Better to "hit" short game shots?

[Yoda]

Yoda, I did try to make the point that I picked this up during a very special few minutes.

That you did, Neil, and let me elaborate:

Those "very special few minutes" came as V.J. Trolio demonstrated the technique to our LBG Academy at Old Waverly. The high, soft floater with virtually no divot, but still not a classic Lob Shot.

A Master's Application of The Golfing Machine demonstrated by a Master Golfer.

A shot that could win the United States Open.

In the same hands.

Something to see.

Indeed...

Something to remember.

[hue]

I recently went through my last rounds of golf shot by shot . Trying to see if there was an obvious area to improve on where there was an obvious weakness. The conclusion I came to was that I was not good enough from the 35 to 60 yard partial pitch area. I swing my chips and pitches and on fullish pitches I am quite good but to partial pitches I had poor distance control and tended to pull the ball left. If the ball ended up close it really was more down to luck than skill. I went out to the course with 12 practice balls and worked on this for 3 hours last night . My swinging partial pitch shot pattern was very poor . I continued with a shoulder turn takeaway swinging motion where I was trying to keep on plane but found in the downtroke I had a tendency to pull the ball. Controlling distance by pivot speed seemed difficult and inconsistent and tended to lead to me pulling the shot . I though about this thread and went back in my mind's eye to the hitting lesson Yoda gave me at Canton and started working on hitting these partial pitches by controlling the takeaway with the right arm and hitting the partial pitches. My accuracy distance wise improved and the pulled shot disappeared. Furthermore I felt confident . On full pitches the hitting motion was not as accurate as my natural swinging motion in my case but from now on I am going to be hitting my partial pitches. One area here I am very strong is the cut shot and lob shot. I put this down to the video of Yoda and vj that is posted on this website. Once I knew exactly what I should be doing I got the shot down quickly. I would really like to see Yoda, Ted and vj produce a short game video as I know this would greatly help my short game. I think there would be considerable interest in such a DVD. I look forward to seeing V.J. Trolio's Hands Plane for short Pitches technique at some point.

[mrodock]

Thanks for the feedback Hue! I agree, a short game video would be awesome! The cut lob/lob video shows how good it would be!

Matt

[Yoda]

I think there would be considerable interest in such a DVD.

V.J. and I have already done this -- actually, it focuses on the Basic and Acquired Motions and encompasses far more than just the 'Short Game' -- and it runs about two hours. All we've got to do is add the finishing graphics and it is ready for distribution. I have been the bottleneck here and once again commit to getting the job done.

We previewed it to our students during dinner at our recent Old Waverly Academy. It wasn't an 'official' screening -- we were having way too much fun for that! -- but it was running on a big screen in the room, and most of us paid at least some attention to it from time to time. Several of our active posting members were in that audience, and I invite them to reply here with their comments.

[Seanmx]

V.J. and I have already done this -- actually, it focuses on the Basic and Acquired Motions and encompasses far more than just the 'Short Game' -- and it runs about two hours. All we've got to do is add the finishing graphics and it is ready for distribution. I have been the bottleneck here and once again commit to getting the job done.

Great to here the DVD has been completed. What is the ETA for distribution?

[neil]

V.J. and I have already done this -- actually, it focuses on the Basic and Acquired Motions and encompasses far more than just the 'Short Game' -- and it runs about two hours. All we've got to do is add the finishing graphics and it is ready for distribution. I have been the bottleneck here and once again commit to getting the job done.

We previewed it to our students during dinner at our recent Old Waverly Academy. It wasn't an 'official' screening -- we were having way too much fun for that! -- but it was running on a big screen in the room, and most of us paid at least some attention to it from time to time. Several of our active posting members were in that audience, and I invite them to reply here with their comments.

I was there.I did try to listen to every word (the crowd were a bit rowdy! ).All I can say is Yoda and V.J.went on for two hours without a breath.It was almost over rehearsed -without a rehearsal!I won't say anymore in case I get the old " copyright "thing .The other point about that night was that at one point Yoda ,Ted and V.J. were stood upfront ,eyes down ,Yoda calling the stations- AND THEY ALL STAYED IN SEQUENCE-even when v.j. decided he no longer wanted to be "a hitter "and started swinging -none of them were outside an inch of each oter throughout the ENTIRE SWING .Now how many people could do that using the "other"terminology?---Whatever that is!

[Yoda]

I was there.I did try to listen to every word (the crowd were a bit rowdy! ).All I can say is Yoda and V.J.went on for two hours without a breath.

As it was, Neil. Thanks!

Daryl!

Poppy!

Radlink54!)

And OzGolfer from...guess where?...the Land of Oz!

Let us hear from you!

[Matt]

Personally, I prefer to hit my chips and usually my pitches. It really depends on the situation and lie though. From the rough around the green I'm hitting 99% of the time. Bunkers I swing. Fairway I do either depending on how the shot feels - I'll swing a long running chip but hit a short pitch.

As far as technique, when I swing it'll almost be a right-forearm driven stroke (as opposed to using my right shoulder as the engine in a full swing stroke). For hitting, I pretty much just stand there then bend and straighten my right arm. I apply a little extensor action at address to flatten out my left wrist, then I just maintain those alignments with what's more or less a Push stroke with my elbow moving behind my hip. I preset trajectory by changing my plane line and clubface at address.

[Yoda]

Personally, I prefer to hit my chips and usually my pitches. It really depends on the situation and lie though. From the rough around the green I'm hitting 99% of the time. Bunkers I swing. Fairway I do either depending on how the shot feels - I'll swing a long running chip but hit a short pitch.

As far as technique, when I swing it'll almost be a right-forearm driven stroke (as opposed to using my right shoulder as the engine in a full swing stroke). For hitting, I pretty much just stand there then bend and straighten my right arm. I apply a little extensor action at address to flatten out my left wrist, then I just maintain those alignments with what's more or less a Push stroke with my elbow moving behind my hip. I preset trajectory by changing my plane line and clubface at address.

Matt,

You continue to be a credit and walking endorsement of The Golfing Machine.

It is hard to believe, but it has now been two years since you received the inaugural Homer Kelley Award at our PGA TOUR Academy Workshop in St. Augustine, Florida. You have worked hard to achieve your mastery of Homer Kelley's Principles and Procedures, and it shows.

I am proud of you.

As your University of Minnesota studies permit -- love my coffee mug! -- post!

I read and learn from everything you write.

[Matt]

Matt,

You continue to be a credit and walking endorsement of The Golfing Machine.

It is hard to believe, but it has now been two years since you received the inaugural Homer Kelley Award at our PGA TOUR Academy Workshop in St. Augustine, Florida. You have worked hard to achieve your mastery of Homer Kelley's Principles and Procedures, and it shows.

I am proud of you.

As your University of Minnesota studies permit -- love my coffee mug! -- post!

I read and learn from everything you write.

Thanks for the kind words Lynn - they mean a lot.

I had my last final of the year this afternoon. Feels great to be done with another school year. It'll be a Golfing Machine summer too, as I'm doing some golf academy work with Brad Pluth, GSEB here in the Minneapolis area. I've played a grand total of 9 holes this spring so far, but hopefully that'll change now that school's done and I'm not tied up every afternoon.