# My swing, anybody got any tips?



## Marty420 (Apr 7, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkjgZyRgGIA

3 wood off the first tee at Crookhorn. 

I know I have an big overswing, its something I have to live with. I cant stop at horizontal and do a complete follow through, just doesnt feel right. This was my classic shot where it starts dead straight then veers right as the ball reaches its maximum height. 

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry its not slow mo, im working on getting a slower version but cant find an android app which will do it for free!


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Apr 8, 2015)

Marty420 said:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkjgZyRgGIA

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
		
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Get a haircut, it must interfere with your swing


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## Marty420 (Apr 8, 2015)

Thanks! Its not too bad actually, but its all coming off at the end of the month for charity.


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## garyinderry (Apr 8, 2015)

Looks like you give it a fair oul rip.


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## Marty420 (Apr 8, 2015)

https://youtu.be/Wszn-GTMagE

Slowmo...


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## Foxholer (Apr 8, 2015)

Oh for that follow through!! But John Daly might be proud of the overswing!

You seem to be leaning back slightly through impact after a bit of 'Early Extension'. Do you block right or Pull left occasionally?

And, like Woody69, right arm seems slightly bent at impact. H'mm... coincidence? Slow mo trick? Or am I spouting rubbish on that aspect?!  Happy to have those more used to examining Slow-Mo vids say I'm spouting rubbish!


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## Marty420 (Apr 8, 2015)

Block right is my usual bad shot, on rare occasions I pull one left.


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## Foxholer (Apr 8, 2015)

Marty420 said:



			Block right is my usual bad shot, on rare occasions I pull one left.
		
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That Early Extension, and consequent balance adjustment, could well be the cause of both. Check t'internet for drills (there's one with a that is 'classic'). I've used some balance pads in the past, but they are not everyone's cup of tea!

But the overswing is probably the first/easiest thing to address. Don't lose that follow through though!


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## Marty420 (Apr 8, 2015)

Thanks for the replies! I've tried shortening my back swing, but it just doesn't feel complete and I can't naturally follow through as I normally do. It is controlled and comfortable, and its always the same amount that I go past horizontal. 

Already looking at some early extension drills. And, after a few slow swings in the back garden, I do think my right arm is bent slightly at impact. Thanks again, good to know what I can work on next I'm at the range.


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## the_coach (Apr 8, 2015)

what handicap index are you? or if you don't have a current handicap what's the average gross score? so what level of improvement are you looking for?

one thing to think over. things 'feel' a ways comfortable because it's a repeated habit. 

but comfortable & repeated habit often times don't give the result folks would wish to have. 

number of Tour pro's have what would be considered an overlong takeback, but they can repeatedly find the impact position to get ball to target, which is a little ways different.

getting improvement most often means 'change' in the current swing habits. comfortable most often doesn't lend itself to providing the improvement that folks are seeking.

couple things maybes to consider & then maybes rethink how the improvement you seek perhaps needs to be addressed.
at setup your shoulder line is a good ways open to your intended target line, club goes back initially little ways under plane & inside then get lifted up some, & eventually 'crosses the line' at the top.
you make a real good effort from transition to return it to impact (most folks would come straight out 7 over a good way from that top position) but going to be a ways difficult to get the path & the face where you'd want it to be.

but because the shaft/club head have traveled so far going back it's real difficult for you to get the timing back, as this encourages the body to outrace the club & arms.
so half ways down your right elbow gets a little ways stuck behind the hips, so then difficult to get  consistent & real efficient impact conditions.

if the answer is still to keep things pretty much the same, you going to have to address the consistent misses by not aiming straight for target.

to get the improvement you are looking for does mean you'd have to be prepared to change a bunch of things.

(right arm/right hand should still have an angle into & at impact. only time the right arm is completely straight(extended) is in the follow through some 18" to 24" after impact, when the right & left arm are both completely extended so the clubhead is as far away from the left shoulder that it's possible to be)


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## Marty420 (Apr 9, 2015)

Thanks Coach! Watched the slowmo video over and over to spot all the bits you picked up and it all makes sense. Ther long backswing is the major issue I think. IfI think about it swing 3/4, I can stop at horizontal. But I then only get a 3/4 follow through. Its just something I'm going to have to seriously work on. Give it a few weeks and I'll post another video to see if any improvements have been made.

I don't have an official handicap these days. Gross score is anywhere between low 80's on a good day, low 90's on a bad one.


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## Foxholer (Apr 9, 2015)

How much (if any) Cricket have you played? 

If you feel comfortable, then maybe the over-swing isn't horrendous. But it can certainly lead to inconsistency. Perhaps you could try to keep the left arm straight in the back-swing by feeling you are stretching/pushing into the outside of the left wrist. Remember though that any change will feel a bit uncomfortable at first. It should, however, feel more natural as your body/brain gets used to the change. Sometimes that never happens though and it's better to work around the particular quirk!


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## Marty420 (Apr 9, 2015)

Never played cricket, always hated the sport! Its just the way I've always swung it. Even when I played as a junior I had the over swing, old habits I guess. Thanks alot for the replies though. Gives me something to work on at the range, instead of just aimlessly hitting balls.


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## the_coach (Apr 9, 2015)

if you decide to give it a go. my take it would be something worth looking into for sure if you want to look to get onto & down the handicap index. but also if you want to play little ways better for your own enjoyment of the game to increase some. for sure some lessons the best ways to go if that's an option anytime.

meantime having a look at the drill here (back of right hand back up against the back of the left hand) so the arms in the backswing are a good ways more linked to the body turn to the top. 

it's the arms being linked to the turn that will allow you to both shorten the takeback, so have bunch better timing in sequence back through impact so more solid contact.

& as the vid explains better distance as an outcome also even though that may seem a ways counter-intuitive to you.

[video=youtube;KzzPWuuD6zk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzzPWuuD6zk[/video]


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## the_coach (Apr 9, 2015)

you won't have someone holding a club as seen here in the vid. but if you plan some practice around your left arm as to where the hands are, so hands finishing the backswing at position based on a clockface. 

so couple backswings 'feeling' this to start, with left arm so hands 'pointing' at 9pm to 10pm as the end of the takeback. 
then with the same 'feel' step up & swing the same through a ball, but do it only at 50%/60% swing motion effort. the reason for this is it's a ways impossible to try to make changes at normal swing speed. as the brain so body just tends to 'fall' back in to the normal swing pattern habits.

so you'd need a bunch of these sessions every week if possible at practice, plus take on board & work on the drills without a club from the other vid.

if you practice precisely & with rigor monitor what you do through your sessions (take vid on your cell so you get a good idea how the sessions are going) you can change if you've a mind too.

but as the 1st vid says it's the connection between the turn & arm swing that's key. make a good turn arms stop when the turn stops, which will help transition & the club being more in front of you going back & coming down will help with the sequence timing & give you the opportunity to have better & a ways more consistent strike.

[video=youtube;TVDpvX2E5V0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVDpvX2E5V0[/video]


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## JustOne (Apr 11, 2015)

Foxholer said:



			Oh for that follow through!! But John Daly might be proud of the overswing!

You seem to be leaning back slightly through impact after a bit of 'Early Extension'. Do you block right or Pull left occasionally?

And, like Woody69, right arm seems slightly bent at impact. H'mm... coincidence? Slow mo trick? Or am I spouting rubbish on that aspect?!  Happy to have those more used to examining Slow-Mo vids say I'm spouting rubbish! 

Click to expand...

Right arm straight?

Hunter Mahan







Gary Woodland






Ben Hogan face on, John Daly DTL






Not sure what the right arm fixation is you've just stumbled upon... been reading about #1 power accumulator recently? :mmm:


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## ScienceBoy (Apr 11, 2015)

JustOne said:



			Right arm straight?
		
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Probably meant left, I don't know of anyone who would have a straight right arm.

Wouldnt that make it hard to hit down on the ball and lead with the hands? A straight right arm would be a swing without much power right as there is nothing "power train" to the ball?


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## sawtooth (Apr 12, 2015)

Try to get the club into a better position at the top. Take more care with the backswing, I would start by taking the club back slower and then gradually start to shorten the backswing. No good reason to be more than horizontal at the top with a Driver or 3W.


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## Marty420 (Apr 27, 2015)

Bit of an update. Been to the range by myself a few times working on some bits and had a mini lesson yesterday (a family friend is one of the pro's at Chichester). Its all been about lining up to target. My feet and hips are on the right line but my shoulders are pointing left of target. Got the shoulders now pointing in the right direction and 90% of the shots were going where I wanted them to, with a bit of natural draw as well  Also gained some distance as well. Now hitting the 7 iron about 175/180 yards which is a 20 yard improvement.

The long back swing has been shortened, maybe not enough, but its definetly shorter than in the videos posted in this thread. This has helped with the timing on the downswing. Still have work to do, but its coming together nicely. Really happy with how I've been striking the ball (even if the setup feels a little odd). Thank you to everyone who offered advice. I'm hopefully playing tomorrow so will update then and let you know how I got on. 

I've also had a haircut


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## JustOne (Apr 27, 2015)

Marty420 said:



			I've also had a haircut 

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How much did you raise mate?


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## Marty420 (Apr 27, 2015)

JustOne said:



			How much did you raise mate?
		
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Just shy of Â£500 for my haircut. There was another charity event which all my money went too, they've managed to raise around Â£15000 so far.


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## Marty420 (Apr 29, 2015)

Shot 84 yesterday, which is my best of the year so far. Managed to keep a bit of the natural draw I was getting at the range the other day. Although the extra distance I also gained caused me to misjudge some approaches into the greens and left me short. Inevitably, the short game and putting let me down a bit. With some short game practice i'm sure I can break 80 in the near future. 

My swing feels quite strange with the adjustments made. I've shortened the back swing, fixed my shoulder alignment and am now playing the ball slightly further back in my stance to keep my hands in front of the ball at impact. But i'm definitely seeing improvements even after such a short period of time. 

Playing again Sunday, i'll try and get another video uploaded showing the changes ive made.


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