What is this swing flaw called?

[GeoffDickson]

If you put your feet together and make swings with the club can you do it without having your butt swiveling all over the place?

I think the answer is 'I think so'.

Here is a photo showing a few inches of drift/fall to the left during the backswing

Here is the raw video:

geoff.dickson@aut.ac.nz - 7 Iron - YouTube

To my eyes - and with the benefit of drawing some lines on the original video - there is no fall to the left during transition/downswing.

What's your verdict? What do these feet-togther swings tell us?

In normal swings, there is plenty of weight on my front foot after impact. My front foot is firmly stuck to the ground indicating that my weight is all there as well. i suspect the big question is how much weight gets on to the back foot (and off the front foot) during backswing.

 

[GeoffDickson]

Here is current theory: With a vertical spine the rotation of the shoulders forces me to fall towards the target.

Remedies...ensure spine tilt (away from the ball) and keep it there under punishment of death. Must avoid swaying though.Don't panic if butt loses contact with red line. The key is to eliminate the loss of balance towards the target.

 

[drewyallop]

Have just re-read some of MJs GRF stuff...My thoughts above about decreasing movement of my left knee were achieved by a rotational, anti-clockwise pressure with left foot. In other words, trying to rotatemy left foot to the left

So let me see if I have this correct...best practice would be:
1. Anticlockwise pressure with left foot (i.e. trying to slide foot away from target line) to start backswing.
2. Clockwise pressure with left foot (i.e. trying to slide foot towards target line) to start downswing...or is this one better conceived as 'anti-clockwise pressure (i.e. trying to slide foot away from target line) to start downswing???

Just playing around in the lounge room and there is absolutely no doubt that I have been applying clockwise pressure with my left foot early in the backswing.

My experience Geoff ...

As to 1.
Use both feet to apply the anti clockwise pressure but also let your centre of pressure move to the trail leg.

As to 2.
Use both feet to apply the clockwise pressure. The trail foot will be dominate in this move since that is where most of the pressure is. Left foot only never worked for me (and wrecked my left knee).

The first restricts the hip turn. The second creates a clockwise torque on the hips, making it easier to get them turning and moving target-ward.

It took a lot of practice because I was doing exactly the opposite for years.

 

[GeoffDickson]

My suggestion ... buy MJ's video on ground reaction forces.

Just purchased..and probably headed home from work early to watch it.

 

[DCgolf]

Here is current theory: With a vertical spine the rotation of the shoulders forces me to fall towards the target.

Remedies...ensure spine tilt (away from the ball) and keep it there under punishment of death. Must avoid swaying though.Don't panic if butt loses contact with red line. The key is to eliminate the loss of balance towards the target.

I really like the don't panic part...how is your impact and what are ur misses?

 

[GeoffDickson]

DC,

Well you asked for it....There is a parallel thread about my golf swing going on at GolfWiseGuys...apologiesto those seeing this twice.

What the numbers below tell me:
1. 7 iron clubhead speed average of 87.2mph is OK. That's the PGA average for an 8 iron.
2. Vertical launch angle of 18.9* is problematic. That's about an 8.5 iron for the average PGA. I must improve this.
3. Putting 1 and 2 together, that's a key reason why I am about 2 clubs short of the PGA.
4. Smash factor average of 1.31 is slightly less than the 1.33 PGA average...but I am not convinced. I think the smash factor difference between me and the PGA players is a lot greater. Definitely room for improvement here.
5. Carry distance of 161 yards well short of the PGA average. See 1-3 above. The good news is that the carry distance is pretty consistent.
6. I think I hit them pretty straight, somewhat surprising given my perception of how poorly I strike the ball (See 4 above)
8. My big miss is hook to left. Fades are only occasional and when i do they are baby fades. Slices are non-existent. Big miss is from a very shut club face.
9. Looks like my standard shot is a baby draw...at least i think its baby. This occurs courtesy of the 0.7R club path and the 0.6L club face.
10. Angle of attack at -2.5 is about 2* less than the PGA average. Something in the above swing thoughts must be happening because in recent weeks it has been >4*. Maybe my lateral fall to the target is less than what it has been

 

[GeoffDickson]

Ignore

 

[Frans@France]

DC,

Well you asked for it....There is a parallel thread about my golf swing going on at GolfWiseGuys...apologiesto those seeing this twice.

What the numbers below tell me:
1. 7 iron clubhead speed average of 87.2mph is OK. That's the PGA average for an 8 iron.
2. Vertical launch angle of 18.9* is problematic. That's about an 8.5 iron for the average PGA. I must improve this.
3. Putting 1 and 2 together, that's a key reason why I am about 2 clubs short of the PGA.
4. Smash factor average of 1.31 is slightly less than the 1.33 PGA average...but I am not convinced. I think the smash factor difference between me and the PGA players is a lot greater. Definitely room for improvement here.
5. Carry distance of 161 yards well short of the PGA average. See 1-3 above. The good news is that the carry distance is pretty consistent.

so you launch it high --> High dynamic loft --> low smash --> lower carry...

Or in short solve 2 and 4 & 5 will follow as those are the consequence of 3 and not independent issues.

However (!) Look at your angle of descent...You are already on the limit with that 46* on average. Lowering you launch angle will bring down that angle even more and you will get more roll and less distance control. Are you sure you want that? IMHO you should accept that the clubhead speed is not there and therefore accept the logical consequences of having a lower then PGA average swing speed.

But just so you don't feel depressed here some extra PGA Tour 2010 Trackman Data for the 7i (min/max values)

chs : 82/94 (mph)
AoA : -8.4/-1.5 (*)
Spin : 5832/8402 (rpm)
Carry : 132/172(m)