Man, my long irons were driving me crazy last weekend at the range. Every other shot was either digging trenches behind the ball or skimming the grass like a scared rabbit. Fat shots, thin shots, you name it. Felt like throwing darts blindfolded.
The Setup Mess
First thing I did? Grabbed my 4-iron and just started whacking balls like always. My feet were all jammed together, ball sitting right in the middle of my stance like I was hitting a wedge. Shoulders felt hunched over, weight stuck on my back foot. No wonder every swing felt like lifting a tractor tire. Sounded awful too – that “thud” when you hit three inches behind the ball? Yeah, trademarked that.
Fumbling Through the Fixes
Remembered that article about ball position and dug out my phone mid-session. Did what it said:
- Step one: Walked up to the ball, spread my feet wider than my stupid narrow stance before. Like wearing clown shoes suddenly.
- Step two: Slammed that ball way up in my stance – left heel territory. Felt unnatural as hell, like I was about to trip over it.
- Step three: Leaned my shoulders back a tiny bit. Hips forward, chest high. Felt like posing for a bad statue at first.
- Step four: Tried shifting weight during swing without falling over. Felt like drunk dancing but held my finish like a flamingo.
Rope-A-Dope Results
Took six awful swings trying to sync this circus act up. First three? Top city. Fourth one almost took my buddy’s head off sideways. But then… click. That sound. Sweet butter knife through warm toast. Ball flew dead straight for once, lower than my garbage shots before. Did it five more times, chunked two more, then hit four pure ones in a row. Hands didn’t sting, divots finally started happening AFTER the ball.
Still not Rory McIlroy out here, mind you. But for twenty minutes of looking like a confused penguin? Best progress all month. Gotta practice that shoulder tilt more though – almost tweaked my back staring at the ground funny.
