Craig Stadler - A5 - so steep and out - How does this swing work?

[nevets88]

This swing won a Green Jacket so whom am I to judge. His A6 looks perfect but A5 looks so steep and his arms look like they're so far out from his body.  The shaft is almost "touching" his ear, although it is pointing to the ball, so not steep? What is it to his pattern I'm not understanding?

 

[mchepp]

He looks to be transitioning into a flatter plane. That shot is slightly higher than A5 so by his real A5 is probably flattening to a not so bad position. Also a slightly misaligned camera.

[nevets88]

Here's a decent video.

 

[billchao]

The arms out is what is flattening his swing, keeping his clubhead from tipping out. He looks like he hits pull fades.

His plane is a bit more vertical but it is through the ball the entire time. Most of us have problems because we have to change from too steep at A4 to shallowing at A6 because our bodies do things improperly.

Not once in his downswing do I think "he's going to miss the ball if he stays on that plane." I know in my own swing if I maintained the same plane from A4 to A5 without making some compensation in between, I'd miss the ball entirely.

[Patch]

I don't know what the "A" numbers represents, but his swing works because he has a good impact position between the club face and the ball. How he got to that impact position is of no consequence. 

[iacas]

28 minutes ago, Patch said:

I don't know what the "A" numbers represents, but his swing works because he has a good impact position between the club face and the ball. How he got to that impact position is of no consequence. 

a) It's still how important how he got there. There are impact positions that "look" good but aren't, and how they got there (and where they go immediately after) matters. Both provide clues as to how they did that.

b) The As are in my "Golf Terminology" link and they're acronyms, so if you hover over them, you get the description.

[billchao]

29 minutes ago, Patch said:

I don't know what the "A" numbers represents,

 

29 minutes ago, Patch said:

but his swing works because he has a good impact position between the club face and the ball. How he got to that impact position is of no consequence. 

It matters. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jim Furyk's impact position looks pretty bad and he's one of the most accurate players on tour.

[Patch]

Actually I was only thinking about Stadler. With his poor swing issues that were pointed out, he still manages to deliver the club head ( for him) to the ball in a favorable manner. 

I have no problem with any golfer who wants to pursue the (almost) perfect swing by doing all the right things during their wing. 

[iacas]

50 minutes ago, Patch said:

Actually I was only thinking about Stadler. With his poor swing issues that were pointed out, he still manages to deliver the club head ( for him) to the ball in a favorable manner.

What "poor swing issues"?

Does he maintain a relatively steady head? Yes.
Does he get his weight forward at impact? Yes.
Does he have an inline impact condition? Yes.
Does he control the sweetspot path? Yes.
Does he control the clubface? Yes.

His left arm is more out and the shaft is steeper than others, but I disagree he has "poor swing issues."

[Dave2512]

I wish his swing issues were contagious, I could use it.