My Swing (Bob Joneson)

[Bob Joneson]

I've been Playing Golf for: 15 years
My current handicap index or average score is: 28.8 Handicap
My typical ball flight is: Draw
The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: Slice

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Videos:

 

[Bob Joneson]

I've played off and on since high school, with a few years of weekly league nights sprinkled in during that time. 

This summer, I got a half year membership at our local club, and have been walking 9 almost every day. 

Additionally, I live on a small acreage, and regularly practice in the backyard, using "almost golf balls" for full shots.

I had been steadily declining my scores, particularly in the short game (now average about 1.8 putts per hole), and got myself down to shooting a pretty consistent +10 on my 9 hole rounds. Felt like I was ready to make the break to bogey golf any day.

Then suddenly, without warning my swing went to crap. My natural shot shape had always been a draw, with me generally aiming a little right of target with no fear of what's to the right. Now I'm fading / slicing everything, and have probably lost 10-20% on my yardages on all clubs. I had been about a 140 carry on 7 iron (now stretching for 125-130), and 210 on my driver (now stretching for 185).

I'm a guy who has probably done way more harm than good by reading every article and every video out there. I've probably introduced some analysis paralysis.

It's clear that I'm now swinging over the top, out to in, and that is what's responsible for the left to right shot shape I'm now dealing with. When I really focus and concentrate, on making room, and swinging in to out, I might be able to get draw spin on 1/10 shots.

It's killing me, and I'm right back to shooting +15 on 9 with all of those strokes lost tee to green.

I'm the kind of guy that loves to put in the work, but I'm lost. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[billchao]

I would start by not rotating the club way open in the takeaway. Feel more like the face is pointed at the ball through the early backswing. It's going to feel like you're keeping your right palm facing down to the ground longer, almost a reverse rotation from what you're doing now.

[Bob Joneson]

17 minutes ago, billchao said:

I would start by not rotating the club way open in the takeaway. Feel more like the face is pointed at the ball through the early backswing. It's going to feel like you're keeping your right palm facing down to the ground longer, almost a reverse rotation from what you're doing now.

I know exactly what you are saying. My "feels" as my swing has gotten worse and worse is to want to crank that thing wide open on the backswing. Trying to keep it closed / square feels horribly unnatural. But I'll give that some work and post another video in a day or two.

Appreciate it!

-Bob

[billchao]

2 minutes ago, Bob Joneson said:

Trying to keep it closed / square feels horribly unnatural.

Makes sense because right now, "natural" to you is cranking the face wide open.

Don't open the face so much in the takeaway and you won't have to rotate your wrists so hard in an effort to square it in the downswing. In fact it should feel like that, less rotation going back, less going through. Might even feel like you're holding off on releasing the club.

[Dunit507]

Sounds like to much of an inside to out swing. That’s what makes the draw but too much can lead to that miss right. I just went through the same thing recently. Working on setup and takeaway. Take a 7 or 8 iron to the range and just work on basics and get that consistent swing back with it. 

[Dunit507]

I should have read that a little better. I didn’t read that you have yourself coming over the top. I know when I miss right it’s isually blocking. Weak fades for me are caused by not getting my weight moving forward. 

 

What I said should work. Basics. Setup and takeaway. Work with wedges and 7/8 irons to get that feel back.

[Bob Joneson]

9 minutes ago, Dunit507 said:

Sounds like to much of an inside to out swing. That’s what makes the draw but too much can lead to that miss right. I just went through the same thing recently. Working on setup and takeaway. Take a 7 or 8 iron to the range and just work on basics and get that consistent swing back with it. 

That would make sense to me, if it was a straight push, but my shots are now starting on, or right of target, and shaping to the right (often severely). As far as I'm aware, the only way to get a ball to start on target line, and move left to right, is with a significant outside to inside swing path.

My practice sessions seem to confirm this, as I'm continually knocking the front of the hitting mat towards me. Or when I hit out of grass, can see a clear swipe going left of target. I'd give anything to get the in to out path back. While I wasn't amazing at controlling the clubface, my general shot shape (draw, with a straight push miss) was at least predictable.

That said, I agree that a major part of my issue is in set up / takeaway. I cannot seem to get into position to swing from the inside on my doenswing right now.

18 minutes ago, billchao said:

Makes sense because right now, "natural" to you is cranking the face wide open.

Don't open the face so much in the takeaway and you won't have to rotate your wrists so hard in an effort to square it in the downswing. In fact it should feel like that, less rotation going back, less going through. Might even feel like you're holding off on releasing the club.

Makes sense. Thanks again.

[Dunit507]

8 minutes ago, Bob Joneson said:

That would make sense to me, if it was a straight push, but my shots are now starting on, or right of target, and shaping to the right (often severely). As far as I'm aware, the only way to get a ball to start on target line, and move left to right, is with a significant outside to inside swing path.

Sorry dude! I heard missing right and immediately thought of my recent struggle....... in my car driving. Selective reading. Your divots tell the story. 

[Bob Joneson]

HOLY SH**!

It's raining up here off and on, but just went out to hit a few balls, making sure to keep the clubhead square on the takeaway (I'm trying to feel it relatively stationary all the way to the top of the back swing).

6 balls... 5 of them moved right to left, and the 6th was maybe 5 yards of fade.

It feels so *wrong* to me, but I know it's much more right. When I took the first swing, I thought for sure I was going to snap hook it, or bury the club in the ground, but it took a nice path just right of target and came back. I'll spend some more time with it and get another video or two over the next day.

Thanks again!

16 minutes ago, Dunit507 said:

Sorry dude! I heard missing right and immediately thought of my recent struggle....... in my car driving. Selective reading. Your divots tell the story. 

No worries!

[Dunit507]

6 minutes ago, Bob Joneson said:

HOLY SH**!

It's raining up here off and on, but just went out to hit a few balls, making sure to keep the clubhead square on the takeaway (I'm trying to feel it relatively stationary all the way to the top of the back swing).

6 balls... 5 of them moved right to left, and the 6th was maybe 5 yards of fade.

It feels so *wrong* to me, but I know it's much more right. When I took the first swing, I thought for sure I was going to snap hook it, or bury the club in the ground, but it took a nice path just right of target and came back. I'll spend some more time with it and get another video or two over the next day.

Thanks again!

No worries!

That’s awesome dude! I was gonna suggest hitting 1/2 and 3/4 shots to really drive home that takeaway position. 

[Bob Joneson]

1 minute ago, Dunit507 said:

That’s awesome dude! I was gonna suggest hitting 1/2 and 3/4 shots to really drive home that takeaway position. 

That sounds like good advice. My 30-70 yard pitch shots have been a disaster as well, and I don't spend nearly enough time with 1/2-3/4 to make sure I'm applying fundamentals consistently.

The other thing I felt right away, was that my hands naturally were finding their way ahead of the ball towards impact. Lately it's felt way more like I've been "flipping" from behind the ball.

Obviously 6 balls, a good swing does not make, but I'm encouraged by the potential.

It's just good to have something specific to work on that can clearly help.

[Dunit507]

11 minutes ago, Bob Joneson said:

That sounds like good advice. My 30-70 yard pitch shots have been a disaster as well, and I don't spend nearly enough time with 1/2-3/4 to make sure I'm applying fundamentals consistently.

The other thing I felt right away, was that my hands naturally were finding their way ahead of the ball towards impact. Lately it's felt way more like I've been "flipping" from behind the ball.

Obviously 6 balls, a good swing does not make, but I'm encouraged by the potential.

It's just good to have something specific to work on that can clearly help.

On those short shots what I did was 1) use a GPS to learn exact yardage not eying up the distance 

2) figure out how far your backswing corresponds to each yardage. For instance how far does a 1/4 go? How far does a 1/2 go and 3/4 and so on. 

Figure out how much a slight choke down takes off each swing as well.

[Bob Joneson]

41 minutes ago, Dunit507 said:

On those short shots what I did was 1) use a GPS to learn exact yardage not eying up the distance 

2) figure out how far your backswing corresponds to each yardage. For instance how far does a 1/4 go? How far does a 1/2 go and 3/4 and so on. 

Figure out how much a slight choke down takes off each swing as well.

I like the pecision of that. Even when my swing was "ok", I'd lose tons of shots on approach by "winging it". Mostly leaving them short, sometimes hitting them long, but rarely hitting them on the number. 😉

[Dunit507]

I never used a gps or distance tool before this season. I never had a single digit handicap until this season. It’s not a coincidence my GIR percentage has gone up. It’s not a coincidence I make more birdies although I don’t feel as tho I’m putting significantly better. I know how far it is to the front, middle and back and I know how far I hit my clubs. I did upgrade my irons this season and said with the new irons I’m going to also learn my true yardage. Not I’ll hit a 8 from the 150 all the time. 

It doesn’t matter if you can’t break 100 or are a scratch. Knowing how far to hit the ball and knowing how far the club in your hand will hit the ball is pretty important!