My Swing (coachjimsc)

[coachjimsc]

Didn't do this in the earlier post:

I've been Playing Golf for: 29 years

My current handicap index or average score is: 2.3

My typical ball flight is: straight/slight draw

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to re duc e/eliminate is: Pull Draw/Hook

Things I have worked on and improved somewhat:

Head and eyes looking more at the ball

Steeper shoulder turn on the backswing

Things I am working on now:

Better right arm position at the top

Keeping head from pulling off the wall into impact

Not moving right hip/right knee toward the ball on downswing

Shoulders more open at impact

Still trying to get the shoulders open at impact with little success.

[coachjimsc]

Another update from the weekend.

Did a comparison from back in March on Erik's suggestions. Tucking in the chin and looking more at the ball.

Getting clubhead not so far outside the hands at A2. The swing thought/feeling is rotating my arms more open right from address.

Looking more at the ball at A4. Getting right arm in a little better position. Left shoulder could still work down more.

Clubhead closer to backswing position at A6. Still not keeping inclination to the ground as I'd like.

Shoulders just a tad more open at A7.

The results of the address changes and trying to rotate the shoulders on a steeper plane have improved my short iron consistency with both divots and flight pattern. The driver even though it doesn't look like a big change it definitely feels like one and I have hit some of my best drives recently both at the range and on the course.

[iacas]

Got a face-on video? Should be easy in your yard.

I think we'd see that you're not using the ground properly. You're not re-gaining flexion as you slide forward to get ready to pounce.

And don't worry about your clubhead on the backswing relative to the downswing. The downswing is what matters, and they're rarely in the same place in any player. They're close, but look at Rickie Fowler - clubhead well outside at A2 then inline to slightly inside at A6.

[coachjimsc]

Originally Posted by iacas

Got a face-on video? Should be easy in your yard.

I think we'd see that you're not using the ground properly. You're not re-gaining flexion as you slide forward to get ready to pounce.

And don't worry about your clubhead on the backswing relative to the downswing. The downswing is what matters, and they're rarely in the same place in any player. They're close, but look at Rickie Fowler - clubhead well outside at A2 then inline to slightly inside at A6.

Sorry I didn't get a Face-on yesterday. I have one from 3 weeks ago. I'll try to get one tomorrow.

Not re-gaining flexion? I'll need that one explained to me.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by coachjimsc

Not re-gaining flexion? I'll need that one explained to me.

From the top of the backswing you're "extended" or stretched out, so in order to keep your head steady you have to "regain flexion" (bent forward at the hips, knees bent, etc.) during the downswing. If you don't return to your address flexion at about A5.5 you'll tend to early extend.

The golf swing starts in flexion (knees, hips, spine slightly), goes to extension on the backswing, regains flexion and then quickly goes into extension again during the downswing.

Tiger over-does it a little (but he's also fast enough at springing up that he doesn't fat the ball, though he has hit some 3Ws fat when he's trying to hit them hard) but notice his head going DOWN because he regains flexion and your head goes up and away because you never regain flexion. You stay a little more extended than you were at A1.

[coachjimsc]

Originally Posted by iacas

From the top of the backswing you're "extended" or stretched out, so in order to keep your head steady you have to "regain flexion" (bent forward at the hips, knees bent, etc.) during the downswing. If you don't return to your address flexion at about A5.5 you'll tend to early extend.

The golf swing starts in flexion (knees, hips, spine slightly), goes to extension on the backswing, regains flexion and then quickly goes into extension again during the downswing.

Tiger over-does it a little (but he's also fast enough at springing up that he doesn't fat the ball, though he has hit some 3Ws fat when he's trying to hit them hard) but notice his head going DOWN because he regains flexion and your head goes up and away because you never regain flexion. You stay a little more extended than you were at A1.

So do I need to have the feeling of getting closer to the ball (bending over more) coming into impact?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by coachjimsc

So do I need to have the feeling of getting closer to the ball (bending over more) coming into impact?

From A4 to A5.5 or A6 you might need to feel that, yes, as you go forward with your left knee and your hips a little more.

[coachjimsc]

My latest before and after videos of me trying to keep my head on the wall with the assistance of my lovely wife. She seems to like poking things at my head.

Before Shaft on head:

After shaft on head:

It amazed me on how keeping my head steady put my right arm in a better position at A4.

And here is the point at A6 that the head comes off the wall and notice how the right heel is coming up in the image on the left.

Right heel continues to come up which pushes knee toward the ball and causes head to come up.

The feeling I have when my head is against the shaft is that the swing is very short and compact. My head and eyes are very much over the ball and don’t move from there until after impact.

I tried to heed Erik’s advice about trying to regain flexion and could not seem to get that feel and still keep my head on the wall. Holding it up against the shaft let me know for sure it wasn’t moving very much and gave me some feels for what it was supposed to feel like, for me anyway. I learned that Key #1 keeping your head still is very easy to say and much harder to do.

And Beachcomber I feel your pain brother. I have been watching your Swing thread very closely. ;-)

I am in the process of building an apparatus out of pvc to hold up against my head while hitting balls. Will post more videos when it is complete.

[coachjimsc]

Took some swings today with my new PVC Key #1 Steady Head Apparatus.

The next time I have it out I'm going to try and exaggerate and move my head away from the PVC on the downswing (closer to the ball).

7 iron DTL

7 iron Face On

Driver DTL

Driver Face On

Driver DTL No Help

[coachjimsc]

Now that our golf league season is officially over here in SC, I can now get back to work and be a Stupid Monkey on this head and butt coming off the wall deal.

This is a Gap Wedge and the Driver looks a whole lot worse.

Here is an overlay of address and impact. Pathetic! And in the world of feels aren't real, I FEEL like my butt is going backwards into impact and my head has not moved at all!

Erik has mentioned previously about sliding my hips a bit more forward. Is this still not enough?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by coachjimsc

Erik has mentioned previously about sliding my hips a bit more forward. Is this still not enough?

Could be a little more. It's close, but you've got the smallest of flips there.

First thing though is to get into a better more balanced position at setup. It'll help eliminate that movement you illustrated with the overlay.

[coachjimsc]

So I should setup at address more like my impact position, butt in, stand taller, hands higher?

[coachjimsc]

Finally bite the bullet and signed up for Evolvr.

Looking forward to getting the Stupid Monkey award once I get the analyzes back.

[coachjimsc]

While I eagerly await my Evolvr analysis, I did some setup work trying to keep the butt in more and better balance. Hit the ball more consistently.

[coachjimsc]

Got my Evolvr analysis back, Thank You Brian. Confirmed what Erik said about my setup

I had no idea my pelvic tilt was that far off.

More better.

Now I will work on this for awhile until it becomes comfortable and not have to think about it...6 months should do it.

I got to play 9 holes yesterday while attempting the new setup position. Hit 7 greens and minus one pulled drive I was very pleased with the progress.

[cipher]

Nice, I have been working with Brian as well and he is a great instructor.  The posture changes look very nice.  Good luck and keep up the good work.

[coachjimsc]

Thanks Cipher. Nothing like having a pair of trained eyes point us in the right direction. I've been walking around here at work in my new golf posture.

[coachjimsc]

I don’t know if analyzing my putting stroke belongs in the My Swing thread and I apologize if it’s not as I haven’t seen any other ones in here to my knowledge. Maybe we should have a separate category for it.

I have not been putting that well on my shorter putts (inside 10 feet) for some time now so I decided to video my stroke. I have read Stan Utley’s book on putting and like his method of square to the arc. I also have his plane board and have realized after videoing that I need to use it waaay more than I have. I was having a hard time getting my short putts to start out online and now I see why.

Of course when I use the plane board it "feels" like I'm pulling it inside on the back stroke and way inside on the follow thru and am just going to yank it way left and all it does is go where I'm aiming. So I will continue to practice with this board and am pretty sure I will get better results the closer I get to the plane board stroke.

I searched on youtube and found some DTL videos of Tiger, Ian Poulter (see links) their strokes seem to all finish in that low and left after impact very much like the stroke using Utley's plane board.

http://youtu.be/2MT-cKIrCeE Tiger

http://youtu.be/K--YS7VKGPw Ian Poulter