is classic, glad to hear about short game!

[MonteScheinblum]

So, a 5 hour flight delay in Vegas gives me time for some deets on the weekend at Monte’s....

 

Friday: First five minutes of the 45 minute session, Monte succinctly says: “Your lower body is a mess. Get on the Boditrak.” Pressure points are all out of whack. Main culprit: Lead leg isn’t straightening through impact, it’s sliding. And oh by the way, the trail knee is sliding too. Have to reprogram sequencing. Lead heel at address to trail heel at top, then back to lead heel. Doctors orders are to practice punchy half-swings, then every fifth ball, let it rip.

 

Saturday: Monte takes day off to recover. I hit 300 range balls. 80% punchy half swings, 20% full.

 

Sunday: First 10 minutes looked at full swing. Basically I get Herb Brooks “not great, but better.” Lol! Go to short game area and I proceed to stub the first pitch. Monte says just like full swing, too much lower body. So we work on 80% weight on lead leg, no rotation and go! A few decent shots. No one decapitated with a skulled chip. We call it victory then head to the bunker where I apparently have decided to subconsciously adopt every Peter Kostis and David Leadbetter tip ever given on bunker play, and very simply can’t get out! Monte fixes it with a comment: “Just release the f-ing club!” I pop it up on the fringe and we’re done. <Editorial comment: Monte is much more patient and kind to new students. Those who should know better like me, he doesn’t mince words>

 

Sunday playing lesson: First, for those that haven’t played Oak Creek, the back nine is pretty cool. First tee ball I put closer to the pin, just off the green, than Mr Cargo Shorts. But darn if his putting isn’t improved. He narrowly misses a 40 footer, but easy par. I hit my putt from the fringe and immediately get flagged for excessive truncal rotation AND complete absence of technique. I’m not giving this one away because I think it’s in Monte’s videos. But, bottom line: I didn’t hit a bad putt the rest of the playing lesson!!! Misreads, yes. But no stubs. Later, I had a 40 foot left to right downhill slider with uphill at the very end that I put three feet from the hole. Monte makes me putt it, so I put it in. No biggie. Been doing it for a whole hour! Lol!

 

I will add that IMO, I declare my short game fixed. Putting, chipping and short pitches are good. Monte can attest: I hit one bad pitch out of about 12-15, and it was on an uphill lie that I had difficulty with shoulder alignment. This isn’t surprising as I’m a former competitive bowler and hand eye comes easy. Full swing and more bragging on Monte gets the next post.

 

LOL

 

In my head, “All he has to do is make a more regular swing and not hold the face open through impact.”

 

Then a mild case of Tourette’s gets in the way before, “Release the F-Ing club or I’ll beat you to death with your putter head cover in front of all of these people,” is the verbal translation of that original thought.

 

At least I didn’t threaten to charge you double if you held the face open again. :-P

 

Kidding aside, you did really well and improved a lot. Swing will come along, but short game made huge strides.

[games]

I would have deserved a beating with my little cloth cover AND if there was any part of me left, final death blows with your Directed Force cover. That is one pretty flat stick, BTW.

[Hawkeye77]

Thanks for softening him up!

[games]

Thanks for softening him up!

 

You're next! Too bad we missed each other!

[Hawkeye77]

Thanks for softening him up!

You're next! Too bad we missed each other!

 

Would have been fun, but the two of us at the same time might make his head explode. ;-)

 

So gray and gloomy around here - the wife is letting me know every night how many days until we leave - she needs a break! Heck, I deserve one, too, darn it!

[games]

Epilogue on Full Swing: After completing business I had in Santa Ana, I hit 250 more range bullets. I am proud to say I left California with a full swing thought that I call "Bump, Bump, Dump, and Turn." (How original...)

 

Bump 1 - Start backswing with pressure transfer to rear heel;

Bump 2 - At top of backswing, transfer pressure back to front heel;

Dump - Drop the arms while keeping back to the target

Turn - Activate the shoulders and arms to "whip" the club across my body. I allow the "whip" to turn my body back to the target.

 

Through trial and error, I found keeping my back to the target during the dump to be really effective in allowing natural lead leg extension through the shot.

I learned the whip motion by doing quiet body pitches. (Still tough for me to scream "Hulk Smash!" while keeping a quiet lower body, though. Got to work on that...)

[games]

7/12 Update: The short game has really come around, thanks to just good old fashioned SMART practice. If you're having trouble integrating Monte's short game stuff, I HIGHLY recommend practicing like this:

 

In my backyard, I assembled a nice 10' Tour Links putting green I bought off Craigslist, and placed a mat about two feet away. I chip (actually more of a mini-pitch) onto it using my 56* SW with 12* bounce. Total distance is about 13'-15' from the impact area to the hole. Effectively, it's practicing being short-sided. Off a tight lie, you're forced to get a high-bounce wedge under the ball to clear 3-5 feet of "forced carry" between mat and green. You must keep the arms moving while projecting the ball only a short distance. If I don't clear the forced carry or if I send the ball bounding over the green, I know I did not keep the arms moving. Really good stuff. Hopefully this helps others...

 

On the full swing, my game off the deck is serviceable. Short, but OK. Even though I am one of the lesser players at Monte's clinics, I always feel my wedges and game from 120 in is just as good as anyone else in attendance. My weak area right now is my driver. And, it's purely mental. I lost a lot of ammo in some tight Northwoods courses last week. The sad part is at my distance, I should not be so wayward. This is my next area of focus, and I have a plan. Just need to win the lottery so this stupid work thing stops getting in the way...

[secondary]

7/12 Update: The short game has really come around, thanks to just good old fashioned SMART practice. If you're having trouble integrating Monte's short game stuff, I HIGHLY recommend practicing like this:

 

In my backyard, I assembled a nice 10' Tour Links putting green I bought off Craigslist, and placed a mat about two feet away. I chip (actually more of a mini-pitch) onto it using my 56* SW with 12* bounce. Total distance is about 13'-15' from the impact area to the hole. Effectively, it's practicing being short-sided. Off a tight lie, you're forced to get a high-bounce wedge under the ball to clear 3-5 feet of "forced carry" between mat and green. You must keep the arms moving while projecting the ball only a short distance. If I don't clear the forced carry or if I send the ball bounding over the green, I know I did not keep the arms moving. Really good stuff. Hopefully this helps others...

 

On the full swing, my game off the deck is serviceable. Short, but OK. Even though I am one of the lesser players at Monte's clinics, I always feel my wedges and game from 120 in is just as good as anyone else in attendance. My weak area right now is my driver. And, it's purely mental. I lost a lot of ammo in some tight Northwoods courses last week. The sad part is at my distance, I should not be so wayward. This is my next area of focus, and I have a plan. Just need to win the lottery so this stupid work thing stops getting in the way...

 

I have a similar back yard set up. This is the final hurdle for me to accept this method for short game all around. This short distance from hardpan (Tucson ain't lush at the courses I play) is just death. I did attend a OHIO clinic many moons ago, I have original Use The Bounce vid somewhere? But the ? I have on these short little soon to be skulled shots, is to you still play the ball more forward? Success rate is about 40% right now. On the course I always revert back to more ball in back of stance, lot's of roll out, let's play it safe and have a long putt technique. Would love to just commit and use the bounce all the time.

 

Sorry to interrupt, I just saw this and decided to use it as motivation to get back to work in the backyard.

[games]

I have a similar back yard set up. This is the final hurdle for me to accept this method for short game all around. This short distance from hardpan (Tucson ain't lush at the courses I play) is just death. I did attend a OHIO clinic many moons ago, I have original Use The Bounce vid somewhere? But the ? I have on these short little soon to be skulled shots, is to you still play the ball more forward? Success rate is about 40% right now. On the course I always revert back to more ball in back of stance, lot's of roll out, let's play it safe and have a long putt technique. Would love to just commit and use the bounce all the time.

 

Sorry to interrupt, I just saw this and decided to use it as motivation to get back to work in the backyard.

 

Awesome! Not an interruption at all. While not the best golfer, I do like to think of ways to "build a better mousetrap." I truly believe the mini "forced carry" set up can help others. It just takes practice. I do keep the ball forward (around my shirt logo) while keeping lower body VERY quiet.

 

I can see hardpan being a problem, but that shouldn't stop you from using the bounce. You just need a club with less bounce than the typical high bounce Monte recommends.

 

BTW, Monte has revised Use the Bounce and released it in version 2.0 with a "core motion" introduction and exercise that is simply pure gold. I used to think it wasn't for me, but I bit the bullet and started practicing it. My prior post simply did not give it the credit it deserves! Worth the investment...

[secondary]

I have a similar back yard set up. This is the final hurdle for me to accept this method for short game all around. This short distance from hardpan (Tucson ain't lush at the courses I play) is just death. I did attend a OHIO clinic many moons ago, I have original Use The Bounce vid somewhere? But the ? I have on these short little soon to be skulled shots, is to you still play the ball more forward? Success rate is about 40% right now. On the course I always revert back to more ball in back of stance, lot's of roll out, let's play it safe and have a long putt technique. Would love to just commit and use the bounce all the time.

 

Sorry to interrupt, I just saw this and decided to use it as motivation to get back to work in the backyard.

 

Awesome! Not an interruption at all. While not the best golfer, I do like to think of ways to "build a better mousetrap." I truly believe the mini "forced carry" set up can help others. It just takes practice. I do keep the ball forward (around my shirt logo) while keeping lower body VERY quiet.

 

I can see hardpan being a problem, but that shouldn't stop you from using the bounce. You just need a club with less bounce than the typical high bounce Monte recommends.

 

BTW, Monte has revised Use the Bounce and released it in version 2.0 with a "core motion" introduction and exercise that is simply pure gold. I used to think it wasn't for me, but I bit the bullet and started practicing it. My prior post simply did not give it the credit it deserves! Worth the investment...

 

Just been being a cheapskate about buying 2.0! I will dust the cobwebs out of the wallet. Thanks for the push

[games]

After some e-mail exchanges with Monte, I decided to spend the upcoming Wisconsin winter working on sequence along with some complementary strength training. About 15 years ago, I purchased a book summarizing the teachings of the late Paul Bertholy, written by Doug Ferreri, a former Bertholy assistant and a GolfWRX member! The book is still in print and can be purchased here:

www.paulbertholy.com

 

The book should be subtitled "Golf Kinematic Sequence for Dummies." It's a series of five programs, with the first program consisting of 10-second static holds of seven key positions in the swing. Later programs blend the positions into a swing. The amazing part is Bertholy was teaching this method back in the 1950s-1970s, long before 3D swing analysis, Tathata, and the Myelinator...

 

A few months ago, I was listening to Larry Rinker on Sirius talking about Dr. David Wright and Wright Balance. At the time, I bought Rinker's e-book related to high-core players. It got me interested in the concept, so I decided to do a Wright Balance assessment with a Wright Balance practitioner about an hour from my house. I won't bore anyone with the assessment process, as it is nicely summarized in this blog:

https://pluggedingolf.com/inside-look-wright-balance/

 

I was surprised to be assessed as a low core player. But, it does make sense as the Wright scale is primarily based on WHERE most of your body's lean tissue mass is located, and I carry a lot of weight in my trunk. Also surprising: The assessment showed my "natural" club delivery is trail hand "under." Finally, despite my size, I am flexible, and I can separate my upper body from my lower. (Not that I use this flexibility in my current golf swing, but it's probably time to start.)

 

If I adopt this low core model, I'm going to probably have to change a few things. Need to experiment and discuss more with Monte...

[games]

I'm setting aside the Wright Balance results for awhile. I don't doubt the assessment as a low-core player. The golf swing I've ingrained is simply high-core, especially with some recent adjustments I've made, and there have been a lot:

 

- Dropped 25 pounds in six weeks (a long story for another time);

- Switched from strong trail hand grip to very weak (literally on top of the grip) which is keeping me in play more off the tee;

- Narrower stance has helped quiet my spastic lower body action

- Short game is really dialed in through sheer practice of Monte's technique (only using SW and LW)

- Started the Bertholy work early

- Went single length irons with Edel SLS-01s

 

I want to thank Doug Ferreri, the author of the Bertholy book for his very nice PMs inquiring about my progress. I am violating Bertholy's rule about golfing while doing the early programs. If you golf while doing them, you get an on-course mix of your regular swing, the random Bertholy "late hit" swing that goes 10-15 yards more, and an occasional s***k. Funny, I still remember the feel of the "late hit" swing from when I originally bought the book 15 years ago!

 

Today is a true litmus test for my game. I was invited to play in an outing at Lawsonia Links, one of the nicest public courses in Wisconsin. It's a two-man team event (six holes alternate shot, six holes better ball, six holes combined score). The guy who invited me was one of the better Wisconsin junior players at the same time Skip Kendall and JP Hayes were on the scene. It's going to be a fun day, and I look forward to seeing where I am and what I need to work on. Will report back, good or bad, on how the day went.

[games]

I asked my playing partner (a single-digit) to asses my game today. Here it is:

 

Putting: A

Short Game: A

Wedges: A

Driver: B+

Irons / Hybrids / FW: D

 

I had two 3-putt greens and NEVER putted on faster greens with more diabolical pin placements. While driver was only a B+, I was able to put every drive in play (although I did top one). While shots off the deck were disappointing (and surprising since I have always been a good iron player), my guess is the grip change is the likely culprit. I'll try using the new weak grip for the driver and keep the strong grip for all other shots.

 

Today was a really good day. Lots to hang my hat on, and some things to change. Lots to be positive and optimistic about!

[games]

I enjoy following Chris Schnee's journey to improvement with Monte because I feel Chris and I have a similar body type. To me, Chris's swing has become incredibly efficient, and I told him as much. Anyway, the past couple of weeks, I decided to make a concerted attempt to shorten and shallow my swing, and I think I succeeded. Below is a DTL from today, and my DTL from 10 months ago (steeper, longer).

 

My latest:

[media=]

[/media]

 

My swing from January 2018:

[media=]

[/media]

[games]

I forgot to add I picked up 3-4 mph clubhead speed with the shorter, shallower swing. The bad news was I have had ZERO time to ingrain it the past few months as work got off the hook busy...

 

Tomorrow (New Year's Eve) I'm flying out to stay and play at the Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix which is supposed to have a great practice facility and a very good resort course. Really looking forward to a few days of golf and warm weather. Need to continue to work on the short and shallow while continuing to increase CHS.

[games]

While I was in Phoenix, I decided to take lessons from Jeremy Anderson, head pro at the Legacy Golf Performance Center. Great guy, and is very technical. Like Monte, he can translate his technical understanding into easy-to-understand instruction. Here's a before and after at the top of my swing:

 

 

 

Now, my hands are much higher (see the hands in relation to the head) and even a little deeper at the top. I'm letting my elbow fly now, where before it was pinned. What you can't see in these DTL views is I am more stacked on the lead leg and my back is tilted more toward the target. When I transition correctly, the result at impact is the picture in my avatar. After a few sessions here back home, my increases in carry topped out at 15 yards across the bag! The last couple of sessions, carry is down 5 yards from the peak, but I can tell I'm reverting back to what's comfortably lazy (shorter swing, elbow pinned) rather than using my full range of flexibility to stretch things out.

 

Like Chris Schnee's lesson with iTeach, Jeremy was telling me some things that Monte has said to me in the past. So, to that end, I think it helps to hear a different voice, once in awhile.

[Hawkeye77]

Great look at the top!

[games]

Great look at the top!

 

Thanks! The cool part was learning more about how that position at the top transitions to the impact position in my avatar.

 

Speaking of transition, Jeremy identified my death move. My misses are pulled irons and high-right with driver. Back when I was 350#, I didn't rotate my body to square the clubhead, and there was no room for my trail elbow to stay internal. So, the only way to reach the ball with a square clubface was to let the trail elbow straighten and go "external" (rotate counter-clockwise) which is why a lot of overweight guys are OTT. For me, it causes pulls with irons, which I can live with. But, it kills me with penalty strokes off the tee, because I add a lunge (false power feel) which sends the ball right of Limbaugh.

[games]

Averages from today versus early January. Average carry increased 18 yards and picked up 6mph CHS in a month. Pretty good...

 

Today's session

 

 

 

January

 

 

 

Edit: January was with my old 33* 7-iron. Yesterday, I was hitting my new 34* 8-iron.

[games]

Now, it's just getting stupid. Last night I carried a PW 145 yards (sim measured, not MEVO). No boost, juice, wind, elevation, or other software BS in play. Clean drug test results available upon request. Going to try to get video tonight.

 

Obviously, part of it is sheer repetition and being able to stay loose, hitting shot after shot in a sim. Still, my average PW carry is now low 130s.

 

Aside from the higher, deeper hands, and full turn and tilt, I'm learning to relax my right hand. At address, I'm literally taking my right index finger off the club. When I allow my body rotation to square the clubface without applying force from that finger, ball go far.

[Hawkeye77]

You have to be dying for the snow to melt!

[games]

You have to be dying for the snow to melt!

 

Very true. But, at the same time, there's still enough to work on to keep me busy.

Example: The changes made at the top are core elements of Stack and Tilt. Like others before me, I'm having trouble getting used to 3W and Driver. A lot of that is my fault because I KNOW I'm not maintaining body rotation with those clubs as much as I am with the irons. (Edit: I hit both much better last night, than I have previously.)

 

At the same time, I believe Monte when he suggests new moves learned and ingrained with wedges and short irons eventually "filter up" to longer clubs.

 

And, if past is any indication, I'll probably do something idiotic to screw up my short game. (Although, when I was out in AZ, I discovered a cool little adaptation of Monte's short game technique to get short pitches to "check" rather than just roll out!)

[games]

Latest swing videos with Flightscope MEVO data for that swing. I promise I did not juice, boost, or otherwise tamper with the MEVO.

 

8-iron carrying 157 (sim had it pegged at 165):

[media=]

[/media]

 

I've been able to maintain the height of the hands at the top and most of the depth. I need to keep keep rotating my body so the clubs exit lower and more "left." But, it's so much better.

[games]

At this point in my life, I'm probably at a logical plateau. My distance is going to improve a bit as I continue to learn to employ my core more and swing more around my body. I'm going to share a few things I've learned through my learning process:

 

- The student needs to tell the instructor about unique things to them. I never told Monte of this extra flexibility I have, nor did I ever really consider using it until my Wright Balance assessment. I told Jeremy about it, and he wasted zero time challenging me to use it! My one regret is not letting Monte know this 250# sack of bones actually was actually capable of some athletic movement. Hopefully, Monte can use it to help me going forward.

 

- Weight loss and alcohol: In 2012 I weighed 390#. In 2014, when I met Monte five months after gastric bypass, I was 290#. The following year, I was 230#. Post-surgery gain-back of 20# is typical which means 250# would be acceptable. But, I was back up to 270# as I re-established my relationship with IPAs. This past summer, I stopped drinking and now I'm back down to 250#. One other tip: If you have the yips, stop drinking! See what happens...

 

- My distance epiphany: Obviously, getting my swing higher and deeper allows more acceleration. The other key to my distance improvement is retaining bend in the trail elbow. IF YOU RELAX YOUR TRAIL INDEX FINGER, it will help your trail elbow relax and retain bend naturally. I saw this on a video of Kevin Stadler when he won Waste Management a few years ago. This little move enables Bertholy's centripetal positioning and what Monte calls "elbow chasing belly button." It helps me achieve the position you see in my avatar!!!

 

It's time for a few thanks: To Jeremy Anderson, for challenging me, showing me what I was missing and why it works. To Doug Ferreri for sharing what he learned from Paul Bertholy and for checking in on my progress via PM here. (Anyone with an interest in kinematic sequence needs to buy Doug's book at www.paulbertholy.com ). To the friends I made at Monte's clinics (especially parmark, Hawkeye77 and prec1s1on). Also, thanks to Chris Schnee, who I consider my GolfWRX "swing model." Finally, to Monte for rekindling my enjoyment of golf, setting me on the right path, and for sparing my life during our 2018 lessons together.

[Hawkeye77]

This is all awesome, but I'm reading that last paragraph like you are retiring and heading off into the sunset!

 

Great read, keep it going! Chicago was great, although during the deluge I enjoyed having a beer at the table more than the actual Top Golf hitting part! Finally an opportunity for a return visit this year!

[Upper Michigan]

Super post and thanks for sharing. I’m attending my first clinic with Monte in September. I’m very much looking forward to it. Congrats on the progress and keep it moving forward.

[sailfishchris]

What a great post! Makes me look forward to Monte's clinic in New Jersey.

[games]

Hawkeye77 said:

Finally an opportunity for a return visit this year!

Hope to see you in June! If not for the clinic, just to drop by!

 

I started this thread because I KNEW I would find something to help my distance, and I wanted it out there when I found it.   Mechanically, it was just physical stretching, adding a little S&T, letting my trail elbow fly, and keeping my trail index finger relaxed.   IN THE END, the most important factor was me stretching myself MENTALLY, and doing things necessary for change to occur...

 

I'll continue to update the thread with scores and tales of visits to @MonteScheinblum and @JJAGOLF.  I am blessed to get to work with professionals of this caliber.  You won't find two nicer guys with more golf knowledge...