This old dog is still trying to learn some new tricks and my swing lessons have proved both successful and frustrating. Well, I guess I should say its actually the results of those lessons. Because I have 
now developed another common problem that my instructor, Pat Sullivan says is very common.
It’s a name Tiger Woods likes to use, I’ve become Ranger Rick.
While I am having a lesson with Pat I am able to (somewhat) follow his instructions and keep the new, positive improvements in my swing and more often than not that results in solid contact and decent shots. But my game isn’t with me when I leave the range.
I recounted to Pat how over my last three rounds of golf and during a few practice sessions I would have little problem with my driver on the range. After a good warm up I was loose and confident and hit the driver well on the range. In fact I was so pleased with myself I was sure that I would have few driver issues on the course.
But then I hit the first tee and seem to be a different player as those slices creep back into my game leaving me in trouble off the tee. And that’s never good…you can’t score if you can’t get off the tee.
I related to Pat how I had at least five swing thoughts as I stood over the ball and we all know that thinking has no place in this game. Pat has seen this common Ranger Rick problem many times and said I needed to get all those thoughts finished with during my pre-shot routine and once I addressed the ball to just let it go.
And while we were together it worked, some of the time. I joked how I would like to have him with me for each and every round. Ah, a personal swing coach…the ultimate Father’s Day gift.
But over my last two lessons we worked on adding more shoulder turn to get my left shoulder to feel like I am past the ball on my backswing. Also, tempo and timing, two critical aspects of any swing were talked about in detail. Tempo has always been one of my issues as I tend to get too quick coming down on my through swing. Pat and I are working getting my arms and hips in sync to work together and on the rare occasion that I do get them in sync the results are dramatic: crisp, solid contact with a ball that pops off the club.
Ball position was another topic and again, the eyes of a pro paid dividends here as he showed me that with my driver setup I needed to move the ball forward in my stance. I had unknowingly let it drift back well inside my left foot and that change worked out well.
So after three sessions with Pat I have made some serious changes to my grip, setup and backswing. And the results are as expected: inconsistent. Some swings result in crisp, well struck shots but are likely to be followed by a weak slice or a top or a chunk… all the duffs we golfers abhor. But any changes in a swing that has been cemented in place for thirty five years will take some time.
The bottom line after my foray into instruction isn’t reflected in my scores as yet but I can see definite improvement in my irons. I have lost my dreaded slice with the irons and am hitting them at least a club further. And that has given me more confidence in my iron game. I am visiting places on the left side of the course while in the past my slice had me exclusively on the right. Sometimes it’s like I am playing new course.
The driver and my woods are another story, they are still a work in progress and while I can pure them on the range I have to find a way to transfer that to the course. Easier said then done.
I hope Pat has a degree in psychology…he may need it to get my head straight.
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