My Swing (saevel25)

[saevel25]

I found this drill in the 5 keys video thread, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD0b6wDS_WE

I also remembered @cipher working on the same stuff I am working on now. I remembered he had this post in his swing thread, http://thesandtrap.com/t/65114/my-swing-cipher/324#post_937688

So I gave that 5 keys drill a shot,

Sorry for the lighting. Indoors in the evening is not the best time to video tape a swing with a device that doesn't allow for manual shutter control ;)

Near impact, I can see a lot of my left leg. Hands are further away from the body. I can practice staying in my spine tilt better with this drill because I am pumping the club from A6.

edit,

On a side note. My backswing does a lot better when I just turn the shoulders. I had a bag under my left arm to keep connection. I just turned my shoulders to keep my self from overswinging. Basically when my shoulders stopped I didn't continue the swing. Practicing swing length as well.

[iacas]

I found this drill in the 5 keys video thread, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD0b6wDS_WE

I also remembered @cipher working on the same stuff I am working on now. I remembered he had this post in his swing thread, http://thesandtrap.com/t/65114/my-swing-cipher/324#post_937688

So I gave that 5 keys drill a shot

Good. This is what you should be doing outside, too. The balls will likely cut outside doing this because it's going to be "extreme" but that's a good sign.

Near impact, I can see a lot of my left leg. Hands are further away from the body. I can practice staying in my spine tilt better with this drill because I am pumping the club from A6.

Yes.

We did this a few times, you'll recall. You didn't like doing it. If you can make yourself like it (or at least see the value in it), cool. Mix this and the "slow but from the top" stuff together to keep your practice fresh.

On a side note. My backswing does a lot better when I just turn the shoulders. I had a bag under my left arm to keep connection. I just turned my shoulders to keep my self from overswinging. Basically when my shoulders stopped I didn't continue the swing. Practicing swing length as well.

Yes.

Sometimes, and maybe you're like me, but sometimes when I try to make a "shorter" swing I just stop turning and lift my arms up a bit to make the backswing. That's bad. The reverse is better: feel all turning and no arms. I have to be conscious of this "arms no turn" thing with wedges in particular.

[saevel25]

Decided to tr to play golf today. Got through 9 holes then walked off the course (actually rode off the course, golf cart)

I went to the range before to warm up. I was actually hitting some decent shots. I was getting some consistent results swinging easier. Well that was just a lie to get me into a false sense of security.

Diver (So-So)

-Big Push Cut

-Wierd toey high on clubface, hit up a ton, swing easy shot that went about 60 yards in the air, very little spin shot that went 230 yards. Trick shot maybe?

-Crushed push draw. Though it was probably a 90% swing speed. The damn hole is a 440 yard par 4, BLAH!

-Push Cut that barely got passed the corner on a par 5.

-Push Draw, just aimed right because I am tired of the lateral hazard on that hole.

Irons (BAD!)

-52*, actually hit a good full wedge

-5 iron, actually another good shot on the par 5

-PW, had 128 in. Green is thin and wanted to control the shot. Well I swung easy and the ball decided to go 138 yards into the trees over the green. Then I dropped a ball and tried again. Didn't take my time and hit one of my easy practice range chunks shots.

-9 iron, just a bit too much draw. Struck well but ended up in the bunker. Hit a really good bunker shot from compacted wet sand.

-7 iron, goat humping thinny snap hook.

-52*, Caught it a big heavy, got lucky it took a big bounce forward

-7 iron, thin push, got lucky to carry the bunkers

-Hybrid, big block push cut into the lateral hazard

-7 iron, toey, almost missed the ball.

-PW, fat

Distance Wedges

-Bladed over the green, luckily I was able to hack out from just in the trees. Thank god I didn't have anymore of these shots.

Pitching

-Not to bad. On longer pitches I still struggle with distance. I think I rush these shots and don't really think about were I want to land them.

Putting

-Terrible. I am bringing the putter back outside the ball, or straight back. I am heeling a lot of putts. Distance control is a problem.

I just wished that my misses were slight key 4 and 5 issues were I still make some sort of solid contact. Its just not fun when 2/3rds your irons are fat or thin. Then throw in toe'd shots.

Back to practicing I go.

[iacas]

Dough, when you play golf, just play golf. Just hit the ball solidly and get it in the hole.

There's no benefit to overthinking stuff on the golf course.

[saevel25]

Ok time to regroup here and stay positive.

Going to keep changing the picture. As posted here, http://thesandtrap.com/t/54840/simple-specific-slow-short-and-success-the-five-s-s-of-great-practice/108#post_1143434, change happens in small increments. Especially for things I am working on. I need to keep realistic in my results. I also need to keep myself from hindering my own play.

Practice

1) Keep the swings SHORTER AND SLOWER. Don't just hit balls to hit balls, embrace the process. Change is easier to make with slow methodical swings. Easier the change, quicker the change.

2) Don't expect good contact, looking to change the picture not to make a golf shot. Success is built on changing the golf swing.

Playing Golf

1) Full Swing - Play golf and stop thinking about everything that needs to happen in the swing. Keep the swing short and make a good turn not a fast turn. If this requires clubbing up one or two clubs to hit a shot then so be it. The swing is good, just making it better with practice, just got to trust it and not force it.

2) Short Game - Take your time. Don't just make a few practice strokes and go through the motions. Pick your spot and the shot you want. I have great success when I do this over just trying to go up and whack a short game shot.

3) Putting - Same with full swing, stop thinking about it.

[iacas]

Practice

1) Keep the swings SHORTER AND SLOWER. Don't just hit balls to hit balls, embrace the process. Change is easier to make with slow methodical swings. Easier the change, quicker the change.

2) Don't expect good contact, looking to change the picture not to make a golf shot. Success is built on changing the golf swing.

For a player of your ability level, #2 is actually not quite right. Though you can't judge success by contact and flight alone, if you're not seeing a lot of good you're probably doing it wrong (too fast, not enough, etc.).

You should be hitting the ball pretty solidly in practice, and without much curve.

Playing Golf

1) Full Swing - Play golf and stop thinking about everything that needs to happen in the swing. Keep the swing short and make a good turn not a fast turn. If this requires clubbing up one or two clubs to hit a shot then so be it. The swing is good, just making it better with practice, just got to trust it and not force it.

2) Short Game - Take your time. Don't just make a few practice strokes and go through the motions. Pick your spot and the shot you want. I have great success when I do this over just trying to go up and whack a short game shot.

3) Putting - Same with full swing, stop thinking about it.

Yup.

[saevel25]

Any thoughts on the putting stroke. Struggling to hit my lines, or feel a consistent stroke at all. I am hitting the heel part of the putter a lot.

[iacas]

Any thoughts on the putting stroke. Struggling to hit my lines, or feel a consistent stroke at all. I am hitting the heel part of the putter a lot.

Bend more from the waist and hips, which will force the elbows to bend more and put your eyes a bit more over the inside half of the ball.

Then… feel like you take the putter straighter back and closed:

You're currently sucking and rolling it inside and then shoving it outside a bit. Heel hits and face orientation issues arise.

[saevel25]

Shot a bad round tonight. Note to self, Beavercreek doesn't have the range open on Wednesdays after 5:30. I guess this is clear the range, give it a rest day. So I went off the first tee cold. I'll give myself a break on the first few holes not being warmed up after sitting at a desk job all day. like sitting for 9 hours promotes good golf movements ;). Took me to about the 5th hole to hit a decent approach shot.

So to change it up, instead of focusing on what I did wrong, lets list the shots I did good. Now I will just do more of these shots over the other ones.

Hole #1:

4 iron down the middle of the fairway

Hole #2

4rd Shot: 4 iron to nGIR distance from 210 yards out

5th Shot: Pitch Shot to about 15 feet

Hole #3

Drive: Aimed it poorly, hit it very well, 5 yard draw

2nd Pitch: Hit about a 15 yard pitch shot to about 6 feet.

Hole #4

3-wood: High level shot, swung smooth, turned hips,  hit a great controlled drive down the middle

Hole #5

3-Wood: Hit it well with a good draw to the left side of a dogleg

Hole #7

8 iron to about 15 feet. Little 3/4 swing, hit a great shot

Hole #8

6 iron to close to middle of the green, just took a bit too much off the shot, but hit it well

Hole #9

Driver: Perfect push draw to the middle of the fairway.

PW: Ball was slightly above my feet, but the ball never pulled left. Hit probably the most solid iron all day, expected it to turn a bit left and it never did.

2nd Pitch: 10 yard pitch to tap in range. First pitch was ball on a nasty downslope with the green rolling away with semi-firm really fast greens. It would have been an amazing shot to be putting at all after the first pitch.

I'll be playing better next time.

---

Thanks @iacas for the putting tip. The putting stroke just feels much better now.

[saevel25]

Here is the swing I am playing with. This was video'd after the round today, not practicing, just wanted to get a fresh look.

Current Swing

That is a 6 iron, maybe standing to close to the ball?

Also, I would grade the backswing as a B-

Club is very steep in the downswing.

Losing spine angle title (standing up move)

I can see if my backswing was bad that this move would cause a vicious snap hook if I happen to miss the turn rates and have the face shut down.

Firstly and probably most important, SHORTEN THE SWING!!!

Here is a picture of the top of the swing where I take a shorter swing, this is like 1/2 to 3/4 swing thought. Overall just a much better position. Easier to get the club to do what I want and sync the swing up with the turn. Hands could be a bit more up, less around, but this is a very functional position.

Drill (Slow Swing, Crash the Hip Back) Didn't work well. I struggle to get that crisp contact I was getting in Erie during my lesson with Erik.

Last swing , this one I decided to stand a bit further away from the ball. At least to help promote the spine tilt and extending the left arm out towards the ball. For the practice session my backswing through was shorter and left arm going up not around.

The contact was great, the ball flight was a push draw. The overall pieces of the swing could be better. Still this swing should get me around the course.

Summary Notes

The backswing piece isn't something I can forget about. I still need to figure out a way to stop losing my spine tilt and get that left hit around more. Keep practicing what I need to practice.

Overall for just better contact, SHORTEN THE SWING DOUGH!

At least do a grade B backswing, left arm more up not around

SWING EASIER, 70% swing on all aspects. Not 100% backswing, 50% downswing. Keep the tempo consistent.

Oh yea, SHORTEN THE SWING!

Side Note

I need to stop hitting so many bladed pitches and distance wedge. I wasn't blading pitches at all in Erie. No clue what I am doing wrong. Maybe I am standing to close to the ball. It's probably related to my full swing piece when it comes to distances wedges. Drives me bonkers.

My distance control on putting needs work. Blasting 15 footers 6 feet past the hole isn't good. Need to do the penny drill. Long backstroke, slow downstroke. Getting to poppy with the putting stroke. Probably having better contact helps from improving my posture.

[saevel25]

Working with the camera to get the backswing better and to work on the downswing with very very slow swings. Here is a two slow drills to A7, then a very slow full swing.

I think a good feeling is trying to recognize more flex in that left hip for longer to allow the rotation to happen more. Not really a squat feeling because I do get pressure on that left foot. Its really a subtle change in feeling. I think this might work better for me because it allows me to keep my standing up move to a minimum because the retain flex is counter to losing flex when you stand up. Kinda Duh really :)

I think the backswing is looking better as well. Luckily all the work in the off season made getting it better happen quickly. For my backswing its just arm down the toe line. No thinking about hands, or the club. Just left arm up the toe line. Seems to work really well for me.

That looks like a much better position at A7. Though I could get the left arm going out towards the ball better.

Backswing = Left Arm up toe line, 3/4 swing feel, take it slow. Don't try to feel like the hands or clubhead do anything at all.

Downswing = Start hip motion earlier and allow the left hit to maintain flex through impact allowing it to rotate more freely. Shift left arm out towards ball, or maybe hands out towards the ball.

[saevel25]

Was looking at the drill work on the range versus Erie, PA

Some key things that I need to really focus on when practicing those short strikes on the range.

Same old stuff, shorten the swing, swing easier. Hit them 100 yards.

A5 (from left to right) - My head needs to be looking down at the ball more, image at the range and home? Set up issue, crouching golfer?

Erie- hands moving more out, butt of club closer to the toe line

At Range - Actually not to bad, maybe a tad deep

A6 -

Erie - Hands are past the toe line, club inline with hands, hips are square to the target line, head has stayed steady.

At the Range - Hands are past the toe line, club is a tad inside, hips are square to target line, head has stayed steady

A7

At Erie-, Hips are open to the target line

At Range - Hips could be more open

Post Impact

Erie - Better extension, more turn, club head is lower and clubhead and arms are working around the body more.

Erie - Better extension, Hips kept turning, notice the right heel is off the ground compared to the one at the range. club is coming out more on plane, less vertical. Little bit of a chicken wing at the range.

Does the chicken wing come from lack of hip turn or is something else going on here? The strike seem a bit steep in this swing. Looks like I hit with a steep strike then try to save it and the club has to go up in the post impact due to not wanting to hit it even more steeply at impact. So this causes the vertical shaft, and the club not moving around the body with good extension?

So for my drill that I was working on at Erie

1) Shorter backswing

2) Swing Slower, hit 6 irons to 100 yards

3) Shift hands out towards ball more

4) Crash the hip

5) Anything else?

Side Note, is my weight still a bit tad on my heels at address?

[saevel25]

New Swing Keys while playing

Alignment: square stance not open. Clubface should look closed than what I am use to. The club will look like it has left loft at address. Mostly because I was use to playing with an open stance and open clubface. Its getting a bit better, but I can get lax on this and and up aiming left.

Backswing: Left arm up, shorter. At minimum 3/4 swing feel. This should be easy to get. It didn't take me long to get some B grade or better backswings while practicing yesterday.

Now the tricky part, trying to get this piece consistent.

Downswing: The left arm out towards the ball will be tough, so I might not do that one yet and hopefully the hips open would want to propel the club more around me, so more outward towards the ball. I think maintaining hip flex is a good feel I might explore more often. Also, starting the turn earlier in the swing as well.

This sounds like a lot while playing. I think shoving the backswing stuff into a preshot routine would help. Just make a few good short backswings before addressing the ball will get my body a good refresher on the good backswing.

When I am over the ball I think the hip flex feel, with a smooth turn.

By smooth turn I am thinking. Oneeeeee Twooooo Threeeeee.

Good idea? To much?

[Jakester23]

New Swing Keys while playing Alignment: square stance not open. Clubface should look closed than what I am use to. The club will look like it has left loft at address. Mostly because I was use to playing with an open stance and open clubface. Its getting a bit better, but I can get lax on this and and up aiming left.  Backswing: Left arm up, shorter. At minimum 3/4 swing feel. This should be easy to get. It didn't take me long to get some B grade or better backswings while practicing yesterday.  Now the tricky part, trying to get this piece consistent.  Downswing: The left arm out towards the ball will be tough, so I might not do that one yet and hopefully the hips open would want to propel the club more around me, so more outward towards the ball. I think maintaining hip flex is a good feel I might explore more often. Also, starting the turn earlier in the swing as well.  This sounds like a lot while playing. I think shoving the backswing stuff into a preshot routine would help. Just make a few good short backswings before addressing the ball will get my body a good refresher on the good backswing. When I am over the ball I think the hip flex feel, with a smooth turn.  By smooth turn I am thinking. Oneeeeee Twooooo Threeeeee. Good idea? To much?

Your probably going to get better advice from a better source but that seems like a lot IMO. I like just the last sentence (1,2,3) but I'm a simple minded person. I'm easily confused.

[saevel25]

Your probably going to get better advice from a better source but that seems like a lot IMO. I like just the last sentence (1,2,3) but I'm a simple minded person. I'm easily confused.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
Driver;  0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood:  917h3 ,  Hybrid:   915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges:  (52, 56, 60),  Putter: ,  Ball:  MTB,  Shoe: ,  Rangfinder: 
Bag: 

[Jakester23]

When I start to over swing my thought during my preshot is smooth, 80%, and finish. Your a good athlete you don't need to think that much. (just my opinion).

[GolfLug]

By smooth turn I am thinking. Oneeeeee Twooooo Threeeeee.

Good idea? To much?

Why 1-2-3? Why not just a long 1 for BS and a short 2 for DS?

O...........n............e/ t..w..o.

Especially if you are trying to shorten BS.

[saevel25]

Why 1-2-3? Why not just a long 1 for BS and a short 2 for DS?

O...........n............e/ t..w..o.

Especially if you are trying to shorten BS.

I just wrote it down as an example of slowing down. More descriptive then exact.