Do I ever get past parallel? This was the video i sent to Bridgestone for VFit. Yes, I am losing weight so i can rotate better, but i'm 62...Sorry it is slow motion and the swing starts somewhere near halfway....
Past Parallel: Anyone else fight this?
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You swang the clubs well when we played...
Yup, it is something I fought for quite a while, and still comes back when I get lazy with my swing
My instructor would video my swing, and when I was working on shortening the swing, initially it felt like a very partial swing, but the video would show it was a nice full swing, so I try to focus on that now
The longer my swing gets, the worse my game gets as it throws my timing off completely now since the improvements, whereas the shorter, more compact swing, hits the ball further (and better) than my old long swing, so it is an incentive to keep on top of it
My instructor would video my swing, and when I was working on shortening the swing, initially it felt like a very partial swing, but the video would show it was a nice full swing, so I try to focus on that now
The longer my swing gets, the worse my game gets as it throws my timing off completely now since the improvements, whereas the shorter, more compact swing, hits the ball further (and better) than my old long swing, so it is an incentive to keep on top of it
Acesteve
Well-known member
I worked all week last week working on keeping my left elbow firm and the delayed release with good results. Get on the course Sunday and I was all over the place. No video but likely bending left arm and pulling body up off the ball
Johnny mojo
Mojovated!
Always been past parallel. Sometimes it seems I can put the driver head in my left front pocket at times on the backswing. Commented to a good player once that I didn’t like it and he said: “nobody hits the ball with their backswing.” I don’t worry so much about it anymore.
JM
JM
I've always been past parallel. When I try fix it, my timing is way off.
I'm an 11 handicap at 54 years old, so I'll stick with what got me here
I'm an 11 handicap at 54 years old, so I'll stick with what got me here
So is it good or bad when you can see the club head out of the corber of your eye at the top of your backswing?
OntheBack9
Member
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My overswing got so bad ~10 years ago that I basically walked away from the game playing only a few rounds per year. Shafts routinely bouncing off the back of my neck, even with 60 yard wedge shots. The more I tried to shorten it, the longer it got. The thing is, I could do a shorter practice swing and a shorter swing on the range, but get me on the course and my hyperactive brain took over. It's like my brain thinks I hit the ball with the backswing or something! How can a brain be so stupid? It's supposed to be the smartest part of me!
Fast forward to two years ago. I hadn't been playing much or practicing. I wasn't getting any younger and my body no longer had the flexibility to overswing. After one round I had a strained lower back and right shoulder. My brain still wanted to overswing, and my body simply couldn't. Not a good situation.
Well, I love this f'ing game of golf and decided that not playing wasn't an option. I knew it was going to be me against this demon and I knew I'd lost the first round ~10 years ago in a bloody KO. So I started a fitness program with tons of stretching, and started practicing constantly to shorten the swing. I've successfully eliminated the overswing with wedges and irons, and the driver backswing is shorter but more improvement needed. It's a process. For me, it's about training the mind to shorten the backswing more than training the body to swing properly, though swing fundamentals such as not overturning the hips, breaking down of the left arm, and left hand on top of right hand at top of swing have all been essential to helping my brain feel like my backswing is complete earlier.
So, perhaps this is a little bit of a cautionary tale for those younger folks to fix it before it's too ingrained or stay really flexible, because the body at some point will tell you nope, not anymore. I don't know if I'll ever not fight this demon, but am committed to the battle!
Fast forward to two years ago. I hadn't been playing much or practicing. I wasn't getting any younger and my body no longer had the flexibility to overswing. After one round I had a strained lower back and right shoulder. My brain still wanted to overswing, and my body simply couldn't. Not a good situation.
Well, I love this f'ing game of golf and decided that not playing wasn't an option. I knew it was going to be me against this demon and I knew I'd lost the first round ~10 years ago in a bloody KO. So I started a fitness program with tons of stretching, and started practicing constantly to shorten the swing. I've successfully eliminated the overswing with wedges and irons, and the driver backswing is shorter but more improvement needed. It's a process. For me, it's about training the mind to shorten the backswing more than training the body to swing properly, though swing fundamentals such as not overturning the hips, breaking down of the left arm, and left hand on top of right hand at top of swing have all been essential to helping my brain feel like my backswing is complete earlier.
So, perhaps this is a little bit of a cautionary tale for those younger folks to fix it before it's too ingrained or stay really flexible, because the body at some point will tell you nope, not anymore. I don't know if I'll ever not fight this demon, but am committed to the battle!
Bucketsofjoy
Well-known member
I could swear up and down that I'm not going past parallel but then watch a video and I'll be WAY past. I don't really see much of a swing speed drop, but I definitely see less consistency. I just want it to stop.
RecGolfer
Well-known member
When you pound a nail into a board, you take the hammer back only as far as you feel like you can come back and hit the nail squarely. When you take the golf club back, take it back only as far as you can still feel a connection between the clubface and the ball. That will get your backswing to the right length.
TrueMotionMatt
Well-known member
Jman,
While I would like to double check your swing on video, I think I can help.
This isn’t a band aide either, simply a way to fix it. And I’ll give you some options.
While I would like to double check your swing on video, I think I can help.
This isn’t a band aide either, simply a way to fix it. And I’ll give you some options.
- When you take the club back when you get to P2 aka shaft parallel to ground, you shouldn’t have to flex your wrists any more. Go slow and get as much flexion as you need here and use your rib cage to open up. Feel like you’re shootings a bow and arrow at the ball. Freeze at the top and hold it. Then use your legs to swing down. You’re gonna have to freeze at the top while you practice a while until it is Ingrained in your motion pattern. Take video and make sure you’re doing this.
- Another option is when you get to P2 flex your lead side wrist like DJ (not that much but like that)
and then take it to the top. Or you can flex it when you get to P3 aka left arm parallel. For 95% of people it’s impossible to flex and get the club to go long when they add flexion like this. It’s opposite of cupped where you can look like John Daly - Stand 6” away from a wall and take either approach above and take a backswing with a 7-iron. Get a full turn without hitting the wall with the club. You can do it, because I can rotate 100+ degrees open with my shoulders and not hit the wall.
- Let me know how that works and if it doesn’t then send us or post some videos
- Good luck.
