My UGLY swing...

[Deryck Griffith]

6.7 handicap?

Handicap has no correlation to swing style. IMO, it really doesn't matter how you swing the club or what your "style" is. All that matters is proper dynamics and a square clubface when you hit the ball. Of course, there are techniques to help improve on this; however, based from the video Shanks A Million posted, he is making great contact even with his unique swing. Besides from a couple of adjustments, playing to a 6.7 handicap is respectable and my suggestion would be to practice and master putting and chipping / pitching...

[iacas]

Handicap has no correlation to swing style. IMO, it really doesn't matter how you swing the club or what your "style" is. All that matters is proper dynamics and a square clubface when you hit the ball. Of course, there are techniques to help improve on this; however, based from the video Shanks A Million posted, he is making great contact even with his unique swing. Besides from a couple of adjustments, playing to a 6.7 handicap is respectable and my suggestion would be to practice and master putting and chipping / pitching...

I second that, but as I told SAM in a PM, he's going to hit a ceiling (or a floor, depending on how you want to view it) at some point. Impact may be all that matters, but we've done a lot to study the more efficient ways to get there most consistently.

I played for awhile as a sub-2.0 index golfer with what I now see as a HORRIBLE swing. I think I even posted it here. It was atrocious, frankly, but I could repeat it and my athleticism kept me from being the 8-index golfer the swing looked like. With a better swing, I'm now actually able to use my athleticism for things that can't be described as "saving the shot" or "recovering from this not-so-good position on the takeaway" or whatever.

[Deryck Griffith]

I second that, but as I told SAM in a PM, he's going to hit a ceiling (or a floor, depending on how you want to view it) at some point. Impact may be all that matters, but we've done a lot to study the more efficient ways to get there most consistently.

That is definitely true. You mentioned athleticism and luckily, I can relate to you as I also am able to apply some of mine (former NCAA DIV1 baseball player) into my golf swing and with "good swing" mechanics, can get a lot out of my swing. Overall in the big picture, there are definite improvements that can be made to maybe drop Sam's 6handicap down even further. I just think it's more changes to the dynamics of his swing vs. the actual style; and changes in his fitness Regimen (which you already mentioned).

[Shanks A Million]

Sorry, I'm autistic, tend to come across as having an attitude in text. I mean no attitude at all.

I think a lot of people are misunderstanding my approach here. As to my handicap, as rarely as I actually play, I think I have a very good handicap. Considering that I rarely even play once a month, putting together the scores to get down that low, for me, is an accomplishment. I'm not saying I don't do a lot wrong, I do. I am, however, saying that some things I cannot fix. Neither of my arms can straighten fully, ever, no matter what. As much as I'd love to have a great followthrough with straight arms, it's not going to happen, ever. Calvin Peete couldn't do it either, but he played OK. I am losing weight, which will help, but I've been inflexible my whole life, no matter what shape I'm in. And as for my "attitude", we all suffer from that. Lets face it, Iacas routinely refutes the wisdom top 100 instructors, and points out flaws of tour players with +7 handicaps. To be honest, I enjoy reading that. He's not at all wrong to do so. Doing and knowing are two different things, and that's the idea of the site, is it not? What my point was, is that I only want to fix one problem at a time, not get flooded with ideas that are not going to do me any good at this point. I know the problems with my swing, believe me, and I'll address them one at a time. Sorry to come across as having an attitude, I simply tend to over think everything. What suggestions do people have?

Yes...that's true...that's exactly what I was pointing out. Hinge at a faster rate the way I explained (may very well feel like a counter rotation to you for a while). Again...I don't think you are really all that flat it just looks that way because of the slow hinging action.

OK, now you're getting somewhere. That's

100% 110% true. For some reason, the arms seem to want to lift when the shaft does. This is killing me! I think what I'm going to work on is to swing around the body, and keep the arms more connected to me. I have a hard time doing it, well, because it's hard to get around that big mass of mine. I have had people "position" me to where I should be, but the pain was incredible. I just don't bend that far that well. I'll have to try to get used to it. I really want to get better, and I will take advice, of course, I just want to get the positions right before I worry about the impact and all that. OK, I just realized after I injured my leg, I made a change that was unintentional. You'll notice, at impact, my hips are not cleared anymore. I didn't even notice that. I don't know what to do. I'm scared clearing them again will hurt my leg... again. Any ideas?

Not to pry, but can you gain some flexibility? Some of the "lack" is due to weight, and again not to pry or anything, but can you lose weight? Your head could stay on the ball more if your shoulder wasn't pushing your chin back - your shoulders are steep enough. I don't see that as a likely flexibility issue.

I can't get the shoulder under the head without it turning. There's not enough clearance. Weight plays a factor, yes, but my shoulders are unusually large.

So you're a bad putter? C'mon, I play to a 1.x and don't know if I'd "pure" six three-irons in a row. Let's not overstate things. You posted this thread for a reason - perhaps I misunderstood the reason. If the reason was to get actual advice, you're not helping things. If the reason was to post an ugly swing so you could claim some sort of Jim Furyk territory, your handicap doesn't back it up. I like ya and all, so maybe that's some tough love, but what's the point of the thread? To get help or to argue with a bunch of people who mean well about how good you say you are?

Nah, I'm a very good putter and I chip pretty well. That's why I score so well. The swing is more like a 15 handicap swing, probably worse. I get by on the fact my hand eye coordination is second to none. So, maybe the swing is more like a 30 handicap swing, I don't know.

[Three Putt]

Does that bother you?

It's hard too see from the video, but if you are putting divots 1" to 2" after the ball I believe the 6.7 hcap....no problem.

You look fast and a unconnected at the top.....slow the swing down at the transition at the top.