My Swing (Sacman)

[Sacman]

I've been Playing Golf for: 19 years

My current handicap index or average score is: 9.6...I usually average 79 to 85 depending on the course

My typical ball flight is: draw

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: pull with my iron and hook with my driver

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Videos:

I am very excited to finally get my driver swing on the site.

[mvmac]

Couple things at set-up to help.

- Bump the hips a few inches forward to create some axis tilt (green line)

- Have the hands forward a bit

- Then on the backswing keep the left hip forward as you turn the hips, don't let the hips slide back.

Also this might be a helpful thread

[Sacman]

I have been fighting that slight sway for years. Its been a work in progress. It has gotten much better than it was. I like what you were saying about shifting my hip slightly forward at address to stop the sway.

I do tend to have a hard time not hitting moon balls when I get to much shoulder tilt. I will work on these things tomorrow and see how it feels. I'm curious to see what my ball flight is like doing these things.

[billchao]

  Sacman said:

I do tend to have a hard time not hitting moon balls when I get to much shoulder tilt. I will work on these things tomorrow and see how it feels. I'm curious to see what my ball flight is like doing these things.

Getting your hands forward at address should help with that. It's almost like you're presetting a flip by having the handle back.

[Hammer 4]

Re: what Mike said about the hips being forward. Last night at the range, I noticed my weight not getting on to my left foot as much as it did, so with my 9i, I set up with my hips bumped to the left/forward, and my hands ahead of the ball, I almost always have my hands ahead of the ball on short, and mid irons. Sure enough, my 9i was flying a tad farther, and I made better contact with the ball.

For me, old man with a bad back, it's hard for me to get my weight forward on the longer irons, woods and my driver, still a work in progress.

Good luck to you, and do what Mike says, it works.

[iacas]

  Sacman said:

I have been fighting that slight sway for years. Its been a work in progress.

FWIW, it's not what I would call "slight."

[Sacman]

I don't know what FWIW is?

OK maybe its not as slight as I thought.

[iacas]

  Sacman said:

I don't know what FWIW is?

OK maybe its not as slight as I thought.

For What It's Worth.

And it's not very slight, no. It's quite a sway.

[Sacman]

Do you think this is why I tend to not hit the ball as flush or consistent as I can?

[iacas]

  Sacman said:

Do you think this is why I tend to not hit the ball as flush or consistent as I can?

Yes. See the linked post.

[Sacman]

I went out today and tried the things you guys recommended today. I wanted to go after it with a 9 iron first just to get a feeling for it. I struggled for sure at the beginning. I really felt like my body was more closed to the target when I bumped my hips forward. I adjusted that a bit. I may have been over doing it some. I definitely noticed that my divot were starting more in front of the ball than before. Once I started to flush the ball I hit some really nice shots. I usually hit my 9 iron 125 to 130. My best hit balls were going about 5 yards to 10 yards further. Even though not every shot was flushed I did hit 80% right at the area i was aiming. So I would say that today was a success.

I went into my backyard shortly after hitting some balls and took a couple more videos.

The video I tried to bump my hips forward. For some reason I slide them back some. There still sway but I feel like I'm gonna get it down soon.

This is the first time that I have practiced in a month and a half now. I had nose surgery which has limited me in energy. I am going to start hitting some drivers this weekend.

[Abu3baid]

  Sacman said:

I went out today and tried the things you guys recommended today. I wanted to go after it with a 9 iron first just to get a feeling for it. I struggled for sure at the beginning. I really felt like my body was more closed to the target when I bumped my hips forward. I adjusted that a bit. I may have been over doing it some. I definitely noticed that my divot were starting more in front of the ball than before. Once I started to flush the ball I hit some really nice shots. I usually hit my 9 iron 125 to 130. My best hit balls were going about 5 yards to 10 yards further. Even though not every shot was flushed I did hit 80% right at the area i was aiming. So I would say that today was a success.

I went into my backyard shortly after hitting some balls and took a couple more videos.

The video I tried to bump my hips forward. For some reason I slide them back some. There still sway but I feel like I'm gonna get it down soon.

This is the first time that I have practiced in a month and a half now. I had nose surgery which has limited me in energy. I am going to start hitting some drivers this weekend.

I just came by this thread, and I hope you don't mind me commenting.

I just took a look at your swing, and I didn't see any real difference (other than you are swinging a 9iron instead of a Driver) between the first video and this last one.

I really think the below thread will help you a lot in terms of what should be the goal of practice, because just getting an extra 5 yards, or hitting it flush 80% of the time or having it go "around" where you intended isn't really the purpose of practice (or at least it shouldn't be).. The purpose should really be to change the picture!

You could always say that you are happy with your game and don't want to change anything and that is fine too, but if you are looking to take things to the next level I would really suggest reading the above, and the below thread on how to practice as well.

I'm not saying that it is not Okay to celebrate, but if you are realistic about your progress you will make it a lot further in a lot shorter time!

Good luck!

[Sacman]

I like that "changing the picture" thread. I may have gone about this in the wrong way. When I get out to the course tomorrow I will try this out. Its tough to judge how I'm doing with something I can't feel.

[mvmac]

  Sacman said:

The video I tried to bump my hips forward. For some reason I slide them back some. There still sway but I feel like I'm gonna get it down soon.

This is the first time that I have practiced in a month and a half now. I had nose surgery which has limited me in energy. I am going to start hitting some drivers this weekend.

Just keep working on it. Make sure to have the hands forward at set-up as well.

  Sacman said:

I like that "changing the picture" thread. I may have gone about this in the wrong way. When I get out to the course tomorrow I will try this out. Its tough to judge how I'm doing with something I can't feel.

If you have a tough time feeling it, put an alignment stick in the ground against your left hip and make slow swings keeping the left hip against the stick. Then ask yourself what you did or what you felt to keep the hip on the stick, that'll be your feel. A "stock" feel is that the left hip or your tailbone gets closer to the target on the backswing, if you feel them transfer forward a little, you'll probably keep it pretty centered.

Also a good reason to use a camera. Make some swings, film them and check the picture. If it's not there, do it more.

Here's another feel you can use.

[Sacman]

Thank you mvmac. I will work on it for the rest of the week and hopefully I will see some results.

[Sacman]

Is it common when trying to fix a sway to pull the ball?

[iacas]

  Sacman said:

Is it common when trying to fix a sway to pull the ball?

This is the type of thing where everyone's swings (and collection of flaws and other pieces) are so random there's really no way to answer that question.

[Sacman]

My baby boy was born on saturday so I haven't been able to practice till today.

I tried getting my hips forward on the back swing and keeping my hands forward. I hit about 15 balls at about half speed. I was making good contact but found that I hit some awful slices with my 8 iron. I found that hitting the ball at full speed was a bit better. I pulled my best struck balls. My divots are going left so I have to work on staying square.