Help with my swing pls

[tommyangles]

I have attached a link to a quick vid of my swing. Any advice or pointers would be much appreciated. Hitting a 7 iron. No handicap yet. Have a slice (not massive) on my bad shots or hit straight to the left?

Thanks tom

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=GB#/watch?v=MZOWd6pasjE

 

[JustOne]

Here's the working link for you....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZOWd6pasjE

The ball starts left because your clubface is pointing a little left at impact. Your swingpath (which is out-to-in) then imparts the spin (curve), the more acute the swingpath the more the curve.

If you straighten the clubface the ball will slice A LOT unless you also straighten your swingpath... so that's 2 changes to make at once.... not easy for a beginner to straighten the clubface and fix the swingpath. I'd suggest going for a lesson from your local pro who will check your grip/set up etc. Your posture at address looks great.

 

[tommyangles]

Thanks JustOne. I have booked a lesson for tonight at9.15pm (first available!).

I have been watching a few instructional vids on YouTube of how to hit a draw,my thoughts being if I can learn both ways I can find the middle ground?

I adjusted my grip last night at the range, I rolled my left hand over thehandle so I could see some knuckles and it has helped straightening me up alittle. I think it’s allowed me to turn the club face over at / after impact,anyway it seems to have helped.

Thanks for the advice.

PS. Why is it preferential to hit a draw, I would be more than happy to keep itstraight? and where do you get the working link from ?

 

[MadAdey]

One thing I would suggest is to stop the wiggling of your golf club. Like Justone said you take the club out to in. Everytime you wiggle that club you are doing it out to in. Problem then is you are now telling your brain to take it out to in. Next time on the range try making a shot without this wiggle. Your posture and set-up looks ok. Another thing that may be worth doing is trying to swing easier. If you watch your follow through it is very snatchy. But from the vid there does not look a lot wrong with your swing at all. So just 2 things I would advise you to try next time.

1: Try not to have the wiggle, just put the club behind the ball take your time then hit it.
2: Try swinging a bit smoother and hold your finish at the top of your swing.

I have put these pics in as they all have very different swings but all have that nice high finish. Compare it to your vid and you will see what I mean.

 

[DaveM]

As above. Seems a nice set up and swing in general. But does look very armsy. Not much body turn. Try a one piece takaway. But hey what do I know.

 

[tommyangles]

Thanks guys, lots to work on. Determined to crack this.

One area of concern is I’m thinking so much before andduring the swing that it feels very robotic and forced. Will this become morenatural? or do you always have to concentrate on every aspect?

Thanks
Tom

 

[One Planer]

Leave your swing thoughts on the practice ground. Just go out and enjoy your round

 

[MadAdey]

The more you play the more natural the swing will become. When you first start out you have so much to think about like alignment grip ball position swinging smoothly etc etc. The more you play the more natural the basics will become for you. There will always be things to think about though on every shot see this thread about it:

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?33380-Swing-assessment-session

But good luck mate I hope you start to get things sorted and you get your handicap soon.

 

[DaveM]

Not easy when you are learning. But try and keep swing thoughts to the practise ground. Its ok to think about set up etc. But when you start the swing try to keep it to one thought only. Be it tempo, smooth, follow though, or what helps on the day. Try and have a mental picture of the shot in your mind. Be realistic though not a shot you cant hit. Funny how if you see the shot in your mind, your body does its best to do it without thinking.

 

[SocketRocket]

You have quite a good setup, my only comment would be that you have a little too much knee flex. This will tend to get your weight too much onto your toes which does not help with balance.

Your backswing looks good but you are starting the club down by turning your shoulders and throwing the club outwards, this is getting the swing plane very steep and making you swing out to in. The result is a sliced shot which will fly high and left to right.

Stand a little taller and apply less flex to your knees, just allow them to unlock. When you get to the top try to pause for a moment while your left hip starts to turn back, your arms need to drop down so that your hands fall just infront of the right hip with your shoulders maintaining most of their turn. From here you can release the club through the ball from an inside path.

This will create a much more powerful shot that will be straighter or with a slight draw. A draw is more powerful as the ball flys lower with a more penetrating flight and will roll further on landing.

I hope the lesson goes well.

 

[MadAdey]

What I would say mate is get to see a Pro. You can get a lot of advice from people on here and some of it can be good. But without actually standing there watching you it is difficult to say too much. I have said a couple of little things that I have noticed like others have. But you are new to the game, you really need to get booked in for some lessons before you start to get any bad habits that could be difficult for a pro to get out of you. Most Pros do a standard beginner package of 6 lessons where they will take you through all aspects of the game. The one at my club will do it for £100 not sure about round your way.

 

[sawtooth]

Thanks guys, lots to work on. Determined to crack this.

One area of concern is I’m thinking so much before andduring the swing that it feels very robotic and forced. Will this become morenatural? or do you always have to concentrate on every aspect?

Thanks
Tom

I got very technical with my swing to a point where I used to jot down things to do in my swing in case I forgot - there were that many. This for me at least was necessary at first to help groove good habits. Its was a bit mechanical at first but I think (and this was certainly the case for me) if you keep plugging away doing the little things right it becomes more natural and you carry on without thinking so much. Its been said before that TEMPO is the glue in the swing that keeps everything together. I am a great believer in that.

 

[Jonny]

See a pro.

But also look at your left knee. It moves forwards a lot which will impact the swingplane and make it difficult to clear the ball.

That's the first place I would look.

A solid base makes a solid swing.

 

[tommyangles]

Had my lesson last night and it has given me loads to thinkabout. My pro coach Steve has introduced me to a method I have never seen orheard of before. Steve has picked up on all of the bad aspects everyone haspointed out, particularly the out to in down swing causing the ball to startleft.

He mentioned as you guys did that my address and backswingwere good, with my club head being in the perfect (woo hoo!!) angle at the top.

The method he has sent me away with is a downswing andfollow through in two motions. The downswing starts by swiping the club handlethrough the same plane to which it arrived there causing the club head tostrike the floor by my right foot. The second motion is to turn my shouldersthrough towards the target drawing the club head through to strike the ball. Itall felt very awkward to start but was catching the ball sweetly towards theend of the session hitting it further than I have before, although occasionallyright. He explained that this method is far simpler to learn than the"conventional" method.

He explained that I could choose my shot choice (fade /draw) by the different angle to which the downswing starts and in turn arrivesat the ball.

I was at the range early to warm up and was concentrating onthe advice you guys had given me. The keys points that seem to have helped isstopping the wiggle, a smoother swing with a slightly slower tempo, standing abit more upright and concentrating on holding my follow through has helped withthe general balance of the swing. All ofthe above caused me to hit ball much straighter and further even with theslower, smoother tempo.

With this new method I feel the swing thoughts can be keptto a minimum as its only really two motions from the top of the back swing.

Back to the range tomorrow to put it all into practice! Iwill post a vid with the improved (I hope) results.

Feel like I've got ten personal coaches!! Really appreciateall the input.
Sorry for essay but lots in my head.
Thanks
Tom

 

[MadAdey]

Feel like I've got ten personal coaches!! Really appreciateall the input.
Sorry for essay but lots in my head.
Thanks
Tom

My pleasure Tom that's what us more experienced golfers are here for mate. I would never start to tell people too much on here as it could just confuse them. But if something is glaringly obvious I will mention it. But I am glad what I said about the wiggle, swinging smoother and concentrating on holding your finish worked.

Let us know how you get on mate. Good luck with working towards that first handicap. With what I saw of your swing I would not imagine it taking you long to get your handicap down once you start to learn how to play the game.

 

[DaveM]

Well done mate keep up the good work.

 

[SocketRocket]

Glad the lesson went well. Plenty of practice now so that the new swing feel bocomes more natural.

 

[tommyangles]

Had a cheeky nine before work at reigate hill and scored 44!!!!!!!!!!!!! My best score accross the front nine by miles.

Didnt try to confuse myelf with all I've been learning and just tried to keep it to one thought (recommended by DaveM), which was to focus on striking the floor an inch in front of the ball. Thought I would try this as it was soft and muddy and was trying to ensure a good, ball first contact. Seemed to haved worked a treat with a crisp click of the club face.

Putting was bit ropey as I havent touched my putter since last week, going to get on the greens early tomorrow before my tee off..... cant wait!

Thanks again.
Tom

 

[DaveM]

Well done Tom. Keep it up, guess by the time your H/c is though you will be 6/7 shots better. Dont neglect your putting and short game, you can really knock shots off there.

 

[Monty_Brown]

"The method he has sent me away with is a downswing andfollow through in two motions. The downswing starts by swiping the club handlethrough the same plane to which it arrived there causing the club head tostrike the floor by my right foot. The second motion is to turn my shouldersthrough towards the target drawing the club head through to strike the ball. "

I've read this a few times and still can't quite work it out. How can it be a 2-piece motion from the top of the backswing, or is that just a drill? Did you get a video of it? It's been a long week so maybe I'm just being dim :mmm: