My Swing from Pinehurst, NC - March 4-6

[majorchamp]

Here is some videos of my swing that I took while in Pinehurst North Carolina the other weekend.

It was my first time out since October, so I am happy with my swing, even though as you can tell, I am coming over the top slightly on my downswing, but overall, my swing structure appears to be solid.

http://www.juicedthoughts.com/range01.wmv

http://www.juicedthoughts.com/range02-a.wmv

http://www.juicedthoughts.com/bunker.wmv

UPDATE

note: because its Indiana and 34 degree's outside, I have to swing in my apartment. I have figured out that part of my problem is my hips. They are not square at setup (they are open). My squaring them up, I can make a better turn away from the ball and come down on a related plain.

[robertspages]

Here is some videos of my swing that I took while in Pinehurst North Carolina the other weekend.

I live in Pinehurst, and have played all winter. Still, the lowest I could get was an 8.1 index. Right now, I'm a 9.4. I took a lesson from Kelly Mitchum, who has made his last two cuts on the PGA tour when it comes through here, and he said my problem was coming over the top, as well. When I went to see him, I was about a 12.4, so it helped a lot. But, I think I've reverted back to the old habits.

[majorchamp]

I used to play in the Nike Winternational Junior Series when I was in High School. That is why I was down there the other week because my cousin was playing in it.

I played #4. Shot an 88 :), which is kinda surprising given my swing up above, but it was my first time since October, so.........

[iacas]

I always figure the short game is one of the last things to come back, but my short game was pretty damn smokin' when I played in NC a few weeks ago. I put several pitches from 30-50 yards within inches of the hole, one for eagle. My putting was good. My chipping was great.

My hands were a bit high at address and a bit low (not enough width) on the backswing, so my long game is what let me down. Distance and accuracy. Hence the need for all that short game work.

[majorchamp]

Just curious, what do you guys think of my swing? Thoughts, critiques, etc..????

Thanks

[iacas]

Dunno. Post in QuickTime next time and I'll have a look... I avoid WMP for a variety of reasons.

And there is of course a fundamental difference between a swing on a range and a swing on a course. I know quite a few people who have great range swings...

[majorchamp]

I will try and get a quicktime version up tonight if possible.

I am a little different. I have a swing where there is no ball in front of me, and a swing when there is a ball in front of me :)

I typically hit the ball on the range as I do on the course.

However, I wish my NO BALL swing looked the same as my ball swing.

[sevenfourate]

Whats your normal ball flight and typical bad shot majorchamp ?

[majorchamp]

Whats your normal ball flight and typical bad shot majorchamp ?

Well, right now, I am pretty much pushing everything.

I know why, its because I am coming over the top right now. I have actually since worked on that (in my apartment). When I am playing good, its either a slight fade or fairly straight. When I am on, my irons are like lasers.

[iacas]

Well, right now, I am pretty much pushing everything.

How do you push when coming over the top? Over the top = pull or slice.

[sevenfourate]

Over the top = starting left of intended target.Depends on clubface after that.Definately wouldnt START right though as iacas said.

Mmmmmmmmmm.Difficult to tell from a couple of 3 second video's but....

From behind all looks good majorchamp - you arent over the top (1st video).You may be very slightly outside the line,ie: from out to in,but its a short club and you more than likely going to be.A touch more space between your hands and body,coupled with a very slightly more upright posture may help (im picking holes here).If your so close,with weight very slightly forward (i'd like to see
you a tad more "errect" and those knees back another inch or so and stick that ass out ! - "sitting tall" !) at address your hands only have one way to go as you take it away,and thats away and outwards from you....

Regarding you fade,the only possible thing in video 2 (from behind) that i would say is your relative lack of weight transfer.Two things strike me 1/Your left knee never really gets pointing BEHIND or at the ball at the top of your backswing and if you watch your left hip it too never really moves behind the ball.

A golfer needs to move laterally in the backswing and so create some space in which to unwind during the downswing.If you are staying a bit "static" in you backswing you may well be slightly ahead at impact meaning you hands lag behind = ball starting slightly right of target and / or clubface slightly open.The added benefit of more weight transfer = more power using bigger muscles and more width throughout your swing.

My old teacher used to advocate "You need to create some space,in order to use the space"....meaning you need to shift to the right in the backswing in order to create some space for your unwinding in the downswing.

Remember 99% of people who slice/fade will virtually always be too far ahead at impact - people who hook/draw are normally well behind the ball at impact.

I just see it that a bit more weight transfer would get you a better shift on the way back,creating a bit more time and space for you on the downswing in which to unwind and keep you fractionally more behind the ball at impact.

Every golfers downswing starts with a "bump" or lateral shift to the left,and your hips turn very well in the downswing after that.You just never quite create the space on the way back to account for this lateral shift.Think about turning + shifting inside a beer barrel with you starting in the centre and the insides of the barrel being your swing parameters both BACKWARDS and forwards.

Very nice swing though,good hands,and its fractional differences you are talking about for you.

Good luck.

[iacas]

Regarding you fade,the only possible thing in video 2 (from behind) that i would say is your relative lack of weight transfer.Two things strike me 1/Your left knee never really gets pointing BEHIND or at the ball at the top of your backswing and if you watch your left hip it too never really moves behind the ball.

I agree with most everything else here, but not too much with the hip bit. The modern golf swing seems to me to be about resisting the turn with your hips, and coiling your upper body against a "firm" lower body. Jim McLean calls it the "X" factor, but whatever you call it, getting your left hip "behind" the ball may lead to inconsistent, weaker play.

Just taking some practice swings with a sand wedge here in my office, my hips turn maybe 15-20° while my shoulders turn 90-100°.

[majorchamp]

Well, I am not coming over the top so much to where I am techincally "cutting across it", but whats happening is I am coming down so steep that my hips open up and I either pull it slightly or somethings push it, especially my driver.

Its hard to explain because sometimes I do pull it, sometimes I cut it, and sometimes I push it, but its inconsistent at this time.

Most of my shots have a left to right move on them one way or another.

Here are some videos (quicktime just for you :))

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...urst-front.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...hurst-back.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...hurst-sand.mov

are you on a Mac btw?

[iacas]

Having watched the driver swing in QuickTime, yow are you steep. And across the line at the top (driver pointing to the right of the target).

Compare your spine angle at setup to the impact position with the driver. You're practically standing upright - because you're crowding the ball so much at setup, perhaps - and that's not good. It'll lead to exactly the kinds of misses you've talked about.

[majorchamp]

Thanks for the info guys.

Regarding my left knee, funny you brought that up.

Before I left for pinehurst, I was swinging in my apartment and realized something.

At address, if I have my shirt off, my belly button(ok gross thought:)) is pointing not straight ahead, but slightly to the left, which told me my hips were slighly open and my knees didn't align straight.

I focused on getting those hips to square up and my belly button to aim straight.

And you know what, even though I felt "closed", I felt like I could swing the club back on a better line. I have always taken it 'outside' on the takeaway versus down the line.

All last year I had to deal with the 'rights' and I think part of it had to do with my knees. So I focused on getting that left knee more square.

It caused some tension as you can imagine because I wasn't used to it.

Now that was before my trip.

When I got home, I continued to work on it. I get a much nicer turn back, my weight gets on my right side and I feel like I can get in the 'slot' on the downswing.

Its probably hard to watch my swings in slow motion, but on the downswing, I have a small 'hitch' I used to make right as I got to the top and started the downswing. That small 'hitch' is what I felt was coming over the top. To me its coming over the top.

Anyways, here is an apartment swing from the other night. Its obviously smoother cause I am in an apartment, but its still a better swing irregardless.

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi.../apartment.mov

[majorchamp]

wow, you think I am crowded? I figure there is a good 6 inches between the back of my hands and the crotch area.

[iacas]

wow, you think I am crowded? I figure there is a good 6 inches between the back of my hands and the crotch area.

You're coming up out of the shot for some reason. I can't attribute all of it to coming across the ball.

Your spine angle (and club path) look much better in the wedge/apartment video.

[sevenfourate]

iacas - The key to your sentence there being "....took a few swings with a SW" - you generally need more shift with a longer club.Try swinging a driver (even in the office - lol) with 15 degree's of hip turn !

I also agree with your line on "less hip turn - more resistance" - depends on flexibility to carry it off,and ability to time it back through though as more resistance = less connected.

However totally dissagree on "getting your left hip "behind" the ball may lead to inconsistent, weaker play".....are you saying that the longer hitters/better golfers on tour,both past and present,dont shift their weight or move behind the ball on their backswing ? Even on an accuraccy front,a swing with more width coming from a weight-shift,must relatively keep your club travelling down the line longer during impact as opposed to a swing based around a very static spine ? And a wide and relatively shallow swing,with the swing path and clubface online as long as possible is what we are all looking for isnt it ?

Ive always seen it that a golf swing could be likened to a coil along a curtain pole.Good posture at address stops pitching backwards and forwards,weight transfer keeps you moving backwards and forwards along the pole and correct knee flex and spine angle stops you rising or lowering in relation to the pole.So,all your doing is moving (slightly) backwards (with a turn) and forwards (with a turn) along the pole.

I know if someone asked me to throw a stone/throw a punch/hit a tennis shot/chop a tree with an axe/knock a nail in with a hammer,or anything remotely athletic my weight would move back before it moved forward.Sure,coil and resistance is CRUCIAL too,but dont dispel weight transfer.

Most teachers will agree that even in an extremely simplified form the golf swing can be broken down into "...weighshift and a turn,weightshift and a turn".

******majorchamp - Regarding your hand to crotch distance - i did say it was difficult to tell from one short clip from behind and if you say your gaps good then great ! Also agree with iacas that your general posture and hence spine angle on your short club LOOKS better here than on video 2 with the longer club in which you look slightly cramped and "hunched" at address,with your head tucked down a little.

Anyway,im tired and off to bed.

Have a great evening guys.

Regards Syer.