Lazy hands!

Has anybody got any tips or drills for me using my hands properly.

I do get the feeling that when I swing I'm not turning my hands properly, and this means I have an open clubface when I hit the ball.

All I need it something that can enable me to check if I'm using my hands properly.

Thanks

Russ

The drill I just posted on the explanar thread Russ.

Thank you Dave, I'll go and read it now.

Russ

Nat has a drill for his hands his coach showed him as that was one of the probs he had before Christmas which was causing probs will get him to show you on Sunday when he plays with you.

Thanks Heather.

I'm looking forward to Sunday, I just hope the weather is nice for us.

Russ

I was just told to swing to 45', face should be pointing to sky, then swing through to 45' the other side, if your hands have worked properly then it should also be pointing vertically, just do that short swing til its inbuilt and work up to a full swing.

Thats what i was told anyway as i was releasing too early

Thanks Stephen, I'll start doing that and see if it makes a difference.

Russ

Hi Russell - i would try and concentrate less on your hands to be honest with you, as thinking too much about fanning open, rotating closed can cause timing issues. A good turn away from the ball, followed by a full release throughswing will take care of the club face.People who get too handsy have good days and many many bad days (and I speak from experience).

My golf coach has taken my hands out of my swing by concentrating more on my core and my shoulders. Lazy vs active hands can get you into bother.

A good practice drill I can recommend is to practice slow motion swings with a tennis racket. Address the "ball" with the tennis racket in your hands in the same way as you would hold your club - practice turning away from the ball to 9 o'clock then through to 3 o'clock  taking note of the tennis racket's face. Your forearms should dictate the face of the racket not your hands.

the other drill is to do the same but holding a basketball in your palms making slow turns away and through. (aiming to throw the ball over your left shoulder on the through swing).

The world's best players couldnt compete consistently if they played golf with their hands, and neither should you.

Next time you go out and play, try and feel your right forearm rotating over your left forearm through the imapct area, provding you stay down and behind the ball it should help you hit the ball straighter or even with a little draw if thats what your seeking ?

Hope this has helped. - ACoomZ

Thanks Alex, I'm playing tomorrow in a trial game to represent my club in the competitions this year.

I'll give it a try during my warm-up session.

Russ

I wouldn't do that if I were you Russel, not before a trial game.  Far be it for me to tell a lower handicapper than me how to play, but in my experience it's best not to try and confuse yourself unless you're confident about being able to completely forget what you've just been trying to do.  In my experience you need to be on auto-pilot with your swing with a bit of adrenalin flowing otherwise you start thinking about the swing instead of the shot...

Good luck with the trial though.

 I am never concious about my hands, except when near the green. I've too many other moving parts to think of. I've thought about it but it might open a can of worms.

Tim, thank you for your best wishes for my trial tomorrow.

You are of course correct in what you are saying.

I will try what Alex has said during my practice session, but I will leave it on the practice ground!

I'll use what I know and trust whilst playing.

Only when I'm happy with something new will I try it in a competitive game.

How many times have you played with somebody who's had a lesson/tip and they have walked straight onto the course and tried to use it, only for it to be a disaster?

Russ

I would offer my advice on this topic, but have decided that in the current climate it would be better if I left it to the experts. You know the ones, the shop assistants from across the border.

What I will say to you Russ, is don't do it ,as it was technically incorrect.

 John, as I've mentioned, your input is valuable and I, along with many others look forward to reading it. Don't be drawn by these timewasters and I wouldn't bank on any of the miscreants posting anything relating to golf.

Thank you Patrick, I am pretty thick skinned, so there is no chance of that lot ever intimidating me.

Any advice I may offer is genuine and anyone is free to dispute anything I say. But, to dispute any golf instruction the writer must explain why, what I have said is wrong and what would his advice be.

We all have a different idea as to how this game is played. You were a good player in your younger days, Patrick, so know exactly what is required to get and maintain a single figure handicap.

Well, what can I say, I overlaid a bit so only got to the course thirty minutes before the first tee time.

I was lucky and ended up in the last group out (six groups of four playing).

So I managed to get a bit of a warm-up in.

I played out of my skin and did my best ever round on the Abbotts course, playing from the white tees.

I did an 86, which gave me 38 points so I've a very good chance of making the team.

The worst thing is I can look back on this round and see easily where I should have save at least four shots!  But we can all do that.

Russ

Well done, Russ, I knew you could do it.

Good to hear you played well Russell - especially as it was off the tips. Every course is full of yellow tee single digit handicappers - playing well off the whites in strokeplay is what distinguishes the good golfers and you've proven that you can - take confidence from this, and set your sights even higher  !

Interested what the cryptic messages between John and Patrick are all about, and what element was John referring to as "technically incorrect".

I am sure you are Alex, but I have had enough of getting into arguments over technique.

We all see things differently and though I disagreed with what you said I was no going to raise it in open forum.

You are a very good player and I would not presume to argue with you over something that we differ on.

As it happens Mr P, I agree with everything you say, but I just did not wish to start an argument with Alex, so I made no comment.

Golf clubs, of whatever origin are way overpriced. My opinion.

Forgive  me if I've read this incorrectly but I thought this forum was entitled "technique, tips and tuition" ? I was merely offering Russell some objective advice that he was honestly seeking. As someone who has regularly scored rounds in the low 70's and under par 9 hole games I think I'm entitled to offer some advice. Whether Russell (the person to whom I was replying) chooses to act upon it is entirely his choice. Whether you agree with it or not, I don't think it's very polite, or indeed good gentlemanly etiquette to so blatantly shoot me down.

And correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Mr P just echo more or less what I was saying originally ?

I see I have stumbled into another one of these clicky forums, where the status quo is maintained by a unique number of individuals who like to dispute and disregard the opinions and expressions of others... Good luck Russell - with time and practice you'll reach your potential. John, I fear you have already reached yours.

Hey guys,

I don't mind anybody giving me advice/hints/tips.

I'll probably try everything that is told to me on here when I get on the practice ground.

If it works then I will try and keep it, if it doesn't then I'll give it a pass.

I don't care who answers my questions, after all I have put it in a golf forum for all to see.

John, thank you, my game does appear to be heading in the right direction so all my playing/practicing is paying off.

Alex, I'm setting my sights high, this year will see me become a single figure golfer, even if it's just for one game!  I hope not but we will see.  Once I've become a single figure golfer then I'll set my sights on getting to a 5 handicap, and so forth.  I've got to do it quickly as I'm only 5 years off being able to play senior golf! 

Mr P, I do now try and keep my upper arms connected to my body, and when a bad shot occurs it is normally due to my arms moving away from my body.  The tip with a towel is a good one because I've already used it.

Russ

Question for Mr P regarding teeing off on par 3s. When playing second shots into par 4's I usually strike the ball well. yet when I stand on a par 3 tee box and place the ball on a tee (albeit very low) I seem to get inconsistent results, ie. fats and thins. I think it could be a mental thing more than anything, but do you have any advice / tips i could try tomorrow ?

Alex, if you think Mr P echoed what you said then you did not explain yourself very well in your original post. rotating the forearm over the left either before or at impact will have to produce a closed clubface. The forearm  closes over the left after impact and is  done naturally due to the inertia and momentum of the swing.

I never ever slag other peoples advice on the game, if I disagree that is all I will say as I have no wish to be involved in these silly arguments. But I will always defend my corner.

Russ the tip that Mr P passed on to you he probably read in a book from years gone by. I have know of this tip ever since I started the game.

Oops, didnt realise an F5 caused posts to be reposted. Sorry have deleted then now.

Thanks for the tip - I'll double check my set up tomorrow on the tee and make sure ball position is consistent with fairway shots. ( I tend to play ball a little further back int he stance than you might expect as I play on a windy links and it helps me keep the ball lower).

I do use a tee on par 3s, perhaps I've been pressing the tee in too low. Tomorrow I'll make sure I have a little bit of daylight between ball and turf. Fingers crossed. Hitting the par 3s and two putting on my course is a sure fire way to get a good score going.

Mr P - check your inbox. PM Sent