[innercityteacher]

I'm with you Lefty. Heck, he was pretty close at EG last week. Patrick's constant gain in knowledge of this stuff is astounding. I love this thread and look for it every day.

13.8
HCP INDEX
Effective
8/19/2010


I shot my first 40 on my home course, today, with no birdies. And then, because I could, I shot another 40 for my first 80, ever!

In celebration of this event, I am starting the new, Cuscowilla Golf Club Beer Fund (hereafter, CGCBF). CGCBF + $18

How it happened. Thanks to the MN MAFIA (Mother and Father's Instructional Association), KevCarter and JerryG, I was enlightened.

Flare left or front foot
Weight forward ala Yoda
Impact Fix (w/Hula)
Frozen Bent Right Wrist
Nose over ball
RFT
Trace BLP (baseline of the plane)
Step through all the way left (Hips face target powering strike)


My dad is 74 and plays with a hockey-like slap shot. After shooting some pretty low scores with him TN, on some hilly courses I have never seen (86,83), my dad asked me to show him why I had improved so much.

Get a mark about a foot in front of the ball at the target
Flared left foor
Impact Fix (Weight left)
Right forearm on plane
Frozen Bent Right Wrist
RFT
Trace BLP
Step through with left thumb in left ear/hips look parallel to BLP/Target line (Pivot)

With 9 holes to play before getting on the airplane, we decided that he would get a playing lesson (much like I was given by the MN fellas). After 3 hours in the hotel room the night before, and one hour on the range, we had a patterm he could use:

Get target line/BLP
Place Right forearm on plane behind ball
Practice (Hold arms at chest, horiz. check grip, FBRW)
Bend
Trace BLP with RF
Step through (Pivot)

My dad shot one over for the fist three holes before getting sore. He was not use to finishing on his left side. He went back to slapping across the back of the ball. We narrowed his stance a lot! We shortened the trace to waist high! We made the trace very slow and we made the Pivot very slow and smooth.

The remaining seven holes saw my dad hit lots of good shots as he was mostly green side in regulation. He plays from the gold tees, His chips were very good, too. He kept repeating a certain expletive written first by London police (according to the story) after arresting a man who was patronizing a prostitute for unlawful carnal knowledge). The phrase was Un---------believable! I gave him my copy of Alignment I.

I watched the Ted Fort video a lot last night. I used it to remind me of the MN guys instruction.

Get BLP/target line
Left foot flared w/ball at heel club behind ball
Adjust back foot depending on club
Hands mid-body Impact Fix
Rehearse horiz. arms with frozen BRW over ball
Trace BLP to Shoulder (using RF to trace while BRW is frozen)
Pivot (stick thumb in left ear)

I made myself do it every time! I realized in MN, with the guys' help, my alignments were psychologically damaged by constantly drawing/hooking the ball.

Early in the round, I was talking myself out of my line with each practice swing. So I stopped practice swinging! I kept hitting pin high to the right fringe but EA helped my chips get within 3-4 feet each time. I got a mark put my club down behind the ball, froze the BRW at chest level, and traced the RF back and through as I Pivoted.


The elbow putting stroke worked like a charm.

I realized something else, too. I can drive the right arm down it's own angle as the frozen BRW stays out of the way. Now, this might be old stuff for all of you, but I used it for the first time to compress the heck out of a sand wedge. I aimed further ahead of the ball and instead of 70 yards of carry and 10 yards of roll, I carried the ball 100 yards over water.

Is this Aiming Point ahead of my irons how pros make an 8 iron fly 190 yards?

The only two double boogies I made today, came because I drove my ball through the fairways. One drive was almost 280 yards including roll. Time to embrace driving easier holes with a 3 wood or 2 hybrid, or, even cooler, my 4 iron!

Anyway,I can't thank everyone enough for the fun and enjoyment you have helped me get out of this great game!

Patrick