My Swing (Suchmo)

[Suchmo]

Thanks again, Erik. I'll work on continuing to turn earlier without keeping the right arm straight for too long or letting the right leg straighten excessively. If there's anything else for me to keep an eye on in the meantime, let me know and I'll work on it.

[Suchmo]

I had a lesson today where I discussed my slow swing speed with the instructor (70mph 7 iron; 80mph driver). He intimated that swing speed wasn't something that could really be worked on and suggested equipment as an alternative route to the same goal. (However, the thought of dropping £300 on new, fitted irons instead of on green fees is not a pleasant prospect.) We also found on Trackman that my swing path was consistently 5° out to in. I experimented with hitting a draw instead, which added ~15 yards of carry to my 7 iron.

Thoughts?

[mchepp]

  On 8/3/2016 at 6:22 PM, Suchmo said:

I had a lesson today where I discussed my slow swing speed with the instructor (70mph 7 iron; 80mph driver). He intimated that swing speed wasn't something that could really be worked on and suggested equipment as an alternative route to the same goal. (However, the thought of dropping £300 on new, fitted irons instead of on green fees is not a pleasant prospect.) We also found on Trackman that my swing path was consistently 5° out to in. I experimented with hitting a draw instead, which added ~15 yards of carry to my 7 iron.

Thoughts?

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My thought is that you are going to get WAY more distance/swing speed from improved mechanics in your golf swing than any equipment you can buy. You are much better off working on that -5 degree swing path than new equipment. 

[Suchmo]

Indeed. I have to admit that I found the lesson to be pretty unhelpful, though the measurements of swing speed and path were informative. The instructor got me to set up aligned considerably to the right of my target then got me to "work my hands harder through impact" to get a draw. He then said, "Don't do this on the course, just when practising. Align with the target when on the course." As far as I can tell he wants me to practise a pull-draw on the driving range, and then on the course... well, I 'm not sure what to do on the course. Do I mimic the same feel and hit a pull draw way to the left, or stop working the hands on the course and hit my high, short pull-fade as usual?  Am I missing something? Help?!

[iacas]

  On 8/6/2016 at 12:09 PM, Suchmo said:

Indeed. I have to admit that I found the lesson to be pretty unhelpful, though the measurements of swing speed and path were informative. The instructor got me to set up aligned considerably to the right of my target then got me to "work my hands harder through impact" to get a draw. He then said, "Don't do this on the course, just when practising. Align with the target when on the course." As far as I can tell he wants me to practise a pull-draw on the driving range, and then on the course... well, I 'm not sure what to do on the course. Do I mimic the same feel and hit a pull draw way to the left, or stop working the hands on the course and hit my high, short pull-fade as usual?  Am I missing something? Help?!

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I don't know who you worked with, but I generally don't like "work my hands harder through impact."

In virtually all of the great players I've had the pleasure of working with their hands aren't doing much through impact, let alone "working." They're "doing" things, to be clear, they're just not "making" them do too much. There's no time… it's just physics at that point. Let what is going to happen, happen.

I'd find a different (significantly better?) instructor.

[Suchmo]

Thanks Erik. Any thoughts on how to move a swing path away from an out-to-in path (with clubs other than the driver as I see this is a in the link you posted)?

[iacas]

I'm reluctant to say without a recent good video.

[Suchmo]

Having gone to a different instructor, I am confident I am now on the right track. How do I know? The instructor filmed my swing and basically stated that my priority was the same as the last piece of advice given by Erik: Turn more and earlier in order to not get my left elbow stuck behind me. As this instructor has the advantage of watching me move, he was able to show me how to do this and check I was doing it in the swing too. When I did, I soon found myself hitting a more solid shots and a draw.

I will embed this and then post some videos of the result. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Suchmo