Uploaded July 2010 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
After a layoff of nearly a year, I felt inspired by this week's British Open to trade my old golf clubs in on a new set. After a quick nine holes that ended with the sky opening up on us, I figured before attempting to play another round, I ought to first spend some time at the driving range to get acquainted with my new sticks.
This video goes through the whole bag, starting with the pitching wedge, (I'm waiting on a gap wedge to show up at the toy store), pitching wedge, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 irons, 3 hybrid, 5 and 3 woods, and driver.
The split screen view (one view is "down the line," while the other is "face on") this video shows two or three shots with each club. Only my better shots are seen here (and yes, believe it or not, these were all solidly hit with a nice, straight ball flight, although there were plenty during this practice session that were not),
A few observations: In the "down the line" shot, it appears that I am set up way closed to the line with my feet. Certainly this video provides enough visual evidence of this that I will most assuredly be checking my alignment next time I'm at the golf course or practice tee. But honestly, I really believe this is an optical illusion caused by the camera angle. I know how to set up to the ball, and I just saw a replay on TV of British Open leader Louis Oosterhuizen, and it was the same sort of deal -- he appeared to have his feet closed to the line while his swing went way outside to in. Clearly, in his case, it was an illusion caused by the camera angle. And while I dare say his swing and mine have very little in common, I do believe in my case, this may be an illusion.
It also appears that the ball position relative to my feet shifts dramatically forward and back. This most assuredly IS an optical illusion caused by the fact that in the face-on view, I moved forward and back relative to the camera when hitting shots (so I'd have grass to hit off of). I re-cropped the image in the video to remain centered on the left side of the screen. But I'm moving around relative to the camera, which would cause that illusion.
The rest I can't really explain. I don't generate a lot of clubhead speed, which explains why I've never been particularly long off the tee. But the good news here is that my tempo, such as it is, is, at least, consistent from club to club. I think that's a good thing.
Overall, given that I hadn't touched a club in about a year until just the other day, and this was the first practice tee session I'd had in probably two years, I'm not terribly displeased by this.
But there's no getting around the fact that I suck at golf. Always have. Always will.
But I warn you: Never, ever leave me a six-footer to beat you.
Video shot at Deer Valley Golf Range in Roswell, GA. Saturday, July 17, 2010. Temperature around 90 degrees. Humidy about 85 percent. It was hot and steamy as hell. I went through four golf gloves while hitting 100 balls.
After a layoff of nearly a year, I felt inspired by this week's British Open to trade my old golf clubs in on a new set. After a quick nine holes that ended with the sky opening up on us, I figured before attempting to play another round, I ought to first spend some time at the driving range to get acquainted with my new sticks.
This video goes through the whole bag, starting with the pitching wedge, (I'm waiting on a gap wedge to show up at the toy store), pitching wedge, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 irons, 3 hybrid, 5 and 3 woods, and driver.
The split screen view (one view is "down the line," while the other is "face on") this video shows two or three shots with each club. Only my better shots are seen here (and yes, believe it or not, these were all solidly hit with a nice, straight ball flight, although there were plenty during this practice session that were not),
A few observations: In the "down the line" shot, it appears that I am set up way closed to the line with my feet. Certainly this video provides enough visual evidence of this that I will most assuredly be checking my alignment next time I'm at the golf course or practice tee. But honestly, I really believe this is an optical illusion caused by the camera angle. I know how to set up to the ball, and I just saw a replay on TV of British Open leader Louis Oosterhuizen, and it was the same sort of deal -- he appeared to have his feet closed to the line while his swing went way outside to in. Clearly, in his case, it was an illusion caused by the camera angle. And while I dare say his swing and mine have very little in common, I do believe in my case, this may be an illusion.
It also appears that the ball position relative to my feet shifts dramatically forward and back. This most assuredly IS an optical illusion caused by the fact that in the face-on view, I moved forward and back relative to the camera when hitting shots (so I'd have grass to hit off of). I re-cropped the image in the video to remain centered on the left side of the screen. But I'm moving around relative to the camera, which would cause that illusion.
The rest I can't really explain. I don't generate a lot of clubhead speed, which explains why I've never been particularly long off the tee. But the good news here is that my tempo, such as it is, is, at least, consistent from club to club. I think that's a good thing.
Overall, given that I hadn't touched a club in about a year until just the other day, and this was the first practice tee session I'd had in probably two years, I'm not terribly displeased by this.
But there's no getting around the fact that I suck at golf. Always have. Always will.
But I warn you: Never, ever leave me a six-footer to beat you.
Video shot at Deer Valley Golf Range in Roswell, GA. Saturday, July 17, 2010. Temperature around 90 degrees. Humidy about 85 percent. It was hot and steamy as hell. I went through four golf gloves while hitting 100 balls.
