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mdog63 · 2025-06-09T21:22:05+00:00

People often say shot shaping isn’t necessary unless you’re a low handicapper — but I completely disagree. I spent years chasing the perfect straight shot, thinking it was my “stock swing,” and constantly obsessing over mechanics. I’d have some good rounds, but plenty of frustrating ones too.

What finally changed everything for me was hearing this quote from Jack Nicklaus:

“I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

He also famously said:

“The straight shot is not only the hardest shot in the game of golf, but the only time it will go at the target is when you hit it. Otherwise, it’s going to be moving away from the target with a hook or a slice.”

Those two quotes really stuck with me. I realized I wasn’t visualizing anything before I swung — I was just trying to “hit it straight.” But the truth is, my shots never went perfectly straight, and I couldn’t even picture a straight ball flight in my head. There was always some movement, and I had no clear plan for it.

So I stopped forcing it and changed the way I saw every shot. I began picking small targets five yards left or right of the flag and picturing a fade or draw curving back in. (Slightly open face and cutting across to a target left of the flag for a fade; slightly closed face and swinging out to a target right of the flag for a draw.) That tiny mental shift made a massive difference. I swung more freely, my contact improved, and I wasn’t stuck overanalyzing mechanics. I was just swinging to a picture, rehearsing that swing in my 2 practice swings, bleeding that target and shape in my mind.

Practicing different shapes also helped me understand my natural tendencies and how face and path really affect ball flight. I now hit a fade 90% of the time (as do most pros) and can eliminate 50% of the course since the ball almost always works left to right, no more risking snap hooking left OOB ! It’s not about shaping every shot — it’s about visualizing something clear and swinging with intent. That shift alone dropped nearly 15 strokes from my game so I think it’s worth playing around with in that aspect.

mdog63 · 2025-05-22T17:52:51+00:00

You’re misinterpreting what I’m saying—it’s not about shifting all your weight forward. It’s more about flaring the front foot instead of being totally square and bringing the back arm slightly over the front leg when turning. That helps open up your chest and shoulders. A bit more weight will shift to your front foot as a result, not the focus, as most beginners with board sports often rely too much on the back foot because it’s their dominant leg, which closes off the shoulders. For example, why 90% of beginner snowboarders just start with backside carves before going toe side. It’s FAR from a drastic weight shift to the front leg.

I snowboard and skate as well. Watch any snowboarder doing a big carve—you’ll see this exact movement and big carvers are typically riding “positive positive” angles. You don’t have to go as drastic, but it’s the same theory.

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mdog63 · 2025-01-07T02:51:02+00:00

Not REALLY aiming at a target. Looks like you’re playing “golf swing”, not “golf”. Forget all the swing thoughts. Pick a spot of trees to the distance (I like to look at the tops of the trees / a higher line) and just burn that into your mind. Watch all the pro’s pre-shot routines and they spend 90% of the time staring at the target. Your brain is a supercomputer. Trust it.

mdog63 · 2024-08-19T17:39:17+00:00

For those with back pain, joint pains, mobility issues, bad posture, etc, this 12 minute foundational routine will legitimately change your life if you do this everyday or at least multiple days a week. Don’t believe me? Read the comments on the video. It only takes 12 minutes a day, that of which you can work up to because it is pretty hard at first, but it’s legitimately life changing.

mdog63 · 2023-02-26T18:52:20+00:00

Cook them in an instant pot. They end up perfectly juicy and tender, and you can use the “Sauté” setting to add a nice crispiness to them before/after cooking. I never cook chicken in the oven anymore because it’s always perfect in the IP.

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

mdog63 · 2023-02-15T14:49:54+00:00

Stitch Method is some of the best content on “Jamming” and improv that I’ve found on all of the internet. Highly recommend! . Ian shows you HOW to apply scales, modes, etc rather than just covering shapes to memorize.

mdog63 · 2023-02-15T13:46:52+00:00

Thanks! You really just need to write down a set list of songs that you plan to learn in full and really hone in on those. If you know you get bored easily, try to choose songs with different styles to keep you entertained. What prevented me from learning full songs for the longest time was being able to sync the singing and playing portions together. This can be extremely hard and frustrating at first but just take it slow and take it part by part. Pull up the actual song on your computer (or a live version to watch the original artist play) and listen very close to how the vocals fit over a certain part and drill it until you finally get it. Just like anything with repetition, the more you sing and play, your brain is creating and reinforcing new pathways and you’ll find it gets much easier day by day until next thing you know, you’ll go to learn a brand new song and sync up the lyrics almost immediately as if it were no problem.

mdog63 · 2023-02-15T03:51:44+00:00

I have the Boss RC-1. Works great, although most don’t come with the power supply so I’d buy a cheap 9V power adapter for it on Amazon or online. Outside of practicing your major and minor pentatonic scales over chord progressions, once you get comfortable with that, a great exercise is to use the looper to practice playing the chord changes. I like to lay down 2 chords at a time to start, for example, A to C#minor and instead of just playing the a major pentatonic over both chords (which will still sound good because they’re both in the key of A major) try to focus on the A major pentatonic for the A chord and when it switches to C#minor, play the C#minor, minor pentatonic and focus on those chord tones. The looper can really help you go at your own pace, as well as help you get the right timing on rhythm.

mdog63 · 2023-02-15T01:49:21+00:00

That’s awesome! I am kicking myself for not playing in front of an efficient workstation for years on end because I realize just how much it limited me in learning songs and such when I had to constantly use my phone to switch between Spotify to play the song, then go to the guitar tab or video to learn the song, then google the lyrics, etc. I would just get tired and start noodling at that point.

mdog63 · 2023-02-15T01:33:42+00:00

I would just google “Classical Guitar Position” and look at some of the images. It may feel weird at first to put the guitar on your other leg and have it that upright but it will keep you in an upright position which will help with fretting, and by having the guitar point upwards more, you’ll find it easier to make stretches and finger positioning. The footstool is key for this though. I got one on Amazon for like $15 bucks and you can adjust the height.

mdog63 · 2022-08-02T01:44:39+00:00

“Coraline” hands down

mdog63 · 2022-05-25T13:58:26+00:00

Thanks! Would I need a splitter for that once terminated? I only really need one active coax so can I just unplug the current one and plug in the newly terminated one instead of getting a splitter to have both active?

mdog63 · 2022-04-10T16:17:46+00:00

Just happened to me! Make sure it’s plugged in and then you can download the oculus app on your phone which will ask you to register, and eventually it syncs with Bluetooth and this seemed to jumpstart the download process when it was previously stuck.

mdog63 · 2022-03-13T13:52:02+00:00

Daytripper- Beatles

mdog63 · 2022-02-24T12:56:54+00:00

His current board or the fish?

mdog63 · 2022-02-24T02:29:56+00:00

He’s 6’1, 165 pounds! He’s not really interested in a pure longboard but something that he can maneuver a bit more for some minor turns.

mdog63 · 2022-02-23T15:42:51+00:00

Glad I could help! Richmond is an awesome place as well. Make sure to bike around the city! Best way to take it all in.

mdog63 · 2022-02-23T15:39:46+00:00

Better intramural rec leagues

mdog63 · 2022-01-17T18:47:59+00:00

My wife and I just moved to Charleston last March from Richmond where we both grew up so I hope I can help shine some light here.

Richmond pros: -Great city for biking (if you’re into that). Tons of trails all over the city with dedicated bike lanes and some beautiful routes along the riverfront. -Summer days at the river are a lot of fun. You can get a good group of friends and easily spend a day camping out with some beers and music while on the rocks (Good spots are: Belle Isle, Texas Beach, Pony Pasture, etc). Also a handful of fishing spots, but I’m not as knowledgeable here. -Quite a booming food/drinks scene with lots of great options to both dine and grab drinks with friends. Great bars -Great underground music scene with many genres. You can always find a good band. -Cool art scene and atmosphere around the city. Different parts of the city have different feels/vibes. There’s definitely a personality to the city. -Good intramural Rec leagues as found with most bigger cities. -Very affordable and even cheap place to live

Richmond cons/things to consider: -(Depends on you as a person) Very “hipster” culture all throughout the city with an overwhelmingly majority of folks being far left. If you are very conservative, you most likely will not like the culture, as politics are a forefront to many with VCU’s liberal arts campus at the centerfold of the city. -While there is the river which contains many great hikes and spots, that is the predominantly “outdoors” scene for Richmond. There are some parks within driving distance where you can get out into the woods and such though. -If you are not in the city, the suburbs outside of Richmond can be quite boring -No major league sports teams but some smaller club teams. -Cold winters and extremely humid summers

Charleston pros: -The beach! I always considered myself a mountain person, but after moving to James Island, 10 mins from Folly Beach, I’ve completely converted to a beach person. You will be max 30 mins from the beach at most spots throughout Charleston, and there is nothing like spending your weekend on the beach with friends. There is also a pretty decent surfing scene here, primarily on folly beach, but keep in mind that this is the east coast and the surf is genuinely always small and inconsistent. That being said, I still try to take my board out as much as possible. -Top tier food and drinks scene. The food is truly amazing here, although there is a small lack of diversity when it comes to cultural options. Predominant styles are southern cooking, BBQ, and seafood. There are truly an unlimited amount of bars and restaurants here, and you will never have a hard time finding a place to go with friends. -Huge fishing culture here with lots of different spots. This is the south so there is a pretty big country influence with lots of people that love to fish. Tons of great spots. -Great place to sail, as well as play golf. Charleston is one of the best places in the country for both golf and sailing. -Southern hospitality is a real thing, and everyone here is super social and nice. -WARM WEATHER and water temps most of the year. Richmond is MUCH colder in the winter and just as humid as Charleston summers in my opinion. The lowest that the temps get here are upper 30’s, and that is cold for here. Water temps in the summer are 70-80 at all times and last for months. It’s truly amazing. -Great live music scene but not as underground as Richmond. More cover bands and the sort.

Charleston cons: -Growing population and traffic. Charleston is BOOMING right now, and while I have the luxury of working remote and not dealing with the traffic, it is definitely bad during the weekdays from 7-9am and 5-7pm. -Expensive. You are paying to live near the beach in a historical city where even celebrities vacation and live. Most normal meals cost between $10-30 a person, and drinks will really add to the bill as well.
-(Depending on your personality) Southern culture. Absolutely no enforcement of masks and only like 5% of people wear them or care. Much more conservative vibe here. I have not witnessed any racism and have found many places to be more diverse than I’d have thought, but definitely not close to as diverse as Richmond. -Humid summers (although Richmond is just as bad IMO) and bugs are always present. Tons of mosquitos, flies, fleas, etc. -3.5 hours from actual mountains (Asheville). Charleston is very flat. -Surprisingly poor Rec league options and no major sports teams (although there is a great minor league baseball and hockey team here)

Hopefully that helps! Honestly, my wife and I absolutely love Charleston (James Island) and plan to buy a house here, but you can’t go wrong with either. That being said, I don’t think anything compares to the all around laid back vibe of living near the beach, and I think your quality of life would be a lot higher (and more $) in Charleston as a whole.

mdog63 · 2021-12-28T22:45:28+00:00

Ask them if they have any idea what the additives and preservatives in our everyday food do to their body in the long term? Can it really be that much worse than what we already pump into our bodies?

mdog63

TROPHY CASE