Am I too flat??

[geezer]

Ok, here are videos of my 7 iron and driver down the line. They aren't great quality, but I'm not looking for an indepth swing analysis (but you can if you want! ) its really only the top of the swing I'm concerned with here. So you can pause it there.

7IDTL
DDTL

I have a feeling that I'm too flat at the minuite (at the top). I haven't been able to hit my driver latley (literally, I'm nearly missing it off the heel of the club!). So naturally I've been experimenting. One thing I've tried which shows improvement in results is to feel like I'm holding the club alot farther above my head at the top.

Also, where is your right bicep at the top, and where should it be, in your opinion? I always thought to keep my right bicep fairly tight to my right side throughout the swing. But swinging more upright, as I mentioned before, causes my right arm and torso to seperate somewhat.

And finally, something I just realised there now looking at these vids, on my takeaway, am I coming too inside too early?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can come up with.

[mikelz]

I tried to look but photobucket.com is not responding.

[kfowler]

I tried as well and had the same issue.

I've been battling "flatness" and here's some checks.

1.) When you take the club back, are you taking it way too inside. I was taught that you always do the opposite from your takeaway. So if you bring it back inside, you'll most likely come through over top. Try to take the club back on plane. I find that you have to keep the club out much further than you think.

2.) When you arm is at 90 degrees to the ground, where is the butt of your club pointing. It should be pointing at the same line as your ball is on. If you're laid off, it'll be point way in front of you.

3.) What's really helped me for this is not trying to bring the club back as far. Try slowing down and shortening up your back swing.

Just some thoughts.

[mikelz]

Ok, here are videos of my 7 iron and driver down the line. They aren't great quality, but I'm not looking for an indepth swing analysis (but you can if you want!

The site is working fine now.

I have a feeling that I'm too flat at the minuite (at the top). I haven't been able to hit my driver latley (literally, I'm nearly missing it off the heel of the club!). So naturally I've been experimenting. One thing I've tried which shows improvement in results is to feel like I'm holding the club alot farther above my head at the top.

Yes, your hands are too low at the top. They are behind your shoulder blades instead of somewhere over the base of your neck.

You might try this experiment: drag the club back low and on line for as long as is comfortable. This will promote a more vertical plane. I don't know if you are actively trying to turn your shoulders back. If you are, de-emphasize that. If you get the club moving back, they are gonna turn.

Also, where is your right bicep at the top, and where should it be, in your opinion? I always thought to keep my right bicep fairly tight to my right side throughout the swing. But swinging more upright, as I mentioned before, causes my right arm and torso to seperate somewhat.

If you try to keep your right arm pinned to your ribs, you are sunk.

There aren't many options besides swinging it like you are in a phone booth. I was taught to do that way back because the courses weren't watered like today. Young players were taught to hit low, right to left shots. Lengthen the drive with "top dressing" and run it onto the green was the game. It took a while to unlearn that. You need that separation for a longer arc and an on-plane (any plane) swing.

And finally, something I just realised there now looking at these vids, on my takeaway, am I coming too inside too early? Thanks in advance for any help you guys can come up with.

Yes, very early. Take it back straight for a foot or two with the club face square to the line. If you don't manipulate anything, that will put your hands higher than they are now.

[mikelz]

Yes, as in starting the backswing.

Your shoulder rotation looks pretty much horizontal. Good luck

[Franco!]

Nah.
They're perfect size!

[geezer]

Err...
... thanks ??

[extremeld]

dont look to flat in your profile pic, gigady gigady!

joking,

cant view clip

[Richie3Jack]

Yes, you're very flat. If you can load the video over at swingacademy.com (which is free), I can show you better what's going on and what you need to do.

It really starts with the takeaway as you take the club far inside and roll the hands inward. That causes the club to get flat on the backswing and make the over the top move. If anything, you're better off getting too upright on the backswing because then you're more likely to not come over the top on the downswing.




3JACK

[geezer]

cant view clip

Its working for me. Try again. There is youtube links in my second post also.

If you can load the video over at swingacademy.com (which is free), I can show you better what's going on and what you need to do.

I tried swing academy first. But the site said something like the files are the wrong format or something.

[Avid Golfer]

Ok, here are videos of my 7 iron and driver down the line. They aren't great quality, but I'm not looking for an indepth swing analysis (but you can if you want!

Regarding your top of swing position it does look a little flat, but I've seen much worse.

Your heel shots may be from the club getting stuck behind you (causing the arms and clubshaft to rise and push away from your body) or your body shifting weight toward the ball (again causing the club to move more in the direction of the ball). Both of those actions lead to pushing the clubhead futher toward the ball and then contact is made on the heel).

Also, where is your right bicep at the top, and where should it be, in your opinion? I always thought to keep my right bicep fairly tight to my right side throughout the swing. But swinging more upright, as I mentioned before, causes my right arm and torso to seperate somewhat.

Immelman keeps a tucked right arm (as did Nick Faldo and Greg Norman), but that doesn't mean the arm plane is going to be flat compared to shoulder plane at the top. (View the Immelman picture bleow).

And finally, something I just realised there now looking at these vids, on my takeaway, am I coming too inside too early?

I do believe that your swinging of the hands higher, the clubhead dipping, and your low belt line angle (at setup) may be causing issues later in your swing. When you look at pros most of them tend to keep the grip pointed relatively low until (at least) the point where the club is in front of the back thigh on the backswing. (See the picture below)

[Three Putt]

As the Beastie Boys would say "Slow and Low...that is the Tempo..."

[Beach Golfer]

Your problem is all in your takeaway. You are pulling the club to the inside and at waist high the club is pointing way to the inside. This causes a chain reaction and so your backswing and your position at the top are too shallow.

You should try to take the club away more upright so that at waist high the shaft of the club is parallel to your feet.

[geezer]

The Beastie Boys, hmm... can't say I'm much of a fan, but maybe they're worth a shot!

at waist high the shaft of the club is parallel to your feet.

As in running along the target line?

[Beach Golfer]

As in running along the target line?

That is exactly what I mean

[geezer]

OK I will try that, thanks.