My latest swing video - just can't get flatter

[sonicblue]

I'm pretty sure my steepness is the root cause of my poor ballstriking, but I'm just having so much trouble flattening/widening my arc. I got the Swing Extender which I think has the potential to help me compensate but I fear a re-construct may be in order. I don't want that, because I know my scoring will probably go to hell in a handbasket until I emerge on the other side, but I really feel I'm up against a wall and not poised to break through to the next handicap level.

Comments welcome...

[uttexas]

I recognize this swing (my old swing). Across the line at the top with a cupped wrist, then a mini over the top move on the way down. Steep forward swing, but still inside to out. I could score well with this swing, and I'm sure you do too. But I felt I couldn't improve further (plateud for 3 years), without fundamental changes.

Started on the overhall about six months ago. Did my scores suffer... absolutely, but seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

[uttexas]

Here's a good video of maintaining a good, flat swing plane throughout the swing. O'Hair actually initially brings the club too inside/behind his body, then lifts up to compensate, has a slightly cupped wrist,then drops down back into plane Tiger pretty much stays on plane the whole time. In order to do this, you need good flexibility in your upper back--to keep the arms close together at the top of the back swing.

[uttexas]

Nicklaus, had an upright back swing, but his initial move on the forward swing was to drop and rotate the shoulders down (not around), thus achieving a "flattish" forward swing

[squaddie]

At address your posture looks like it's too upright. Are you considered a tall person (above 5' 10" in height)? Perhaps moving your right foot wider from under your shoulder and standing a little further away from the ball will help encourage a shallower swing plane, with a little more hip bend and knee flex.

I was going to link an Ernie Els down-the-line swing for reference, but looks like uttexas has beaten me in providing the visual aids :)

[sonicblue]

I'm 6', so tall-ish, but not really by most standards, I think. My bigger concern, as mentioned, is my hand action. My hands are pretty 'quiet,' I would say, but I think what little action they do is probably incorrect, LOL.

Sounds like I'm probably in need of a drastic change, just get it over with, in the hopes of emerging from the overhaul asap...

[grantc79]

I'm 6', so tall-ish, but not really by most standards, I think. My bigger concern, as mentioned, is my hand action. My hands are pretty 'quiet,' I would say, but I think what little action they do is probably incorrect, LOL.

Make circles with your swing until you get used to feeling the club drop inside and do it SLOWLY. I mean as slow as you can possibly make them.

At address try to drag your club outside and high over plane without bending/cocking/breaking your wrists until you get to the top. At the top you should feel like you are very extended with the club way over plane and away from your body. Once at the top feel like the club DROPS way inside and you hit the quadrant of the ball that is closest to your right foot. If you think about it it will pretty much seem like your club head is making a big circle from out to in. Keep doing this drill until just feels completely natural for the club to drop inside as you transition from back swing to forward. You'll be hitting tall draws pretty much automatically.

[iacas]

Keep doing this drill until just feels completely natural for the club to drop inside as you transition from back swing to forward.

I never liked the "drop." I feel it adds a timing element that's just unnecessary.

If you want flatter, get your hands what I call "deep" very quickly. Don't lift and you won't have to drop.

[Hoselrockets]

I never liked the "drop." I feel it adds a timing element that's just unnecessary.

"Deep" can you explain a little more about this?

[iacas]

"Deep" can you explain a little more about this?

Behind you. For me, it feels like my hands move from address towards my right hip. Kind of a 45° angle back and to my right. Then behind me. With my shoulder turn.

[sonicblue]

I think I'm going to try (all in small doses) standing farther from the ball, bending slightly more at the waist (I'll have to swing flatter or I'll start carving out earth!) and taking the hands more inside on the takeaway.

[KwSipp]

Looking at your swing Id have to say when you connect you paint the fairway, to me all you are is across the line at the top. You do everything else fine and your problem might not be your swing but your mental attitude that determines how you swing. My dad plays a "inside to down the line type" loopy swing but he is a 0.8 handicap. Boom boom plays across the line and from what he says you have to just give a little more time to start the downswing.

[uttexas]

and taking the hands more inside on the takeaway.

Careful here. Your backswing is fine half way back. Taking your hands deep, means at the top of the backswing, your hands should be over your rear shoulder/hip (right shoulder/hip for a righty). To get your hands deep, at half way back, you lift the club and behind you. At the same time, you keep your forearms together (see video), so that your right elbow is pointing down, not out or flying (difficult to explain--will post video)

If you try to take the club more inside, you go way under the swing plane. Notice how Appleby keeps his right elbow pointing down at the top of the backswing. He does this by keeping his forearms relatively close together during the backswing. This takes good flexibility. A good drill to accomplish this is to swing with a volleyball sized ball between your forearms. This keeps the arms connected and "in front of your body" during the swing.

[sonicblue]

In my league (9 holes), I'll routinely miss all 6 of the non-par-3 fairways, so there is no 'painting the fairway' in my game, but I'll go stretches where - seemingly with the same swing and thoughts/approach - I'll stripe and rip. I think my mental approach is probably as good as it can be, frankly (i.e., I'm not trying to crush it, I don't try to shape shots). I just need to work toward more natural, good golf positions that I could more easily repeat.