Compact Swing with width ??

[Junior]

I'm confused . . . .Like many im working on my swing over winter and considering the weather, im watchng more golf than playing at the minute. (thank god for sky + !!)

I've heard commentators say a few times that a player has a
"nice compact swing". With this in mind and considering a recent discussions on here about importance of width in the golf swing . . . . .

What is a compact swing ? and can someone explain is it possible to have a compact swing with width ???

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My understanding and I stand to be corrected is that the top players you are watching (and all the low figure guys on here for that matter) have a very wide takeaway to give themselved maximum leverage. The compact part comes from their body turn with their hips and shoulders to form a tight coil. Having done this the downswing will initiate the power stored in the coil with the wide arc generating clubhead speed through the ball at impact.

It sounds easy in practive but I know from experience how hard it is. I have a couple of regular faults. I slide my hips on the backswing instead of turning and keeping all the weight on the inside of my right foot. The hip slide will actually feel like you are turning but all you are doing is shifting the weight to create a reverse pivot. My other problem is where I turn properly but carry on to a point where I overdo it and the head is forced to lift up. This means I have to drop on the downswing to compensate which causes all sorts of problems and just leads to inconsistant shots.

 

[RGDave]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but a compact swing by my understanding is a swing that doesn't have maximum width. In other words (also to my mind) the body has a nice turn and the club is well controlled but without the technique of getting the clubhead as far away from the body on the backswing, maybe not on the downswing after impact either. You (the player) can only get the clubhead so far away on the first move away from the ball. Some players work on this (it seems) and make a point of it (Tiger for example) and you can SEE it when they swing. Others just swing the thing!!

 

[bobmac]

When they talk about compact swings I think they mean there's less things moving out of sync
eg
head lifting, body swaying, elbow flying.
Just a turn back, turn through in a small area with no wasted energy on extra bits. The minimum effort for maximum power if you will

 

[JustOne]

A compact swing would be one that doesn't try to generate extra width by reaching/sliding, turns around the body and often doesn't even get to parallel at the top, generally flatter with less 'arms' or moving parts, very repetitive and erm.... compact

 

[USER1999]

A bit like S&T really.

 

[SharkAttack]

Compact- Wide but short. By that I mean there is plenty of width and coil in the swing, the compact part means short of parallel (Not over swung and out of control). Just look at most modern iron swings.