Swing Help

[cdoug55]

Could some of you take a look at my videos and help me out a bit. One person analyzed my swing and said my take away was too far inside and my club angle was too flat causing me to come over the top. But I always thought that would produce a pronounced slice, but when I put the ball right it tends to be a push, not a slice. Figured maybe some of you could pick up on some other issues with my swing.

http://www.swingacademy.com/swingana...l.aspx?id=1355

http://www.swingacademy.com/swingana...l.aspx?id=1354

[mm6840]

Hi

Camera angle is not optimum and look like you're going a bit too inside. It's look like to me more or less correct one-plane swing (minus overswing) HowEver Your ball position is too far back from camera point of view for irons >9.

regards,

[MPS67]

Hi cdoug55,

I see a few things.

1) I agree that you're back swing looks a little flat. Swing more upright while, at the same time, using a touch more spine tilt, maybe another 5°. I think that you're not maintaining the triangular connection that's is necessary for good swing control. By triangular connection, I'm talking about keeping your grip in front of the center of your chest throughout the swing. When looking at the "Down the Line View" (DLV), I can see that your grip is too far over on your back side, and it's because you allowed your hands to rotate back too far. Learn to go back with shoulders only. Your grip should be above the letter "E" on your shirt in the DLV. I can also see this same problem in the "front view" (FV) when at the top. Instead of your grip being behind your head, it should be positioned to the right of your body.

2) Weight shift needs improvement. You have a slight reverse K at the top and your weight is not over the instep of your right foot. Allow your upper torso to sway over so that your shoulder line is over your right foot's instep. It's all right if your head sways back 4" or so. Don't let your hips sway over your right foot's instep though.

3)Your down swing sequence is not good. You are first swinging down with your shoulders from the top. I see some casting and the loss of your wrist lag before impact. It's difficult to tell because of the lack of frames in the video, but I'm guessing that your hands are not ahead of your ball at impact.

You need to make a lower body move first, and then shoulder turn. You should also try to push off with the instep of your right foot during the down swing.

4) At impact, it looks like your chest is lifting up. This is because you're putting your weight into your left toe during the downswing. Instead, transfer the weight into your left heal.

Please review and study the links below. They are from PGA instructor Kevin Schuler, Anthony Kim's swing teacher. They are about how your weight should move athletically through your swing, from set up through follow through..

SET UP

BACKSWING

TRANSITION

DOWNSWING

FOLLOW THROUGH

[jambalaya]

There are definitely some other people here that better analyze swings than me but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot wrong with it. Do you swing that smoothly at the golf course. The only comment I have is from your down the line shot. Your hands and arms seem to get too far behind you. Keep your arms more in sync with your shoulder turn so that when you get to the top your hands are just inside your back shoulder. Anybody concur?

[$2 Nassau]

I think you have a nice swing motion, and very nice tempo. Certainly better than most 20 handicap golfers I would venture to say.

Be careful with flooding your brain with too many technical swing thoughts. Don't let anything change that nice tempo and smooth stroke you have. Focus on the fundaments, not trying to make your swing look like _________ (insert touring pro's name here). You'll get a lot of good advice around here but you have to try to improve in small steps, not massive swing changes. Good luck!!

[cdoug55]

wow didn't realize my swing had that many problems. Well I have a lesson over at Bethpage this weekend so hopefully some of these things get addressed.

I def. see the problem on my takeaway which leads to a flat club angle and not being on plane.

Luckily I do swing with that tempo on the course. My 20 handicap I think comes from the fact that I get to play maybe 5 - 6 times during the summer with hardly any practice in between - work sucks hahaha.

[MPS67]

There are definitely some other people here that better analyze swings than me but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot wrong with it. Do you swing that smoothly at the golf course. The only comment I have is from your down the line shot. Your hands and arms seem to get too far behind you. Keep your arms more in sync with your shoulder turn so that when you get to the top your hands are just inside your back shoulder. Anybody concur?

Yes, I concur with you jambalaya. Cdoug55's hands are behind from the top. They're almost caught up by impact, but are just a little back and therefore, the club face will be a little open. Thus, a push to the right or even some slicing.

[JackieTreehorn]

Work on your setup first...by far more important than swing plane etc...those things should come once you have a good setup.
There is info on youtube or this forum about how to setup (e.g. http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13994 )
I am changing mine and it is still a work in progress.
Basically, you want the ball in front of your head at your left ear (face view) at setup...yours it too far back. Also, down the line, you want to see your R armpit, knees and balls of feet in a straight vertical alignment (=balanced...I think you were pretty good there).

[m11]

Look at the DL view and pause it at the top of your swing. Imagine a line of infinite distance going straight back from the ball. You want the butt of your club pointing at that target line.

Now look where the butt of the club is pointing.

You are pointing it back behind your body somewhere. This forces you to make an extra move on the downswing in order to square your club during the release, and if you dont time this additional move properly, you'll throw the club over the top (i'll give you credit that youre swing is an inside out swing. good work on that) and slice the ball.

Its kind of tough to tell on the video, but at the midpoint between the downswing and impact, you want the butt of your club pointing at about 1 o'clock. Its kinda tough to see on the video, but it looks like you are pointing at about 11 or 12 oclock.

Simple drill to correct this is to take the swing to the top, then look where the butt is pointing. Get it pointing at the ball line, and ingrain that feeling.

Same thing with the half way point. Stop your swing halfway, and make sure you are pointing at one oclock with the butt.

Overall, tempo looks good. you are making a nice shoulder turn and you are minimizing your hip turn. That looks good.

[jambalaya]

Look at the DL view and pause it at the top of your swing. Imagine a line of infinite distance going straight back from the ball. You want the butt of your club pointing at that target line.

A little confused. At the top of the backswing don't you want the club shaft in a position that is parallel to the target line you drew. I don't see how the butt end of the club could be pointing at that line. Maybe pointing down a line parallel to it.

[cdoug55]

Work on your setup first...by far more important than swing plane etc...those things should come once you have a good setup.

Is my ball position the only issue with my setup? To be honest I feel like my ball position in this video appears to be too far back as a result of the angle the camera was at. I was always under the impression that in general you want the ball positioned in the middle of your stance and maybe an inche forward for long irons? Im hitting a 6 iron here so I would normally keep that in the middle of my stance and I have found that I can play even my four iron almost to the middle of my stance and get a better penetrating ball flight than if I move it up.

[MPS67]

Jambalaya,

I could see M11's description as a little confusing, but I think you and he are talking about the same thing. He referenced pointing the club's shaft at an infinite line, so basically the meaning I understood is that they're pretty much parallel.

But I wanted to say something about m11's position drill. Checking static positions are all right for ingraining the feelings, but I'd suggest that you stop short of what you feel is the top when actually swinging because momentum can take you back much farther than you think.

[MPS67]

Is my ball position the only issue with my setup? To be honest I feel like my ball position in this video appears to be too far back as a result of the angle the camera was at. I was always under the impression that in general you want the ball positioned in the middle of your stance and maybe an inche forward for long irons? Im hitting a 6 iron here so I would normally keep that in the middle of my stance and I have found that I can play even my four iron almost to the middle of my stance and get a better penetrating ball flight than if I move it up.

Cdoug, I agree that the camera angle gives a misconception that you placed the ball too far back. People have different opinions on ball position. Many say to place it level with your left armpit, others like pacing it back a touch so they can ensure that their club is descending on the ball.

Shaping shots is also effected by ball position. Setting it farther back promotes a draw while setting it farther forward promotes a fade. Your address position looks good, IMHO. How are your feet? Is your weight on the balls of your feet? Are your toes and heels slight up?

[m11]

Jambalaya,

Eatmybologna, you are correct on both points. The idea of pointing it "at" the infinite line is that, as you said, your momentum will actually carry you a little past that point when you go to swing. You dont really need to be perfectly parallel either, you really cant get it perfect every time...however, if you find yourself pointing the butt in the direction that the original poster has put himself, you'll find yourself requiring your arms to do an extra move to get the clubface back to square.

[m11]

Cdoug, I agree that the camera angle gives a misconception that you placed the ball too far back. People have different opinions on ball position. Many say to place it level with your left armpit, others like pacing it back a touch so they can ensure that their club is descending on the ball.

With mid irons, play it off your left ear. Your head is properly behind the ball and you have that extra few inches to account for shaft length

[cdoug55]

With mid irons, play it off your left ear.

Not really sure I agree with this. Off your left ear would place the ball at least an inch off center, no? I think really ball position comes down to preference and choice of shot.

[cdoug55]

Had a lesson this past weekend and the pro immediately figured out what my problems by the time I took two swings. My left hand grip was extremely weak and I was standing a bit far from the ball. As a result my right arm was controlling a lot more of my swing. The corrected grip has helped a bunch with my backswing (shortened it up a lot). Also had me work on my downswing and so that just before impact I feel like Im getting trapped (not sure if thats the best technical way to describe it) so that my hands are in front of the ball at impact - which I think someone pointed out before.

Thanks for the help guys, ill repost some videos based on my progress.