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Too Much Waggle: Looking for Opinions or Suggestions

Nappy

Nappy

2024 Shaft Up #1 with UST Mamiya
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Jun 4, 2010
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Location
Mineral Point, Wisconsin, United States
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PBR
Let's preface this by saying that I don't think I have a problem, but my playing partners and the owner of my local course are adamant that I would have more success off the tee and even with iron shots if I set up behind the ball before I swing.

Right now I head up to the ball, waggle the club a few times - and just swing. I never set the club behind the ball - or if I do it's for a very short period of time - because it just feels weird to me. I like to play quick and I feel like when I set up behind the ball I start thinking about it too much and things go haywire. I will admit that I'm not always the most accurate, but it's how I've played for years and it's hard to change the habits. Generally if I miss on a shot - it's way right, but I'd guess that happens to me maybe 3 or 4 holes a round. Lately I feel like I've been driving the ball better than I have in years - but still I get the comments from people saying they dont' understand how I can even hit the ball with the way I swing.

So I guess what I'm asking is for an opinion. Does anyone think there are great benefits to setting up behind the ball and helping square the club face? Or do I stick with what feels good?
 
I tend to do the same thing and my playing partner always remarks on it. I do it because hovering the club keeps me from snatching the club back on the takeaway.
 
For me addressing the ball helps me adjust for ground slope. If the ball is above/below your feet, getting a feel for that and adjusting club length is paramount.
 
If you are happy with your game, then don't change a thing.

If you are happy with your swing, don't change it.

Too many people, in my august opinion, abandon a perfectly good swing with some quirks that they love to build a "better" swing, and it ruins the game for them.

Embrace the quirks.
 
Buster1 said:
For me addressing the ball helps me adjust for ground slope. If the ball is above/below your feet, getting a feel for that and adjusting club length is paramount.
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This is a good point and probably something I don't pay enough attention to.
 
Hamfist said:
If you are happy with your game, then don't change a thing.

If you are happy with your swing, don't change it.

Too many people, in my august opinion, abandon a perfectly good swing with some quirks that they love to build a "better" swing, and it ruins the game for them.

Embrace the quirks.
Click to expand...

Very true. I'd love to be more consistent, but I also don't want to ruin what works. The same thing every golfer struggles with from time to time, I'm sure.
 
Works for Dufner.
 
Nappy said:
Very true. I'd love to be more consistent, but I also don't want to ruin what works. The same thing every golfer struggles with from time to time, I'm sure.
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This begs the question: how inconsistent are you really? I ask in an honest way. If you have something that shows your accuracy like Arccos, and you are split on your percentages (left/right/middle), then you might benefit. Are your misses WAY right/left? Or are you just off? Our perception of accuracy can be influenced by a lot of things, especially our expectation of such.
 
Hamfist said:
This begs the question: how inconsistent are you really? I ask in an honest way. If you have something that shows your accuracy like Arccos, and you are split on your percentages (left/right/middle), then you might benefit. Are your misses WAY right/left? Or are you just off? Our perception of accuracy can be influenced by a lot of things, especially our expectation of such.
Click to expand...

I don't have any solid data - I don't use Arccos or anything like that currently. If I sat down with 10 balls from 165 yards out - on average I would bet that at least 2 or 3 of them would head off way right. Basically I'd be playing from a different fairway. The other 7 would be almost right where I want them.

I would normally attribute this to just rushing it a bit too much or not keeping my head down. Not sure if that info helps or not.
 
The first few rounds I played whan I cam back to the game a month or so ago I was just walking up to the ball, setting my feet and just swinging away. No real set up and I felt I was just rushing things which made a lot of shanked shots.

I am now setting myself and getting a few practice swings in before I go and then setting up to hit my shot. Doing a bit better at striking the ball properly now, but certainly will always be a work in progress.

Also, I am starting to use the Track Shot feature in GolfShot app on phone or my watch. Will tell me the distance i get for each shot with each club and you can also record if you hit fairway, went left, right etc.
 
I am going thru swing/alignment changes right now and it is hard. The alignment part has really helped with though. I would say give it a shot and if it doesn't feel comfortable then just don't use it.
 
Bottom line is what results are you getting. If they are not good, maybe the others are correct. If the results are good, ignore the others. Maybe have the pro look at it. If you are not getting aligned before you swing, or just swinging sort of wildly, that's an issue. If you align yourself by the waggle and that is your pre shot routine - go with it.
 
Hamfist said:
If you are happy with your game, then don't change a thing.

If you are happy with your swing, don't change it.

Too many people, in my august opinion, abandon a perfectly good swing with some quirks that they love to build a "better" swing, and it ruins the game for them.

Embrace the quirks.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have found that just playing golf has led to better golf than constantly working on my swing ever did. Funny how that works.
 
Nappy said:
Let's preface this by saying that I don't think I have a problem, but my playing partners and the owner of my local course are adamant that I would have more success off the tee and even with iron shots if I set up behind the ball before I swing.

... - but still I get the comments from people saying they dont' understand how I can even hit the ball with the way I swing.
Click to expand...

Given how polite (most) golfers are generally, if the folks you know and play with are saying it, you should at least consider it. And I think you are, given that you have started this thread. All you have to do is take a video of your swing on course and see for yourself.

Nappy said:
So I guess what I'm asking is for an opinion. Does anyone think there are great benefits to setting up behind the ball and helping square the club face? Or do I stick with what feels good?
Click to expand...

Of course! It doesn't have to be long but a setup routine before you take your shot helps. At the very least setting up behind the ball gives you a quick check on how your ball lies. A hanging lie completely changes your shot. A tight lie would do the same.
 
Jus stiffen up the arms and waggle around the spine...kinda same thing
 
First, go with what you like and feels best and most natural to you.

What works for me... I too like to keep moving. I address the ball first for clubface, then body alignment body alignment to target, but after that I do more of a waggle from the shoulders/hips that mimics the fist 12-18" of takeaway a time or to, then hit.
 
Nappy said:
I don't have any solid data - I don't use Arccos or anything like that currently. If I sat down with 10 balls from 165 yards out - on average I would bet that at least 2 or 3 of them would head off way right. Basically I'd be playing from a different fairway. The other 7 would be almost right where I want them.

I would normally attribute this to just rushing it a bit too much or not keeping my head down. Not sure if that info helps or not.
Click to expand...

Well, 70% going right where you want them doesn’t sound like a flaw to me, lol.

Stick with what feels good, gently tweak from there.
 
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