My Swing (Sassafrass)

[Sassafrass]

I've been Playing Golf for: Off and out for 10 years

My current handicap index or average score is: 24

My typical ball flight is: Straight or Slice

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Slice

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Videos:

[boogielicious]

Thanks for posting a video @Sassafrass .

I was unable to download your video into Analyzer for some reason.  But, that being said, your hips move backward in the backswing.  You also may be going to far in the backswing as well.  It doesn't really give you any more power.

I recommend reviewing the thread below.  Mike discusses the benefits of staying centered in the backswing and how it affects the downswing.  Part of the reason you slice is because you have to move your hips a lot to get you weight forward at impact because you sway back.

Also check out the thread below.

[mvmac]

Agree with @boogielicious with the hips, would also recommend this thread.

[Sassafrass]

Thank you @mvmac and @boogielicious for your feedback.

I've been using my GoPro to record my swings.  I recorded the videos at 720, 50 fps.  The lens is a fish eye lens, so the field of view is stretched.  Would that affect affect your Analyzer @boogielicious ?

Today I went to the range after work and tried working on my hips.  When I reviewed all the videos I took, I put my cursor on my right hip.  During the swing I would check to see if my hip crossed over my cursor.  For the most part my hip didn't cross over the cursor.  What do you think of my hips in the following video?

I also tried rotating my left shoulder to the middle of my chest during my back-swing.  I am not sure if my left/right shoulder are where they should be.  Does my right shoulder end up being to high?

[Sassafrass]

Ok so the face is basically matching up with the path and I'm assuming somewhat centered face contact. There might be an issue with the way you're trying to swing out, some golfers make the mistake of shallowing out their torso and staying closed for too long. Tough to say without seeing a swing.

I looked at some of my recent videos I've taken over the past week. It looks like the ball is making contact with the face a little off center.  It might be a full ball closer to the toe than the middle of the face.  My shoulders are parallel with the target line at impact.

What do you mean by shallowing out my torso?

Would a shot off the toe be part of the reason I sometimes push the shot out 10-15 yards?  Or am i just coming more in to out with an more open club face?

[mvmac]

What do you mean by shallowing out my torso?

"Standing up" on the downswing in order to swing out. You want to pivot 90 degrees to you address inclination (green line). Shallowing out the torso would be changing that "tilt" (orange line).

Try to post a swing.

[SavvySwede]

If you pause the video at the top of the backswing in this video it appears your head has rotated so much the ball is only in your peripheral vision. Your spine appears to be leaning back as well. Instead of trying to get your left shoulder moving toward the middle of your chest, I suggest you try to get the sensation that the shoulder is moving more downward and toward the right foot.

[Sassafrass]

Here's my mid-season update.

The main things I've worked on were keeping my head steady, keeping my left wrist flat, not swaying in my back swing, and developing an in to out swing path.

If you pause the video at the top of the backswing in this video it appears your head has rotated so much the ball is only in your peripheral vision. Your spine appears to be leaning back as well. Instead of trying to get your left shoulder moving toward the middle of your chest, I suggest you try to get the sensation that the shoulder is moving more downward and toward the right foot.

I tried moving my shoulder down towards my right foot today.  It felt a lot better.  Thanks for the advice!

[Duff McGee]

Your swing looks nice but I don't understand how some of you guys can 1) even see the ball turning so far away and 2) make solid contact having to whip your body around to square up. It seems so much more complicated.

[mvmac]

Here's my mid-season update.

The main things I've worked on were keeping my head steady, keeping my left wrist flat, not swaying in my back swing, and developing an in to out swing path.

Watch that set-up.

- Get the hips more forward.

- Turn the feet out.

It'll help keep the hips centered on the backswing and move them more forward/create more axis tilt (green lines) on the downswing.

[Sassafrass]

Watch that set-up.

- Get the hips more forward.

- Turn the feet out.

It'll help keep the hips centered on the backswing and move them more forward/create more axis tilt (green lines) on the downswing.

I just tried this in the backyard.  What sensation should I be feeling.   It felt like I was falling backwards.  Also, do you know of a thread that talks about keeping the hips forward?  Thanks for the feed back.

[mvmac]

I just tried this in the backyard.  What sensation should I be feeling.   It felt like I was falling backwards.  Also, do you know of a thread that talks about keeping the hips forward?  Thanks for the feed back.

I'd start in the mirror first. Just push the hips a little forward at address, don't move the head back to get the "tilt" right.

[Sassafrass]

For the last few range sessions I tried moving my hips farther and father forward at address.  I've also been trying to push my hips forward during my backswing.  Today was the first day my lower back was sore after the range session.  Is that a sign that I'm making a more centered hip turn?

Also, when I push my hips forward on the backswing I feel all the weight of my shot on the inside my right foot.  Is that a correct feeling to have?

[mvmac]

For the last few range sessions I tried moving my hips farther and father forward at address.  I've also been trying to push my hips forward during my backswing.  Today was the first day my lower back was sore after the range session.  Is that a sign that I'm making a more centered hip turn?

Also, when I push my hips forward on the backswing I feel all the weight of my shot on the inside my right foot.  Is that a correct feeling to have?

Lower back shouldn't be sore.

Feels will vary from player to player, there is no "correct" feeling, example: someone who moves their head forward is going to feel something much different than someone who moves the head back. Instead of pushing the hips forward on the backswing, just turn them "in a circle".

[Sassafrass]

Over the past two weeks I've been focusing on flaring my feet, a reverse k set up at address, and moving the hips slightly forward in the back swing.  I think when I move the hips correctly I feel pressure on the inside of my left foot.

I've been having a little trouble with the foot flare on my left foot. I do fine with the foot flare in the mirror but when i'm standing over the ball my left foot becomes stubborn and wants to say square.

My ball flight is starting to develop into a ball flight that penetrates.  I've also noticed my driver/3wood are starting to hit more fairways.

[mvmac]

Keep working on the backswing piece and keep your eyeline more centered. Don't let it shift so far off the ball.

And then start to work on sliding the hips forward on the downswing.

Couple good drills to add to your practice.

[Sassafrass]

I think I'm starting to get my weight more forward in my downswing.  I noticed I've been topping a lot of shots or hitting the ball thin.  Is this a common fault of someone who is trying to move their weight forward in the downswing?

I'm having a little trouble with my left foot still.  I think I'll spend the whole next range session with it  way over flared.  Hopefully it will help make it feel more natural when it's flared properly.  My goal is to be able to see the Addias strips on on both feet on the front on videos.

What's causing my head to get pushed out of the way by my shoulders?  Is it because I bring my club around my body during my backswing instead of keeping my club on plane?  I can feel when my head stays still and doesn't get pushed out of the way by my shoulders.  I'm not sure what i'm doing thought when it happens.

[iacas]

I think I'm starting to get my weight more forward in my downswing.  I noticed I've been topping a lot of shots or hitting the ball thin.  Is this a common fault of someone who is trying to move their weight forward in the downswing?

The lag gets thrown out, because the arms are slow to come down. Keep working on what you're doing now though.

What's causing my head to get pushed out of the way by my shoulders?  Is it because I bring my club around my body during my backswing instead of keeping my club on plane?  I can feel when my head stays still and doesn't get pushed out of the way by my shoulders.  I'm not sure what i'm doing thought when it happens.

Unless you can twist your neck so much you can look over your left shoulder and see your back… that's normal.