The Rebuild
Not sure I would or even could do an over haul. I know my swing is not great but it’s mine and I can play it most of the time. It’s gotten me this far I guess as a 7 ish.
I only say this because I’ve never even really had a lesson besides a couple videos from monte scheinblum that he sells on the short game and driver.
I only say this because I’ve never even really had a lesson besides a couple videos from monte scheinblum that he sells on the short game and driver.
BanjoSaysWoof
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I’m currently working with the head teaching pro at baltusrol. Its crazy that I pay for a one hour lesson and we don’t hit a lot of balls. I’ve spent two lessons on just the backswing and turn.
I don’t mind one bit. Lessons are expensive, but one lesson a month is nothing compared to what I spend on golf during the season.
I don’t mind one bit. Lessons are expensive, but one lesson a month is nothing compared to what I spend on golf during the season.
ShootzGolf
Active member
Off season now but I'm completely redoing mine in the spring. Last round this year was my worst round in 40 years. I've done the John Daly wrap around my whole life. Gonna do left arm straight and go from there.
I finally found a good instructor who is close, reasonably priced, and committed to helping me make the changes I need to make. He has me making a few significant changes, which are going to take a little while to ingrain, but which I think will help long term. So, I guess in a way, I am rebuilding my swing. I ask willing to do whatever he asks to take be to the next level.
arydolphin
GTHC!
I started doing this last month. My handicap went up this year by almost 2 points, and particularly towards the end of the year, I really struggled with my ball striking. The guy that I had been taking lessons from on-and-off over the past 3 years moved away from Boston as well, so I thought it was a good time to get a fresh start. I took one lesson with a well-regarded pro around here, but I didn't think our personalities meshed all that well.
Ended up submitting my swing for an online review by a golf pro that I follow on Instagram. His review was blunt, but to the point. He told me that while it was impressive that I had gotten to a single-digit handicap, all of the extra movements in my swing would make me plateau in terms of how good I could be. For those that don't know, my backswing is very long, past parallel with almost every club in the bag, and I draw everything. The problem is that it turns into a hook when my timing is bad.
What was great about his review of my swing is that 3 things to work on, but in a sequence: grip, then setup, then backswing. He told me things about my swing that no one had ever told me before, like my grip was part of the reason why my lead wrist flexed so much at the top of my swing, which caused me to get long and across the line in my swing. He instructed me to take one practice session and only work on my grip, and told me what the bad shots would look like as I was adjusting to the change. Once comfortable with the grip, it would allow me to make the setup change easier and also allow me to make the backswing changes. I'm also doing a bunch of work with a ball held between my elbows on the backswing to try to shorten my swing by matching up my body to my arms.
I will say this: it's going to be a long road. I have the advantage of being able to hit balls indoors at a place that has a Trackman as well as video cameras that show me my swings from the face on and down the line angles. The disdavantage is that it's about a 30 minute drive from where I live, so I only get there about once a week. I can do the things that the instructor wants me to do when I take slow swings, but when I see my swing on video with a full shot, it still looks like my old swing. Also, trying to implement the new stuff has resulted in a slight loss of distance so that's a bit disheartening. But I was told that my speed will be down while I'm learning new movements, plus I'm not going to be playing much golf at all for the next few months, so I'm not getting too concerned about it. The nice part about working on grip, setup and backswing for now is that I can get a bunch of mirror work done at home on most nights. I'm probably going to send videos to this instructor about once a month and see how I progress from there. I know that I'm probably never going to get to scratch or anything close to it, but I had gotten to the end of the line with my improvement on my "old" swing and I want to see where I can go with a swing that is more fundamentally sound and will be easier to repeat in the long run.
Ended up submitting my swing for an online review by a golf pro that I follow on Instagram. His review was blunt, but to the point. He told me that while it was impressive that I had gotten to a single-digit handicap, all of the extra movements in my swing would make me plateau in terms of how good I could be. For those that don't know, my backswing is very long, past parallel with almost every club in the bag, and I draw everything. The problem is that it turns into a hook when my timing is bad.
What was great about his review of my swing is that 3 things to work on, but in a sequence: grip, then setup, then backswing. He told me things about my swing that no one had ever told me before, like my grip was part of the reason why my lead wrist flexed so much at the top of my swing, which caused me to get long and across the line in my swing. He instructed me to take one practice session and only work on my grip, and told me what the bad shots would look like as I was adjusting to the change. Once comfortable with the grip, it would allow me to make the setup change easier and also allow me to make the backswing changes. I'm also doing a bunch of work with a ball held between my elbows on the backswing to try to shorten my swing by matching up my body to my arms.
I will say this: it's going to be a long road. I have the advantage of being able to hit balls indoors at a place that has a Trackman as well as video cameras that show me my swings from the face on and down the line angles. The disdavantage is that it's about a 30 minute drive from where I live, so I only get there about once a week. I can do the things that the instructor wants me to do when I take slow swings, but when I see my swing on video with a full shot, it still looks like my old swing. Also, trying to implement the new stuff has resulted in a slight loss of distance so that's a bit disheartening. But I was told that my speed will be down while I'm learning new movements, plus I'm not going to be playing much golf at all for the next few months, so I'm not getting too concerned about it. The nice part about working on grip, setup and backswing for now is that I can get a bunch of mirror work done at home on most nights. I'm probably going to send videos to this instructor about once a month and see how I progress from there. I know that I'm probably never going to get to scratch or anything close to it, but I had gotten to the end of the line with my improvement on my "old" swing and I want to see where I can go with a swing that is more fundamentally sound and will be easier to repeat in the long run.
I've mentioned it several times here now.... I did a 15 year layoff of zero golf.
Three months ago, I went out and hit some range balls for the first time and couldn't straighten out my issues on my own. After several attempts, I made some progress but still had a problem of hitting my irons off center and towards the toe. Found a good instructor. After a lesson, he asked what I wanted. Told him a reliable, dependable swing that I can enjoy in retirement. He then said, that we can band-aid what you have or rebuild a better swing from scratch. I agreed to a total rebuild. My fundamentals were good, he made no changes to my grip, posture or ball position, etc. The problem was my swing plane. I was too inside and too flat. I was getting stuck. So, he taught me how to feel the proper swing plane by positions and feel. We are currently working on a bigger arc and a more unified connected turn. According to him, it's now a matter of repetition and grooving it in for consistency. He's been videoing my swing over time and I can see the huge change in my swing plane and how much better it is now. It is a lot of work and as others have mentioned... frustrating when it's not quite working right. But, because of the positions and feels he's taught me, I can find it again.
Three months ago, I went out and hit some range balls for the first time and couldn't straighten out my issues on my own. After several attempts, I made some progress but still had a problem of hitting my irons off center and towards the toe. Found a good instructor. After a lesson, he asked what I wanted. Told him a reliable, dependable swing that I can enjoy in retirement. He then said, that we can band-aid what you have or rebuild a better swing from scratch. I agreed to a total rebuild. My fundamentals were good, he made no changes to my grip, posture or ball position, etc. The problem was my swing plane. I was too inside and too flat. I was getting stuck. So, he taught me how to feel the proper swing plane by positions and feel. We are currently working on a bigger arc and a more unified connected turn. According to him, it's now a matter of repetition and grooving it in for consistency. He's been videoing my swing over time and I can see the huge change in my swing plane and how much better it is now. It is a lot of work and as others have mentioned... frustrating when it's not quite working right. But, because of the positions and feels he's taught me, I can find it again.
Since coming back into golf I have been taking a lot of lessons. I have made some great improvement but over the last month he has me working On my trail elbow position. I keep going back to letting my elbow flair out. It has been one of the hardest things I have tried to fix. A lot of practice at home each night and when at the range I use a smart ball to keep the elbows in position.
At first I thought I would never see any improvement. My last few times out I can see the ball striking getting better. I think this will be a continuing thing I work on for a while.
At first I thought I would never see any improvement. My last few times out I can see the ball striking getting better. I think this will be a continuing thing I work on for a while.
I started on the rebuild journey late this summer with the pro who teaches my kids. My swing got me down to a 1 handicap when I had more time to play but it does require very precise timing (it is an old school long flowing swing that finishes in a reverse C).
My process was helped tremendously because I already knew all the principles that the pro taught so it has been a matter of ingraining the feels. I had about a 5 week period where my family and work schedule allowed me to hit at the range daily and the pro was there on almost every occasion to put his eyes on my swing for at least a few minutes. I knew within a few weeks what the proper feels were and after that 5 week immersion, he pushed me to get out on the course. We will see how the changes survive the winter but I did swing yesterday (we have had snow on the ground for 3 weeks now) and the rebuilt swing feels were there rather than my old one.
My process was helped tremendously because I already knew all the principles that the pro taught so it has been a matter of ingraining the feels. I had about a 5 week period where my family and work schedule allowed me to hit at the range daily and the pro was there on almost every occasion to put his eyes on my swing for at least a few minutes. I knew within a few weeks what the proper feels were and after that 5 week immersion, he pushed me to get out on the course. We will see how the changes survive the winter but I did swing yesterday (we have had snow on the ground for 3 weeks now) and the rebuilt swing feels were there rather than my old one.
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Spoke to GGs old teacher today about my schedule and timing and he is going to send what he thinks an outline would look like
After this next lay-off from golf, I’ll be rebuilding my swing from the ground up. Hopefully it will be an easy process for me as I tend to not get too technical in my swing and play with a faster pace to be able to incorporate a little PSR without slowing down.
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That is the plan this coming year. 2019 I got a chance to play some amazing courses, but not a huge quantity
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What he said.^^^^
Go for it if you have the time and don’t mind scratching your head a lot.
I’ve been doing a near full rebuild for the past few months and my swing is far more consistent but it came with major, major growing pains along the way. Tons of self video breakdown and seeking the answers from qualified teachers online but I’m not there yet. Grip, backswing, plane, and wrist angles are all new.
I need a full putting rebuild but that’s for another thread
I’ve been doing a near full rebuild for the past few months and my swing is far more consistent but it came with major, major growing pains along the way. Tons of self video breakdown and seeking the answers from qualified teachers online but I’m not there yet. Grip, backswing, plane, and wrist angles are all new.
I need a full putting rebuild but that’s for another thread
It’s an interesting topic here because rebuilding can feel and look so different for each person. For me, my instructor made some very obvious and significant changes this fall to my swing visually and they felt very weird but it was a simple swing thought that didn’t take that long to get right or at least get better than it was.
Some could look at my before and after swings and think it was a rebuild but it definitely didn’t feel like it. Maybe it was on some level but I think it all depends on the golfer and the instructor and what type of changes are being made.
Some could look at my before and after swings and think it was a rebuild but it definitely didn’t feel like it. Maybe it was on some level but I think it all depends on the golfer and the instructor and what type of changes are being made.
I tried about 3 years ago. But after 2 surgeries and back problems, I probably need to do it again next spring. Getting too many bad fairway shots.
It will be about 4 years ago now that I decided I wanted to do something about my swing - it was the common over the top swing that produced anything from a fade to a slice depending on my timing, and I wanted to get my swing more neutral and less reliant on timing as when it was off it was terrible
One of the big things that was causing an issue was the length of my backswing, and although I sometime lapse a little bit, I have shortened it considerably from what it used to be, and as a by-product, I was able to change my path to more of a neutral one
The whole process took a couple of years to work through and become more comfortable, but I went from not being able to hit a draw with any club, to seeing a draw with driver through to my irons when I am really playing well, or a slight fade if my swing creeps too long
Since going through these changes, my handicap has dropped from 14 to an all-time low of 9 at the moment, and I have broken 80 a number of times and set a new personal best of 74 (+2) at my home course last month
It was a tough road to travel at times, with instances where I didn't feel like I could make the changes I needed, but lessons and practice eventually got me to the point I am at now, and with the knowledge I have gained about my swing I can usually identify what I did wrong when the inevitable bad shot creeps in
I do feel that there is more I could do, but I am happy with my swing and game at the moment and I just want to enjoy playing the golf I have been playing lately and see what is possible for next year
One of the big things that was causing an issue was the length of my backswing, and although I sometime lapse a little bit, I have shortened it considerably from what it used to be, and as a by-product, I was able to change my path to more of a neutral one
The whole process took a couple of years to work through and become more comfortable, but I went from not being able to hit a draw with any club, to seeing a draw with driver through to my irons when I am really playing well, or a slight fade if my swing creeps too long
Since going through these changes, my handicap has dropped from 14 to an all-time low of 9 at the moment, and I have broken 80 a number of times and set a new personal best of 74 (+2) at my home course last month
It was a tough road to travel at times, with instances where I didn't feel like I could make the changes I needed, but lessons and practice eventually got me to the point I am at now, and with the knowledge I have gained about my swing I can usually identify what I did wrong when the inevitable bad shot creeps in
I do feel that there is more I could do, but I am happy with my swing and game at the moment and I just want to enjoy playing the golf I have been playing lately and see what is possible for next year
Strokelimit
Member
I have done it. Had to rebuild my swing due to a back injury. It took about five years to start seeing real results.
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I've been rebuilding mine for the last couple years, but this year I really focused on no more over the top, and to hit draws. Completely changed the way I swing this year, my handicap went from 8 to 14 by midseason, but by the end of the year it was back down to 8 and I'm hitting the ball really solid now. I think I can get down to 5 maybe with the changes I've done... hopefully.
GolfLivesMatter
Well-known member
Based upon my experience, what started out in my mind as a "rebuild" ended up not being a rebuild, but an awakening that over a period of time, I started overlooking some of the basics. How I setup to the ball and swung the club 25 years ago may not be appropriate today due to the dreaded aging process. For example, we've all seen the guys who can't complete a full shoulder turn and thus arm the club to parallel because that's where the club was 30 years ago. In those cases it may be far better to work on a more compact 3/4 swing. In that case it's not really a rebuild, just surrendering to the fact that the shoulders just can't turn back anymore, at least without strain or injury.
In my case I always played mid to short irons in the middle to back of my stance. Over the years, my misses moved to the right, sometimes "straight right". I chased all kinds of fixes to straighten my shots, and probably fixes that made things worse. So I thought "wait a second here, what if I played the ball off my left heel?". While hardly a breakthrough concept, I somehow completely missed that idea. After moving the ball forward the shots straightened out. I chalk it up to having the ability in my younger days to rotate faster, so playing the ball back worked, but today playing the ball forward allows me an extra split-second to rotate.
Then I studied something as "mundane" as alignment with videos, along with help from others on the range. I found I somehow migrated to aligning to the right of my target with my feet, but my shoulders were aligned to the target. I took alignment for granted because heck, I've been playing golf for 40 years, alignment should be a no-brainer, right? Wrong. That simple yet elusive fix resulted in a more direct vs. glancing blow on the ball.
So in my experience, had I overlooked the above two basics, I would have been chasing a whole bunch of other "fixes" that would have never resulted in any improvement, and one of which I simply do not have the ability to perform anymore. Thus, after thinking "Ok, let's do a rebuild", the fixes were not swing related after all.
In my case I always played mid to short irons in the middle to back of my stance. Over the years, my misses moved to the right, sometimes "straight right". I chased all kinds of fixes to straighten my shots, and probably fixes that made things worse. So I thought "wait a second here, what if I played the ball off my left heel?". While hardly a breakthrough concept, I somehow completely missed that idea. After moving the ball forward the shots straightened out. I chalk it up to having the ability in my younger days to rotate faster, so playing the ball back worked, but today playing the ball forward allows me an extra split-second to rotate.
Then I studied something as "mundane" as alignment with videos, along with help from others on the range. I found I somehow migrated to aligning to the right of my target with my feet, but my shoulders were aligned to the target. I took alignment for granted because heck, I've been playing golf for 40 years, alignment should be a no-brainer, right? Wrong. That simple yet elusive fix resulted in a more direct vs. glancing blow on the ball.
So in my experience, had I overlooked the above two basics, I would have been chasing a whole bunch of other "fixes" that would have never resulted in any improvement, and one of which I simply do not have the ability to perform anymore. Thus, after thinking "Ok, let's do a rebuild", the fixes were not swing related after all.
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