Swing Advice

[Region3]

I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion for what's causing my bad shot that's crept in more and more over the last few months.

It's either a straight push, or a hook.

Some of the time I hit good shots but the bad ones are turning ok rounds into hideous ones.

I'm often guilty of worrying too much and over analysing. I've got to the stage now where I don't know if I'm turning too much, not enough, with my hips or shouders, if my arms are early or late compared to the rest of me, nothing.
Basically, I haven't got a clue what is wrong.

The only things I do know (other than where the ball is going when it goes wrong) is that my grip looks neutral to me compared to pictures on the internet, and occasionally I lose balance at the end of a swing and have all my weight on my toes, sometimes so much so that I fall forwards.

So, 2 questions.

1. Would I be right in thinking that with those bad shots, my swing is in-to-out (compared to where I think I'm aiming) and the push is when the club is square to my swing path, and the hook is when it is square to my target?

2. Can anyone suggest what to look for in my swing that might be causing it, and how to put it right?

Thanks.

 

[fundy]

In answer to your 2 questions youre pretty much spot on, swing path is in to out, the hook doesnt have to be square to the target is it is just left of the swingpath, there may be a small chance you are flipping it with the hands to compensate for the blocks.

Best recommendation would be to grab a quick leson with a local pro, shouldnt be difficult for him to help you resolve

 

[Region3]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately I can't justify the expense (albeit a minor one) of having a lesson at the moment.

It's either fix it myself, or keep going round as I am until it finds someone else to make miserable.

I'm going to try to find the time to get to the range, and will record myself until I hit a few bad ones. I'll look out for the hands flipping. If that's the case though would it mean there's a different fault causing the push?

 

[0]

Sounds like the top half is out of sync with the bottom half, your swing path is in to out which is good but falling forward is a clear sign the shoulders and arms are rotating out of sync with the hips/legs and pulling you forward, I'd guess you get a few thins as well with irons?

John Jacobs had a nice swing thought for this and it's " 2 turns and a swish" ie proper turn in the backswing, then turn the legs/hips THEN rotate the shoulders and swish the arms thru, try it with a very slow swing and 6 iron until your body parts are working together, THEN you can hit it as hard as you like.

 

[bobmac]

Have you changed your grip recently?
As I remember, you've always had a slightly strong left hand.
And dont worry about your swing path, it's not in to out

 

[0]

Have you changed your grip recently?
As I remember, you've always had a slightly strong left hand.
And dont worry about your swing path, it's not in to out

Might be good to expand to help the op?

 

[bobmac]

Have you changed your grip recently?
As I remember, you've always had a slightly strong left hand.
And dont worry about your swing path, it's not in to out

Might be good to expand to help the op?

In what way?

 

[0]

Have you changed your grip recently?
As I remember, you've always had a slightly strong left hand.
And dont worry about your swing path, it's not in to out

Might be good to expand to help the op?

In what way?

Thought it was obvious, as your the pro and the op says he swings in to out wouldn't it be better to explain your statement to help him rather than just say it's not?

 

[bobmac]

Well, I've played with Gary and I've got a video of his swing from Woodhall a month ago and if anything his swing is a touch out to in.
I asked about his grip as I think it's the cause of his problems, but then he knows that as I've mentioned it to him before.

 

[0]

Well, I've played with Gary and I've got a video of his swing from Woodhall a month ago and if anything his swing is a touch out to in.
I asked about his grip as I think it's the cause of his problems, but then he knows that as I've mentioned it to him before.

Lol, well there's hidden info that changes all

Out of interest how does he do a straight push with an out to in swing path?

 

[bobmac]

It could something as simple as he's aiming a touch too far right, a common characteristic of someone who hits a draw most of the time.

 

[Region3]

Thanks for the replies.

Grip. It's only my opinion that it looks neutral, comparing to what I've seen posted before. I could very well be wrong. I will try weakening my left hand a touch and see what happens.

I might have mentioned the Woodhall swing before but maybe not. I can't really use that to look for something wrong because that wasn't my normal swing, I was trying (and failed) to hit a fade.
The only other recent-ish video of my swing was at Bedford taken by fundy, and that's no good either because I was trying to hit a draw.

I'm going to try to get to the range this lunchtime so I'll video myself and post it later.

As for swinging in-to-out, it was only a guess because of what's happening to the bad shots. I probably couldn't tell you by looking at it which way the swing path was unless it was extreme.

This game is so frustrating. I was hitting the ball sweetly and gradually this has crept in. Swings just seem to change unintentionally over time, and gradually so you don't notice anything majorly different.

 

[Junior]

Hi Gary, I'm a little out too in and I have the same problem that creeps in, more often than i'd like !!! The pro i went to see at the start of the year told me that it was due to my lower half clearing too quick and my arms getting stuck behind my body. As a result my hands were flipping over to catch everything else up and when the hands went too quick it went left, and when they were not quick enough it was blocked right.

The drill he gave me was to stand with my feet together and make practise swings to try and synchronise my arms and body on the down swing.

Others may have different idea's but i hope this helps.

 

[0]

The drill he gave me was to stand with my feet together and make practise swings to try and synchronise my arms and body on the down swing.

which ties in with my thoughts and advice

 

[Piece]

It's either a straight push, or a hook.

2. Can anyone suggest what to look for in my swing that might be causing it, and how to put it right?

Thanks.

Straight push or hook for my swing is because I start the downswing with the shoulders and not the lower body. TBH, I've a bit of disconnect between arms & body which doesn't help either. I try to make a solid, smooth turn and then start downswing with lower body to get that 'lag' and consistency.

 

[0]

It could something as simple as he's aiming a touch too far right,

aim right, out to in swing, still don't see how that produces a straight push

 

[bobmac]

It could something as simple as he's aiming a touch too far right,

aim right, out to in swing, still don't see how that produces a straight push

If he aims right, the out to in swing then becomes square and if the face is open a touch, ball starts right. It may not be arrow straight but it may appear that way if there's any wind about off the right and we have had a bit of that recently.

 

[Region3]

Had a bit of a mare sorting this out, with a camera I had no idea how to operate and no way of knowing if the view was good enough.
Excuses out the way

There's a railing in the way, and I cut my head off (no bad thing) but apart from that it's not bad.
I was aiming at the orange circle just underneath the railing and just right of centre picture.

The first one went right, the second one went left.

I can pick out a straight one later if need be. I also tried side on, but you can only see the top half of me because of the bays. Let me know if you want me to put one of those up too and I'll do it later. My laptop is on go slow now. Supposed to be an entertainment setup too

All comments welcome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gls3_5N105Q

 

[bobmac]

Gary, have you noticed how far right your feet aim compared to your shoulders?
I dont remember you doing that in the past.

 

[Region3]

Gary, have you noticed how far right your feet aim compared to your shoulders?
I dont remember you doing that in the past.

I know that is something I'm guilty of. I guess it's because my right hand is reaching further than my left?

I did try pulling my right shoulder back at address a while ago but it didn't seem like it made much difference at the time so I didn't carry on with it as it's one less thing to think about.

Do you think that's the cause, or did you notice anything else?