Thoughts and Comments Please

[markwarne]

Hi Homer

Nice post.

If you do find out - or if you already know - how to stop that "dip" on your downswing, please let me know.

No matter how hard I work on this, I still seem to have a little dip of the right shoulder at or just before contact. This invariably leads to ground before ball, and a loss of distance.

It is buggin me to death - my teacher keeps pointing it out and some shots it disappears once he's mentioned it, but then after a while it raises its ugly head.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The stupid thing even with all my lateral movement is that I find a way to get back to the ball. I rarely hit a thin or a fat and the only problem I have is with a hook where I get too handsy and flip the hands over through impact. I know what my yardages are so my club selection is normally pretty good. It is really my putting and short game that needs work and I have posted to that effect already. I am in the process of a number of short game lessons so I'm hoping by the end of March I should be in a position to save shots and get cut.

Ironically I went to the range this afternoon and videoed my swing. I was actually more hunched even though I had tried to ensure a straighter back and less knee flex. I worked on a wider takeaway and slower backswing and did hit the ball pretty solidly. Stupid thing is the upright and lateral movement in transition from top of the swing to impact is actually greater than yesterday. Blood stupid game!

 

[TonyN]

Homer what is your CHS?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

CHS????

 

[TonyN]

Club Head Speed,

 

[AlchemyGolf]

I would suggest making the backswing a bit smoother and give it a bit of oomph. In other words, make your downswing faster than your backswing. At the moment they both look about the same speed.
A word of warning though. Dont think of the backswing being slower, think of it being smoother. That will give you more time in the transition to maintain your posture.
The hook probably comes from the slight out to in downswing with the slightly strong left hand. Just something you can keep an eye on when there's out of bounds left.
So to sum up, check grip and posture at address.
Have a smooth takeaway, and HIT THE BLOODY THING

The main thing I see is your rythum is to fast,a smoother,calmer swing will help you work on the other things.Like you said you feel your hands flipping over causing a hook. well if your swing is so fast it is very easy for the hands to be behind the swing and as they try to catch up you get your flip.

Tom Watson did a clinic at my old club when the open was at Birkdale and he said, to say a word in your head that is ending in time with your strike.
Then pick a longer word to say in your head and try and time to that.
Tom Watson says "a del vice" and strikes on the word vice,this is a very easy less technical way to try and slow your swing down.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The stupid thing was the swing felt much slower (for me anyway) today. The actual ball contact was pretty consistant too. I have loaded v1 software and compared my swing and set up to a number of pros so I have a better mental image to work towards anyway.

 

[jeffc]

Homer
concerning tempo, I think every player has a tempo right for them and it is a matter of keeping a constant tempo. Compare say Paraig Harrington with Ernie Els, Padraig has quite a fast backswing in comparison, It depends on the person , height weight strength etc.
From your vids (and I think your second ones is much better in terms of tempo) you get a consistant strike and you are accelerating through impact so don't worry about it so much, Alchemy's tip is a good one but you have to find the right phrase to suit your tempo, I have tried it but find it occupies too much thought and everything else goes out the window, end up like the twisted snake quoted earlier.

I still stick by my comment on the first videos about picking your chin up, on the 2nd vid you have lifted it up and it looks better.

I do think you're hell of brave guy putting your swing up for dissection like this but it's been a great post. Perhaps you could talk Mike or one of the other GM staff to post theirs, we could really have some fun then.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Homer
I still stick by my comment on the first videos about picking your chin up.

Agree with that entirley.

Homer A lot of the the stuff mentioned can be done before you even take the club away like posture,chin,grip or whatever other tips from here you are taking on board.

but on the actual swing itself I think finding your right tempo will help enourmously,I would just try and smooth it out a tad.

You are very brave doing this and the problem is that your head gets mashed by such an influx of information which sometimes is conflicting.

I personally dont think its a good idea

For me leave I would leave it to your pro,he knows you best and sees your swing all the time and can give you much better feedback on your progress.

 

[jeffc]

Perhaps you could talk Mike or one of the other GM staff to post theirs, we could really have some fun then.

come on GM staff, let us butcher your fine honed athletic swings

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've seen Jezz Ellwoods at close quarters and it is a thing beauty and power (well I would say that as he went round in +1) when we played last year.

 

[Cernunnos]

Yes I must agree with Alchemy, I think (Homer)you're very brave airing your swing video in public. I'm not sure I'd be quite as brave.

But one thing I must say, is how useful it is to see a playback of a recorded swing, as it can bring things home very quickly, even before your pro has a chance to start to make some useful comments. Though I think a lot of this comes from the amount of Video-lessons I've had over the last few years.

Either way, still not sure how brave I'd be to open myself up for critique.

Nice one Homer... :thumbsup:

 

[AlchemyGolf]

But one thing I must say, is how useful it is to see a playback of a recorded swing, as it can bring things home very quickly

100% right

Whenever I am struggling I video my swing,lots of times the problem is glaringly obvious once i can see myself from the side or back

 

[nomadpaul]

I've seen Jezz Ellwoods at close quarters and it is a thing beauty and power (well I would say that as he went round in +1) when we played last year.

Are you after another visit to GM Towers and a sneaky trip into the cupboard of joy , HomerJ ? lol

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm going back in a few months to review the forum stuff I'm doing. I'm hoping that they might be impressed enough to forward a nice donation (R7 driver - I should be so lucky ). In truth though Jezz does hit a good ball and it stays hit too. If you get a chance to play with him I think you'd be suitably impressed. Luke (before he left) and Paul both play well (Paul I think is a bit of a bandito on the quiet). I haven't played with Mike yet but I know he won when he played with the Scottish boys and reports and my spies tell me he is a tidy player too.

 

[John_Findlay]

Jezz is a bandit off 5 or 6 or whatever he is. I can certainly vouch for his driving at the Jubilee when we played. Every one a peach. His swing is on YouTube often enough in the review part of the Golf Monthly channel.

 

[viscount17]

I'm going back in a few months to review the forum stuff I'm doing. I'm hoping that they might be impressed enough to forward a nice donation (R7 driver - I should be so lucky ).

staff now homer, no toys for you!