New school golfer.... Old school swing!

So I'm a new school golfer...been playing three years now. My handicap varies from a 17.8 to 19. I've had some problems with my new driver, a Cleveland Hi-Bore XL, starting shots right on line then varying from a power fade to a slice.

Last night, my local PGA pro was in my back yard and volunteered to video my driver swing for me. I had thought I was coming over the top, but we looked at the video and said he was happy with the positions I was getting into and my problem stemmed from holding the face open with a delayed release.

I was very happy to have him look at the swing, without having it on video I would have wasted weeks trying to fix my swing plane. However I was amazed at how much my left knee is breaking in and my left heel is coming up. The funny thing is, he said that didn't bother him at all! The only golf swing I've seen that has that same action is Bobby Jones in the 20s and 30s. Should I be worried about the left knee/heel or trust my pro?

Video we shot here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLV84FXzaSo

Any comments welcome!

w

Trust him..i dont think those issues matter as long as you're stable over your right leg. But make sure you gett off of it through to the left or that will make the ball go right as well.

I checked out the swing. The first thing I noticed that could be a problem with the slicing is the grip. You have a very weak right hand. Your right thumb should be pointing toward the left side of the grip, with the "v" that is made between your thumb and index finger pointing toward your right ear to shoulder range.

The knee movement seems very awkward as well but I don't think that really is affecting your swing.

You do seem to be coming SLIGHTLY over the top. Try visualizing hitting the side of the golf ball closest to you, which will help you come from the inside. The follow through and release looks good. Try to change the grip first.

Also, you are going past parallel on the backswing, try shortening it to maintain more control.

Take it or leave it, up to you.

that is very old school with the knee action.

rycur12 seemed to notice the same thing I did with going past paralell, it also seems you are clearing your hips early. But I am a 12 handicap, someone like rycur12 who is a 2 handicap would seem to give better advice.

Your on balence well, and you finish your swing well. The position at the top is solid. Don't change the thing with you legs, it's fine.

I disagree with your pros assessment, and I disagree with him saying that your leg action (and other actions) shouldn't be a concern. I took your video and took screen captures and have included Ernie Els for comparison.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/3...nalysisfq4.jpg Here is what I see: On the backswing from face on: Your front (left) knee is moving independently (its clear that it is not getting pulled into that position by inflexibility). Your head is moving backward and downward. The leg movement compromises your balance (and stability), and makes it very unlikely that you are going to be consistent from one swing to the next. While your head lowering from the position it held in the circle shows that your posture is changing (once again making consistency difficult). On the backswing from down line: Your hips are set low (like you are trying to sit in a chair) and on a horizontal angle (symbolized by your belt buckle). Your arms also appear to be stretched out like you are reaching. Those things suggest that you are going to have an overactive lower body, that you are going to swing away low and under the original shaft angle plane (blue line), and that you are going to have a difficult time maintaining your posture. On the downswing face on: Your lower body is sliding forward while your upper body falls back and tilts away from the target. Your front knee juts out instead of forming a wall (or brace) that would have helped you keep weight inside your front foot, passed on power to other parts of the body, and allowed the arms and body to release. On the downswing down line: Your lower body was overactive in the backswing and has a long way to travel to get back. In order to get back it has to move quickly and agressively. As a result it ends up moving too much and out racing the upper body. Your balance moves toward the ball (look at how much of your legs and body have moved past the red line and toward the ball compared to where they were at setup). By you moving toward the ball your body blocks your arms. As a result your arms swing out away from the body and your shoulders rise. The blocking and raising causes the club face to come into impact open and swing out to the right. Frankly I don't see how you can generate power, nor be consistent with all of that exessive movement and inefficent positions. In comparision lets look at the positions of Ernie Els. At setup Els has tall lower body posture (with his hips high as well as back), and his hips are tilted on a more diagonal line (more vertical tilt). His right hip is positioned inside of his right heel, and his left hip is above his right heel. During the backswing his head maintains its height, his upper left arm stays against the upper left side of his chest, and the arms and body move in sync while the less maintain stability and balance. During the downswing Els maintains his levels (posture), and his balance. His arms and body stay in sync, and his left leg forms a wall. All of these things lead him to make a powerful and consistent swing. That's what I think.

Everything Avid Golfer just pointed out are important things to be considered. but remember, don't try to change your swing too drastically all at once. shape your swing improvements little by little, don't try to change it all at once, or else you wont see much improvement.

Up until recently I used the old school swing, someone noticed it and commented as if it were a major mistake. Now use the modern swing and the results are better. I try and keep the left heel down to prevent premature pivoting. You will find better consistency by less knee and heel action even though you may feel that you are not loading up as much.

personally i think you are just going so far past parralel u can't catch up to your hips. prob the cause of the slice.

Video reposted due to YouTube changes:

Pre Swing tweaks:


So, I just got back from the driving range. I've tweaked a few things in my driver swing based on feedback. I'm more upright now, not as bent over and I've stabilized my left leg, keeping my left foot on the ground and not taking the club past parallel.

Ironically, the ball flight has not really changed that much. Most balls start straight and leak to the right.

I actually hit my best shots when I visualized bring the club down the line on the down swing. Before I think I was bringing it down too far on the inside and I was blocking and not being able to straighten my right arm and release the club.

Is this plausible? A severe inside down swing causing a slice?

w