Lack of connection? - Swing vid

[tugglesf239]

Hi

Been striking the ball really well during the last few weeks, however over the last few days my range sessions have not been the best.

I it looks to my (uneducated) eyes that my left arm is pushing away from my body which is causing a poor plane and a tendency to hit a pull.

[video=youtube;vvJQ0su7SD0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvJQ0su7SD0[/video]

Some of these "pulls" are bordering on hook territory and happen right through the bag, but are very severe with the big stick.

The swing feels really rushed and fast, but any attempt to slow it down results in unpredictable shots. I also think that i am hitting much closer to the hosel than before.

Anyway

Your thoughts and any pointers would be very much appreciated.

Its in SLO MO so feel free to fast forward between swings.

Ta

 

[ScienceBoy]

COG looks very much over your heels

Also:

As for fixes, I think someone will have some for both things I just pointed out.

 

[JustOne]

Swinging the club around yourself like that makes the right elbow turn downwards, feel like your right elbow points to the right and stays there thru your backswing (not rolling downwards to the ground)... oddly you should feel like you are keeping your right arm straighter for longer which will set a better backswing plane and better (less from the inside) downswing... less hook imparted on the ball.

Wouldn't worry about the left arm position (for now).

 

[tugglesf239]

Thanks both.

SB - the picture you posted tells a story. That is really inside. Surprisingly so to be honest.

JO i will have a play tomorrow and try and keep right ontop for a little longer.

Here are some from a second session after work and i was hitting the ball much better. Still looks pretty untidy though.

These are at full speed (and sound very nice )

[video=youtube;RQSATmClER4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQSATmClER4[/video]

Driver swing to follow

 

[tugglesf239]

First two were high pulls (maybe around 20-30 foot to the left) the last one was a biggy straight down the middle.

[video=youtube;PNv4j0c1Y_k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNv4j0c1Y_k[/video]

 

[the_coach]

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would check your hands on the handle not a ways too under the handle, so little ways strong.
currently the club going back under the plane so shaft pointing inside halfways back - does happen as you move the hands away outside from rest then bend the wrists back some.

so moving up to the top the face is a ways shut.
so this top position then instinctively makes you on coming down hang back on the trailside little ways & move the hips towards the ball to be able to get club face to ball, with the weight little ways too far back trailside it makes the release a bit of a flip release which is working the club head with a bunch of face rotation, so face closing down through impact so the hooks, or pull hooks maybes sometimes out right just depends on the timing of the flip release.

good way to work would be to try to keep the arms triangle & club in front of the sternum on the way to the top, transfer weight & keep the arms triangle & club in front of the chest coming back down, hips clear/turn left so not work out towards the ball while feeling the club exits through impact swinging leftfield (where you don't want the ball to go - a ways difficult but the ways forward)

have a look at the vid it may help some. also bunch of swings with say a 7i doing the 'Player' walk through drill which should help some get the weight left rather than back trailside & a little ways stuck.

[video=youtube;RZVFeDMCtjg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZVFeDMCtjg[/video]

 

[the_coach]

[video=youtube;QZoZ_BqUckI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZoZ_BqUckI[/video]

 

[tugglesf239]

Thanks Coach!

I will wait till the weekend (as i am playing today and tomorrow) before trying these as there is quite a lot to implement into the swing. Once i have a better understanding i will give it a bash and post the results.

the second video makes perfect sense and i will have a play this evening after my round

@ Pokerjoe

I tried keeping my right arm extended a little longer today at lunch (only hot 60 balls) and whilst there were plenty of bad un's my good strikes were noticeably better. Great contacts, slight draw and a much lower ball flight. It "felt" like there was more lag in the swing and much less flipping of my hands?. Could be wrong mind you.

They also seemed to be a fair bit longer than usual. I am playing tonight and will try to implement this change as i am only out with a mate.

One other thing was it felt much easier to get into my finishing position.

Feels strange but an obvious improvement on the last week or so

 

[Foxholer]

Listen to the_coach!

However, something else that might be also worth considering is your set-up routine. You start off with very stiff knees while you set your grip, then dip down to the 'set' position. That 'stiff knee' position could be something you sub/unconscious brain figures is the position to return to - which will mean that the Early Extension and occasional pulls round the pivot of solid knees are actually 'required'! Try bending the knees before sorting your grip out.

And I've found my stiff old hips and knees work better together if I open my lead foot 20-30 degrees too - again removing something to pivot around as the hips have opened/turned fairly well anyway.

 

[tugglesf239]

Listen to the_coach!

However, something else that might be also worth considering is your set-up routine. You start off with very stiff knees while you set your grip, then dip down to the 'set' position. That 'stiff knee' position could be something you sub/unconscious brain figures is the position to return to - which will mean that the Early Extension and occasional pulls round the pivot of solid knees are actually 'required'! Try bending the knees before sorting your grip out.

And I've found my stiff old hips and knees work better together if I open my lead foot 20-30 degrees too - again removing something to pivot around as the hips have opened/turned fairly well anyway.

Thats a very good shout cheers FH

I was unaware that i did the knee bend as part of the routine to be honest and only noticed it yesterday after watching the vids. I think what i am trying to achieve is me feeling like i am very planted to the ground throughout the entire back swing.

Historically i used to lift my left heel a few inches, which caused me to over swing and it caused all kinds of strange shots and inconsistency's

I have stopped doing this by trying to ensure a good shoulder turn and being less 'armsy', but i still have a tendency on bad days to lift my left foot.

 

[tugglesf239]

Had a nice range session on my lunch and tried to really work on keeping my right arm straight as long as possible.

Have to say it feels very weird, but the results were on the whole much better.

Played 12 holes tonight and did pretty well to be honest.

I did have a tendency to thin shots ever so slightly but the push / snap hook that I had become accustomed to did not appear once.

Shots with all clubs were generally straight with a draw, with a few left to rights thrown in.

After a few holes it started to click. I got fairway them green in regulation in the last 4 holes from some lovely shots. Highlights were 3 massive and straight drives and a two hybrid at a par 5 green from a fair old distance.

I'm not getting carried away but I am really happy tonight.

Contact on the good shots was great and there was more more venom through the ball. Nice low flight and zero ballooning

Thanks for all your input fellas. I will keep practicing the right arm and correct set up drills for the next while before trying what the coach has recommended.

I don't want to swamp myself with new things straight away.

I'll report back with more vids in a week or so.

Thanks again!!

 

[tugglesf239]

Quick update

I have played twice now and had around 4 range sessions with Justones advice regarding straight right arm in mind.

Have to say that when i actually achieve this, my ball striking, Driving and Chipping is MUCH improved.

Hit some belters during the first few rounds and was hitting greens with 6 irons, 2 hybrids, Drivers (yes!) from all over the shop.

It is taking a while to bed in though and i have hit some shanks, thins and other duffers.

I have however only hit 2 hooks and now slices. Yes there have been a few big draws or fades, but nothing as devastating as what had gone on previously.

Here is a video from yesterday, it was taken just before i split the 9th fairway with what is possibly my longest drive on that particular hole

[video=youtube;kLyzRFlo4Vc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLyzRFlo4Vc[/video]

I still look very shallow at the top of my swing even though i am making a real concious effort to keep my right arm straight and "ontop" of my left during my back swing.

I am at the range again tonight and will post some more rear view vids

I really feel that this is helping though. Made up that you guys have spotted things just from a quick online vid

:thup:

 

[the_coach]

going to make it a little ways more difficult to drive the ball with the results you'd want from this setup position. the ball position here is around a good place for an iron when you'd want a downwards attack angle. but with driver ideally you want to be able to swing 'up' through impact or at the very least level.
this ball position (where the tee is) although your sternum & head in reasonable shape here with a pretty decent hold orientation on the handle. but if you look at the angle of your left arm to shaft position to ball (tee) puts your hands a good ways ahead of the ball here. this will all encourage a steeper downwards strike on the ball & can make folks come up out of posture as they near impact.

check out the 'y' shape of the arms to ball, the shaft angles of the driver in these other 2 images & the ball position off the right heel/left armpit. which will allow the low point of the swing arc to be 'before' the ball so a swing through with an upwards angle of attack.

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[tugglesf239]

Thanks Coach

I can see that the ball is almost in the middle of my stance. Looking down at the ball i would have thought it was much closer to my left foot.

ill give it a try this evening!

 

[the_coach]

Thanks Coach

I can see that the ball is almost in the middle of my stance. Looking down at the ball i would have thought it was much closer to my left foot.

ill give it a try this evening!

make sure your keep head & sternum at setup in the same place though.

often times with the ball off the left heel/left armpit as it should be with driver folks then nullify this by also moving the upper body & head towards the target as the ball 'feels' too far left of their head position with the little more forwards ball position.

also remember to keep the secondary spine tilt, with right shoulder little ways lower than the left & pay close attention that the shoulders & hips are still 'square' (parallel left) of the ball/target line.
with ball in the correct more forwards position easy too to have the shoulders open to target.

 

[tugglesf239]

make sure your keep head & sternum at setup in the same place though.

often times with the ball off the left heel/left armpit as it should be with driver folks then nullify this by also moving the upper body & head towards the target as the ball 'feels' too far left of their head position with the little more forwards ball position.

also remember to keep the secondary spine tilt, with right shoulder little ways lower than the left & pay close attention that the shoulders & hips are still 'square' (parallel left) of the ball/target line.
with ball in the correct more forwards position easy too to have the shoulders open to target.

Have tried this at the range but, i failed miserably

Finding it very hard to get my body in the right position (might need to try in front of the mirror to hone in a routine)

Looking down at the clubs seems plain weird currently.

Ill keep trying

On another note

Shot a PB 39 on the back 9 yesterday and got 3 birdies.

Early days but i am feeling an improvement in striking for sure