Flipping at impact

[lawsonjc]

When I video myself FO I feel like my left arm breaks down a little bit and I'm not getting the full extension like you see from the pros. I don't feel like I'm losing distance and everywhere I read says if your flipping at the ball you will notice a distance loss.

I currently play to around a 2 handicap and I carry my 8 iron around 160. I feel like I'm compressing the ball or I wouldn't be getting the distance I am. I do have a high ball flight but I would still consider it a piercing flight other than ballooning. Am I tinkering with something I shouldn't? 

[JediFish]

Are you struggling with inconsistent ball striking at all? When I flip it's usually a thin shot with an occasional fat one. 

[Hatchman]

Welcome.  You may benefit also by posting at Members Swing.  Sounds like you are striking the ball nicely based on your description and carry yards.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Hatchman

[lawsonjc]

24 minutes ago, JediFish said:

Are you struggling with inconsistent ball striking at all? When I flip it's usually a thin shot with an occasional fat one. 

I feel like my ball striking is fairly consistent. My only fat or thin shots comes from the wedges every once in awhile. I know that those shots I'm flipping. My irons just seem very solid but I'm just lacking extension in the left arm post impact. 

[Buckeyebowman]

You say your left arm "breaks down" a little bit. Look at some slo-mo vids of Jordan Spieth. He "chicken wings" every shot. He does this to keep the clubhead square to the target line as long as possible. I don't think it's so much about left arm position as it is about wrist position. If you can hit an 8 iron 160, and play to a 2, I'd say you're doing pretty well!

[JediFish]

31 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

You say your left arm "breaks down" a little bit. Look at some slo-mo vids of Jordan Spieth. He "chicken wings" every shot. He does this to keep the clubhead square to the target line as long as possible. I don't think it's so much about left arm position as it is about wrist position. If you can hit an 8 iron 160, and play to a 2, I'd say you're doing pretty well!

x2   If it has no negative effect then I'd say roll with it. If it absolutely bothers you, find a drill for extension and follow through. Be wary though because when you fix things that aren't necessarily broken, you can create new problems.

[Jack Watson]

3 minutes ago, JediFish said:

x2   If it has no negative effect then I'd say roll with it. If it absolutely bothers you, find a drill for extension and follow through. Be wary though because when you fix things that aren't necessarily broken, you can create new problems.

X3

[RandallT]

I see you do have a swing thread, so that's a great first step. 

This doesn't look flippy to my eye. For what that's worth (no expert here but I've seen a lot of flip threads and pics before)

In the big picture, it seems like most of us golfers struggle to find our weakest point in the swing. Which piece, if we improve it, will yield the best benefit and perhaps fix other things? The big question. 

As for your swing, I don't know.  But if it were flipping, then I have learned here that there are lots of causes for that. So we would be back to analyzing a root cause as a flip is the result of things that come well before impact in the sequence of course.

Anyway, good luck! My suggestion is to fix some of the camera angles in your swing thread and people will then better assist finding your top priority. My hunch is that it may not be flipping. 

[Buckeyebowman]

You're right, Randall T, that does NOT look flippy! His hands are ahead of the clubhead, and there is some forward shaft lean. However, it also looks like he has NOT, and will not be able to, square the clubface to the target line. Not in the tiny space he has available.

This might require nothing more than a look at the strength of his grip, or the real alignment of his clubface at address. I can't tell you how many guys I've seen who think they are square to the target line at address, and have their clubface pointed out in right field somewhere!

Edited March 15, 2017 by Buckeyebowman

[lawsonjc]

14 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

You're right, Randall T, that does NOT look flippy! His hands are ahead of the clubhead, and there is some forward shaft lean. However, it also looks like he has NOT, and will not be able to, square the clubface to the target line. Not in the tiny space he has available.

This might require nothing more than a look at the strength of his grip, or the real alignment of his clubface at address. I can't tell you how many guys I've seen who think they are square to the target line at address, and have their clubface pointed out in right field somewhere!

I actually do believe that ball was a push. I have been setting my driver closed at address thinking it was square for awhile now until someone mentioned it looked closed.

That was one of first range sessions I worked on it. I appreciate all the comments! I'm going to try to get better pictures up in my swing thread. It's just hard trying to get the angles right by myself. 

Josh 

[Buckeyebowman]

Cool beans, Josh. It's amazing isn't it? It would seem that setting up square to the target would be one of the easier things to accomplish in golf, yet it can be incredible hard!

And it's not just with longer clubs. I have a buddy who lines up his putter left of the line and "shoves" the ball to the right.

I would ask what club you are hitting in the pic. Looks like a driver but I'd like to be sure. And the camera angle doesn't appear to be squarely face on judging by the angle of the rope across the pic. That is, unless you were aiming at a target on the right side of the range. All that was leading up to my idea that the ball looks like it could be a little far back in your stance. Maybe try moving the ball toward your left foot in small increments and the problem could fix itself.

But what am I saying? You're a 2 and I'm a 13!

[lawsonjc]

46 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Cool beans, Josh. It's amazing isn't it? It would seem that setting up square to the target would be one of the easier things to accomplish in golf, yet it can be incredible hard!

And it's not just with longer clubs. I have a buddy who lines up his putter left of the line and "shoves" the ball to the right.

I would ask what club you are hitting in the pic. Looks like a driver but I'd like to be sure. And the camera angle doesn't appear to be squarely face on judging by the angle of the rope across the pic. That is, unless you were aiming at a target on the right side of the range. All that was leading up to my idea that the ball looks like it could be a little far back in your stance. Maybe try moving the ball toward your left foot in small increments and the problem could fix itself.

But what am I saying? You're a 2 and I'm a 13!

I appreciate the advice! I'm using a driver in the above video. Your right though, honestly alignment is something I struggle with. I constantly have to keep myself in check. 

The ball position is something I've been playing with lately with my driver and I've been getting good results. I still haven't quite found that sweet spot just yet. My spin numbers on my drives are higher than I want them to be and I believe it was due to the ball being too far back.

As I'm sure you know what you feel and see isn't always correct. Considering I felt my ball position was fine with the driver until I really started breaking things down.