My Swing (JonMA1)

[RandallT]

On 12/30/2016 at 6:30 PM, JonMA1 said:

An indoor swing that easily allows for a proper weight shift. To steal a term from another thread, almost an unconscious competency because it just feels natural. But just the opposite occurs when I'm swinging outside.

If a swing from off the mat and into a net a few feet away feels comfortable and easy, swinging while outdoors brings out anxiety and tension - probably because I'm aware there's an issue.  

I don't have an answer for you, but I've had this a few times this past year. All I can say is that it started to get better when I changed my attitude from frustration to one where I'm kinda forcing myself to enjoy the challenge. I mean- wtf- why would things be different on an outdoor range, just because I'm swinging at a ball?!!?!?! 

Part of the answer, I think, is letting go. Giving up the tension, as you mention. I now sorta look forward to bringing some change I've got "nailed" via a few weeks of what I think is "conscious competence" at home in the mirror and documented here with 5-10 minutes a day:

It's so cool to shift from that tenseness of a new piece to the "comfortable and easy" feeling you mention. For me, I've definitely learned that small bits of practice every day, on nearly the same thing- from slightly different angles sometimes- can really help get over that hump at the range. That's why that thread on four stages of competency resonated- it's almost like it applies to home, then the range, then the course. For the past year, I've just gotten to a point where I enjoy "migrating changes" like that.

In the professional world, we would test stuff out in a development environment. Then roll changes into a more formal test environment. After lots of testing, we'd go live to production. Same with the changes to the swing! Gotta get to unconscious competence in each area (home, range, course) in its own time. Keep working on it, and it just sorta happens eventually- different pieces, different amounts of effort.

So my only point is that you're not alone, of course. I don't have the answers, but I do think things have gotten more fun for me when I've relaxed and tried to enjoy those stumbling blocks at each stage. Kinda a cool challenge really.

[Club Rat]

Good points Randy, I've often consider while playing golf as fun and a cool challenge with every swing.
Granted the hard work and practice at the range or indoor drills apply to on course play, but adapting to the criteria and conditions of every shot
is the fun aspect. The sooner one accepts their confidence in applying changes, the quicker they achieve results.

[JonMA1]

Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions @RandallT and @Club Rat.

I do enjoy the challenge that improvement offers. The frustration comes with how long I've been working on this single issue... a few years now.

When it comes down to it, I'm discovering this game is almost impossible to learn without professional help. There are just too many possibilities for the cause of problems and just as many possibilities for the solutions. I can't help but think there is a single biggest reason for me not getting this. As you both have pointed out, tension plays a big part, resulting in an almost self-fulfilled prophecy kind of way.

Erik has posted that on rare occasions he's seen students who can successfully perform a piece in one environment but fail when out on the course. I guess I'm looking for that single reason or thought as to why it happens. Maybe I'll take the net and mat outside and gradually move them further and further apart. I don't know. At some point it almost becomes humorous... almost.

I'll think over what you guys have posted. The test environment going live is a great analogy.

Thanks again.

[Club Rat]

I'll one other thought.

When I have a specific issue or fundamental, I'll often cruise out alone (avoiding any distractions) and work it out.
I have the luxury of utilizing my club/course during off peak times which allows me to hit as many specific shots while not interfering with anyone or groups playing.
I often spend an hour on a specific priority with a variety of clubs, stance, position then head out and play.

I usually do not take the practice with me when I play, but I do expect the practice to kick in automatically without a ton of thoughts happening with each swing.

[mchepp]

For me it usually went in 3 stages.

1. I could do it in the backyard. 

2. I could do it on the range.

3. I could do it on the course. 

All 3 stages are not the same. So if it took me a month to do in the backyard then it might take me 2 months to get on the range and then 3 months to do on the course. So it might be a 6 month process depending on how much time I head to devote to it.

Also until I could pass each gate I wouldn't worry about doing it at the next one. So if I could not do it in the backyard yet then I wouldn't worry about doing it on the range or the course. I had to like how it looked at each stage.

[Ernest Jones]

When you're process oriented, it's easy and stress free. When you're results oriented, you're tight and stressed.

That's all I have to say. 

[JonMA1]

I have an old set of irons that I can't hit worth a $#!!. Taking a break from my outside chores today, I grabbed the 6i from the set, a few balls, and took some slow, deliberate swings concentrating almost exclusively on my priority. Coincidently, the sun happened to be in my eyes so it was relatively easy to disregard with ball flight. Because of the club I was using, my normal expectation of quality shots was not on my mind. Exactly what I needed.

It was a successful practice of about 10 swings. Got the weight forward on most of the swings with ball contact and the resulting ball flight of no concern.

As everyone has suggested, this is what I have to work on. Somehow, developing the mental discipline of proper practice.

[JonMA1]

Still working on weight forward as my priority, but have been experiencing enough success that I'm starting to pay attention to a few other issues - none of which I have any clue as to what the next prioritize or fix should be.

I tried a little forward move just before bringing the club back, kind of a trigger. It felt pretty good and didn't look too ridiculous.

From the video I took video yesterday, this is what I'm seeing...

Successes (remember, the bar is set pretty low here)

• No hitch once I start my backswing (this has been an ongoing challenge and the "trigger" may be helping)
• Very little, if any, hip slide away from target (somewhat centered pivot)
• Very close to a full shoulder turn
• Hands more outward away from target instead of back behind my shirt seam - more of maintaining the triangle
• Not excessive lateral head movement once the club starts back 
• Substantial weight forward to the point my back toe actually drags forward a touch (not sure it's a good thing, but at least my weight isn't back during contact)
• My hands are just past the ball at contact, indicating a slightly forward shaft lean
• Overall, my tempo and timing felt "on"... like I could have sped everything up without problems.

Flaws (only the ones I can see)

• I am still quite "twitchy" at address
• Vertical head movement throughout the swing
• My hips may be opening up too much, too soon (can't get a good DTL video from within my workshop)
• My chest and belt buckle are not facing upward on followthrough (possibly the least of my worries, I'm an old fart for chrissakes!)

I still have to learn to take the positives and somehow apply them outside. Weather has been rough for outside practice, but the swings I've taken in the yard feel as though my weight still isn't moving forward.

I have to stay focused and positive when things go bad. A few good inside practices don't amount to much. Still have a long way to go.

Radial7Iron2.pdf

[JonMA1]

We've had a about a week of weather nice enough to allow for outside practice. Wish I could say the success reported in the previous post showed up on video take outside, but it really has not.

I took a lot of video this week and positive change has been minimal from last fall. There's weight shift, but it seems to stall too early. What looks to be a near flip reaffirms my believe of how important key #2 is in fixing other issues.

But enough of the negative thoughts.

The reality is that progress continues to be slow, but there are some good signs. Even though the videos look bad, much of the practice this week has been positive. Some of the thoughts that might be worth taking to the course....

1. Feeling the club stay on plane seems to help as does a very slow tempo. I think part of the failure to get weight to continue forward may be due to rushing the downswing. 

2. Making one continuous backswing and then down to the ball from the top is something that I have to work on. It's why my practice swing results in a pretty good shoulder turn, centered pivot and better forward hip slide. While I have to keep the tempo slow, I just can't have those pauses or hitches. That's when I often revert to some bad habits.

I'm not supposed to be thinking about results, but when my hands stay low and in front of the ball and my weight feels like it's continuing through to impact, good things happen.

[JonMA1]

This is the best I've done so far at recording progress of key#2 while hitting a ball outdoors. It isn't exactly where I want to be, but it's a step in the right direction.

I can see some other issues such as key#1. While not a complete fail, there's certainly excessive head movement. I have two frames for A7 because impact occurred between the two. I'm not sure if this qualifies as a flip, but the shaft isn't leaning forward at exact impact.

That said, my priority has been and still remains key #2.

On this video, I have a full shoulder turn and there is no "hitch" on the backswing - which are flaws I struggle with. This has been the closest thing to success in like three years of working on this one @%$ing priority. I took video after this one and there was some regression. But if I've learned anything about progress, it's often followed by setbacks... that seems to be part of the process.

[JonMA1]

GameGolf claims my average distance of my PW was 113 yards last season. That seems generous based on memory, but it was at least close to the 110 yards I consider to be my stock distance for this club.

I measured my PW today and was a little disappointed by an apparent loss in distance. Admittedly, this is the first time all winter I've hit this club, but after a few dozen practice swings, this is what I recorded, shown next to last years zone:

(The larger red circle represents a 50' diameter target. The large black circle is my zone.)

I'm not terribly concerned with left and right dispersion...that kind of variance wouldn't get me into trouble with most greens. But the lost of distance is worrisome. With most of these shots, contact felt great.

After recording this, I continued to take swings to try and get more distance. Because of the height of the ball flight, my thinking was the issue may have been the low point of the swing being too far back. So I tried to focus on getting the divot more in front while de-lofting the club. It seemed to make a little difference, but I believe the issue has more to do with a loss of club head speed.

Right now, my focus remains on solidifying some success with Key #2, so I'm not going to spend too much time on this. But the courses open in a couple of weeks and I have to devote some practice time to wedges (as well as driver and woods). Once on the course, I'll likely just club up and use a 3/4 swing for short approach shots.

[JonMA1]

While taking full swing practice, I injured a muscle, tendon or ligament in my right arm yesterday just below the biceps. Took another couple of swings to confirm, but something isn't right. 

I'm going to try and give it plenty of rest but I'm somewhat concerned. The sharp pain is unlike the normal muscle strain or arthritis that I'm accustomed to. It feels like something is about to tear (perhaps a bit of hypochondria).

I believe I can safely continue putting practice (which was the weakest part of my game last year), but full swings are out for now. I've even asked my wife to conjure up all her nagging powers and if I try to get out too soon. My self control is weak when it comes to not swinging a club.

[RandallT]

Good luck, Jon!

I'll hold out hope you caught it early enough

[Hatchman]

@JonMA1 sorry to hear about the muscle injury.  Don't over work it with repetition if it hurts.  I injured my elbow and shoulder then played a full season.  Major surgery.  Good luck.

[JonMA1]

Thanks guys. I'm hoping it's nothing and some rest will fix it. At this point, if it gets worse it's my own dumb fault for not giving it enough time to heal. The upside is I haven't yet paid for my yearly golf membership. Lol.

[RandallT]

Also gives you more time to put into your budding super-condensed-land-efficient-golf-course-design career! 

[JonMA1]

2 hours ago, RandallT said:

Also gives you more time to put into your budding super-condensed-land-efficient-golf-course-design career! 

I'm way ahead of you Randy and have already made some changes.

I know what you're thinking... that "after" picture looks a lot like the 13th hole at Augusta National... or that those Magnolias are not indigenous to Northern Michigan, but rest assured, that really is my yard.

[cipher]

22 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

Thanks guys. I'm hoping it's nothing and some rest will fix it. At this point, if it gets worse it's my own dumb fault for not giving it enough time to heal. The upside is I haven't yet paid for my yearly golf membership. Lol.

Yep, take some time away and let it heal.  Any plans to see a doctor about it?