My Swing Plane

[majorchamp]

I have been working on my swing this winter (early spring) as I have always come over the top slightly.

Using my mad photoshop and Video editing skills :), I have added a swing plane line to this video so that you can see my current swing plane.

Does everything appear proper to you. I guess I need another set of eyes.

Thanks

My Swing Plane

[iacas]

And QuickTime

Still looked a little upright. Not much, but a tad. I think if you stick to the line a little more, then do a little more lifting later, you'll be set. You seem to do some lifting early. In other words, more shoulder turn, then let the club get high. You'll stick to the plane a little longer.

But then again, I only saw it once and can't easily step through frame by frame.

[majorchamp]

And QuickTime

So, are you saying that on the downswing, my club should be ON that line instead of the 8 inches above it?

Its hard for me to figure out what exactly I should do since I have always been upright my entire life. I agree that I take the club high early on. Whats weird is it doesn't feel like a forced lift, but part of my back swing. Maybe I should work on rotating the club AROUND my body instead of up?

[iacas]

I think it's also tough to say with a wedge. Grab a 5I or longer sometime...

[majorchamp]

I think it's also tough to say with a wedge. Grab a 5I or longer sometime...

just to clarify, its a 9 iron.

I am hoping to get out and hit some balls soon, so that would probably be more appropriate as I don't think the space in my apartment will handle a 5 irons :)haha

[majorchamp]

I have tried something else :)

I found 2 old golf swings from 2002. I overlaid them on the same screen with my recent Pinehurst 2005 swing.

Look at the friggin difference :) amazing. The 2 on the left is when I was really nuking the golf ball. I was getting in the slot on the downswing, coming from the inside and I believe this is when I scored my 64 and 65.

Whereas, on the right, I am over the top slightly, steep, and NOT in the slot

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...olfcompare.wmv

The first set of swings goes fast, but then there are slow mo versions of the same swings.

That is where you see the differences.

[majorchamp]

ah geez, sorry Erik :) I will have to get a MOV version for you.

[majorchamp]

Here we go. Here is a WMV version and a MOV version of a new comparision video I have done.

The file sizes are much smaller

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...re/compare.wmv
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...re/compare.mov

[iacas]

Your spine angle at impact is not the same as your spine angle at setup in either swing. Your 2002 swing is actually a little behind you (when the club is parallel going back). Personally, I think you need to start your downswing more with your lower body than with your arms. You're not going to pull off the hands tricks you could a few years ago to drop the club to the inside on the downswing.

So - and realize that I'm completely self-taught - it seems to me you have two things to work on.

[majorchamp]

Thanks Erik

I have a new video from today, compared with my Pinehurst trip. I am working on the "one swing plane" method right now, the one vijay uses. I am trying to get less upright.

I will be posting in a few minutes

[majorchamp]

Here are 4 new videos from today. Well, I took some video of me swinging a 5 iron and a driver, and comparing it to my swings 4 weeks ago in Pinehurst NC.

So there are 2 front swings and 2 behind swings with both clubs.

I noticed that on my downswing, I am holding my angle much more then in March.

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...are-driver.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...are-driver.wmv

With my drivers, I am 'a little' flatter, not much', but I hold my angle better

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...il-compare.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...il-compare.wmv

With this behind 5 iron, I get less scrunched up at impact and my club is not as much upright.


http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...river-side.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...river-side.wmv

You can notice on the swing on the right that I don't come over the top as much and my elbow pulls downward rather then forward (like the left swing)


http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...pril-front.mov
http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...pril-front.wmv

Again, its apparent in this swing that I stay behind it better and get less scrunched at impact.

note: the wmv versions are better quality then the MOV.

I am working on using that ONE PLANE theory of swinging around your body. I am trying to do it in the video on the right, and it helped a little, but I am not quite there yet. However, I played 18 holes today (44 - 36), and the backnine is where I started doing some great things. I was hitting the ball high with my driver, which hasn't happened for 2 1/2 years, I hit a beautiful high 5 iron that was a lazer and hit softly (again, haven't hit something this pure in 2 years). It felt great!

That may have to do with the fact that I am not AS much upright as I am on the left, plus, the fact that I am holding the slotted angle on my downswing much tigher then the left video. I lose it early in the downswing in the left video.

I nutted 2 drives today that topped out at 315 yards, not bad for 55 degree Indiana weather. Things were coming together today that I haven't felt for 2 1/2 years, so I am on the right track. I am still occasionally letting some shots hang off to the right as well as pull them, and I think that has to do with me STILL being steep.

I threw my yellow lines up my club shaft in the below videos.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[majorchamp]

btw - here are 4 pictures of different positions. I think these show the biggest issues regarding my march swing and the improvements in my aprils swing

1. Impact position is MUCH better in right view
2. Downswing halway has me holding the angle instead of losing it.

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...ver-behind.jpg

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...ont-driver.jpg

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...ron-behind.jpg

http://www.••••••••••••••••••.com/vi...ron-impact.jpg

[iacas]

Your April swings look better than your March swings. I'd draw the plane line in a better spot - not on the angle of the club, but more on the angle of your shoulders. Your arms are attached to your shoulders, after all, not to where the club's shaft intersects your body at address.