My Swing (RFKFREAK)

[boogielicious]

57 minutes ago, RFKFREAK said:

Thanks for the feedback, @Antneye, @ncates00, and @boogielicious.

I took at look at a Robert Rock swing and I believe i understand how to get the swing more upright.  From what I gathered, I can start the swing as I have been but when I get to A2 then start to make it more upright so that my hands end up roughly above my shoulders.  I did a few slow practice swings in the mirror and it felt more "natural" and an easier turn.   I have a bunch of work to do today so not sure if I'll be able to get to the range today to get some video as it's supposed to rain but I think it's something I can easily transition to.

I used to hinge the club to start the backswing but @iacas advised that I take the club back rather than hinge to start the swing.  Are you suggesting hinge more at A2?  If I'm not mistake, from the DTL view I ideally want to the clubhead to bisect my hands on the backswing so whereas in those swings I'm coming a bit inside, I don't think it's too far inside.

We should let Erik take the lead in this as he already advised you and he knows way more than we do, but no to more hinge at A2. What we are taking about is the shaft shallowing and how the backswing plane affects that. See how Robert Rock’s shaft is steeper at A3 than A5? It shallows in transition. And his hands are above his shoulders at A4. That is what we are talking about. But again, let Erik tell you how to get there.

 

[RFKFREAK]

5 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

We should let Erik take the lead in this as he already advised you and he knows way more than we do, but no to more hinge at A2. What we are taking about is the shaft shallowing and how the backswing plane affects that. See how Robert Rock’s shaft is steeper at A3 than A5? It shallows in transition. And his hands are above his shoulders at A4. That is what we are talking about. But again, let Erik tell you how to get there.

 

Yeah, I was looking at a similar swing of his where at A2 he seems to raise his hands whereas mine keeps going at about the same plane that it starts.

[iacas]

Okay, a couple of things.

1. To clarify the earlier stuff about the wrist hinge stuff, it used to be that you'd hinge immediately and this threw off some parts of the backswing. It's just about how you start the backswing, not the first half or 2/3 of the backswing:

2. Can we get some video of what you're doing now, without the drills, to see? I think you're still on the right track, but I'd like to confirm.

[RFKFREAK]

Played yesterday, hoping to play tomorrow, had a busy day today but was able to hit about 10 balls today and got some video of what my game swing is looking like.  From the video I like my turn but think that my right arm  whereas bending less is still bending too much and that my backswing may be too much.

 

 

[ncates00]

2 hours ago, RFKFREAK said:

Played yesterday, hoping to play tomorrow, had a busy day today but was able to hit about 10 balls today and got some video of what my game swing is looking like.  From the video I like my turn but think that my right arm  whereas bending less is still bending too much and that my backswing may be too much.

 

 

The DTL view looks a little better from the standpoint of getting the club a tiny bit more vertical to give you room to hit down on the ball more.  However, the way you're doing it isn't ideal.  You're still a bit flatter on the way back and then you're coming over steeper on the way down.  I'd try to get the club up more on the way back.

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, RFKFREAK said:

Played yesterday, hoping to play tomorrow, had a busy day today but was able to hit about 10 balls today and got some video of what my game swing is looking like.  From the video I like my turn but think that my right arm  whereas bending less is still bending too much and that my backswing may be too much.

 

 

It looks like you are starting to change the picture. Keep at it!

[RFKFREAK]

13 hours ago, ncates00 said:

The DTL view looks a little better from the standpoint of getting the club a tiny bit more vertical to give you room to hit down on the ball more.  However, the way you're doing it isn't ideal.  You're still a bit flatter on the way back and then you're coming over steeper on the way down.  I'd try to get the club up more on the way back.

Yeah, this is what I played with the other day.  I know you had made suggestions but I didn't have time to practice them before going to play and @iacas asked to see what my swing looked like without doing the drills.

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

It looks like you are starting to change the picture. Keep at it!

Thanks!

The backswing feels really good and wide which is pretty much the swing thought I have in my head when I play - have my body rotate to start the swing and not my hands to try and do a full shoulder turn.  In looking at the downswing, I feel I have to concentrate on shifting my hips forward to start the downswing rather than have my upper body start it.  I'm constantly fighting that because it's what I naturally want to do and causes me to come OTT.  I've been able to calm it down with the driver because I know if I don't, my drive is going to be really bad and, my ego being what it is, I take pride in my ability to drive the ball long, fairly straight, and keeping it in play.

[RFKFREAK]

Playing in a little bit but wanted to put what @ncates00 and @boogielicious were talking about at the range.  These swings felt about 50%-70% and it felt like I started the backswing like I normally do, and then raised the club straight up and had the hands high at the top of the backswing.  I come over the top trying this and really couldn't figure out a way to come inside out.  As expected, for the most part, contact was terrible, hit the hosel a few times, and thinned a bunch and fatted a few but I'm not worried about it right now as I'm really just trying to get the backswing in order.

 

 

[ncates00]

5 minutes ago, RFKFREAK said:

Playing in a little bit but wanted to put what @ncates00 and @boogielicious were talking about at the range.  These swings felt about 50%-70% and it felt like I started the backswing like I normally do, and then raised the club straight up and had the hands high at the top of the backswing.  I come over the top trying this and really couldn't figure out a way to come inside out.  As expected, for the most part, contact was terrible, hit the hosel a few times, and thinned a bunch and fatted a few but I'm not worried about it right now as I'm really just trying to get the backswing in order.

 

 

Well, it's still flat/underneath going back, so it makes sense why you would be prone to coming over a little.  I'll certainly defer to more qualified folks who are teachers, but I don't think how high your hands are matters one bit; it's about the angle or pitch of the club as you take it back.  I'd try to get the head to raise up more as you take it back.  I feel like I'm trying to hit my nose with the clubhead as I take it back.  Again, this has nothing to do with how high your hands are; it's more about hinging UPWARD of the club head.  Like I said, you still have the club flat and underneath.  Go look at @Lugowskins's thread as he had (as I had) a similar problem as you.  Specifically, go to page one of his swing thread.  Look at the Charley Hoffman swing sequence I have on my V1 app with the lines. 

Your swing looks so similar to my old swing--flat and inside.  Moments of brilliance and moments of hopelessness haha.  When I get a chance, I'll update my own swing thread and show my change to a more upright swing.

[boogielicious]

Stick with your priority piece for now. But when you work on this, try to feel the shaft flattening at transition more and your right elbow leading the way. Keeping doing it slowly. Remember the shaft will follow what the hands do from the top. It could take a bit of time to get this change.

[RFKFREAK]

On 10/5/2020 at 5:53 PM, boogielicious said:

Stick with your priority piece for now. But when you work on this, try to feel the shaft flattening at transition more and your right elbow leading the way. Keeping doing it slowly. Remember the shaft will follow what the hands do from the top. It could take a bit of time to get this change.

Didn't to the range yesterday and went today just felt like seeing what a natural swing looks and feels like right now.  Only adjustment I made was hinging my wrist and trying to get the club more upright in the backswing.  Contact overall felt a lot better than it has recently so I've decided to be a dope and play today on a course I've never played before but that apparently is pretty tough (73.1/131) so if I score like crap, it won't feel as bad, haha.

I'll do more of what you suggested here, @boogielicious, after today.

 

 

[iacas]

If that's your "natural" swing right now, I'd do two things:

• Try to turn a little bit more, a bit earlier. Not much, but a bit.
• Play this little pull-fade action you've got going on. It can be a perfectly good way to play good golf.

Really, just hit it solid with that action and you can shoot some darn good scores, man.

[boogielicious]

Agree with Erik here. It’s looking so much better. Play that shape. It’s hard because we want to be perfect, but if you make good contact then play it. My shape is a draw and I fight it at times. I should just align right and let it curve in.

[RFKFREAK]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

If that's your "natural" swing right now, I'd do two things:

• Try to turn a little bit more, a bit earlier. Not much, but a bit.
• Play this little pull-fade action you've got going on. It can be a perfectly good way to play good golf.

Really, just hit it solid with that action and you can shoot some darn good scores, man.

 

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

Agree with Erik here. It’s looking so much better. Play that shape. It’s hard because we want to be perfect, but if you make good contact then play it. My shape is a draw and I fight it at times. I should just align right and let it curve in.

I should note that I injured my thigh so I'm compensating some but I'd say that my natural instinct is to start the downswing with the upper half of my body.

[RFKFREAK]

So, finally had an opportunity to get to the range just as the sun went down but hopefully these vids aren't too dark.

Working on trying to have the club more upright and not so flat.  I think it's better but even though I've been doing mirror work, it didn't initially take at the range and I spent quite a while trying to figure out how to do while at the range.  I found downswing sequencing very difficult to get the club under the plane from this position, though, that will be a focus later when I feel the backswing is more ingrained. 

 

 

[boogielicious]

11 hours ago, RFKFREAK said:

So, finally had an opportunity to get to the range just as the sun went down but hopefully these vids aren't too dark.

Working on trying to have the club more upright and not so flat.  I think it's better but even though I've been doing mirror work, it didn't initially take at the range and I spent quite a while trying to figure out how to do while at the range.  I found downswing sequencing very difficult to get the club under the plane from this position, though, that will be a focus later when I feel the backswing is more ingrained. 

 

 

It’s like a black light poster!

[RFKFREAK]

5 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

It’s like a black light poster!

I'm not sure that's a good thing. 😂

[RFKFREAK]

So, because I've been extremely busy the last few months, today is the first time I swung a club this year.  I didn't really do a practice session; more of a loosen things up session.  Therefore, I didn't really focus on camera or anything specific.  Just decided to record these two swings as they were my first swing and first driver swing of the year.  Ugly but not a bad place to start, IMO.   One thing I'll note is I put in a fair amount of gym work during the offseason and I feel stronger so I think that'll help me swing freer rather than try and power into the ball.