My Swing (JonMA1)

[iacas]

I've been working on key #4 a lot lately. My question is regarding the hands not the club head. From the top, do my hands follow a straight path down and out to arrive at the correct position at impact (swing towards first base as I was once told)? Or is the path of the hands more of a curve? Again, from the top view.

No, but they often feel like they do to some players.

Without bending your left elbow this couldn't really happen in a typical looking golf swing. With a straight left arm you'd have to move your shoulder in a weird way (and everything attached to the shoulder) to get the hands to move in a straight line. The hands don't even move in a straight line from A6 to A7.

But again, they often feel as if they do.

[JonMA1]

No, but they often feel like they do to some players.

Without bending your left elbow this couldn't really happen in a typical looking golf swing. With a straight left arm you'd have to move your shoulder in a weird way (and everything attached to the shoulder) to get the hands to move in a straight line. The hands don't even move in a straight line from A6 to A7.

But again, they often feel as if they do.

Ok. I see that now after making a few practice swings.

Thank you for the information.

[JonMA1]

I feel like the work on key #4 showed up in a positive way on the course today. It's not where it should be, but I feel like it's closer to being correct and repeatable.

I also think I did a better job of keeping my arms and torso connected, staying on plane and getting my weight forward. Really concentrated on staying in balance through the finish of my swings. Distance was a bit better than usual and had almost exclusive right to left ball flight.

The driver was really hard to control and prevented any kind of respectable score  - lots of hooks.

Tried not to get too impatient today as my misses were mostly due to a lack of club face control (not yet working on that key).

[JonMA1]

I finally decided to take video tonight. Tried to trim and post the swings that felt as though contact was good rather than ones that looked better. For the most part, I've been working on key #4.

I finished a bit off balance but contact felt really good on this swing.

There's still lots of movement of the head on the way back. Can't seem to control that very well.

[JonMA1]

I wanted to record a little success for a change.

For the last couple of nights I'd been working on a drill that @metbid was kind enough to share with me. But something just didn't feel right with my swing path. It just took too much effort to get a decent inside-out path even with a very slow and easy swing. Very discouraging.

So for some reason I went back to a swing thought @mvmac gave me this past winter about "swinging towards 1st base" and found some success.

So at the top of my backswing, my hips are turned 45 degrees (or so they should be). Instead of shifting my weight towards the target and trying to maintain the inside out path with my hands, I feel as though my weight shift and hands move along that 45 degree angle. I know both of those things don't really happen, but that exaggerated feel worked really well for me tonight.

Results: I picked out a point just to the right of my target, aligned my feet and shoulders to that at address, took my backswing and swung as described above. The results are what I've always expected (but rarely achieved). If the ball starts too far right, it doesn't come back. Too far left and it hooks. But if it starts at or just right of my target, it draws slightly into the target area.

Things to watch for: not getting weight forward will f' this up. My path will start to come back inside before I make contact resulting in a low slice. I still have to close the club face slightly at address until I learn to close it properly on the DS.

It will be a struggle to repeat this... always is. But for one night at least, something clicked and I started dropping in shots one after another.

As frustrating as this game is, sometimes even a practice session can be a bit rewarding.

[JonMA1]

I have never hit irons as well as I hit them today. I'm terrible at keeping stats, but I can recall all the not-so-good iron shots and there were only a few.

I was hitting spots on the dog legs and greens with full swing long irons (4iron to the back fringe), all the way down to 3/4 swing wedges where I was not only hitting greens, but the "quadrants" (if that's even a golf term) I was aiming for.

This has to be due to working on keys 4 and 5 for the last few weeks. I've had other days where I've made good contact but never had the confidence I had today regarding direction.

Putting was as bad as usual - lots of 3 putts. I turned pars into bogeys and birdie chances into pars. But the real killer was my inability to hit my fairway woods. Holy $&*! was that part of my game bad!!

Anyway, I walked 18 and simultaneously felt so good about my irons and so bad about my woods, that I decided another 9 was in order. More of the same on that last 9.

While I don't particularly like to brag, I hate posting negative stuff all the time. Also, I no longer care about jinxing myself or "angering the golf gods". My iron play is better because of people sharing information here at The Sand Trap and maybe because I choose to listen to them and work at it. (Thanks to all who choose to help others.)

The next time out may or may not be as good, but playing golf at this level is a high.

[JonMA1]

If anyone has any information or opinions on the advantages of getting hands higher at A4, I'd appreciate hearing them (as well as any other suggestions). While I can get more shoulder turn than I have on this video, this is probably closer to my swing while on the golf course.

[JonMA1]

After experimenting with a steeper backswing plane this past week, I went back to a shallower one tonight.

It was just a couple dozen swings with a long and medium iron, but it just felt so much more comfortable. It doesn't look pretty but the positive results seem repeatable.

[JonMA1]

 

I feel kind of stupid doing this, but I'm going to try and rate my swing.

Scale of 1 to 5 (5 being perfect)

 

Key #1: 0.25 Too much vertical movement, probably causing many issues. May be my priority piece.

Key #2: 1.0 On this swing it looks good, but I know I don't always execute this on the course.

Key #3: 1.0 I think I can control this somewhat.

Key #4: .25 Fairly in-to-out but still needs work. 

Key #5: .25 This takes a long time to get good at.

 

Hip turn: 1.5

Centered turn: .25 Hips still move slightly away from target to start the downswing.

Full shoulder turn: 2 On this recording I think it looks pretty good.

Arms staying connected throughout: 1.0

Balanced Finish: .25

 

Swing plane: Can’t tell from caddie view, and I don’t know that much about this. I don’t get my hands up very high at A4. But I don’t think my plane is very poor. It's hard to put into words what my feels are, but it's keeping my plane at my shoulder, my wrist hinge a certain way, I feel the club head/shaft angle, right elbow in front, and moving all this as one unit??? I’m going to give myself a .25

 

I’m back to moving a lot prior to the take-away. I have to remember to stay still for a couple of seconds before starting the backswing. I really need to work on a consistent setup routine.

 

Ability to repeat this swing on the course: (can I use a negative number here?) When I'm scoring well on the course, my swing "feels" like this. When I'm not, I think by weight isn't shifting because of the way I finish. Head movement doesn't help for consistent contact. I've had some good rounds lately, but still inconsistent.

[Mike Boatright]

Short of going to they gym and training hitting 300 balls twice a week it's going to be very difficult to improve anything with drills or ideas. They can help a little but the good news a quick fix for you is new clubs lighter longer and softer graphite shafts maybe tour edge.

 

http://www.touredge.com/products/hotlaunchirons.asp

 

Think long and smooth not restricted and powerful try stretching more setting up square and making a good hip turn with a nice balanced follow through don't try to hit hard the graphite will work for you potentially a plus 15 yards per club.

[JonMA1]

Well, how can I turn down another 15 yards per club?!! I just ordered a brand-spanking-new set of TourEdge irons - with graphite shafts. I ordered extra long shafts, +1" - was that right? My wife will likely divorce me when she gets the VISA bill, but what the hell, if you say that will help my game, then so be it. (Any advice on how to handle a nagging wife?)

As far as hitting the gym, according to Brandel Chamblee, that's what ruined Tiger's career so I'm not sure what to do (that guy really knows his stuff). But if hitting 300 balls twice a week will help, I'll hit 300 balls... EVERY night of the week... once my new clubs get here.

Thanks @Mike Boatright!

[Mike Boatright]

Well, how can I turn down another 15 yards per club?!! I just ordered a brand-spanking-new set of TourEdge irons - with graphite shafts. I ordered extra long shafts, +1" - was that right? My wife will likely divorce me when she gets the VISA bill, but what the hell, if you say that will help my game, then so be it. (Any advice on how to handle a nagging wife?)

As far as hitting the gym, according to Brandel Chamblee, that's what ruined Tiger's career so I'm not sure what to do (that guy really knows his stuff). But if hitting 300 balls twice a week will help, I'll hit 300 balls... EVERY night of the week... once my new clubs get here.

Thanks @Mike Boatright!

 

 

Well great dude good luck with those They will hep yes! No +1 wont hurt anything what flex did you order? A nagging wife ha ha that's good 

Edited October 13, 2015 by Mike Boatright

[boogielicious]

Short of going to they gym and training hitting 300 balls twice a week it's going to be very difficult to improve anything with drills or ideas. They can help a little but the good news a quick fix for you is new clubs lighter longer and softer graphite shafts maybe tour edge.

 

http://www.touredge.com/products/hotlaunchirons.asp

 

Think long and smooth not restricted and powerful try stretching more setting up square and making a good hip turn with a nice balanced follow through don't try to hit hard the graphite will work for you potentially a plus 15 yards per club.

 

 

Well great dude good luck with those They will hep yes! No +1 wont hurt anything what flex did you order? A nagging wife ha ha that's good 

You realize @JonMA1 is being sarcastic. Your advice is ridiculous. Which issue of Golf Digest did you get it from? Please stop posting nonsense in people My Swing threads. There are trying to get help from knowledgeable players and instructors.

[Mike Boatright]

 

You realize @JonMA1 is being sarcastic. Your advice is ridiculous. Which issue of Golf Digest did you get it from? Please stop posting nonsense in people My Swing threads. There are trying to get help from knowledgeable players and instructors.

 

It's not nonsense I see his swing it's short slow and is using some steel shafted iron. He say's he is lacking distance from what I can see equipment actually would help him by 60%. All the technical swing tips in the world won't help someone using a crooked stick.

[JonMA1]

I want to first apologize to @Mike Boatright for the sarcasm. I don't agree with your assessment on the need for new equipment, but my reply was completely uncalled for -  given that you were only trying to help me.

Having said that, please understand that as a single-digit player, you potentially have a a lot of influence on what new players work on. There is a real danger of you giving very bad advice and someone taking that advice to heart. I hope you can appreciate that and be selective in what you post.  

Instructors on this site push the philosophy of identifying a primary or priority piece that needs the most attention given to it. Most of us agree with that philosophy.

That doesn't mean members agree on what that is. And almost all advice is taken seriously. I've never blown off a suggestion that another member gave me on this thread - until your's last night. Even so, you believe equipment is my biggest need, and I think you couldn't be more wrong. We'll agree to disagree.

 

I played around with the slo-mo video recording feature on my new phone last night and noticed something interesting....

"What we have here, is failure to execute key #3" (voice of the warden from Cool Hand Luke)

[JonMA1]

This game may be hard, but it isn't this hard...

9 penalties, 7 punch outs. I'm pretty sure something is seriously wrong with me. 

I continue to challenge myself with longer tees and continue to fail. But I'm sure this is the right thing to do. Temps were pretty low, but that shouldn't cause this kind of result. Leaves on the greens, fairways and rough adds difficulty, but still...

The full swing was a wreck today. Not sure what the issue was. I felt like all my keys were there (at my level). Weight was getting forward, didn't feel like my head was moving (though it had to be). Good shoulder turn, I was relaxed, not a lot of swing thoughts... ball striking was just really bad. In retrospect, coming out of posture may explain some of the poor results. Practices this week hadn't felt good either.

Irons - After hitting a couple of shanks, I made a slight adjustment at setup and starting hitting the irons pure - but it was short-lived. Distance control was an effort as was club face control. Many of my penalties today were a result of longer approach shots with mid to long irons.

Driver - I've been aligning feet, shoulders and club face to the target lately. This has resulted in predictable, weaker fades. Safe but not much distance. Today, I aligned just a bit right, slightly stronger grip and concentrated on the pressure of my right index finger against the grip coming into impact. A few longer drives but nothing to write home about. A few pulls.

Woods - Good off the deck, pi$$-poor off the tee????

Short game was pretty solid, putting was so-so. This was the only part of my game that might have been at bogey level today.

Just gotta keep fighting.

[JonMA1]

In early September, I posted that my iron play was as good as it's ever been. In early October, I decided that in order to improve my overall game (woods and driver), I should move back a set of tees. The driver started to improve right away. Yesterday, my 5w finally got back to "automatic". I hit 11/14 fairways with those two clubs. 

Of course, my iron swing is now AWOL. This is getting becoming an annual reoccurrence.

After playing 18 yesterday with what may be the last weekend of the season, I played another 9 just to try and figure out the issue. Then I hit some more in the yard last night. Not only am I directionally challenged right now, good contact has become a game of Russian roulette. Even slowing way down doesn't insure success.

I can't think my way through this. Whatever gains I make, however long they last, and regardless of how hard I work on establishing them as habits, my bad tendencies eventually creep back into my swing.

I still feel better about where I am this year than I did in 2014, but I am extremely disappointed by the last 4 or 5 rounds just the same. This game ain't easy.

[JonMA1]

The practice swing and real swing feel exactly the same but look so much different. I want to learn to exaggerate my real swing and then back off so I'm not over-swinging and sliding my trail foot. 

While on the course, all I can go by are results when trying to assess which key(s) failed or which bad habit crept back in. When my iron swing was good last year, I practiced it daily in an attempt to make it second nature. That didn't happen.

Failure to get weight forward and to keep a reasonably still head leads to poor contact. Without good, consistent contact, working on keys 4 and 5 are all but impossible.