My Swing (phillyk)

[Duff McGee]

Haha, right?! Yeah I'll work on getting new videos in.

It's funny because I recognized you the person but the swing didn't really look anything like your new swing. Maybe a little similarity at the very top of the swing.

[phillyk]

All righty, here they are! Well, I'm working on something and it doesn't show a ton of improvement from my last video session a few weeks ago.  I'm trying to make a better turn around my spine through impact, which would help straighten my left arm at impact (as it is bent).  Right now I'm shifting my lower body too laterally, I think, instead of a turn, which translates up my back making me hunch a bit at impact.  I've still been playing really well despite this.  This session today, I actually hit 90% of my shots within 20ft left or right of my line, even hitting the 200yd sign on the fly once (which was my target).  All shots except one were nice draws, so I couldn't complain too much.  But, I'd still like to make that turn better.  The way I've been measuring it, is by how much my butt moves towards the ball from the top of my back swing to impact.  A proper turn would mean, no difference in its direction from those two position.  Right now I'm shifting towards the ball by a couple inches.

[Duff McGee]

Yeah there is the Phil I saw in action. ;)

[phillyk]

One thing I've forgotten about which could help me, is to square up my stance again.  I switched to having a closed stance to help swing path, but I left it there, which can restrict the turn through.  If I slowly brought it back to parallel to line, I might get a better turn and straighten that left arm at impact.

[mchepp]

Have you thought about utilizing a stronger grip? Might help to reduce some of the timing issues.

I would not worry as much about the left arm straightening. Many good players (including the world #1) have a bent left arm.

[phillyk]

Have you thought about utilizing a stronger grip? Might help to reduce some of the timing issues.

I would not worry as much about the left arm straightening. Many good players (including the world #1) have a bent left arm.

Well the shaft still runs up with his forearm.  Mine is angled from forearm to shaft.  Its fine, true, to have a non straight left arm but the shaft still has to run up part of the arm.

I don't typically have timing issues.  I guess the reason I mention this, is to get a more consistent, less moving pieces, type swing.  Any little tweak that can potentially increase performance is worth trying.  And getting a straighter left arm at impact will potentially help with a better impact position and increase distance a little by having a longer distance between the pivot point and ball.  The other side of this is if I have a straighter arm, it'll be from making a better turn around my spine, which will help keep my back from having health issues when I get older.

If you pause it near the 30sec mark, you can see that although his arm is slightly bent, the shaft still runs up his forearm.

[phillyk]

While thinking about my swing on the way to work today, I realized that since the beginning of this year as i started making major swing changes for the first time in my golfing career, that I don't know (trust) my swing anymore.  Before, I knew my swing in my sleep.  I could tweak it any way I wanted and knew what the result would be.  But now, I can't feel what what I want to feel or get the specific results I want.  So it really is obvious that I just need to go out and hit a thousand balls to try and get to know my swing again.  Sure the result with my new swing is what I'd like for the most part, but I still don't fully trust it yet.  I went out yesterday and hit 30 balls with only a 7-iron and I can start to feel that "knowing the swing" again, but not 100%.  I won't be able to shoot the low scores I have shot before until I can fully trust and know my swing.  My 64, 65, and multiple other 60's rounds came last year were with the swing that I knew I could trust 100% of the time.  Realistically, I understand that feel is made up and doesn't reflect the swing as much as I think it does, but that underlying trust isn't there yet which I do think has some effect on the ability to go low.

[Duff McGee]

While thinking about my swing on the way to work today, I realized that since the beginning of this year as i started making major swing changes for the first time in my golfing career, that I don't know (trust) my swing anymore.  Before, I knew my swing in my sleep.  I could tweak it any way I wanted and knew what the result would be.  But now, I can't feel what what I want to feel or get the specific results I want.  So it really is obvious that I just need to go out and hit a thousand balls to try and get to know my swing again.  Sure the result with my new swing is what I'd like for the most part, but I still don't fully trust it yet.  I went out yesterday and hit 30 balls with only a 7-iron and I can start to feel that "knowing the swing" again, but not 100%.  I won't be able to shoot the low scores I have shot before until I can fully trust and know my swing.  My 64, 65, and multiple other 60's rounds came last year were with the swing that I knew I could trust 100% of the time.  Realistically, I understand that feel is made up and doesn't reflect the swing as much as I think it does, but that underlying trust isn't there yet which I do think has some effect on the ability to go low.

Makes sense to me. I'm going to see if I can open up with my new swing a little more today to see if some of my distance comes back.

[phillyk]

Well, today I played 36 holes.  I finally started to feel like I was in full control of my game.  I'm able to control my driver more, as in hit my "normal" shot most of the time, and when I need the power fade, I can do it.  I hit a lot of great approach shots, giving me good chances for birdie.  My first 18 had 16 GIR, but I wasn't putting well, which I figured out eventually that I was bringing my head up too early and my putts were push/pull.  When I got my head together I started to sink putts, which gave me a 30 on the back 9, during my second round.  My second round started on the back, then I went to the front next.  I originally wasn't going to play the front, but because i was doing so well, I had to continue.  But at this point i had to join a group.  I had played 27 holes in 3 hours prior.  My last 9 took 2 hours and I was getting dehydrated and/or tired (it's my excuse and I'm sticking with it ) and shot 2 over to finish at 68 my second round.  What I still need to work on are my long irons.  Although I felt comfortable with them today, they also felt the least controlled.  Hopefully I can keep the momentum going.

[phillyk]

Face On - 

I was aiming at our 200yd mark, ball was pulled a bit and drew ever so slightly, but ball still landed no more than 10ft left of the mark.  My ideal flight I'm working with right now as you'll see in my down the line video is a push draw thing.
Regarding what I think my swing looks like, my priority piece is not bobbing down so much on the downswing and getting my left shoulder slightly higher at impact.  I'm still getting very crunched at impact.  I like my turn more now because im not fighting to get back to the ball.  Back swing could be shorter, but ill save that one for later.

Now to down the line - 

Same thing as above I was "aiming" at 200yd mark, as in hoping the ball to end up there.  This ball had the ball flight I wanted by starting a bit right and drawing back.  It landed about 5ft right of the marker.  
I think my aim here is off. My shoulders are pointing at my mark but my feet and hips are pointed too far right.  This has been something I've been working on, especially with my driver.  The tendency from this is to not get my clubface closed and the ball stays out to the right.  The back swing is slightly flatter than I'd like, but other than that I'm mostly happy with this swing and result.

[phillyk]

Well, I played in my league yesterday night and shot a 33 (-3).  That was with a few bad chip shots that I didn't get up and down for birdie.  Course is shorter, so I'm driving pretty close to the greens but the closer to the greens the more trouble there is.  But I hit very well off the tee except for the first hole which i pushed a bit.  With this swing I'm working with, my mental thought for the round was to make sure I feel that I'm following through towards the target.  I had a tendency to feel like I'm following through to the right of my target and that's where the ball went.  So, the swing and game feels good, just need to work a bit on short game and I'll be shooting -6 in 9 holes :D

[phillyk]

This round was a little crazy, which happened during our 9 hole Men's League.  We started on hole 1 and he made par and I had to give him 2 strokes, so I'm already deep in the hole.  I just kept thinking about my release in terms of timing and where i want to "feel" that I'm following through towards.  I don't think I had any major mishits.  I didn't put some approaches as close as I wanted, but I was sinking a lot of putts.  I got up and down for birdies on a few holes, so my overall short game was on fire!  Coming into hole 9, I was 1 down knowing that my guy was also getting up and down from places a 12 hc had no business doing, haha.  But I was thinking a bit about my score but mostly that I needed a birdie and had to hit a good drive.  This hole says 460 par 5, but it's straight up a big hill.  So it plays more like 520ish.  Drive ended in the middle of the FW 200yds out and I hit a 5 iron into greenside trap.  I hit my bunker shot to 7ft away.  The guy I'm playing hits 3 to 30ft away on green, putts it down past the hole to 7 ft as well.  I'm like well, this match comes down to two 7footers.  I sink mine, and he misses.  So we tie match overall and I beat him by 1 stroke for net strokes.  I feel I deserve all the points after going 5 under to shoot a 31! But he played well too, obviously.  It was a fun day!

[phillyk]

Well, this year will be my last year to seriously try and get better.  My goal as I stated in the other thread is to get my tournament handicap down to scratch or better.  My current one is 3.4.  After this year, I may have kids popping out, we'll see... ;)

The weather here in WA for the last 2 months has been terrible.  Usually western WA is a play all year place but not right now.  BUT, it's looking much better this week which means I can get out and practice.  The past few years, I never practiced, I just went out and played a lot.  I need to actually go out and grind.  Full swing and short game.  

Although the weather has sucked, I've managed to hit a few drivers and it's been so far so good.  Just feeling like I'm sitting at address. My tendency is to get too vertical with my swing which gets me leaning too far to my left at impact and a huge left to right occurs.  So I "sit" at address and feel a lower swing plane and more turn, especially around impact.  It helps me get my club face square.  So this will be my thought going into this week's practice.

Other news, I went to Dick's the other day to hit a few balls on their simulator.  I'll be getting a new Ping 3 wood and 2 hybrid this week.  I had 124mph clubhead speed with driver and 114mpg clubhead speed with 3 wood.  Their system doesn't keep track of ball speed and smash factor so I wasn't really able to see overall numbers.  But the ones it did give, look good.  Hopefully my new clubs will give me a bit more confidence on the tee.  Tee shots are definitely the part I need to work on the most.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, phillyk said:

Well, this year will be my last year to seriously try and get better.  My goal as I stated in the other thread is to get my tournament handicap down to scratch or better.  My current one is 3.4.  After this year, I may have kids popping out, we'll see... ;)

You have the ability to find the ball, but you spent so long with your "unique" compensations that any change is going to be difficult because if you remove one piece without the three contributing compensations… it can be a shit show for awhile.

I'd start with the backswing. It's long, you reverse your axis tilt, and your wrist gets into an unusual position.

It will take some work, though, and it won't be easy.

[phillyk]

32 minutes ago, iacas said:

You have the ability to find the ball, but you spent so long with your "unique" compensations that any change is going to be difficult because if you remove one piece without the three contributing compensations… it can be a shit show for awhile.

I'd start with the backswing. It's long, you reverse your axis tilt, and your wrist gets into an unusual position.

It will take some work, though, and it won't be easy.

Id like to say that my swing has changed since my last video. I haven't honestly looked at a video of my swing since then. So I'll tape another soon. 

[Ks golf]

I've got to say, this is the most unique low handicapper swing I have ever seen. 

Do you do anything different for the less-than-full swing wedge shots ?  Or do you have so much movement there too ?

[phillyk]

5 minutes ago, Ks golf said:

I've got to say, this is the most unique low handicapper swing I have ever seen. 

Do you do anything different for the less-than-full swing wedge shots ?  Or do you have so much movement there too ?

Wedges are actually one of the strong points in my game.  I love my 3/4 wedge shots too.  I don't know how to explain what I do for those swings except that it feels good and it works.  I will tape them too when I have a chance.

My backswing has looked funky forever and it was worse in the past, but I focus on impact.  Path through impact and club face at impact.  Yes, if my tempo gets off, I can stray a bit.  But, if I have a 8 iron through wedge in my hand, I will be on or nGIR almost every time.  The weakest point of my game is driver, as you might imagine.  I don't even need to use it, because I'm long enough without it, and I know I overswing with it. So, I'm trying to tone it down and stay more focused.

We'll see how practice goes this week.  I'll try and get in a few videos to post too.

[Ks golf]

43 minutes ago, phillyk said:

Wedges are actually one of the strong points in my game.  I love my 3/4 wedge shots too.  I don't know how to explain what I do for those swings except that it feels good and it works.  I will tape them too when I have a chance.

My backswing has looked funky forever and it was worse in the past, but I focus on impact.  Path through impact and club face at impact.  Yes, if my tempo gets off, I can stray a bit.  But, if I have a 8 iron through wedge in my hand, I will be on or nGIR almost every time.  The weakest point of my game is driver, as you might imagine.  I don't even need to use it, because I'm long enough without it, and I know I overswing with it. So, I'm trying to tone it down and stay more focused.

We'll see how practice goes this week.  I'll try and get in a few videos to post too.

Looking forward to seeing the videos :)

Edited January 15, 2017 by Ks golf