Re-learning my golf swing after losing 90 pounds

[MackJL06]

So last year I weighed in for my company's health screening at 278 pounds. That was pretty shocking, embarrassing, and sad. Instead of pouting about it, I decided to get to work, change my diet and run...run...run...run...and run. Fast forward about 9-10 months and I am now 185 pounds!

Last season, I shot 2 rounds in my work golf league under par, having about 75% of my rounds staying in the 35(par)-39 range. This year, however, is a completely different story. Sure, we're only 4 weeks in, but my best round posted is a 44, with a nice grouping of 3 - 48's that followed . I know I had swing faults last year, but I kept it pretty consistent. I really want to blame the weight loss ( I now turn different, get into more athletic positions, all that mumbojumbo) but I'd rather just understand what I'm currently doing and try to build my swing, again.

This is a swing from September 2012:

Here is a Down-the-Line and a Face-On swing from tonight (it was windy and the audio on my camera was acting up, I'd recommend turning your headset/speakers down!)

DTL

Face-On

I was trying to read Erik's post about "deep hands" and I was really trying to get that feeling. The part I kept feeling "Stuck" on, was trying to keep my right elbow connected to the body a the top of my swing. It just feels like I forgot how to downswing

I feel great and am happy/proud of the new body type, but it is beyond frustrating that I cannot move the ball like I know I'm capable of. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[14ledo81]

I would suggest you take video actually hitting a ball. Most peoples practice swings are different from real swings.

[bukifvr]

First of all, Congratulations on losing all that weight.  That takes alot of hard work and tremendous discipline.  I don't have any ideas to help your swing, but if you work on it like you did losing weight I'm sure your golf game will be back to form soon.  Good job.

[Mr Smell Good]

Awesome job losing the weight man!  I'm sure the feeling you have now compared to how you felt with 100 extra pounds is motivation enough to keep it off.  Your swing looks really good in that 3rd video but I agree about hitting some balls and then posting up another one

[rustyredcab]

I quickly dropped some weight a few years ago. Not as much as you. I found that I was more flexible and that my feelings about what my positions actually were had changed. Video helped me see what I was actually doing.

[WalkTheCourse]

Congratulations from the resident RD :).

I'm sure you'll get the feeling back... physiologically, it's easy to understand why your swing will have to change.

[Stuffs]

Congrats on the weight loss.  Much respect for those who do whatever it is they want to improve on instead of sitting there pouting and feeling sorry.

Can't tell too much from those vids but so far here's what I noticed and please do not be offended in anyway.
Your take away starts way too far on the inside.  This causes a very flat initial backswing, leaving it very little room but to steepen aggressively once the hands get towards the chest and head level. You're downswing and follow through looks ok and fluid, but does look like you're coming a little over the top and cutting across the ball.

Two things I can suggest working on is the takeaway and the follow through right after impact.  On the take away, work on keeping the club head as straight back towards the camera (or even a little to the right of it) from your first vid.  Extend your arms as much as you can and allow your shoulders to turn naturally, bringing the club inside.  At the top of the backswing, hold it and look at where your club is pointed.  It should be pointed towards the target, pretty much parallel with your stance line.

Make your swing, but right after impact, imagine you want the club head traveling towards the target for as long as you can or the body will allow, only coming inside as your body and shoulder turns to the finish.

Hope that makes sense and can help.

[MackJL06]

Originally Posted by Stuffs

Congrats on the weight loss.  Much respect for those who do whatever it is they want to improve on instead of sitting there pouting and feeling sorry.

Can't tell too much from those vids but so far here's what I noticed and please do not be offended in anyway.

Your take away starts way too far on the inside.  This causes a very flat initial backswing, leaving it very little room but to steepen aggressively once the hands get towards the chest and head level. You're downswing and follow through looks ok and fluid, but does look like you're coming a little over the top and cutting across the ball.

Two things I can suggest working on is the takeaway and the follow through right after impact.  On the take away, work on keeping the club head as straight back towards the camera (or even a little to the right of it) from your first vid.  Extend your arms as much as you can and allow your shoulders to turn naturally, bringing the club inside.  At the top of the backswing, hold it and look at where your club is pointed.  It should be pointed towards the target, pretty much parallel with your stance line.

Make your swing, but right after impact, imagine you want the club head traveling towards the target for as long as you can or the body will allow, only coming inside as your body and shoulder turns to the finish.

Hope that makes sense and can help.

Finally got out tonight with my camera. I read your post before I got to the range so I was trying to have my hands "chase" the camera a little longer during my backswing.

I think the hardest part for me is going to be learning how not to drop the club so far under-plane as my first move towards the ball. Anyone have any drills/tips on how to start my downswing on plane?

(again, excuse the soundtrack...my camera has decided that Wind needs to sound like a violent explosion once loaded into YouTube, so I replace it with awful music instead)

they shut down the range pretty early tonight to...probably hoping I'd leave. I was not pleased, so I used the shortgame area all night instead :) so heres a video of me trying to juggle a ball with my wedge for giggles...feel free to ignore.

[jimmyc]

Wow, pretty good juggling act. You need to go into politics!

[NuclearMike]

I don't know enough to assess your swing and try to find a fault, but congratulations on losing the weight.  That's great!

[helpmehelpyou]

On the top of your swing your club is pointing to left field and it should be down your target line. Put a towel under armpits and swing as well to get more connected

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by helpmehelpyou

On the top of your swing your club is pointing to left field and it should be down your target line. Put a towel under armpits and swing as well to get more connected

don't worry about this, that position in the swing is only important if your shoulders have turned properly. So, lets say your shoulders are 90 degrees, and you hips are 45, just a classic full turn. The club might be down the target line. But if you take that same position and rotate another 10 degrees, lets say 100 degree shoulder turn. Now your club line will be across the line. Which is fine. So don't worry about that position in the swing.

Overall a good swing. My only guess would be that you probably fight a snap hook. Your clubshaft exits pretty high up above the shoulder in the follow thru. Your probably have some serious inside to out swing path numbers. You probably could get the hands working more around you in the follow through just to get a little less from the inside. But your a 5.5, so its pretty solid.