It had been a full week since I had seen Patrick so we had a Friday lesson in very cold and windy weather. I definitely needed to get it in. I started the lesson asking Patrick to help me learn how to chip.
Today I finally peeled off the wrapping of the wedges I ordered several months ago. Going through the swing change with Patrick meant I had no reason to attempt to learn how to hit wedges. Now that my swing is getting closer and closer to “play ready” I asked Patrick to start the process of learning how to hit wedges and pitch shots. After unwrapping the wedges Patrick hit a few himself to get a feel for the 52 degree wedge. He then told me to close my eyes and grip the club with my normal grip (short left thumb, grip on the outside pad of my left hand). He then told me to open my eyes.
He explained that the club may look a little bit shut or could look to have a closed face but we need to get used to hitting low shots with wedges before we start pitch shots or flop shots. After doing this, I set up to the ball with my feet together and pointed towards 2nd base. Patrick told me to spread my feet a little bit. I hit my first chip and actually hit it quite well. I am now getting used to the right lat driving into the ball so I hit a low drive shot about 20 yards. Patrick told me to take it back a little bit further. I did, hit the ball well and a little longer. He told me to take it back even further. This time I took the club face back to a little past hip high and hit a pretty good, low flighted pitch shot.
Patrick wants to start working on chipping, pitching and flop shots with the wedges on Fridays.
After my pitching and chipping short lesson we went back to the grind. I am more and more focused on starting the backswing with the lower right side or the low back. If I do this, it puts me in a better place after the take away. Patrick is very pleased with my backswing and really started to turn my upper body. He is trying to flatten my shoulders as he wants my right lat to be lower; remember that right nipple staying low. At one point it will be naturally for my right shoulder to stay low but I still have to think about it at this point.
Patrick turned me quite a bit and really worked on my arms being soft and elbows pointed to the inside. He allowed me to turn my body while he put my arms and hands in the correct spots on the backswing. This is something I cannot do at this point and have to let Patrick do it for me. I try to think about it as little as possible because as soon as I start to think about hands and arms my backswing gets short.
I ended up hitting some really get approach wedge shots during the lesson. I am also getting better and better with the chipping motion as I am learning that the right lat drives under and creates the power while holding the hands back or lagging them.
I decided to go out and play because there was no one at Knightâs Play. I wanted to play 18 but it was so cold and windy I decided to stop after 9. I had two bogeys and a birdie. I did hit some amazing shots from 125 yards and in though.
Next week it is back to the grind to get this golf game ready by May 2021.
