Driving across Texas, you realize how big the state is, which translates to a lot of deer to avoid amidst even more think time. Repeat the formula by going back to the vulnerable. Continue work on the strike. Hit with less effort. Generate more spin.
Search for TrackMan on Google Maps and two spots in San Antonio light up. Trevor Salzman offered me a slot on his machine for a drive-through session. My first golf lesson.
It's kinda like going to the doctor. Going in, thought about whether to be at my best, or, my worst. The other path choice here was to be at my worst without trying to be bad, to reveal the vulnerable, to improve shots that fall on the left of the bell curve distribution. I'm here to learn, not to audition, to work out the issues when everything isn't executed perfectly, intentional or not.
Machine and video says I'm swinging too narrow and too early, which causes a bunch of issues requiring even more compensation. Targeting the root cause, however, Trevor prescribed a couple of exercises to reshape the swing to be wider at the top, rotate with the body on the way down, and wait until about 2/3 down to engage the wrist and hands to let the club release. It's a weird feeling acting out the new swing at 10% of normal speed. Moving onto the 9 to 3 o'clock exercise, with the back swing still at 10% and gradually increasing the pace of the forward swing, TrackMan said club head speeds at impact were already exceeding my pre-lesson full swing measurements. And the effort needed for the swing felt like a fraction of what it was before. Sweet.
With Trevor's explanation of rotational mechanics, I started to understand how to sequence body mechanics towards letting the club release to do it's thing because all of the kinetic energy has nowhere to go but there. It all starts with being wide at the top on the back swing. I've heard about it, but now understand why. It's not much different than throwing a baseball, or casting a fly rod.
With wider stance, adjusted pelvic tilt, and new exercises for range sessions in hand, walked away happy. The balls aren't flying as far, nor are they as accurate or consistent as they've been, but flight profile is better and I've another reset point from which to build forward. One step back with promise of two steps forward. That's all good.
Promised to swing back through San Antonio on the way back west for a progress check. Thanks Trevor :-)