PA-PLAYA I agree that, for me at least, the driver swing and iron swing are different. Maybe not completely but definitely not the same. In most rounds I'll hit my irons decently and struggle with the driver and 3 wood. At times I just pound the driver long and straight the whole round, but then I can't hit an iron to save my life. On super rare instances, not a full round of course, I can hit both. When that happens I usually have this feeling of swinging the driver much flatter than the irons.

The real problem is that when I find a swing key that works, it's lifespan is limited. It only works for so long. Probably because I have long stretches where I don't swing a club. Winter is usually pretty long here in New England. Even in the summer, I may not swing a club for 2 weeks due to work and family commitments. It only takes a couple of days to lose it. I drove the ball great in a round on 10/20, but was horrible yesterday. I just couldn't find that feeling I had a week earlier.

      KCee

      The "lifespan" of a successful swing key? That's a great topic all to itself! Yes, I agree. What worked yesterday might not work today. What might work today doesn't always work tomorrow. Somedays I'm left thinking it depends on which side of the bed you get up from in the morning. Had a 5 shot lead in the club championship 9 years ago. Shot 77 on a very windy day, first round of a 2-day stroke play championship. Thought for sure that I'd be trailing by several strokes by the time I'd finished, but went to sleep that night on a 5-shot lead. Got up the next morning, went to the range and went through my routine just like I'd done the day before.

      Felt good. Didn't feel cocky or arrogant. But felt confident.

      I was a 2-handicap. Shot 53 going out, 36 coming in, barely breaking 90 in the final round. Had this been a simple round with my buddies - I'm probably good for a 75 on a day with good greens and no wind. But despite good greens and no wind that Sunday - I shot 89. It was a very humbling experience for me. Learned from it, won it the next year, however. 🙂

      Golf is just hard most of the time for me. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the experience with friends even when I'm sucking, just makes those rare good rounds even better. And "hard" is relative. But the struggles and mental demons, by and large, are pretty much the same, regardless of skill level.

          PA-PLAYA I'm inconsistent with the driver. When I'm on with it I'm usually just the opposite of the irons. With the irons I use what feels like a 3/4 swing, with the driver my best results have been to push the backswing to the point where my head actually moves a bit and down and through. I try to use the same takeaway, just consciously farther back. It works to the extent that I can transition smoothly, which is more difficult for me to do with the longer swing and the desire for distance.

            PA-PLAYA So true. I have learned though that even when you don't have a swing you can still shoot a score. The first time was almost 10 years ago for me. I found myself out of work for the summer and so playing more golf and getting better. I started shooting 85's instead of 95-105. I "lost" my swing for a couple of weeks though and was going to play with 3 guys that were all single digits. I decided to "bunt it" around so I could keep it in play and not embarrass myself too much. I shot 78 with 2 doubles, on a windy day to break 80 for the 1st time. Just recently I won our club's Fall Shootout doing pretty much the same thing.....I doubt I would have broken 80, but I got the ball in the hole when it counted.

              I started playing golf instinctively, without the aid/handicap of instruction. I had a repeating swing with a slight fade and would hit a string of iron shots directly at the targets on the range. That changed after reading articles in golf magazines. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The best advise I have after years of trial and error is to emulate the impact position of the classic players, Hogan, Snead, Nicklaus, Palmer and weight should be balanced in both feet at impact with irons and 70 percent on the rear foot with a driver.

              Typhoon Couldn't agree more. I went to Don Trahan's swing a few years back. I've changed my swing since, but I have still retained Don's approach of shortening the backswing. It's amazing how much this "shortened" swing affects my ball-striking and accuracy. Whenever I start getting inconsistent or inaccurate, the length of my backswing is the first thing I check.

              (Had a recent experiment with a longer backswing, which I write about in a different thread, and the results were really poor in terms of consistency, accuracy, and pain.)

                  johnnydoom

                  DC300 basically was spot on 100%. And I think it's because we both hit it a long way, we get the same things going on in our swings.

                  My driver swing is too long but I have no problems. I'll try shortening it over the winter just to see but I'm fine with it...I think I shift my weight better whereas with my irons I tend to stay over the ball and that leads to problems.

                  So my iron swing...I stay over the ball and my over swing would sometimes get my weight going in the wrong direction...leading to a reverse pivot. To "save it" I would release early and flip it. That would lead to what DC was saying...pulls, pull draws or high and right. The early release would give me an approach angle with a 9'iron of zero or +1 degree instead of -4...about what it should be.

                  I've shortened my backswing and its help fix the early release, any over the top move and flip. It is a much easier swing to do too.

                  I played today and for some reason fell into a funk where I started hitting punches because of the shorter backswing. I figured it out, that I was doing that...just part of the process getting used to something new.

                    kelco9

                    It's funny what u say about "pain" Kelco. My pro tells me I don't know where to stop my backswing because I have no pain.

                        PA-PLAYA if it makes you feel any better I have shot that exact same round. I credited the hot dog and beer at the turn as the fuel needed to get it going lol. What else can you do?

                            KCee The real problem is that when I find a swing key that works, it's lifespan is limited. It only works for so long.

                            Man, ain't that the truth. I honestly think I should play every round with a new swing thought,heck a new swing even. Why can you stumle on something that has you hitting the ball like someone with half your hdcp and then it's gone the next day.

                                garyt1957

                                Epiphanies are fleeting and basically you have to embrace the search. When you find an epiphany that works enjoy it while it lasts. The reason they don't last is because you really can't know why something works. The old feel isn't real thing.

                                You think it's because of A, but it might be because A causes B to work (or maybe even C) and you don't have a feel for B because you assume A is the reason you're swinging well. When one link in the dominos fails you're in trouble. It' a vicious cycle.

                                If riding a bike were like golf you'd fall off the bike every few days or so. The problem with golf is the margin for error is so slight with disastrous results. You hit a ball with your club face just 3 degrees open (assuming your path is square) and the ball will fly off to the right 30-40 yards. 3 degrees is like 1 minute past 12:00 on a clock.

                                Couple that with getting your face and path aligned and the odds are against you. Then you hit it a little high or low on the face, toe / heel side and you're screwed. Then you have your angle of attack / swing bottom etc.. So many things have to go right just to hit a decent shot that the odds are not on your side.

                                So, enjoy the peaks and ride out the valleys because it's the same for everyone. And the search is never ending.

                                  Typhoon I get that! About 5 years ago I woke up one day with something like "frozen shoulder". I couldn't raise my left arm more than half way without pain. Being an idiot though (according to my wife), I went and played golf. When the pain in my shoulder would hit, that was my trigger for the downswing. I couldn't really make a full follow through and had to keep my hands low. I have NEVER hit the ball so solid and straight with so little effort. The shoulder pain kept me from over swinging. As soon as the pain was gone, my great swing went with it.

                                    11 days later

                                    Still at it and liking it. Only pitfall that creeps in is me swaying off the ball and then getting " punchy" through the ball. I'm trying a few things on our "swing guru" video software...meh. Apparently my head should be more behind the ball at address according to Swing Guru. Well according to Typhoon, not gonna happen...perfect position ain't always right. I did get my stance a bit more narrow and that works.

                                    So, I played 9 today, hit all 9 greens. Pretty good for not really practicing anymore where it's the end of our season here in New England. Temps today in the 40's and overcast. This time of year everything is 2-3 clubs more on approaches which is really a good thing for me right now with the change...I'm not hitting SW all day, I'm hitting 7,8'and 9'irons. It's starting to feel natural, but it's still going to take the winter before it's not a conscious thought.

                                    DC300 I credited the hot dog and beer at the turn as the fuel needed to get it going

                                    Chili and Tabasco? 😱

                                        sdandrea1 I’d love to say yes, but that’s not possible with all my damn food allergies, so it goes mustard and onions just to make sure my breath keeps the bugs away.

                                            DC300

                                            I can do onions with chili. But solo on a bare hotdog - no can do.

                                            And not that I don't appreciate onions. Had a blooming onion last night at Outback (wife and I were celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary, God bless her for putting up with me all these years!) and it tasted great!

                                            Usually not a fan of chain steakhouses, but the new one that opened up earlier this year is actually pretty good regarding food quality and service, and also convenient.

                                            I think I'm gonna need to step up my game for our 30th, however. lol

                                                PA-PLAYA I agree, Outback is pretty good, especially for a chain. Those blooming onions are tasty, even if gawd awful for you haha.

                                                    DC300 I’d love to say yes, but that’s not possible with all my damn food allergies, so it goes mustard and onions just to make sure my breath keeps the bugs away.

                                                    SWMBO is chili-cheese-mustard-onions hot dog person. I like relish and Tabasco.