My Swing (gir)

My swing is so unbelievably jacked up, and I can’t fix it.  I need some help, some serious professional help.  I see so many problems, major problems, in my swing, that it is really tough to know where to begin.  In fact I’m pretty sure I execute almost all the major problems a golfer can have - at the same time.  I’m not Charles Barkley type bad here, but I’m not that far off.   IMO it really is that bad.  I see a lot of beginners at the range who can’t hit the ball but yet I honestly think their swings look infinitely better than mine does.  My swing is entirely unacceptable to me.  I’m honestly embarrassed to post up such a terrible swing, but I am so desperate to improve my swing, I will try most anything.

My main issue that I have been working on is trying to swing from in to out instead of OTT.  I have been working on this for a few months now pretty much on every swing.  I have heard and tried lots of things.  I’ve searched all the major  golf forums, and have tried all the common tips for OTT and yet I still do it.  I know I do it. I try not to do it. But it’s still there.

Now what gets me is I can execute an OK in to out swing during a practice swing.  I have no problems doing that.  If I could go around the course with my practice swing that would be great.  I’d definitely take that.  My practice swing probably has some faults too, but I’d take it any day over my actual swing that suddenly shows up when I am actually striking a ball.  My practice swing is most definitely infinitely better than my actual swing.

Here is my practice swing:

Like I say, it’s OK in my book.  It’s not a pro caliber golf swing, but I could get around the course with it.  It’s definitely serviceable and something to work with imo.

But when I actually try and hit a shot, this monstrosity shows up every single time:

THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

Like I say, I don’t even know where to begin.  There are clearly many major faults with this swing.  Here are just some assorted ones I spot:

OTT path

Straightening of the knees during the backswing

Club taken back inside

lifting the arms and right shoulder up and OTT during the transition.

the right elbow comes up and away from body during the transition

In conjunction with the OTT lifting, my head raises up, and then drops down on the downswing.

follow through in general is horrendous.

I spin out on my left heel and the left toes raise up.

My left elbow ends up all down and low behind me rather than nice and folded somewhat correctly like it is in my practice swing follow through.

I’m pretty sure I don’t shift my weight forward correctly on to my left side or else I probably wouldn’t spin out with my left foot like that.

Also something I noticed recently is that in my practice swing I have a closed face at the top, but in my actual swing, I open the face up at the top during my transitional OTT move.

These are just a few things I spot offhand.  I’m sure there are many more.  I’ve tried lots of things to cure each of these issues individually by themselves in addition to some things I’m probably forgetting.  I mean I used to not be able to hit a single ball out of 100 with a draw.  But now I can draw probably about 4 out of 10 on the range.  So there has been some improvement.  But every time I look at my swing on video it’s pretty much the same old thing, maybe very marginal improvement here and there, but nothing major when I see my swing on video.  I don’t want just marginal improvement, I want pretty much the complete reverse of what I’m doing.

What gets me is a lot of these things don’t show up in my practice swing.

Anyways, I know my swing is a complete mess and has a ton of issues.  If anyone has some insight though for just one of these things that would be great.  I am completely determined to get this swing sorted out.  Coming OTT like this and hitting weak pull slices and pulls with this crappy swing is no way to keep playing this game.  I feel that I can play so much better than this.

I’m going to get my first lesson this coming week or next to try and start sorting out this OTT move, in addition to the rest of my problems.  I’m also going to be ordering an inside approach training aid and hitting balls with that to see if that helps.  And maybe a few other training aids if that one doesn’t help me. I’m open to any ideas really because what I’m doing clearly isn’t working.   Honestly there’s so many problems I might have to totally scrap my swing, which would be fine. But I figured I would try and get some help here too.

What on earth makes you think "rhythm" will solve this guy's problems?

Step 1: guy needs to make his left shoulder go down, and his right hip go up. Teeter totter.

Step 2: keep doing step one for awhile.

Your shoulder turn is extremely flat and you lose connection of your right arm to your torso at the beginning of the forward swing=OTT

There are a few things to work on, but I'd work on these first.

1.  turn your shoulders vertically, not horizontally--feel your left shoulder turning down toward your right foot

The golf swing is a turn of the shoulders, not a swing on the arms

2.  get your hands deeper http://thesandtrap.com/forum/thread/30325/deep-hands-explained

3.  keep the inside of your right arm connected to your torso throughout the swing--get a golf tee or golf glove, place it under your right armpit.  Make swings keeping the tee or glove in place

Working on these things will feel strange--it's the opposite of what you are currently doing

Here's a good example of what to aim for

First, I really appreciate the help guys.  My swing clearly needs it.  Thank you.  This board is a great help.  I’m going to work diligently on each of these things you guys have listed.

johntheJoiner – You know, I really do make a flail at the ball.  I’d hardly call it a swing at all.  It’s more of a slash.  I’m pretty much straight up hacking it.  I’d love to have a nice rhythmic swing. In order to see how swinging hard affects my swing one thing I’ve done is to take video of practice swings where I’m trying to swing pretty close to as fast as I can.  When I see these swings on video – they look like my other practice swings, relatively OK in comparison to my actual swing.  Of course, rhythm and speed are two separate, but related things.  I’m definitely going to keep it in mind.

Phil McGleno:   I have probably some dumb questions.  When you say I need to make my left shoulder go down and right hip go up, this is of course referring to the backswing, correct?  I understand the down motion with the left shoulder, but I am a little confused with the right hip upward motion  Up as in up behind me and towards the target sort of?  I just want to make sure I understand because I am going to really work on these recommendations that I’m given here.

Uttexas:  I hit a few balls today doing the 'something under the right armpit drill', and that really seemed to help.  Funny thing is, it’s a very common tip, and I’d seen it recommended a million times, but I guess I never really tried it for more than a few swings.  I guess I needed a second opinion as well to make sure that was a drill I definitely needed.  I had to really exaggerate the muscle pressure in my armpit area.  After awhile, I could start to feel the point in which my shoulders and arms were wanting to come up OTT, but were met with some resistance due to the clamped upper right arm.  Hit some nice high draws doing that with a couple divots even pointing out to the right.  I didn’t have the camera, but the ballflight was what I’m looking for. I’m definitely going to keep drilling with that.  As for the shoulder rotation, you’re right, my shoulder turn currently is more horizontal than vertical.  I used to be more vertical but about a year ago I got the idea that I wanted to swing flatter.  I will definitely work on that because the way I'm doing it clearly is not correct.  That video helps.  As for the deep hands, that is a new idea for me.  I'm going to have to read that entire thread, and incorporate that as well.

Again thanks for the replies so far guys.  I really appreciate it.  I’m going to work on these suggestions for at least a couple months, probably more.  After a few months hopefully my swing improves both in appearance and results and I can come back with new video of a much better swing.  If you guys or anyone else out there spots anything else or has any other suggestions or ideas, that would be great.  I need to get this sorted out sooner than later.

I went through something similar a couple years ago; like you, I decided I needed a flatter swing plane (I don't really remember why), and my swing with longer clubs, especially the driver, looked a lot like yours.  By taking the club back so flat (below your shoulders), it's very difficult to keep your right arm connected (as others said), and you're forced to pull the club around with your torso-- coming over the top is usually the result (always was with me).  It may also make it more difficult to release the club in time, resulting in an open club face at impact (again, it did for me).  What helped me was to actually go two-plane for a while-- I took the club away high, then let it "fall into the slot" to begin the downswing.  I had success with it, and I guess my swing evolved from there.  Eventually, I took my normal back swing and stopped at the top in front of a mirror, and what felt like a high takeaway was actually right on plane.  Anyway, a good swing thought I picked up at the time was to "swing around your neck, not your body"-- that is to feel like your neck is in the middle of the "circle" traced by your club head

That may not be the most mechanically efficient or orthodox way, but it worked for me-- but then, I still only shoot in the mid-90s, so what do I know.  I hope it helps!

Also, don't rush your downswing.  I think that might be what the whole "rhythm" post was about.