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PLEASE HELP ME FIX MY SUPER SHORT BACKSWING

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RITZ

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Feb 24, 2019
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Crown Point
Handicap
20
I have s super short backswing. Today I took a video on my cell phone of my backswing and WOW I did not realize my backswing actually only went about knee high and then wham to the ball. So then I tried to just get my hands to my ear height and also thinking bend my right elbow but really could not do it ball after ball and it is not due to physical issues with my back.I do have some flexibility issue in the torso.

I don't think I have long swing Yips. Practice swings I can do it and it looks great , but can't make a fuller backswing when really hitting the ball. Being self taught for 35 years of golfing no doubt was not good so after a zillion bad swings it is hard to change.

In my new efforts to have a longer backswing just going back 24" more maybe to hip higher with left arm parallel to the ground I had an increase of 5-10 yards hitting my 9 iron 110 yards up from usual 90-100 yards. So I'm thinking if i could get my hands head high my driver carry now at 180yds might see >200 yards carry which would help get 5 woods out of my hands on par 4's. Handicap is 18 as I much too much pressure on my short game to get up and down from 30 yards out and in then 1- 2 putt.

I have tried saying Hundred and One for backswing or "take longer to complete my backswing per Danny Maude You Tube tips /did not work.

Per Nick Faldo, stop backswing when left shoulder touches chin,...did not work for me as I cut it short.

Can anyone offer some suggestions or a good timing device thought to say to myself to help me to complete my backswing?

Thank you,
 
I'd try to focus on super-supple wrists. You may be limited on your rotation, but if you can just get your left arm another 15-degrees higher and then really let your wrists hinge, that should get you a much fuller backswing.

The supple wrists will allow you to speed up your hands also, so even with a shorter backswing you should be able to gain more distance.
 
I'm no expert, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong. If you can produce a longer swing with ease during practice swings could the problem be tempo? Maybe getting too quick in transition? For what it's worth, you don't look too far off from Tony Finau's position at the top of his swing. He hits the ball alright. :)
 
As someone with a very short back swing, as super easy drill is to just get a stick, or club, put it over your shoulders like you were doing a squat.
Now, just rotate into a backswing position, then rotate through to the follow through position.Take it nice and easy, at the start you're just working on a bit of flexibility. As you do it, keep trying to rotate your hips more and more.
My teacher wanted me to get more hip rotation going, and I find if I do this really simple thing about 10 times, a few times throughout the day it really does loosen up the back swing.
It also brings your hips, the true source of power, into the swing much more, so you should be able to realize more distance.
I can reach the "back to the hole" position, with some nice hip rotation now, and for the down swing I try to finish with my navel facing the hole.
Just working it back and forth, nice and slow.
 
ohhhhhhh boy, I feel your pain so hard it hurts

my instructor and I have been working on this for awhile. like you, I can make a nice backswing to a good position at the top. but in the actual swing, I stop the wrist-set short, the club doesn't set much at all, then I try to set it in the downswing. I can usually time it ok, but it robs me of all kinds of things I need in order to generate proper launch and spin.

as far as how to fix it? dude, I wish I knew. you can start by making a proper backswing, then pump the hands down to about torso level, then move the hands back up to the top of the backswing, pump down again to chest high, back up to the top of the backswing, then make a 50-60% effort swing. this is the pump drill.

it's a huge struggle, my man. I wish you the best.
 
McL, how far back do you get it? Do you have a "J.B. Holmes" look at the top where the club kind of points at the sky (sort of Steve Stricker)? My "goal" swing is a Rahm or H. Varner III.
 
pattyboy21 said:
I'd try to focus on super-supple wrists. You may be limited on your rotation, but if you can just get your left arm another 15-degrees higher and then really let your wrists hinge, that should get you a much fuller backswing.

The supple wrists will allow you to speed up your hands also, so even with a shorter backswing you should be able to gain more distance.
Click to expand...
Will give this a go. I appreciate the helpful info.
 
Hamfist said:
As someone with a very short back swing, as super easy drill is to just get a stick, or club, put it over your shoulders like you were doing a squat.
Now, just rotate into a backswing position, then rotate through to the follow through position.Take it nice and easy, at the start you're just working on a bit of flexibility. As you do it, keep trying to rotate your hips more and more.
My teacher wanted me to get more hip rotation going, and I find if I do this really simple thing about 10 times, a few times throughout the day it really does loosen up the back swing.
It also brings your hips, the true source of power, into the swing much more, so you should be able to realize more distance.
I can reach the "back to the hole" position, with some nice hip rotation now, and for the down swing I try to finish with my navel facing the hole.
Just working it back and forth, nice and slow.
Click to expand...
Good stuff here to work on flexibility and knowing how that plus hip turn helps distance. Thank you/
 
Drop your right back a couple inches, so your stance is slightly closed. It will help you turn your hips and shoulders without worrying about the left arm as much.
 
McLovin said:
ohhhhhhh boy, I feel your pain so hard it hurts

my instructor and I have been working on this for awhile. like you, I can make a nice backswing to a good position at the top. but in the actual swing, I stop the wrist-set short, the club doesn't set much at all, then I try to set it in the downswing. I can usually time it ok, but it robs me of all kinds of things I need in order to generate proper launch and spin.

as far as how to fix it? dude, I wish I knew. you can start by making a proper backswing, then pump the hands down to about torso level, then move the hands back up to the top of the backswing, pump down again to chest high, back up to the top of the backswing, then make a 50-60% effort swing. this is the pump drill.

it's a huge struggle, my man. I wish you the best.
Click to expand...
This is me 100%. I have no idea how to fix it, at this point it seems like a mental issue. I can take longer practice swings but can't repeat it in the real swing. It baffles my friends and drives me nuts!
 
KEV said:
This is me 100%. I have no idea how to fix it, at this point it seems like a mental issue. I can take longer practice swings but can't repeat it in the real swing. It baffles my friends and drives me nuts!
Click to expand...

my instructor and I are still trying to figure out what's causing my brain to misfire and stop the backswing short. like I said, we can get into a really nice position at the top when I know i'm not going to actually make a swing. but when I go from rehearsal mindset to shot mindset, I just cannot bring myself to do it. we're getting together tomorrow.
 
RITZ said:
View attachment 8947829Here is my backswing
Click to expand...
I cannot tell much from the picture and cannot get it to play if it is a video. One thing though, a short backswing is not a bad thing if you can develop power on the downswing through the ball. I know guys that have hardly any backswing and and extremely good golfers. Sometimes a longer backswing will decrease accuracy.
 
McLovin said:
my instructor and I are still trying to figure out what's causing my brain to misfire and stop the backswing short. like I said, we can get into a really nice position at the top when I know i'm not going to actually make a swing. but when I go from rehearsal mindset to shot mindset, I just cannot bring myself to do it. we're getting together tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Frustrating right? I get so annoyed when I make a perfect, powerful practice swing and the actual swing is a turd.
 
KEV said:
Frustrating right? I get so annoyed when I make a perfect, powerful practice swing and the actual swing is a turd.
Click to expand...

i'm 4-figures, thousands of balls, and 3 months into trying to fix it. and i'm still pretty much at square 1.
 
McLovin said:
my instructor and I are still trying to figure out what's causing my brain to misfire and stop the backswing short. like I said, we can get into a really nice position at the top when I know i'm not going to actually make a swing. but when I go from rehearsal mindset to shot mindset, I just cannot bring myself to do it. we're getting together tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Exactly my same issue! I am looking to work all these good coaching tips into fixing it.
 
My 2 cents worth:

It is o.k. to have a short backswing if you have ample shoulder turn. Work on the shoulder turn yet keep the backswing short and compact. Point left shoulder down at the ball more in the backswing. That will help.
 
smgoldstein said:
My 2 cents worth:

It is o.k. to have a short backswing if you have ample shoulder turn. Work on the shoulder turn yet keep the backswing short and compact. Point left shoulder down at the ball more in the backswing. That will help.
Click to expand...
Good idea here and this will help me as I really don't know when I have gone far enough back and when I'm done with the backswing.
 
I am not the one to ask. My pro keeps trying to get me to shorten my backswing 🤣. Maybe we can combine ours together for a better swing!
 
Hamfist said:
Looking at this a bit more closely, do you have a split between your hands? this could be the cause of not having much wrist set at the top.
Click to expand...
I use an interlocking grip so I don't think I get my hands separated. Your point is well taken that more wrist hinge is definitely needed vs me like holding the umbrella straight up.
 
RITZ said:
View attachment 8947829Here is my backswing
Click to expand...
Looking at the picture, it seems your left arm really separates from your right. Almost looks like a baseball swing. If you can work on keeping your elbow pointed more toward the ground and in connection with your right arm on the backswing, I think you will get more rotation
 
RITZ said:
I use an interlocking grip so I don't think I get my hands separated. Your point is well taken that more wrist hinge is definitely needed vs me like holding the umbrella straight up.
Click to expand...
Well, if it is a comfortable swing, and you hit the ball well (which I would assume since you are a 12 cap), then maybe you just go with the Stricker swing as your model and work from it.
 
Update - I played 9 today/course was wide open so if I did not like a shot dropped another ball down and worked on a consolidation of all of the above great tips from-
Pattiboy- Super supple wrists
MrMom-could the problem be tempo? Maybe getting too quick in transition? YES right on!
Hamfist- The squat drill
Titleist1981-Concentrate on turning your back to the target
Braveheart- Right foot back and flared out
SMGoldstein-Point left shoulder down at the ball more in the backswing Good for getting me in a good position on the way back.
Fufflemaster-"Baseball swing" was a good observation/"work on keeping your elbow pointed more toward the ground and in connection with your right arm on the backswing
( I gained some driving/3 wood yardage/long irons distance with the bent elbow. Felt my swing was more powerful.

All good stuff from The Hackers Paradise golf community.
This is truly a work in progress so everything starts now for me to change my decades old bad and getting even shorter swing. RITZ
 
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