My Swing (tstrike34)

[tstrike34]

Today was a very, very, very good day.... AND I WANT TO SCREAM to the World how good it was!!!!

Windy conditions today so I headed to the garage to work on my grip and slowly build back my strength...

Instead I found what I had been missing for the last 6 months since joining this site.

My takeaway had been steep since god knows when (the videos in this thread clearly proves this point)... Very steep... By flattening out my takeway, I was able to:

• Cock naturally (I can actually feel the tension in my intercoastals, obliques, and gluts)
• Release and finish smoothly and naturally with a slower tempo (4.6 to 5.3 seconds versus 3.5 to 3.9)
• Finish balanced (no overswing, good finishing stance, no groin pull or strain)
• Hit the target either on target, slightly left or slightly right
• Hit the target with power (I ripped a hole in my target (will post pic later))

Today I hit 110 balls, only shanked 8. I used my 6 iron (remember I could never it hit consistently??), my 7, and my 8.

I plan on providing film tomorrow for all to see...   5SK works definitely.

I am so excited that I am going to go back for another 50 balls just to see if I can replicate this morning's session (I will work slowly...).

Thank you all for your help, I was scared I had lost all that you guys have been teaching and telling me since my groin injury.

[tstrike34]

As promised, I went back for another session to verify my great morning!

I am developing a fade... No shanks... 96 balls.

Life is getting better, will it translate at the range and/or course?

[Ernest Jones]

Welcome back. Make sure you ease back into this slowly.

Originally Posted by tstrike34

Release and finish smoothly and naturally with a slower tempo (4.6 to 5.3 seconds versus 3.5 to 3.9)

I'm puzzled by the above. Are you saying your swing takes 4-6 seconds to execute??? I know I tend to be a little quick but 4-6 seconds?

[tstrike34]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Welcome back. Make sure you ease back into this slowly.

I'm puzzled by the above. Are you saying your swing takes 4-6 seconds to execute??? I know I tend to be a little quick but 4-6 seconds?

More like really 4.5 seconds... I am going slow so that I dont get out of control.

Yeah I got happy today.... I did stretch before and after my sessions... I am on ice right now.

I am stretching for about 30 minutes before a session and 15 minutes after session.

I am really, really watching that... I got carried away because I got happy.

[tstrike34]

My golf swing back.... It got way too sunny to film anymore at high def... the other videos were completely crappy...

Now we got some meat I would like to point out a few things my untrained eye noticed:

• I got a better tempo
• I have settled on a modified overlap grip that is comfy for me
• Still overswinging a bit
• Notice my right foot moves (I would later straighten that out in the session)
• I was averaging about 72 - 78 MPH swing speed throughout the session
• I was drawing the ball throughout with a few hooks in 14 hooks out of 108 balls during this morning session
• I am trying to keep my head completely still (using the drill). I am keeping it straight, but its bobbing up and down

Feel free to critique.. this is my 3rd day back... I know its a marathon, but I am happy with my progress... Really happy. If yall want me to post the other videos, cool.

[tstrike34]

Comments? Have I gotten better than when I started?

[tstrike34]

New film from the driving range.

Some things I noticed so painfully obvious in this film:

• I really started picking the club up in my backswing this session. There has to be a drill that I can use to back sure I bring the club back versus up in my backswing.
• Dunno if you all can hear it, but I was dealing with 14 MPH winds coming SSE (headwinds) from the Seawall.
• That day, I could not commit myself to my grip *sigh*.
• I did see that I am overswinging in my backswing and losing lots of power
• I did see noticable improvement in keeping my head still
• Noticed quieter feet action, but still needs improvement
• The film is taken at an angle, so I do not know if it would be of much use for analysis.
• Two other videos were pure garbage, so I didn't want to waste y'all's time

[Ernest Jones]

Tstrike,

Read the posted link below. I doubt you'll get any worthwhile commentary with the present camera set-up.

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

Also, kudos on getting out of the garage for some range video, much more likely to get help with those BUT you gotta improve your camera angles are people aren't likely to take the time to look at them.

Cheers and good luck.

PS, if you're not using Evolvr you should consider it, the free help will only get you so far and a lot of it will come from random posters who may or may not know their arse from a hole in the ground!

[tstrike34]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Tstrike,

Read the posted link below. I doubt you'll get any worthwhile commentary with the present camera set-up.

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

Also, kudos on getting out of the garage for some range video, much more likely to get help with those BUT you gotta improve your camera angles are people aren't likely to take the time to look at them.

Cheers  and good luck.

PS, if you're not using Evolvr you should consider it, the free help will only get you so far and a lot of it will come from random posters who may or may not know their arse from a hole in the ground!

Ya its time to get with Evolvr. Thanks for the look and advice Ernie!  Boy I am a sucky cameraman!!

[tstrike34]

So yes, I am now an Evolvr customer!!

:)

Thanks for the advice, should have done it sooner.

[tstrike34]

Update.

Had my first lesson with my Evolvr instructor:  Simply put, AMAZING!

With live video critique of my swing, pretty cool stuff is happening. I went to the garage to apply the lesson and got immediate results.

I had only 2 shanks out of 75 balls hit... Amazing stuff indeed! Going to the range tomorrow to apply lessons learned and take film.

Woot!!!

[tstrike34]

Here are some comments to my instructor:

Some improvements:

-- I really feel like I am swinging the club effortlessly. Contact is clean (although sometimes not straight)

-- I am still somewhat bobbing my head throughout the swing despite getting close to the ball.

-- One of the lights that came on in my head involved my takeaway. By Brian's call for adjusting my stance and getting my shoulder turn towards the ball, I am able to freely swing my shoulders (thereby moving my arms) naturally without any real force (I was tensing my forearms to bring the club back). Now that I am free swinging, I am able to release the club and come to a somewhat more refined finishing pose.

Overall, my confidence over the last 3 days has soared amazingly. Right here and now, I feel confident to play a round of golf and score a bit better.

[tstrike34]

Update:

No film, but I did a lot of work in the garage today. Of note:

• Brian's call for adjusting my address position is working way better than I could ever imagine
• My shoulder turn is getting better. One of things I found in my recent film (not posted) is that my tempo was really off. I went back to Tour Tempo for a refresher... Then suddenly everything came together (in sense).
• My swing speed is increasing whilst my grip pressure is loosening. I am feeling much more confident
• Dare I say that the wild shanks have stopped?
• Adding on about my tempo: My tempo has dropped to 3 versus 3.8.

Additional comments:

Erik's post about "Practicing like a Stupid Monkey" really made me think. Now I did whine about how guys like me approach things, I believe there is extreme validity to what Erik is talking about.

I wanted to work on two things today (in 3 sessions lasting an hour a piece): Shoulder turn and Tempo. I worked on nothing, but those today with remarkable success. One of things I found (getting out of stupid monkey mode) was my 2nd level power accelerator (its in a picture posted earlier in this thread). Once I found it as a result of my swing tempo and shoulder turn, I started banging the middle of the target succesfully ball after ball. I did not think about ball position at address, I did not fiddle with my grip, and I was watching the ball from backswing, to impact and its disappearance. What I did see was my right shoulder under my chin, my right arm straight, my club was cocked... Then the weird thing was my body seemed to know to go "Weight forward" without me even thinking about it. Every time I tried to conciously do it, I would top or hit behind the ball (it still made it to the target).

I took 3 breaks to cool off and see if I could regain the same form (I did with ease).

Tomorrow I plan on going to range to see how things pan out. Wish me luck!

[Ernest Jones]

Any new video? Still golfing?