My Swing (Beachcomber)

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Gofas

improvement not sure what would be wrong with this swing. Your swing is evolving for sure.

Thanks for the kind words Gofas.  But there is still a lot of work ahead.  The good news is that I believe I have a roadmap identified to get to where I want to be.

Here is a check list of things I'm working on....

1.) Modifying my Attachment - cupping my left wrist to square the club face - creating more dynamic loft with a positive face.

• Checkpoint is A4 (top of the swing) - looking to see if the face is closed (currently) or square (goal)

The Red is me actually hitting the ball on 1-13 range session.  The Yellow is a few frames before the top from the same swing on 1-13 range session.  I believe if I shorten my back swing a little more - I can keep my right elbow in a better position.  The Green swings were with Mvmac (6-1-12) and Mvmac and Dana (12-3-12)... Where they helped me get into the proper position with club such that the face was square.  The challenge is I need to hit this geometry while actually hitting a golf ball.  Not so easy for me.

2.) Right elbow placement - trying to make sure my right elbow doesn't travel behind my shirt seam.  Trying to gain more of a pitched right elbow in the back swing - and leading into the down swing.

• Checkpoint is A4 (top of the swing) - look to see that my right elbow isn't behind me - going beyond my right shirt seam down my right side
• Currently I believe my turning rates - especially my upper is too much - meaning my upper torso and shoulders continue to turn in the back swing which gets the right elbow behind the shirt seam and causes issues in the downswing
• This is something that I've been fighting for a long time - but after a lot of research (on this site) and discussions with my instructor - I believe I can fix this issue by simply not turning my left shoulder down and under so much - I think that I'm over doing this shoulder turn in my current swing??

3.) Regaining Flexion - Keeping a Steady Head - Head on the Wall: By getting my right elbow location fixed on the back swing - by not over turning my upper torso/shoulders - I can get my right elbow back into my belly on the downswing.  At A6 (shaft parallel to the ground on the down swing) - my right elbow is off to my side which causes my right hip to move toward the ball - right knee bends - and goes toward the ball - and results in early extension (Goat Humping).

• Checkpoint from A5 (left arm parallel to the ground on the downswing) to A7 (impact) - I need to keep my head on the wall
• Currently my head is pulling off the wall because of the right elbow doesn't have room to go into the power slot and reconnect with my belly.

So I have two priorities right now...

Priority #1.  Cupping my left wrist... Will help square the clubface at impact.

Priority #2.  Not over turning my upper torso and shoulders.... Will help me reconnect the right elbow on the downswing and not get caught on my side which leads to early extension issues.

Key #1. Steady Head - practicing with a wall and working on my geometries in a mirror will help me clean up some of the issues I have.

Ultimately, I believe if I can nail these items... then my finish posture will be better as well.  I won't have as much of a 'Reverse-C' as my head won't be tilting back away/behind the ball.  So I should be more on balance in my finish which will look better - and increase my accuracy and distance.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

You look like Eli Manning.

Hope that helps.

[RPMPIRE]

I think more like Peyton Manning.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

You look like Eli Manning.

[Beachcomber]

LOL W.T.F. I've never heard that before... And why do I always get compared to some unattractive cracker? Hhaha  I want to look like Tatum or Brad. Hhahaha

A few guys I work with called me Steve Blake (NBA).  My passport photo from 2009 I had a shaved head like Steve. Unfortunately, I'm only 5'8".

Edward Norton - I've heard that....

One time I was at a bar and some middle aged female came up and asked if I was Kyle Busch... I actually had no freaking idea what he looked like and had to Google him. LOL

And then there's this... High School...

[Beachcomber]

I put this together so that I would have a reference point for tomorrows range session on things I'm going to try...

1.) I'm going to try and widen my stance a hair.

2.) Add just a tad more knee bend...

3.) Reduce some of the forward shaft lean at address... Looks like I may be over doing it.

4.) I gotta get that right elbow back into my belly button - key focus.

5.) I'm going to try and quite my hips on the downswing.

** Make the hips and legs more passive instead of firing and feel like I start the downswing with my arms and shoulders.

[bplewis24]

I don't know much about the golf swing, but I just wanted to say you look pretty good in a lot of those frames and especially at impact.

Who is the other guy?  The biggest difference I notice is how much wider his base is compared to yours.  It would appear to help him deliver more power to the ball at impact.  What do you think?

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I don't know much about the golf swing, but I just wanted to say you look pretty good in a lot of those frames and especially at impact.

Who is the other guy?  The biggest difference I notice is how much wider his base is compared to yours.  It would appear to help him deliver more power to the ball at impact.  What do you think?

That is Mac O'Grady's alignments compared to mine.  I did it because I wanted to see if there were any glaring issues that needed to be tweaked... Kind of a sanity check for me before I went to the range today.  And I immediately noticed that my stance was very narrow and had a touch too much forward shaft lean at address.

But to answer your question... I think the biggest area that I need to work on at this stage is found within the last two frames (A6 - clubshaft parallel to the ground on the downswing.... A7 - impact).  You will see my hips are open - and not square to the target line like Mac's at A6.  My hips have actually outraced my upper. This causes my right elbow to get off to the side of me - instead of reconnecting into my belly and in front of the right thigh.  Therefore, i n order for me to make contact - at A7 - my upper center tilts back slightly and my lower center goes toward the ball.... Losing some power as I flip a hair at the ball.

It is very clear when looking at Mac's alignments, that I have an issue with reattaching my right elbow into my belly. The following video hits on the right elbow placement... At A6 - my right elbow is too far off to the side of my hip and not in the correct spot:

Tweaking my stance width, and reducing some of the forward shaft lean at address seemed to be working as I hit my irons very, very well today at the range.  I was hitting some very high draws and a few fades (when I really tried to retain a cupped wrist throughout the swing). With that being said, here is my updated 6i swing from today's range session:

I threw in a Posterior view per the request of Erik and Mike.  That Posterior view definitely highlights my breakdown with the right leg.  I was actually pretty happy with my right elbow placement though... I think this is the best it has looked (pitched) since I started filming swings?

One other issues that I noticed, which have been lingering for quite some time....

• My clubface is still closed at A4, but that is something jacked up with the way I'm hinging the club from A3 to A4
• I've tried working with my attachment/grip - and cupping the club at address, but I'm still not squaring it at the top.

I think the biggest thing I've gotta work on is my pivot...  That trail leg is causing all kinds of issues.  But I think the actual culprit is my left hip is spinning out of the shot?? This is going to take some hard work to figure this pivot piece out.  I just can't seem to get this piece - yet.  I will eventually get it - I know I can do it.  Just like the right elbow - it has taken me a ton of work to get it more on my shirt seam side and pitched, but I believe my right elbow is getting pretty good.  It's much better than it was.  Now if I can just get my pivot a little more on balance, I think I could make a big jump in distance and accuracy.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

LOL, I watched that video two nights ago.

[Beachcomber]

LOL, I watched that video two nights ago.

It's the best video I've found that shows where the right elbow should be at A6 and how it influences A7's quality of contact.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

LOL, I watched that video two nights ago.

It's the best video I've found that shows where the right elbow should be at A6 and how it influences A7's quality of contact.

Yea, the part about the right elbow on the downswing is definitely good. The whole video isn't great though (like that backswing position he gets in). And maybe I'm a little "anti" here because when I first started playing golf, his posture video really kinda screwed me up. Also, a little birdie told me that this guy was having lower back issues last year and a certain unnamed Sandtrap pro helped him setup to the ball better. But hey, at least the guy is humble and is willing to share ideas and continue learning.

But yea, it's cool how a great number of us are all working on pitch elbow right now -- it's so frustrating because I hit so many horrendous shots on the range trying to do it: fat, thin, hosel rocket, toe, bladed, you name it. Are you going through that too? Wondering if I'm alone on that one.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

It is very clear when looking at Mac's alignments, that I have an issue with reattaching my right elbow into my belly.  The following video hits on the right elbow placement... At A6 - my right elbow is too far off to the side of my hip and not in the correct spot:

Interesting.  Coincidentally, this is what I had planned on working on tomorrow at the range.  My first tournament is in 3 weeks and I hadn't touched a club for about 2 months (intentionally) until Thursday when I went back to the range.  I just hit a bucket of balls on Thurs and Fri to work some of the rust off, and then I played on Saturday.  I knew I would play poorly, but I wanted to see what part of my swing would fall apart in the mid round, because at the range I was hitting it pretty well.  Sure enough, about the 6th hole or so, I started hitting fatter and fatter shots until about the 16th hole.  I still flip at the ball a lot and I wanted to work on getting my right elbow in front of my hip (or at least the feel of that) before I start really releasing the club-head.

I mostly go by feel, so it's nice to get a read on the science behind it and know that I'm at least somewhat on the right track.  I worked through a lot of problems last year at the range just by hammering away at balls instead of looking at video, but eventually I need to get back "in the loop" and get educated on this stuff.

[JetFan1983]

Nice, BPL is joining in on the right elbow fun.

I was watching my DVR recording of the Bob Hope tonight and was green with envy with how much insanely sexy pitch elbow those guys get. Scott Stallings is a beast with that. They all are, frankly.

[mvmac]

Be careful with that video of Mike's, big part of getting the right arm into pitch is how it straightens down and how the body gives it space.  He's demonstrating it with too much bend.  How do you do it?  Take it to 4, flex the left knee a little, keep the left hip low, left shoulder low, completely straighten the right arm down.  Where's the right elbow?

This pic is more for education

Here's what I see that you can fix with your swing with a few range sessions.  I would recommend at A1 feeling some pressure towards the inside of your left foot.  Help the knee linkage to keep the right hip turning.  Would also be good to just try and film some, even with a stick behind you, could be on the ground.  Get the right cheek to the stick.  I think you'll notice the weight will "fall" left rather than having to shift it left.

Camera angle is off on the right, but it's kinda cool lol  Grant and Mac (Top secret)

CH3, similar body type, hitting a longer club

[tstrike34]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I mostly go by feel, so it's nice to get a read on the science behind it and know that I'm at least somewhat on the right track.  I worked through a lot of problems last year at the range just by hammering away at balls instead of looking at video, but eventually I need to get back "in the loop" and get educated on this stuff.

Can I 2nd that motion? Especially learning the science of golf. Truly fascinating.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Yea, the part about the right elbow on the downswing is definitely good. The whole video isn't great though (like that backswing position he gets in). And maybe I'm a little "anti" here because when I first started playing golf, his posture video really kinda screwed me up. Also, a little birdie told me that this guy was having lower back issues last year and a certain unnamed Sandtrap pro helped him setup to the ball better. But hey, at least the guy is humble and is willing to share ideas and continue learning.

But yea, it's cool how a great number of us are all working on pitch elbow right now -- it's so frustrating because I hit so many horrendous shots on the range trying to do it: fat, thin, hosel rocket, toe, bladed, you name it. Are you going through that too? Wondering if I'm alone on that one.

Yeah, Youtube is filled with a bunch of junk - so you have to be careful... And filter a lot of it.  Some videos have bits and snip its of good to great information... And even within those videos with good to great information, can be filled with bad to plain out wrong information.  So it is a fine line that you have to walk when looking for instructional keys on Youtube.

For me, I've been working with mvmac and the quality instructors at Evolvr long enough to have an 'idea' of what I should be doing.  And if there is a piece I'm struggling with, I'll use Youtube to try and find another instructor describing a similar feel, or drill to meet the primary objective outlined by mvmac or the team at Evolvr.

There have been videos by Dana, Mario, Yoda, Rice, etc. that have given me a great swing thought, or idea to help me better understand how to master (or at least better understand) a particular element within the swing.  And I have found that when I understand something, and can visualize it, that I can actually attempt it and have a better chance of getting it ingrained into my own swing.  If I don't understand it... I have a hard time just going with it on 'blind faith'.  Not that I don't trust my instructor(s)... But it's just the way I am programmed.  It's like I'm not confident enough in my own abilities, and doing something, unless I truly understand and have 'learned' the move with my eyes and ears.  Then I 'know' what I'm doing - or setting out to do is going to work.

So for me... I'm very much a nuts and bolts guy... I want to understand how things work so that I can get them working within my own game.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Be careful with that video of Mike's, big part of getting the right arm into pitch is how it straightens down and how the body gives it space.  He's demonstrating it with too much bend.  How do you do it?  Take it to 4, flex the left knee a little, keep the left hip low, left shoulder low, completely straighten the right arm down.  Where's the right elbow?

This pic is more for education

Here's what I see that you can fix with your swing with a few range sessions.  I would recommend at A1 feeling some pressure towards the inside of your left foot.  Help the knee linkage to keep the right hip turning.  Would also be good to just try and film some, even with a stick behind you, could be on the ground.  Get the right cheek to the stick.  I think you'll notice the weight will "fall" left rather than having to shift it left.

mvmac, thank you for the analysis.  Greatly appreciated.

A few quick comments... The right elbow location using Mac vs me - I can do drills with an iron from A6 to A7 and hit decent shots and get the elbow there... But as the club lengthens - I can't do it.  Terrible contact with a 3W from the deck trying to do that drill.

As for the right pocket... I'll work on this.  I know in the past I had issues with Key #1 when I really try to lenghten that right side and turn that right hip deeper.  This was one of the things James had me working on several months ago on Evolvr.  And was difficult to keep my head on the wall.  I actually would lean 'in' toward the ball with my head on the backswing... And still come off the wall on the downswing (early extension).  So I tried to reduce some of that depth to keep my head on the wall - at least on the backswing.

PS. My tripod was too low on the Face-On / Caddy View.  It was setup lower than I wanted because I was trying to get closer.  I need to back the camera up a few feet and bring it up to the normal filming height I used with the DTL and Posterior.  I noticed this as you can see my face at A6.  Trust me - my head is down!!

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

A few quick comments... The right elbow location using Mac vs me - I can do drills with an iron from A6 to A7 and hit decent shots and get the elbow there... But as the club lengthens - I can't do it.  Terrible contact with a 3W from the deck trying to do that drill.

The drill where you take it to A6 and hit it from there?  Yeah def just for irons with that drill

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by mvmac

The drill where you take it to A6 and hit it from there?  Yeah def just for irons with that drill

Cool.  Thanks for the sanity check.  I hit (if you can even call it that - more like missed) ~ 15 balls doing that drill with my 3W yesterday, and gave up. LOL

This is what I looked like on the range during that part of the session...