Psychonana

JDP... flattered you think I can help you with comments on your swing. I'm afraid I'm not close to being qualified beyond the very basics. I'd probably point you in a very wrong direction if I tried. You'd get real feedback from @iacas and others who work as coaches and trainers. Your swing looks pretty solid it me. Your poor extension probably could be fixed by doing some advanced yoga classes!

So, I had a little time on the range yesterday and I tinkered with two things that you guys brought up... @iacas's stick drill to help correct DS plane and @JDP 's idea on arms takeaway. I have to say I appear to have gotten some positive results from combining both. I'd like to finesse it a little more before I post a video. On my takeaway, I found that if I keep my hands a little closer to my body, I have a more upright back swing which minimizes that funky shift in plane I have at the top of my swing, and the downswing is coming in comfortably under the stick and much closer to the same plane as the backswing, which I love. And whatever was happening with my hands before, which was producing more draw than I was comfortable with, appears to have cancelled itself out. The draw is in a far better place now - much more in the category of high-draw than hookey-draw. Ball flight also has the height I am looking for. All good.

Ok, ok in honour of the funky move I'll give it a try and report back with video. :) Re handicap, you are too kind! But I wish I was at that level. For that I have a lot more work to do! I'm averaging high 70s these past few months. Bit more than than before Christmas.

Thanks for the feedback, interesting what JDP says about the hip sync. It's only now, when you say it, that I noticed that mechanic in my swing. I do feel this would take serious work to implement a change on this aspect - (maybe more work and hardship than I want to take on right now :) ) As @iacas says right now I think I have other more obvious things to worry about. I did try out the stick drill you suggested with some good results but all with a lot more draw than I'm comfortable with and with some horrific hooks as well. Trying to correct this resulted in strong pushed shots - I find it difficult to keep path straight at point of impact with the drill. Wasn't able to get a video this time but I'll post one as soon as I can - I'd be interested to hear if you can see positive changes.

What is the difficulty index of that hole? This is something worth considering when you assess the risk. If I am tied between 2 shot options I often will let the index decide. If its rated as a difficult hole, I'll take the safer less risky shot. My thinking being that on average others will be having difficulties on this hole and will be paying the price of their over risky shots. I'm smarter to play it conservatively and walk off with a clean result, reserving my riskier shots for easier holes.

It's hard to tell, of course, especially not knowing the severity of the slope and how much the ball will run out. The way I see it is that there is more risk involved in laying up in front of the creek. (165yds will put you in it on the right.) Add the downhill aspect and I imagine even a 7 iron off the tee risks scampering down into the creek. (I play a similar hole here in Spain and its unreal how much the ball can roll out depending on the conditions) AND you are still left with the 140-150yd uphill approach possibly with a downhill lie. Eek! Either way the risk is a penalty drop, compounded with the risk of that drop not giving you a clear line to the green if you are under the trees on the right? You also seem to have a visually impaired line to the green off that back tee box. If this is something that you are weary of then you should also consider the effect this has on the risk of executing the shot badly - a huge factor for many golfers. In regards to the alternative shot, I can drive 270yds consistently and can fade without problem so I know I'd be playing that shot over the right side of the bridge, probably with a little more height than normal to ensure I carry the trees (in the event of a miss hit), and the creek if it leaks a bit to the left. With your 210 drive, the risk of catching the creek particularly on the left side would come more into play than it does for me. Certainly if wind is on your back and you can launch it a little higher, I'd tend to go for the drive rather than the layup if I were you. (Although if you've snap-hooked your last 2 drives, maybe reconsider that!) :)

Agreed, your goals will work with each other to help other aspects of your game. Improving your green side chipping will help eliminate your 3 putt stats, simply working on keeping your ball on the fairway off the tee will help eliminate those OABs and consequentially some of your trebles and doubles... remember EVERY single golfer started as a high handicapper.

Well, quality of ball strike is one thing, short game skills another and playing smarter is another. I'd argue that learning to play smarter, particularly for higher handicapped players, is a lot easier to implement than elevating the quality of their ball striking, and a lot faster than elevating your skills to the next level. Blackjack Don, I feel, maybe looking for a fast track means to drop his handicap - IE "One Fix". I really don't think it is this simple. Fixing your swing or improving your skills usually takes a lot more time and practice. At his HC level I believe the easiest way would be through smarter play.

Lol, yes it's when our thought process starts to look more like when playing chess - trying to anticipate 2 or 3 moves ahead. Although, did you mean underestimating the risk rather than overestimating it?

I'd suggest first identifying where you are creating risk or loosing shots in all aspects of your game; errant drives, number of bunkers you get in. How many 3 putts, trebles and doubles do you typically have. Write them All down on a hit-list. Identify the skills that will help negate those more challenging shot scenarios and link them to your hit-list items. Now create a fallback plan for each scenario. E.g. Hybrid rather than driver on the tee, lay up or play around when faced with a bunker, lag putting, etc. Going forward play only your fallback plan. Set your goals for a limited but realistic period of time. (Eg: hit 8 fairways off the tee rather than 3 or no OABs rather than your usual 3) Take one skill a time and work on it until you can confidently implement the stroke into your game and only then will you allow yourself to retire the fallback option. Bit by bit you will see your hit-list disappear and your scoring improve.

Yes, just through the survey. There is no other way to capture the information I'm looking for which is pertaining to risk assessment, confidence, experience and goal setting. The data is solicited from golf forums and social communities worldwide. Yes, absolutely, the results and analysis will be published for debate and discussion.

Man, how does he get so far inside... definitely will search out his swing videos. Looking at them now, interesting that he also has such an open stance... I do the same, and even exaggerate this on purpose when I'm having an off day with my swing to help be square off the face.

Assuming something like this? Sounds like it would help... I'll give it a go and report back.... I'm still worried about that blip on the top of my backswing, it looks so weird.

Well spotted, but could it be that it's the right arm that is causing the blip or shift in swing plane to the outside... if you look at it just before the top of my backswing you can see this weird right arm angle shift that pushes my left arm up considerably. Its like my shoulder joint does something funky forcing a change in direction. If I shorten my backswing it all but disappears and the swing plane is far better looking. The problem for me with swinging from the inside is that it also magnifies slice considerably.