My Swing (Abu3baid)

[Abu3baid]

I just started using the pitching method in the "Quicky Pitching Thread" and unfortunately the early results have not been good.  Even though I hit a few that were ok.

My miss with it?  not a skull shot, but one that just fires off my club and goes across the green.  I'm thinking most likely because I'm extending too soon?  What do you guys think?

I did hit the pin once and again today using the method.. just no consistency and no confidence in it yet either!

[iacas]

I just started using the pitching method in the "Quicky Pitching Thread" and unfortunately the early results have not been good.  Even though I hit a few that were ok. My miss with it?  not a skull shot, but one that just fires off my club and goes across the green.  I'm thinking most likely because I'm extending too soon?  What do you guys think?  I did hit the pin once and again today using the method.. just no consistency and no confidence in it yet either!

Post a video. Face on usually. You're probably forcing it way too much. Requires softness.

[Abu3baid]

Played again today and there is a glaring weakness now in my short game "Pitching/Chipping" and it is my fault because I have spent no time working on either (I don't have time to do it either and I will have to find a way eventually).

Now, regarding the full swing.  it has been a long time since I have hit a slice.  I don't even actually worry about it anymore, and I think that by its self is some sort of achievement for sure!

My miss now really is a slight pull draw/pull hook/straight hook .. now I have to admit that I did have like 2 push shots that didn't draw..  The other big elephant in the room as of today were a couple fat shots as well.  It is frustrating for sure..

ok.. now I want to talk about the driver.. I haven't been using it at all.. However, I wanted to test it out on the range again, and then the first couple of hits I had no idea where the ball even went, I think they were just skying about a mile high.

I realized that the ball was on my instep so I figured the best thing to do is basically move it out to almost the front of my foot.  Then I just starting hitting shots with some great trajectory with a slight baby draw.. I did miss a couple with slight pushes and then the others were straight shots that end up overdrawing like 25 - 40 yards

Anyway, I know I am not there yet, and I'm going to keep working on the drill from Stephan to try and control that crazy backswing of mine that doesn't seem to end.

Any thoughts on my stance though? the width felt more comfortable to me than my usual narrow stance.

[saevel25]

Dude, store this in a bottle and keep it. That my friend is really good!!!

[Abu3baid]

Dude, store this in a bottle and keep it. That my friend is really good!!!

I appreciate that moral support.. If I can just bring that short game under control maybe golfing will not be as frustrating.. Especially the 50 yard in and even when I'm close to the fringe it is a damn circus show!

[mvmac]

Any thoughts on my stance though? the width felt more comfortable to me than my usual narrow stance.

Looks good to me. With the driver you could go slightly wider. Not saying you need to, just that if you were to err a few inches wider with the driver you'd still be good to go. Want to have the heels just outside the hips for most clubs.

[Abu3baid]

Thanks Mike.. You mention for most clubs having the heels outside the hips for the most part. To what club do I go? Most clubs as in up till 7i or even lower? I know it is different for each person, but would you suggest this for me? Would you suggest that I just go ahead and just experiment?

[mvmac]

Thanks Mike.. You mention for most clubs having the heels outside the hips for the most part. To what club do I go? Most clubs as in up till 7i or even lower? I know it is different for each person, but would you suggest this for me? Would you suggest that I just go ahead and just experiment?

8/9 iron to the wedges you can narrow it a little. It's not something you have to get exactly right, just a general measurement.

[Abu3baid]

8/9 iron or lower you can narrow it a little. It's not something you have to get exactly right, just a general measurement.

No problem.. I do have a couple questions that I think will help me.. 1. I'm thinking i really need to get the ball position exactly right though? Yes/No? I can tell you from my last session where I was saying the ball with my driver when it was basically inside my left as opposed to hitting them perfect or almost perfect when it was just at the front of my left foot. Ill post a vid of the one I Skye's as you can see it so clearly.. Thus my question about ball position for my other clubs, although I'm thinking you are going to say to let the ball be more forward in my stance. 2. I wanted to talk about my pull draws because I hate them. I'm assuming from your previous comment that I'm coming in from the inside, but if I'm hitting pull draws that means that my club face is pointing slightly to the left, but it still relatively closed compared to the path. Can I control that by weakening my grip slightly? So that the face isn't as closed at impact? Or how about I open it up slightly when I take my grip initially? How do you usually help people with this annoying problem of mine? Sorry if I'm getting ahead of my self! p.s. I am still working on my priority piece that Stephan gave me! Although, I haven't had much time to work on feeling like I'm trying to start the ball right of where I am aiming.

[Abu3baid]

Post a video. Face on usually. You're probably forcing it way too much. Requires softness.

I think I finally understand the pitching method. I tried it again today, but the only thing and thanks to @mvmac I realized that I shouldn't be extending my left knee through impact. Instead I was just keeping my knee flex through the shot and follow through, and the results were really good compared to where I was a few days ago. Having said that again I am still struggling with my pull draws, if I can just straighten that out or just get my start lines better (that is if my swing path is ok) then I think with this pitching method I might really be heading in the right direction. I will tape my self just like Mike did on his follow up pitching video and see if I can do all five trajectories that he mentioned!

[mvmac]

No problem.. I do have a couple questions that I think will help me..

1. I'm thinking i really need to get the ball position exactly right though? Yes/No? I can tell you from my last session where I was saying the ball with my driver when it was basically inside my left as opposed to hitting them perfect or almost perfect when it was just at the front of my left foot. Ill post a vid of the one I Skye's as you can see it so clearly.. Thus my question about ball position for my other clubs, although I'm thinking you are going to say to let the ball be more forward in my stance.

If you skied it, it's probably not ball position

For driver, ball is slightly in front of the left shoulder. For a 6 iron, it's about two balls inside the left shoulder.

2. I wanted to talk about my pull draws because I hate them. I'm assuming from your previous comment that I'm coming in from the inside, but if I'm hitting pull draws that means that my club face is pointing slightly to the left, but it still relatively closed compared to the path. Can I control that by weakening my grip slightly? So that the face isn't as closed at impact? Or how about I open it up slightly when I take my grip initially? How do you usually help people with this annoying problem of mine?

If anything a stronger grip will tend to have the face pointed more rightward. Weaker grip would have the face aimed more left at impact, generally.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/68312/grip-strength-opposites-and-compensations-video

[Abu3baid]

If you skied it, it's probably not ball position ;-)    For driver, ball is slightly in front of the left shoulder. For a 6 iron, it's about two balls inside the left shoulder. If anything a stronger grip will tend to have the face pointed more rightward. Weaker grip would have the face aimed more left at impact, generally. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/t/68312/grip-strength-opposites-and-compensations-video]http://thesandtrap.com/t/68312/grip-strength-opposites-and-compensations-video[/URL]

Thanks.. I def won't be weakening my grip then... I will instead take the grip and open the face slightly from how it is now when I grip the club and hope for the best.

[iacas]

I think I finally understand the pitching method. I tried it again today, but the only thing and thanks to @mvmac I realized that I shouldn't be extending my left knee through impact. Instead I was just keeping my knee flex through the shot and follow through, and the results were really good compared to where I was a few days ago.

That depends on how much knee flex you have to start, really. I often actually teach a little extension of the knee to help the pivot continue. My old pitches keep a bit more knee flex - my current motion doesn't keep much at all. Mike's photo was showing a specialty shot, and Mike uses a bit more knee flex (longer, too) than most of the rest of us.

If you're getting results, good - just beware of adding knee flex… that's usually bad.

If anything a stronger grip will tend to have the face pointed more rightward. Weaker grip would have the face aimed more left at impact, generally.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/68312/grip-strength-opposites-and-compensations-video

To clarify what Mike is saying, if all things equal, what he said is not true.

The video demonstrates that grips will often be affected by paths and vice versa. But you already swing out to the right a bit, so you can either:

1) Point the face a bit more to the right at setup (with the grip you're using now).

2) Weaken your grip slightly (but keep the face pointed where it is now).

[Abu3baid]

That depends on how much knee flex you have to start, really. I often actually teach a little extension of the knee to help the pivot continue. My old pitches keep a bit more knee flex - my current motion doesn't keep much at all. Mike's photo was showing a specialty shot, and Mike uses a bit more knee flex (longer, too) than most of the rest of us. If you're getting results, good - just beware of adding knee flex… that's usually bad. To clarify what Mike is saying, if all things equal, what he said is not true. The video demonstrates that grips will often be affected by paths and vice versa. But you already swing out to the right a bit, so you can either: 1) Point the face a bit more to the right at setup (with the grip you're using now). 2) Weaken your grip slightly (but keep the face pointed where it is now).

Thanks Erik I appreciate that insight very much.. Really I'm thinking that I was just extending through way to early and that is why I would end up line driving the ball instead of pitching it. Let me be realistic too, maybe it is just a feeling I have now after seein Mikes video and it is actually just helping get my weight forward correctly? I'll video and then see where to go from there.. I will experiment with the club face, but I'm thinking Mike didn't want messing with the grip because it might effect my sequencing? Wouldn't want to bring back any traces of my across the ball impact :) Thanks again

[mvmac]

I will experiment with the club face, but I'm thinking Mike didn't want messing with the grip because it might effect my sequencing? Wouldn't want to bring back any traces of my across the ball impact :)

Well I think it's easier to adjust the clubface than make a grip change. If you feel that you're already aimed enough right at address (at to your start line), then experiment with a weaker grip, if you think the face is square or slightly closed to your intended target, then adjust the face. I'm not there so it's tough to give you the answer. Just looking at you grip in the latest driver swing I would say it's pretty neutral, so I would be reluctant to tell you to go weaker.

[iacas]

Right. Just point the face a bit more right at setup. Then take your current "normal" grip.

Don't do that in the opposite order, of course, or you'll just be fooling yourself.

[Abu3baid]

Just looking at you grip in the latest driver swing I would say it's pretty neutral, so I would be reluctant to tell you to go weaker.

Thanks for the note above!  You are right.  I tried it out a few times and I found that even though I feel like it is a strong grip, in reality it is not as you have shown me in the other analysis before.  I have been working on just taking the grip and making sure that it is where it should be.

It actually effects the way my shoulder turns, as when I go to a full swing with the stronger grip I don't feel my shoulder against my chin.. I just really need to take some video's to verify that this is the case!

[Abu3baid]

I'm still working on Key # 1

Bad angle too on the FO, I thought my friend had it set up right, but I was wrong..

The big difference really is that I have strengthened my grip a little bit more than before.. I am not seeing pull draws any more, they are either starting right and staying slightly right or they are push draws.  I still need to make sure my shoulder comes down more on the backswing, but I have seen an improvement in contact.

I have also seen an improvement in my pitching technique, although it cost me big time today, but that is just because I need to get more reps with it.  I will record some pitching very soon.