Swing Video - Please View!

[$2 Nassau]

Here is my swing, taken today 6/8.

6 iron and driver. DTL and face-on.

One thing I immediately noticed on the both the face-on swings is how my arms collapse on the follow through. Ughh, talk about ugly. How I can improve that(tips, drills, swing thoughts)?

My stance is usually slightly closed, although it looks really closed in these shots. Reviewed the videos before I left the course tonight and then cheked my stance with a club and it was normal, could be the camera angle. Need to work on squaring it up, but just feels more comfortable closed for some reason.

The driver DTL was a slight hook, figured it would be a good one to post since I've been battling a hook lately(a result of the poor follow through?).

Any other thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Driver - DTL
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...-DTL6-8-08.flv

Driver - Face On
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ceOn6-8-08.flv

6i - DTL
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ine-6-8-08.flv

6i - Face On
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ceOn6-8-08.flv

[GOLFOMG]

well I see a few things...

On the first driver swing, you are across the line bigtime.
On the 6 iron, you are in better position but still a little steep.

It seems like to me you are standing way too close to the ball, which is why you are too steep/across the line. It is the only way you can hit the ball the way you are standing.

Also it appears your weight is over your left foot at impact and that you are struggling big time to get through the ball.

Your ball position on your 6 iron looks too far back in your stance. I think it should be in the center or just a little bit ahead of center. Again, this is probably a function of you standing too close to it.

I really like your tempo and rythm.

So I suggest:

1. Stand further away from the ball
2. Try and keep your weight on your right side longer.
3. You get up on your toes as you come through it. Keep your weight on the midpart of your shoe or towards the heel...this might be fixed if you just stand farther away from it..
4. At the top of the backswing, your driver should be pointing down the fairway or towards your target, not straight right.

[$2 Nassau]

well I see a few things...

Thanks for the input. Do you feel I am standing too close with the driver as well?

Ball position with the 6i might be a little decieving due to the camera angle. Also, regarding this: Also it appears your weight is over your left foot at impact and that you are struggling big time to get through the ball. I was under the impression that my weight should be over my left foot at impact...? Are you saying I am just transferring the weight too soon?

[$2 Nassau]

Anyone else?

Let me have it!! Please.

[cbe_golfer]

cant watch videos in the office. Will look later and give you valuable same-handicap advice . I think we have similar goals for 2008. Sub 10..the joy.

[JackieTreehorn]

You bring the club back flat (around your body too much). Then it looks like you throw your hands on the downswing. Some people say this is caused by an urge to get your right hand involved in your swing.

A good drill is to hit balls with your right thumb off the club (pointed up in the air like you are hitchhiking). You can also try swinging with only your left arm.

[Three Putt]

How tall are you? You're clubs look short...

I don't know...looks like you are trying to help the ball in the air, what part of the ball are you looking/aiming at?

Driver:
Do you hit a duck hook sometimes? What part of the club is hitting the ball, the bottom?

6 iron:
looks like you are very close to the ball, again your clubs look short.

Anyway, my 11 yr old son has a great swing, and seemed to try to lift the ball with his Driver, I had him try thr Harvey Penick "Clip the Tee" drill and he didn't touch the tee the first couple times, after he started hitting the tee, he then started hitting the ball much more consistent. Then place a tee about 8 inches in front of the ball and try to clip the tee on your swing after contact (you won't, but ingrains the feeling of staying down the line and hitting through the ball)

I am a former framing carpenter, so I imagine a 3 foot 2x4 on the ground, with the ball at the front 3rd, it helps me visualize my path and impact zone.

you might want to try to open your stance a little to get better hip rotation through the ball, will help straighten out the hook.


Hope it helps.

[cbe_golfer]

ok..i saw the videos. Nice swing..not losing balance and all.

Your setup seems to be right of the target. Your shoulders are pointed that way and your thighs too. I think your misses are left of the flag. Also, your swingplane seems a little steep. Some more extension of the left hand and transitioning more weight to the left leg during and after impact would give you more distance than trying to hook it for more distance. Also noticed that you dont seem to be hitting down on the ball with the irons and taking a divot. I dig it up a bit more. I also have my hands a little more in front of the ball at address with my 6i.
Good Luck with your grand quest. Wish me luck too.

[bigphil]

i agree with the comments posted. you start off with a very flat swing (probably a hook and pull are your most often misses). also...you seem to be starting your downswing with your arms and are not utilizing a good coil in your body. try pausing at the top of the backswing for just a split second. you dont have much lateral movement which is good, but you do slightly dip your head at the top of the backswing. your stance is way to narrow. the outside of your shoulders should be on the insides of your feet. your clubs do seem a bit short, but you do have long arms, so its hard to tell. you should consult a fitting chart to measure from the biggest crease in your wrist to the floor while wearing shoes to get an accurate guidline Ping golf club fitting chart

[$2 Nassau]

Thanks everyone.

I'm 6' 3" with a wing span that measures almost 6' 6"(let the jokes begin). Crease in wrist to floor is 37" with golf shoes on. I've been playing for about 4 years and have yet to really invest any money in clubs/club fitting. But it won't be long, everyone I play with says my clubs look and they actually feel pretty short, especially after demo-ing some longer clubs with adjusted lie angles. It can be very difficult to get in good posture with my wedges.

I'm so glad I posted my video. I've learned so much in just one day. This is the first time I have ever seen my swing on video. I can't believe how I basically stand up and fold my arms at impact. Already started working on a better set up postion (not so close to the ball and widening my stance a little) and maintaining posture throughout the swing and extending through impact.

Also, I always thought I took the club way outside on the backswing!! Looks like it is just the opposite. Started working on that as well, probably the most difficult adjustment to make, feels like I am looping the club way outside a la Jim Furyk...but I'm sure I'm not. Heck it's probably still inside.

My misses are usually to the left and trying to help the ball in the air has been an issue, although I have seemed to overcome it with wedges and down to 8i. But it seems any club longer than that gives me problems.

[CG031]

It's a pretty good swing. Try swinging a little slower, may fix that hook as well. It seems like sometimes you swing too hard, or look like you may have the tendency to do that. You attack the ball so violently and then 'jump' up at impact for lack of a better term. There isn't a whole lot wrong with the swing, you have pretty good tempo and it's not and athletic at the setup. Looks solid to me.

[Three Putt]

I think if you get properly fitted you could shave some major strokes, I play some golfers of the same hcap, but they do not have your athletic swing, get the right fitted clubs and you will be longer and straighter. Your swing looks pretty dang good, i think you are compensating at impact with stock (shorter) clubs. Man... 2 or 3 lessons with a good pro could make you much better.

Honestly...you need a few sessions, get fitted by a pro...welcome to single digit hcap...as long as the putting and chips are good!

[$2 Nassau]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I've become friendly with the pro at my local course where I play in a league. My father-in-law knows him so I have gotten to know him a little myself. Took one lesson from him when I first started playing. I sent him the links to the videos (shameless attempt at a free lesson) and he made some similar comments as some of you did.

He said right now to work on the set up, posture looks okay but I'm crowding the ball. There is really no other choice for my body but to lift up and contract my arms at impact because I have jammed myself by being too close to the ball. Also said to widen the stance a bit and be mindful of ball position and hand position (a little more press with irons but don't over do it).

He mentioned that "you'd be surpised how many flaws can be corrected with a good, solid set up." So he said not to go crazy with trying to fix swing plane right now, because it will change when you set up correctly. He felt the poor impact position(raising up the body and arms) is most likely a direct result of being too close to the ball and can be improved upon easily.

He said work on the correct set up, alignment, etc and get it ingrained into your mind and muscles, then video tape the swing again and go from there.

I think I'll work on these things for 3-4 weeks and then do another video to assess progress. If only I didn't have this silly job, and all those silly bills to pay...I could be working on it around the clock! LOL

[Guest]

Hey there. You're alignment seems to be the major problem. Your clubhead is aimed at the target while your shoulders and feet are aligned well right of the target. Thus, you are forced to swing on an inside-out path (along your body line) with a closed clubface. This is the cause of your duck hook. Spend some time at the range, with clubs aimed toward the target line on both sides of the ball. Align your feet, shoulders, and hips parallel to these clubs. Repeat until it is ingrained. Hope this helps!

[fusioncal]

...trying to help the ball in the air has been an issue...

1. Perhaps that UST Proforce V2 is the problem getting the ball in the air.

2. Another thing I noticed from face-on driver video is that your left and right shoulders are on the same height. You're right shoulder is supposed to be lower than your left on address (spine tilt). Such position will encourage a more upward swing with driver which equals to higher ball flight. You'll notice that around 70% your weight is on your (back) right foot at address if you get it right. This is the picture that I'm referring to in regard to spine tilt. Compare it to your driver face-on video at 00:12. Hope this helps.

[$2 Nassau]

Thanks guys.

I really should post an updated video as I have made some changes since this vid was taken. I have fixed the alignment problem, basically what I had to do at first was take what felt like an open stance (although it wasn't, it was just square, but felt open to me since I had a closed stance for so long). This solved a lot of problems and I can often feel the club swinging from the inside and dropping into that "slot." It's not perfect but a big improvement, feels like I'm in a better position at impact too because of this. Has taken a lot of getting used to regarding the alignment though - still fall back into the old habit every once in a while.

Also got fitted clubs which has helped a lot.