My Swing (Foot Wedge)

[Foot Wedge]

I've been Playing Golf for: 8 years, regularly only for the last year and a half
My current handicap index or average score is: ~90
My typical ball flight is: Draw
The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Hook

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I am fighting a hook and started taking lessons a couple weeks ago.  My first lesson, we worked on keeping the club from crossing over my target line to the right of the target.

Videos: 

7 Iron DTL:

https://youtu.be/3bS1r6tOlFE

7 Iron Face On:

https://youtu.be/KDdodXJ27_Y

Driver DTL:

https://youtu.be/YsArO7ZArj4

For reference, my first swing during my first lesson (also with a 7 iron):

https://youtu.be/cjFFOJVBDO4

 

[boogielicious]

I'm not sure why your videos didn't imbed, but I reposted them for you.

[Foot Wedge]

Thanks for reposting those, not sure why they weren't embedding.  

[SunkTheBirdie]

17 hours ago, Foot Wedge said:

My first lesson, we worked on keeping the club from crossing over my target line to the right of the target.

How are you going to avoid that ? 

 

You vs. Grant Waite

 

Download the image to your computer to view it.  embedded it isn't readable. 

Edited March 29, 2017 by SunkTheBirdie

[Foot Wedge]

1 hour ago, SunkTheBirdie said:

How are you going to avoid that ? 

First, thanks for taking the time to put together the frame comparisons, this helps explain things quite a bit.  As for not crossing my line, well I wasn’t really hinging my wrists that well, so I started doing that earlier in my backswing as well as focusing on minimizing my wrist movement at the top of my swing. My instructor had me doing slow swings to get used to the correct position of the club.

You’ve pointed out a few things that I was suspecting may be an issue as well as a few things that I was not aware of, so thanks for confirming those and bringing the others to my attention.  I’m trying to take things one step at a time, would you recommend I focus on my hip turn?  Is that what you meant by my hands being behind my turn?  From videos, I was thinking that my hips aren’t turned enough at impact and my arms are outswinging them and creating my tendency to miss left.  And Grant’s hips look to be facing a lot closer to the target.  But I’m no instructor…

[bm85]

I would read the following thread, and make setting up to the ball better part of my routine.

Good Golf Posture (How to Address the Golf Ball).

Edited March 29, 2017 by bm85

[Jack Watson]

I don't like Waites action.

[iacas]

30 minutes ago, Jack Watson said:

I don't like Waites action.

Okay.

11 hours ago, Foot Wedge said:

Thanks for reposting those, not sure why they weren't embedding.  

Because you posted styled text.

[Foot Wedge]

On 3/29/2017 at 9:55 PM, iacas said:

Because you posted styled text.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

On 3/29/2017 at 5:26 PM, bm85 said:

I would read the following thread, and make setting up to the ball better part of my routine.

Good Golf Posture (How to Address the Golf Ball).

Thanks for the link.  Started focusing on using some of the proper posture and address tips, flared feet, tucked chin, seeing ball with center vision instead of peripheral.  Swing felt a bit more natural and consistent.  May have to do with not straining my eyes to see the ball.  When I was cognizant of my tempo, I hit higher straight shots/soft draws as opposed to hooks.  I need to focus on maintaining this tempo on all my swings.  Unfortunately the swing changes have affected my woods, I can't seem to avoid low hooks that dive downwards.  If you look at reference video from my lesson, it's been quite the overhaul lately, so I'm being patient with the process.

[Foot Wedge]

Was on vacation and didn't get to swing a club for a while but decided to tape a couple swings with a fast tempo that I'd be more inclined to use during play vs a slower tempo swing with a more compact backswing.  I wanted to see if I could turn my hips a bit better since part of my hooks are my arm outracing my lower body.

Here's a comparison of my position at impact.  First fast tempo swing:

Position at impact, slower tempo swing:

My hips look to be turned more towards the target on the slower swing...should I focus on establishing this on my downswing?

[Foot Wedge]

Pictures didn't embed...I guess I'm still having trouble with that.  I'll attach them as files.

Fast tempo swing impact:

Slower tempo swing impact:

Edited April 14, 2017 by Foot Wedge
Added picture captions

[Foot Wedge]

Second lesson focused on my lower body.  More specifically, correcting my tendency to slide my hips forward to pivoting my hips during the downswing.  So I've been focusing on making sure my hips pivot and are rotated more towards the target at impact than before.  I struggled with this and noticed that my pelvis pretty much faced the ball on all my swings as I mentioned in my previous post.  Now if only it would stop raining so I could go to the range and see some ball flights....video and impact comparison below.

Comparison between impact position from earlier post and current videos.  Non slow motion video used since it's easier to see hip details.

[Foot Wedge]

Had my third lesson since my last post, focused on lining up at the target correctly and keeping from lifting up during the downswing before hitting the ball.  I had a habit of creating a false sense of power by lifting up onto my toes.  My focus will be starting rotating my hips before moving my upper body so I can get them facing closer to the target at impact and keeping my right arm close to my body so I don’t release the club early.  As shown by the videos I’ve got a ways to go.  Any input would be appreciated!  7 iron, 4 iron, and driver videos are attached.

7 Iron:

4 Iron:

Driver:

 

[woodzie264]

To my untrained eye, that looks great!

[Foot Wedge]

Been a while since I've updated, but I've had 2 more lessons working on transition and lower body in the downswing.  Shot shape has been a slight fade with the longer clubs and a soft draw with the shorter clubs lately, which I don't mind.  Actually have some ball flights in the videos this time.  I learned that having a bad day during a lesson can be a good thing, as the instructor showed what I was doing on video and how to prevent it.  So going off of this, in addition to the updated swing videos, I added a video of a bad miss, hopefully I can get some feedback on the differences and what went wrong.  Thanks in advance y'all.

Driver Face on (shape was a soft fade, but pushed just a bit, based on my target area, would have ended up in the right first cut/rough)

 

6 Iron DTL (current stock shot, soft fade)

 

6 Iron Miss (Big pull here, you can see the ball disappear across my body heading for the trees to the left, I'm wondering if I took the club away closed to begin with)

 

[Foot Wedge]

Kind of stumbled on to something when I played a terrible round a few days ago.  I need to shorten the backswing.  I was at perfect distance for a 3/4 sand wedge.  The first shot went way long and left.  It was obvious that A) I made a full swing, B) I came down fast with my hands, and C) what felt like a 3/4 swing was a full swing!  So then what was a "full swing"?  Something that was getting me out of position and in a hurry to get to the downswing.  A recipe for pull hooks.  I hit another ball for practice and shortened up the swing (or so I thought, really I just ACTUALLY did a 3/4 swing) and was spot on with distance and line.  Going to start practicing this with all clubs without worrying about much else.  Just swing shorter than what I "feel" is full, and let the rest fall in to place.  Hopefully this improves consistency.

[Foot Wedge]

From video it looks like my downswing is on practically the same plane as my backswing.  If I come in too steep I can end up trapping the ball and hitting it left.  Do y'all have any tips or drills to get a feel for shallowing the club on the downswing.  Thanks!

[iacas]

On phone so this'll be quick… but we have a few other topics about this, too.

I looked at your Member Swing video and don't know that I agree it's steep. Again I'm on my phone so I haven't looked in detail but it looks "okay." You might just roll late.

Post pictures of your swing at spots.