RFKFREAK's Journal About Golf Past, Present, and Future

[RFKFREAK]

No, not just you. . .Keep plodding along with your drill swings. Some of us take longer to "get it", I take a huge effort to get even a little glimmer of hope and am still working on it like a fraction of a percent at a time. . .with the usual setbacks. . .

Yeah, I should try and be more positive about it but I have zero confidence in my game right now and the state it's in to the point where part of me wants to play but I know that it'll likely be frustrating on 17 of the 18 holes (even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while).

But when you're slicing your driver all the time and pushing almost all of your iron shots, there's not much to point to that's good.  At least I'm being proactive and trying to fix it!

BTW, you look much slimmer in the videos. Nice job getting fit! Keep that up as well!

Thanks!

I got down to a low of 224 earlier this year and then life got hectic, I stopped going to to the gym, and summer bbq's, ice cream, and what not so I've gained some of it back but overall, still proud of my accomplishment and hoping to get back to a more regimented workout and eating habits in the near future.  Sunday football is going to make it tough to lose weight as quickly as I was earlier this year, but, hey, priorities!

[RFKFREAK]

Here's one thing I noticed.  Regardless of whether it's my 6I or Driver, both swings are very similar and look terrible.

So, at least I have that going for me - consistency!

[RandallT]

I see a bit of me in your shoulder turn. The advice I had received from Evolvr was that my left shoulder needs to be going down, not straight back. You shoulder tilt at the top should be roughly perpendicular to you spine tilt at address.

What I did, and what I THINK (I'm a hack like you) you are doing is pulling your left shoulder back and your chin moving out of the way a bit to make room. Whereas your shoulder needs to rotate around and down under your chin.  It will really feel like you're angled down and going to go after the ball (compared to when I had my flatter shoulders). I still regress to that, of course, as it's my natural disposition.

Had you gotten that advice from them? I know I've had that overlapping advice with some folks here, but I can't recall if this thread was one of them.

The other feel that is working for me at the range is keeping my right elbow from going behind my shirt seam. In baseball, I just want to get that elbow way back there for power. In golf, I'm trying to keep my arms in front of me. Let that shoulder turn above sling the arms. Less raw arm power is how it feels, but the ball is going straighter and perhaps even farther.

If this aligns with your Evolvr lessons, I can echo that they've helped me. If they don't align- disregard!!

Edit: video embed added re: shoulder turn

[RFKFREAK]

I see a bit of me in your shoulder turn. The advice I had received from Evolvr was that my left shoulder needs to be going down, not straight back. You shoulder tilt at the top should be roughly perpendicular to you spine tilt at address.

What I did, and what I THINK (I'm a hack like you) you are doing is pulling your left shoulder back and your chin moving out of the way a bit to make room. Whereas your shoulder needs to rotate around and down under your chin.  It will really feel like you're angled down and going to go after the ball (compared to when I had my flatter shoulders). I still regress to that, of course, as it's my natural disposition.

Had you gotten that advice from them? I know I've had that overlapping advice with some folks here, but I can't recall if this thread was one of them.

The other feel that is working for me at the range is keeping my right elbow from going behind my shirt seam. In baseball, I just want to get that elbow way back there for power. In golf, I'm trying to keep my arms in front of me. Let that shoulder turn above sling the arms. Less raw arm power is how it feels, but the ball is going straighter and perhaps even farther.

If this aligns with your Evolvr lessons, I can echo that they've helped me. If they don't align- disregard!!

Edit: video embed added re: shoulder turn

Thanks for posting the video so as to get a reference point where to start fixing this massive mistake.  Normally I don't really have a thought about how my shoulders go.  If anything, because there's so much in need of fixing, I think of getting my front knee to go in and trying to make sure my back swing is steep enough.

I like the idea of trying to get my rotate the shoulders around me as though with a visual of there being a pole that runs from my head to the ground along the angle of my spine and having my shoulders rotate around that.  I've almost always have had my head move slightly because my front shoulder "runs into" it on the backswing and there was a time my Evolvr instructor had me work on that but IIRC, we moved on to work on something else that was of a greater hindrance than the little my shoulder moved my head.  At the time I remember thinking that my body wasn't adjusting to having my shoulder not hit my head very well.

I think for the most part I do a good job of keeping my right elbow from going behind my shirt seam, though.

[Elmer]

Here's one thing I noticed.  Regardless of whether it's my 6I or Driver, both swings are very similar and look terrible.

So, at least I have that going for me - consistency!

I am not a teacher or expert by any means. And I usually refrain from giving advice. But your left arm......

When I was starting out I would fold my left arm in the back swing, my baseball days would cause me to revert to coiling up to a home run swing.

I combat that by keeping my left arm very stiff through my back swing. When my left should hits my chin it triggers the swing back and through.

I know that if bend my left arm too much it throws the hands out of place.

Right now I assume you are making poor contact and leaving the club face open or shut.

So break your swing down to a quarter swing or half swing and just work on making contact. Dont worry about full swings and max distances!

You know your diver is going to kill you on the course, so dont use it!

An old golf buddy (he was old, I didnt know him from way back), used to tell me "go to the range, bring only your 8 iron, hit 100 balls with your 8 iron until you make good contact, then move on).

But once again, when things get bad us noobs tend to over think and "if you think, you stink"

The key is to be able to hit a club like it is second nature and not think.

But this is just one hackers opinion!

[RFKFREAK]

I am not a teacher or expert by any means. And I usually refrain from giving advice. But your left arm......

When I was starting out I would fold my left arm in the back swing, my baseball days would cause me to revert to coiling up to a home run swing.

I combat that by keeping my left arm very stiff through my back swing. When my left should hits my chin it triggers the swing back and through.

I know that if bend my left arm too much it throws the hands out of place.

Right now I assume you are making poor contact and leaving the club face open or shut.

So break your swing down to a quarter swing or half swing and just work on making contact. Dont worry about full swings and max distances!

You know your diver is going to kill you on the course, so dont use it!

An old golf buddy (he was old, I didnt know him from way back), used to tell me "go to the range, bring only your 8 iron, hit 100 balls with your 8 iron until you make good contact, then move on).

But once again, when things get bad us noobs tend to over think and "if you think, you stink"

The key is to be able to hit a club like it is second nature and not think.

But this is just one hackers opinion!

I've been under the impression (perhaps mistaken) that it's not necessarily a bad thing if your front arm doesn't stay completely straight.

And, you're right, I am currently either pushing the ball with my irons or slicing it with my driver.  Part of the reason why I don't have much of a desire to play is because, based on yesterday, 95% of my balls are either going to push or slice to the right.

Half and three quarter swing drills would probably be a good idea, at the moment.   I've tried slowing my swing down, making it feel more freeflowing which has worked at times.

And my swing certainly doesn't feel as good as it did earlier this year, nor anything close to second nature.

[Elmer]

I've been under the impression (perhaps mistaken) that it's not necessarily a bad thing if your front arm doesn't stay completely straight.

And, you're right, I am currently either pushing the ball with my irons or slicing it with my driver.  Part of the reason why I don't have much of a desire to play is because, based on yesterday, 95% of my balls are either going to push or slice to the right.

Half and three quarter swing drills would probably be a good idea, at the moment.   I've tried slowing my swing down, making it feel more freeflowing which has worked at times.

And my swing certainly doesn't feel as good as it did earlier this year, nor anything close to second nature.

It may or maynot be. I am not one to say. I just compared your swing to mine and knowing how I had the same issue a few years back and usually once a round.

I have to keep my left arm straight until my chin hits my shoulder, than my left arm bends behind me to a daley like position, club head past my head. If I dont I lose my hands.

And your hands keeping the club face square is important

But that is me.

[RFKFREAK]

It may or maynot be. I am not one to say. I just compared your swing to mine and knowing how I had the same issue a few years back and usually once a round.

I have to keep my left arm straight until my chin hits my shoulder, than my left arm bends behind me to a daley like position, club head past my head. If I dont I lose my hands.

And your hands keeping the club face square is important

But that is me.

Well, you've definitely given me something to think about.

Thanks for your input!

[RandallT]

Good luck sorting it all out!  That's still what I'm doing here, and it is a slow slog. Like Jason Day says, "Enjoy the process."

Pick something and get to work.  I had a good range session today, I'm feeling virtuous. I said to myself "no more putzing around." Lots of video. Review after each ball hit in fairly slow motion. Sped up as I was seeing close to what I wanted.  Never hit a ball full speed after about 40 balls, but I was dying to.  But I think I gained more awareness of what my body wanted to do vs. what I wanted it to do! 7 iron the whole time. People around me prob thought I was nuts wasting a small bucket with chunks < 100yds.

[colin007]

Couple things, Christian...And yes I saw your little quip about teachers with summers off ;-) Left arm perfectly straight isn't a necessity. Also the arms should stop moving when the shoulders stop turning (not that I'm that good at that lol)

[Elmer]

Couple things, Christian...And yes I saw your little quip about teachers with summers off

Left arm perfectly straight isn't a necessity.

Also the arms should stop moving when the shoulders stop turning (not that I'm that good at that lol)

That is it, I take back all the bad advise I have given you!

[colin007]

That is it, I take back all the bad advise I have given you!

Hahaha!!!

[RFKFREAK]

Good luck sorting it all out!  That's still what I'm doing here, and it is a slow slog. Like Jason Day says, "Enjoy the process."

Pick something and get to work.  I had a good range session today, I'm feeling virtuous. I said to myself "no more putzing around." Lots of video. Review after each ball hit in fairly slow motion. Sped up as I was seeing close to what I wanted.  Never hit a ball full speed after about 40 balls, but I was dying to.  But I think I gained more awareness of what my body wanted to do vs. what I wanted it to do! 7 iron the whole time. People around me prob thought I was nuts wasting a small bucket with chunks

Yeah, the only thing about that is that it's tough because I can't get to the range and start practice until 6 and I only get about an hours worth of sun light.

Overall, though, you're right - slow specific practice is where my mind should be - even if it's not as fun as just hitting balls, haha.

Couple things, Christian...And yes I saw your little quip about teachers with summers off

Left arm perfectly straight isn't a necessity.

Also the arms should stop moving when the shoulders stop turning (not that I'm that good at that lol)

You literally were the first person that came to mind that has a work schedule that's completely different than mine.

[colin007]

Yeah, the only thing about that is that it's tough because I can't get to the range and start practice until 6 and I only get about an hours worth of sun light. Overall, though, you're right - slow specific practice is where my mind should be - even if it's not as fun as just hitting balls, haha. You literally were the first person that came to mind that has a work schedule that's completely different than mine. :-$

You know I've been off work for almost 2 hours now....

[RFKFREAK]

You know I've been off work for almost 2 hours now....

[mailman]

Christian, Are your bad shots topped or fatted? Regards Mailman

[RFKFREAK]

Christian,

Are your bad shots topped or fatted?

Regards

Mailman

Yes, along with pushed, and at times, shots I hook.

But, to answer what I think you meant, moreso fat.  Topping usually only happens when hitting my woods.

[RFKFREAK]

So, as I said responding to (I believe) @RandallT , I went to the range and focused on rotating my shoulders around me as though there were a pole that runs from my head to the ground along the angle of my spine.  Here's a couple of videos with my 6I that I also posted in my swing thread:

So, I think I'm going to try and do the drill posted in this thread about 50 times a night and maybe with a club a few times a night so I can get a bit more accustomed to the feeling because right now, it feels very weird, haha.