My Swing (Abu3baid)

[Abu3baid]

It's time for me to tackle my overswing (as if it wasn't time to do so before?) There was a slight improvement with my swing length, but my right elbow is my enemy as of right now, and I will fight it! Basically I am getting to a point in the backswing where my elbow just starts going back and around my back, this makes it so difficult for me to bring my hands down at the appropriate turning rates to be able to swing out right instead of left. I'm going to isolate the feeling of having my elbow not going around my body, I will ingraining this feeling with slow work at home; on the range I will stop at the top and get used to transitioning the downswing without my added elbow around the back transition move that I have. I know that this is my biggest challeng so far and I can't wait to just change that damn picture!

[Abu3baid]

Really liking the feeling of maintaining the pressure points between my arms and chest from A1 to A4. There is another feeling of not allowing my right chest muscle from extending in the backswing by keeping the right shoulder from going back (I realize this might not make sense but it does for me). It is as if I am keeping everything in front of me per se, and after doing it slowly for a bit I can tell with my practice swing I'm not really missing any speed. The main reason I believe I have always reached back with my arms and had my elbow go around my body is because I felt it provided power even though I have been told many times and I know for a fact that it doesn't. I need to just get rid of that subconscious feeling and just move ahead. Can't wait to take a video to confirm my feels.

[Abu3baid]

Took to the range today's to test out my new backswing and it was interesting to say the least. I'm a classic overswinger and I'm finally getting that under control.. I have video that I need to edit. That's the good news. The bad news is that the only club I was able to get any good contact with was my PW.. All the other clubs produced a shank of some sort. With a shorter swing I am coming OTT in such sn obvious manner, but that doesn't matter.. I would love to know about the relationship between over swinging and how when you start to shorten it what the effects are on path. I've probably been making crazy compensations and with the added time in the backswing have been able to relatively flattens swing.. So with less time to compensate I am coming in steeply and will need to work on it eventually. For now I'll keep working on my shortened backswing and eventually I'll find the sweet spot, but I hope when I star making in out swings and not before!

[iacas]

With a shorter swing I am coming OTT in such sn obvious manner, but that doesn't matter.. I would love to know about the relationship between over swinging and how when you start to shorten it what the effects are on path. I've probably been making crazy compensations and with the added time in the backswing have been able to relatively flattens swing.. So with less time to compensate I am coming in steeply and will need to work on it eventually.

For now I'll keep working on my shortened backswing and eventually I'll find the sweet spot, but I hope when I star making in out swings and not before!

You shank because the sweet spot gets too far out. Two possible reasons related to path:

• The sweet spot is out past the ball before impact and doesn't go left enough to get back inside before impact.
• The sweet spot is shoved more out to the right and gets outside the ball just before impact on its way out even more.

In both cases, the swing is "less left" than what would result in sweet spot contact.

[Abu3baid]

You shank because the sweet spot gets too far out. Two possible reasons related to path:

The sweet spot is out past the ball before impact and doesn't go left enough to get back inside before impact.

The sweet spot is shoved more out to the right and gets outside the ball just before impact on its way out even more.

In both cases, the swing is "less left" than what would result in sweet spot contact.

Am I right in my assessment that I come down pretty steep, but because of my over swing I had enough time to make the compensation move that allowed me to get to the ball in a way that allowed me to actually have some good hits, but now that my swing is starting to get shorter and my elbow is coming less around my body I am still left with my steep downswing with less time to flatten it out?

From your experience with people who have shortened their backswing, do you usually get them to shorten the backswing and then you are left working with them at laying the shaft down from there?

[iacas]

From your experience with people who have shortened their backswing, do you usually get them to shorten the backswing and then you are left working with them at laying the shaft down from there?

No. You're trying to tie too many things together.

From what I remember, you've always swung left and pulled the ball. Your shorter backswing (if it's actually much shorter) is not "causing" an OTT move.

[Abu3baid]

Thanks for the clarification, it is shorter for sure, but I'll keep working on it till Brian gets me working on something else.

[Abu3baid]

Went to the range today and wanted to work on my shorter backswing, but also I wanted to work on just slow half half swings to start grooving an inside out swing. I am basically running into a wall right now, and it is just not pretty. I couldn't hit any small push draws or straight balls with the driver, with very low speeds.. I'm hitting pushes/push fads or pull/pull draws or I just shank it (yes you can shank a driver). I remember something Erik said before and I'm sure it applies, that if you can't do it slow then most likely you won't be able to donut fast.. I am sending a video to Brian soon to take look at how my backswing is coming along, but does it make sense that even when Im doing very slow deliberate swings I can't hit the ball straight? How the heck do you slice a ball going 1/8 speed? Just in case anyone is wondering, yes this is my priority piece? because if I can't stop bing across the ball I will never make clean contact it appears! Video coming soon

[dunlucedreams]

Hi, I'm following your journey intrepidly as I have the exact same swing issues. I don't know what 'feels' you have but I definitely 'feel' like I bump my left shoulder into my chin which in turn forces my left arm across my chest and then to get any form of timing the downswing I overturn in an effort to try and time some form of transition move! Ultimately this all allows the right elbow to slide behind the shirt seem just like the video Erik posted. To compensate on the downswing I use a dominant right side that tends to 'pull' the swing left. This I find almost impossible to 'untrain' The feel that I am working on is to just turn the left shoulder down and to then make sure I 'throw' or 'point' my left thumb over my right shoulder at the top of the backswing. This seems to help with a feeling of keeping the arms straight on the way back. Not sure if any of this will sound familiar but as I say I'm fascinated to see what works for you.

[Abu3baid]

Hi, I'm following your journey intrepidly as I have the exact same swing issues.

I don't know what 'feels' you have but I definitely 'feel' like I bump my left shoulder into my chin which in turn forces my left arm across my chest and then to get any form of timing the downswing I overturn in an effort to try and time some form of transition move!

Ultimately this all allows the right elbow to slide behind the shirt seem just like the video Erik posted.

To compensate on the downswing I use a dominant right side that tends to 'pull' the swing left. This I find almost impossible to 'untrain'

The feel that I am working on is to just turn the left shoulder down and to then make sure I 'throw' or 'point' my left thumb over my right shoulder at the top of the backswing. This seems to help with a feeling of keeping the arms straight on the way back.

Not sure if any of this will sound familiar but as I say I'm fascinated to see what works for you.

Thanks for the support..    Sounds exactly like the issues I am having..  I am still working on figuring out the feels, but I can see some improvement from my previous swings in terms of swing length.. (but not seeing the results yet, I'm sure they are on their way)

[No Mulligans]

@Abu3baid , looks good to me, head is steady on backswing (but coming forward on downswing), weight forward, inline impact.  Still a pretty big back swing to my eye.  I wonder if you kept the head back on the downswing if you would have hit that more cleanly, it looks like you hit under the ball.

Keep up the good work.

[dunlucedreams]

I've just looked at the pictures in your first post on this thread and compared those stills to your most recent video above- terrific work so far in my opinion. I genuinely can't believe you're playing off 26 with that swing! Mine is much closer to your original swing fwiw. What are you working on to stop swinging left ? I really do struggle to fight the urge to 'hit' at the ball with my right side straight from the top. Resultantly my best shots are 'pulls' that go straight because I get so far under the plane and hit 'out' as best I can to counteract the dominant right sided ott pull! You have exactly the same leftward path!!! Impossible to do with irons without hitting it crazy fat! Keep up the great work and I'm sure you will get the results you want

[Abu3baid]

@Abu3baid, looks good to me, head is steady on backswing (but coming forward on downswing), weight forward, inline impact.  Still a pretty big back swing to my eye.  I wonder if you kept the head back on the downswing if you would have hit that more cleanly, it looks like you hit under the ball.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks @No Mulligans , Can't argue with that.. it's a complex probably that i feel like I need to swing hard and kill the ball, so the club just keeps going back and the lack of structure at the point of A3.5 to A4.5 or so makes everything just breakdown and get all out of control..  I don't think the lack of SAT has anything to do with hitting under the ball.. (I think the ball is tee'd too high anyway), but rather it is my inability to generate any SAT thus my whole body moves left and I have no choice but to swing left!

I've just looked at the pictures in your first post on this thread and compared those stills to your most recent video above- terrific work so far in my opinion. I genuinely can't believe you're playing off 26 with that swing! Mine is much closer to your original swing fwiw.

Believe it and I might be worst than that.. shot a 110 last weekend

What are you working on to stop swinging left ?

I really do struggle to fight the urge to 'hit' at the ball with my right side straight from the top. Resultantly my best shots are 'pulls' that go straight because I get so far under the plane and hit 'out' as best I can to counteract the dominant right sided ott pull! You have exactly the same leftward path!!!

Impossible to do with irons without hitting it crazy fat!

Right now my priority is the BS and getting that elbow to stop getting behind the shirt seem just like the post you made.. Then to generate SAT so that I can promote an outward swing & most likely working on laying the shaft down afterwords (I'm not sure, I'll wait till I get over the BS elbow thingy before moving on)

You are right, excellent job.. the miss that is probably costing me the most stroks is "crazy fat" shots as you put it!

There is really only one thing working for me, and that is it looks like I am starting to change some things.. Below is a little comparison from 11/22/2014 and yesterdays video 01/03/2015

[No Mulligans]

Good progress!

[Abu3baid]

I think I'm starting to change something [VIDEO]http://youtu.be/kNtrKY2Qw3I[/VIDEO]

[Abu3baid]

Definite breakthrough today at the range. For the first time I was able to do the pre-set hip drill and flying wedge and hit push draws with my PW. I was able to do it slightly with the 7i but contact wasn't as good as the PW. I will work on this drill at home to engrain the hip slide feeling, and deuce the amount of hip spin. I have to admit it was nice seeing those 100 yard baby push draws :)

[Abu3baid]

I have my work cut out for the next couple of weeks :)

[dunlucedreams]

I have my work cut out for the next couple of weeks :)

Is that your instruction from an evolvr lesson? I've often wondered about letting your hands track in as well as back and up, it feels so much more 'loaded' and 'behind the ball' at the top but I have a hard time not allowing this to facilitate an inside takeaway and therefore the left arm dropping below the shoulder plane! Also the guidance on straight right arm is confusing in this scenario as they feel like contradictory moves/feels?? I think if you master all of that instruction this winter you will see real progress in your swing.