# Shortening the back swing



## Garush34 (Apr 29, 2014)

Hi guys need some tips for shortening the back swing. I go quite a bit passed parallel. My left arm does break down which is leading to the length of swing. 

Now I know people will say just keep your left arm straight and it will be fine, but what i feel in the swing is a short back swing but the feel vs real is totally different. 

So what tips you got to get it short?

Thanks in advance.


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## Airsporter1st (Apr 29, 2014)

I was doing the same thing and you are right about it not feeling that far. I couldn't believe it when the pro showed me on video nearly clouting myself with the club.

He made me set up with my left foot resting against the base of a wooden wall at the range and practice my backswing with an old club. When I started that I was clouting the wall even though I did not think I had swung anywhere near that far back. By repeating that and consciously trying not to hit the wall, I got the hang of it.


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## lex! (Apr 29, 2014)

I was also doing the same and saw it on video when the pro showed it to me. Casting all the energy away with wrist break and elbow collapsing, also leading to inconsistent strikes and forcing me only to be able to hit a decent shot when its all timed 100%perfectly. Pro told me to forget about wrists, keep them solid, then just think about big muscles, feel them wind up on backswing, back and stomach go tight, then release to finish. Has made big difference.


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## ScratchSRL (Apr 29, 2014)

Sounds ridiculous but I used to have a MASSIVE problem with overawing, got a bungee clipped to club and clipped to belt loop. And practiced swinging back then disattached and took a few swings, re applied and it worked! 

May not be useful but worked for me!


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## the_coach (Apr 29, 2014)

Garush34 said:



			Hi guys need some tips for shortening the back swing. I go quite a bit passed parallel. My left arm does break down which is leading to the length of swing. 

Now I know people will say just keep your left arm straight and it will be fine, but what i feel in the swing is a short back swing but the feel vs real is totally different. 

So what tips you got to get it short?

Thanks in advance.
		
Click to expand...

As in a lot of things with golf, the problem you have with the over swing probably starts a good deal sooner in your swing motion.

The problem being is the over swing can have quite a few different & accumulative causes, right back to grip, set-up & posture to the first moves away if you rush the arms hands & club back so the arm swing starts not connected to the body turn, &/or you roll your hands wrists so take the club away a ways to far inside or outside the proper plane.

So without seeing the motion in question can only speak in generalities.

One absolute criteria is though, that going back the takeaway & the body turn have to be connected & that the arm swing should _STOP when the shoulders & body turn does_, without any collapsing of either arm in an attempt to 'find' more power/speed with a long swing, or any independent 'lifting' of the arms to lengthen the swing either.
Either independent movement & carrying on the arm swing is often associated with not having set the hands/wrists properly going back so around about when your lead arm (left in RH) is parallel to the ground the angle between that arm & the shaft should be 90Âº.
It's often not having achieved this proper 90Âº angle set going back (if you do get the 90Âº you'll notice just completing the shoulder turn then puts the club head much further back without over swinging) & sensing the club head isn't far enough away to produce the speed in the swing needed that is the reason for the independent arm movement through collapse or lifting & so the over swing.
The over swing then has the club having to travel much too far too impact compared to the body movement to the arms hand & club a good ways too far behind, the weight stays on the trail leg & the 'flip' & inconsistent contact happens.

So boringly I'm afraid it's back to basics making sure the grip is correct to promote the proper left wrist cock, right wrist hinge (in RH) so when the lead arm is parallel to the ground the shaft can be set at 90Âº.
Also from takeaway no independent rolling of the hands & wrists as well as no racing the arms away & not turning the body.

Here's a drill to look at. I'll put a couple more up that might be useful.
But as ever it's about having to change what you are used to doing to stop the problem, no change then you'll get the same results I'm afraid, no 'easy' way but there can be with some good work a 'lasting' way so better results.

[video=youtube_share;ri9lZUREIFM]http://youtu.be/ri9lZUREIFM[/video]


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## the_coach (Apr 29, 2014)

[video=youtube_share;rSXsUvVsDyw]http://youtu.be/rSXsUvVsDyw[/video]


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## the_coach (Apr 29, 2014)

[video=youtube_share;VQXB0BxeF1g]http://youtu.be/VQXB0BxeF1g[/video]


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## the_coach (Apr 29, 2014)

As said in my first reply there can be a myriad of reasons as to why there's an over swing, most common not setting the wrists correctly at 90Âº when the lead arm is parallel to the ground, & not stopping the arms & club swing when the body/shoulders stop turning for the reasons given earlier.
You can also think you're over swinging which you may well be doing as well as actually through tension letting go of the handle, usually with the lead hand.
Hopefully there maybes be a few things in these vids that will strike a chord to help you some.

[video=youtube_share;D9oOP6TIyuI]http://youtu.be/D9oOP6TIyuI[/video]


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## Garush34 (Apr 29, 2014)

Thanks for the replys, so far not had a chance to read through them fully but will do later. Here's a couple of videos of my swing 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKGMB_kyKP4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjgk6QtyG78


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## scottbrown (Apr 29, 2014)

What do you play off? 
Not got any tips, but it looks a tidy swing to me


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## the_coach (Apr 29, 2014)

Had a quick look at the swing, at address check your toe line to target line it's a tad closed whilst your hips & shoulders are open to your target line.

As you swing back it's what is happening with your right arm that's giving you a bit of a problem (a nice overall swing motion you've got going though!) you'll see at the top the angle between your right fore arm & right upper arm breaks down to well below 90Âº.

So what'll you'll need to work on is getting back to the top & keeping that 90Âº angle in your right arm, so your hands in effect are much further away from your head at the top, then you won't get the collapse of the right elbow so the over swing, which puts the club way to far away from the ball compared to how much your body has to move to get back through impact.

What this means is probably when your timing is on, you'll be able to rematch the arms & club to the body turn going back to the ball, strike some good shots & play pretty good. The problem though is it's difficult always to make this 'rematch' timing-wise with any great consistency so you'll have days when you are a ways off.

So it's about the connection of your arm swing & body turn going back that one of the other vids talks about, plus really importantly working to keep that 90Âº at the top in your right arm, so the right elbow doesn't collapse putting your hands down back of your head.

The sound not great on this vid but it's worth persevering with for what he says about the right arm.

[video=youtube_share;fjWMpQOrmbY]http://youtu.be/fjWMpQOrmbY[/video]


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## Garush34 (Apr 29, 2014)

scottbrown said:



			What do you play off? 
Not got any tips, but it looks a tidy swing to me
		
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Thanks, I play off 18 at the moment. 

And the_coach thanks for the tips, I've had a read through all seems good stuff. I'll check out the videos tomorrow and give them a run through and get practicing.


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## RGDave (Apr 29, 2014)

Garush34 said:



			Thanks, I play off 18 at the moment.
		
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I would say (from face on) you and I are almost identical. 

(no other comment... I always enjoy seeing swings and hearing comments/reading ideas).


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## Garush34 (Apr 29, 2014)

RGDave said:



			I would say (from face on) you and I are almost identical. 

(no other comment... I always enjoy seeing swings and hearing comments/reading ideas).
		
Click to expand...

Haha yeah me too, not a day goes by that I don't google a swing thought or idea. Just can't get enough.


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## sawtooth (Apr 29, 2014)

Something you should try (before laughing at it)... I posted this before on other threads and I think its a really effective (and cheap) tool to help you get the feeling of what a straight arm really feels like. You have a long backswing with a shortish shoulder turn. What I think you should strive for is to have a shorter backswing but with a full 90 degree turn of the shoulders. 

"......an aid to keep your left arm straight. You can buy one its a sleeve that goes over your leading arm elbow but seriously you can improvise by using a 2L coke bottle like I have done in the past. Cut both ends off and slide it onto your arm.

 You should be able to hit full shots wearing it , your backswing will of course feel more restricted but that is not necessarily a bad thing. IMO a great way to cure over-swing and to get better extension into the downswing. Your shot trajectory will change a lot and definitely worth a try."


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## Garush34 (Apr 30, 2014)

sawtooth said:



			Something you should try (before laughing at it)... I posted this before on other threads and I think its a really effective (and cheap) tool to help you get the feeling of what a straight arm really feels like. You have a long backswing with a shortish shoulder turn. What I think you should strive for is to have a shorter backswing but with a full 90 degree turn of the shoulders. 

"......an aid to keep your left arm straight. You can buy one its a sleeve that goes over your leading arm elbow but seriously you can improvise by using a 2L coke bottle like I have done in the past. Cut both ends off and slide it onto your arm.

 You should be able to hit full shots wearing it , your backswing will of course feel more restricted but that is not necessarily a bad thing. IMO a great way to cure over-swing and to get better extension into the downswing. Your shot trajectory will change a lot and definitely worth a try."
		
Click to expand...

Cheers it's certainly worth a try if it will sort this out.


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## SteO (Apr 30, 2014)

Not sure if it will help you butb it is working for me as I have same fault. Pro told me to only think about swinging to waist height. This resulted in me having a shorter 3/4 swing and better ball striking. It is still very much a work in progress but I find it a nice simple though to have.


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