August 3, 2011, 7:40 pm - (1 year ago) Hi all. Been reading these forums for a while, and now feeling like a post or two would be useful. I'm a 3.5 player, trying to get to solid 4.0. I play quite often, but have trouble finding players to hit with sometimes. The situation is getting better, though, as I've joined a club and have met some people. Also, my wife is a really good player, and we hit together often. I do practice often, and practice constructively.
One thing I've noticed is that when I use a practice wall to work on my strokes, I'll often have a "breakthrough." I'll take something I've observed from watching player video, and try to incorporate it into my stroke. I'll go hit against the wall, and I'll succeed in picking it up. I'll work at the wall and groove the thing for an hour.
The next day, I'll head out to hit with my wife, or to groove the stroke further against the ball machine. But, I can't replicate what I learned at the wall. The speed, spin, ball-strike...the feel...none of it is there. My stroke will be back to square one. This has happened several different times. Then I'll go BACK to the wall, and I can do it again. Then I go again to play with a person/machine, and I still can' do it. Very discouraging.
Is this a timing issue? If so, I find that strange, since when playing with a person/machine, I'm able to see the ball's flight path across the entire court, as opposed to the short distance from a wall. Then again, with a wall, I am sort of "determining" where the ball will go, and reacting immediately to my own hits.
Footwork issue? Hand/eye issue?
Thanks for any insight! Click here to read full article
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