Yet another swing thread!

[CheltenhamHacker]

So I've asked on here about pro's before, and fully accept that I need to get to a pro to sort my swing out! Unfortunately, my pro doesn't teach on weekends over the winter, and the soonest I can get to a different pro that I like the look/style of will be early Jan!

So in the mean time, I'm looking to the many experts on the board for help.

My swing is very changeable it seems. Half a round it can go left to right, the other half I can pick up a lot of right to left! When it is going well though, it seems to have a nice little draw (as rare as that is)

I've got my swing from when I started out for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwYMzvFsr7M

My swing from Aug when I got my last lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da6uLb7tBXw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2w2d1OGLMA

I have my swing from a range session today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96FVInCqmE
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqMjC08zYWI

(with a load of other videos from these sessions on my Youtube channel)

I would love some major feedback. i appreciate there is probably a significant amount of minor things I should fix, but I feel that it would be worth focusing on the major things!

So......... Unleash the hounds please

 

[SocketRocket]

Had a quick look and you are turning through the shot a lot better now. Will take another look later.

 

[Beezerk]

Love the first vid, it was like watching a Norman Wisdom clip

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Thank you very much for that SR!

Watching these videos, I realise I have very little (if at all) wrist hinge. For the experts out there, how important is this?

Cheers Beezerk, not 100% sure how to take that

 

[JustOne]

Try and keep your left hip more stable over your left knee. It's moving away from the target too much.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Try and keep your left hip more stable over your left knee. It's moving away from the target too much.

Thanks for that JO, will certainly try that!

Do you have any thoughts on the wrist hinge?

 

[JustOne]

Normally it's because the left hand grip is wrong, the club shaft is too diagonal across your palm/fingers.

[video=youtube;MQP_NGc_A-4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQP_NGc_A-4[/video]

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Wow, that was an interesting video. The two lessons I've had, neither of them have picked up anything about my grip, but according to that video, I'm making the main mistake!

Hmmmm, this may mean a big change!

 

[SocketRocket]

Thank you very much for that SR!

Watching these videos, I realise I have very little (if at all) wrist hinge. For the experts out there, how important is this?

Cheers Beezerk, not 100% sure how to take that

[video=youtube;ri9lZUREIFM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri9lZUREIFM[/video]

 

[Beezerk]

Cheers Beezerk, not 100% sure how to take that

The club waggle and spinning bit :thup:

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

The club waggle and spinning bit :thup:

Ahh, that's down to my horrendous follow through! I've been told I have a tendency to point and try and move the ball while it's in the air with my follow through. I never notice when this is though!

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

So for anyone still interested in this, tried a couple of things at the range last week, and then out on the course.

I've switched my grip to the Vardon grip, as this allows me to keep the club pressed into the fleshy part of my hand more. Before, it was across my hand, and was waggling around in my swing, resulting in very varied results!

I also concentrated on keeping my left arm straight, and not hinging much at the wrist (not that I did this much before). I ideally looked at the Steve Stricker model.

Seemed to go well at the range. Got to the course on Sunday, and despite being a little hungover, on the 230yrd par 3, creamed a 4 iron straight down the middle. (I came up short, but it was straight, so I really don't mind).

My whole iron play on sunday was nice, bar a few hooks coming out towards the end of the round, whichI need to look at. I think as I relax more, I must change something about my swing, as it's a common theme! But overall, some beautiful striking, and i'm happy for now not taking a divot with my swing. This may be something I look at next year. Unfortunately my chipping and putting was as bad as ever, to the extent of being 20 yards away from a par 5 green after 2 shots, and ending up with an 8. Annoying, to say the least.

Still, the irons worked better, the 3 wood worked ok (much better than usual) and the hybrid worked well, so I'm a very happy guy. Lots more practice to ingrain the grip now, and potentially a few "on course" videos at the start and near the end of the round, to see what changes! Any thoughts on what may cause that, hip sliding or something? Or not sliding enough?

 

[garyinderry]

what is wrong with your chipping? hitting fat, thin too long, short? im no expert on the full swing but chipping and pitching can be taught by anyone really. plenty of videos on different techniques. it helps if you tell me what you are finding hard about it.

real easy way to make drastic improvements to your score is to improve chipping and pitching.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

what is wrong with your chipping? hitting fat, thin too long, short? im no expert on the full swing but chipping and pitching can be taught by anyone really. plenty of videos on different techniques. it helps if you tell me what you are finding hard about it.

real easy way to make drastic improvements to your score is to improve chipping and pitching.

The strange thing is, some days I have an absolute stormer of chipping! 100yards in this weekend though, very poor. My bad shot with a 75/80 yard pitch is a slice.

With the 5-20 yard chips, if it goes wrong, it's definitely fatting the ball. Sometimes I know I lift my head up, but others I have no idea.

For these chips I try to take my wrists out of it completely, and just rotate the shoulders, but I think I come down too steep, which must mean subconciously I'm using my wrists I guess, to try and control it!

Haven't spent much time on chipping/pitching, so I know it can be improve a hell of a lot! I was much more worried before about keeping losing balls of the tee!

 

[garyinderry]

heading to work now. tonight ill throw up a few vids on chipping pitching etc. some various styles for you to try and see what works best for you. all may work, some may work. the more strings to your bow in the short game the easier it becomes.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Cheers Gary, really appreciate that!

 

[garyinderry]

Phil briefly discussing how he changes his weight distribution depending on the lie. Really recommend downloading Phils secrets of the short game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgE8x5_GjfQ

Young Jordan Spieth's chipping technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzFuVjzci4U

Pitching video using the bounce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38FCxpgINq8


Jim Furyk's putting chip method. keeps it simple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48PlO1NUvUs&feature=related

more bounce chip/pitch method

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gidFj83iJPg


Luke Donald - running pitch. (all his master class videos are worth a watch. All on Youtube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Le7c0te9U


Learn from the master himself, seve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HUh3GN6hNY


David Pelz explaining how to play the simple chip. Really really easy way to chip. old school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ueDwu2cXk


short game with butch harmon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HttXJN0u5E8


That should give you plenty to be getting on with! :thup:


With the ground being soft at the minute you might find the bounce method useful. If its very soft its easy to stick the leading edge into the ground. Have fun, experiment, learn what works for you in different situations.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Wow, massive thanks for all of those Gary! I'll have to spend an evening watching them, and then hit the practice ground!

 

[garyinderry]

save them to your fav folder. that way you can visit them in the future and tackle any you might not have gotten fully the first time around. sometimes its takes a while for these things to click. :thup: