My Swing (Ongle)

[Ongle]

I've been Playing Golf for: On and off (mostly off) for 18 years. Roughly 8 year gap from 19-27

My current handicap index or average score is: Anywhere from low 80's to high 90's

My typical ball flight is: High slice with the Driver, some go straight, some go weak high and left!

The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: As above, I just want to hit the bloody thing straight! :( And a tad bit lower and more "penetrating", although I could be hitting it the right height, I don't really know?

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I've recently had a couple of lessons which have been extremely helpful in eliminating my mild slice with my irons (it's not constant, but it's my default shot shape these days), with bringing my hands in closer around my left thigh, but we haven't discussed the big stick so I thought I'd upload a swing video and see what advice I get?

You'll have to excuse the filming, I was on my own and balancing my phone on my bag.

Videos:

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All 3 of these were way towards the heal but felt a decent enough connection to me and all 3 drifted off to the left

First was actually a nice straight ball flight, although still way off the heal. 2nd was as per usual, high slice (know myself I lent back on it) and 3rd was a top that went about 30 yards.

Also a photo of the typical strike I seem to get on the club face, it's all very heel orientated! Although this one was especially low. :(

Having filmed these videos, I did noticed I seemed a bit more upright than I thought I was, so sat down into it a bit more and the ball seemed to find the middle of the club a bit more?

Thanks for any input.

[jcjim]

I notice that you reach for the ball in set up... your arms and hands need to hang directly below your shoulders...

Practice:When you set up [ without a club] just let your arms hang straight down then take the club in your left hand and put in your right hand without moving the right arm... then let your left hand hang and move it directly to your grip...That's the way your arms should be with al the clubs..

[Ongle]

I notice that you reach for the ball in set up... your arms and hands need to hang directly below your shoulders... Practice:When you set up [ without a club] just let your arms hang straight down then take the club in your left hand and put in your right hand without moving the right arm... then let your left hand hang and move it directly to your grip...That's the way your arms should be with al the clubs..

Ok thanks, will give it a go. My thoughts on "reaching" for the ball at set up is that almost all of my strikes are towards the heal, so it's almost something I've got into my head that if I was closer to the ball I'd probably miss the bloody ball on the inside! Now I appreciate that's most probably rubbish, but it's kind if stuck in my head now and it's part of my routine. :-( I toyed with the idea of lining up the ball right on the toe to see see if as I swung that would then bring the contact point more into the centre of the club? But didn't have a whole lot of success with that. Basically this is the first time I've really bothered to work on my game and take it seriously and I'm fearful I'm gonna tinker and play around without knowing what I'm doing and do more harm than good?

[No Mulligans]

I'm kind of becoming an expert on looking for a steady head... it's something I've been working on for the last year.

In your video there is a pole in the background that lines up perfectly with the side of your head, watch how much your head moves away from the pole on your backswing.  A steady head is "key #1" from the 5SK that a lot of folks talk about on this site.  That is something you could work on.

As a comparison, check out this video and line up Adam Scott's head with something in the background and watch his head during the backswing.  (Swing starts at 0:53 of this video).

You could do some mirror work, use a mirror while taking swings without a ball and focus on a steady head.

And you could try this:

[Ongle]

Jesus, I see what you mean about my head! It must move 8in or more backwards on my backswing! Ok playing 9 tomorrow so will concentrate on keeping my head steady. Thanks buddy.

[No Mulligans]

Here is something else I was looking for:

http://thesandtrap.com/t/76114/how-to-make-a-centered-hip-turn

and this from that thread

[Ongle]

Here is something else I was looking for: [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/t/76114/how-to-make-a-centered-hip-turn]http://thesandtrap.com/t/76114/how-to-make-a-centered-hip-turn[/URL] and this from that thread

Thanks. Gonna take me a whole to digest all this, I really struggle with all these terms and descriptions of body part movements! Why can't all holes just be a nice right to left dogleg?! Is it too much to ask?

[boogielicious]

@Ongle ,

I think @No Mulligans has identified your first priority, steady head. In the screenshot below you can see how far your head has moved back from setup. In addition, your hips have also moved back. This mean you have to move much further forward from A4, top of backswing, to impact to get your weight forward and make consistent good contact. In addition, this affects the path of your club.

At impact, you have just got back to your set up point. At impact, your hips should be more forward than your setup position and turning towards your target.

Below is Jason Day at impact.

Start with the steady head drills and film them. Post the drills in this thread. Remember to start doing them slowly. Mirror work helps.

[mvmac]

Agree with what @boogielicious posted. Keeping the head centered is the first step to improving your contact and path issues. Moving it around makes low point control more erratic.

Another good thread for you to check out.

[Ongle]

Many thanks guys, lots to work on!

[ChrisWev]

I have/ had this problem too.

It's certain your heel hits that are having a big effect on the ball slicing/ fading with the driver (or more noticeable with driver), this is down to gear effect. It's good that you're aware of where you are striking it on the face though. This will cause a massive loss of distance too.

Your face and path numbers might be good if you're hitting it straight and it stays straight (this is likely happening when you hit it in the middle I would guess).

The above comments formt he other guys will hopefully help you hit it more central, when you get it closer to middle it will be easier to work out what your face and path are doing (unless your pro measures this) and should give you a more consitant ball flight and it will go miles further.

[Ongle]

Yes I'm definitely losing distance, I used to hit a lovely steel shafted 3 wood (was the size of a driver to be fair!) 260-280 back when I was 18-20 years old, with the odd one popping over 300, yet now, with newer technology, etc. I doubt I get my driver over 230?

Which is very frustrating as I can hit my 2i around 215 and am (or at least was!) far more consistent with it.

[ChrisWev]

Yes I'm definitely losing distance, I used to hit a lovely steel shafted 3 wood (was the size of a driver to be fair!) 260-280 back when I was 18-20 years old, with the odd one popping over 300, yet now, with newer technology, etc. I doubt I get my driver over 230?

Which is very frustrating as I can hit my 2i around 215 and am (or at least was!) far more consistent with it.

It could simply just be down to hitting it in the heel.

Example (based on flightscope trajectory optimiser):

Centre strike with driver

Swing speed: 100mph

Strike: Middle

Smash factor: 1.45

Ball speed 145mph

Launch: 17 degrees:

Carry: 245 yards

Heel strike with driver

Swing speed: 100mph

Strike: Heel

Smash factor: 1.25

Ball speed 125mph

Launch: 17 degrees:

Carry: 195 yards

Strike is absolutely critical

If your 2i or hybrid is going that far it suggests the same as someone who carries 250 with driver but just hits it in the middle more.

[Ongle]

It could simply just be down to hitting it in the heel. Example (based on flightscope trajectory optimiser): [U] Centre strike with driver [/U] Swing speed: 100mph Strike: Middle Smash factor: 1.45 Ball speed 145mph Launch: 17 degrees: Carry: 245 yards [U] Heel strike with driver [/U] Swing speed: 100mph Strike: Heel Smash factor: 1.25 Ball speed 125mph Launch: 17 degrees: Carry: 195 yards Strike is absolutely critical If your 2i or hybrid is going that far it suggests the same as someone who carries 250 with driver but just hits it in the middle more.

Oh yes, definitely the case. My 2i was always my go to club off the tee, so got pretty good with it. Have a blind, 211 yard par 3 at my local and swing nice and steady with the 2i and am always up at or around the green. That's the frustration with persevering with the driver during a round; it's far more erratic and I'm gaining minimal distance over the 2i (although even that is struggling at the moment due to swing changes). Went to range last night with friend of mine who plays off 11 but been as low as 3 and worked on keeping my head still and rotating hips around, rather than drawing them back too much. Was hitting it much more out the middle, felt nice. He was getting me to put a tad bit more weight into my back foot and splay my knees slightly, which really helped with the turn through. Absolutely murdered a couple, without really trying so think the distance will defo come back when I start getting it consistently out of the middle of the face.

[Ongle]

Just strange when the guys I play with are taking 1 or 2 more clubs on par 3s, but get a driver in my hand and I'm normally hitting first on the next shot.

[ChrisWev]

The driver is a hard club to hit, but so is the two iron. I don't think I've ever played with anyone that carries a two iron in all honesty.

[Ongle]

The driver is a hard club to hit, but so is the two iron. I don't think I've ever played with anyone that carries a two iron in all honesty.

Since I started playing again 4-5 years ago I haven't played a driver so hit 2i off of every par 4/5. It's one of those weird ones where I have just got in the groove with it. Not sure if I'm doing myself any favours by hanging onto it, but just like it. Never got on board the hybrid bus, never tried one even. I know it sounds stupid but I like it that my bag is different to your average driver, 3w, 2 hybrids, 5-sw bag. Probably not helping my game? Lol. I can hit it good though (apart from recent dip where Pro has adjusted hand position on backswing and it's taking while to get used to) so I've kind of thought "why not stick with it?"