My Swing (krupa)

[krupa]

I've been Playing Golf for: 1 year

My current handicap index or average score is: > 120 (I don't usually keep score)

My typical ball flight is: all over the place; nothing consistent

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: I have a slice off the tee but can hit short irons "ok".  I'm a mess with long irons (6, 5, 4H and 3H).

I've taken lessons with a couple people in the area.  Only one took a video, and that was last year.  The other instructor corrected basic fundamentals (grip, stance) which has helped a lot.

I have a history of low back pain so I consciously and unconsciously swing to avoid straining it.

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Videos:

[mvmac]

[krupa]

Wow.  Thank you for such a detailed response!  I will work on my takeaway with a driveway marker and post another video when I have something to show.

Thanks again!

-matthew

[krupa]

Here's an update after working on keeping my knee from collapsing and moving my hip to my right.

My left arm looks bent but I don't think it is.  I've been very conscious of it and I wonder if it looks bent because I'm wearing loose clothes.  Here's a picture of my left hand on the grip.  (the arm position in the picture is because I was trying to keep my hand in frame)

I probably won't have any time to play/practice in the next two weeks due to traveling but wanted to post an update, anyway.

[iacas]

I probably won't have any time to play/practice in the next two weeks due to traveling but wanted to post an update, anyway.

Take a grip along and start to get comfortable with it being about an inch lower at the butt end of the club. It's too much in the palm. The part behind the grip from this view should be "squishing" on top of the grip a bit more.

[krupa]

Take a grip along and start to get comfortable with it being about an inch lower at the butt end of the club. It's too much in the palm. The part behind the grip from this view should be "squishing" on top of the grip a bit more.

Thanks.  This is probably a naive question but is there an easy way to remove a grip from a club without wrecking it?

[iacas]

Thanks.  This is probably a naive question but is there an easy way to remove a grip from a club without wrecking it?

I was imagining that you might have an extra grip around somewhere.

[krupa]

This is the start of my 3rd season.  I took a couple lessons last year.  They helped a bit; one of them took a couple videos on my phone.
I can't really do much over the winter.  I have one of those short, heavy clubs that I swung a few times a day but I don't know how much
it helped except to keep me a little loose.

Yesterday, I went to the practice range.  Most of my shots went off to my right and some really sliced.  I believe that this is
caused by an outside-in swing.  Here are a few shots from this evening trying to bring the club inside on the backswing.

My plan for this season is to try to take more lessons (scheduling has been a challenge in the past).  I also ordered the 5SK DVDs though I don't
know if they've even shipped yet.

Thanks for looking!

-matthew

[krupa]

I've been working on Key #1.  I think I'm making progress, but it looks like my head still drops on the downswing.

[mvmac]

I've been working on Key #1.  I think I'm making progress, but it looks like my head still drops on the downswing.

That part looks fine to me. Lots of good players lower their head a little on the downswing.

I think the head moves a bit too far towards the ball on the backswing from dtl. I'd focus on making sure as the left knee flexes on the backswing it also moves inward. Yours looks like it works out over your left foot and can cause you to "tip over". It will also give the knee some room to transfer forward on the downswing, which will probably be your next piece soon.

[krupa]

New videos for the new season.  Yesterday at the range, I felt like my body was dropping; I had big, chunky divots and only towards the end did I feel like I was hitting the ball first.  I need to shed the self-consciousness and bring the tripod to the range...

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2016 by krupa

[krupa]

Finally brought my cell phone monopod to the range.

 

 

Edited May 27, 2016 by krupa

[billchao]

It looks to me like you bring the club down fairly steep and swing to the left, which is likely what is causing your divot issues. The reason for this appears to be your lack of hip rotation, which causes your swing to be too "armsy".

I think a couple of setup changes will help you. First, you should flare your feet more, will help free up the lower body to allow it to move better. The other thing is just to push the hips forward just a little bit so your left hip is slightly higher than your right at address.

For the actual turn, you want your right hip to move towards the target from the FO view. You're moving the left hip away from the target with a little bit of sway. Here's a good drill for that:

 

One last thing, mind your camera angles: https://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

[krupa]

49 minutes ago, billchao said:

It looks to me like you bring the club down fairly steep and swing to the left, which is likely what is causing your divot issues. The reason for this appears to be your lack of hip rotation, which causes your swing to be too "armsy".

I think a couple of setup changes will help you. First, you should flare your feet more, will help free up the lower body to allow it to move better. The other thing is just to push the hips forward just a little bit so your left hip is slightly higher than your right at address.

For the actual turn, you want your right hip to move towards the target from the FO view. You're moving the left hip away from the target with a little bit of sway. Here's a good drill for that:

 

One last thing, mind your camera angles: https://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

Thanks!  I will work on the wall drill.

Re camera angles:  The caddy view could have less ground and more sky, and in the DTL, I see that I lined up on the ball instead of between the ball and my feet.  Was there something else?

[billchao]

3 hours ago, krupa said:

Re camera angles:  The caddy view could have less ground and more sky, and in the DTL, I see that I lined up on the ball instead of between the ball and my feet.  Was there something else?

It looks a hair too low. Should be about waist height. But yea, more important is getting the frame centered on your foot line and off the ball.

[krupa]

Trying to get my weight forward and solid contact.  These swings are with a 6 iron...

 

 

[iacas]

Do you have video of you doing drills or practicing slowly with short swings?

[krupa]

 

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Do you have video of you doing drills or practicing slowly with short swings?

No, I don't know any drills and honestly never thought to record slow, short swings.