My Swing (Local Boy Luke)

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum. I've posted an introduction here if you would like a little background info on me before you read on.

I've been Playing Golf for: Off and on since childhood.  Dedicating time to practice, and playing 20+ rounds a year for 3 years.

My current handicap index or average score is: ~23

My typical ball flight is: Fade

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Slice,  Pull,  Snap Hook

My swing has mainly been developed through my own trial and error.  I would read golf tips and listen to advice from buddies on the course, then I would go to the range and try different things out.  About 1 year ago I decided my swing was decent enough that it would be worthwhile to take some lessons.  The pro gave me some good advice, many things which I've now ingrained into my current swing. But man did it lead to some growing pains and bad golf while I tried to implement changes.

What I think I've discovered about my swing so far is that I used to line up closed to the target (feet and shoulders).  I would swing out to in with a club face square to the path. The result was a playable straight pull.  I thought I was lining up square to the target and hitting straight shots.  When i finally learned what lining up parallel left of the target looked like, it was difficult for me to adjust to looking down range at my targets.  To me it seemed like I was aiming way left, but I'm used to the feeling now and am aiming much better.  I can hit straight shots, draws, and fades (and hooks and slices of course).  But the out to in swing path I have ingrained over the years has left me with a fade tendency.

Here are a bunch of video's from my range session today in slow motion and full speed.  I took care to set up the camera as suggested but please let me know if they should be tweaked.

All advice is appreciated and I look forward to talking with you!

- Luke

Down the Line - Slow Motion

Down the Line - Full Speed

Face On - Slow Motion

Face On - Full Speed

First I want to say welcome to the site.  I think you will find it very helpful indeed, and eventually you will see some major improvement with your swing and score imho.

1.  Take a look at the below thread started by the owner of TST as you will find it useful

2.  It will be important for you to read the below thread as well, as you will see the fastest improvement practicing this way

3.  Finally take a look at this thread to understand the methodology of the instructors and most of the others on this site in terms of how they go about fixing other peoples (and their own) golf swings.  Consider these like the corner stones of a good golf swing to produce a good repeatable swing!

Centered Pivot

Your hips are not really turning, and your left arm is clearly breaking down.  Your head dips down as well on the back swing, but take things one at a time.  I think if you work hard on getting a centered pivot to begin with it will really ease some of the other things in your swing..

Your feet are turned out slightly but maybe you can afford to widen your stance slightly, keep your feet turned out, and try just turning around your axis.. When you do just watch your self in the mirror and do not allow your left arm to bend at all.. just go to a half swing instead of a full swing at first..

I'm sure others will also give you some good advice, and again welcome!

Left is set up, right is impact. Your weight is not forward at impact. your left hip and knee should be on or over that line. See the video below.

You get way too steep in the downswing. Its because you have an over the top move. you need to get more shallow and swing to the right more.

See how the club head is outside the hands at impact. You need to get the club more inside the hands at this position.

Check out this video for an explanation on what happens when you get too steep and get the club outside the hands,

Thanks for the insight saevel25 and Abu3baid .

Regarding my hip rotation and impact position:

I was snap hooking a good percentage of my drives last season.  I started hitting the range as soon as the weather was good enough here (about 1 month ago), and I was still snap hooking my driver.  I started experimenting with different amounts of hip rotation in my takeaway.

Lessening my hip rotation in the backswing, along with what I felt was tilting my upper body away from the target in my downswing (very much like this still you posted)

pretty much guaranteed I wasn't going to snap hook.  Which has given me a lot more confidence standing at the tee so far this year.  I've been hitting mostly fades and slices off the tee.

I'll watch the videos you both recommended, and i'm sure i'll have some questions for you both tonight.

Thanks again for the posts!

Take a look at this video for information on hip rotation. Having a good hip turn really helps out with a centered pivot and keeping the heady steady.

@saevel25 @Abu3baid

I've watched all the videos you've both recommended.   I have a few questions before I take to the range.

Regarding Swing Plane:

Is my initial takeway too flat, causing me to attempt to get on plane near the top of my backswing, but I overcompensate and get too steep by the top?

Or should I be trying to maintain the same shaft angle from picture 2 all the way to the top of my backswing and then come down on that same plane in the downswing?

Regarding Weight Forward at Impact:

Is getting the weight forward primarily the result of a good forward hip slide?

If so, as I slide the hips forward, what's the proper feeling of the balance of the upper body?  Is it moving forward and centered over the left leg?  tilted back to maintain the same head position as at the top of the backswing? Or something else?

Regarding Hip Rotation and A Centered Pivot:

I am able to rotate my hips more during the takeway.   But as I mentioned, this tends to lead to me snap hooking shots.

Any suggests as to what about my current swing would typically lead to me doing this?

-Luke

Your assessment is correct that you are currently going from "Shallow" to "Steep".. ( I am doing that as well currently) however you are on the very extreme end of Shallow to Steep and it will be a detriment to your game.

In order to get there you should feel less of bringing the club around your body.. So, turn with your hips (i.e. feel that your right hip is moving around and up) and feel your arms as if they are going straight up in the air instead of coming around.. Try and keep your left arm straight so that you feel more pressure and less need to continue moving your arms around your body.

I think you have some good questions here, but I'm not really sure how to answer them.. The only thing I can say is that you can start the hip slide with the feeling that you are squishing a bug with your left foot.  You can read more about it below, and if you have more questions about it I suggest you ask it in the thread below as well.

With the club face closed to the out-in path it would send the ball left and hook even more left.  When you over do your hip turn you probably end up making contact with the ball much later in the downswing than you normally would, so the out-in path is still there, but you are meeting the ball with the club face very closed to that path.  I wouldn't really worry too much about this now, as this will go away once you start changing your swing.

The fastest way to improve in my opinion is for you to get some professional help.. I was very skeptical at first about going with evolvr here but I have been able to improve my swing and my contact significantly over the past 4 months.. Yes, the help you might get in my swing thread is great, but nothing better than a pro examining your swing and then giving you specific things to work on to get you where you would like to be!  I highly recommend them, and I am sure many on this site would agree with me..

Good Luck,

Eyad