Swing Critique -Video-

[ddalet]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I am currently working on my swing.

A couple things to know:
I am currently playing a 5-6 hcp.
Came off a back injury so I have slowed down my swing some since my prime playing days.

On average, I consider myself a ball striker. I hit almost every ball flush, and I can hit say 20 balls on target in a row at the range with a given club, especially 7 iron and below. On the course however, I cant say that I get every ball to within a flagstick every time, in fact I'd say this happens 3-4 times a round max. I would say I miss one drive a round, max two.
My putting is average, some days it is really good, some days it is awful. Chipping is usually a strong suit for me.

Things I want to improve:
1. I feel like I am 3 shots away from scratch, but I always mess up the 3 shots, usually a blocked swing with a mid iron that goes way right and I end up making double bogey or worse as a result.

2. I hit the ball really high. This has its upsides, the ball usually bites to within a few inches of where it lands... but whenever I have wind in my face, I need to hit 2-3 clubs more. I've tried and tried to bring it down some, no avail. Tried ball position, flatter swing plane etc.

3. I've lost distance. In the video I am hitting an 8 iron, it was a good strike with a slight draw, about 150-155 yards. I used to hit it farther. =( Distance is not what makes the game but I am wondering what has happened. It might be because of the injury. Is my swing too slow?

Anyhow, here is the video. Please post any observations.

[LongballGer]

You're losing your spine angle and coming out of the shot at impact. That's why you block the ball.

You're also not compressing the ball and because of that and you get that high weak ball flight.

Work on maintaining your spine angle, turning your hips better and having your hands in front of the ball at impact. That way you hit the ball further, with a lower more penetrating ball flight.

Good luck.

[RC]

Yeah, even at address, your back is arched over. Try standing straigher and bending forward at the hips with a normal active flex of the knees. This feels like you are lifting your chest at address, but it is really just a straighening of your back. Then as you swing through the ball, accelerate the club with your lower body to whip it around. You are coasting a little through impact. Just an opinion.

[ddalet]

Thanks for the responses. I tried bringing my hips forward and my hest up to straighten my back and rotate along the spine better.

I am having trouble hitting the ball solidly in this manner, it feels a bit awkward after so many years of my bad posture.

Guess I need to work on it some more before it feel comfortable.

[ddalet]

I've been working on my swing a bit. Here are some videos from yesterday.

All feedback and comments welcome. My goal is to get my hips to the point where they have released almost completely at the moment of impact like that famous ben hogan picture. Any tips for this to fit my particular swing style or other things that you see please comment.

I feel like I am releasing my hips earlier/better and maintaining the spine angle through impact and follow through versus my earlier swing video.

Consistency is still an issue but it comes with changing your swing. First club is a 7 iron (about 165-170 yards), second is a three wood (about 250 yds).

[iacas]

The right knee kicking out like that is probably a sign of something you could improve quite a bit, but I can't say what because we don't have a very good angle here (a face-on one might be best to diagnose that problem). You could probably stand to push your hips forward more, rather than just kind of spinning them around like you seem to do.

[ddalet]

Yes thank you. I noticed that this morning.

My right knee is coming up for some godforsaken reason and is causing my whole lower body to yip at impact. I have no idea why this is happening... probably me trying to muscle some extra juice.

Guess I have to deconstruct my swing again.

I am trying to rotate my hips along my spine, which is my understanding of a correct hip release.

I thought for certain that dragging your hips forward on the downswing was a sure fire way to block the rest of your swing?

[mm6840]

The right knee kicking out like that is probably a sign of something you could improve quite a bit, but I can't say what because we don't have a very good angle here (a face-on one might be best to diagnose that problem). You could probably stand to push your hips forward more, rather than just kind of spinning them around like you seem to do.

+1 !

right hip should never get closer to the ball .. but just horizontal forward (left hip goes around ). Cheers, M