Colin L v Ernie Els

[Colin L]

It was high noon at the range today, drivers drawn with me against none other than the Big Easy himself. Head to head, toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, no less. Yep, there we were on the split tv screen with the pro analysing the recording of my swing and comparing it with Ernie's. I was mightily impressed by the similarity in our postures but have to I admit some minute, well maybe quite major differences between the position of various bits of him began to creep in when the movement started. It was a very instructive but in the end an unequal contest and I had to conclude it was just as well I hadn't had to earn my bread by playing golf.

Afterwards, I wondered if Ernie Else was used because I am tall. Does the computer programme contain a number of different players to chose from according to the client? Had I been a wee fella, would the pro have hit the button to bring up Ian Woosnam?

 

[Foxholer]

Almost certainly picked a 'classic' swing with someone of a similar body shape. So yes, Woosnam's early wrist-cocked wide swing could well be a model a short-and-round player, with someone like KJ Choi being more the model for simply large-chested.

Beware with trying to actually emulate the exact swing though. There could well be hidden traps in there and it's that only the fact that they are swinging hundreds of times a day that means they have got these under control - Els has (well, certainly used to have) a massive body shift and has to time his release perfectly - similar release style to Donald.

So take the great things from the sample swings - Els's rhythm and flow - but don't get bogged down with the precise detail of the individual swing.

 

[chrisd]

My pro has used split screen as well. I didn't know that the Elephant Man ever played golf!

 

[Colin L]

Beware with trying to actually emulate the exact swing though. There could well be hidden traps in there and it's that only the fact that they are swinging hundreds of times a day that means they have got these under control - Els has (well, certainly used to have) a massive body shift and has to time his release perfectly - similar release style to Donald.

Wouldn't dream of trying it - as Scottie of the USS Enterprise might have said, "The engines widnae stand it." At age 68 there are some compromises to be made. But the principles were clear and it was very interesting. You mention body shift. The pro put a vertical line on the screen down our right sides at address and ran the sequence. At impact, there was a significant gap between the line and Ernie's side and virtually none between the line and mine. I guess that accounts for one or two yards difference off the tee As for the release, the difference in our hand positions in the follow through was telling as well - and something to work on.

But it was a good model to use. I have what approximates to a classic swing although Tom Watson is the player i look at and say, "I wish" - not least because he shows what still can be done in your later years.

Just one other thing which I expect is common. I spent some 20 minutes warming up with 50 balls before the lesson, cracking my through a succession of clean straight shots with driver, hybrid, 7 and wedge. At the start of the lesson I found myself ridiculously and pointlessly nervous and hit the first 3 shots off the hosel of my 7 (thankfully he didn't mention the S word!).

Altogether it was a great lesson and my follow up session to consolidate went well too. I'm just hoping I don't have the usual failure to translate range success into being on form on the course.

 

[shewy]

I've had similar except I was put up against tiger,I can see the similarities tho, #1 player in the world vs hacker, 6ft+ vs 5t 7" short arse, muscular build vs pork pie build, 300+ yards vs 230 sunday best yards, yup great comparison, now Woosnam I can relate too.
Mind you prob hit more fairways than Tiger

 

[cookelad]

My pro always put me next to Andrew Coltart similar as we have a similar build, sometimes flicked over to Ernie for to show the things he does better than Coltart.