My Swing (sharpljp)

[sharpljp]

I've been Playing Golf for: 12-13 years recreationally
My current handicap index or average score is: 9
My typical ball flight is: pull, pull draw or fade usually
The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: the pull draw

 

Thank you everyone for the swing thoughts. Really appreciated.

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Videos: 

Behind ball view: 

Caddy view: Will add tomorrow 

Edited March 4, 2017 by sharpljp

[mvmac]

Hi @sharpljp, take a look at this article and try to use the tips when posting your next video

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

With your swing you roll the hands and forearms too much on the backswing. You go "shallow to steep" instead of "steep to shallow" like most good players. Shaft is pointing well outside the ball here.

Look at how "open" the clubface is here and how cupped the left wrist is. From there the arms "collapse" into you and you have to steepen it on the downswing.

Shaft pointing well inside the ball, "steep".

I'd suggest feeling more "Jack Nicklaus" on the takeaway, keep the palm of the right hand "on top" and pointing towards the ground.

Like this.

Will help you "steepen" the shaft on the backswing and maintain some width, again right now the arms "collapse" towards at the end of the backswing leading you to have to make some compensations on the downswing.

[sharpljp]

Mike, thanks so much for the tips. Extremely helpful. I read the video link as well and think I might have to invest in a tripod. The right palm staying on top makes a lot of sense and I never realized how shallow I was going back. I noticed while looking at my swing in slow Mo last night that I may need to get more shoulder turn to get steeper.  Does this make sense? Thanks a million my friend.

[mistermuhl]

Take my post with a grain of salt because I'm most definitely no expert.

 

I've never seen anyone's back foot roll over like that. It seems like your energy is directed in a rotational pattern as opposed to a more directional style. If that makes sense. Like you are spinning out of the shot.

[sharpljp]

Mistermuhl I think that has a lot to do with going too shallow like Mvmac  pointed out. Great observation and thanks for the thought 

[mvmac]

4 hours ago, sharpljp said:

I noticed while looking at my swing in slow Mo last night that I may need to get more shoulder turn to get steeper.  Does this make sense?

Looks like you make a full shoulder turn, can't say 100% for sure, you didn't post a face-on.

Do you mean turn the shoulders steeper on the backswing?

[sharpljp]

The 30 degree weather with 15-20 mph winds has kept me from recording the caddy view video yet but I got a chance to hit a few balls indoors at my friends simulator.

For shoulder turn.. when I keep my right palm on top facing the ground, it makes me rotate my shoulders my steeply, which I believe is a good thing. I also feel like it gave me more control with the club face. 

The ONLY thing that was sometimes off was my distance. It was like 38 degrees in the simulator building so idk if that matters. My irons and wedges were going 10 yard shorter sometimes. Sometimes maybe my 8 iron would be 25 yards further too though. Probably from not having proper timing from the new backswing?

Before the tip from mvmac, I would rotate my arms more laterally around my body. I feel like now with the "Jack Nicklaus" takeaway, my shoulders are forced to get steeper in order to keep the right palm on top, facing the ground. That results in a more upright takeaway, greatly helping my flat takeaway. 

[sharpljp]

 

Caddy view.. this is after the "right palm facing down" tip I got from Mac. Great, great round yesterday for me (although 39 degree temps) shooting 38 with three birds. Thanks everyone for all thoughts!!

[mvmac]

14 hours ago, sharpljp said:

Caddy view.. this is after the "right palm facing down" tip I got from Mac. Great, great round yesterday for me (although 39 degree temps) shooting 38 with three birds. Thanks everyone for all thoughts!!

Great to hear! One other piece I would suggest is to take a look at this thread. To me the grip looks like it's on the weak side which can encourage more face roll on the takeaway.

 

[sharpljp]

Must admit that I still feel like I'm coming over the top at times. Much more consistent with this new Takeaway  though.  I think that my backswing gets too long sometimes and result in me coming a little over-the-top. I think that if I really shorten up my backswing and keep my right palm facing the ground,  it could really help.  If I could just eliminate the pull  or really cut down on my pulls (esp when I can not miss left due to OB etc) I could maybe cut my handicap down a few shots.

[mvmac]

15 hours ago, sharpljp said:

I think that if I really shorten up my backswing and keep my right palm facing the ground,  it could really help.

Agree and like I said strengthen the grip which will also help control the forearm roll.

[sharpljp]

this is about a 15 yard fade (one of my better shots honestly) with a three wood. You can see at the top, it's like I can't help but turn my body left like i would in baseball. I don't let the arms fall. When I do try to let the arms fall, I either miss-hit it or it doesn't have much power behind it.

 

 

[mvmac]

33 minutes ago, sharpljp said:

You can see at the top, it's like I can't help but turn my body left like i would in baseball. I don't let the arms fall.

Again keep an eye on the club getting low and in on the takeaway. Leads you to getting the arms very close to you on the backswing, they kind of collapse into you. The arms are going to have to compensate to create speed and get back to the ball (what you're seeing with not letting them fall).

Also the arms should work down and out of the downswing, not just straight down.

[sharpljp]

Mac, makes sense. Thanks again. Will buy beers next time I'm in SD. Gonna get that a try. With my arms so close to me, it makes it tough to create speed on the downswing. 

[mvmac]

7 minutes ago, sharpljp said:

Mac, makes sense. Thanks again. Will buy beers next time I'm in SD. Gonna get that a try. With my arms so close to me, it makes it tough to create speed on the downswing. 

Right. Check out the other post I made in the thread. "Toe down" on the takeaway and feel wider in the right arm throughout the entire backswing. Do it slow at first, if it feels weird that's good, that means it's different 

[Let it Fly]

Hey Sharp - hope you don't mind if I follow you here...I think our "My Swing" threads are mirror images of each other.

These guys know what they're talking about.  They are very good at not only giving a piece(s) of advice, but also explaining the "why" and "how" of it.  It's helped me quite a bit.  I'm by-no-means qualified to provide instruction, but am more than willing to share thoughts/experience while going through the same process of adjustments.

Best of luck, man! 

[saevel25]

I'd watch your posture. Your a tad too upright, and your head us a tad too up. 

You're very shallow in the backswing, stop the video when your hands are waste high in the back swing. Then you get very steep in the dowmswing. That is a result of the backswing. It's tough not to get steeper with the way the club head moves. 

 

[mdl]

A note on the weird feel Mike talks about above.  That still he copied of the top of your swing, you've swung back way too far with collapsed arms as he noted.  If you stay wide in the back swing as he suggested, one of the weird feelings, at least in my experience, is likely to be that you feel like you're taking about a 1/3 back swing, even though I bet if you take video again you'll still be going past parallel at the top.  My point is, don't be turned off by that feeling.  That's a good sign!

Note, I know some don't like phrasing it this way, but personally, I like the "wide" swing thought during an actual swing, but for super slow motion, mirror type work, I find it helpful to remember that "wide" in the right arm does in fact equal straighter, less elbow bend.  For me that's something easy to check on super slow motion swings.  Like, "Hey, do my hands feel further away from my body and is my right arm less bent (NOT straight!) at this point in the swing than in used to be?  Okay, how about now?  At the top?"