My Swing (HJJ003)

[HJJ003]

Haven’t listed here in awhile. Trying to get back into the swing of proper practice. I devolved into bad practice habits due to my impatience with my shanks and OTT slices. Working on shallowing my swing path. More committed to practicing the right positions and trying to really fix this problem. Here is a clip from my practice today. I have been working on a “feel” where the clubhead stays on an imaginary wall behind me for a little while while I start the downswing.    As can be seen in the video it def. helps me shallow out the club. However, am I too shallow or is this just a good example of over exaggerating the position at slow speed and when things pick up speed I’ll be somewhere in between? 

 

 

[HJJ003]

Checking in today with some Full swing work again. Have been working on shallowing out my golf swing, and have been working on my clubhead down the wall in the downswing as my feel. My swing looks better here, but still seems I get steep later in the downswing. This visually just looks so much different than how I have swung a golf club in the past. Feels weird, but hopefully will produce some good results if I keep at it. Camera is a little low, and ignore the Pajama paints lol I’m sick and feeling lazy today! Also due to constraints in my follow-through room I’m also working on my knock down shots apparently lol. 

 

[HJJ003]

more solid downswing work today. Still using my clubhead on the wall feel. Most video I have done in awhile! I feel like the shallowing of the club is starting to come a long and the shaft looks so much better in transition and it looks like MAYBE I laid down the shaft a little bit...like maybe just a tiny hair, but that’s something. Just keep working. 

[Melly9]

Something I think would help you out a lot is working on a steeper shoulder turn in the backswing. A lot of different feels, but given how flat your shoulder turn is right now, get into your backswing, stop, then feel like you’re doing a left side crunch with your abs. Then work on feels to blend it all together in your backswing. 

One thing with a flat shoulder turn is that it’s very hard to shallow out correctly. Most whip inside (which you appear to) and then the only way to return the club head to the ball is to steepen on the downswing. 

Im no expert, but I’m a strong believer you should work on what’s causing you not to shallow the shaft in the backswing and beginning of transition, rather than solely trying to force being shallow. 

I very much admire your dedication to improve!

Paul

Edited December 31, 2018 by Melly9
Spelling error

[Effington]

Keep up the practice!  I don't have any insight to your swing but if you see progress then that's all you can ask for.

What kind of ball are you using against your wall?

[HJJ003]

7 hours ago, Melly9 said:

Something I think would help you out a lot is working on a steeper shoulder turn in the backswing. A lot of different feels, but given how flat your shoulder turn is right now, get into your backswing, stop, then feel like you’re doing a left side crunch with your abs. Then work on feels to blend it all together in your backswing. 

One thing with a flat shoulder turn is that it’s very hard to shallow out correctly. Most whip inside (which you appear to) and then the only way to return the club head to the ball is to steepen on the downswing. 

Im no expert, but I’m a strong believer you should work on what’s causing you not to shallow the shaft in the backswing and beginning of transition, rather than solely trying to force being shallow. 

I very much admire your dedication to improve!

Paul

 

Thanks @Melly9. It’s something I will look at more during practice.

1 hour ago, Effington said:

What kind of ball are you using against your wall?

A foam ball. Not even a mark! 

[HJJ003]

Wow haven’t posted here at all in 2019. I have practiced quite a bit and played more than expected and things have been pretty bad in 2019 thus far. Haven’t broken 100 this year (actually since November) and struggled to break 110 most rounds. My game had gone to crap. I played better on Monday but still didn’t break 100 (had a few holes where the shanks took over). So I decided enough was enough and I need a lesson...so...tomorrow I am taking my first official private golf lesson!! I will let y’all know how it goes. I’m hopeful I can get some good advice on what to practice to help my game. Better days are hopefully around the corner. 

[Slim_Pivot]

18 minutes ago, HJJ003 said:

Wow haven’t posted here at all in 2019. I have practiced quite a bit and played more than expected and things have been pretty bad in 2019 thus far. Haven’t broken 100 this year (actually since November) and struggled to break 110 most rounds. My game had gone to crap. I played better on Monday but still didn’t break 100 (had a few holes where the shanks took over). So I decided enough was enough and I need a lesson...so...tomorrow I am taking my first official private golf lesson!! I will let y’all know how it goes. I’m hopeful I can get some good advice on what to practice to help my game. Better days are hopefully around the corner. 

Getting lessons and constant feedback are huge. I would have got nowhere if I didn’t get feedback on each of my range sessions. Even if it’s just a reply saying, “Yes that is correct, keep it up.” Knowing that I’m doing right or wrong has made my progress possible. 

My first posted swing wasn’t all that different from your first posted swing.

[HJJ003]

Well had my first ever private golf lesson today....and it was a success!! The instructor was great and we quickly identified my priority piece and start working on "feels" to get myself in better positions. Man my swing felt WEIRD compared to was I am used to but the video showed that even though they felt exaggerated for me it was actually right where I need to be. Feel isn't real! I have a few simple things to work on moving forward and will likely go back in a few months to see how things have been engrained. It feels good to understand exactly what my priority is and exactly what I need to work on for the time being. Lots of work ahead of me I am sure, but it was a lesson I am very glad I took. 

[HJJ003]

Geez been way too long since I have posted here. I had the best golf season of my life in 2019, and got down from 2018 worst HI of 23 to a lifetime best 18 HI. After my lesson last March I went from shanking every other shot to maybe hitting 1-2 shanks the rest of the year. I also focused on short game a lot last year and improved my putting tremendously when I focused on speed. 
 

Anywho- I have another lesson later this month to find what my next priority piece is in the full swing. I really want to focus this year in being a better driver of the golf ball in general. My best rounds of 2019 tended to happen when I hit driver great. I want to do that more consistently and hopefully reduce my slice tremendously. 

[HJJ003]

Figured another update in here was needed and also have a few general questions:

I have been working pretty hard these days on my golf swing. Got down to an 18 and stalled out. Started focusing on my swing from studying the golf swing positions or the sandtrap calls them “Alignments”. Really eye opening stuff, was able to get a better handle on my take away and my top of backswing position and I making some great contact these days, and my distance potential grew incredibly. My long drives went from 240-250 to a it’s not rare for me to hit at least one 260-270 yard drive a round. It’s not my average but sure is nice to see the good ones get out there. However, I have noticed my miss right now is a push fade. Actually my ballflight right now is a push fade lol and my miss is just a bigger push and bigger fade! So general question time: 

- If my ball starts right of target and then fades I have an open clubface relative to Target and a path that is slightly out to in of that clubface? Is that correct?

- Assuming that is correct, if I was to square the clubface to Target more would that likely mean a straight fade or perhaps even a fairly straight shot? I assume it depends on how much my path was out to in of my original open clubface position?

- I have noticed that even though my clubface position is not “Toe Down or Open” at the top, I get to A6 with the toe straight up and not slightly toe down which I think is the ideal position to square the face at impact correct?

- Assuming a good or decent position at the top of the backswing, if my A6 is still “toe up” would I benefit from more palmar flexion of the lead wrist to start the downswing similar to that discussed in the day 4 COVID practice plan video (lead wrist conditions) to have the Toe of the club slightly down at A6 and better square the clubface at impact? 
 

if none of this can be answered without Video I understand. I can try and post video tomorrow, just thought these questions may be more general. 

 

[HJJ003]

With the help of my lovely assistant (my wife) I got some videos of DTL and FO of my current swing. My previous priority pieces have been my takeaway (I used to while the club inside...go look at some past videos lol), and my backswing in general being too steep (and it still may be). Lately, I am pushing the ball or hitting some push fades and push slices. I am wondering if I am getting stuck (but the slicing and fades probably wouldn't be happening huh?). Any help is appreciated, just want to know what my next priority piece is so I can focus hard on that. 

Oh and don't worry about my windows that little foam ball hits them all the time haha. 

[iacas]

On 10/6/2020 at 10:49 PM, HJJ003 said:

- If my ball starts right of target and then fades I have an open clubface relative to Target and a path that is slightly out to in of that clubface? Is that correct?

Assuming relatively centered contact, yes.

On 10/6/2020 at 10:49 PM, HJJ003 said:

- Assuming that is correct, if I was to square the clubface to Target more would that likely mean a straight fade or perhaps even a fairly straight shot? I assume it depends on how much my path was out to in of my original open clubface position?

Dunno. As you noted, if the face in the first question was 5° open (right), the path could be 3° right, 0° (down the target line), or -3° (3° left). Those three paths would produce close to a straight draw, a straight shot, and close to a straight fade.

On 10/6/2020 at 10:49 PM, HJJ003 said:

- I have noticed that even though my clubface position is not “Toe Down or Open” at the top, I get to A6 with the toe straight up and not slightly toe down which I think is the ideal position to square the face at impact correct?

The toe is straight up? Huh?

On 10/6/2020 at 10:49 PM, HJJ003 said:

- Assuming a good or decent position at the top of the backswing, if my A6 is still “toe up” would I benefit from more palmar flexion of the lead wrist to start the downswing similar to that discussed in the day 4 COVID practice plan video (lead wrist conditions) to have the Toe of the club slightly down at A6 and better square the clubface at impact? 

Tough to say.

[HJJ003]

thanks for taking the time to respond @iacas. Glad to know I at least somewhat understand the ball flight laws. Now I just need to understand what to work on that will get my club to a better position in the downswing. I’m currently focusing on the 30 day COVID drills.