My Swing (Logo)

[logo]

I've been Playing Golf for: 1 month

My current handicap index or average score is: 104 is my best thus far (yes I am bad)

My typical ball flight is: Driver is all over the place - hook, slice, and straight. Average distance is 212yards.

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: trying to improve driver. irons are next but they are ok for now.

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Videos:

[LL91]

It's not a bad looking swing. I'm by no means an expert here, but I'd start by working on your setup. Your stance is very wide, you could try narrowing it to slightly wider than shoulder width. A narrower stance makes getting your weight forward at impact easier. You're also standing very upright, you might want to lean forward more, letting your hands hang further away from your body.

Fixing the set up might lead to better consistency. There are other issues with your mechanics that need addressing, but I'd rather let the pros handle that for you. Good luck.

[CarlSpackler]

Hi @logo . I agree with @LL91 about being upright and narrowing your stance a bit. It might be camera angle, but it looks like either your feet are lined up closed to the target (to the right) or your shoulders are open. Whichever it is, you want to set up with your shoulders, hips and feet in alignment with each other. It also appears that you have a very weak grip. The first thing I would suggest is reviewing this thread and get that grip looking better. Hare are a few threads that can help you.

It does look like there is a lot of good stuff going on here though. Best of luck.

Added: Some other suggestions for future videos is to align your camera horizontally to get rid of the black stripes on the side and get the camera a little closer. Here is another thread on camera angles, etc.

[b101]

Hi @logo. I agree with @LL91 about being upright and narrowing your stance a bit. It might be camera angle, but it looks like either your feet are lined up closed to the target (to the right) or your shoulders are open. Whichever it is, you want to set up with your shoulders, hips and feet in alignment with each other. It also appears that you have a very weak grip. The first thing I would suggest is reviewing this thread and get that grip looking better. Hare are a few threads that can help you.

It does look like there is a lot of good stuff going on here though. Best of luck.

Added: Some other suggestions for future videos is to align your camera horizontally to get rid of the black stripes on the side and get the camera a little closer. Here is another thread on camera angles, etc.

Completely agree with this - the grip would be something I'd work on as soon as possible so that you get it feeling natural in the right place rather than having to unlearn it (having gone through that process myself, it's one I'd rather have avoided!). At the moment, your grip being under the club may well lead to slicing unless you put a load of compensations in place which result in a swing that's pretty tough to control. The alignment was the other thing that struck me - I'd move your left foot forward a bit, which should mean that you're lining up correctly. Whilst you can be slightly closed with the driver, parallel left (put a club down in front of your toes and out from the ball where you're aiming - the two should be parallel so if you extended them, they'd never meet) is ideal when starting out.

Loads of good stuff there, the tempo is nice and your basic movements are much better than most beginners - keep it up and keep posting!

[logo]

OK, so by weak grip (what I got from the link provided) was that my right hand is turned too much out to the right? (i am a lefty)

Also went out today and tried to move the club out a bit so I would lean over more and keep my hands out. I hooked every shot bad. I assume this is from my grip. I feel my wrist turn/twist causing me to hook it. I do not do this with my higher (7-pw) irons, just the lower clubs and really bad with the driver.

[logo]

OK I found two articles on weak/strong grips:

http://www.golfwrx.com/177590/clark-make-your-grip-match-your-swing/

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2012-07/tom-watson-grip

I just made that change to a weak grip as I thought I was seeing too many of my knuckles but I guess its a weak grip. One thing I know for sure is that my hook is there regardless.

[b101]

OK I found two articles on weak/strong grips:

http://www.golfwrx.com/177590/clark-make-your-grip-match-your-swing/

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2012-07/tom-watson-grip

I just made that change to a weak grip as I thought I was seeing too many of my knuckles but I guess its a weak grip. One thing I know for sure is that my hook is there regardless.

In the first golfwrx post, I'd say you have the grip in photo 2 (the right hand or, in your case left, is too far underneath the club). Aim for the neutral in photo 1 and whilst it'll feel really odd at first and you will probably hit some horrible shots to start with, it will make a lot of things easier in the long run. Have a watch of this, too - his tips are generally pretty good:

[iacas]

In the first golfwrx post, I'd say you have the grip in photo 2 (the right hand or, in your case left, is too far underneath the club). Aim for the neutral in photo 1 and whilst it'll feel really odd at first and you will probably hit some horrible shots to start with, it will make a lot of things easier in the long run. Have a watch of this, too - his tips are generally pretty good:

The problem with that video is that very few slicers are pointing the clubface right of the target line at impact as he demonstrated.

I prefer a very slightly stronger grip for most people, but it has a bit more to do with Key #3 than Key #5.

[CarlSpackler]

Before we go too much farther with the grip, I would get a close up photo/video of your grip. Again, it was pretty hard to tell in the video you posted. When I say close-up, I mean get in there so that we can really see your hands. I would also like to see a close up as if you were addressing a ball (club on the ground), not with the club in the air.

[logo]

These should help

[boogielicious]

@logo

Check out the thread below.  Your trail hand (right hand) should rest over the front hand thumb.  See the trail hand section.

[logo]

@logo

Check out the thread below.  Your trail hand (right hand) should rest over the front hand thumb.  See the trail hand section.

Gotcha. Should be heading to the range or maybe to play a few holes tonight so I will try it out.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

@logo

Check out the thread below.  Your trail hand (right hand) should rest over the front hand thumb.  See the trail hand section.

Gotcha. Should be heading to the range or maybe to play a few holes tonight so I will try it out.

It will take a couple weeks for the change to feel normal.

[logo]

Well I went to the range and hit about 200 balls....

And I actually hit the ball straight about 65% of the time! I used the grip on the video, gripped a bit lower on the club and stepped a bit back to bend down more, and made my stance less wide. It worked. Many of my shots were pretty good compared to many being bad. In fact, all of my clubs from driver-9i were much better. Now of course it was one good day on the range and I have to get used to this grip but so far so good. I just cant believe i wasnt hooking every shot. I will take a video of my new grip/stance over the next day or two so I can start working on that.

[boogielicious]

Well I went to the range and hit about 200 balls....

And I actually hit the ball straight about 65% of the time! I used the grip on the video, gripped a bit lower on the club and stepped a bit back to bend down more, and made my stance less wide. It worked. Many of my shots were pretty good compared to many being bad. In fact, all of my clubs from driver-9i were much better. Now of course it was one good day on the range and I have to get used to this grip but so far so good. I just cant believe i wasnt hooking every shot. I will take a video of my new grip/stance over the next day or two so I can start working on that.

Keep at it.  Also, consider practicing a different way than just hitting a lot of ball.  See the thread below.  It really works and puts less wear and tear on your body.

[CarlSpackler]

Can you post a pics of your new grip and maybe some new swing video?

A few other things I notice in the latest pics is that your left foot appears to set back (behind you) from your right foot where your shoulders appear to be square. I'm assuming that your target line is in line with your hitting mat not at an angle. It also looks like your club face is laying open at address (pointing left) in line with your feet. I would keep your feet, hips and shoulders in line and try to square up the club face. If your target line is at an angle to your mat, then your shoulders are open to the target which is pretty common. Either way, I would like to see you square things up at address. What would be helpful is to put an alignment rod or club shaft on the ground at your feet parallel to your target line.

[logo]

Can you post a pics of your new grip and maybe some new swing video?

A few other things I notice in the latest pics is that your left foot appears to set back (behind you) from your right foot where your shoulders appear to be square. I'm assuming that your target line is in line with your hitting mat not at an angle. It also looks like your club face is laying open at address (pointing left) in line with your feet. I would keep your feet, hips and shoulders in line and try to square up the club face. If your target line is at an angle to your mat, then your shoulders are open to the target which is pretty common. Either way, I would like to see you square things up at address. What would be helpful is to put an alignment rod or club shaft on the ground at your feet parallel to your target line.

Thanks. Yes its at an angle with my left foot slightly back more - I dont know why that feels natural. Yesterday at the range I did use a club to line everything up and made myself stay square. I am not sure what my club face was doing but I believe it was more square than normal. The reason I was putting the face out a bit is because it was helping me not hook (which i know isnt the solution to the hook). If I have some time today I will take a new video/pics. I should definitely have time to get it up over the next day or two though.

[logo]

Went out on sat and sun and got a new best - 102. Sat every shot was straight and perfect. Then yesterday every drive sliced and every iron hooked. so...here is a pic of my new grip and videos of my swing based on the input you all gave. My wife/kids are making noise in the background so mute it:)