My swing

[richy]

Following on from my earlier post I've figured away to upload my swing from my phone so here it is:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=4m3ZSfXmtDs
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=k_h0NLqVtFQ

 

[JustOne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m3ZSfXmtDs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_h0NLqVtFQ

 

[JustOne]

Club looks OK at the top of the backswing. The clubface is just about parallel to your left forearm...

My only concern is that your initial takeaway move keeps the club waaaay too low, below the swingplane. From there the tendency is to get a bit hands/armsy. Try and keep the clubhead between the two red lines... definately not below the bottom one.

 

[percy_layer]

Club looks OK at the top of the backswing. The clubface is just about parallel to your left forearm...

My only concern is that your initial takeaway move keeps the club waaaay too low, below the swingplane. From there the tendency is to get a bit hands/armsy. Try and keep the clubhead between the two red lines... definately not below the bottom one.

I disagree with the second comment, it could be the camera is too high to see it properly, ideally it should be the same height as the sternum.

It looks like you lose the lag angle between the club and your left arm early on the downswing, would be able to see it clearer on a face on angle. I get the impression your throughswing is dominated by your upper body too much. The 'Step In' drill could help you co-ordinate your body and arms better and deliver more efficient energy transfer through the shot.

Simply set up as normal, then move your left foot to touch your right foot, swing back to the top, then initiate the through swing by stepping your left foot back to where it was originally and swinging through. This drill when done correctly improves the swing sequencing and power through the shot. It also gives you a better feeling of your whole body working together.

 

[JustOne]

I disagree with the second comment, it could be the camera is too high to see it properly,

Yep, I agree, but it still looks too low even if I 'imagine' the view you'd get if the camera was lower,... so I left it as I wrote it.

Closer to the lower red line would be ideal.

 

[thecraw]

I think the whole swing would look better with proper alignment sticks instead of a golf club lying on the ground!

 

[percy_layer]

I disagree with the second comment, it could be the camera is too high to see it properly,

Yep, I agree, but it still looks too low even if I 'imagine' the view you'd get if the camera was lower,... so I left it as I wrote it.

Closer to the lower red line would be ideal.

Fair comment

Could you put up a picture with the same lines on for halfway down to the ball, would like to see how the plane is and where the clubshaft is pointing.

 

[richy]

I disagree with the second comment, it could be the camera is too high to see it properly,

Yep, I agree, but it still looks too low even if I 'imagine' the view you'd get if the camera was lower,... so I left it as I wrote it.

Closer to the lower red line would be ideal.

Could my low take away play a part in me not taking a divot? As I rarely ever take one.

 

[brendy]

Not unless you think you should be taking divots on youre takeaway!
If you feel you are sweeping the ball away too much, try standing and hitting it a little more upright. Bob et al will tell you exactly how to though.

 

[percy_layer]

I disagree with the second comment, it could be the camera is too high to see it properly,

Yep, I agree, but it still looks too low even if I 'imagine' the view you'd get if the camera was lower,... so I left it as I wrote it.

Closer to the lower red line would be ideal.

Could my low take away play a part in me not taking a divot? As I rarely ever take one.

I think that's more to do with your through swing, have you got any video of your swing from face on?
Would be good to see how your club, arms and body work together when playing a shot.

 

[JustOne]

Could my low take away play a part in me not taking a divot? As I rarely ever take one.

You need to look at some 'impact position' vids for that...

Here's a good basic one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0vC7ZrFbP0

And another... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0s6zjfszww

 

[JustOne]

Could you put up a picture with the same lines on for halfway down to the ball, would like to see how the plane is and where the clubshaft is pointing.

Voila!...

 

[percy_layer]

Could you put up a picture with the same lines on for halfway down to the ball, would like to see how the plane is and where the clubshaft is pointing.

Voila!...

Thanks,

Hard to see clearly but it looks like the lag angle between the left arm and club has almost fully been lost at this point, ideally the shaft should be pointing up and back with the grip end pointing towards the ball. This explains partly why you don't take a divot as the club will sweep through impact at best and not compress the golf ball.
The arms and hands seem to be leading the throughswing with the body trailing, causing the early straightening of the wrists and the club not rotating into the follow through.

As well as the step in drill i mentioned earlier, you could place another ball approx a grip length behind the ball you intend to hit, take a short iron and try to hit the ball without touching the second ball behind it. This would help you to lead the club with your hands, maintain the angle between left arm and club longer and improve your striking and power.

 

[richy]

Thank James and Charlie I really appreciate the advice and I'll try what you've told me next time I'm at the range. I didn't realise how little I lagged on the downswing so thanks for pointing it out.

I haven't got a front view at the moment but next chance I get I'll pop one on here.

Thanks again

 

[Alex1975]

I am going to open a can of worms here. This is a question not a statement but last night I was looking at stack and tilt. I looked at as many clips and explanations as I could. It seemed to me that they were saying that the straightening of the right leg and the pointing of the left knee on the take away was a part of the stack and tilt swing and was not something that would usually be taught. Usually you would be taught to move your weight onto the right side on the take away? Ricky seems to me to straighten his right leg and point his left knee while keeping his head as still and no one has said anything about it. His arms are not that far off it either though the left arm is maybe not as close to the chest as stack and tilt. Am I wrong? Again this is a question!! Please don’t shoot me down.

Is this style becoming more common place or am I just way wrong with my analysis?

Ricky, I am no pro at all but from a visual point of view it’s actually a nice looking swing. Just an fyi.

Al

 

[JustOne]

I am going to open a can of worms here. This is a question not a statement but last night I was looking at stack and tilt. I looked at as many clips and explanations as I could. It seemed to me that they were saying that the straightening of the right leg and the pointing of the left knee on the take away was a part of the stack and tilt swing and was not something that would usually be taught. Usually you would be taught to move your weight onto the right side on the take away? Ricky seems to me to straighten his right leg and point his left knee while keeping his head as still and no one has said anything about it. His arms are not that far off it either though the left arm is maybe not as close to the chest as stack and tilt. Am I wrong? Again this is a question!! Please don’t shoot me down.

Is this style becoming more common place or am I just way wrong with my analysis?

You are 100% correct, I thought it looked like an 'intermediate' stack and tilt type swing myself but it's hard to tell what is going on without seeing a front view also. There are a few things which don't look correct (eg: shoulders hips aren't tilted quite enough and the follow thru is not quite correct) but then even my swing isn't pure S&T either even though I advocate the pattern.

There is a difference between (1)straightening the right leg, (2)allowing it to straighten a bit and (3)not straightening it at all. My personal belief is that trying to maintain the right knee in it's address position actually hinders the hip turn and doesn't build up any torque (unless maybe you are 15 years old and bend like you're made of rubber). Most old style players try to get their power from the weight shift (by swaying to the right) as opposed to the rotation, which is why S&T is different as it utilises the rotational power.

Yes this style is becoming more common place, not necessarily S&T but certainly staying over the ball is.

It kinda ties in with a swing called The Golf Machine which just about every touring pro will know about, sort of an intermedite S&T swing made famous by a guy called Mac O'Grady.

 

[Alex1975]

I have been hitting the ball fat for a few days and went to the range today to try the S&T or as best I could, i e as you said keeping my head over the ball. It seemed to be what I was doing before I started to hit the ball fat so I am going to go back to it. Keeping my weight more centered helps me turn and my striking was much more pure today.

Still could not hit my hybird though, god knows where that as gone as the 7 iron dropped on the 150 marker just about every time but meh on the hybird.

still all very interesting.

 

[richy]

When I've had a lesson of the pro he has always told me to try and keep my head over the ball and not sway

 

[JustOne]

I have been hitting the ball fat for a few days and went to the range today to try the S&T or as best I could, i e as you said keeping my head over the ball. It seemed to be what I was doing before I started to hit the ball fat so I am going to go back to it. Keeping my weight more centered helps me turn and my striking was much more pure today.

Yes if you stay perfectly still with your head over the ball and make sure the low point of your swing (point of tangency) is in FRONT of the ball then you won't hit it fat, but the thing with just staying centered is WHERE are you going to get your power from? If you turn your shoulders too flat then in order to get the club on plane your swing will become armsy/handsy and you'll also become inconsistent, so you need to angle your shoulders... and now you're into stack and tilt territory.

There is a swing called The Rotary Swing but I didn't like it at all when I tried it as I felt like I wasn't trapping the ball at all, shots felt weak and I reckon I lost 15% distance.

 

[Alex1975]

I have been hitting the ball fat for a few days and went to the range today to try the S&T or as best I could, i e as you said keeping my head over the ball. It seemed to be what I was doing before I started to hit the ball fat so I am going to go back to it. Keeping my weight more centered helps me turn and my striking was much more pure today.

Yes if you stay perfectly still with your head over the ball and make sure the low point of your swing (point of tangency) is in FRONT of the ball then you won't hit it fat, but the thing with just staying centered is WHERE are you going to get your power from? If you turn your shoulders too flat then in order to get the club on plane your swing will become armsy/handsy and you'll also become inconsistent, so you need to angle your shoulders... and now you're into stack and tilt territory.

There is a swing called The Rotary Swing but I didn't like it at all when I tried it as I felt like I wasn't trapping the ball at all, shots felt weak and I reckon I lost 15% distance.

Grrr, now you are making me want to go back to the range and check my sholders!

So are you talking about turning my sholders when you say angle?