Getting Stuck

[saevel25]

I think this is my new problem now, getting the club stuck behind me. I know i have been getting my hips pushed forward and not falling back, i haven't caught a ball fat in forever, and i can tell i am hitting ball first. But my misses are big push, or push fades, or a slight to major hook.

Any tips to get un-stuck. I know its a backswing issue. On the last hole yesterday i just tried to feel like i am getting the club more vertical and that helped out once, but i have issues not getting the clubhead infront of my body in the backsing.

[NutmegGolfer]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Any tips to get un-stuck. I know its a backswing issue. On the last hole yesterday i just tried to feel like i am getting the club more vertical and that helped out once, but i have issues not getting the clubhead infront of my body in the backsing.

I hope this link that I'm posting helps you as much as it helped me.

I didn't know what was going on until a pro walked up to me at a driving range one day and told me that he was tired of seeing me getting so "stuck" in my backswing. He was right, and after my driving range session, I went back and started investigating this issue.

After seeing this clip I realized I was getting stuck right from the get go !!!  My takeaway was the culprit !

Now I envision the wrecking ball and sense that I feel the weight of the club being picked up by the inner part of my left arm that is opposite my left elbow (where you would have blood drawn, it's actually called the "Antecubital space")

I also practice half swings while noticing where my left forearm is at that point. It will be noticeably closer to the target line than before.

I sincerely hope this helps,

Watch the video a few times and let it sink in!

Nutmeg

(the former "get stuck" King)

[LankyLefty]

Dont really like that vid. He advocates loading of the hips and rocking your whole upper torso.

In my opinion that is a whole lot of extra movement for no gain.

[saevel25]

Well there is a drill were you start the club forward first to get momentum going back, so that it takes your muscles out of the equation more. Which allows the club to go along its natural path. I think thats what he was doing there. Kinda like starting up a pendilum.

But i was thinking about the takeaway today i read a few tips elsewere, and alot say try to keep your right arm (for a right handed player) straight as possible during the backswing and let it naturally collapse. I know someone would read that tip and try to keep it straight to the top, but its more a feeling to start the backswing. I think its more, drag the club back with your right hand. I thought abotu this, because if you start back with the left arm, your more than likely will have your left hand turn over opening the club up. Because you think to take it back you theres that rotation. There is some natural rotation to get the club square at the top. So i just thought, heck the left hand will take care of the club once the right arm collapses, but just thinking about dragging that right arm back and keep it all connected. I am going to give it a shot tonight, see how it goes.

[MarsBar]

Okay lets tackle the right arm issue first. You are right about the collapse portion. The straight portion of that I don't believe you should think about that straight. It conjures up thoughts of being rigid. You want for right handed golfers a "soft" right arm. What does that mean? It means that in your set up you pre collapse your right arm, meaning the inside pocket of your arm should face the sky not the direction of the target line. When you pre set the right arm like this it will collapse or fold naturally.....get Ben Hogan's 5 lessons an invaluable book and perhaps the best on the golf swing. Getting stuck would also mean that you are either not turning enough on your downswing or that straight right arm causes the club to enter impact slightly outside. You can take the club back inside from the back swing as long a you turn through completely. If you feel that your body is facing the ball when you are entering impact you haven't turned enough or quick enough to get the club in the proper position to impact the ball. Practice the left arm pre fold before the back swing and try hitting balls starting with the club parallel to the ground (as if you are coming into impact) and here's the key to this drill.........turn your lower body slightly to the target, then swing through and hit the ball. You can practice this without a ball and you will see and feel how your body should be in position when you actually hit the ball......you should be already turned slightly towards the target before the club has hit the ball. This clears your left hip with provides the space needed to get your hands into the hitting zone and moves your right hip towards the target leaving room for the pre folded right arm to occupy the spot where the right was at the top of the downswing.

[saevel25]

Quote:

turn your lower body slightly to the target, then swing through and hit the ball. You can practice this without a ball and you will see and feel how your body should be in position when you actually hit the ball......you should be already turned slightly towards the target before the club has hit the ball.

Well i am taking the club way inside, the clubhead is way behind me. I am trying to get the clubhead more infront of me.

As per this drill, if i mimic the impact position at address, do i then proceed to keep rotating my hips through impact, getting them more open, or do i keep them there and swing my arms through?

[Gioguy21]

i'm bout to blow your mind. my dad does this constantly and i tell him the same thing i'm about to tell you. go to the range and NEVER hit a shot at 100%, regardless of club...take it to the course next time...odds are when you are getting 'stuck' you're trying to wrap too far and trying to hit it 150%...trust me, try hitting balls at what you think is 75-80%...ONLY that hard at the range and i promise you will see results...

[saevel25]

i figured out what my problem was, it was my head. My head was moving so much in the swing. I kept saying, get your hands going out, get them turned over. But in doing so i was comming out of my swing and leaving the face wide open. So what i did was i stopped keeping my head up in my set up, that is i wanted to look at the ball with out my eyes glancing down. Then i tried to maintain that through out the swing. I found looking at the spot were the ball was hit even after the club has passed let my hands stay infront of me and allow them room to travel on the right path. From there i was flusing iron shots with accuracy, it was impressive.

Another thing i noticed was i have way to much turn in my swing. I am opposite of alot of people, i can over rotate and get really flat. So my mental thought in my swing is to just lift my hands. My hands get deep enough already, lifting allows me to set the club, and setting it early allows me to shorten how wide my swing gets and stay connected. All i try to do then is drop the hands down, and let the club drop on the ball.

[saevel25]

Just an update here, i have been hooking and cutting the ball more lately, i found out that my grip was the issue for me.

I would take my normal grip, were the V's would point to my left ear to left shoulder. Well i noticed today after i waggle, i would address the ball to hit it and my right hand was rotate overtop of the ball. This shut the face at address for me, it got my forearm block so i couldn't having it break down on the backswing properly. So i basically just made sure the V's were pointing at my left year and after i waggle, i made sure i had a light grip on the club with my right hand and my right hand felt like it was on the side of the club. This helped a ton, was able to take the club back easier, and return it properly, and no more hooks or push cuts.