My Swing (Alx)

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, Alx said:

Thanks for the kind words and comments. 

Watched the video you guys posted multiple times. I can see the hip turn being on the low end but I dont think I can move the weight forwards any sooner or Ill fall over. If that's what you meant?

Comparing to a few pro swings I don't see my trail leg or weight shift lagging behind much if at all? Am I just dead wrong?

Im heading to the range tomorrow so I'll see what I can do and report back. Im doubtful on the more power thing but well see. I'll get some better angles and try my friends phones to see if they have better framerates.

I don't know for sure, but it seems like if you already getting your "body" into the shot then that's probably fine. More hip turn and weight shift give you some extra oomph, not that you seem to need it.

[DeadMan]

1 hour ago, Alx said:

Thanks for the kind words and comments. 

Watched the video you guys posted multiple times. I can see the hip turn being on the low end but I dont think I can move the weight forwards any sooner or Ill fall over. If that's what you meant?

Comparing to a few pro swings I don't see my trail leg or weight shift lagging behind much if at all? Am I just dead wrong?

Im heading to the range tomorrow so I'll see what I can do and report back. Im doubtful on the more power thing but well see. I'll get some better angles and try my friends phones to see if they have better framerates.

To me, in your backswing in the FO video, it looks like you were just turning your shoulders and not your hips. That video is meant to help with that. Flaring your feet should help unlock your hips a bit more. Also, you have a bit of head movement at the end of the backswing; that would help minimize it.

That said, I looked again at your videos, and from DTL, it doesn't look as stiff in the hips. Better quality videos would really help to narrow everything down. Definitely give the video a shot though; it could help.

[Alx]

On 4/13/2016 at 11:07 PM, Lihu said:

I don't know for sure, but it seems like if you already getting your "body" into the shot then that's probably fine. More hip turn and weight shift give you some extra oomph, not that you seem to need it.

 

On 4/13/2016 at 11:22 PM, DeadMan said:

To me, in your backswing in the FO video, it looks like you were just turning your shoulders and not your hips. That video is meant to help with that. Flaring your feet should help unlock your hips a bit more. Also, you have a bit of head movement at the end of the backswing; that would help minimize it.

That said, I looked again at your videos, and from DTL, it doesn't look as stiff in the hips. Better quality videos would really help to narrow everything down. Definitely give the video a shot though; it could help.

Good thoughts thanks. 

I think my hip and shoulder turn are much better now. I've sort of felt stuck in the backswing if you will but now I've managed to "unlock" myself. I've concentrated on rotating the shoulders a bit more since I felt that would carry over to the hips. Seems to have done the trick? I think the DTL just hides the problems atleast I feel alot different now and I feel like Ive gotten even more distance. My 5i carry on the range is hovering around 190-200m. Havent been able to take it to the course yet. I get a bit timid on the course, stiffen up and slow down the swing alot to not mishit and end up thinning shots.

So heres what I've got now, not a full speed swing but getting close with a full backswing:

 

I know the angles are a bit iffy but it was the best i could get. Still stuck with my poor camera.

[Alx]

I've been strugglin with good contact. All of my misses have been thin slices or in the more extreme cases dead cold tops. Dumbest feeling to wait for a hole to clear and hit a 50m 3w top...

Looking at the videos with frames caught on impact my position looks very upright/straight/stiff and there's very little forward shaft lean. I think the lack of shaft lean and consequently the swing bottoming out very close after or at the ball simply makes the timing required to hit a good shot too unforgiving. Also my iron shots are ballooning ridicilously high.

 

So what I've been doing

-Trying to calm the lower body a bit. I sort of jump before impact and feel like it throws me off balance and doesnt allow me to move through the ball if you will

-Shoulders through the shot while maintaining my angles

-Allow the club to release

-Hitting more into the ball

 

Been practicing infront of a mirror and just hitting the ball different.

[Alx]

Updates.

Contact has gotten much better. So much that I've started gaming my 3 wood and 4 hybrid that I've been fearing to hit because of their flexy graphite shafts. Hitting the 3 wood is kinda pointless as I hit the 4i further and its more accurate but it's nice knowing I can hit it. This is mainly because the shaft is simply so flexy that I cant hit it properly with my swing speed.

Shot my first round under 90 today 88 to be exact. 46 on the front and 42 on the back nine. The back nine was looking to be insane but I had a few horrid breaks on the last 2 holes. A double on the par 5 and a bogey on the last par 4. Cant wait to get my clubs back. I had to send the 5-7irons in cause the heads came loose. I should be able to shave off a couple strokes off simply with having all my clubs.

I had a few great shots today. One in particular where I was about 175m steepish uphill from the flag and I told my playing partner I was going to hit a fade to kill some of the distance from my 4i. I hit it absolutely perfect was about 2 meters from the flag. Missed the putt for birdie obviously...

 

All in all I think Im on the right track making the right changes. Shooting for a scratch hc under 1 year. Currently at 19 with a little under 4 months to go!

Edited May 8, 2016 by Alx

[Alx]

Updates.

Things are going well. I've been making much better contact on the last few rounds and practice sessions. My mishits with the long clubs are losing about 10-20% in distance  so it's still pretty considerable and something I have to work on but as the shots still fly straight they're not game breaking. I've left the 4h,3w and driver out of the bag as they weren't really giving me anything and instead I've been using a Nike Vapor Fly Pro 2 iron.

I realized that it wasn't worth it with those clubs as I hit the 2 just as far and more accurate. The few perfect shots that I get during a round carry 240m and mishits are generally around 200-220m. I'm still hitting the ball really soft and I know that once the swing starts feeling more comfortable I can still hit it further.

I can also work the ball both ways and I've actually hit some really pretty shots on the course. Oddly enough I've not mishit any of the ones I've tried to work right or left it's usually when I just need a straight shot. Maybe I dont try as hard on the "easy" shots? Obviously at this point Im only working the shots when its the only option I've got.

Short game and putting are showing promise but bad is an understatement at this point...

 

Swing changes

So what have I been changing. Well after looking at videos and trying some stuff on the range I've gone for a more neutral grip. Trying to hit it straight with a very strong grip was not letting me release the club properly and I would end up hitting uncontrollable fades. Just changing my grip has made the swing a lot more free and Im getting that effortless distance.

I've also been working on my timing. Slowing down the backswing has improved tempo and made things more consistent.

I've made these changes based on feel alone so I've not taken video since making them. The thinking behind this has been to not try and go for a position that looks a certain way but see if I go by feel where I end up. 

 

On the course

A few days back I played the back nine(par 36 3000m) to a 37. No lucky breaks just simply doing what I've been practicing and keeping my cool. A birdie on the par 5, 2 bogeys and 6 pars. I had 2 other looks for birdie but missed putts. Was very happy with the result but knowing I had a very good look at an under par half... Played the front nine the next day to a 42 so combined to a cool 79. Cant wait to shoot under 80 in an actual round!

Short game and putting are awful. Just awful. BUT on the bright side I'm not duffing or thinning shots but just hitting them too long/short so it's mostly an issue with club selection/ not knowing my distances.

HC

Down to a 14 with a little over 3 months to go.

 

This is what I've got now:

 

[Alx]

Updates

I've been struggling with slices and a strong fade. Looking at a few recent videos I've moved the ball a lot closer(by accident) which forces me to come over the top. Moving the ball further away straightened the ball flight nicely. 

Been trying to get a steeper backswing. I tend to take the club behind my body and make an arc to get in the correct position at the top. There's still an arc there but it's less pronounced in my opinion. This has helped with consistency.

 

 

[Alx]

Updates

Swing has come along nicely. I've finally managed to nail down why my swing has been so erratic. Going from great to not even hitting the ball. I sometimes get this thought of hitting down and when I do I really hit down. As if I was trying to hammer a nail with the club. Now this leads to all kinds of wacky contact. So I've been keeping just 1 thought "Sideways not down". I guess for most it would be swing through? 

As a result I shot 81 today at the course. Now I have to admit that I did relapse a bit on a couple of shots but managed to recover my swing. All in all this is probably the first time I've really felt like I've kept my swing intact throughout the round. So well infact that I went for a shot over a hazard on the last hole. I had to carry 215m to get over the water. I hit my 2i 230ish and cleared the water easily. Now the hole Is downhill so I knew I had a bit of play I only needed a good hit to get over.

 

Now I've also been working on a few other things.

-I've tried shortening the backswing a tad to get the club to stop without shaking around so much. Also tried to keep the backswing pace steady and not yank the club back so hard.

-Clubhead path in the backswing. And keeping the lead arm off the chest going back to prevent that arm from going "behind".

Now I realize there doesn't look to be much difference but again the difference in feel is massive and Im not getting stuck in the swing as I sometimes have.

 

Heres what I've got now. Im hitting off a mat so Im trying to pick the ball off clean. I've learned my lesson trying to take a "divot" off a mat...

 

[Alx]

A quick video update after an amazing practice session today. Consistent strike. Straight.

Not much more to say:

 

 

[Alx]

Update uh...

Past few weeks have been a struggle to say the least. Nothing has been working. My swing suddenly went from great to borderline unplayable. Now theres been some issues unrelated to golf that I'd put most of the blame on but still. Disappointed with the past few weeks...

Had my SS clocked at 115-120

 

A few things I'd really like to get some thoughts on:

-I've been told and tried to shorten my backswing and I've tried but I make poor contact, cant find my tempo and shank short irons like nuts and eventually give up... So is it worth it?

-Shaft lean at impact. I hit very high shots which I would mostly attribute to delofting the club very little. I wouldnt worry about this but recently I've been thinning a few more shots than Id like. When I hit it well theres a divot after the ball so theres still some lean there.

 

I tested a 3 wood yesterday. M2 with a stock S shaft. Too flexy for my taste but I hit it very well after getting used to it.

 

[amoline]

On 7/12/2016 at 2:57 AM, Alx said:

A few things I'd really like to get some thoughts on:

-I've been told and tried to shorten my backswing and I've tried but I make poor contact, cant find my tempo and shank short irons like nuts and eventually give up... So is it worth it?

Yes, very much so. Every day I struggle with making my swing shorter, and when I do get it right, it feels soooo good. It's a struggle, for sure. It's a much different move firing from a shorter position. Once you accomplish it completely, you will have better and more solid contact. Obviously you have no trouble creating speed.

One of your issues is you have no spine tilt (secondary axis tilt for the technical folks) and this means that your arms have little room. If you set up vertically over the ball, this causes you to be coming in steeper than you would otherwise. The key to knowing where your backswing will be at is when you can make as full of a turn as you're able without losing the spine tilt you set up at address. 

Even Bubba Watson swing's, as long as it is, he still maintains the tilt he set up at address. (he also has impeccable, practiced timing too). 

Compare your address position to your position as close to impact as you can get it -- see spine tilt? Your body inherently knows it needs to be there so it has to throw itself back behind the ball. This would definitely create timing issues and your poor shots.

So yes, very worth it ultimately to answer your original question. I get impatient and expect all my problems to be fixed within a bucket of range balls once I know what the problem is, but the fact is it's not happening. Old habits are hard to break and they will come back, too. 

-Shaft lean at impact. I hit very high shots which I would mostly attribute to delofting the club very little. I wouldnt worry about this but recently I've been thinning a few more shots than Id like. When I hit it well theres a divot after the ball so theres still some lean there.

This is probably related to the first issue. Even if you can create a lot of speed, an extra long swing is more difficult to time transition to. Takes lots more patience. Shaft lean on video isn't the be all end all. The height to your shots will have a lot to do with spin, club head speed (of which you have lots). Again, a shorter swing (ie less arm/hand overrun) will make it easier -- in time -- to accelerate properly to and through impact. Shorter and more compact swings are better for timing for most players. I have shortened my swing just a little, and still going, and contact has improved. I'm excited to see what it is like when I get where it needs to be. It just takes immense skill to handle a swing that's very long. I can't find a photo but just from my memory your 3w swing looks even longer than Bubba's, and even at a high club head speed, sometimes it's just not with us mere mortals to be able to square the kind of swing up. Heck, even Bubba who is my favorite player can get some wild driver misses, and I'm sure he practices more than any of us. 

 

Just a hunch, but I would say when you get good contact and the post-ball divot is when you happened to not swing back so far or you simply had slightly better transition timing. 

Would really encourage keeping at the making the swing shorter- - start with some spine tilt at your setup.

First of all, nice swing. I've not been playing a super long time either but still hard at it. I put some comments in italics above. 

[Alx]

On 7/14/2016 at 8:38 AM, amoline said:

First of all, nice swing. I've not been playing a super long time either but still hard at it. I put some comments in italics above. 

Have not had time to write on this thread but I did read through your post and some really good ideas there and some similar to what I found. I've been working on things and made some progress. I feel like more axis tilt makes me hit the ground way before the ball but I'll give it a try.

My swing got so bad it was literally unplayable. Misses were off the planet and I was shooting 100+ scores... So I went back to older videos of the start of the season where I had the best and most consistent results both on the range and course. A few things that caught my eye:

-My swing has gotten longer. Probably a combination of summer temps and better flexibility. And as amoline suggested timing it all is probably just too difficult. Looking at the way the club dips at the top it's really no surprise things have gotten so inconsistent.

-I've felt stuck coming down. As in its felt like I cant get the clubhead to the ball. On my recent swing videos I have the trail elbow behind the body. It's quite clear in the slowmotion video that my right elbow actually hits my side and just stops.

-Grip got very funky.

 

So what I've been doing

-Shorten the backswing, reduce club dip.

-Getting the arms in front of the body on the downswing. 

-Strengthen the grip

 

Things have been much better and I've been hitting consistent good shots.

Now I recently got a new phone with 240 fps video recording. The slowmo part at the end is at 1/33 speed.

 

[Alx]

Finally got around to getting a driver. Pretty pleased with this little practice:

 

 

[Alx]

Season is coming to an end and Im really pleased with where I've gotten.

I did not quite make it to scratch but I made it down to 10. I could have possible made more progress hcp wise had I put more focus on putting and short game instead of nitpicking with the swing. Best round was a 79.

 

Now I know it looks like an indie horror movie but I was just striking the ball so well I had to get it on video.

Carried this shot 190m which is a bit on the low end but it was pretty cold at only a couple degs above freezing.

[Alx]

Winter is finally coming to and end and I can get to playing outdoors. I've been hitting balls 1/week at an indoor range with an instructor and doing a lot of mirror work when I've needed to groove something new in my swing.

 

At the end of last year I was getting very toey with my irons especially mid-long. I was losing some distance but the shots were still most of the time playable. Woods were a bit toey aswell but I also had a problem where I could hit a terrible heely stinger that barely got in the air. When I was well rested I could compensate and make good swings I could hit great shots after another but then all of a sudden struggle to even hit the ball.

Looking back my scores were pretty good compared to how I felt about my game.

 

So what I've been working on:

-Shorter backswing.

-Trail leg on the ground during contact

-Arms down first feel as if the lower body does nothing  <---- This made contact so much better. No more toey shots!

-Swing more around the body and less up

-Tried to bring ball flight down a bit

-Stronger grip to tone the fade down a little

This was a little fade.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Alx

[Alx]

 

Here's a few positions I was checking. 

The camera was a bit tilted as you can see from the trees in the back.

[Alx]

Todays practice was a bit difficult. I was striking the ball well but I really struggled with feeling where the clubface was pointed. Took some video to see if I was doing something obvious but doesn't really look any different to my (un)trained eye.

Must've been the cold. It was snowing and only a few degrees celc above 0 when the sun was up.

 

 

[Alx]

 

Here's a few more swings from better angles.

I don't wanna jinx it... but Im really pleased with the swing right now. 1 way miss, consistent flight, good contact.