still not getting the basics

[BristolGolf]

I have only been playing since July but have had eight lessons and played a LOT - my swing has changed so many times, mainly due to following unstructured teaching and consuming to much information online. I am getting better but still shooting an average of 115 with serious issues off the tee and shocking iron play. My last lesson was an odd one, the pro told me that I had a solid setup, good grip and should be hitting the ball far better - he then had me work on my backswing turn, placing the club across my chest he told me that on my backswing there should be no tilt of the club, the turn should be against my right leg, hips rotating into that leg, spine angle maintained with my head pointing at the ball, essentially he was trying to get me to maintain angles as I do have a tendency to bob around on the backswing and I was leaning to the right as well, the "fix" was to really work on staying solid in front of the ball and not tilt the shoulders on my backswing, imagine the club held across your chest, he was saying the club should remain horizontal as I turn, before I was making the club tilt, the left side side towards the ball the right into the air, so he had me simply not tilt the club as I held it across my chest and made my turn. 

Now I realise many people do tilt the shoulder as they rotate, but his advice was to not do this - and I have been working on that since at the range along with some drills to get a better hip turn, but it just does not feel right! To be fair to him I do think that I am striking my irons a lot better, they actually launch with some distance now, but i am still struggling to square the face at impact causing a mix of hooks and slices along with some decent straight shots, but it can at times go any which way still, the hooks are far worse than than slices with the irons these days, but they are not as wild as they once were, some people think I am hitting a draw or a fade - which I am certainly not intending to do. 

I am so frustrated! I must be on my fifth iteration of a swing, it is no wonder I am not consistent, I don't have a swing to practice as it changes every few lessons.  I played with a guy yesterday who had not played in ten years, only made half swings with a 7, 8 and 9 iron with a very flippy armsy swing and shot 18 strokes less than me in a round, why? Because he was not thinking about a world of advice and swing mechanics.

My latest swing is really bothering me, the shoulder thing seems to be against everything I can see online, I would be interested in your thoughts. 

Edited December 18, 2016 by BristolGolf

[iacas]

You don't have a Member Swing thread.

Can you do this?

 

[BristolGolf]

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

You don't have a Member Swing thread.

Can you do this?

 

Yes - in fact that is mostly how I hit my wedges, stacked up to the left (not as stacked as that fella mind), it is one of the better parts of my game - I spent a week working on a simple pitch shot from within 100 yards to save me from scores of 130+ - put me within 100 yards and I am confident, put a putter in my hand and I am happy, drivers and irons are my problem because the motion of a full swing is just alien to me still. 

I am actually to embarrassed to do a swing thread, my swing really is that bad  :) 

Edited December 18, 2016 by BristolGolf

[iacas]

11 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

I am actually to embarrassed to do a swing thread, my swing really is that bad  :) 

It's just a golf swing.

[BristolGolf]

Just now, iacas said:

It's just a golf swing.

I would say that what I have is more of a spasm, with a golf club in my hands.

I will record my next range session to get the right footage for the swing thread content - I guess I am due some public feedback :) 

[iacas]

1 minute ago, BristolGolf said:

I would say that what I have is more of a spasm, with a golf club in my hands.

I will record my next range session to get the right footage for the swing thread content - I guess I am due some public feedback :) 

It's just a golf swing.

And if you can make a swing like I made in the video above, you can break 100 if you can hit the ball solidly. I don't care if you have to hit 3W or 5W off every tee - that swing hits the ball far enough and solidly enough to get 90% of the distance out of the shots, and get you near every green in regulation.

[Lihu]

15 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

Yes - in fact that is mostly how I hit my wedges, stacked up to the left (not as stacked as that fella mind), it is one of the better parts of my game - I spent a week working on a simple pitch shot from within 100 yards to save me from scores of 130+ - put me within 100 yards and I am confident, put a putter in my hand and I am happy, drivers and irons are my problem because the motion of a full swing is just alien to me still. 

Just keep on doing what you're doing, that is,  working hard to get better. Just get some pointers from the folks on this site who can help.

 

15 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

I am actually to embarrassed to do a swing thread, my swing really is that bad  :) 

Everyone is embarrassed by their swings.

 

[iacas]

1 minute ago, Lihu said:

Just keep on doing what you're doing, that is,  working hard to get better.

What he's doing isn't working. That seems to be the point of this thread.

[Club Rat]

@BristolGolf basically @iacas has given you a drill which places you at impact position while controlling the club with a minimum swing.
 

The key is hitting at the target with consistently during the drill. When done correctly, the launch angle will also occur and better distance.
This drill should be done with every iron until you can mirror this position during a full swing. Start with a mid iron.
Progress the drill with starting at a usual address and still maintain a shorten backswing and slow motion.
A suggestion would be to mimic the practice without actually hitting a ball a few times then hit a ball.
Repeat the drill in small increments to the point of a 75% backswing at 3/4 speed as you become comfortable with results.
 

[BristolGolf]

12 minutes ago, iacas said:

It's just a golf swing.

And if you can make a swing like I made in the video above, you can break 100 if you can hit the ball solidly. I don't care if you have to hit 3W or 5W off every tee - that swing hits the ball far enough and solidly enough to get 90% of the distance out of the shots, and get you near every green in regulation.

I know what you're saying and you are right - I do believe that if I took a 7, 8 9 and a couple of wedges out I could break 100. I can carry my 7 around 160 my 8 130-150 and my 9 is good up to 150 with a thump, as I mentioned under 100 I have a semi decent pitch shot, I can play bogey and double bogey golf like that for sure, but I don't want to JUST break 100 at any cost, I want to learn how to play.

My goal is to be able to hit driver and bang it 300 yards then launch an iron onto the green and hole it for par, over and over and over again while women throw underwear at me and men marvel at my athletic ability :) 

Edit: Also worth noting that my 7 8 and 9 are my best clubs, the 7 is where it starts getting bad, so the longer the club the worse the hooks and slices get for me. 

Edited December 18, 2016 by BristolGolf

[Club Rat]

2 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

hit driver and bang it 300 yards then launch an iron onto the green and hole it for par,

Unless you bang the first 300 yarder OB, with these shots: D1, I2, P3 = Birdie or an Eagle on a Par 5.

5 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

 My goal is for women to throw underwear at me

 I'd rather they throw $$.  

[BristolGolf]

Women's underwear aside - did you guys have any thoughts on the shoulder turn point made by my pro? The sentiment of the original post was around having to change my swing recently to incorporate that feedback and I am not convinced that it is actually good instruction. I do appreciate that you need to see my swing so I will post up some video this week for you. 

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

Women's underwear aside - did you guys have any thoughts on the shoulder turn point made by my pro? The sentiment of the original post was around having to change my swing recently to incorporate that feedback and I am not convinced that it is actually good instruction. I do appreciate that you need to see my swing so I will post up some video this week for you. 

That's why I asked you to post a Member Swing thread. I have no idea what to suggest without seeing your swing.

[BristolGolf]

Just now, iacas said:

That's why I asked you to post a Member Swing thread. I have no idea what to suggest without seeing your swing.

OK I should be able to get to the range in daylight tomorrow so will grab my tripod and throw up a swing thread. I appreciate you taking the time to respond iacas I am always blown away by how friendly the golfing community is. 

[iacas]

11 minutes ago, BristolGolf said:

OK I should be able to get to the range in daylight tomorrow so will grab my tripod and throw up a swing thread. I appreciate you taking the time to respond iacas I am always blown away by how friendly the golfing community is. 

https://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

Use high speed if possible.

[Lihu]

4 hours ago, BristolGolf said:

OK I should be able to get to the range in daylight tomorrow so will grab my tripod and throw up a swing thread. I appreciate you taking the time to respond iacas I am always blown away by how friendly the golfing community is. 

Especially this golfing community.

[HitAndGiggle]

19 hours ago, BristolGolf said:

 

I am actually to embarrassed to do a swing thread, my swing really is that bad  :) 

Oh, trust me. You don’t know bad if you haven’t seen my swing when I was starting out (and I’m talking the first few years, at least).

[BristolGolf]

Right I have stuck a swing thread up *cringe*