My Swing (WillM)

[WillM]

@iacas Okay, simple enough for the shoulder plane stuff.

I have noticed that I don't turn enough before and it is because I physically can't. My body will not rotate any more than that without pain. I am working with a golf specific trainer which should help but for right now that is my limitation, which is a bummer because I know I need to fix it.

[mvmac]

@iacas Okay, simple enough for the shoulder plane stuff.

I have noticed that I don't turn enough before and it is because I physically can't. My body will not rotate any more than that without pain. I am working with a golf specific trainer which should help but for right now that is my limitation, which is a bummer because I know I need to fix it.

Turn the right foot out more and don't "pinch" the right knee inward.

[WillM]

Hey everyone, got an update for ya. So because I am only able to work with Brian Mogg about once a month I started to look into other options that I might be able to use in college. One I found was doing online lessons with a guy named Dan Carraher who works with some guys on the pro tours and seems pretty smart about the golf swing. I figured "what the heck?" and bought one, just to try it. Man I was impressed. The changes he recommended had an immediate impact on my ball flight.

Here is my swing with the posture change he recommended, I love it. Compare it to the last swing I posted here and it looks so much better.

He also, to your credit @iacas and @mvmac , told me to get my shoulder plane steeper. Something both of you have been telling me all along! So I am now religiously doing the drill with a club across my shoulders working on feeling the steeper shoulder plane. Obviously a change like that is going to take a bit longer so you can't really see a change in the plane here but hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to post something that looks better.

[WillM]

This stupid shoulder plane drill has thrown me completely out of whack... I know it is for the best but I have been making compensations in my swing for so long that now, when I get the shoulder plane right, I just hit the ball terribly. Most shots are fat and I also hit maybe 5 out of 100 off the hosel today... Scratch players don't do that... Grrr

[WillM]

I have given up on the shoulder plane... I was just too frustrated over the last two weeks. The moment I stopped thinking about it, I started hitting the ball well again... funny how that works. Anyway, two new things, one from Brian Mogg and one from Dan Carraher. I have kind of been working with both and taking what I like and basing changes on the results I get from them.

I got a video response from Dan about a week ago:

Dan asked me to move a little further away from the ball and get the club working a little flatter and more behind me in the takeaway which has helped a lot. You can see the difference below.

I saw Brian in person for the first time in two months last Sunday:

He loved my setup and said it was the best he has ever seen it! However he also wants to get the club working down my toe line more in the downswing. Right now as you can see it is kind of "stuck" behind me and he wants the shaft parallel to the toe line at about halfway down... I have spent a day working on it so far and I am a little skeptical but am going to give it a few more days before making any decisions... it is a minute change but could be beneficial down the road. I'd be lying if I said it was enjoyable to practice though.... *cough cough* thin fades *cough cough*

Here is video taken the day before I met with Brian:

[mvmac]

Be careful not to get caught in the trap of getting too many opinions and bouncing around between pieces. Believe me, I've been there and it didn't help my game at all. Also just because something doesn't result in better shots right away doesn't mean that it's wrong. Your brain/sequencing might just need time to "catch up" with what you're doing.

I'd personally recommend sticking with Dan over Mogg

[WillM]

Be careful not to get caught in the trap of getting too many opinions and bouncing around between pieces. Believe me, I've been there and it didn't help my game at all. Also just because something doesn't result in better shots right away doesn't mean that it's wrong. Your brain/sequencing might just need time to "catch up" with what you're doing.  I'd personally recommend sticking with Dan over Mogg

Are you saying that I should give more time in reference to the shoulder plane or the shaft along the toe line?

[mvmac]

Are you saying that I should give more time in reference to the shoulder plane or the shaft along the toe line?

I'm not speaking to any specific piece, just giving you my take on how to go about taking lessons/making changes in general.

[Phil McGleno]

I'm not speaking to any specific piece, just giving you my take on how to go about taking lessons/making changes in general.

I second that.-I also second working with someone OTHER than the guy who loves that setup. Yuck. [CONTENTEMBED=/t/56069/good-golf-posture-how-to-address-the-golf-ball layout=block][/CONTENTEMBED] Look at that thread @WillM

[WillM]

My swing has been feeling pretty solid lately. Off to college soon to start my first college golf season!! Super excited about that.

Anyway, check out the pictures below. I have really started to work with Dan and he wants me to get my hands working more in on the takeaway, which I agree with. I have been trying to figure out what the best way to do this is. Previously I have been thinking to keep the butt of the club attached to my right hip but then my takeaway feels too much one piece with no wrist set. Just yucky. Does anyone have any suggestions (swing thoughts, drills, etc.) that they used to fix something like this?

It isn't blatantly terrible but according to Dan (and again, I agree with him) it is throwing off my shoulder plane.

Thanks

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Edit: Holy Moly those pictures are big, I thought they would resize when I posted them... sorry friends!

[WillM]

Hmmmmm.... Thought just occurred to me... Perhaps I am standing a bit too close to the ball so the arms/hands HAVE to work a little outside? I was watching some of my older video where my arms were a little more extended and the hands worked inside naturally.

Regardless, I would still like to here what people have to say about my question above, thanks!

[Etzwane]

I would solved both problems at once: less hands and left shoulder moving more down in the takeaway (maybe as a *feel*: sending it towards you left toe).

[mvmac]

Hmmmmm.... Thought just occurred to me... Perhaps I am standing a bit too close to the ball so the arms/hands HAVE to work a little outside? I was watching some of my older video where my arms were a little more extended and the hands worked inside naturally.

Regardless, I would still like to here what people have to say about my question above, thanks!

Could be part of it.

I'd also check pressure point #4 (where your upper left arm connects with your left pec). Notice with the pics below how the upper left tricep is more "snug" against the chest than your takeaway pic. Make sure the left arm isn't moving off your chest. Put a tee or glove in that arm pit to maintain that pressure point in the takeaway. Allow the depth to come from the pivot, let the pivot "carry" the arms. Don't try to get the depth by "sucking" the hands in. Also just want to point out that the hands don't gain a ton of depth during the takeaway (pics below) but they shouldn't work away from you.

[WillM]

 

Could be part of it.

 

I'd also check pressure point #4 (where your upper left arm connects with your left pec). Notice with the pics below how the upper left tricep is more "snug" against the chest than your takeaway pic. Make sure the left arm isn't moving off your chest. Put a tee or glove in that arm pit to maintain that pressure point in the takeaway. Allow the depth to come from the pivot, let the pivot "carry" the arms. Don't try to get the depth by "sucking" the hands in. Also just want to point out that the hands don't gain a ton of depth during the takeaway (pics below) but they shouldn't work away from you.

 

After disappearing for a while, I am back. I have worked a bit on the Pressure Point #4 and it has really cleaned up my takeaway and it feels like I am using my body much more in my swing. I have been playing well and am really focusing on developing a consistent pre-shot routine for full shots and putting. Trying to incorporate visualization and focus more into my game.

You can see in the video I am a bit laid off at the top but that is just a function of my flat shoulder turn/plane. I've decided to give the shoulder plane drill another shot and really commit to it this time. My head is also drifting away from the ball a little bit but otherwise I am very happy with my swing right now!

[mvmac]

For the video, just upload it to YouTube, past the link into the post, hit return and wait a couple seconds for it to embed.

[ygmondoux]

Just looked at your thread from the beginning. And Wow! You have such a nice swing and to see how much you've improved since the beginning is amazing. All the subtle swing changes really made a difference in the long run. 

Keep working hard on your game!! 

[WillM]

Hey Hey it works! Anyway, as I was saying worked a bit on pressure point #4 and it has helped tremendously. Now going to try and work on shoulder plane again. Think flat turn is making top of swing a bit laid off.

Very happy with swing for the most part, just fine tuning at this point. Also, see comments on previous post above.

[boogielicious]

Hey Hey it works! Anyway, as I was saying worked a bit on pressure point #4 and it has helped tremendously. Now going to try and work on shoulder plane again. Think flat turn is making top of swing a bit laid off.

Very happy with swing for the most part, just fine tuning at this point. Also, see comments on previous post above.

I have a feel question for you. At the start of the downswing, you flatten the shaft in a similar manner to Ricky Fowler. What feeling do you have when you do this? Many of us struggle with too steep a shaft plane at A5. I have tried palmar flexion, but that doesn't help as much as I hoped.