Range swing vs. course swing

[Richmond Golfer]

We hear all the time the lament, that I hit it so good on the range but I can't take it to the course and also we see our first seven holes where we are 1 over fade to a 42 or more with a train wreck of double bogie's or worse. So what gives here? Here's the thoughts of a rambling mind.

When I go to the range I see the 10s and more hitting it pretty good after a few bad ones. Not as good as the 0s and Plus people but fairly good contact.

The difference I see, however, is the A players are keenly aware of where they on, in terms of swingplane, when the club is butt down facing the target line. They always seem to monitor this position and stop the stroke if they are off. The Bs and up are just swinging away. What I think happens with the B players and up is they start swinging and they may be a little steep or flat and hit some bad ones. Then, as they keep hitting, they ingrain the compensations to make decent contact from that momentary swingplane position at the top. When they go on the course two things can happen. They stay relaxed and keep that swingplane position/compensation move going for a few holes but once they realize they are about to shoot a good number tension creeps into the arms and now the swingplane changes, becoming flatter or steeper and the current compensation no longer works and bingo, the bad shots start. Alternatively, the 20s folks simply cannot repeat the same swingplane once they have any long interval between shots.

The problem is swingplane is very difficult to ingrain. The left wrist (RH golfer) is a large factor in swingplane. The wrist can move back (cupped) and also forward and also rotate clockwise and back. Most golfers can ingrain the flat left wrist at the top, but it is the rotation which is so elusive and damaging to the swing. Take your swing to the position where the butt points along an extension of the target line. If you turn counter clockwise just a quarter of an inch the clubhead moves several inches, flat and unacceptably so and vice versa. And, your wrist can still look flat even though the club is flat or steep. Just a small imperceptible change can really hurt a shot.

The trick is to ingrain not just the flat left wrist at the top but the correct rotation. There is a inexpensive swing aid called a swinggylde which is just a piece of plastic which fits on the club on the grip and is set square to the toe and has a cup on the other end. You set it so when you cock your left wrist the plastic cup hits your forearm. You can hit balls with it on any club. As you swing back if your off plane the cup misses the wrist. This thing is good because it promotes an early wrist cock, ala Leadbettor and a correct backswing sequence hands, arms shoulder hips ala Ben Hogan 5 easy lessons.

An added benefit is to keep the cup against the forearm in the downswing to save the hit. There is also a SWINGLITE which is a laser light which attaches to the butt of the club and shines a light on the ground so you can see your plane against a real or imaginary line backward from the target line, that way. Least effective but better than nothing is a shaft in the ground at the correct angle to gauge the swingplane.

The trick is to stop at the top when you are on plane and finds some landmarks on your golf glove, watch, magnetic band to pinpoint the exact rotational position of the left wrist when it is on plane at the top and ingrain this position in your practice and then check it in you rehearsal swings on the course.

Hopefully, some food for thought and greater consistency.