Is a longer backswing easier to use and remain more consistent when swinging your irons?

[Paddy1Putt]

Convention logic (at least to me) tells you that a short back swing is easier to route into the ball with more consistency, they (being the talking golf heads) use Jon Rahm for this example.

With that said.... I have been working on something for a few months now and it's relaxed arms and a full backswing, with wrist break etc.... It's working for me.

This has been overtime and I seem to be picking up additional yardage as well. Previously I was doing a ridged 3/4 swing now I am taking a more relaxed full swing and initiating the lower body more. What I am finding out is that ground interaction and timing have improved organically. It 'seems' the longer back swing is giving me more time to get my lower body through and in too my left side and striking at the ball at the right time. Where as before with the 3/4 I felt a lot of shots were thinned and I had to rush the swing to get distance. The longer clubs were less impacted by this or so it seemed.

Obviously one size don't fit all, but I find it fascinating that taking a relaxed backswing and chillaxing through the swing is giving me incredible control and power. Obvious like anything in golf there is always a trade off and I find that my woods both driver and 5 wood are negatively (so far ~4 months) have been impacted by this. A lot more variability in my drives. And some even egregious type strikes like tops and thins.

Anyway just wanted to post this topic and see what people felt / thought about the 3/4 or the full backswing... If people have tried both for their stock swing, etc...

 

[rocullen]

YMMV, but I've found a FULL backswing....the lead side lat is stretched, leads to a better transition.
Now, not sure if the means longer backswing or not, but I need to stretch things for consistency.

 

[PatsFan]

I found much better consistency when I shortened it up, trying to be more like Rahm.
When I stretch it out I get all out of sync. But that is just me a High Cap player trying to get more consistent.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

I don't want to keep rambling, but when I take it all the way back I feel my arc narrows on the way down and the head drops in and strikes the ball much better. The more relax I remain in my arms and wrist the most power it feels I generate after the shot. During the shot it feels like I am doing very little, almost like I am swinging 50 percent but with a feel takeaway and full through swing.

 

[PiratePenguin]

I have huge amounts of hip/spine/shoulder rotation and am trying to limit the backswing to gain consistency. I can easily turn past 90 degrees going back.

 

[Bosco...]

I don't want to keep rambling, but when I take it all the way back I feel my arc narrows on the way down and the head drops in and strikes the ball much better. The more relax I remain in my arms and wrist the most power it feels I generate after the shot. During the shot it feels like I am doing very little, almost like I am swinging 50 percent but with a feel takeaway and full through swing.

Definitely sounds like it’s helped your timing. I’m all for anything that makes my swing more relaxed. You got the Freddy Couples ju ju.

 

[MacTourney]

Previously I was doing a ridged 3/4 swing now I am taking a more relaxed full swing and initiating the lower body more. What I am finding out is that ground interaction and timing have improved organically.

I'll take relaxed over rigid any day.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

Definitely sounds like it’s helped your timing. I’m all for anything that makes my swing more relaxed. You got the Freddy Couples ju ju.

It's an oddity but after working on refining the product:

Square shoulder at address (they were way open)
Shoulder tilt especially with irons
Feet positioning
Grip
Even equipment, lengthening my irons and adding more SW to the heads via a professional

I began to revisit my actual swing and tempo etc.. I found that with the right clubs according to the master fitter (4 iron, 6 - SW) I almost am forced to take a full longer swing to make the irons work correctly. What's interesting (sorry over sharing) I was playing a set of steel shafted iron where the 7 iron was 37 inches. I think due to the equipment type I was forced to work a 3/4 swing hack into my game..... After getting fit (38 inch 7 iron and D6 SW from 37 inch 7 iron D1 SW), the balance point on the head is really interesting how it works. I set up correctly, keep the arms loose no tension and wrist loose as well. Take the swing back and let the wrist cock at the top, once I feel the head stop at the top of the swing (increased swing weight gave me the awareness of this) it's signals my body, brain it's go time to initiate the hips and let the arms relax down into the swing. The low point has been incredible. I've played ~9 rounds mostly in scramble format with my buddy but still we are playing 6,400 and I would say 2/3 of the approaches are mine and sometimes they turn out to be really good.

It's the best part of my game now. Just reiterate I can feel the head at the top once it puts pressure on my wrist I know it's time to swing down.

 

[Slowmo]

What I found for me isnt the length of the backswing but the tempo of the transition. If I get quick in transition I'm all over the place. If it's nice and controlled then I'll probably hit a decent shot.

 

[Bosco...]

That’s pretty awesome. I remember hearing John Daly saying he didn’t have a lot of stress in his body because of the length of his swing.

Now obviously he’s not the picture of health and his knees are gone, but compare that to the violence in Tigers swing and his history of back issues.

 

[golfinnut]

It's an oddity but after working on refining the product:

Square shoulder at address (they were way open)
Shoulder tilt especially with irons
Feet positioning
Grip
Even equipment, lengthening my irons and adding more SW to the heads via a professional

I began to revisit my actual swing and tempo etc.. I found that with the right clubs according to the master fitter (4 iron, 6 - SW) I almost am forced to take a full longer swing to make the irons work correctly. What's interesting (sorry over sharing) I was playing a set of steel shafted iron where the 7 iron was 37 inches. I think due to the equipment type I was forced to work a 3/4 swing hack into my game..... After getting fit (38 inch 7 iron and D6 SW from 37 inch 7 iron D1 SW), the balance point on the head is really interesting how it works. I set up correctly, keep the arms loose no tension and wrist loose as well. Take the swing back and let the wrist cock at the top, once I feel the head stop at the top of the swing (increased swing weight gave me the awareness of this) it's signals my body, brain it's go time to initiate the hips and let the arms relax down into the swing. The low point has been incredible. I've played ~9 rounds mostly in scramble format with my buddy but still we are playing 6,400 and I would say 2/3 of the approaches are mine and sometimes they turn out to be really good.

It's the best part of my game now. Just reiterate I can feel the head at the top once it puts pressure on my wrist I know it's time to swing down.

That's a huge SW differential as well. That could be a contributing factor as to why you feel the clubhead more at the top

 

[Paddy1Putt]

What I found for me isnt the length of the backswing but the tempo of the transition. If I get quick in transition I'm all over the place. If it's nice and controlled then I'll probably hit a decent shot.

I agree with this and I think the longer swing promotes this. It (not forces but promotes) a smoother transition I think because I have a lot more time to get into my lead side before striking the ball. I am guessing here, but no doubt about it the head weight tipping and signeling has been a game changer for me.

Sooo much that I have literally lost my fairway woods. They don't have that heaviness at the top.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

That's a huge SW differential as well. That could be a contributing factor as to why you feel the clubhead more at the top

I love it, I would never go back. Looking back on it now, I have no idea how I played with such light swing weight. As I mentioned with 3/4 swing hacks and other goofy things. I love the D6 it prevents me from lifting my arms during impact and keeps the face square longer. It also gives me that signal at the top. I love it.

The only draw back is I become so dependent on it my Driver and 5 wood are essentially useless now. I am going to have to up the SW on them both. Of course with the master fitter who is damn near impossible to get into. Hey I was lucky when I get fit last time he literally had an appointment cancel at that very minute and since I had called offered me the spot. I jumped all over it.

And length I added another inch to all my irons and I am only 5 ft 10. Not 6 ft 10 lol

 

[4hourrule]

I don't want to keep rambling, but when I take it all the way back I feel my arc narrows on the way down and the head drops in and strikes the ball much better. The more relax I remain in my arms and wrist the most power it feels I generate after the shot. During the shot it feels like I am doing very little, almost like I am swinging 50 percent but with a feel takeaway and full through swing.

I agree with this, that's how I Swung when I was younger. Back into Golf in my 60s I knew I was not gonna have that Swing again. New Swing is leading Arm just above parallel. Right know though with Back troubles it's less than parallel and having a hard time holding my finish. Sometimes your Body tells you what you need to do.
Enjoy your new Swing thoughts.

 

[Bosco...]

@Paddy1Putt, I can tell you last summer I was working with my 3W and had a horrible time getting quick with it. Once I started telling myself “Wait for it” things started to click. The waiting was for the club to get where it needed to go. It’s seems/sounds very similar to what you’re experiencing.

 

[djt311]

With my iron swing seems if I make the swing longer I am less consistent with strike and flight however with my driver a more full swing I seem to do better. Don't really like having two totally different swings but it is what is working right now so I go with it.

 

[1860VS]

At 64 I sure don't turn like I used to with the woods, but I used to turn crazy far. With the irons, I seldom get my hands above shoulder height, or hit with more than 85-90% of my readily controlable power. I can hit harder and maintain control, but I produce a lot of backspin doing so. I only use the reserve power if I want to hit past the hole and bring the ball back to the pin, like a pin tucked right behind a bunker.

For most people I help out. A shorter iron swing seldom results in a loss of distance because they are hitting the sweet spot more frequently, and are seeing better average carries and tighter dispersion.

I have also noticed that most people come over the top and cast their club have too long a backswing for the task at hand.

 

[wadesworld]

Having a deep backswing (lots of turn) is fine.

What is generally not fine is when the body stops turning and the arms continue to lift or collapse.