Tweaking the Swing

Probably like many of you I am always tweaking my swing. I am addicted to finding that change that makes all the difference.

Anyway, recently I was reading about the importance of the rightarm in keeping the club on plane. I saw some drills demonstrating the right arm in control bringing the club back. So I try to keep the right arm and wrist solid and in control of bringing the club back and it seems to help a little. But after a few rounds my swing goes to hell for two or three rounds after. Weak pushes and slices creap in, I can not hit shots solid. Terrible.

So I play alone Friday and make it a practice round. Hitting two or more balls per shot, trying different things and I discover that in trying to work this new right arm idea into my swing I abandoned what I was doing right before. I was lifting the club more than swinging it. I was pulling my hands behind my torso and getting stuck. I was casting to catch up. My goal during the round was to work on weight shift but I discovered I needed to give back control of my arms to my body rotation.

When does this end? I am now not worrying about keeping the club on plane but should I? How can I introduce a new fundamental into my swing without screwing everything else up? Is this the corrrect process? Do we have to overdo a thing and screw up our swing before we can make it an improvement?

O Maaaaaaaaaan..........

Sounds to familiar as I was just about to give up on this B.S. today for reasons like that.Spent too much time trying to figure things out to where it is becoming not fun anymore..Hopefully something will click as I am still waiting for the same but time is running out for me. Not trying to sound negetive but I surely understand that post.......Good luck

I am of the opinion that most golfers would serve themselves better if they chose one course of instruction, and stayed with it. Jumping around from one golf tip to another will not hold up over any reasonable period of time for a golfer's swing. The problem is that when these tips come from different views, or opinions of swing instruction, they will not mesh correctly with each other. This scenario will cause more swing problems for the aspiring golfer, who will then seek out another opinion, or line of instruction to no avail. Unless the golfer gets extremely lucky by receiving instruction that actually supports what ever type of swing they are using, they will not progress to the swing results they are looking for. In the end all a golfer can really hope for is to find a line of instruction that gets them into the proper impact position for their own swing chractoristics, that sends the ball the correct distance, and to their chosen target, and on a consistant basis. GJS

A little edit here. When I speak of golf swing "tips", I do not include golf swing "drills." It is my thinking that a good drill will work with most types of swings. Suffice to say it is tough to beat the "pump" drill, or any drills that help "feel" the release at impact. GJS

How can I introduce a new fundamental into my swing without screwing everything else up? Is this the corrrect process? Do we have to overdo a thing and screw up our swing before we can make it an improvement?(quote)


I feel your pain. Last summer I took about 10- 15 golf lessons. I had major issues, with no pivot and a reverse pivot, when I tried to pivot. The instructor would work on one thing at a time – he said until you get a handle on what I just taught your we can’t move forward since the next step depends on doing what I was just taught correctly. At the end of the summer I was ambivalent about having taking the lessons, and the outcomes. This summer, in terms of distance and contact, I have dropped three clubs. I am in no better shape – but just practicing with better mechanics and an unforced swing has helped immensely. So, you may be working on something now, but the results may be months away. I think it is a mistake (I too often have made) by working on too many things at once – and with too many sources – many of which contradict each other.
Best of luck

James

There are alot of different schools of thought out there, I have found that
some of the instructors are trying to explain the same things using different explanations. I can be quite confusing. I enjoy the game, but I don't want to be one of the guys that scoots the ball across the ground for 18 holes.

Nothing worse then addressing the ball to take a swing and not having any idea where the ball is going to go!

I learned to play golf by taking a full set of lessons with a PGA pro, I then continued taking a weekly then monthly lesson for many years, now I have a checkup every few months. Those lessons taught me how to make a good repeatable swing that can endure and needs fairly low maintenance. However I do have to practice on a regular basis to maintain my swing skills. I would recommend this route to new or improving golfers.

I see many home made swings that work well for a while but are so prone to breaking down due to the many adjustments required to deliver the clubface squarely to the ball. I also understand that many people cannot afford lessons and have to do the best they can and seek help and advice where possible. This site for example can be a good resource for golfers looking for advice although due to the nature of such open forums can create some conflicting responses and deep debates that can easily confuse the requester.

In saying this I just love the breath and depth of discussion generated, I have broadened my knowledge and have hopefully passed on some of my small experience to others, I guess it is us golf junkies (no quip meant GJS) that get the most out of it.

Finally Jamb, I suggest you go along with GJS's advice and get yourself a coach that can help you create the underpinned foundation swing that creates good impact and will endure the test of time.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

I'd have to agree with Brian and others on this - find a coach, in person or in writing or on DVD depending on preference and cash flow whose approach strikes a chord with you and stick with them.

On the other hand if you aren't seeing progress with a coach I'd be wary of the "worse before better" or "see the results in a few months" school of thought. I'm not sure that there are many activities where you hand over £35-40 per hour to be told that. If there's no improvement it might just be that the coach or method is no good for you - in which case move on.

My game has improved no end since I stopped tinkering with my swing and just followed one approach but there will come a time - especially if like me (with Leslie King) you are relying on the written word - that you need extra help. This is where a forum like this comes in, but be careful about what advice you take. It might not be incorrect in itself but it might just not suit what you are doing - like the time I tried to incorporate whipping through the right hand (Tommy Armour) into my free swing of the left arm (Leslie King) swing - I don't know whether it would have worked with supervision but in my own, at the range, a total disaster

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.