My Swing (saevel25)

[alleztom]

Went to the range today. Split my golf balls into groups of 4. Each four golf balls were dedicated to either my backswing piece or my downswing piece.

Fantastic that, great idea.

[iacas]

Does ball position take care of that basically?

Yes.

As you know sending the hands out from the top of the backswing orients the base of the plane to the left a little. You're not actually swinging them "out" toward the ball at the bottom of the swing.

[saevel25]

Yes. As you know sending the hands out from the top of the backswing orients the base of the plane to the left a little. You're not actually swinging them "out" toward the ball at the bottom of the swing.

That makes sense.

[saevel25]

From yesterday

Base Swing to start

A2 - Clubhead to far inside

A4 - Swing is a tad to long

A5 - Hands could be out more towards the ball

A6 - Clubhead inside and steep

A7 - Hips are barely open, head as move away from the ball a good 2-3 inches.

Result - Rate of closure is to fast and the ball ends up being a pull draw

First attempt at Backswing Drill

First couple of swings were good, third actual swing wasn't.

Backswing Drill - Better

After working through a few drills this one turned out much better on the actual swing to hit the ball.

Downswing Piece

I still try to make a good backswing to the top, and then stop at A5.

Much better impact position. I really really need to stop pumping the club around, and pump the club upward. Bad habit from the old backswing creeps in there.

I do like the feeling of driving the bottom of the palm of my hand out towards the ball.

Both Pieces Together

A2 - club is inline with hands, not behind

A4 - club is parallel to the ground, could be slightly shorter

A5 - hands are more out towards the ball

A6 - This position might look similar, but I think it is better because I am leaning over the ball more. So the hands are actually more out towards the ball than the first swing

A7 - Hips are more open. I would guess probably 10-15 degrees. Head doesn't move much at all away from the ball.

Driver

The backswing is almost loopy? Don't know how that happened. Maybe because it's a longer club?

I like impact. The hips are open, the hands are going out more. I still got that issue with the head moving away from the ball. That's just nit picking a bit there.

Result- Straight fade :)

What would get the club from exiting so vertically in the finish?

[saevel25]

Went to the range

Did some drills for the downswing piece. Take the club to A5, then turn and push the hands out towards the ball. Did this about 3 times, then held the club at A5 and did a small pump and turned the hips while pushing the hands outward. Same stuff, good results.

I practice the backswing piece as well. Taking slower and shorter backswings. I think slower is important because it helps me feel the backswing length better.

I still struggle meshing the two together into a full swing. I think it's the more outward feeling backswing and the transition to the turning and pushing the hands out towards the ball in the downswing. When I do a backswing I really just feel like I want to rush the downswing by driving the clubhead steeply. When I turn and trust it, even if I don't get the hands out enough I hit some good shots, usually a few grooves thin.

My driver on the range was not so good to start out with. I struggle a lot to keep that swing short. I kept skying my driver. You could see 1/2 a ball mark was left on the top of the clubface. Then I finally figure out some good swings near the end of the range session. I concentrated on getting the weight preset forward and staying in that tilt, both the tilt towards the ball and away from the ball.  It seems the spine tilt thing is BIG TIME IMPORTANT for my driver.

Proper set up with the weight forward and good spine tilt + Shorter slower backswing + turn the hips maintaining spine tilt = bombing straight fades.

Also worked on getting my grip weaker before each shot. Getting that grip in the fingers of my left hand with the thumb just slightly on the right side of vertical axis of the grip.

Swing Keys

Irons

Good Slower Shorter Backswing

Make a good turn with good spine tilt. Trust the clubhead will meet the ball.

Driver

Get into a proper set up, head in the middle of the stance, hips are bumped more forward. Maintain both spine tilt axis.

Good Slower Shorter Backswing

Make a good turn with good spine tilt. Trust the clubhead will meet the ball.

[saevel25]

http://www.gamegolf.com/player/saevel25/round/379367

Still struggling with linking the backswing piece and downswing piece into a full swing. I still tend to catch irons thin rather than flush. I hit some better shots today. Still too many shots go further left than I want. The slower backswing really helps to shorten the swing. It's the transition that is getting me confused. I can take a good shorter backswing, but i struggle to really nail the open hips part from then forward. On holes 7 and 9 my driver got the lefts. Seven was just a turn over pull hook. 9 was strange because it looked like it was a straight ball, then when it reached near its apex it just dove left. It was just confusing because 2/3rds the way out it looked good then it decided to draw too much.

Putting was pretty good.

I stopped at 9 holes because some idiots decided to go get food at the turn. The starter had to usher them out of the clubhouse and they backed up the 10th tee. So I decided to go to the range to work on the swing.

I can do backswing piece better. I can do the downswing piece, pump drill from A5 really good. I really can't figure out how to merge the two. When I try, if I try to slow the swing down I get stuck with not even turning and I hit fat shots. sometimes I will end up faking the turn by leaning back or losing my spine tilt and end up hitting thin, scoopy left shots.

Its like I can take the club back, then I get stuck at A4 in what the hell should be going on, or what move should happen to make sure I get the hips to open up sooner, turn more.

Got to keep practicing and figure out a good feel for the swing I want on the course.

[saevel25]

Thinking about my swing from the course today. I would say by backswing piece was better today because I didn't have as many lefts, or out right hooks today, except for two drives.

I was struggling to get the hands out, hips open and staying in my spine tilt. A lot of my shots were on what felt like was a near zero angle of attack, not taking a divot. Contact didn't feel flush on the irons.

[iacas]

I was struggling to get the hands out, hips open and staying in my spine tilt. A lot of my shots were on what felt like was a near zero angle of attack, not taking a divot. Contact didn't feel flush on the irons.

The hands don't have to go out if they're already out due to a good backswing.

It's not just a spin. You have to land on your left leg, quads, and then push your hip out left. Your right shoulder still travels downward and around.

This is the important piece: you're not practicing it properly if you're not having successes on the range.

[mvmac]

It's not just a spin. You have to land on your left leg, quads, and then push your hip out left.

Good point/visual. @saevel25 , it may feel odd but you have to trust this piece.

[saevel25]

The hands don't have to go out if they're already out due to a good backswing. It's not just a spin. You have to land on your left leg, quads, and then push your hip out left. Your right shoulder still travels downward and around. This is the important piece: you're not practicing it properly if you're not having successes on the range.

By land you mean weight on the left foot and then pushing upward and out. The left hip has to go up and around, just not around ?

[iacas]

By land you mean weight on the left foot and then pushing upward and out. The left hip has to go up and around, just not around ?

Yes, weight still goes forward. If you worry too much about the around you can get to spinning too much. Probably not an issue for you but KISS and hit good shots on the range at this point, practicing properly.

[saevel25]

Played 18 today,

Played good for 15 out of the 18 holes. The 3 holes that I didn't play good were very bad

First 3 holes: +6

Two tee shots that were hooked into the water. Pushed a wedge 45 degrees right OB

Final 15 holes: +9, that is with 3-3 putts and 1-4 putt and a ball hit into the water on a par 5

I had 8 GIR + 3 nGIR for 15 holes, but I had 31 putts over that stretch

Besides the start, I actually hit the ball really well today. If I didn't have horrible distance control on my putting I could have shaved another 4 strokes off that score

Using my driver is like playing russian roulette. Once or Twice every 5 drives ends up hooking left. Need to figure out how to stop that from happening. I am not feeling like I am taking the club to far inside. It more feels like I am getting steep and just having the face shut so I hit these hooded pull hooks

I am actually happy with my ball striking from the 4th hole onward

---

I find that if I have an uphill lie, at least a few inches, that I tend to hit the ball way right off this lie, especially with my wedges. Am I just overcompensating trying not to let the lie take the ball left?

Same with downhill lies. I tend to pull them left.

[Jakester23]

That's good to hear that your headed in the right direction. 15 holes of good golf is great. Keep it up

[saevel25]

On a side note,

Buying that Titleist 915 Hd 2-hybrid was a great buy. I love that club right now. Just a sleeker hybrid that I feel I can hit out of the rough a lot easier than the Adams Hybrid I had.  If the hole was anything like 410 or less in yardage it ws hybrid time. Automatic 240-250 in the fairway. Great to have a club I could just pull and be like, "This will end up in the fairway."

[iacas]

On a side note,

Buying that Titleist 915 Hd 2-hybrid was a great buy. I love that club right now. Just a sleeker hybrid that I feel I can hit out of the rough a lot easier than the Adams Hybrid I had.  If the hole was anything like 410 or less in yardage it ws hybrid time. Automatic 240-250 in the fairway. Great to have a club I could just pull and be like, "This will end up in the fairway."

Great club, I agree.

[saevel25]

Just some mental notes from when I was playing better on Sunday on what worked.

Full Swing

1) Better swings came from making sure the backswing was correct over thinking about the downswing piece.

1.5) Slower backswings work better than quicker ones, even if the downswing can get rushed. I can get away with a good backswing and an OK downswing piece over a bad backswing.

2) Be aware of the grip, it can sneak too strong

3) Hybrid and 3-woods are a good choice for par 4's that are under 430 yards, will still leave short iron in hand.

4) Best driver swing came when I did a good backswing and turned more over faster.

Distance Wedges

1) Practicing the right slow backswings to the right length helps with the real shot.

2) Be aggressive.

Pitching

1) On tight lies, brush the grass

2) Trust the shot and pivot through the shot. Don't just fling the arms at it.

3) Make slower backswings

4) Let gravity do the work

Putting

1) Trust the line, stop pushing left to right putts back towards the hole.

2) Make longer, slower strokes

[saevel25]

Current Swing after Warming Up

'

A2 - Pretty good

A4 - Swing a tad too long

A5 - Hands in a pretty good spot, Shaft pointing at the ball

A6 - Shaft is coming in steep I think

A7 - Hips not open enough, head moving away from ball

The backswing piece is getting easier to do now.

The downswing piece still needs a lot of work.

I really do hate that vertical shaft when the hands get to about shoulder height in the finish. Just bugs me ;)

Backswing Practice

Backswing didn't sync in on this one. I think I get too straight left arm feeling instead up up the toe-line feeling. This caused me to turn the wrist over a bit in the backswing.

Downswing Practice

Better at impact. Could still get more open.

Full Swing later on in the practice session

Backswing is better. Downswing is still the same. Hips not open enough at impact

Downswing - Trying to hit some shots like up at Erie, shorter distance

Backswing is good. Downswing just can't get the hips open earlier. Not getting this feeling to sync in.

Face On - Downswing Drill.

Trying to feel a straighter leg at impact. Impact here was very thuddy with the ground. I think angle of attack was slightly steep. The ground might have had some tougher roots there. The tee was a bit tougher to get in the ground.

Thoughts

It was a so-so session. I felt backswing stuff was much easier to get going than the downswing. The downswing just felt fast, not better. Especially the hands. When I try to get the hips more open, I sometimes feel a bit flippy with the hands which shouldn't be happening. I tend to clip the ball off the tee with out taking any divot at all with the downswing drills. In Erie I was hitting the ground solid with flush contact.

Glad to see the backswing is starting to stick more. Downswing stuff is struggling. My tempo was off compared to when I was playing golf. My things felt fast in the hands, and I don't feel that full extension of the arms in the finish that I was getting in Erie, PA.

[saevel25]

Thoughts - Redux

Full Swing

Backswing - Less forcing the arm up and more turn and just lifting the arm up. I can get focused on just moving the left arm & hands and forget to turn correctly.

Downswing

From A4 to A5 my butt starts to come towards the ball. Maybe a good feeling is to keep the butt stuck out more to help facilitate the rotating part. Maybe it is a squatting type feel. I think a good drill would making swings with out a club with my butt against a wall or chair and feel that it stays out more in the swing.

that image above will pretty much lead to this (see below). Hips not being able to get open. In some instances I can get the hips open more, and still have the butt towards the ball move. Probably leads to my slightly thin shots that can turn out ok.

I think spine tilt might be more the key to this piece, or butt out feel. The downswing happens so fast I don't think I need to add hips toward the ball in addition to hips moving laterally and rotating ;)

Compared to Dustin Johnson who doesn't have the butt towards the ball move early in the swing. Really from here it would be hard for DJ to do the move that is in my swing. If he rotates from here, the hips have to backward, up and around.