My Swing (Beachcomber)

[Beachcomber]

Here is an updated swing video from a session at the range tonight... 5i that I was hitting toward the blue flag / green which is 200yds down range.  I hit some very good shots - and my miss was a block/slice (wind from left to right).   When I had a miss, I felt like I was getting 'bunched' up inside on the downswing and blocking it with an open clubface.

P4 is getting a lot closer.  I left in the preshot rehearsal I was working on to hit a square club face at P4... And it is very close.  I'm nailing it on the rehearsal swing movements, but just a sliver off on the actual swing.  Still a little closed.

[mvmac]

Nice work!  That's how you practice.  It's great you can get there on your practice swings without checking it.

[bplewis24]

It's nice to know I'm not the only person who gives a thumbs up to the camera on my good swings.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

It's nice to know I'm not the only person who gives a thumbs up to the camera on my good swings.

Cheers to you as well! But, I can't claim it.  I actually picked it up watching one of Ben's swing videos.

http://thesandtrap.com/u/16/Ben

I thought it was a great way to add some visual indicators of what the heck the ball did on that particular swing.  So I began to incorporate it into my own swing videos recently...  So if I hit my target line - I give it a thumbs up.

Right - is point the finger right... More of a block.

Fade - is point the finger right... And move it once or twice in that direction.

Slice - is point the finger right... And move it several times with a more exagerated move in that direction.

Left is just the opposite of right...

Pretty basic, but often times it is hard to see the ball flight on video so it is good to have that visual indicator to see what the heck you were doing right or wrong on that particular swing!

[Beachcomber]

I got a little bored tonight so I figured I would try and analyze my swing at the different positions/alignments from address through impact.

[Beachcomber]

Here is my swing compared with Grant Waite - aka Godmode.  That's my nick name for Grant's golf swing.  Because it reminds me of when I used to play Doom as a kid on Godmode.  You can't miss the ball with that golf swing.  It is seriously unstoppable.

Mike, I can see how my posture is off when lining these up.  Looks like too much spacing between the butt of the grip and my thighs too?  And my hands look higher... Although Grant's using a 6i and I'm swinging a 5i.  Maybe I'll redo this with a 6i sometime soon so that I can get a better representation of shaft angles?

[bunkerputt]

Check the grip and wrists too.  Looks shut at the top with wrists too flat.  Impossible to swing left from here.  Only option is to thrust the hips and try to block the face open.

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Right - is point the finger right... More of a block.

Fade - is point the finger right... And move it once or twice in that direction.

Slice - is point the finger right... And move it several times with a more exagerated move in that direction.

ha, I like this.  I usually swing my arms around trying to imitate the ball flight and when I look on video I can never figure out what the motions mean!

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Cheers to you as well! But, I can't claim it.  I actually picked it up watching one of Ben's swing videos.

http://thesandtrap.com/u/16/Ben

I thought it was a great way to add some visual indicators of what the heck the ball did on that particular swing.  So I began to incorporate it into my own swing videos recently...  So if I hit my target line - I give it a thumbs up.

Right - is point the finger right... More of a block.

Fade - is point the finger right... And move it once or twice in that direction.

Slice - is point the finger right... And move it several times with a more exagerated move in that direction.

Left is just the opposite of right...

Pretty basic, but often times it is hard to see the ball flight on video so it is good to have that visual indicator to see what the heck you were doing right or wrong on that particular swing!

Ha, interesting.

I started doing it last year so that I could edit the video to group good and bad swings together.  That way I could potentially analyze them to see the commonalities similar ball-flight results.  I edit out the thumbs up/thumbs down in the final render.

Originally Posted by dsc123

ha, I like this.  I usually swing my arms around trying to imitate the ball flight and when I look on video I can never figure out what the motions mean!

lol!

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Check the grip and wrists too.  Looks shut at the top with wrists too flat.  Impossible to swing left from here.  Only option is to thrust the hips and try to block the face open.

Bunker, thanks for the commnts.

1.) Grip is good.  No issue there - was addressed earlier (see previous pages of this thread).

2.) The club is still closed (slightly) at P4 and the way down (P5/6/7).

a.) I think it has more to do with the placement of my right elbow at P4, and the spacing of the left and right elbows.

b.) When I tighten that spacing up - the club is on plane and square at P4 (see rehersal vs full swing)

3.) I'm not trying to monitor the face of the club - other than feel PP#1 (cup of right hand over left thumb), PP#3 (right trigger finger) and PP#4 (left armpit).

a.) If I'm successful in keeping pressure at these points - the clubface is able to come through square a very high percentage of the time

Another thing I noticed is that my right elbow at P5 is a little further off to the side than I'd like... And this could be causing me to get 'bunched' on the inside - and forces me to lift my left shoulder early?  This is something Mike and Grant touched on in the past.  I see it here in the swing sequence.  Looks a little off.

My goal over the next few days is to watch some videos on P5 to P8 and focus on:

1.) Hip slide... P5 to P8.

2.) Shoulder turn in sequence with the arms.... P5 to P8.

3.) Right elbow from P5 to P8.

If I can identify the correct swing sequence in these areas - and incorporate some of the feels - I think I can make another break through with my swing.

I'm off to the range!

[Beachcomber]

Just got back from the range.   Had some fun!  I'll post another video of what I was working on (6i DTL vid) - but was so excited with the way I was striping the ball... I had to put this photo up.  PW dispersion was tight.  Not bad for a weekend hack like me!

[Beachcomber]

By accident - I believe I stumbled into something great for my swing tonight...

Check out the right elbow position (pitched) at P7.01... I say P7.01 as the ball has actually left the clubface (post impact).  My right arm isn't at full extension until P8.  That tells me I'm not casting and losing power.  I was hitting my 6i further than I ever have in my life tonight.

The trick for me was subtle and simple at the same time...  Get my hands at address closer to my thighs.  Get a little more waist bend and tilt my head more at address.  Let my arms hang from my core - almost limp at address.  Very light grip pressure.  On the takeaway - just feel PP#1 and PP#3 (right hand pulling left arm away)... And the pulling of the right hand builds up pressure on PP#4.

I know I still have some geometry issues that I need to work on (wrist roll/bend/hinging)... And my right knee is moving toward the ball which needs to be eliminated.  But I'm very pleased with my ball striking right now on the range.

Here is my address which is what I focused on tonight.

PS. Mike - I tried pushing my rear (tailbone) under and I was hitting hooks.  So maybe that is something that I can continue to work on once I get some of these other items down?  Because when I have the 'S' posture in my lower... I was hitting he ball very well.

[bplewis24]

At P7.01, you're referring to the elbow still having some bend in it?

It looks like it's tucked in really tight to the body, which is what I'm working on right now.

[Golfingdad]

Are you getting those stills from your iphone?  They are impressive.  (The picture quality and positions)

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

PS. Mike - I tried pushing my rear (tailbone) under and I was hitting hooks.  So maybe that is something that I can continue to work on once I get some of these other items down?  Because when I have the 'S' posture in my lower... I was hitting he ball very well.

Ok, you're OUT

[Beachcomber]

At P7.01, you're referring to the elbow still having some bend in it? It looks like it's tucked in really tight to the body, which is what I'm working on right now.

Yep. The 'Magic' of the right elbow is to have flex at impact and then it is released (full extension aka straight) after impact. This is TGM stuff. So probably foreign to many readers of this thread. But monitoring your pressure points and building and then releasing the power accumulators appropriately will show this. It is proof that you are maximizing power through impact.

[Beachcomber]

Are you getting those stills from your iphone?  They are impressive.  (The picture quality and positions)

Yep. iPhone with VLC playback! Pretty impressive quality if you know how to use the right tools.

[Beachcomber]

Ok, you're OUT :-P

No! Please!!! ;)