My Swing (sflemon)

[sflemon]

I've been Playing Golf for: 23 years (started age 5, turn 28 in a month)

My current handicap index or average score is:  7, I shoot around 76 to 83

My typical ball flight is:  Draw, low-mid ball flight to start, and really hight at peak of ball flight

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is:  That 5% hook, and the 10% push I hit.  % being how often I hit it.

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Videos shot 4/24/2012:  Grass was closed and stalls prevented a front-on video.  This year (2012) I have only played twice on course and been to the range twice.  I somehow still manage to shoot low 80's or high 70's.  I get a lot of up and downs, make a lot of putts to make up for the missed greens and fairways.

Even playing high school golf as the captain years ago, I struggled with a hook I would hit once every 20 shots and a push to the right I would hit more often.  Over the years I have moved to a weaker grip (1 1/2 knuckles vs. 3 knuckles).

Currently, I am hitting the range twice weekly with the camera every time to try to get back into the routine after nearly a year off the course.  I am focusing heavily on posture, setup, and lastly my initial move.

I am happy with my grip.  I started with a varden (Hogan style) for years, but it hurt my right hand's pinky finger too much so now play an interlocking grip.

My posture, from what you can see in the video, is often too upright.  When I do this, I trap myself and prevent a good first move.  If you were to see a front-on video, you would also notice I don't rotate my upper body to coil up for my swing.  Instead I feel like I slide back and forward moreso than rotating.

When I focus on rotating, and manage to make a good first move, I can hit the ball nearly anywhere I want.

Lastly, on the first move down, I have always had an issue not starting with the lower body.  Therefore logically this would to me anyway, explain the hook.  Poor setup at address was another issue.  I frequently was aimed easily 10 yards right of the target.

Not sure how I can still manage to shoot decently after video taping myself.

Over the next few months, I hope to perfect my address posture and alignment.  I will also be working on making the first move down being more natural.

I think going twice a week to the range with the laptop/camera can get me into mid-70's again in one season.

Of course I'm open to suggestions.

Videos:

[iacas]

Your second video is private.

[sflemon]

Fixed second video to be public.

[delav]

When you get a chance, a caddy view (front) video would be helpful.  It looks like there is a big opportunity to improve your weight transfer (hip bump) and impact position.  If you're hitting pushes and hooks, chances are you are flipping through impact.

Working on moving your hips toward your target and establishing strong forward shaft lean at impact would like be a good place to start.  A front video would help to confirm.  Look for the threads on "hip slide" and "flying wedge."

[sflemon]

Did a caddy view today for just two 8i swings.  Wow, what a view.  Was it ugly!!

Essentially, I feel I was given some long-term poor swing advice at a golf camp at a university when in high school some 10 years ago.  Video swing review was new.  I was told by the teaching pro at the camp during my session that I wasn't transferring enough weight to my right foot during the swing.  If you imagine a string from your nose straight down at address, I was told my nose should move a ways behind that during the swing.

Boy did I ever mess that one up.  Over the years this developed into a swing (in my uneducated non-pro opinion) of sliding my hips perfectly side to side, not rotating my torso, and making my arms/hands follow a correct swing plane.

I had heard more recently a tip that on a full swing, a very good golfer or pro may have rotated his/her torso such that their left shoulder is nearly over their right toe.  In my caddy view video, not even close and not correct posture to even get close.

So, after just two swings I forced myself to do what looked to be appropiate rotation of my torso on the backswing.  I also focused on using my left heel clicking down first to start the downswing.

My accuracy with my wedge/short irons suddenly went from a shotgun spread to something that 9/10 balls would land on a mid-size green.  Two nights ago I hit ZERO greens on the par 3 course with wedges and short irons.

Now I'm anxious to get out more to practice this thought more and see the results on the course.