Help me get my swing more upright...

[Avid Golfer]

My takeaway is in sync ( I try to feel like my shoulders/arms/hands all move back with my torso) but when I get to about waist height I tend to just keep going back causing a flat swing. Do I just cock my wrist's up then?

Technically its hinging the right wrist back toward the right forearm (like your putting your hand up to signal someone to stop) that you want as opposed to the hammering action that is occurs near the thumb and is known as cocking. If you look at the Charles Howell picture (or the video of Immelman, or video/pictures of Els and Faldo) the wrist action doesn't move the club up as much as it moves the club at and angle toward the right shoulder.

Also from a technical standpoint if your hips (turn) and your legs move (knees loose flex) then the club will swing back flatter too. Keeping lower body resistance will encourage the club to stay a little more in front of your chest (from a down the line view) and the grip end of club to point at a steeper angle.

Although, today I went to the range and felt like my swing was more upright (felt nice actually), but it will take some getting use to to and I need to record my swing so you guys can help me out (I plan in doing this this weekend). I wasn't too consistent with my shots, I think it will take some time. I think I just need to drop my right elbow down and in from the top correct?

Byron Nelson, Nick Faldo, and Ernie Els have all used the thought of dropping the right elbow to the right side of the chest/hip successfully, so it is a good thought to use.

[Trevor07Silvy]

Ok thanks Avid. Have a another question...

A question about how to achieve the "PGA Tour trajectory". I've always had a high ball flight, flat swing or upright swing and I'd like to change this. Ball position doesn't do anything for me, maybe a minimal change in trajectory at best. When I hit a good iron shot I make a divot after I hit the ball, my driver seems to always have a high ball flight, etc. How can I get the "PGA Tour trajectory" where when these guys hit they start out low and fly a ways down the fairway, etc. I feel like I'm lacking distance. At 20 yrs of age I should be able to smoke some iron shots, or drives.

[Avid Golfer]

Ok thanks Avid. Have a another question...

Angle of attack/approach has a big impact on the trajectory of a shot. Once again referring back to the Charles Howell pictures (or pretty much any pro for that matter) approaches from a shallow angle which produces a piercing ball flight. In the Howell image if you look at the picture in the bottom right corner you see the club shaft nearly on the original shaft angle plane (it is parallel to it), the shaft in line with the right forearm, and the right wrist hinged back. If we took that position to impact (the wrist unhinging and the shoulders squaring up) the shaft would continue to parallel the yellow line in the picture, and it would make a shallow angle of attack. If however you have a steeper angle of attack you will hit downward on the ball and add more backspin to the shot (and make it fly higher with a more ballon like trajectory).

The image shown below shows a shallow angle of attack (left) vs. a steep angle of attack (right).

[blurry]

you should practice on a sidehill lie with the ball below your feet, this automatically makes your swing more upright, just as practicing with the ball above your feet makes your swing flatter

driver- ping isi
fairways- retco 15degree 3 wood
irons- precept forged tour premiums
wedges- nike 53 & 58 degree
putter- scotty

[Trevor07Silvy]

I noticed at the range yesterday (I filmed my swing to put it on here, but bought the wrong cable that goes from the cable to the camcorder, so it will have to wait = ( ) that my swing is really flat to my standards. So when I got home I was watching the Verizon Heritage that I recorded (and watched alot of players' swings) and suddenly came up with the idea that if I keep my lower body as quiet/still as possible in the backswing, I'm able to swing more upright. Maybe I'm turning my hips too much in the backswing, maybe almost the same distance as my shoulder turn? Can a big hip rotation cause a flat swing?

I need to go out to the range sometime this week and focus on trying to keep my lower body as still as possible.

[Trevor07Silvy]

anyone?...

[Avid Golfer]

So when I got home I was watching the Verizon Heritage that I recorded (and watched alot of players' swings) and suddenly came up with the idea that if I keep my lower body as quiet/still as possible in the backswing, I'm able to swing more upright. Maybe I'm turning my hips too much in the backswing, maybe almost the same distance as my shoulder turn? Can a big hip rotation cause a flat swing?

Keeping your lower body still is likely to help your chances of having the club move back behind you less (and be beneficial to your downswing). That being said there are other causes in addition to lower body stability that effect how and where the club moves in the backswing. Your practice swing may look good, but when you're hitting a ball your swing may be significantly different. If you have the chance take the video camera out with you when you go to try your lower body stability swing you can then compare it to your previous video to see if and how much of a difference it makes.

[Logie]

It be great if you could get your swing up, to me it sounds like your conflicting 1 plane and two plane together.

I know its not much help, but if you get the vid up some one will sort it :)

[Trevor07Silvy]

Thanks guys, I bought the wrong cable last weekend when I was home, so I wasn't able to put my swing on here. So when I go back home for summer in 2 weeks I'll be able to put my swing on here. Sorry for the delay.

[Guest]

Hi - I have a very similar problem. I went to Golf Tec (if you have this by you, it's a fun way to spend an hour - you will learn lots about your swing). I am a 2 HC with a very flat swing plane.

I have found over time that changing a swing plane is one of the hardest things to do.

I do the chair drill sometimes - you take a chair, put it about 2 feet behind you and even with your toe line. You bring the club back, trying not to hit the chair. Putting your butt against a wall and swinging without hitting the wall is also good. These drills work well at home.

When I actually have to hit a golf ball, I can usually make a decent takeaway but at around halfway back, I start flattening it out. My lines & angles are way messed up at the top. The butt end of my club points 2 feet out to the right of the ball (when looking from behind down the target line)

The chair drill doesn't work when hitting the golf ball because you will hit the chair on the way down when your club gets into the slot. I've also tried "the inside approach" training which is OK on the downswing but doesn't solve the takeaway problem. Bottom line, neither of these drills work on the driving range.

The good news is when I do hit the right plane, I make really solid contact an I'm even able to fade it. This is almost impossible w/ my flat plane. So I know I'm heading in the right direction.

What I really want is a portable wall I can put behind me on the range! Or maybe I'll start carrying around one of those PVC swing plane trainers on the top of my car.

Does anyone know a good drill you can use to make the swing plane more upright when atually hitting golf balls? Any good swing thoughts from anyone w/ similar issues?

[Avid Golfer]

Hi - I have a very similar problem. I went to Golf Tec (if you have this by you, it's a fun way to spend an hour - you will learn lots about your swing). I am a 2 HC with a very flat swing plane.

A proper drill will depend on what is causing the flat swing. A flat swing can be caused from a number of different things including: The arms rotating over, the wrists breaking down, the lower body being over active, the shoulder turning on a faulty plane.

If the arms are over rotating then thinking about having the left elbow pointing at the ground as you swing your arm back to parallel might help. If your wrists are breaking down then feeling like you are swing your hand back to shake hands with someone might help. If your lower body is breaking down then you might want to think about maintaining your knee flex. If your shoulders are turning flat you may benefit from feeling like your back shoulder moves straight up to the sky (a tip from a Nick Faldo video). A drill Steve Elkington advocated is to feel like you are swing back and pointing your thumbs up. Its very dependant on your swing. If you can share the video of your swing that might help in giving proper drills.