My Swing (Just Brilliant)

Just Brilliant · January 17, 2013

I've been Playing Golf for: since 1967

My current handicap index or average score is: 6 to 12

My typical ball flight is: slight draw

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: I'm pretty consistent until I'm inconsistent. Maybe it's the story of my life.

Here is the good bad and ugly; Unfortunately in the last couple years my driving distance has dropped from 265-275 to 245 255. My swing doesn't feel any different, except my SS is now 101 to 104 when it used to be 105-110. To me, my swing looks lazy, no feet, no legs, no hips, no back swing and no follow through. Maybe I need to grind a little more? In the video, I'm swinging a 906F4 15.5 Stiff Adila 60 Fairway Wood.

Videos:

**Beachcomber** · January 21, 2013

First, I like your practice setup. Nice that you can just go out and crank balls and jam to some tunes! Hope I have my practice area ready before Sping and watching your video makes me want it sooner than later.

Secondly, are you just looking to optimize your driver distance? Or is there something in particular with your ball striking that you are trying to improve? If you simply want to increase your carry distance with a driver... Here is a good video to watch:

Basically - your setup can drastically influence how you hit up on the driver. Check this chart out from Trackman... It shows that if you swing up - you will indeed get more distance.

You can see from the chart - if you are hitting up at +5 with a 105mph swing speed - you will carry the ball 263yds - and nearly drive it 296yds (with optimal conditions for roll). So with your swing - if you optimize it given your current swing speed, there is no reason you can't hit the driver more consistently 260+.

I also noticed that you lift your right foot pretty early within the downswing... You should check this site out. There are a lot of great swing tips, and fixing some of your address issues, and pivot breakdown - you could be hitting the ball better than you have in years.

Edit: And if you use that plastic white tee - that is in your hitting mat - to practice your driver... I'm willing to bet you are not hitting up on the driver. As that tee is very low.

Just Brilliant · January 21, 2013

Thanks beachcomber! I will go after it tomorrow. I have a new slo motion app and it showed my hits just inside of the sweet spot. I moved back an inch or two and my eye to ball line improved as well as my release. I have been practicing for a negative launch with my driver in hopes of keeping the ball a little lower. When I focus on hitting with a positive launch I will tend to balloon and slight fade. The positive launch contact Has a good feel and sound to it. I hit balls everyday for free!!!

Just Brilliant · January 23, 2013

I made a grip adjustment. Over the last couple of years, I've noticed some tendonitis creeping in my left thumb. I'm going to a full baseball grip until it heals. Once the weather warms, it will probably heal faster.

I received my Titleist 906F4 13.5 Adila 80 in the mail a couple days ago and regripped with a Winn DriTac Love this club.

Taking some shots with the Mizuno MP 33 5 Iron

**dkling8** · January 24, 2013

Nice swing! It looks really fluid and effortless. Even though you have an awesome practice set up where you can hit as many balls as you want, one thing I might suggest is pausing for a couple seconds between swings when you're practicing. It looks like you're already forward pressing to start your swing before you even finish taking your stance. Unless you're that quick on the course, a slight pause between balls might better simulate what a shot would be like if you had to walk up to your ball on the fairway and hit your second shot.

Edit: Nevemind, your new videos are much less rapid-fire! :)

Just Brilliant · January 24, 2013

DKling-thanks for the response. I lived in Chicago for 10 years, on Huron and Wabash. I really don't miss the wind at all. I do miss the nice people. I used to play Cog Hill, White Pines, Indian Lakes and Kennilworth often. But most of my play was down in Indiana. IMHO, where I live now, Bucks County, Phila, NJ and NY area has some of the most beautiful and difficult courses in the country.

I have learned a lot from the "setup" given I can hit as many balls as I want. I had given thought to installing a simulator, but in reality, it's all about creating shots with feel. With my setup, there is no limit to creating shots except for putting (gasp). This brings me to your point about practice. Sometimes, I will provide my own game simulation, using a scorecard from a recently played course. The club selection, the pause between shots, the target, the stance, the recital, the slope of the fairway and green, and proposed ball flight. Other times, I may hit 20 soft wedges in quick succession, and determine my consistency. I really have no idea what the best methodology is, so I just go with it. Some of the best swing thoughts come from watching others on the Internet. Having the slo-mo playback app on the IPAD, IPOD and IPHONE is priceless.

**Beachcomber** · January 24, 2013

Just Brilliant, seriously enjoy watching your videos. Great swing for your age... And I really admire your practice area. It looks like a total man cave where I could hang out for hours and hours and just bang balls. Such an awesome setup.

Here is what I would recommend with your swing... Try getting more drills incorporated.

Downswing Sequencing Drill

Get your right foot to bank and not lift on the downswing.

Just Brilliant · January 27, 2013

Yes sir thats the drill. Shorts and sunlight are looking good. I hopped on a simulator a couple days ago. I hit the line up of new drivers, nike, callaway, tm, and ping. Good; 90% of the shots followed the same fight path and landed in the same place. 245 dist. 228 carry 101 ss, 131 ball speed, all about 2 yds left of center.the ping anser gave me about 5 yds. 75% of my strikes are 1/4 to 1/2 inch left of center on my club face. To paraphrase the tech guy; ball speed should be between 140 and 150.

**Beachcomber** · January 28, 2013

Originally Posted by Just Brilliant

Yes sir thats the drill. Shorts and sunlight are looking good. I hopped on a simulator a couple days ago. I hit the line up of new drivers, nike, callaway, tm, and ping. Good; 90% of the shots followed the same fight path and landed in the same place. 245 dist. 228 carry 101 ss, 131 ball speed, all about 2 yds left of center.the ping anser gave me about 5 yds. 75% of my strikes are 1/4 to 1/2 inch left of center on my club face. To paraphrase the tech guy; ball speed should be between 140 and 150.

With 101mph ss... And near center contact... I'm guessing you are hitting the ball below the center line - more heal side? You need to swing up - and get contact higher on the face. You do that... And you will jump up your ball speed significantly... Closer to the 140 to 150 range the fitter spoke of.

Watch this video:

Just Brilliant · January 29, 2013

Just excellent thank you. I have something to work on.

Just Brilliant · February 1, 2013

I got out on weds in new jersey. Ground was frozen about an inch down. Wow. Trying to change too many things. But there were about a half dozen shots that where like able. I'll work on keeping my right heel silent as well as setup.

Just Brilliant · February 7, 2013

Hey yeah. I've been trying to keep the right heal in contact with the ground. Been doing it wrong for so long, its hard to change..

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