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Beginners swing video

THE_Liam

THE_Liam

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Ok, so I've been golfing around 6 months now, playing once a week and trying to put in as many range sessions as possible. I've only had 2 lessons and money is a bit tight so I've done my best to develop my swing on my own. I'm quite stiff in the shoulders, I'm an ex rugby player so my shoulders have taken a real battering and I've got quite a lot of muscle mass there (although it doesn't look like it these days!), and I know I need to rotate my shoulders more but I can't seem to do it without losing all accuracy and struggling to make good contact.

These were with a 9 iron, which was going around 100 yards and fairly straight. I'm terrible with woods but I'll save that issue for another day! Any feedback is much appreciated!

Sorry about the lighting, it was so foggy today daylight never really happened.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m-lJ7asdGg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmk1aveDEgs


Cheers!
 
Last edited:
I can't see the video's. Same with the other thread. Not sure why. I clicked on them but didn't work.
 
Still doing the same thing in the link. Maybe it's just my computer. Can someone else chime in.
 
Tell you what, I'll make a YT account and try that, sorry guys.
 
I am on my phone but tried one of the links and it played fine for me
 
Videos are set to private. Need to be public for us to watch them.
 
Right, done. At long last they should work!
 
Yep they work... I would listen to Tadashi if I were you. He is very knowledgeable. Not bad for 6 months. I'm no teacher nor am I a scratch golfer. But the first thing I would mention is your right leg is straight. Should have some bend to it throughout the swing. Like I said I'd listen to Tadashi. He will lead you in the right direction for sure.
 
Bullfrog said:
Yep they work... I would listen to Tadashi if I were you. He is very knowledgeable. Not bad for 6 months. I'm no teacher nor am I a scratch golfer. But the first thing I would mention is your right leg is straight. Should have some bend to it throughout the swing. Like I said I'd listen to Tadashi. He will lead you in the right direction for sure.
Click to expand...

Thanks man. I know I've got a lot to work on, I'll start with trying to move the leg more.
 
Anyone else?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
d0842eaf21d32f380da98114cf0c2889.jpg


Liam take a look at the left arm. If I had some mango habanero sauce is throw it on the chicken wing. I show you the end so you can understand where you started. This move is the result of zero lower body.

You see when the lower body quits or is not part of the swing, the arms have to collapse. I'd they we'd have some serious injuries it's also the natural result of trying to release the club without a lower body release

Now, your setup is descent so stay with that. I'd like to see you work on shaking hands with the guy standing to your right on he back swing and the guy to left on the down swing. Or if you'd rather, work on your hitchhiking. Thumbs up with the right hand on the back swing and left thumb up on the follow through.

In order to accomplish this, the shoulders and arm must turn together. If you try to swing all arms you'll feel a wicked pull in left lats and it just won't work properly. By shaking hands you'll get the club in a good position on the way back and you'll have released it well if you shake hands to the left.

Now while this going on I want you to turn the hips but keep the knees flexed. This will help with the shoulders turn back and through. Normally I would never recommend this but I feel we need to get you feeling how to turn. Work on that and let me know how that works for you.
 
Okay, here's a few pointers that might help... The short of it: Straighten and tilt, bend your legs, rotate, hit down on the ball.

The long of it:
1. Your spine has too much curvature at address... the back needs to be straight, then tilted at the hips so you create a proper tilted swing plane. A curved spine will greatly limit your speed and power... the spine is designed to EITHER twist or bend... it does not do both at the same time, so if you are set up with a bent over posture, you will never be able to rotate properly. Straighten your back, then tilt at the hips, then you'll be able to rotate.

Here's a pic of Rory Mcilroy at address. Notice there is no hunching at the shoulders, no curvature to the spine. Compare this picture to the opening shots of your sideview address, and you should see a marked difference.
rory-mcilroy-three.jpg


You like a little more like this guy at address:
golf-swing-posture-slouch.jpg


2. As noted by others, Keep your legs bent on the backswing.

3. Turn your back to the target on the backswing. You will be able to do this if your posture is straight and your legs are bent.
Big turn = more speed = longer drives.

4. From looking at your frontview video, and noting your address position, it looks like you are set up to try to "scoop" the ball off the ground. That's a big no-no. You need to hit down on the ball, so that your club goes into the ground after it hits the ball, and takes a divot. The divot must always come after the ball. So at address, let the butt of the club point at the center of your left hip, rather than your crotch. The left arm and the club will form a straight line, and it will feel like your hands are pressed forward toward the target a bit. That sets you up to hit down on the ball. The only club you ever want to hit up on the ball with is your driver, and that will only be by a few degrees, and not a "scoop" but a "sweep". On most shots, you want to create backspin, so you have to hit down on it, "pinching" or "compressing" the ball, and taking a divot.

Here's another pic of Rory, showing what I mean. Compare this to the opening stills of your frontview video, and you should see the difference. Notice that this is with his DRIVER, too, which is the only club you want to hit "up" on the ball with, and yet he still has forward lean to the shaft, and the butt of the club is pointed at the center of his left hip.
rory_mcilroy_address.jpg
 
Tadashi70 said:
d0842eaf21d32f380da98114cf0c2889.jpg


Liam take a look at the left arm. If I had some mango habanero sauce is throw it on the chicken wing. I show you the end so you can understand where you started. This move is the result of zero lower body.

You see when the lower body quits or is not part of the swing, the arms have to collapse. I'd they we'd have some serious injuries it's also the natural result of trying to release the club without a lower body release

Now, your setup is descent so stay with that. I'd like to see you work on shaking hands with the guy standing to your right on he back swing and the guy to left on the down swing. Or if you'd rather, work on your hitchhiking. Thumbs up with the right hand on the back swing and left thumb up on the follow through.

In order to accomplish this, the shoulders and arm must turn together. If you try to swing all arms you'll feel a wicked pull in left lats and it just won't work properly. By shaking hands you'll get the club in a good position on the way back and you'll have released it well if you shake hands to the left.

Now while this going on I want you to turn the hips but keep the knees flexed. This will help with the shoulders turn back and through. Normally I would never recommend this but I feel we need to get you feeling how to turn. Work on that and let me know how that works for you.
Click to expand...

BluesManDan said:
Okay, here's a few pointers that might help... The short of it: Straighten and tilt, bend your legs, rotate, hit down on the ball.

The long of it:
1. Your spine has too much curvature at address... the back needs to be straight, then tilted at the hips so you create a proper tilted swing plane. A curved spine will greatly limit your speed and power... the spine is designed to EITHER twist or bend... it does not do both at the same time, so if you are set up with a bent over posture, you will never be able to rotate properly. Straighten your back, then tilt at the hips, then you'll be able to rotate.

Here's a pic of Rory Mcilroy at address. Notice there is no hunching at the shoulders, no curvature to the spine. Compare this picture to the opening shots of your sideview address, and you should see a marked difference.
rory-mcilroy-three.jpg


You like a little more like this guy at address:
golf-swing-posture-slouch.jpg


2. As noted by others, Keep your legs bent on the backswing.

3. Turn your back to the target on the backswing. You will be able to do this if your posture is straight and your legs are bent.
Big turn = more speed = longer drives.

4. From looking at your frontview video, and noting your address position, it looks like you are set up to try to "scoop" the ball off the ground. That's a big no-no. You need to hit down on the ball, so that your club goes into the ground after it hits the ball, and takes a divot. The divot must always come after the ball. So at address, let the butt of the club point at the center of your left hip, rather than your crotch. The left arm and the club will form a straight line, and it will feel like your hands are pressed forward toward the target a bit. That sets you up to hit down on the ball. The only club you ever want to hit up on the ball with is your driver, and that will only be by a few degrees, and not a "scoop" but a "sweep". On most shots, you want to create backspin, so you have to hit down on it, "pinching" or "compressing" the ball, and taking a divot.

Here's another pic of Rory, showing what I mean. Compare this to the opening stills of your frontview video, and you should see the difference. Notice that this is with his DRIVER, too, which is the only club you want to hit "up" on the ball with, and yet he still has forward lean to the shaft, and the butt of the club is pointed at the center of his left hip.
rory_mcilroy_address.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks guys, that's loads to work on! I've already started working on hitting down at the ball rather than sweeping it up and that's made a huge difference, the ball flies further and straighter, and the contact feels "sweet" if you know what I mean.

I think what's being holding me back from turning my shoulders more is an instinct of keeping everything in line with where I want the ball to fly if that makes sense, trying to force my body to align the shot. I think I'm a classic example of a beginner who's worked it out without lessons, so I've ended up with a lot of bad habits and frankly crap swing discipline.

I appreciate the advice hugely, I'll do a few range sessions and try improve based on this feedback, and then hopefully post a video to show some progress.

I will become a competent golfer!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
THE_Liam said:
.

I think what's being holding me back from turning my shoulders more is an instinct of keeping everything in line with where I want the ball to fly if that makes sense, trying to force my body to align the shot.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing when I started out, and imagine that's pretty common.

But, you played rugby, and have some athleticism. Swinging the way you are, tentative about rotating, means you are a young, presumably athletic guy, playing 'old man' golf.

By 'old man' golf I'm not referring to all older guys (I'm approaching 50 myself), but the older guys who have lost the ability to rotate through the hips because all of their range of motion is gone, and they are now forced to play with mainly an arm swing.

Yes, there is a learning curve when you incorporate a good hip turn, and you'll initially hit some crazy bad shots...but the payoff is huge, and it won't take as long as you think.

Youre a big, strong guy...with a good hip turn, you will be dangerous out there.
Put in the work, and the payoff is huge.
 
Well I'm gonna put in a long session at the range on Tuesday, hit maybe 300 balls and see what I can put together. I think I do have the potential to be a pretty big hitter like you say, a bloke at the range told me its good that I hit as far as I do with such a poor swing.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
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