Swing Change

[Lbob]

I got a great lesson last week. I went in wanting help on making more consistent and better contact with the ball. The pro had a great teaching facility. There was digital video to examine your swing (first time I'd ever seen my swing!) and the facility was indoors with a large garage door like opening so that you could hit balls to a range. The pro was fantastic. He immediately noticed a stance that was too narrow and and also help my posture (stand like a football I-back). Then he showed me a swing change that simplified my swing and really felt good.

The change was simple. Get the club back to waist hight, make a soft set, then maintain the same hand position for the rest of the swing. At first I though he was joking, but I gave it a try. It took three or four swings, but I soon got the fell for it. What it felt like was that it took hands and arms out of the swing and it was all body. Once I set my hands all I had to do was turn. I was literally making effortless swings and hitting very nice iron shots- a high draw. No worry about weight shift, cocking or releasing or any of the other 97 things to worry about at contact. Just turn, set, and turn. This is great for me because I'm a tall skinny guy with long arms and legs that don't always work in a coordinated fashion. This sounds strange, but I literally felt like I was swinging from my belly button. I just hooked my arms and hand to the old bellybutton and then rotated back then through. Also worked with the driver though for some reason it felt a little strange. There was no loss of distance, and accuracy was fine.

BTW, I went to the range and practiced it. I found that a good way to capture the feel was to hit half-wedges. Just take the wedge back a bit higher than the waist, hook things up and turn.

[$2 Nassau]

Very interesting. And thank you for sharing something with us that YOU PAID FOR. Very generous of you.

I myself am a tall lanky guy that tends to get some unwanted lower body movement, so I know where you are coming from.

Quick question: When you mention "soft set" what do you mean? I assume you mean the wrists? Bring club to waist high then hinge wrists upward and continue the backswing?

[powerhitter]

im assuming a soft setup, where the muscles in your body are not tensed up, and your grip pressure is not to firm.

[$2 Nassau]

  powerhitter said:

im assuming a soft setup, where the muscles in your body are not tensed up, and your grip pressure is not to firm.

Oh. I read it as something he did after getting the club to waist height.

[Lbob]

Let me clarify. You are both right. I wasn't referring to this, but yes your muscles shouldn't be tense.

The wrist are what I was referring to. What he had me do was a slight wrist cock at just above waist level. Then you just hold it through the rest of the swing. It's hard to estimate how much cock. I'd say around 30 degrees.

If you try this bear in mind that the first few times will feel bizzarre. But if you suffer from too many moving parts you might benefit.

[$2 Nassau]

Thank you.

[powerhitter]

I think the standard wrist cock on the downswing is approx 90degrees for a good swing.

[Lbob]

This really got me thinking. I went to the range and checked the club position at the top of the swing. It's close to 90 degrees. Not sure exactly how that happens. I think maybe that my estimate of the soft set angle was a bit off.

[hammer84]

I saw Butch Harmon do a similar drill with one of the pros he was working with in a show.

He had them start cocking their wrists sooner so they were set early in swing and not trying to catch up.