My Swing (vanpooten)

[vanpooten]

Hi all, I'm a new member here. I've been working hard on my swing all summer. I take lessons once a month from the pro at my golf course, but I'm interested in outside opinions from the pros here. I'm always tweaking my swing, for better or worse. Would like to hear some comments on what I've worked on. I'm about a 15 handicap aspiring to be a single digit in a year. Recently I've been working on my takeaway and shifting my weight to the front side at impact. I have four main swing thoughts at the moment. On the takeaway: out and up, and on the downswing: slide and rotate. But for the most part I try not to get to caught up in mechanical thoughts. Let me know what you think and how I could improve.

*Apologies for the videos, the front view has the follow through cut off, I think I have the side view set up ok. If I have time over the next week I'd like to upload videos of my irons.

3W Front View

3W Side View

[mvmac]

[URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182410/width/640/height/412][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182410/width/640/height/412[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182411/width/640/height/389][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182411/width/640/height/389[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182412/width/640/height/389][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182412/width/640/height/389[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182413/width/640/height/378][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182413/width/640/height/378[/IMG][/URL]

[vanpooten]

Thanks for the analysis Mike. I noticed comments concerning the tucked chin here before, so I will be working on fixing that since it is related to my shoulders not turning steep enough. How would say my swing is technically, what do I do well, and what do I do poorly? I know there's probably many many things I could work on, would that chin/shoulder issue be forefront? Thanks for your time and input.

[mvmac]

I like that you've feet are turned out at address and that the hips push forward on the downswing. The problem is your shoulders turn so shallow that there is a "dip" of your upper body towards the ball on the downswing. Out of necessity to get some compression. So you make some decent compensations for bad mistakes. Those mistakes can be changed with some work and understanding. I think you can get better very fast and start hitting the ball higher, launching it. I would guess you tend to hit it on the lower side and curve it left to right, or hit big pulls. Yes the chin tucked, to me, is the priority, get the shoulders turning 90* to the spine, steeper. This will lessen the movement off the ball, keep the weight centered. Lot of potential here.

[mdl]

One other big thing that jumps out at me is that you seem to have taken "get your weight forward" and implemented it by shoving your shoulders forward, even further than you get your hips forward.  Erik had an excellent post about this issue in weight transfer recently.  You should look at it.  You're doing what's in the left frame of the video.  You want to do what's in the right frame.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54115/weight-forward-and-secondary-axis-tilt

The too horizontal of a shoulder rotation is inter-related with this I think.

[mvmac]

One other big thing that jumps out at me is that you seem to have taken "get your weight forward" and implemented it by shoving your shoulders forward, even further than you get your hips forward.  Erik had an excellent post about this issue in weight transfer recently.  You should look at it.  You're doing what's in the left frame of the video.  You want to do what's in the right frame.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54115/weight-forward-and-secondary-axis-tilt

The too horizontal of a shoulder rotation is inter-related with this I think.

Hips going forward, getting 2nd axis tilt, releases our first tilt. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182511/width/640/height/378][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182511/width/640/height/378[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182510/width/640/height/389][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/182510/width/640/height/389[/IMG][/URL]

[vanpooten]

I would guess you tend to hit it on the lower side and curve it left to right, or hit big pulls

Your guess is pretty accurate. I have been playing a draw, my misses are pull draws or particularly nasty pull hooks. However, recently I've been working on your advice and those of my pro and my shots have been going straighter. My trajectory with the mid to long irons is definitely low, along with my hybrid and 3W. I will be putting in a lot of time on this advice, and will upload some videos of my progress down the road. I could really use some height on my longer shots! Hit a 3H today that took a divot on the front of the green and kept on rolling 20 yards off the back of the green, what I thought was a good shot goes unrewarded...

[mvmac]

Your guess is pretty accurate. I have been playing a draw, my misses are pull draws or particularly nasty pull hooks. However, recently I've been working on your advice and those of my pro and my shots have been going straighter. My trajectory with the mid to long irons is definitely low, along with my hybrid and 3W. I will be putting in a lot of time on this advice, and will upload some videos of my progress down the road. I could really use some height on my longer shots! Hit a 3H today that took a divot on the front of the green and kept on rolling 20 yards off the back of the green, what I thought was a good shot goes unrewarded...

Good to hear you saw some improvement. Relax the neck at set-up with the chin tucked and have someone hold an alignment stick or club right of your head. Will really give you the feel of the left shoulder going down more. And make practice swings at 30% speed to ingrain it further.

[vanpooten]

Ok so it's been about of month since my first posting. As promised I've been practicing a lot on the advice I received here, and that of my instructor. I'm much more happy with my swing right now, I think I've definitely made strides in the right direction. Obviously there are still flaws, and I notice several as I watch the swing videos, but once again I'd like to hear the advice from the pros on here like mvmac, the_pharoah, and iacas. If other members have suggestions I am open to them also.

Driver front:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFPzPydxAAs&list;=UUqRxbzg2Zmy3VJl4f8w8V4Q&index;=3&feature;=plcp

Driver side:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDqrv8syws0&list;=UUqRxbzg2Zmy3VJl4f8w8V4Q&index;=4&feature;=plcp

9 iron front:

http://www.yo utube.com/watch?v=-f3aHc8E15s&list;=UUqRxbzg2Zmy3VJl4f8w8V4Q&index;=1&feature;=plcp

9 iron side:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NFi6C2i1Dg&list;=UUqRxbzg2Zmy3VJl4f8w8V4Q&index;=2&feature;=plcp

[vanpooten]

Some things I notice, not in order of importance:

• I seem to dip a little on the down swing
• My right wrist is cupped at the top of the backswing, my understanding is that it should be parallel to the club face, in my case my wrist should be more flat
• My take away looks a little steep
• Looks like my hands could be more forward at impact with the irons
• I'm still worried I'm coming a little from the outside
• Looks like I could still tuck my chin more, as advised earlier by Mike

[vanpooten]

Any comments or advice?

[mvmac]

Neck looks good, here's what I see.  What I'm recommending will help get rid of the low cuts

[james_hirshfield]

You are in GREAT hands with Mike and Erik

Please do EXACTLY as they say, and you will go far. and you're ball will go high!

Couple of little additions, close your shoulders 5* (too open currently)

Feet turned out 30* each.

Swing needs to be HALF length. Will help some of the sequencing for you to slide forward closed.

First 4 seconds is what you're feeling should be as Mike showed above.

[vanpooten]

Thanks to the both of you for the help. That last video James posted is the same drill that I've seen floating around here before I think. Working on that drill will help me getting into that position in my follow through?

Also it looks like both of you teach S&T, is that correct?

[james_hirshfield]

that video is pretty darn old... but just notice how the hips slide forward (and closed) Only look at that for now..

If it has a "label", that would be it.

It is just a centered shoulder turn. A golf swing with maximum efficiency and minimum compensations. That is all.

I think Mike is teaching something similar..... ;)

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by james_hirshfield

that video is pretty darn old... but just notice how the hips slide forward (and closed) Only look at that for now..

If it has a "label", that would be it.

It is just a centered shoulder turn. A golf swing with maximum efficiency and minimum compensations. That is all.

I think Mike is teaching something similar..... ;)

James is just being funny, yes what we teach is very similar to S&T; but we've also "evolved" past what you'll find on the dvd or book.  The reason we like S&T; so much is that it's the only information that how the body needs to move to get low point forward.  The name can scare some people away, but it's all about keeping the head centered and trying to minimize compensations.  Everyone tilts left, we just want to see it done a specific amount.  Not trying to do anything that different that what the top players in the world do.  We specify if WHAT the do rather than what they day they do.

Here's a video I did recently for the info we teach, can call it whatever you want.  We call it Golf Evolution

[vanpooten]

Thanks for the help to the both of you. Hopefully I can get a video uploaded of that drill and then the progression of my swing. Getting new irons sure makes one eager to practice!

[vanpooten]

Here are couple videos with me working on straightening the right leg through impact. Looks like I'm past parallel at the top, takeaway still likes too vertical to me, along with a 'scoopy' looking swing (Those three things really bother me). So many thoughts, need to focus on one at a time! But today's main focus was trying to emulate Fowler's picture through my finish. By working on the above drill I feel like I could eliminate the scoop looking finish (Though I don't believe I am scooping at impact, could be wrong though).