My Swing (roamin)

[roamin]

My buddy recorded my driver swing the other day with an app he had. The FPS is crap as the export from the app was limited without the "elite" version ($$).

I had always played the ball in the middle of my stance and hit down/level with the driver. I'd read this post about hitting it on the upswing before and attempted it a few times but couldn't get the hang of it. Around the time I watched the Pete Cowen video referenced in the previous post (and another one with Martin Chuck where he talks about controlling the clubface and what the weight of the club is doing), it all seemed to click a bit. Not sure what it was exactly, just that it is now "okay" (in my head) to do it. (edit: the videos are really unrelated, it was just a few days later that I tried this again because I had begun smashing drives better than ever but still wanted 10 more yards ;)

The result of this shot looked like a push, but I was lined up to the right to offset any leftward path generated from the upswing and probably way too much, as I was afraid I might draw the ball. In actuality, it was dead straight and right where I lined up.  On the next hole I adjusted my aim to "just barely" right and smashed it straight up the right side of the fairway.

(btw, focus on this swing was just "smooth tempo" and pretending I was on the range with the camera)

Also, it felt weird to start with the club in front of my hands, so I think I'm too far forward over the ball at address and need to move my swing center (shoulder) back a ball before I even start the swing.

I also don't like how my head and left shoulder pull up, but I'm sure that's caused by something earlier in the swing though. Maybe just need to get left hip further forward? My head didn't really move past where it started, so maybe starting it a hair () back at address could help as well.

 

 

[roamin]

Long update...I've been playing my fade for a little while and can eliminate the left side of the course with it. Lately, I've had trouble a few holes into a round when I start "trying" to fade it and start slicing. 

Refocusing on my hips turning with no sway back and introducing a better arm path on the backswing has my swing feeling really nice, but kinda made matters worse for a bit...I started hitting the ball straighter...and missing left with straight-draws (thus the "trying" to fade it). The more I worked on a "good swing" the harder it was to picture a pull-fade. 

Lately, I've been spending more time working on clubface and shot curve drills and not on my swing pieces, per se (but aware of them and checking alignment and feels during practice). Normally, just a target about 10 yards out, hitting to either side, sometimes working in curve.

Really trying to focus on (and figure out) what allows me to hit to one side or the other with "the same swing". To the right (straight-fades, pushes, and push-fades) is easy, but incorporating draw spin (reliably) can be difficult. As eluded to above I have a hard time starting the ball left, even a small amount. Especially when I focus on a good hip turn and weight transfer.

Have continued to slow things down and have noticed a few "keys" regarding my ability to "swing properly", start the ball right or left, and which way the ball curves after impact.

• aiming properly
  • I over exaggerate right or left aligment and clubface aim, and get into my own head a bit.
• weight transfer during downswing
  • doing this well on every swing seems to allow me to use ball position and aim a bit more to control curve (better predictability)
• turn rate on downswing
  • turning early seems to guarantee weight back and a swipe at the ball
• head/upper body too far forward
  • upper body getting too far forward seems to force me to pull the club across (and head and lead shoulder go up)
• hand depth
  • When (since) I roll them over and pull them inside too much, starting just a little left of the target line requires a major aim change (and can result in push-fades and slices).
  • Have been working with this hand depth video from @iacas and it seems very helpful, but in a unexpected way (to me, at least). The biggest affect I've noticed is on my ability to return the clubface to where I aimed it. Seems to happen (more often and) much more easily, even to the left.
• I think a lot of these causes and affects are good buddies, hang out together, and egg each other on. 

The hand depth part has been huge. I've never hit a pull (on purpose) before without really closing the face at address or during the swing, but the result for me is normally a nasty slice.

The last few practice sessions have been slow and methodical, alternating time between each side of the target and incorporating curves as the session goes on. Things (feel like they) are getting more predictable and that I actually do know a bit more about what I'm doing to cause a fade or draw.

Now, I don't think I have anything "figured out", but I have spent the last two sessions working on shot cones. A concept that I had just recently written off to players with better swings than mine. 

Taking the kids to the driving range tomorrow, hoping to get some video to post.

 

[freshmanUTA]

Are you actively trying to swing up on the driver? I don't want to make you conscious of something incorrect but you may be pulling up because you transfer your weight too far to the left side and are actively trying to hit up on the driver so your body pulls up to counter act it. Just a thought.

[roamin]

7 hours ago, freshmanUTA said:

Are you actively trying to swing up on the driver? I don't want to make you conscious of something incorrect but you may be pulling up because you transfer your weight too far to the left side and are actively trying to hit up on the driver so your body pulls up to counter act it. Just a thought.

Yes, trying to hit driver on the upswing. I think you're in the right ball park. During slow-mo practice with my irons I've noticed this, particularly when the upper body goes forward too. Seems to make me pull-up to clear everything and keep turning.

[roamin]

Forgot to take the tripod today. Only managed to get one usable video. It was only my third shot of the day but it did what I wanted and my son managed to hold the camera fairly still. 

I focused mainly on them and didn't get much time for myself, but we had a lot of fun. I did get time to try a few shots to each side of the target just to confirm that what I've been seeing at home (with plastic balls) works the same on the range.

We ended up playing nine from the front tees. They were tired from the range and didn't do much more than chip and putt (even though playing a round was their idea). I ended up with a 38 (7 pars and 2 bogeys). I mentioned in the practice thread...birdie putts must have something against me, had four of them stop an inch short or beside the hole. Only positive is that because I never make them, missing just makes me laugh. 

For my tee shots, I tried to set up with my head, left shoulder, and hands a little further back. Trying to get more into this address position...

I hit the driver 6 times and all of them were nearly perfect (one with a little draw on the tail-end, felt like a toe hit and sounded more "tingy" than normal, but it went far and landed in the fairway ). Wish I would have gotten video, but the one time we tried didn't work out. Great day of golf with the kids, though. 

[roamin]

Play 18 alone today. Shot a 13 over 86 (42/44). Swing felt good all day, and without a doubt it was the best I've ever done with my irons over a complete round. I got on a run and had 6 pars in 7 holes, but then bogeyed just about everything after that (except for one birdie! They do exist!! ).

Lots of great ball striking with my irons, hitting mostly small pull- and straight-fades all day and a couple of tiny push-draws  (okay, some where more like a small push that just bounced a little left when it landed, but that's all I needed them to do ). Only saw the left side of the course once, after a 3-iron recovery (see below) and I don't think I could've done any better on that shot. Big confidence boost and motivator to continue the practice grind.

Managed to add 4 doubles to the tally, mostly with poor short-game decisions (and a couple flubbed chips).

Stupid stuff like this...

Long par 4 and second tee-shot of the day. Great drive, but a little more fade than I aimed for and I ended up behind a tree. After hitting a huge, sweeping fade/slice out and up the left side of the fairway with my 3-iron to get a ~nGIR, I was left with just a 30 yard pitch over a sand trap to a middle pin. It was a beautiful recovery.

For a second, I thought about the fact the I could (much more easily) chip a short iron onto the front of the green to the right of me and guarantee a long putt next, but quickly dismissed the idea as the bunker didn't scare me (just like practicing in the yard with my bucket ). I hit a fine shot. A little too aggressive, but just fine given the type of shot I was hitting. It popped up over the bunker and landed pin-high, but rolled out more than expected, caught a ridge and ended up about 2 yards off the green. Lots of crappy tufts of grass all over that spot which forced me to chip, and I ended up two-putting for double.

Hopefully I learned something from it. 

[roamin]

Beat my low score on Monday. Shot a 10 over, 83. 

Have been working on the clubface drills a lot. When I'm at home or on the range, I don't have much trouble getting the ball to draw. In fact, after a good warm-up and some slow-swing work, I actually have a hard time hitting a fade (well, a small fade...I can slice it on demand ). On the course, it's a bit different...push-draw attempts normally end up in a straight-fade or just a push. Staying within my "shot cone", for the most part, though.

I played the first 12 holes with too young guys who were playing from the tips and drove the ball a country-mile. One of 'em was just off the green, pin-high, from 270 with a 3-wood. Fun to watch. They were good luck too, because despite their bombs off the tee, I was rocking my driver and was consistently 10-20 yards ahead of them on every hole with the ~30-50 yard advantage I had on most tees. Although, they were hitting wedges when I was hitting an 7- or 8-iron. 

They left after the 12th hole, so I broke out my phone and recorded the rest of the round. Only 6 holes, so I guess it won't count towards my badge, but I enjoyed it and will probably do it again soon. Very cool to be able to go back and review my round in detail like that.

The first hole on video was rough. I didn't feel too nervous about the golf (you've already seen my swing), but was afraid to talk and sound stupid...and I'm so used to talking to myself, that just didn't work. 

p.s. After posting my rounds from Monday, my handicap dropped below 15 for the first time. I've said it before, but damn I love this site.  

[iacas]

Six holes counts. You just need three vlogs for the badge. So long as you're not disingenuous and you post "three Vlogs" it counts. Just post it in the vlog thread…

[roamin]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

Six holes counts... Just post it in the vlog thread…

Sweet! I was headed there next. 

[roamin]

My buddy talked me into playing in a tournament next week. Will be my first, so I'm pretty excited. Focus during full-swing practice has only been on start line and shot shape (as much as I can force myself, it's hard not to start working on "stuff" ).

I feel like I had a bit of a break-through this past weekend, mentally, at least.  Warming up before the round, I was having the typical success drawing my short irons and, to my surprise, it continued when I moved into the long irons and even my 3-wood. Crisp, high draws, with every club. Enjoying the warm-up, but contemplating why I can never do this on the course, I did realize that I was swinging nice and easy and not trying to hit the ball "far". My focus was on swinging easy enough that I could reliably make a proper swing and start the ball to the right every time (it just curves back on it's own).

I actually mentioned to my buddy that I didn't know why I couldn't use that swing on the course, and started calling it my "ain't nuthin' wrong with that swing"-swing. It's a little shorter than "full power", but has a more consistent and reliable shot shape, by far. On the course, I'm trying to hit a yardage and my full swing yardages are based on just that, fullover-swings. (It's almost like calling my 3/4 swing a full swing, except I could never get 3/4 swings to draw either)

Of course, it's like I completely forgot all of this as I walked off the range towards the first tee. 

Ball-striking was up and down until midway through the back nine when it finally clicked again and I hit my first draw (with an iron) of the day. I smashed a high draw with my 3-iron around a tree and onto the green, 190 yards away. Shot of the day, by far. Finished the round with a few more nice iron shots and then hit a few on the range after the round for fun. Just like warm-up and the end of the round, nothing but draws when I want them.

So anyway, that's really been my only focus since. Going "slow" enough and (feeling like I'm) shortening my backswing a bit. Trying only to make a good swing and start the ball the correct way with the same shot curve every time (the curve just happens). Also attempting to hone in on a few simple feels for this and slowly increase speed a bit every few reps, slowing back down some if ball-flight starts to change.

Things look great at home, but that's just plastic balls and a pitching wedge. Will hopefully get some range time tomorrow to chart yardages and a couple "practice" rounds in over the weekend.

[roamin]

Here's some video from the range yesterday. Shots with my PW, 8-iron, 5-iron, and 3-iron. It's funny, everything was going pretty much dead-straight, yet I was upset because I couldn't start them out to the right any. Tried to slow down and shorten the swing a bit, but that just wasn't happening for some reason. Golf is funny.  

 

[roamin]

Found this is another swing thread, but I need to beat it into my head...

Quote

One or two priorities. Work.

When you play, play.

 

[roamin]

Course Vlog #2

Last half of my first round yesterday. Couldn't get much going. Lots of tingy-sounding draws and hooks with my driver and low burners with my irons. Had a lot of trouble making decent contact with my irons and not sure why. Fun day, though. 

 

[roamin]

Got the rest of the footage from Saturday done. First 7 holes of second round.

Finally got some shots in the air and even a few nice draws. Decent round despite a few blow-up holes.

 

[roamin]

Latest course vlog. I had some really nice iron shots and got on a roll for a bit. Couldn't keep it going, though. I think I need to continue working on aim and alignment, some. Seemed better, but still feel like there are issues there.

 

[roamin]

Something else to remember...

Balance!