Okay, let’s talk about trying to figure out some things from Lilia Vu’s golf game. I’ve been watching her play, especially after those big wins, and thought, maybe I can pick up something useful.
Getting Started: Observation First
So, first thing I did was just watch. A lot. Didn’t even swing a club yet. Pulled up some videos, watched her rounds. Tried to see what stood out. Her tempo seemed really smooth, nothing rushed. And her putting stroke looked super stable, almost mechanical but in a good way. That’s what I decided to focus on initially – tempo and putting stability.
Hitting the Range: Tempo Experiments
Next step, I went to the driving range. My main goal was to work on that tempo. I consciously tried to slow down my takeaway. Felt really awkward at the beginning, honestly. Like I was moving in slow motion. My first few shots were pretty bad. Topped a few, hit some way right. It’s tough trying to change something that feels natural, even if ‘natural’ isn’t always good.
- Focused on a slower backswing.
- Tried to feel a pause, or at least a smooth transition, at the top.
- Didn’t worry too much about distance, just the rhythm.
I spent a good hour just hitting irons, mostly trying to groove that smoother rhythm. Started to feel a bit better towards the end. The ball striking wasn’t perfect, far from it, but the feeling of the swing was less jerky.
On the Putting Green: Finding Stability
After the range, I headed over to the putting green. Remembered watching Vu’s putting stroke, how quiet her lower body looked. My own putting sometimes gets a bit… wobbly, especially under pressure. So, the goal here was simple: keep the legs and lower body absolutely still.
I set up with a few balls about six feet away from the hole. Before each putt, I took an extra second to make sure my feet were planted and my legs felt solid. Then, I just focused on rocking my shoulders. It took concentration. My instinct is sometimes to let my body move with the stroke. Fought that urge.
Did drills just focusing on keeping the knees locked in place. Putted for maybe another 45 minutes. Some putts felt great, rolled true. Others, I could feel myself getting unsteady. It’s harder than it looks to keep everything quiet.
Putting it Together (Sort Of)
Over the next few practice sessions, I kept these two things in mind: the smoother tempo on full swings and the stable base on putts. Didn’t try to overhaul my entire game, just focused on these elements I picked up from watching Vu.
Has it magically transformed my game? No, of course not. Golf doesn’t work like that. But I do feel like my tempo is a bit better controlled now. I’m not rushing the backswing as much, which seems to help with consistency, sometimes. The putting feels a little more solid, though I still miss plenty. It’s more about the process of trying to emulate something specific from a top player.
It’s a grind, you know? You see someone like Lilia Vu play, and it looks effortless. But trying to copy just one tiny piece shows you how much work goes into it. It was a good exercise, made me think more deliberately about my swing and stroke instead of just hitting balls mindlessly. I’ll probably keep working on that tempo, seems like a good foundation.
