diagonal sweetspot key

[stb5089]

When should you exactly start flexing your right elbow in the backswing to find the diagnol sweetspot? half way up the backswing? three quarters of the way? I'm having trouble with flexing my right elbow too early and too much.

Also, how much do the hands play a role in this.  Do you recommend setting the hands at the top or starting to hinge the hands earlier in helping finding this position.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated thanks guys!

[iacas]

Sorry for this, but… It depends.

Feels aren't real and everyone's swing can be different. There's no one model - look at the swings of PGA Tour players.

Diagonal Sweetspot Path is mostly about the downswing. Get to a position at A4 to A4.5 (see the link in my signature if these terms are new to you) that allows you to deliver the club on a proper diagonal sweetspot path and no 5SK instructor will care too much about what happened on the backswing.

[stb5089]

Okay thank you Erik. I will be working on this ASAP.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by stb5089

When should you exactly start flexing your right elbow in the backswing to find the diagnol sweetspot? half way up the backswing? three quarters of the way? I'm having trouble with flexing my right elbow too early and too much.

Also, how much do the hands play a role in this.  Do you recommend setting the hands at the top or starting to hinge the hands earlier in helping finding this position.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated thanks guys!

Like Erik said, we can't just tell you when things are "suppose" to happen because every golfer feels something different.  Someone who keeps the right arm too straight might feel like they flex it right away while another golfer might feel like it never flexes.  Just depends on what that student needs to do to allow them to get into a more effective position on the downswing.

You might need to feel "wider" at the top of the backswing, like you're pushing your right hand away from you.  Check out these links

http://thesandtrap.com/t/62804/steady-head-drill-and-how-painting-mental-pictures-can-help-your-swing

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54572/right-elbow-spacing-at-a4

[stb5089]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Like Erik said, we can't just tell you when things are "suppose" to happen because every golfer feels something different.  Someone who keeps the right arm too straight might feel like they flex it right away while another golfer might feel like it never flexes.  Just depends on what that student needs to do to allow them to get into a more effective position on the downswing.

You might need to feel "wider" at the top of the backswing, like you're pushing your right hand away from you.  Check out these links

http://thesandtrap.com/t/62804/steady-head-drill-and-how-painting-mental-pictures-can-help-your-swing

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54572/right-elbow-spacing-at-a4

Thanks mvmac, I think the idea of pushing my right hand away will work for me, Right now I start flexing the right arm almost right off the takeaway.  Would you guys be okay with this as long as I get it square at the top of the backswing?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by stb5089

Thanks mvmac, I think the idea of pushing my right hand away will work for me, Right now I start flexing the right arm almost right off the takeaway.  Would you guys be okay with this as long as I get it square at the top of the backswing?

The clubface square?  Again it depends, there are a lot of good players that aren't "square" at the top of the backswing.  And the alignment of the clubface is usually a grip thing.  Stronger grips tend to have the face more closed, weaker grips tend to have it more open.

Regarding the right arm, most players start flexing the right arm right away, gradually throughout the back swing.  It's all about doing it at an appropriate rate and making sure the elbow doesn't slide behind you.  If we didn't flex the right arm, the hands wouldn't ascend very much.

[stb5089]

Thanks Mike its all depends on each person.  My grip is strong to very strong so I look closed at A2 through A5. If you had to give someone one tip on how to be as consistent as possible with a strong grip what would it be? sorry to get off topic here. would it be a delayed release/flat left wrist through impact. I have worked on changing my grip over the years to a more neutral position but have had very little success with it. I'm trying to emulate my swing off of Boo Weekly (he has a very strong grip thats why I study him).  Any tips would be awesome. Thank you and sorry for the rambling.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by stb5089

If you had to give someone one tip on how to be as consistent as possible with a strong grip what would it be?

Don't try and pitch very much with a strong grip ;-)  Sorry I don't have a universal "tip" for people with strong grips.

[stb5089]

haha sounds good mike, Thanks for the advice earlier.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by stb5089

haha sounds good mike, Thanks for the advice earlier.

No prob, I'd recommend posting in the My Swing forum, might be easier to answer some of your questions after seeing your swing

[birlyshirly]

Originally Posted by iacas

[...]

Diagonal Sweetspot Path is mostly about the downswing. Get to a position at A4 to A4.5 (see the link in my signature if these terms are new to you) that allows you to deliver the club on a proper diagonal sweetspot path and no 5SK instructor will care too much about what happened on the backswing.

This is a subject close to my golfing heart. For the last couple of months, I've got my swing to the point where I'm delivering the clubhead pretty much down the shaft plane into impact, despite a backswing that takes the clubhead back under that plane.

Originally, my teacher and I agreed to leave well alone - on the basis that the downswing and impact is what matters.

However, my ballstriking hasn't been quite what we'd hoped for - and it now looks as though I might be more consistent with a backswing plane that is a bit more upright and corresponds more closely to the delivery plane.

Now, I'd be the first to admit that ball-flight inconsistencies must be the result of downswing inconsistencies. But for me, the key to a more consistent downswing is looking to be a better backswing plane.

[iacas]

Now, I'd be the first to admit that ball-flight inconsistencies must be the result of downswing inconsistencies. But for me, the key to a more consistent downswing is looking to be a better backswing plane.

That's often true when a player gets down in handicap. Often, but not necessarily even the majority of the time. If your backswing limits your ability or consistency on the downswing, change it. Otherwise, Ray Floyd and Jim Furyk do just fine. :-)

[stb5089]

Originally Posted by mvmac

No prob, I'd recommend posting in the My Swing forum, might be easier to answer some of your questions after seeing your swing

Here's the link to my swing I started a few weeks ago Mike. http://thesandtrap.com/t/68838/my-swing-stb5089

Some of the videos aren't great quality. My weaknesses are flexing my right elbow way too soon, strong grip (I have had zero success changing it), and loss of toosh line causing my right hip too crash towards the ball. Strengths : hand eye coordination lol, I played pro baseball at the minor league level. I'm currently working on a hip turn on my backswing bc once I filmed myself I realized I have little hip turn.  Any help would be greatly apprecaited Mike, I feel like I semi know what I'm doing wrong, I just can't fix it for the life of me. Thanks Mike!