More swing videos! Tell me why I'm so trash!

[Orikoru]

Just went to a driving range at lunch and I set up a little clip-on phone holder so I could take a bunch of videos. Granted - for the 5 wood and driver ones I'm not completely in frame because I didn't check as I went along.

The hybrid video is longer because the first part was so bad I had to take a breather before continuing.

The 7 iron video does include a shank for your viewing pleasure.

My problem lately was fatting everything, so I saw a video by Peter Finch about 'squashing the peach' with your left heel to shift weight forward and get a better strike - so I had that in my mind for much of this. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. After the first couple of vids I started tapping the mat with my club to indicate that it was fat, just in case that wasn't visible.

With driver I've been hitting a lot of straight pulls recently, although I don't think any of them actually occurred here - just one hook and the rest fades. 9 iron video was probably the least crap set of shots. But then it should be the easiest club of the lot to hit really so that makes sense.

Oh one more thing, I was hitting straight into a strong wind so that might have exacerbating the bend on the flight (if you can even see the flight on the vids).

Anyway, fire away, what the hell am I doing wrong that this swing shot 96 at the weekend?

7 iron

Hybrid

Driver

9 iron

5 wood

 

[Bdill93]

Clearly need to keep your head down and left arm straight...

 

[Imurg]

It's the joggers.......simple as that.

 

[SteveW86]

Just went to a driving range at lunch and I set up a little clip-on phone holder so I could take a bunch of videos. Granted - for the 5 wood and driver ones I'm not completely in frame because I didn't check as I went along.

The hybrid video is longer because the first part was so bad I had to take a breather before continuing.

The 7 iron video does include a shank for your viewing pleasure.

My problem lately was fatting everything, so I saw a video by Peter Finch about 'squashing the peach' with your left heel to shift weight forward and get a better strike - so I had that in my mind for much of this. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. After the first couple of vids I started tapping the mat with my club to indicate that it was fat, just in case that wasn't visible.

With driver I've been hitting a lot of straight pulls recently, although I don't think any of them actually occurred here - just one hook and the rest fades. 9 iron video was probably the least crap set of shots. But then it should be the easiest club of the lot to hit really so that makes sense.

Oh one more thing, I was hitting straight into a strong wind so that might have exacerbating the bend on the flight (if you can even see the flight on the vids).

Anyway, fire away, what the hell am I doing wrong that this swing shot 96 at the weekend?

7 iron

Hybrid

Driver

9 iron

5 wood

Olly, is that how you would normally do a range session? How many balls did you hit?

 

[Orikoru]

Olly, is that how you would normally do a range session? How many balls did you hit?

I had 50 balls. Can't do any more than that, I get bored. Don't really know how I would 'normally' as I never used to go this much, until recently. Just trying to re-discover a swing that works at the moment.

 

[sjw]

Olly, is that how you would normally do a range session? How many balls did you hit?

Similar question here. Were you hitting them that quickly to get a few shots on video? Because that's absolutely rapid and I can see how the range bores you if you fire through them like that.

 

[BiMGuy]

I am not an expert by any measure so take this as you want and could be way off.
But to me it looks like a very ‘armsy’ swing (also my problem).
Compare you and Rory (Rory is the top image for avoidance of doubt) at the same position in the backswing and look at his shoulders.

At the top of your swing your left arm is almost touching your right shoulder so there is no separation. On the way down your arms lead, you’re not coming from the inside enough and you are almost in the same position at impact as you were at address.

So rather than the body and arms working together, your arms are doing all the work. Which makes it very difficult to control the club and generate speed.

You look like you have a similar issue to me.

 

[Orikoru]

Similar question here. Were you hitting them that quickly to get a few shots on video? Because that's absolutely rapid and I can see how the range bores you if you fire through them like that.

I play that quick on the course as well to be fair. Albeit with a practise swing thrown in. What should I be doing that takes longer?

 

[SteveW86]

I had 50 balls. Can't do any more than that, I get bored. Don't really know how I would 'normally' as I never used to go this much, until recently. Just trying to re-discover a swing that works at the moment.

Just seems to me that you stand there and just hit balls up the range, no practise swings or moving slowly to the different positions you want to hit within your swing.

I'd also film some in slow motion and get some videos from infront of you. Its hard to slow a full speed video down so you can see how the club moves throughout the swing. From the videos you look very armsy and narrow, get your hips rotating in the backswing and in the takeaway feel like the club head is further away from you.

 

[sjw]

I play that quick on the course as well to be fair. Albeit with a practise swing thrown in. What should I be doing that takes longer?

I'm not sure, but in that first video you hit, I think, 5 balls in 1m20, or roughly four a minute. I reckon I hit 2 a minute absolute tops. I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be patronising at all here! But, like, what are you thinking when hitting balls? Are you working on anything? Because it looks like it sort of goes

*hit* Yep, that was ok
*hit* That was crap, won't even watch it
*hit* Meh, average
*hit* Half decent

You know? I can't tell you what to be thinking, obviously. All I know is that if I pumped through balls at that rate I'd come away thinking I might as well not have bothered, because there's no way I'm going to learn or feel benefits of practice like that.

To reiterate, not trying to be patronising or "tell you off" at all, but it's hard to convey in text

 

[sjw]

I am not an expert by any measure so take this as you want and could be way off.
But to me it looks like a very ‘armsy’ swing (also my problem).
Compare you and Rory (Rory is the top image for avoidance of doubt) at the same position in the backswing and look at his shoulders.

At the top of your swing your left arm is almost touching your right shoulder so there is no separation. On the way down your arms lead, you’re not coming from the inside enough and you are almost in the same position at impact as you were at address.

So rather than the body and arms working together, your arms are doing all the work. Which makes it very difficult to control the club and generate speed.

You look like you have a similar issue to me.

View attachment 51753

View attachment 51754

BIB: LOL!

I was going to say armsy too

 

[Orikoru]

I am not an expert by any measure so take this as you want and could be way off.
But to me it looks like a very ‘armsy’ swing (also my problem).
Compare you and Rory (Rory is the top image for avoidance of doubt) at the same position in the backswing and look at his shoulders.

At the top of your swing your left arm is almost touching your right shoulder so there is no separation. On the way down your arms lead, you’re not coming from the inside enough and you are almost in the same position at impact as you were at address.

So rather than the body and arms working together, your arms are doing all the work. Which makes it very difficult to control the club and generate speed.

You look like you have a similar issue to me.

View attachment 51753

View attachment 51754

Nice one. You are right, because this is what the lesson I had mainly worked on - I was even worse before. This is my old pre-lesson swing, where I was stood too far from the ball which meant I was even more armsy than currently. I also had the short backswing, but standing up a bit straighter has actually lengthened it organically without me even trying to implement that.

I do think I'm not very flexible for my age due to sitting behind a desk all day every day, so it's not as if I can really emulate Rory's swing (I know you weren't saying that exactly haha). If I try and get more body turn the ball feels a long way away suddenly, if you know what I mean. I've always had quite a short swing but I'd rather strike the ball ok even if it doesn't go as far.

 

[Dando]

It's the joggers.......simple as that.

he travels everywhere on a skateboard

 

[Orikoru]

Just seems to me that you stand there and just hit balls up the range, no practise swings or moving slowly to the different positions you want to hit within your swing.

I'd also film some in slow motion and get some videos from infront of you. Its hard to slow a full speed video down so you can see how the club moves throughout the swing. From the videos you look very armsy and narrow, get your hips rotating in the backswing and in the takeaway feel like the club head is further away from you.

Bold bit - I just cannot think of golf this way. As we discussed before about a lesson maybe being a bad fit for me, I prefer to be relaxed and 'thoughtless' as possible I guess. If I start thinking I don't stop. (I had also popped there on my lunch break so couldn't take too long tbf.)

Thanks on the second part, similar to what BIMGuy said, so my reply would be as above. That is one thing my pro mentioned though, feel like the club stays low to the ground on the takeaway.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm not sure, but in that first video you hit, I think, 5 balls in 1m20, or roughly four a minute. I reckon I hit 2 a minute absolute tops. I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be patronising at all here! But, like, what are you thinking when hitting balls? Are you working on anything? Because it looks like it sort of goes

*hit* Yep, that was ok
*hit* That was crap, won't even watch it
*hit* Meh, average
*hit* Half decent

You know? I can't tell you what to be thinking, obviously. All I know is that if I pumped through balls at that rate I'd come away thinking I might as well not have bothered, because there's no way I'm going to learn or feel benefits of practice like that.

To reiterate, not trying to be patronising or "tell you off" at all, but it's hard to convey in text

Swing thoughts at the moment I guess would be:

• the overriding factor is that I'm standing a bit nearer the ball, so trying to get used to what is the right distance really. Occasionally I over-compensate and stand a bit too near and get stuck. So trying to get that set-up right first.
• as mentioned above, trying to keep the club low to the ground on the takeaway.
• as mentioned in the OP, I was thinking of Finch's 'squash the peach' thing to start the downswing.

Yes, if I hit a crap one I turn away in disgust and get on with the next one as soon as possible because I want the crap one out of my mind. I am like that on the course too. If you see me hit a bad a shot I will absolutely race to the ball asap to get on with the next shot. It's just how I am. I don't want to dwell on it.

 

[SteveW86]

Bold bit - I just cannot think of golf this way. As we discussed before about a lesson maybe being a bad fit for me, I prefer to be relaxed and 'thoughtless' as possible I guess. If I start thinking I don't stop. (I had also popped there on my lunch break so couldn't take too long tbf.)

Thanks on the second part, similar to what BIMGuy said, so my reply would be as above. That is one thing my pro mentioned though, feel like the club stays low to the ground on the takeaway.

I dont like to think of too much either, but I think it would help you to practise a slow take away to P1, if you get the take away correct the rest of the swing should flow better. Try going to P1 slowly, then pause, then do the rest of the swing at roughly 50% speed as a practise swing. Then step in and just hit it.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Harsh to do well when the wind is howling, presumably cold as well. Interesting to read some of the comments. I'd be tempted to shorten your swing a little as I thought you lost some control at the end of your backswing. That is leading to a bit of a wild swing at times, you lose control. Others are trying to increase your speed though so..........

I have no golf teaching skills so these are just comments

 

[Orikoru]

I dont like to think of too much either, but I think it would help you to practise a slow take away to P1, if you get the take away correct the rest of the swing should flow better. Try going to P1 slowly, then pause, then do the rest of the swing at roughly 50% speed as a practise swing. Then step in and just hit it.

I did start doing that a little bit after my lesson actually - seen here. Sometimes I don't have the confidence that even that rehearsal swing is correct though so I end up dropping it.

I think I probably do need a pre-shot routine that actually helps in some way rather than just a standard practise swing and then hitting the ball.

 

[BiMGuy]

I'm not sure, but in that first video you hit, I think, 5 balls in 1m20, or roughly four a minute. I reckon I hit 2 a minute absolute tops. I hope you understand that I'm not trying to be patronising at all here! But, like, what are you thinking when hitting balls? Are you working on anything? Because it looks like it sort of goes

*hit* Yep, that was ok
*hit* That was crap, won't even watch it
*hit* Meh, average
*hit* Half decent

You know? I can't tell you what to be thinking, obviously. All I know is that if I pumped through balls at that rate I'd come away thinking I might as well not have bothered, because there's no way I'm going to learn or feel benefits of practice like that.

To reiterate, not trying to be patronising or "tell you off" at all, but it's hard to convey in text

This is how a lot of people practice and wonder why they don’t improve.

@Orikoru Are you picking a target before you hit a ball? That would be the place to start. At least you then have a frame of reference to evaluate each shot.

Get some alignment sticks down so you know your setup and aim is consistent.

Stand behind the ball and step in the each shot as you would on the course. Then step back after each shot and start again. Imagine you are hitting into a green on your course. It does take a bit of discipline but deliberate practice will be more effective than just machine gunning balls into the range.

I like to hit a few balls to warm up, maybe 10 to 15 balls. I don’t really care where they go, just make reasonably solid contact.
Then a bit of block practice to work on technique. If I’m hitting it well I stop pretty quickly. If not I keep going, but take my time. If I hit a few bad ones in a row I have a minute or two away.

Then I play some holes in my head. I literally imagine playing my course, hitting tee shots, then picking a club based on the quality of the previous shot and how far I think I would have to the green, then a chip or a pitch if needed.

For this I pick targets on the range and imagine how wide a fairway is between two points.

It might not suit everyone, but it’s more interesting for me that just smashing 100 balls.

 

[Whereditgo]

Swing thoughts at the moment I guess would be:

• the overriding factor is that I'm standing a bit nearer the ball, so trying to get used to what is the right distance really. Occasionally I over-compensate and stand a bit too near and get stuck. So trying to get that set-up right first.
• as mentioned above, trying to keep the club low to the ground on the takeaway.
• as mentioned in the OP, I was thinking of Finch's 'squash the peach' thing to start the downswing.

Yes, if I hit a crap one I turn away in disgust and get on with the next one as soon as possible because I want the crap one out of my mind. I am like that on the course too. If you see me hit a bad a shot I will absolutely race to the ball asap to get on with the next shot. It's just how I am. I don't want to dwell on it.

I couldn't see the ball flight on the clips, but there is so much information to be gained from watching the flight, especially the bad ones lol

I may be wrong, but it looked like the face strike was a bit off the heel then toe at times? Maybe get some foot spray on the club face and check which part of the face you are contacting the ball with?

And definitely step back off the mat between shots instead of machine gunning them.