Golf swing critique

Hi.

I need some pointers on my swing. Was on the driving range today and brought my camera, which ended up being a farse really. First 10-15 shots was okai, where i started with 9, hit a few with the 7 iron, before i seemed to forget how to swing entirely.

I included links to a couple of videos. One having proper shots with both the 9 and 7 iron, and then an obscurity of a hit with the 7iron. The files are DivX5 format and around 1MB each in size.

Any help and critique and tips on what to change will be highly appreciated, because the state my swing is in now, and how little i trust it to be stable simply prevents me from going on a course.

1 : 9 & 7 iron proper shots
http://home.eunet.no/smilsett/golf/f...ron-xvid-2.avi

2 : 7 iron "what-a-hell ?" shot
http://home.eunet.no/smilsett/golf/f...ron-xvid-3.avi

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EDIT - Here is also a 13fps version of a 9 Iron shot
http://home.eunet.no/smilsett/golf/f...9Iron-slow.avi

- Stian

Nada, zip, zilch ?

Oh well, after comparing my swing to others, both amateurs and pro`s, i think i have found one flaw which i need to correct. I havent got enough flex in my knees, which i can see is resulted in a too stiff left leg, and might explain why i am having problems with coming out-to-in aswell as a usually shallow ballflight, aswell as topping the ball on too many occations.

I still hope someone will have a glance on the videos, as i am not a teaching pro, and might just aswell be messing up my swing even more with my own conclusion

Stian

Youre right no.2 is horrible!. You have a very armsy backswing which takes the club away too far to the inside. On that clip you then have a big overswing, across the line which ends up in a reverse pivot - right leg straightens, spine angle decreases

Try setting up with a little more weight on the right foot and work on a more one piece takeaway where you feel as if you turn everything away together keeping the gap between your elbows the same. Try and feel as if the butt of the club stays pointing at your belly button as you turn (another feeling is that the clubhead itself stays pointed at the at centre of your chest) and turn on a nice wide arc with the club low to the ground for as long as possible without swaying. At halfway back this should have the club head outside of or level with your hands and pointing more down the target line.

Then turn to the top trying to keep your right knee bent. Try not to overswing, dont let the arms go much higher than say 10.30-11 on the clockface

This will give you more width and keep you more on plane. You do this much better on the first clip where your body and arm turn are better synchronised

HTH

Thanks for giving the videos a glance and for the tips Pnearn. I headed out to the driving range again, just to find my swing seemed to be forgotten at home i couldnt hit worth poo.Though the reason for that i believe is because of the changes ive been starting to implement like, as you said, a more controlled takeaway, aswell as cutting the backswing abit shorter. Shorter backswing will most probably leave me with many more stable shots.

I will be heading back to the range tomorrow and try not to get too upset that my shots clear the field...to the right

- Stian

Back from the range, and felt an update was in order.

I continuned from where i left off yesterday, hitting balls to the right, or topping them heavily to the left. Still couldnt understand what the reason of it was.

I was told yesterday that my left arm for some reason had started to be pulled to the body in the downswing, tho yesterday i didnt manage to do anything about it.

So after a few shots, i just cleared my mind, not thinking, just swinging as usual. And what do you know, balls started going where i wanted them to again, 7 iron, 4 iron, 21 hybrid. I just swinged the club as i have allways done.

Weird stuff, a whole week of this and the remedy was simply not thinking, just doing. Kinda frustrating, but on another note, kinda baffling. Golf is indeed a weird sport, where going from hitting properly to looking like an 1 hr beginner can happen during a 1 bucket rangesession.

One thing ive picked up after this is simply "dont implement changes in your swing without a professional nearby, the results can be fatal"

- Stian

Sorting that knee flex out will definitely improve your posture. It really helped me. Heres some advice from another thread

http://www.golf-tuition-online.com/10520567-post24.html (Over the top - Is there one thing you can do to make it impossible?)

Was back at the range this evening, and the earlier bad shots seems to be missing entirely, hit 2 buckets ranging from 60' to 6iron to hybrid with just a handfull over-the-tops or excessive slicing.

I tried flexing my knees alittle more, and felt i got a better feel of the swing, but i need to bring my camera with me and see if there any evident change in kneeflex.

Atleast it felt good tonight, back to where i was earlier where i could produce a good shot the the right focus.

Didnt get to test out the tips you had in that other thread, i will tho

- Stian

Good stuff Stian

Yes, the knee flex will make a big difference. In your bad swing clips you are almost stood up straight at address with the legs and that leads to the reverse pivot the weight falling forwards in the downswing