My swing

[la_lucha]

So tonight I went off to the range and thought I would video my swing. It looks like I am coming over the top a little. I guess in an effort to keep it all on plane I am taking it too far back and then having a very small wobble forwards at the top. I can tell you that there were three slices in this set of shots. What do you guys think? [video=youtube_share;lvbfxZjKZW0]http://youtu.be/lvbfxZjKZW0[/video]

 

[Foxholer]

I think it's not so much a case of coming over the top as swing too hard at the beginning of the downswing - so the clubhead drags you outside and an out-to-in swing is the result.

Try Bob's Headcover Drill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsrovFJ3o9I That'll force you to correct the path and the corrections will be pretty 'natural'! In Cricket terms, you need to swing more towards Mid-Off (almost) than your current Mid-On direction!

And another Bob-ism....The 1st 18" of the downswing should be the same speed as the last 18" of the backswing! It's the last 3-4 feet of the backswing that provides the real power/speed!

 

[la_lucha]

I have noticed recently that I take it back nice and controlled and then try to rip it in the way down. It's a subconscious thing but I need to be more controlled/slower on the downswing in my opinion?

 

[garyinderry]

left arm must be breaking down getting yourself very much across the line at the top. only 1 place you are going from there and that is OOT.


this might help you steep down swing.

[video=youtube;ydHFuk1BACk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydHFuk1BACk[/video]

 

[garyinderry]

good drill to try here. work on the same feeling Justin rose is after. cant be bad!:thup:

[video=youtube;rlNd81XST6o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlNd81XST6o&list=UUTwywdg9Sw5xs4wdN-qz7yw[/video]

 

[the_coach]

As you thought you are coming a good ways out over the top of plane, as the first move down is the arms shoulders moving the club shaft a ways steep & out towards the ball target line, so you're then having to swing a good ways left (in swing direction) through impact.

Depends then where the face angle is looking at impact & how big the difference is in degrees between where the face is looking in relation to that club heads swing path direction left, as to the starting direction of the ball & how much curvature there is through the balls flight.

The things that will be responsible for this will include what the grip is like, where the ball is within the stance & the body alignment (particularly the shoulders, bit dark here, but they appear a tad open at address) the spine angle & tilt in the posture.

Within the motion itself, a few things maybes to think over.

Currently the takeaway works back inside a ways so when your left arm is parallel to the ground, the arm is pointing behind you, your hands pretty deep back in line with the back edge of your back, in line with your heel line - rather than at this point the hands being inline with the center of your chest left arm more parallel to your ball/target line & toe line. So currently your left arm & shaft plane are a good ways flat & you're losing connection between your body turn & your arm swing.

This is the reason why the arms then lift up a ways at the top & carry on going back (after your shoulder turn has stopped) so there's the extra arm travel plus lift, so a little ways overlong arm backswing which then crosses the line at the top with shaft pointing a ways back over the ball/target line.

From this top position you pretty much then it has to swing, out first, with arms/club plus right shoulder all moving towards the ball/target line so the shaft gets a ways too steep so through impact as your swinging down steep & left the hands have to move upwards to stop the club hitting the ground (this also will slow the club down as it's no longer swinging freely)

Ideally you want the shoulder body turn to stop when completed at the top so then the arms & club stop too at the same time, so often the shaft then, as you see in a bunch of tour pros (some notable exceptions but these guys can all time & re-route through to sound impact positions, in the main, though sometimes don't so they don't play so well then if their timing is a good ways off, Phil, Bubba, Daly) is often short of even being parallel.
Much easier from that shorter position at top, to start down from the ground up, with first the hands/arms so club shaft shallowing out at top (looks like it's falling away from the ball/target line back behind the back) then the right shoulder moves downwards towards the ground so the arms & club too.

The club head at this point is actually moving away from target & the ball (not outwards towards the ball/target line.

It's only after this moving downwards when the right elbow arrives at the right hip, the club shaft then in what's often called the 'delivery position' also called parallel position 3 (cause it's parallel to ground for the third time in the swing motion, it's also at this point pretty parallel to the ball/target line & toe line here too)
From here the club handle shaft & club head move out towards the ball as your body rotates the left hip then fully clears, so coming from this position you also transfer optimum club head speed, that comes as a result of the correct swing path direction.

It's really from this correct 'delivery position' & the rotational centripetal force that this optimum 'speed' arrives through impact.

An analogy would be, this delivery position is the start of most of the force through the motion happening, so akin to the parent with a child on a swing 'waiting' a tad for the swing to start falling forwards before applying the push motion.

So from the top of transition the weight on the lead foot allows the club to get on the right shallow plane, the arms club & right shoulder almost feel like they are falling downwards towards the ground, so the elbow tucks to the hip the delivery position where the body rotational forces plus weight transference then provides that sort of natural 'push' on down through impact.

Force it from the top, it all moves outwards then its a fight to get the club head to ball & the clubs actually slowing down in to the ball, but wait allow gravity to work a ways then the rotational movement takes over you get the proper speed as the shaft & club head are moving outwards & downwards towards & through impact from the correct position.

 

[the_coach]

Here's those British guys in the uniforms again.
You don't have to dress like them, but if you work on this drill start off with say an 8i (but it's something you can work through with your irons plus hybrids, metals & driver too, it's just a good ways more difficult with the longer stuff, but when you actually hitting some balls just do so at 60% so you smooth out your motion a ways too.
It's not that easy to get down right, & you'd probably need to keep doing it every practice session so you get to iron out the current problems, just doing it the once or twice isn't really going to help any.

[video=youtube_share;xvMiZQo70-E]http://youtu.be/xvMiZQo70-E?t=1m55s[/video]

 

[la_lucha]

Cheers coach. I'm not sure but you may have lost me there. I'll have a look at the drills this evening although I think their outfits are rather fancy.

 

[dsanders9944]

Your left arm is definately breaking down at the top and your overswing causes you to then cast the club from the top which in turn makes you lose your lag. I would say that you need to understand where the club head should be travelling quickest in the swing, at present, you're club head is travelling fast from the start of the downswing but then you lose your lag and the club head speed is lost in and around the impact are. Practice short quick swings getting used to lagging the club on the downswing then gradually build it back up to what will feel more like a three quarter length swing. You will be suprised how much power you will generate from a small swing if you store the lag correctly in the downswing. Check this tip out, should be just right for you.[video=youtube_share;ksyUk8Tpr4I]http://youtu.be/ksyUk8Tpr4I[/video]

 

[JustOne]

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Ouch!! total swing killer.

 

[JustOne]

You have a few issues, the_coach's advice is worth following (if you can).

You take the club away too far to the inside in the backswing, then you overswing. From there you come down too steep.

You also don't understand impact, you are trying to swing the clubhead at the ball whereas you should be swinging (and controlling) the grip end of the club.... as that's the bit of the club that you have in your hands .... the clubhead will follow.

Take a look at some vids/pics of the correct impact position so you know WHERE you are trying to get the club to at impact and then work on your backswing plane. The arms/wrists need to work the club a little more UP on the backswing rather than around behind you... then you can shorten your backswing and come back down on plane....the grip/handle of the club leading the way towards your left thigh.

 

[la_lucha]

You have a few issues, the_coach's advice is worth following (if you can).

You take the club away too far to the inside in the backswing, then you overswing. From there you come down too steep.

You also don't understand impact, you are trying to swing the clubhead at the ball whereas you should be swinging (and controlling) the grip end of the club.... as that's the bit of the club that you have in your hands .... the clubhead will follow.

Take a look at some vids/pics of the correct impact position so you know WHERE you are trying to get the club to at impact and then work on your backswing plane. The arms/wrists need to work the club a little more UP on the backswing rather than around behind you... then you can shorten your backswing and come back down on plane....the grip/handle of the club leading the way towards your left thigh.

Cheers I'll try and have a little practice tonight or tomorrow and upload another vid to see if I am getting it right.

 

[Foxholer]

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Ouch!! total swing killer.

Not necessarily imo - but a pretty 'dangerous' drill, especially for anyone with a tendency to 'flip'. The Pump Drill seems much better to me!

 

[the_coach]

Here's something to look at in relation to getting the backswing on a little ways steeper & better plane. (to my earlier & JustOne's points about the takeaway being a little ways inside to quickly so a ways to flat so also to deep (behind you) when halfway back.

This shows the difference between both the left & right hands condition during the backswing (conditions brought about by the body turn & the right arm folding with the left arms 'constant' radius)

If you can get this down good it'll put the backswing on that better steeper plane, so a better & shorter plus better connected to the body turn top of the swing position, give you a ways better chance of swinging down on the shallower swing path with better swing direction (to target, no longer OTT & left) to & through impact.

To this steeper backswing as above, also keep in mind the other vid drill (from the uniform guys!) I put up, where the club shaft is on the ground the handle between center & right foot. Look at the parallel position 1 checkpoint, then the downswing led from the ground up right shoulder moving down to ground to get to the PP3 (delivery position) the guys show, paying attention that your handle going back (see blue dots on other vid) is in a different place to the handle coming back down at delivery PP3. Crucially important to arriving at a good impact condition.

[video=youtube_share;STA6p8J1WiE]http://youtu.be/STA6p8J1WiE[/video]

 

[the_coach]

To all those other points (& also to JustOne's point about thinking just where the handle, so shaft is, so the club head is & how it all gets delivered through impact)
Here's something worth taking the time to understand from the 'talkative British guy' (this guy incidentally is worth taking note of, he knows his subject well) it'll take a few views, but well worth taking the time.

[video=youtube_share;epNTtK50SW4]http://youtu.be/epNTtK50SW4[/video]

 

[la_lucha]

Ok so I had a look and I think I understand what crossfield is saying. This is the swing that I feel happier with although I know there is still some flex in the left arm at the top. I think it's better than yesterday. [video=youtube_share;Nkv3aa31Lb8]http://youtu.be/Nkv3aa31Lb8[/video]

 

[JustOne]

I think it's better than yesterday.

It is.

Not fantastic... but the path of the club is better. You're still over-swinging, it simply isn't necessary to swing that far (and be in control of the club).

Can you get a vid from face on? - let's have a look at that clubshaft at/thru impact.......

 

[la_lucha]

It is.

Not fantastic... but the path of the club is better. You're still over-swinging, it simply isn't necessary to swing that far (and be in control of the club).

Can you get a vid from face on? - let's have a look at that clubshaft at/thru impact.......

I know I'm still overswinging although I really was trying not to. I'll try to record a front view this evening, I wont be able to hit a ball as it'll be in the back garden again but hopefully it'll show what you want to see.

 

[the_coach]

Looking better.

Path going back a ways better.
Still over-swinging but not easy to change everything in one go, it will take work & time.
Would be good to see what's happening from face on.

Couple things to think on & to maybes consider. If you look at your address position you'll notice you're holding your arms 'out' to the ball a little ways. If you can with your current leg & upper body posture just let those arms 'hang' from the shoulders some rather than that bit of a 'stretch' to the ball thats going on a little.

The over-swing looks like it's more caused by the slight lack of connection between arms & body turn, your turning your upper body a ways too much, this is bucking your right leg a little ways away from target so the right foot is turning on to it's outside edge. To keep pace with the little ways over turn of the body you right arm is flying aways a little at the top.

Have an idea, will be able to see better from the front, that this may be caused because you not quite getting the set in your left hand, so the thumb points up at the sky when your left arm is parallel to the ground so then too the club shaft angle to the left arm at this point should be around 90º. This is a big power source, have a feeling it's not quite there. So this means you feel you need to take the club back further so you can generate enough speed through impact.

The opposite would work better, so if you can get the 90º set when the left arm is parallel you won't feel the need to over turn, but you'll have the 'angles' set & stored so from a shorter backswing you can generate a ways more speed through impact anyways, plus it's easier to then get the timing right.

This over turn looks currently as if you then have your upper body leaning aways towards target so the spine tilt is towards target instead or being tilting away from target.

This vid talks about the over turn with the body & how not setting the wrist angle can both lead to a ways of an over-swing.

[video=youtube_share;j_GEfJBkLNg]http://youtu.be/j_GEfJBkLNg[/video]

 

[la_lucha]

Looking better.

Path going back a ways better.
Still over-swinging but not easy to change everything in one go, it will take work & time.
Would be good to see what's happening from face on.

Couple things to think on & to maybes consider. If you look at your address position you'll notice you're holding your arms 'out' to the ball a little ways. If you can with your current leg & upper body posture just let those arms 'hang' from the shoulders some rather than that bit of a 'stretch' to the ball thats going on a little.

The over-swing looks like it's more caused by the slight lack of connection between arms & body turn, your turning your upper body a ways too much, this is bucking your right leg a little ways away from target so the right foot is turning on to it's outside edge. To keep pace with the little ways over turn of the body you right arm is flying aways a little at the top.

Have an idea, will be able to see better from the front, that this may be caused because you not quite getting the set in your left hand, so the thumb points up at the sky when your left arm is parallel to the ground so then too the club shaft angle to the left arm at this point should be around 90º. This is a big power source, have a feeling it's not quite there. So this means you feel you need to take the club back further so you can generate enough speed through impact.

The opposite would work better, so if you can get the 90º set when the left arm is parallel you won't feel the need to over turn, but you'll have the 'angles' set & stored so from a shorter backswing you can generate a ways more speed through impact anyways, plus it's easier to then get the timing right.

This over turn looks currently as if you then have your upper body leaning aways towards target so the spine tilt is towards target instead or being tilting away from target.

This vid talks about the over turn with the body & how not setting the wrist angle can both lead to a ways of an over-swing.

[video=youtube_share;j_GEfJBkLNg]http://youtu.be/j_GEfJBkLNg[/video]

I see I have a complete lack of wrist cock. So a steeper takeaway, wrist cock and a shorter swing are what I need to work on.