By Chris Stoudt
Upon meeting with Wes, and listening intently to his goals, I quickly realized his golf skills had stagnated (measurably) over 30-plus years, a period during which he confused “playing” with improving. This misconception is not uncommon; many players feel they’re diligently working, yet they’re merely marking time without genuine advancement. This is more true with previously very good players, but I see it frequently with all levels of long-time players.
With that, he bought into my belief in incremental steps and the “build on improvement” approach I take with “seasoned” players. Small building blocks. We set out to find some fixes that are sustainable. The primary issue with Wes’s play was his pull-hook/fade pattern, stemming from an improper grip. This resulted in a “timed swing” that was unreliable, a scenario that could yield either successful or disastrous rounds. We pinpointed the root cause: his grip led to an open club-face, initiating a leftward swing path, ineffective weight shift, and premature release. Our initial efforts focused on rectifying his grip.
Once Wes adjusted his grip, which I acknowledge is never easy (and even more daunting with 56 years of golf behind him) he experienced a notable increase in speed, adding over 5 mph club speed and 10 yards to his 7-iron distance. While we swiftly amended his swing path, our current challenge lies in addressing his tendency for early release (no jokes!). I’ve included some before and after screen-captures that illustrate the positive changes.
Probably the biggest issue with older adults versus younger is reduced strength (and speed), and flexibility. There are a lot of ways to remedy this. Having a solid and customized fitness plan can go a long way in coordination with your golf swing changes. In Wes’s case if he can work on getting more flexible, I believe his rotational struggles can be eliminated. (I would say that younger players who have jobs that aren’t desk intensive have a much easier ability to turn, and since they are at their strongest strengths, can hit it plenty far…but they are not GreyDogGolfers! Yet!)
Wes continues to embrace the changes and we endeavor to have him ready for the desert as he and Tommy head west in a month’s time. Stay tuned!
Christopher R. Stoudt
Director of Instruction
(610) 533-4495