It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing

ubizmo · #1 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 12:09 AM

I played nine holes early this morning; shot a disappointing 53. I started out okay but my swing just unraveled about halfway through. I wasn't tired or distracted; I just started duffing. I've shot plenty of 53s, so that was nothing extraordinary. What was disappointing was the fact that I've been doing a lot of practicing, but still couldn't hit the ball right.

I had my partner shoot some video, and he wanted video of his swing too. Later, I studied the video and compared it to others, recent and not so recent. The shots he happened to record were okay, in terms of ball flight. That is, the ball launched and went fairly straight, not long but not sickly short either.

Studying the videos frame by frame, I've learned that...

1. I have no weight shift at all until after impact. If anything my weight stays back on my right foot. Thus my pivot is late too.

2. I have a very small shoulder turn, and therefore my arms don't get much above 9 o'clock.

3. My arms have already started to bend at impact.

4. Somehow my swing path isn't too bad; it's not outside-in.

5. Backswing is rushed.

Looking over older and newer videos, I see that some things have improved. My posture is better. My head doesn't bob so much. My left arm doesn't fold up on the backswing. Although my swing still looks rushed, it's not as bad as before.

What to do?

I'm going to go to the range, get a couple of large buckets, and do NOTHING BUT half swing lag shots with weight shift and pivot (I.e., RH drill). No full swings until I've hit the sweet spot correctly (with lag and turn) over and over and over. Not just a few. Dozens. Scores. I need to imprint what it feels like.

That's the plan.

Mox · #2 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 02:04 PM

Duffing ... so you're hitting it fat, right? Hitting behind the ball, digging up turf before hitting the ball?

When you do a lot of pump drills and RH drills, you are enhancing your inside path to the ball. Coming from the inside always mean coming in shallow (compared to coming in from the outside, anyway).

If you come in shallow, and have no weight shift, you will have a tendency to hit behind the ball. (I've been doing this exact same thing the last month, since my pro decided to put the ball more forward in my stance to force my weight shift).

Try to make a slow backswing and the start the transition by pushing your hip along the target line towards your left foot before it begins turning.

You will find that it opens up a nice a wide gap for your arms and lagging hands to drop into, keeping that nice and tight inside path to the ball.

As mentioned, I struggled with this problem for a month but it will eventually gel and you will be hitting it ultra-crisp.

ubizmo · #3 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mox

Try to make a slow backswing and the start the transition by pushing your hip along the target line towards your left foot before it begins turning.

You will find that it opens up a nice a wide gap for your arms and lagging hands to drop into, keeping that nice and tight inside path to the ball.

As mentioned, I struggled with this problem for a month but it will eventually gel and you will be hitting it ultra-crisp.

Yes, this hip movement is the 2nd of Dante's "magic moves" and it's a tough one for me. I think it's a case of wanting to get distance and thus rushing not only the backswing but the downswing too, so everything gets truncated. That's how it looks anyway. I need to slow it all way down. Easy to say; not so easy to do.

BrianW · #4 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 08:25 PM

Todd,

Try this drill: At the range address the ball with say an 8 iron and taking a very narrow stance with the ball placed just ahead of your lead foot. Take the club back to the top with a full shoulder turn and momentarily before you get to the top take a step outside the ball with your lead foot and then come down into impact to a full follow through.

Using this drill you should be able to pick up on the wave like motion transferring weight to the front leg in the downswing.

Mox · #5 (**permalink**) 06-29-2007, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubizmo

Yes, this hip movement is the 2nd of Dante's "magic moves" and it's a tough one for me. I think it's a case of wanting to get distance and thus rushing not only the backswing but the downswing too, so everything gets truncated. That's how it looks anyway. I need to slow it all way down. Easy to say; not so easy to do.

You must tell yourself this, and learn to believe it ...

"Distance comes from the inside"

When your hip is out of the way, your arms can drop freely. They don't have to waste power trying to move around your hip, but can attack the ball in the same way that an axe attacks a log of wood - in a straight, powerful line.

When your arms can drop straight, then you have all the room between your shoulders and the ball to release your hands and club into, completely unhindered and at full force.

The clubhead will be attacking the ball at speeds you will NEVER be able to reach coming over the top.

So spend some time at home - not even using a club in your hands - just trying to "kick and turn" that hip out of the way. You will find that your arms and hands AUTOMATICALLY drops to exactly the point where you want the Right Hand Drill to take over.

Hands are in the slot, wrists properly cocked and you can just KILL that ball.

But you MUST believe that the power comes from the inside. If you are in doubt, you will hurry your arms and all things will go to hell.

I know - I've been there (mighty HOT down there btw

)

Mox · #6 (**permalink**) 06-29-2007, 10:46 AM

Quick drill that I have used with fairly good success ...

The idea is to try to establish the inside line to the ball, while forcing you to move your hips out of the way.

The essential elements are these ...

1) Put the ball further forward in your stance than you would normally do. (slightly inside forward heel for mid-iron shots)

2) Put a ball straight up from your forward toe, but CLOSER TO your body than the ball you intend to hit.

3) Put another ball in the center of your stance, but FURTHER FROM your body than the ball you intend to hit.

The idea is to hit the middle ball and try to push it out to the right.
Of course, you can't hit the other balls, and that is almost impossible to avoid if you swing outside-in (which I know isn't your problem, but still you will need to clear your hips to get a proper line to this ball).

You can vary distance and angle between the "gate-balls" to make the drill easier or harder.

The drill works just fine together with RHD and/or the pump drill.

ubizmo · #7 (**permalink**) 06-29-2007, 02:34 PM

Thanks for these suggestions. I'll try them. I did go out and hit 85 balls with RH and pump drill, using every club. I only failed to hit 5 of them cleanly. In fact, one guy came up and said "You're smart, I should work on that bump & run shot too." I didn't mention I was trying to do therapy for my full swing.

I took some full swings at home, without a ball. I noticed something. The slow takeaway in itself doesn't help if I rush the downswing and jerk with my arms. But if I actually pause at the top, then it feels like the only way to start the downswing is to shift my hip, so that's something to try too.

Mox · #8 (**permalink**) 06-29-2007, 08:27 PM

I think you're right ... rushing the backswing or even the downswing will probably lead you to build up just a little bit too much energy in the coil, and that will cause your body to begin uncoiling by itself, starting in the wrong place - the shoulders.

By pausing at the top, you ensure that you don't automatically uncoil. You will coil less and build up less energy in that coil, but you will be able to control it a lot more.

And when you trigger your downswing by sliding (and turning) your hip, you will get that extra little coil anyway.

I'm no teaching pro, but it makes sense to me from a biomechanical point of view.

ubizmo · #9 (**permalink**) 06-30-2007, 01:22 AM

Played nine tonight and got a 49. I was rushed, had no time even to swing a club around; had to just tee up and swing. Despite that, I had no mis-hits. None. Not every shot was perfect by any means, but none were skulls or massive chunks or sh*nks. I gave away a putt on every green but I was still pleased because of no mis-hits. My first tee shot went 270 yds, with 3w. Just missed fairway into light rough. That was an amazing shot, but not repeated. The rest of my drives were not so long, but pretty straight. Used the 3w only.

My only special swing idea was the pause at the top. Worked pretty well. Maybe it's a "magic move."

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