My Swing (MConstantineJr)

[MConstantineJr]

I've been Playing Golf for: 2 years My current handicap index or average score is: 88-94 My typical ball flight is: High and straight The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Hook I'm hitting a Maltby TE Forged 5 iron at 27 degrees to the blue and white target 200 yards away. My average was about 195 here. Not looking for advice or tips per say. Beginning of this summer I was horrible. Couldn't get an iron off the ground. I've put in countless hours of work. [VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9My2DdahNYk[/VIDEO]

[mvmac]

Looks like the grip is too strong, right hand is "under" the grip. Also looks like the hooks are pull hooks or pulls, this is due to the grip and lack of arm depth on the downswing.

First thing I would address is the grip.

Second piece would be to turn more on the backswing. Your turn is restricted and you have to move your head towards the ball and shift your left arm out on the downswing to try and move low point forward (hit the ball first). End up getting the club face well left with the weight back.

Player on the right has more "depth" on the downswing because he created more turn/depth on the backswing. Also note how the shaft is steeper (more vertical) on the left. Going to be hard to control your start line with the position on the left.

Too much weight on the right foot. Leads to contact and path issues.

Here's how I would work on the backswing pivot. Wouldn't touch anything on the downswing yet, want to see how cleaning up the backswing helps things.

Also join this group and play in our SoCal outings. We'd love to have you!

[MConstantineJr]

Thanks mvmac. I appreciate the time you took to help me out. A few things about where I stand with my current swing.

I understand what you said about my hook being a pull but I assure you that my pull is really not an issue. When I pull it's only about 5-10 yards left which for now I am willing to deal with. When I get too flat I tend to hook by coming too much from the inside, but I did a good job of not being too flat on the backswing in the above video so I did not produce any hooks.

I had THE WORST OTT move in the history of golf for the past 3 years. No matter what I did I could not shake it. I had a super strong grip with both hands (hence the right hand being strong in the video) and would half swing my way to a score of anywhere from 88-104 on average (not 94 as I posted).  I have finally shaken that dreaded OTT killer move. The swing above is a nuetral left hand and strong right hand with a 10 finger grip (I won't ever give up the 10 finger).  I will however see if I can turn the right hand a bit more neutral and see what that does.

Believe it or not the swing above is the biggest breakthrough for me in about a low guestimate of 5,000 range balls hit over the past 3 months. Just as recent as yesterday I was at the range for 4 hours endlessly hitting balls and nothing was consistant. It always came and went and never felt comfortable. I hit 5 buckets today at about 90 balls a bucket. I hit rougly 80% of those balls good to great, 10% hook, 10% crap. My usual range sessions are 80% crap, 10% crappier, 10% good, and those 10% good I am only speaking of crisp contact and not necessarily the direction I intended them to go.

I will surely pocket this helpful info you gave me above as I know can always improve and am very dedicated as noted by my endless hours of range time this summer. I am not sure how much more I want to mess with my backswing as I am not sure I have the ability or flexibility to turn anymore without distrupting my balance. I think however I can get a touch flatter on the backswing which allows me to create a bit more turn without producing that hook I speak of while also allowing me to product more depth on the downswing (am I far off base with that thought). Also, I know I can do a better weight transfer and that is something I will slowly work.

As for the SoCal outting, I was all set to join but I am relocating with my company to Texas in Janauary and I will be doing some business there the first two weeks of December so I am unfortunately not going to be able to make it. I was really hoping for an early November or mid December date. Empire Lakes is a course I play often and it is a fun and challenging course.

[MConstantineJr]

Also, at what point to I concede to physical limitations in the backswing? I am to the point where if I get any more turn I will feel uncomfortable and things will feel forced quite a bit. I am generating some really good power with the swing above driving the ball 240-260 (with a scattered 270-300 here and there), 3 wood 220-240, hybrid 210,  5 iron 190 and 7 iron 160 (all laser range finder verified w/slope adjusment). I am parallel with the shaft at the top which I have never been able to do and I am parallel again with a decent triangle formed with my arms before I begin extension. This feels more like a baseball swing to me than anything and I played quite a bit of ball up through college so I think that is def helping me.  When I get a chance I am going to take a couple screen shots of what I am talking about and post to get your thoughts.

[mvmac]

Also, at what point to I concede to physical limitations in the backswing? I am to the point where if I get any more turn I will feel uncomfortable and things will feel forced quite a bit. I am generating some really good power with the swing above driving the ball 240-260 (with a scattered 270-300 here and there), 3 wood 220-240, hybrid 210,  5 iron 190 and 7 iron 160 (all laser range finder verified w/slope adjusment). I am parallel with the shaft at the top which I have never been able to do and I am parallel again with a decent triangle formed with my arms before I begin extension. This feels more like a baseball swing to me than anything and I played quite a bit of ball up through college so I think that is def helping me.  When I get a chance I am going to take a couple screen shots of what I am talking about and post to get your thoughts.

Making changes should feel "uncomfortable" at first. It it doesn't feel different that means you aren't changing picture.

Having the right foot foot turned out should definitely help.

[MConstantineJr]

Making changes should feel "uncomfortable" at first. It it doesn't feel different that means you aren't changing picture.

Having the right foot foot turned out should definitely help.

Touche indeed! Okay, the right foot turned out is a breeze and I will implement that ASAP. Actually I used to have a very turned out right and left foot but for some reason I have gone away from that. I am assuming that tip was in the video which I have not yet been able to watch (work lap top sound is out).  I will start with this change as well as the right hand neutral grip change and post a few swings this weekend. I will also make a conscious effort to get a bit deeper in the down swing, of course assuming the right foot turned out helps me turn a bit more. One more thing I noticed is that I could probably have my shoulders more centered over my knees with less hunch in my back. That may help with my wieght shifting forward as I feel like in the swings above I am out on my toes when I finish.  What do you think?

[mvmac]

Touche indeed! Okay, the right foot turned out is a breeze and I will implement that ASAP. Actually I used to have a very turned out right and left foot but for some reason I have gone away from that. I am assuming that tip was in the video which I have not yet been able to watch (work lap top sound is out).  I will start with this change as well as the right hand neutral grip change and post a few swings this weekend. I will also make a conscious effort to get a bit deeper in the down swing, of course assuming the right foot turned out helps me turn a bit more. One more thing I noticed is that I could probably have my shoulders more centered over my knees with less hunch in my back. That may help with my wieght shifting forward as I feel like in the swings above I am out on my toes when I finish.  What do you think?

Balance at set-up looks ok. Being on your toes at the finish is just a reaction to your head moving towards the ball and shifting the left arm out. Those two things happen because you don't turn enough (and maybe down enough) and you don't transfer your weight forward on the downswing. I think you've just developed a "pull" pattern to get the sweet spot back to the ball.

As a quick "experiment". Take it to the top of your backswing and make a slow downswing keeping all your weight on your right leg, the only way to get back to the ball is to swing the left arm out. Now do the opposite, from the top of the backswing feel like you're squashing a bug under your left foot. Notice how you'll want to shift that left arm out less.

Some curve or roundness at address is a good thing.

Next time you upload a video, please include a face-on swing.

[MConstantineJr]

Looking at the golfer to the right he is a little flatter at the top which is an easy adjustment for me. I also think that with the more verticle backswing I tend to ever so slightly start my downsng with my right should a tad OTT but I correct it in time for contact. I just got a little more verticle here because it eliminated my hook. Shifting my weight forward with my recently old super flat swing was a breeze. I will mess around with this theory too. I'll make sure to take a front view video as well as get a better down the line view. I think that view was a little off center giving the perception I was pulling the ball. My target is not visitble as is far off in the distant about where your red verticle line drawn through my head is.

[mvmac]

Looking at the golfer to the right he is a little flatter at the top which is an easy adjustment for me. I also think that with the more verticle backswing I tend to ever so slightly start my downsng with my right should a tad OTT but I correct it in time for contact. I just got a little more verticle here because it eliminated my hook. Shifting my weight forward with my recently old super flat swing was a breeze. I will mess around with this theory too. I'll make sure to take a front view video as well as get a better down the line view. I think that view was a little off center giving the perception I was pulling the ball. My target is not visitble as is far off in the distant about where your red verticle line drawn through my head is.

By pull I'm referring to your body lines. The ball is starting 6-7 degrees left of where you are aiming.

[MConstantineJr]

By pull I'm referring to your body lines. The ball is starting 6-7 degrees left of where you are aiming. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/108987/] [/URL]

Crap! Good eye. Alright I have some work to do this weekend. Still pretty happy with the steps I've taken. Also, my target is also to the left. So I guesss I set up closed.

[mvmac]

Crap! Good eye. Alright I have some work to do this weekend. Still pretty happy with the steps I've taken.

Also, my target is also to the left. So I guesss I set up closed.

Just to clarify, you can play good golf, lower your handicap, playing a slight pull. As long as it's predictable it can be functional.