Improving with a Significantly Shortened Backswing

[looseleftie]

Hello,

I am around 20 handicap mark at present, haven't played much of late. I feel I have the ability to get lower through putting it more time into game, and no covid restrictions, avern't played in over 3 months, golf has been shut down completely at present. I notice when I take a significantly shortened backswing, like your left hand is almost parallel with the ground on take back to give you the idea, I make pretty consistent and repeatable contact, thus resulting in slightly shorter length, but decent, for my current level of playing..

Wondering if anyone else has any experience of this

Love any thoughts on the subject, thank you in advance

Looseleftie

.

[klineka]

Have you filmed your swing? Good chances are your significantly shorter backswing is longer than you think it is (which isn't a problem, just know that feel isn't real)

One of my main practice drills with my irons is making shorter, compact swings, feeling like I stop where Tony Finau does in the backswing, when I go back and look at it on video, it is often close to what some people have as their full length swings. 

If you are making consistent and repeatable contact that is great especially at your handicap level, when you say slightly shorter length, how far are you talking? If you are only hitting your 7 iron 100 yds then that might be a problem depending on what tees you play from, but if a regular 7 iron goes 155 and your shorter compact 7 iron goes 145 then I would be fine with that for now and work on other areas of your game then once you have a solid foundation on those you can come back to irons and work on adding a bit more swing length/speed.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, looseleftie said:

I am around 20 handicap mark at present, haven't played much of late. I feel I have the ability to get lower through putting it more time into game, and no covid restrictions, avern't played in over 3 months, golf has been shut down completely at present. I notice when I take a significantly shortened backswing, like your left hand is almost parallel with the ground on take back to give you the idea, I make pretty consistent and repeatable contact, thus resulting in slightly shorter length, but decent, for my current level of playing...

Your swing is probably longer than you realize. Your half swing might be a full swing, and your full swing might be ridiculously long.

[ChetlovesMer]

What they said.

Post video. I promise it helps. 

[BC-to-MI]

Agree with what everyone has said about video because this:

10 minutes ago, iacas said:

Your swing is probably longer than you realize. Your half swing might be a full swing, and your full swing might be ridiculously long.

is absolutely me. And I didn't realize this until I started filming.

[looseleftie]

RE shorter, still hit PW 100m, 3 hybrid 165-170m and driver 190-210m

Re longer swing than I realize,  a mate recorded me, I have done this also myself, my backswing gets to the point just before my left arm begins to bend (doing this for a right hander)..it would be approx 90deg in backswing, close to parallel with the ground (just less than)...  it feels solid and repeatable, even though I'm a mid handicapper for the moment..

I will record myself over next  day or so and upload it

Edited October 16, 2020 by looseleftie

[Morgan Mullins]

I too have noticed that if I (feel like I) shorten my back swing, I have better contact. I’ll take the video recommendations to heart and take a look.