Getting the full swing correct

[Captain_Black]

I am in the middle of a course of 6x lessons.
I am a new player. (only 3x weeks)
I am having trouble getting my swing right, it's ok until I go for the full backswing, then it all goes to pot.

If I use a smaller swing (if that makes any sense) it usually produces a reasonable shot, but if I go for the full swing it has the end result of topping the ball / missing the ball altogether or hitting the ground.

I know what I should be doing technically during the swing, but I am finding it very difficult to get right.

Maybe it's a balance issue?

Should I keep trying to perfect the full swing, or should I just use a three quarter swing & hope the full swing will come in time?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Doh]

Lots of new players start off with a 1/2 or 3/4 swing because it's easier to control and they can often hit the ball the same distance.Its a bit like learning to walk and run think of these swings as building blocks towards achiveing a full swing. give it time and don't rush.

 

[CMAC]

Ask your pro cpt black as he sees your swing and will know why it's not working on a full swing.............yet

 

[need_my_wedge]

Has the pro got you trying for a full swing, or did he suggest working with the 3/4 swing for a bit? Quite often, when going for the full swing in the early stages, players allow their elbow to fold, which changes the arc of the club on the down swing, or, their may be a bit of uncontrolled body movement - reverse pivot or such. As you are only 3 weeks into the game, the right person to seek advice from is your pro, he's the one watching you. Heed his advice, take it in small steps, don't try and rush it. If you watch the pro's on tour, a lot of them play with a 3/4 swing - my own pro says that once your hands have reached shoulder height or their abouts, you have maximum potential, anything higher is more often wasted by us mortals.

 

[Junior]

Nothing wrong with a 3/4 swing, alot of the pro's do not take the club to parralel at the top of the swing these days.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sounds like the mysterons have taken over your down swing. It sounds like you are probably swing down too fast and over the top on the fuller swings and yet are more controlled on the shorter swing. Don't change anything the pro has shown you but ask him at the next lesson to watch a few longer swings and tell you what he thinks

 

[Monty_Brown]

When starting out, you really are "building" a swing by putting together the pieces. Half to 3/4 swing is definitely the way to go. You're far more likely to pick up the feeling of decent ball contact with the control it gives you as well, rather than flailing around.

I sometimes try to remember what it felt like to be a total novice with no muscle memory to rely on. Then I swing left handed and it all comes flooding back...

 

[Captain_Black]

The Pro is doing his very best to teach me the full swing, it's just something I cannot get right.

I think it's a combination of things, I have been playing with lightweight graphite shafted irons & to get any distance I have to swing quite fast with the club, whilst I can do this on a half or maybe a three quarter swing, it all goes haywire if I go for a full swing.
(I have just bought some Callaway Big Bertha's which I am going to try tomorrow)I am hoping this will slow down my swing as the clubs are much heavier.

I also think I am way too tense & need to relax more whilst trying to retain my stance, this sounds easy to do, but being new to the game so much goes through my head when I take up my stance, by the time I have checked my foot position / grip / club alignment / posture I have tensed up.
I suppose with time & lots of practice all these things will become natural & the swing will become more fluid.

I just need to be patient & practice a lot I think.

 

[sam19113]

During my last lesson the pro noticed during my backswing the clubface was slightly closed causing me to hit the ball left, or just duff it. He corrected it and told me just to make sure I'm doing it correctly take the club back parallel, so a half swing, physically look at the clubface and then centre myself again, head down etc, and swing as normal.

I don't lose that much distance and I hit the ball exactly as I should do. Now I'm taking the club three quarters of the way back and towards a full swing and I'm hitting the ball pretty nice.

There is definitely an advantage to not using a full swing as there is less time for things to go wrong and you can get used to the swing and develop it further from there.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I just need to be patient & practice a lot I think.

Took the words out of my head. It's the same for anything new, I teach aikido and you will be surprised at the number of people who get dejected because they can't grasp it after 2 or 3 weeks of training.

Work with your pro, practice more and don't try to run before you can walk. There is no race to play better, much as we want to improve, it will take time, you will get there and the more you stop trying to reach the destination, the quicker you'll get there.

enjoy your golf.