My swing

[Hakuna]

Hi everyone,

I have been playing for over a year now and struggling to break a hundred. Most of that is the fact I constantly three-putt and have little idea about the short game.However my biggest barrier is a good drive and good long iron play. I have difficulty in starting my downswing from the ground up and most of the time I think about too many parts of the swing and what checkpoints to look out for that I actually over-think it.

Before I go to a coach I wondered if you had any constructive comments about my swing at all? I went to the driving range and hit the following shots:

1. A drive of about 160-180 yards, fairly straight - this is a successful drive for me!

http://youtu.be/mNy6csSemBo

2. A drive which is very weakly sliced - typical effort from me

http://youtu.be/nRVB9TYjTOA

3. A 54 degree wedge attempting to pitch onto a green about 50 yards in front of me.

http://youtu.be/6RY1luUipXY

4. Side view of a 7 iron shot

http://youtu.be/rE3J2r-vzWY

Are there any faults common to all three swings? And any drills that could help me?

Thank you in advance!

 

[garyinderry]

for someone who doesn't break 100 that set up with the wedge looks really good.


bob & the coach on here will be along with some good advice soon. keep up the good work bud!

 

[Hakuna]

Thanks Gary. Yeah 50-55/6 is my average on a 9 hole course. I know I need to improve putting for sure. My wedge play isn't that bad actually, it's distance control and what degree I should use really that it struggle with. I find the shorter irons more natural and fluid. The heavier and longer the club the worse I get, And because I don't have a fluid swing I dont know how far I can hit each club so I don't know when to a use a 9 iron over a PW etc. 30-40 yards out is where I'm best, where I feel more rhythmic and controlled.

 

[the_coach]

for someone who doesn't break 100 that set up with the wedge looks really good. bob & the coach on here will be along with some good advice soon. keep up the good work bud!

Would do normally G, but something up with the website for me since yesterday, won't format para's written won't allow me to paste link urls. Site won't load functions, so haven't got access to any buttons atop of message block so can't embed vids either to illustrate any advice given either currently. So have to wait to see if anyways that will get resolved. So no real functionality on the website at all, even problems with accessing or answering PM's, all a ways weird.

 

[bobmac]

Congratulations on your swing.
Lots of good moves I know some single figure golfers would kill for.
One thing does concern me though and its not a difficult fix.
It's your right hand.
If you look at the videos, there's a natural crease/line formed between your thumb and first finger. This line should point to an area around your right ear/shoulder. Yours points at your nose.
That has the affect of opening the clubface so it points to the right at impact.
Try experimenting with moving the right hand more under the grip and see if that stops the high weak shots to the right.
And when you've sorted that, try and keep your right knee flexed (not locked straight) on the backswing.
Apart from that, a fine effort indeed.
Well done.

 

[the_coach]

{hopeful that my loading issues with site have gone away}

As 'bobmac' says, congrats on getting thus far with swing.

Would agree with his comment on the right hand position. Here's a couple links to having a good neutral grip the handle predominantly in the fingers (not palms) of both hands.
With 2&1/2 knuckes visible at address with the left hand, that crease between thumb & forefinger pointing past the right ear to the shoulder & the right hand (as 'b' has pointed out) slightly a ways more rotated clockwise to the right on the handle so the right thumb/f.finger creas echoes the left to point just past the right ear to shoulder at address.

Left hand grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMLpg38gEJE
Right hand grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kG19zHrdiY&list=UUbY9OC4bMmAmqlcWhmQE3dQ

Looking at the swings couple of things worth looking at:

First off with that current overweak right hand grip it's making your shoulders too level at address as it's making you carry a very tight ways too rigid & straight right arm at address (see freeze of address. first driver swing)

This is putting your shoulders level, horizontal to the ground, but also makes the shoulder alignment a ways open at address to your ball/target aim line. (feet look a little ways open to -often a reaction to slicing the ball the golfer aims (wrongly) more to the left with the body as they 'fear' the right side of the course)

So once the grip sorted, at address have a softened right arm not rigid straight, as the right hand is on the club lower down this places the right shoulder naturally a tad lower at address, gives a little ways spine tilt away from target as well as the forwards spine angle bend from the hips.
This will also help square the shoulders up to the aim line & the right arm will be slightly lower than the left arm if viewed from DTL (behind) should see if you looked in mirror a little of the left forearm appearing above the right forearm.
So with this done make sure feet, knees, hip, chest, shoulders are all aligned parallel left, so square, to the ball/target aim line.

Another thing worth thinking about is how the swing motion works to provide stored energy in the backswing to then provide swingspeed through impact.
The upper body needs to turn connected with the arms & club, against, (during the first couple of feet of travel of the arms/shoulder & club) a firm lower bodies, legs & hips. The knees & hips should only start to move when the turn of the upper body starts to make them, this would usually start to happen once the arms & hands pass the right thigh once they get here legs/hips have to join in for the body to continue to turn to the top with the connected arm swing.

I say this because if you look right from the get go of your swings movement, you are independently popping your left knee outwards & also straightways turning your hips, so lower body & upper body & arms all moving together from start. So you can't really create any torque, so speed in the swing so a little ways lack of distance. This is also why your right leg straightens (as 'bobmac' pointed out).
All this means there's no resistance in the lower body to upper body's movement plus it tends to make you lose a little height as you lean & leave a little ways too much weight on the left side, upper body is then leaning a litte ways towards target.
These the reasons why it's then very hard for you to start transition & the downswing with the lead leg, hip leading the upper body turn & armswing to & through impact.

If you can first sort grip, right arm, feet body alignment parallel left of ball/target line at address (all this will be needed whatever the club, the spine tilt away from target will be more with the driver because ball up on a tee & the stance is wider spine tilt away less as the stance narrows down to the wedge & also the ball for most other shots is not 'up' in the air.
As long as the right arm is relaxed (softer) not rigid straight at address this should all happen naturally, it will also help square up the shoulders.

Then you should try to feel that your legs/hips don't move independently but remain more solid as the shoulders arm triangle moves away (this 'triangle' move away you do very well)
Then as the hands pass the right thigh, left knee works gently both towards the ball/target line as well as back a little, & the right hip turns back (again the hip turn you do well, you just start it a little ways independently so too early on from the get go)

As this wind up more against the lower body happens you want to feel the weight going into & stopping at the inside of the right foot, this allows you to keep a slightly flexed right knee all the way to the top.

Because you've wound up now at top (rather than moving & turning everything from first movement) you'll find you're in a better position & better balanced with some 'stored' energy at the top, so then it's a little ways easier to start the downswing from the ground up, lead leg, lead hip & also keep head behind the ball (as you haven't lent a ways towards target at top) so better able too, turn the right shoulder dwonwards towards the ground as then the arms hands & club 'follow'.
So downswing, the lower body leads & then the upper body turns then the arms swing with hands & club following on, like a 'relay' a chain reaction.

Until through impact because the weight is on the left ,leading, the left hip clears left, to allow space for the arms/hands to 'pull' the club, then hands get there first clubhead through ball second to provide a good strike through impact.

Lots of good things going on with your swing, they all just need a little ways organizing in how the sequences take place thats all. Sort grip, alignment, how the upper body/arms/hands club moves first & the body then turns against the lower body going up to top, then the reverse happens the lower body leads the transition & downswing through impact.

If you feel too tight, technical, through working through stuff on the range, it's still work you need to do, but intersperse that through the sessions with this drill, which is a good thing to feel more relaxed & focussed on rhythm of the movement & balance, there's 3 balls involved here but you should have space on a matt for say 5.
Because there's 'steps' between each swing, should better give the felling of weight into right side first then with the 'step' weight left on the swing through impact.

[video=youtube_share;9zys6H_wM0E]http://youtu.be/9zys6H_wM0E[/video]

 

[Hakuna]

Congratulations on your swing.
Lots of good moves I know some single figure golfers would kill for.
One thing does concern me though and its not a difficult fix.
It's your right hand.
If you look at the videos, there's a natural crease/line formed between your thumb and first finger. This line should point to an area around your right ear/shoulder. Yours points at your nose.
That has the affect of opening the clubface so it points to the right at impact.
Try experimenting with moving the right hand more under the grip and see if that stops the high weak shots to the right.
And when you've sorted that, try and keep your right knee flexed (not locked straight) on the backswing.
Apart from that, a fine effort indeed.
Well done.

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]thanks bob. I never expected to hear such positive comments so I'm glad there isn't a full fundamental swing change required, if I can take on your comments. In terms of my right hand I'm trying to modify my grip and get the crease pointing more towards my right shoulder but it feels like the grip is too far right when I do that. I'll keep on trying and hope for better results, hopefully this will cure the number of wayward shots! Thanks once again. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]
[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]Do you have any drills for keeping that right knee flexed? (I'm going to read the below in more detail so there may be some in there[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]
[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]Thanks[/COLOR]

 

[Hakuna]

{hopeful that my loading issues with site have gone away}

As 'bobmac' says, congrats on getting thus far with swing.

Would agree with his comment on the right hand position. Here's a couple links to having a good neutral grip the handle predominantly in the fingers (not palms) of both hands.
With 2&1/2 knuckes visible at address with the left hand, that crease between thumb & forefinger pointing past the right ear to the shoulder & the right hand (as 'b' has pointed out) slightly a ways more rotated clockwise to the right on the handle so the right thumb/f.finger creas echoes the left to point just past the right ear to shoulder at address.

Left hand grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMLpg38gEJE
Right hand grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kG19zHrdiY&list=UUbY9OC4bMmAmqlcWhmQE3dQ

Looking at the swings couple of things worth looking at:

First off with that current overweak right hand grip it's making your shoulders too level at address as it's making you carry a very tight ways too rigid & straight right arm at address (see freeze of address. first driver swing)

This is putting your shoulders level, horizontal to the ground, but also makes the shoulder alignment a ways open at address to your ball/target aim line. (feet look a little ways open to -often a reaction to slicing the ball the golfer aims (wrongly) more to the left with the body as they 'fear' the right side of the course)

So once the grip sorted, at address have a softened right arm not rigid straight, as the right hand is on the club lower down this places the right shoulder naturally a tad lower at address, gives a little ways spine tilt away from target as well as the forwards spine angle bend from the hips.
This will also help square the shoulders up to the aim line & the right arm will be slightly lower than the left arm if viewed from DTL (behind) should see if you looked in mirror a little of the left forearm appearing above the right forearm.
So with this done make sure feet, knees, hip, chest, shoulders are all aligned parallel left, so square, to the ball/target aim line.

Another thing worth thinking about is how the swing motion works to provide stored energy in the backswing to then provide swingspeed through impact.
The upper body needs to turn connected with the arms & club, against, (during the first couple of feet of travel of the arms/shoulder & club) a firm lower bodies, legs & hips. The knees & hips should only start to move when the turn of the upper body starts to make them, this would usually start to happen once the arms & hands pass the right thigh once they get here legs/hips have to join in for the body to continue to turn to the top with the connected arm swing.

I say this because if you look right from the get go of your swings movement, you are independently popping your left knee outwards & also straightways turning your hips, so lower body & upper body & arms all moving together from start. So you can't really create any torque, so speed in the swing so a little ways lack of distance. This is also why your right leg straightens (as 'bobmac' pointed out).
All this means there's no resistance in the lower body to upper body's movement plus it tends to make you lose a little height as you lean & leave a little ways too much weight on the left side, upper body is then leaning a litte ways towards target.
These the reasons why it's then very hard for you to start transition & the downswing with the lead leg, hip leading the upper body turn & armswing to & through impact.

If you can first sort grip, right arm, feet body alignment parallel left of ball/target line at address (all this will be needed whatever the club, the spine tilt away from target will be more with the driver because ball up on a tee & the stance is wider spine tilt away less as the stance narrows down to the wedge & also the ball for most other shots is not 'up' in the air.
As long as the right arm is relaxed (softer) not rigid straight at address this should all happen naturally, it will also help square up the shoulders.

Then you should try to feel that your legs/hips don't move independently but remain more solid as the shoulders arm triangle moves away (this 'triangle' move away you do very well)
Then as the hands pass the right thigh, left knee works gently both towards the ball/target line as well as back a little, & the right hip turns back (again the hip turn you do well, you just start it a little ways independently so too early on from the get go)

As this wind up more against the lower body happens you want to feel the weight going into & stopping at the inside of the right foot, this allows you to keep a slightly flexed right knee all the way to the top.

Because you've wound up now at top (rather than moving & turning everything from first movement) you'll find you're in a better position & better balanced with some 'stored' energy at the top, so then it's a little ways easier to start the downswing from the ground up, lead leg, lead hip & also keep head behind the ball (as you haven't lent a ways towards target at top) so better able too, turn the right shoulder dwonwards towards the ground as then the arms hands & club 'follow'.
So downswing, the lower body leads & then the upper body turns then the arms swing with hands & club following on, like a 'relay' a chain reaction.

Until through impact because the weight is on the left ,leading, the left hip clears left, to allow space for the arms/hands to 'pull' the club, then hands get there first clubhead through ball second to provide a good strike through impact.

Lots of good things going on with your swing, they all just need a little ways organizing in how the sequences take place thats all. Sort grip, alignment, how the upper body/arms/hands club moves first & the body then turns against the lower body going up to top, then the reverse happens the lower body leads the transition & downswing through impact.

If you feel too tight, technical, through working through stuff on the range, it's still work you need to do, but intersperse that through the sessions with this drill, which is a good thing to feel more relaxed & focussed on rhythm of the movement & balance, there's 3 balls involved here but you should have space on a matt for say 5.
Because there's 'steps' between each swing, should better give the felling of weight into right side first then with the 'step' weight left on the swing through impact.

[video=youtube_share;9zys6H_wM0E]http://youtu.be/9zys6H_wM0E[/video]

i can't convey how much I appreciate these invaluable comments. I, going to take them on board and improve my swing. With improvements to my grip, knee flex, straight right arm and my good triangle moving against the lower body to build more power I have got lots to focus on. I've tried tonight to think about this last point but as I was focusing on my triangle getting past my thigh before moving my lower body I forget about my normal takeaway and it feels strange, inevitably leading to more wayward shots. No doubt it will get better though.

Once again coach, thanks for your excellent analysis you don't know how much it is appreciated.