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The path to a new golf swing

Adam0304

Adam0304

Formerly War_Mongering
Joined
Feb 25, 2010
Messages
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Location
Youngstown, Ohio
Handicap
In flux.
So, I'm sick of inconsistency. I'm sick of shooting an 86 (with a ton of putts) on a difficult course followed by a 97 on an easy with significantly less putts. This will be my documentary of my hopeful improvement into something more than golf mediocrity. Below are several swings with driver, 7 iron, and a 56*. I know the major things I see are I take the club back way inside, over swing, cat and lose my spine angle but I need help fixing it. I hope Freddie can help me as he's helped many others!

https://vimeo.com/138219838https://vimeo.com/138219907https://vimeo.com/138219972

Also, my wife had been tinkering at the driving range and I'd love to get done drills to help her as I can tell she's a natural!

https://vimeo.com/138220091


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I cant help with the swing, But matching outfits for the range gets a thumbs up...
 
Haha, when color coordination is the strongest part of your game, you know it's a long road!


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good luck on your journey man.
 
pingnewbie said:
Not to be a smart a$$ but maybe you should practice putting for 2 straight weeks.

Also your takeaway seems hand-sy.
Click to expand...

I've transitioned to a belly putter as I was handsy with the putting stroke too. Mostly concerned with the takeaway first and then work my way up from there.


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I added an alignment rod to my side so if I take the club back inside it touches the stick. It feels incredibly exaggerated which means it's probably better than what I'm doing. I'll get a video up at some point soon.


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I feel your pain. I had a similar swing five years ago:

But on my own, I changed it to this:

It's not textbook, but I'm happier with this. This was like a year and a half ago, so I think my swing is a little better these days.

This was basically the golf equivalent of a root canal. I know my own swing well enough to have it changed, but I'm not sure what I did can help you since I don't know your swing well enough.

I've seen people with overswings who hit it fairly well, so you'll have to decide if you want to lose that, because that's a swing overhaul. I put myself through golf hell to change my swing. (Lost bets, lost tournaments, topped and chunked drives, etc.)

If you decide to keep your overswing and focus just on the downswing, then a tweak may be possible.

Whatever you do, best of luck.
 
Freddie will get you going. I am of the opinion that good fundamentals are huge. take a closeup pic of your grip and make sure it looks good. from your 7i vid, I'd like to see more flex in the knees and hands a little farther away from your thighs. your shoulders look open to your target and your right toe is on the alignment rod more than your left toe, so I think alignment may be an issue. your head also does something funky. your first move off the ball in the first 6-12" is to fan the face open, then you pick your arms up to try to complete the turn, only really engaging your shoulders almost at the last part of your backswing. think about keeping the face squarer to your target longer, maybe even trying to pull the hands more in while the club head stays outside the hands. the best thing you can do is place a club across your chest, crossing your arms left over right to hold the club in place. now get into your stance, and turn until the part of the club sticking out from your left shoulder is pointing at or even a little behind the ball. feel what it's like to maintain your balance while using your big muscles to turn back. now grip the club and feel this same turn. practice turning to just 3/4 or 1/2 before the full swing. if you can turn like this, and engage the lower body to start a controlled downswing, your 3/4 swing will likely be longer than your current full swing. good luck!


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Your wife has an excellent swing for a beginner!
 
caeleric said:
Freddie will get you going. I am of the opinion that good fundamentals are huge. take a closeup pic of your grip and make sure it looks good. from your 7i vid, I'd like to see more flex in the knees and hands a little farther away from your thighs. your shoulders look open to your target and your right toe is on the alignment rod more than your left toe, so I think alignment may be an issue. your head also does something funky. your first move off the ball in the first 6-12" is to fan the face open, then you pick your arms up to try to complete the turn, only really engaging your shoulders almost at the last part of your backswing. think about keeping the face squarer to your target longer, maybe even trying to pull the hands more in while the club head stays outside the hands. the best thing you can do is place a club across your chest, crossing your arms left over right to hold the club in place. now get into your stance, and turn until the part of the club sticking out from your left shoulder is pointing at or even a little behind the ball. feel what it's like to maintain your balance while using your big muscles to turn back. now grip the club and feel this same turn. practice turning to just 3/4 or 1/2 before the full swing. if you can turn like this, and engage the lower body to start a controlled downswing, your 3/4 swing will likely be longer than your current full swing. good luck!


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Click to expand...

I've always hated that I fan the face in the takeaway, but have never been able to break the habit because I always went to the course and never to the range. I've tried the club across the shoulders drill so I know what you're referring to but have never been able to transition that turn once I have a club in my hands, not sure why but I'll definitely start doing the turn with the club across nth chest a couple hundred times a day to get that feeling.


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Adam0304 said:
I've always hated that I fan the face in the takeaway, but have never been able to break the habit because I always went to the course and never to the range. I've tried the club across the shoulders drill so I know what you're referring to but have never been able to transition that turn once I have a club in my hands, not sure why but I'll definitely start doing the turn with the club across nth chest a couple hundred times a day to get that feeling.


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Click to expand...

I like the feeling of the club head staying outside the hands instead of getting behind your body. almost a furyk type move.


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Adam0304 said:
I've always hated that I fan the face in the takeaway, but have never been able to break the habit because I always went to the course and never to the range. I've tried the club across the shoulders drill so I know what you're referring to but have never been able to transition that turn once I have a club in my hands, not sure why but I'll definitely start doing the turn with the club across nth chest a couple hundred times a day to get that feeling.


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Click to expand...

I struggle with the exact same flaw of fanning the club open and going way too far inside, so I feel your pain.
 
https://vimeo.com/138365880

Trying to feel not taking it back to far inside using a mirror as a visual aid.


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Adam0304 said:
https://vimeo.com/138365880

Trying to feel not taking it back to far inside using a mirror as a visual aid.
Click to expand...

IMO, with what I see here it looks like your takeaway looks fine. If you want to shorten your backswing a bit, try not to break the left elbow at the top of the backswing. If you look at my avatar here, that's a straight left arm. Yeah, your plane doesn't have to be that shallow, but keep that left arm straight, turn the shoulders, and wherever it stops, that's it. I don't think you need to worry if the shaft is parallel to the ground, or past parallel, or less than parallel, let your straight left arm determine the limit of your backswing. At first you will feel that it's a very short backswing, but if you take videos and pictures, for as long as you've kept your hips quiet and made that shoulder turn, like me, it's surprising to realize that the backswing is actually adequate to create the stored potential energy for the downswing.

In my backswing in the avatar, I have the sensation that my hands are just to my left and as high as my right ear. But that "sensation" is not correct, because I have also turned my shoulders, and my hands are actually behind me rather than just to my right side.

there is always the temptation to cock the wrists or break the left elbow in an effort to squeeze more power, but these moves actually do more damage than good - less power, less consistency.

good luck.
 
Adam0304 said:
https://vimeo.com/138365880

Trying to feel not taking it back to far inside using a mirror as a visual aid.


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Click to expand...
Stop looking in the mirror. You're turning your head which is giving you more room to overswing and get narrow. I fight this as well. But keep your head still, look at the bill of your hat in the video. Not your club position in a mirror.

After watching it again, look at your three swings. First two massive head movement and narrow position at the top with the club behind you. Third swing, quieter head and the club was more in front of you.

1st swing
7a65d4c82783aa401cbb98cd242beb44.jpg


Second swing
dac1b708eec2988380eedc994277ad31.jpg


Third swing
cf4faace9613c60f7aaa813e762400aa.jpg


I have a feeling that the third swing would give you the most consistency with power and accuracy.
 
Thanks man, I had a bad habit of looking back and watching the club on the backswing I had to break so I can see the mirror being detrimental in the same way.

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May I ask how you got the amazing slow me video recorded? Quality is fantastic and would like myself!

Also, your wife for a beginner has a better follow through than I do, sigh. :)

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Haha, that would be a feature on the iPhone 6 :)


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Quick thoughts:

Arms need more of a relaxed connection to chest/ribcage during backswing, have the upper left arm tight to the chest (but relaxed),

I say that because the wrists are too active on backswing causing clubhead to go inside -- to eliminate that, make wrists and arms somewhat passive and keep left arm tight to chest. Arms they follow the chest, the wrists only cock going back. Relax the left arm, the right arm sort of takes the lead going back

Wrists relax at top, causing droop and across the line


Hips are too level on the backswing and downswing.

Hips need to be opening more before impact; they do most of the opening after impact - too late.
 
Last edited:
Looks like you are headed down the right track. Those practice swings are solid but remember, you will start your real swing from a resting position. You will need a starter in order to keep that simulated motion going. Maybe a small forward press with the hands but continue to move that club back with th shoulders.
 
Range is closed tomorrow for the holiday but I should be able to get some practice in with dry swings. Thank you, Freddie!


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3d46dd19265315fd7ca946ab6e3f00ec.jpg
Rough day. Putting is night and day with the belly putter. I spent most of the rings focusing on my takeaway, knee flex, and not laying the club open. It seemed a bit better but the shots were not. I'll get a video up showing progress in a bit.


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If you could go to the range and simply set up now move the club straight back with your hands moving in a line with your feet..The club head will be outside your hands and right arm will fold and bingo you'll be at the top...Just do that it's easy to watch your hands move in a line with your feet... don't break you wrists inside just back on your foot line and up....
 
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