Hiding in the shadows?

[LilGasPasser]

I think I might have a decent swing hiding in the shadows...

Went out tonight to play nine by myself, and got stuck behind a very slow foursome. So, while waiting on a tee, I was taking some practice swings with the sun at my back, and some with the sun at my right shoulder. I started looking at my swing and hand positions at different points in the swing, using my shadow. I never realized how off-plane my swing becomes once I hinge my wrists, until I saw myself in the shadow!

I played around a bit, and started using a more horizontal, as opposed to vertical, wrist hinge. After that, I was really stroking the ball well. No more slice, no more fade, just nice and easy, REPEATABLE slight draws. I was smiling ear to ear; it was one of those 'eureka' moments, and my first eureka moment in golf. I spent the rest of my time on my course practicing from different distances (course was pretty empty), and I was hitting way more greens than normal. And by that, I mean I was hitting greens. Usually, I end up short, right, or both, but tonight I was putting 70-80% of my shots on the green from 170yds in. For me, a high handicapping hacker, that was pretty satisfying.

Not sure if I'm using the terminology correctly, and I'm just starting to critically appraise my swing, but thought I'd share about using shadows to critique yourself. I just hope those straight shots are still there next time out

[Avid Golfer]

I never realized how off-plane my swing becomes once I hinge my wrists, until I saw myself in the shadow!

I would think you have a good chance of continuing the good swings in the future with your new swing revelation. Nick Faldo noted the benefit of a horizontal wrist hinge over a vertical wrist cocking in his

Golf the Winning Formula book. Tour pros who have worked with David Leadbetter for long periods of time (like Charles Howell shown below) tend to be excellent examples of that motion. The vertical cocking on the other hand tends to promote a number of bad actions. Vertical cocking often leads to things like: loss of posture, loss of balance, increased arm tension, increased grip pressure, altered swing plane (and path), loss of arm and body sync. Stick with it, and it should hold up over time.

[Harry Longshanks]

What we think we are doing, and what we are actually doing are often vastly different.

If you have a camcorder, you might consider taking it to the range and taping your swing. The results are almost always enlightening.

[jambalaya]

Amen to what Avid said. This is exactly been part of my recent discovery. A wrist hinge and a flat left wrist at the top is far more important than a wrist cock.

[LilGasPasser]

A wrist hinge and a flat left wrist at the top is far more important than a wrist cock.

Yeah, the flat left wrist hinge is working very nicely for me. I think I was hearing the term "hinge" and just cocking my wrist, so that the club went straight up almost. Now with the proper "hinge" (I think), things are staying "on plane".

Thanks for the tips/advice re: video shots of myself....