Confused about my swing.

[lia41985]

"Search for the Perfect Swing" gave me some insights, but not enough. It was clear that I wasn't rotating my shoulders deep enough on the takeaway, or bringing my left arm across my chest enough on my backstroke to get the club "on plane" like the book's model suggests.

However, I drive it well with a swing that's basically a near one-plane turned shoulder plane swing. My bad shot with the woods is a block slice. My iron play is really inconsistent. I have bouts with fatting irons and the bad shot is a block slice, as per the woods. I think my grip may be too strong. My left hand grip runs from my heel pad to the middle knuckle of my index finger. My right hand grip runs along the middle knuckles of all the fingers. The grip feels comfortable, but as I said, may be a touch too strong which is probably why my left wrist is a little cupped at the top. I also may have the club laid off. If I try to get the club more on line, I hit hooks. I'd rather hit a slice than a hook. I HATE HOOKS.

What I like about this action is that it FEELS like the club is really IN FRONT of me and that my hands are very AWARE of the clubhead's position. I'm super right eye and right arm dominant. I love the thought of having the right shoulder go down plane and execute it well.

Basically, this swing works for me because I'm so right-side dominant, but I know I need some UPGRADES to take it to the next level. I love the game and work hard on my game. Please help.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

You are a prime candidate for Never Hook Again. You have exactly what i describe as "too much in and not enough up."

All of your misses are from coming in way underplane and either flipping at it or excessively rotating your forearms. So even when you come close to being on plane you hook because the clubface is more than likely in the wrong position, it's doing what it wants to do on that "block slice" swing.

 

[lia41985]

Jim, I don't know about me having too much in and not enough up. In reading "Search for the Perfect Swing", I found myself more "on plane" (according to their model) when I moved "in" by bringing my left arm across my chest more. My takeaway has a lot of up I think--picture Adam Scott. I do something really similar to him or David Toms on my takeaway.

More information--with my irons, I sometimes even SHANK! I should have mentioned that earlier. This also makes me think I have enough up in my swing. Also, I have a tendency to step-through the shot, maybe too much horizontal weight shift. That could be because I have a lot of shaft lay back at address and A LOT of weight on my right foot. These things feel comfortable to me though...

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Ok, well even if you do have enough "up" you definately have too much left forearm rotation which is causing you to over-rotate the sweetspot getting in the laid off position which will cause each of the symptoms you are describing:

hooks
blocks
shanks
etc

Get some video or stills of your swing. But in the mean time, try this:

Hit balls with your right thumb completely off the club and report back.

 

[lia41985]

Will do, Jim. Thanks.

Question--I just purchased the web only version of "The Movie". How do I view it now?

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

You will receive an email with a link to the website and a password within a day or so.

 

[lia41985]

A WHOLE DAY! DAMN I WAS EXCITED, I'M SO IMPATIENT! ANYWAY TO VIEW NOW NOW NOW?!?!