When I make a practice backswing and check it looks great. I aim to get my hands/butt of the club at the top on a line from the ball through the shoulder socket at address position and exended above and behind me on the same plane. My cam corder is broken so I have not seen my swing on film for some time. My playing partner said my backswing had got flat and looked cramped although I am hitting the ball well. I caught sight of it today in the mirror of the range when making a real swing and he is right. I think I know where my hands should be at the top but I don't seem to be able to do it in the real swing. Brian: Do you have any little tricks of the trade to deal with my problem ? The hitting balls out of divots drill taught me how to compress the ball no problem, the hitting driver off the deck drill killed my hook but I have not worked out why it works and the bunker play tip was instant . Do you have a trick /drill for getting my swing more upright ? Thanks . Did you get my email?
Flat backswing problem
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mgjordan
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I'm not Brian, but I will give it a stab until he responds.
"the hitting driver off the deck drill killed my hook but I have not worked out why it works"
In order to hit a driver solidly off of the groud, you instinctively come into the ball a little steeper to catch it solidly. This cures a downswing that is to much out to the right and gets you closer to the correct plane.
"Do you have a trick /drill for getting my swing more upright?"
When I worked with Brian, I was getting the club too flat going back. He had me try to get to the top in a position with the right arm that was like I was getting ready to throw a football pass. Be careful though because when you get the club steeper going back, you will (or at least I did) want to come over the top a little coming down because the position just feels different. Make sure you are getting the club back down correctly to hit the inside of the ball.
"the hitting driver off the deck drill killed my hook but I have not worked out why it works"
In order to hit a driver solidly off of the groud, you instinctively come into the ball a little steeper to catch it solidly. This cures a downswing that is to much out to the right and gets you closer to the correct plane.
"Do you have a trick /drill for getting my swing more upright?"
When I worked with Brian, I was getting the club too flat going back. He had me try to get to the top in a position with the right arm that was like I was getting ready to throw a football pass. Be careful though because when you get the club steeper going back, you will (or at least I did) want to come over the top a little coming down because the position just feels different. Make sure you are getting the club back down correctly to hit the inside of the ball.
Thanks for the advice things are getting a little better so I will keep on at it. I have noticed that my ball flight has got higher . I used to be a low ball hitter. I am not coming over the top with the more upright backswing but I feel less connected and this leads to me not trusting it as much but the ball flight and trajectory is much better.
Brian Manzella
Administrator
EDZ...chin? come on.
If your swing is too flat...it is because our arms don't go in their proper direction relative to the torso...which is OUT/up/and over your right shoulder-ear area.
If your swing is too flat...it is because our arms don't go in their proper direction relative to the torso...which is OUT/up/and over your right shoulder-ear area.
So should I just think of getting my hands out ,up and over my right shoulder area and that is it? Are there any other drills that you instruct students who have my flat backswing problem? I was starting to shoot reasonable scores but now that I am changing things my scores have gone up. I am finding this change is more difficult to make than others I have made in the past but I will stick with it.
mgjordan
New
Hue, I am still not real comfortable with it. It feels better to me to get it low and flat, but just because something is comfortable doesn't make it right.
"Are there any other drills that you instruct students who have my flat backswing problem?"
Work hard on your takeaway. The reason I get flat is because I roll the club in early with my wrists instead of keeping it more in front of my chest. If I can take it back to parallel well, I just have to lift it up to the top and then start down. Do alot of mirror work or set up a camera and just practice making backswings. Good luck.
"Are there any other drills that you instruct students who have my flat backswing problem?"
Work hard on your takeaway. The reason I get flat is because I roll the club in early with my wrists instead of keeping it more in front of my chest. If I can take it back to parallel well, I just have to lift it up to the top and then start down. Do alot of mirror work or set up a camera and just practice making backswings. Good luck.
Mgjordan: This is what I have found with the grip change (it is weaker than what I was doing before). Changing my grip has had two effects, 1) It has shortened my swing, which is something I really like, 2) It seems like I am slightly flatter if anything in the backswing, previously I was too upright and wristy.
I was fortunate to meet an teacher much like Brian. Very good but not famous. His name was Marshall Smith taught a few of the old guys. He would watch a while then tell you what to do. Usually one sentence. One thing he told me to help my flat swing was "try to stick your right thumb in your right ear on the backswing." It really helped bring my hands up where they should be. Might try this on the practice range.
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