sharpljp

Today I got the rest of my clubs weighed. Also got a new set of half way decent irons. RocketBladez. Didn't get fitted because they were on sale locally for $200 brand new. Here are my swingweights: 5 iron- C7 7 iron- C-6 Pitching Wedge- C8 Sand Wedge- D2 Driver- D2 Three Wood ~D5 Five Wood- D4 Interestingly, my three wood has always been my best club. By far really. I can hit it as far as my driver and more consistently. I could never really hit my 56 degree sand wedge well either. Usually if I'm 90 yards and up, it's a feel PW. I think things are coming together for me. My swingweights really varied. My new irons are all 3.5 from 4 iron to PW. Just wondering if it would be a good idea to keep my driver on down to my SW the same swingweight? A local pro who is a friend of mine said his are different. He said his SW is E-1. Just wondering the pros and cons. This is all new to me so any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks Buckeye! My short game can be pretty good at times and can be a life-saver. My game has been pretty frustrating though because I can't replicate the same solid swing all the time (and I play a lot of golf). The clubs are Mens HT Burner Irons with stiff flex steel shafts. The golf store employee told me that my grips, which are thick rubber grips, aren't helping my situation. He said the heavy grips make the swingweight even less. I bought them brand new from a Pro. His guess was that they were originally D-0 when I got them but the grips I put on them made the swingweight lighter. There is a chance that they were less than D-0 when i got them but I'd be very letdown by the guy I bought them from if that was the case. But it's possible. But.. the frustration has been at a high level for me. It has perplexed me as to why I have no feel in the club head for so long. This instance being the first time I've heard of "swingweight" does aggravate me since I haven't felt the club head in a long, long time. On top of the "toothpick" feeling clubs.. I'm on the stronger side. I bench well over 350 pds and have a strong upper body. I feel like this fact doesn't help my current swingweight scenario! I really hope once I get a heavier swingweight (probably going to first try D-5), I can swing easier and hit it a little bit harder and hopefully straighter.

I go into a golf store today to grip my driver re-gripped and talk to the employee who seemed to know a lot. I told him that my irons are Taylormade HT Burner Irons. I also told him they felt like toothpicks and I really struggle to feel the club head. I have little to no feel of the club head. I explained how I have hit my friends clubs better/further (although they are blade heads) and they felt a lot heavier which i liked. I'm physically very strong and built that way so flexibility and ROM can be an issue. When I swung my friend's clubs, I felt like I could swing easier and hit it further, like all I said to do was square it up and it would fly. The employee asked me to grab my 7-iron so I did. He put it on some kind of scale and told me my swingweight was C-5. I've been playing golf for 20 years and have honestly never heard of swingweight. He said, "this is why it feels like a toothpick." He told me that standard stiff-flex irons (he may of meant standard stiff flex 7-irons with a metal shaft) were D-0. He said since my clubs have a rubber (heavy) grips also, that takes even more feel out of my club head. So I have a couple questions for you guys.. Could my ultra-light swingweight be the/a reason why I have such a hard time to square the ball up? I ask this because I have zero feel of the club head with my irons. Since I have a strong upper body and core, would it make sense for me to get a heavier than normal (D-0) swingweight? Are there any sets of irons that are known for heavier swingweights? Thanks in advance for any thoughts and/or advice!!!!!

These two were from last weekend. I still feel like I'm going from "shallow" to "steep" from backswing to downswing which I've learned here is incorrect. Another problem is I tried to cut down on the length on my backswing (it's too long) but it's very hard to. I don't know if others have felt the same way but I really do not feel like I'm going as far back as the video shows. But i am and I guess I should try to "feel" like I'm only going a third of the way back. Also when I get the club parallel to my knees on the backswing, it looks like I'm in good position with the clubface vertical. But from there I'm guessing I need to get more vertical rather then to continue bringing the club back towards my back right shoulder. I think the next thing to try would be a very, very short back swing atleast then I could try to go steep back on the backswing. What do you guys think? Thanks so much again everyone.

My swing has taken some very positive changes since joining this community and want to thank you guys again. My takeaway is different now and my swing isn't so flat on the backswing anymore. My posture has changed for the better too. Lots of good stuff. I played with a friend a few nights ago and he has a similar background as me playing baseball, going over the top and what not. He made a change while playing a few weeks ago and now he hits his clubs straight with a small draw. He struggled especially with a Driver and hits that well too now. His change was focusing on not breaking his wrists. During the takeaway, I try to keep everything as "one piece." But once i get about maybe to my waist, I break my wrists and kind of cock them (I believe this is what makes the club SO FAR past parallel at the top.) My miss now is a weak fade. Sometimes i scold it with a slice. It FEELS like I just cant get my hands to the ball no matter what. But when I kept my wrists "locked", I could not go as far back and I was hitting it sweeter. Does this make sense and should i continue with this swing thought?

While watching the pre set drill.. I think i get into that preset position.. that was what Mac helped me with by keeping my right palm facing down.. BUT i run into problems AFTER i get in that position by rotating my chest and letting my arms follow it.. it creates a "too shallow" plane.. i needed to get steeper.. but i guess my question is how? Practice obviously will help but I've always been thought to just rotate my chest and let the arms follow.. i think that right after i get to the "pre-set drill position" as Faldo demonstrates, i need to get vertical with my arms (should make the backswing my steeper) instead of following the chest and keeping my my swing so flat. Does this make sense? I think i am close!

Marty- Really, really appreciate your post. I will give it a shot and post the results soon. What you're saying makes a lot of sense

One thing I've thought about is the weight of my club heads. My clubs feel like toothpicks. I'm interested if a heavier club head (irons) would give me a little more feel of the club head itself. I just feel like for me personally, I could maybe control it better and therefore the face too. Does this make sense or am I going down the wrong road? Is this an issue for some players? I feel like I'm at my best (for hitting fairways and GIR) when I keep my backswing short and if I had more feel of the club head.. the sweeter (and further) I should hit it. Also.. I tend to swing pretty aggressively most of the time which can throw off my tempo resulting in misses

Interesting graph! Pretty cool, I've never seen a graph like that. But yes, I feel like if i could learn to swing correctly then i could maybe even pick up some swing speed AND/OR swing easier and hit it further. My "dream swing" is to be able to swing as hard as I can.. but also properly... or at-least semi properly.

Interesting. I'm able to get the swing speed by incorrectly swinging too, which is why I'd like to learn to swing correctly.. it would make the game so much more fun.

Mac, makes sense. Thanks again. Will buy beers next time I'm in SD. Gonna get that a try. With my arms so close to me, it makes it tough to create speed on the downswing.

Philly thanks man. I will check those training aids out. Makes sense

Just posted to my swing!!

this is about a 15 yard fade (one of my better shots honestly) with a three wood. You can see at the top, it's like I can't help but turn my body left like i would in baseball. I don't let the arms fall. When I do try to let the arms fall, I either miss-hit it or it doesn't have much power behind it.

Thanks so much for the time and effort Randall!

this is about a 15 yard fade (one of my better shots honestly) with a three wood. You can see at the top, it's like I can't help but turn my body left like i would in baseball. I don't let the arms fall. When I do try to let the arms fall, I either miss-hit it or it doesn't have much power behind it.

While watching a few pros tee off this morning in Orlando, I notice a big difference in my swing compared to theirs (actually a lot of difference lol). I have trouble going Over the top. Keeping my right palm down has helped, but I still battle a 20 yard fade which takes off more distance than I can afford. At the beginning of the downswing from the top, I tend to want to "rip it" like I used to in baseball. I get in fine position but it's habit for me to screw up the downswing. When I watch the pros in slow-mo, their transition from the top looks effortless. It looks like they just drop the hands and arms right back to the ball. And when they get in the hitting zone (when club reaches knee height on downswing), they then rotate their hips, square the club and continue to rotate their hips with a great finish. It looks like they are not trying to hit the ball hard from the top (which I know I look like I AM swinging hard from the top). My question is.. Where do they get the power? Besides hitting it flush, what generates the power that these guys get from a simple 3/4 swing? Im a strong guy in the gym and get FRUSTRATED (yes very frustrated) when I feel like I'm giving max effort to swing my 3 wood 100-103 mph only to get 230-235 including roll. Same with my wedges.. Pitching wedge only goes 120 and that's a perfect shot. 56° sand wedge goes maximum 80 yards if I'm lucky. Any tips from you guys to help me with a more "easier" swing? If i drop the hands, arms correctly on the downswing.. what generates power through the hitting zone? Legs? It feels so weird and so weak (like distance weak) when I try to drop the arms/hands correctly. Thank you guys so much.

While I'm made some definite improvements from the advice I've gotten, I know my problem is that I go Over The Top. I played baseball for years and years, year-round. After looking at my swings (I get a friend to record me every time i play now), It's something I see all the time. Even with a perfect takeaway I will revert to going over the top. I've read about going OTT and watched some Youtube videos of different professionals thoughts' on it but the natural feeling of going (a little) OTT is enough to throw my well-struck, balanced shots well left. Has anyone heard of any ex-baseball players with the same issue and if they found anything specially helpful in getting there? Much appreciation as always guys.

Must admit that I still feel like I'm coming over the top at times. Much more consistent with this new Takeaway though. I think that my backswing gets too long sometimes and result in me coming a little over-the-top. I think that if I really shorten up my backswing and keep my right palm facing the ground, it could really help. If I could just eliminate the pull or really cut down on my pulls (esp when I can not miss left due to OB etc) I could maybe cut my handicap down a few shots.

Videos are posted in my swing!! Under my swing (sharpljp).

Caddy view.. this is after the "right palm facing down" tip I got from Mac. Great, great round yesterday for me (although 39 degree temps) shooting 38 with three birds. Thanks everyone for all thoughts!!

The 30 degree weather with 15-20 mph winds has kept me from recording the caddy view video yet but I got a chance to hit a few balls indoors at my friends simulator. For shoulder turn.. when I keep my right palm on top facing the ground, it makes me rotate my shoulders my steeply, which I believe is a good thing. I also feel like it gave me more control with the club face. The ONLY thing that was sometimes off was my distance. It was like 38 degrees in the simulator building so idk if that matters. My irons and wedges were going 10 yard shorter sometimes. Sometimes maybe my 8 iron would be 25 yards further too though. Probably from not having proper timing from the new backswing? Before the tip from mvmac, I would rotate my arms more laterally around my body. I feel like now with the "Jack Nicklaus" takeaway, my shoulders are forced to get steeper in order to keep the right palm on top, facing the ground. That results in a more upright takeaway, greatly helping my flat takeaway.

Mistermuhl I think that has a lot to do with going too shallow like Mvmac pointed out. Great observation and thanks for the thought

Mike, thanks so much for the tips. Extremely helpful. I read the video link as well and think I might have to invest in a tripod. The right palm staying on top makes a lot of sense and I never realized how shallow I was going back. I noticed while looking at my swing in slow Mo last night that I may need to get more shoulder turn to get steeper. Does this make sense? Thanks a million my friend.

I've been Playing Golf for: 12-13 years recreationally My current handicap index or average score is: 9 My typical ball flight is: pull, pull draw or fade usually The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: the pull draw Thank you everyone for the swing thoughts. Really appreciated. Videos: Behind ball view: Caddy view: Will add tomorrow