Jackslap

Squaddie I like your statement. I too think that my problem stems from lack of arm roll. The very first round I ever played was a few years ago, and I guy that I was with who routinely shoots mid 80's was giving me some friendly advice because I kept sailing balls WAY right. Since it was my first time out he wanted to give pointers and I welcomed them. He asked me if I could feel the moment right when I was about to hit the ball, and could I just make sure that I was turning my arms at that exact second. I replied something like "Hell no I can't "feel" my arms in a split second like that, let alone time them to do something complicated like that. His response was something like, "Well, that is what you need to work on most". He then went on to explain that he didn't see anything else too obvious that would cause such a huge slice. Ever since then I have not heeded his advice, and have never thought to try and "feel" my arms during the swing. Now that you are saying a very similar thing, perhaps I need to address it. I have also played with a guy that I work with who used to play on the Canadian tour (so he says, but he sure plays like a pro. Birdied damn near every hole on our local course). Once while playing with him me and a few other guys in our group who totally sucked started asking him for tips. He pointed out a bunch of flaws in all the other dudes swings, naming specific faults or super obvious errors. When he came to me he said "you just need to hit range balls to get your timing right". Now maybe he just said that because he didn't want to keep having to analyze everyone's swings all day, or maybe he said that because he too couldn't notice one particular thing I was being blatantly obvious about. He just chalked up my crappy swing to timing issues. And since arm rolling kind of has to do with timing, maybe were on to something here. I really love the conversations we have here. I feel that I've learned so much in the few weeks I've been a member.

I guess I'm kind of tall. 6'1". I did a little drill yesterday that gave me a bit of insight, but perhaps the insight is false feed back. I started taking the club (driver, the one I really slice with) back only about 3/4 of the way. I kept my lower body totally still. It would turn a little bit with the arms swinging around, but I tried to MAKE it stay as still as I could. I was drilling little 150 yard line drives dead straight every time. That is what lead me to believe that it is my lower body that is screwing me up. Of course, my distance suffered a bit from lack of lower body movement, but surprisingly not too much. I only average around 180 off the tee anyway. I think that is a combination of wrong driver loft and hesitation to swing harder because that is when the slice really comes out. I tend to think of things from a mechanics point of view, process of elimination. Is that a bad strategy to use when analyzing the golf swing? Here are two DTL videos. They are obviously on different occasions, so perhaps the errors made in these ones are different than the errors in the first one. http://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4058 http://www.swingacademy.com/videoPlayer.aspx?id=4056

I can't figure myself out. I had TMO analyze my swing and he gave me some great tips. I feel much less strain in my back and hands due to his advice on keeping my spine straight, bending over more, and giving myself more room to make a proper inside/outside swing path. I've really felt better. The problem is, I don't hit the ball any straighter. I still block/slice shots really bad. It only worsens if I try to really make sure I'm leading with my hips. I don't feel like I have a lot of hip slide, I think I make a proper turn based on video I've shot of myself. So tonight I hit some balls and I noticed if I start the downswing with my arms and delay my hip throw a little bit, the ball goes much straighter. I even started pulling it a little too much so I had to balance the arms/hips timing thing. I think with a little more practice I could get used to it, perhaps hitting a lot fewer balls sliced right. So, do I have timing problems? Tempo is different from timing right? Has that been my problem all along? I was fussing over grip, stance width, shoulder position, alignment, all for nothing? I have a 9.5* driver face and I only carry a straight ball about 180-200. Should I be looking at something more lofty for more carry? Sorry so many questions and observations, but I'm excited about possibly having figured something out on my own. I know, I know, get lessons right? Here's a video from a couple of weeks ago. It's not with any of the new stuff I tried tonight. I don't think that is hip slide do you guys? Maybe I'm just not seeing it right. http://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4057

Is there such a thing? Or is it pretty much individually based? Taller people less angle, shorter people more angle? 40*-50*? If I were to try and train myself to have a perfect swing plane, I would need to know what angle or what range of angles are acceptable right? BTW, the angle I'm reffering to is the angle of the club from the DTL position, relative to the grip pointing toward the body. Just in case anyone was wondering what angle I was asking about.

That seems to be the building consensus. WTH? I thought for sure I was doing it right. It does explain why the slice w/driver, but why the pull w/irons though doesn't it?

It wasn't only because I was swinging harder though, it was also due to the fact that I closed that club face and re-gripped. The videos I put up are of a more moderate swing, where I squared the club face at address and whamo, the slice shows up.

I posted some videos on the swing academy site. Pretty cool site. You can slow them down and everything. You guys probably already know all about it though. http://www.swingacademy.com/videoPlayer.aspx?id=4058 (Driver DTL) http://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4057 (Driver Face on) http://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4056 (6 Iron DTL)

I usually hit a horrible slice with my driver and fairway woods, but I can pull my irons WAY left. Every now and then I'll get an iron to slice a little bit, but far more pulls than anything else. I think that it is my hips getting ahead of my hands, so a timing issue. I always hear that you should start the down swing with the hips, but when I really focus on doing that, it seems my arms are lagging way behind. I've also heard that you should be keeping your arms totally relaxed so that your body is pulling them along. I SWEAR to you that that is what I feel like I am doing, but the hands don't catch up. I think my grip is solid, 2.5 knuckles showing on left hand, palms facing together and working together. But the damn club face is open at impact. I also think I'm not coming over the top, based on a few video's Iv'e shot of myself from DTL, I see myslef bringing the club back down on a pretty good plane (but I'm no pro). I sent my swing for analysis and am still waiting for a response so I'm not 100%. I experimented tonight with closing the club face and then re-gripping at the closed position. I started putting everything I had into the swing and was DRILLING them near dead straight or even a slight draw about 250. I NEVER hit that far because I always slow my swing down to minimize the slice damage. So, if I close the face at address about 30* I'll hit them dead straight. Does that hint at a certain fault? I still think it's my timing between the arms and hips, but aren't the arms supposed to lag? I'm so confused.

I did the John Daly workout today. A few beer farts and a cigar. Tired...

I usually do pretty decent warm up stretching and excersizing. I don't think that my pain maybe to a lack of that. I noticed last night while practice swinging that it kind of hurts during the down swing due to the tip of the shaft being sort of jammed into the "void" of tissue between the thumb and first finger of the left hand. Almost like it's pushing into the bones in a weird way. I know that you are supposed to grip the club more in the fingers, and I think I do a decent job of that, but during impact it seems as if the club is being a bit jarred into that area. Ultimatley I think I need to get lessons, and take a bit of time off...bummer.

I've played 18 holes for three Saturday's in a row, with a small bucket of balls at the range once, and I get home today to make some practice swings and I notice that my left wrist/thumb is a bit sore. I've had some wrist pain before because of excessive guitar playing, but I didn't think that I was doing anything very stressful to the wrist during my golf swing. I understand a bit about anatomy (x-ray/c.t. tech) and it doesn't seem anything like carpal tunnel. Tendonitis maybe? I'm not looking for medical advice here, just seeing if anyone else experiences this and what you do to prevent it. Am I truly doing something wrong? I just experience a bit of radial deviation (hand moves toward radius bone/away from pinky side) during my swing, but I thought everyone did that. I don't feel like I'm exaggerating my wrists at all. What gives? I guess now I have to take a couple weeks off to let it fully recover. And I was just getting into the swing of things....HA HA HA!

Ah. That had not occurred to me. I forget that people have memberships to clubs. I don't have one, so it's easy for me to forget.

Played everyday since June 1st? How the hell you guys afford that? Sponsored Pro's or something?

I'd probably make a light hearted joke, semi sarcastic about it. Something like " Gee, I wish I could always "make" three foot putts too. A little smile afterward, and elbow to the ribs...Maybe he won't stop taking them, but he'll sure know you're noticing. Perhaps sooner or later he'd get it. Or you could just scream in his face "B.S. man putt it in, the tournament is on the line here!" Act like you are taking it WAY too seriously. Maybe victory dance on the green a little bit when you DO outshoot him and act like a total A-hole. Maybe he'd get that. All in good fun.

From what you guys are saying, it sounds like I'm doing o.k. with the hips. It sounds like though, that I may need to speed the arms up instead of slowing the "swing" (arms portion) down. I really don't think that I'm moving too much laterally with the hips. I'll record my swing and put it up here. On a good note, last night while I was hitting balls I was using a fairway wood and couldn't hit it worth crap. So I switched over to a 3 iron and was nailing them dead straight about 170. I was swinging harder though.